𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘:
First Year is done!
(1972)

IT'S BITTERSWEET REALLY.

The school year is over. First-year exams are done, and their results will be sent out by the summer.

Viviane's mind is well-rested, and her consciousness feels safe at Hogwarts. The school year was like a holiday for Viviane because actual schooling would commence during the summer.

After reading her Father's letter about visitors coming to the Manor, he added her Etiquette Instructor and Language Tutor to the wards. So her original routine will proceed like last time.

Ballet Lessons.

Etiquette Instructor.

Language tutor.

Private Tutor lessons.

Potions session with her Father.

Violin or Harp lessons thrice a month.

Those are the real challenges for her, not the classes she attended at Hogwarts. Those essays and pop quizzes the professors gave are unsurprisingly basic.

It's way too easy that she managed to enjoy her day and rest while her friends panicked or were almost on the verge of hyperventilating because a potion essay was due or Professor McGonagall announced a recitation for their previous lesson.

Viviane doesn't mean to sound like she's better than anyone.

She just is, really.

But she's way too humble to state that out loud.

She doesn't need to prove it to anyone anyway. She knows it herself and lets her peers notice it on their own.

Which they did.

They always bug her about being their partner for a project or a presentation, but Viviane shrugs them off; when her class schedule is with the Ravenclaws, she always picks Calista.

With Gryffindor, it's either with Sirius, Remus, Lily, or James—for playing fair, they have to spin the bottle on to whoever it lands will be her partner for that assignment, which always manages to land on Lily, which Sirius begrudgingly stated that the bottle is rigged.

Viviane told them that Potions and Herbology are for them while Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts are the classes she'll be grouped with her Slytherin friends.

For Slytherin are her friends, Myra, Aurora, Althea, and Dorcas, who did the same spin the bottle—after Viviane suggested it, which to their joy, was just them switching every project.

Then for Hufflepuff, there's a nice girl that Viviane got along with named Emmeline Vance, and she's excellent with Herbology. And a boy named Philip Hernandez he's Filipino as well, and because of that, he and Viviane got along really well because of their shared culture.

And with the school year over. It means Bellatrix graduated from Hogwarts and will not bother Viviane next year, much to her delight. But that also means attending their wedding that is set during the summer. Meaning an event that every pureblood family is set to attend.

Fake pleasantries.

Unwanted conversations.

Unsolicited advice from elders.

Disgusting wedding proposals.

Exaggerated enthusiasm.

The silent scrutiny was made towards her.

Radiating envy toward the Black and Hawthorne family.

And stroking their egos, a suck-up.

The usual, as always, nothing new. At least Sirius will attend and express the exasperation that Viviane couldn't.

Viviane couldn't wait to start her second year at Hogwarts. She's too eager to return even if she hasn't left yet.

"Hey," A familiar voice greeted her from behind. Where she sat on the ground with a blanket before her was the black lake, the shade of the oak tree blocking the radiating heat of the afternoon sun—she often spent her time alone gazing at the beauty of the black lake.

Viviane looked up with a fond smile, "Hello, Remus." As she patted the empty space beside her, Remus took her offer and sat beside her, crossing his legs to his chest.

"Can't believe that our first year is over," Remus says as he enjoys the view of the black lake.

Like a vast, endless expanse of liquid darkness, the lake mirrors the ever-changing moods of the Hogwarts skies, reflecting the shifting patterns of the stars at night and the dancing sunbeams during the day. The water's surface is like a canvas, mirroring the castle and its surroundings.

Surrounding the Black Lake is a picturesque landscape adorned with ancient willow trees, whose long, sweeping branches dip gracefully into the water below. The trees sway perfectly harmoniously with the lake's gentle ripples, creating a mesmerising symphony of nature's rhythms.

Viviane nods, sighing, "Yeah, it feels like I received my Hogwarts letter yesterday," She tells him with a reminiscing expression.

"What are you going to do for the summer?" Remus asks curiously as he focuses on the girl beside her, still looking to the front.

Remus really got to closely observe Viviane's chubby cheeks, full cupid bow lips, brown doe eyes that reminded him of chocolate, cutest button nose, and her long brown hair styled into a dutch braid with flower clips scattered to the braid.

Remus blushed as he looked away, and Viviane looked at him as soon as he did. As she answered nonchalantly with a shrug, "The usual," Viviane answered; she couldn't really tell him that the real challenge of academics for her began during the summer, "Lots of dull balls, Bellatrix's marriage, my family planning another marriage contract—hopefully not mine."

Remus chuckled, raising an eyebrow as he finally looked at her, "Why would they arrange your marriage? You're only 11."

Viviane rolls her eyes, "It's just how it is for us. Our parents have the right to create a contract for our marriage the moment we're born, and we who are in the contract have little say in it."

Remus frowns, "That's just..."

