𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗜 ━━ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧
035. discover your solace

          𝗔 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗔𝗡 𝗢𝗪𝗟 interrupted Scarlet and Celeste's breakfast. She cast her mother a confused glance and walked towards the window where the owl was smashing itself into the glass window over and over again. Scarlet thought whoever the owl's owner was, they must be as stupid as the owl itself to buy one so stupid.

"Carly, who is it from?" Celeste asked. "Is it Sirius, again?"

Scarlet felt a little nervous responding, she used one hand to scratch her neck awkwardly whilst the other was glued to the letter that was handed to her. "It's from the Potters,"

The colour from Celeste's face practically drained, if that was possible for her incredibly pale face.

"They've invited us over for Christmas," she was mentally cursing James for whatever game he was playing. The Marauders were not keen on allowing anyone in on their personal time—not even Lily. She could not believe James was really inviting her over for Christmas—perhaps it was the work of his parents.

"It does not matter, it's not like we're going," She set the letter down, shrugging and approaching her mother. "The Blacks are hosting a ball."

"Nonsense, darling," Celeste shook her head, mustering a smile. "It is our family's tradition to never turn down an invitation,"

"So you're willing to turn down Mrs Black?" Scarlet asked, a little puzzled. Truth be told: Walburga hadn't even sent them an invitation yet, not wanting to appear desperate.

"The Potters invited us first," Celeste carefully said with a firm tone. "Besides, a change in scenery has always helped us find comfort," she gestured to the manor they decided to move into after leaving their previous home in the Wizarding World.

A soft and nostalgic smile bloomed on the woman's lips. Scarlet often wondered if Celeste missed who she used to be, the girl she once was before being sucked into the pureblood mania and getting married to the Bridgets. It was an idea she thought about more times than she would like to.

"I don't like change," Scarlet had a melancholic hint to her expression, but that soon dropped. "I mean, sometimes I do if I try hard enough to adjust,"

Celeste's smile grew. "You don't have to like it... Everyone finds solace in their different ways. You just have to discover what it is first."

Discover what it is.

It was clear Celeste found solace the moment she escaped. The thing that brought her reassurance after troubling times, was the grand escape she found after Zircon Bridget passed away. Escaping is what taught her that the path of life goes on... and it gets better if not great. But Scarlet... Scarlet couldn't admire freedom in the same way Celeste did. 

      SCARLET AND CELESTE WERE DRESSED IN A STYLE THEY ALWAYS wear on special occasions. Long dresses in a dark shade. Scarlet wore a plain, emerald dress whilst Celeste wore maroon. Over their dresses, they wore a flawless black coat. The two of them held a dozen gift bags—after all, Celeste never fails to make a statement.

      Scarlet always followed her mother when it came to appearance. The significant, propitious click of her heels that followed Celeste Bridget everywhere, paired with the glinting pearl necklace that hugged her neck carefully, Scarlet found it quite enduring. 

      The Potters lived in a house in Godric's Hollow. Most of the building had slate walls and ivy details, adding to the old-fashioned aura the house gave off. When the pair stood in front of the main entrance, loud and cheerful noises came from the inside. It caused the two to cast each other a confused glance. Then Scarlet realised it was not odd for such shouting to occur when James Potter and Sirius Black were in the same room.

      Scarlet remembered to be truthful to her mother about Sirius. No, not the fake-dating part but the fact that Sirius lied to his mother about not returning home this Christmas. Frankly, Celeste did not care.

      When Euphemia opened the door, her face held the same permanent smile and the pleasant aura that presented itself in her dark eyes. 

"Mia," Celeste smiled eagerly, and Scarlet instantly felt her mother's demeanor change. Her shoulders relaxed as though there were no care in the world anymore—just with the presence of Euphemia Potter.

"Come in, come in," She stepped aside, allowing the two in. "I'm so glad you made it," It was 24th December, and Euphemia insisted over the various letters they exchanged that the Bridgets should at least stay a day at their house. Least to say, space would not be a worry; the Potter Manor was enormous. 