Viviane continues for him, "Sad? Unfair? Depressing? Cruel? A violation of our human rights? If so, yes. It is very much so."

"What if you don't want to marry the one they chose for you to marry?" Remus asks, yet his tone indicates he tries to be careful with every word that escapes his mouth.

Viviane sighed again, frowning as she made herself comfortable by laying flat on the blanket with her arms behind her head for support, "As I said, we have no say in the matter."

"What of love?" Remus asks. Love is what everyone hopes to have, even Remus. He knows that he will never have it because of his Lycanthropy, and the possibility of his mate—that he'll soon learn off once he turns fifteen is a low chance of his destined mate wanting him, but one can only hope.

"What about it?" Viviane shifts her head towards Remus, who is still looking at her with a frown.

"You get married because you love each other." Remus points out, and Viviane smiles, yet it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Love is never an option for us," Viviane answers sadly.

"Is that how it is for you? To all of the purebloods, that marriage is just a contract?" Remus's frowns deepen further.

"Couldn't have said it any better." Viviane shrugged as she looked up towards the sky, with the tree branch limiting her view, but the sun's rays peeked through.

"Being a pureblood isn't all that they said to be. Sure, wealth and eliteness come with it, but at the cost of happiness, a right to choose, and your freedom. Everything comes with a price. Do you want love? You get burnt off the family tapestry." Viviane informs him while Remus purses his lips.

Remus doesn't know much about pureblood traditions as he isn't one, but with everything, Viviane is saying now, he wants to learn more, he doesn't know why, but he wants to understand—Sirius doesn't like talking about it ever since he was sorted into Gryffindor he avoided it like a plague. But Viviane spoke about it as if it's normal—well, it is normal for her, but it shouldn't be.

"Everyone wants to be a pureblood until they live it themselves. They'll marry into a pureblood family, thinking that all will be a breeze until they realise they walked into a trap they would never escape. Until they wish they were dead instead or must do what is expected—which is also not easy." Viviane continues, "It's all political nowadays, alliances and such."

Remus sighed as he, too, decided to lay beside her with an arm supporting his hand on the ground. "What will happen to Sirius when he gets home?" Remus asks worriedly, deciding to change the course of their conversation.

"Honest or sugar-coated?"

Remus tilts her head towards Viviane and answers, "Always honest."

Viviane pursed her lips as she angled herself towards Remus with her arm supporting her weight, "Expect the worst and no letters for the rest of the summer."

"That bad?" Remus winced to himself.

"Aunt Walburga will be limiting Sirius's access to the outside world and a number of punishments, I assume." Viviane frowns. She can't even bear the thought of Sirius enduring another session of unforgivable curses—especially Walburga's specialty, Crucio.

"It's not his fault that he's sorted into Gryffindor."

Viviane raises a playful eyebrow at him, frown disappearing, and says, "He practically begged the sorting hat to place him in Gryffindor."

Remus softly laughs, "Yeah, yeah, he did." Then adds, "But I remember during the sorting that someone is a hat stall."

Viviane rose, sitting up as she lightly slapped his shoulder, and Remus tried to avoid her hand, rolling off the blanket as he sat up, "I am not a hat stall." Viviane argued.

"7 minutes for you to get sorted?" Remus teased. Viviane crosses her arms and raises a defensive expression, "It's not my fault that the hat saw me worthy of all houses."

"And he was chatty," Viviane added. And Remus agreed with a nod as he laughed, "It is a chatty hat. I agree with that." As he sat back down beside her.

"How about you? What are your plans this summer?" Viviane asks curiously.

Remus refrained from frowning, and as he thought carefully of what to answer, he'll probably remain in his room alone and wallow in sadness for every upcoming full moon, and because no one will heal him, well, his parents will try their best to heal him—not as good as Madam Pomfrey anyway.

"Probably just be at home, maybe visit my grandparents, and read." Remus nonchalantly answers.

"Speaking of reading," Viviane suddenly beamed, "Did you finish the book I got you for your birthday?" Viviane asks. She gifted him a muggle classic special edition book for his 12th birthday last March 10.

Remus smiled, "I did; I finished it in about a week."

"A week?" Viviane looks at him with what can only be read as a judgmental look.

"I indulged it, of course, or else I would have finished it in a day or two." Remus answers with a content smile, "I loved it. Thank you again."

"Glad I could expand your library." Viviane looked proud, and Remus smiled even more. Viviane had already given him two books, one for Christmas and one for his birthday; his library is indeed growing because of her.

"Is it okay if I write you letters during the summer?" Remus asks politely, yet his eyes show eagerness.

Viviane nods with a bright smile, "Of course!" Letters from her friends are the only thing she's looking forward to for the summer, "Expect Weeny to get it for you. There's a strict protocol at the Manor at the moment."