Euphemia pulled Celeste in a short hug, and the blonde melted into it significantly. Then Mia helped Scarlet take her coat off with excitement, eager for the two to just go inside the house and sit down. 

"Scarlet, I've heard so much about you from both of my boys," she said with the sweetest smile, and Scarlet's eyes widened. Merlin knows what bullshit they stirred into Euphemia's head about her behaviour. 

"These are for you, Mia, I—I didn't know what sort of things you like now, I just grabbed..."

"Everything," Scarlet finished with a light chuckle. "She bought everything."

Euphemia heartily laughed. "You're making me feel like a stranger with all those formalities, come and sit—I'll fetch some tea," she gestured them into the living room, and the warm air felt contemptuous after the heavy wind outside. "You like tea, don't you, Scarlet?"

"I do, thank you, Mia."

"ARE THEY HERE? ARE THEY HERE!" James frantically yelled, practically floating down the stairs and being followed by Sirius. Euphemia went and fixed James' crooked glasses. 

"James. Greet them politely." Euphemia intimidatingly said, but her attempt at intimidation caused both boys to burst out into a peal of laughter. 

"BRIDGET! Am I dreaming or is that really you?" James inquired, staring directly into Scarlet's deadpan eyes.

"It is, Mia says you talk about me quite a lot."

James scoffed at her words. "Why would I? I'm not the one obsessed with you," he slowly turned to Sirius and gave him a knowing look.

Celeste's eyes widened visibly, and a smirk played at her lips vigorously. Scarlet mentally face-palmed herself and James coughed awkwardly, leaning towards the older woman.

"Apologies, Mrs Bridget, I'm James..." he kindly greeted. "Pleasure to meet you."

Celeste wore the same, short smile which sent a shiver down the Potter's spine. "Feeling's mutual, James." She shook his hand firmly.

"Mutual? Really?" Scarlet raised a brow and Celeste shook her head with a tight-lipped smile.

"Mrs Bridget," Sirius broke his awfully eery silence. "You won't tell... I mean—"

"Don't worry, Sirius, she won't know," Celeste cast a knowing look, assuring him with a light smile. "Don't think about it at all."

Sirius then finally returned to his usual manners, grinning largely.

"Celeste!" Fleamont ran from the kitchen, possibly after receiving a lecture from Euphemia about behaving politely. "I haven't seen you for centuries!"

"Now, now, no need to make us feel that old, Monty." Celeste stood up and shook his hand in a casual manner

      EUPHEMIA WAS GREAT AT MAKING TEA. And she was even better are telling stories. Currently, she is sharing events from her wedding.

"And when I threw the bouquet," Euphemia told Scarlet with a large smile. "Your mother ran the other way!"

"Mia, please, can we not?" Celeste's cheeks ran a deep shade of pink, and the children at the table burst out into a peal of laughter.

"And how was she in school?" Scarlet asked eagerly.

"Oh, a bloody menace, she was!" Fleamont threw his hands up, exclaiming to the other five of them. They all sat on the couches surrounding the tea table filled with tea and various snacks. Candles lit up on the corners of the table. "Every time Mia and I would try to spend some time together, she'd come and sit in the middle."

It was nice to hear true stories about her mother when she was her age. Scarlet never knew Celeste was so close with Gryffindors and such an extrovert too—after all, she was always pushing Scarlet into being the opposite.

"And Monty would freak out every time, he was always paranoid that Mia preferred me over him," Celeste smiled, although her tone was not as cheerful as the other two adults. "Although we all know it was true,"

"Oh, Sirius and James remind me so much of you and me, Cel," Mia told the blonde woman. "Always causing trouble,"

"Don't tell me Mrs Bridget would sneak around like I do," Sirius gaped and Celeste glared at him, making him sink back into his seat.

"You have no idea," Fleamont revealed. "She was practically a headache to her family."

"Really, because Mama claims she was a perfect girl when she was my age," Scarlet smirked and Celeste groaned.

"Can we talk about how Fleamont would wear Mia's skirt and dance around in the common room?"

"NO, NO, YOU DID NOT JUST BRING THAT UP!" Fleamont exclaimed, so humiliated, his cheeks turned red.

James laughed as loud as he possibly could, and Mia rubbed her husband's back. "When James and Sirius were in fourth year—"

"Mum, please, don't." 

"They would put on my skirts and run around the house as if they were Stevie Nicks."

James and Sirius put their heads in their hands, embarrassed now. Scarlet sipped her tea and set it down, speaking over the loud laughter. "Who is Stevie Nicks?"

The living room fell silent as they all stared at Scarlet whose smile slowly vanished. Clearly, she had a lot to learn.

"Only the best singer in the best band ever," Sirius softly told Scarlet, tapping her thigh to grab her attention from the utter silence. He spoke genuinely, not in a manner to make fun of her the way he always would when she would get confused about Muggle culture.

Thankfully, the awkwardness was interrupted by a loud ring sounding, the doorbell at the front door rung multiple times by someone obviously eager to greet the Potters. Euphemia stood from her seat and exited the living room. She gasped with a loud laugh as the door opened, Remus and Peter stepping through the door.

"GUYS!" James laughed, hugging both boys at once. Peter was being squeezed by Sirius who followed suit, and Scarlet simply waved at Remus who reciprocated the greeting with a sweet smile. 

"Sit, sit, we're telling stories!" Fleamont beamed, grabbing the bags Remus and Peter were holding.

"I have one," Remus told them, sitting quickly. "Prongs, remember the time Scarlet replaced Peter's hat with a rat simply because he was chewing loudly."

"I could hear him chewing all the way from the Slytherin table," Scarlet defended herself, justifying her actions. "You deserved it, right, Peter?"

Peter gulped at the glare the blonde sent. "I deserved it."

Celeste shook her head, "Scarlet, stop intimidating your peers."

"Wait, wait," James put his hands up, making sure everybody knew he was speaking. He pointed between Celeste and Euphemia, and the Potter woman braced herself for whatever stupid thing was going to come out of her son's mouth. "If the two of you were so inseparable, why haven't you talked in all these years?"

The room fell silent once again. Remus raised a brow at Sirius to ask if it had been this awkward the entire time, and Scarlet sent James a deadly glare to which he responded with a confused shrug.

"Well, uhm—" Celeste anxiously tapped her finger against the cup. "Things change, you know, we had families and we had to move on..."

"Yeah," Euphemia laughed nervously. "Things change..." she trailed off, fiddling with the ring on her ring finger.

Celeste remembered it all. That specific hour before she walked down the aisle—she was sitting on an uncomfortable sofa whilst Euphemia was on her knees before her, begging her to not marry Zircon Bridget. Euphemia asked her to move in with her and Fleamont, promising she would protect her.

      But Celeste had a responsibility, and the blood in her veins painted all loving figures in her life bright red until she could not find peace in anything. She called Euphemia's request pathetic and embarrassing and accused her of not knowing what she was talking about.

      And even if it doesn't seem like it, Euphemia remembered the evening in more detail. She thought she failed her as a friend—allowing her best friend to give herself away to such a haunting house. She regretted not being more persuasive. 

      Celeste yelled at her and warned her to not cause a scene. Euphemia did not even stay for the wedding and simply made her way out. The Malfoys were particularly glad about the Potters' exit, but Celeste wasn't.

      It was the day she lost her truest friend.

      And then sold her soul to the devil.

      Then came the photos of the charity gala the Bridgets would host every year—the ones where Zircon would place his arm around Celeste as though she was nothing more than a trophy wife. As though every scrap of her identity was stripped, as though it did not matter that she, too, came from a reputable family. 

      The laughter stopped and the group stared at each other awkwardly. And as usual, the Bridgets only ever brought darkness into a room full of light. Celeste mentally cursed herself for it.

𝑪𝑨𝑹𝑨 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑺

you have no idea how 
much i loved writing 
this chapter.

of course, i HAD to give 
celeste more depth.
i couldn't resist it.
cel and mia had 
potential to be like
james and sirius tbh.

until that was ruined
haha

remember to leave votes 
AND COMMENTS!!

I heavily lose motivation 
to write when there is
no comments.