Remus knows why there's a strict protocol at the Hawthorne Manor after Viviane told him and James after taking a vow of secrecy—not the same as an unbreakable vow, but there will be consequences, but not as horrible as death.

Made James and Remus worry—especially Remus. Viviane didn't really inform Peter of what happened because Viviane is still seething with what he said on the train—she holds grudges fairly well.

"How will Weeny know where my house is?" Remus asks, and Viviane softly giggles,

"Believe me, Weeny has her own ways." Viviane dearly missed the house elf. The letters Weeny sent were not enough to fill the emptiness in her heart. She got used to seeing Weeny every day. It was a huge adjustment for her.

Viviane is sure Weeny will spend all her pent-up affection that got built up when Viviane was at Hogwarts during the summer. During the Holidays, Weeny was extremely protective of Viviane and cast her own wards on Mistress Viviane's room.

Viviane can't wait to be smothered with Weeny's attention again; Merlin, she'll need it after her lessons.

"If you'd like, I can also send your letters to Sirius. I'll tell James the same while we're on the train. I'll give it to him once we see each other at one of the balls." Viviane offers to Remus.

"That'll be great. Thanks, Viv." Remus says, and they hear the sound of the bell echo throughout the field.

Remus stood up, dusting off his trousers. After that, he offered his hand to Viviane, which she took.

Viviane then took out her wand and pointed it towards the blanket that transfigured back to a handkerchief.

"Just brilliant, really," Remus comments in awe and Viviane can feel her cheek redden. Remus always positively commented on her knowledge of advanced spells, and it never failed to make her feel flustered at the compliments he gave.

Viviane wasn't used to compliments. It's why it's so unusual and new for her.

And the two friends proceeded to the Great Hall to meet with their friends.

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

"SURELY YOU CAN STAY AT THE MANOR FOR A FEW WEEKS," Viviane tells Sirius, head on his lap with her eyes closed, her short legs placed on James's lap—he fought with Remus that he should sit with Viviane because she didn't board with them back to Hogwarts during the Holidays.

Viviane's position might be considered improper for a well-bred lady she is trained to be, but she lets herself loose and be carefree with the boys.

Viviane hums while Sirius attempts to braid her long silky brown hair. Viviane had already told her dorm mates that she'll be with the boys on the train only if she promised to be with them when boarding the train back to Hogwarts for their second year.

Sirius raises an eyebrow, "Do you think Uncle Daniel will agree?" Especially because this is the first time he'll interact with the man since he was sorted into Gryffindor.

Viviane opens her eyes with a challenging gaze at him, "Do you care if he agrees?"

"Touché," Sirius nods at her. Sirius has this certain behaviour that annoyed her Father quite a bit by returning her Father's rude remarks with the opposite response of being happy and kind.

"Uncle Daniel, can I stay with Viviane for a few weeks?" Sirius asks while they sit at the large dining table for supper—it's one of those family meals every Sunday held at the Hawthorne Manor and graciously hosted by her mother, Christine.

A procession of silver trays emerges, carried by uniformed butlers, each dish unveiled with a flourish. The starters arrived, showcasing a medley of gourmet appetisers – delicate smoked salmon with a hint of dill, velvety foie gras atop freshly baked brioche, and artfully arranged platters of assorted cheeses and fruits.

The main course offers a sumptuous choice for every palate. Succulent roast beef, cooked to perfection, is carved with precision, while golden roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables are offered as accompaniments.

Her grandparents were unable to make it this Sunday dinner as they are staying in Madrid, Spain, for their wedding anniversary—Viviane doesn't know why they celebrated their weddings, it's not like they truly love each other, but she could only guess that spending years with a person can only build friendship and maybe dare she say learned to love each other.

"You can—-"Daniel begins to argue, but Sirius cuts him off with a large smile and an enthusiastic clap of his hands.

"That's settled! Thank you, Uncle Daniel—that's why you're my favourite Uncle, besides Uncle Alphard, of course," Sirius aids himself by looking at his Uncle Alphard with a grin. The man looked at him with a grin of his own.

Viviane refrains from smiling at her cousin's antics, and so do Narcissa and Andromeda, while Bellatrix, as usual, finds these Sunday Dinners uncharacteristically dull.

"I'll be a great house guest." Sirius adds, and Aunt Walbruga was about to argue, "Sirius, you cannot—" Uncle Orion placed a hand on top of his wife's hand, a silent gesture for her to stop her scolding as they are not in their territory, this isn't their house, and she has no place to scold her son as it is improper.

"Of course, you will be—Very well—" Daniel answers with a tired sigh as he drinks from his goblet. Even though he has a strained Father and Daughter relationship with his only child, even a blind man can see how tightly knit Viviane and Sirius can truly be.

He allows himself to endure. No matter how much he tries to deny it. Viviane is his flesh and blood, his daughter, and as her Father. His duty is to provide for her.

What is the sense of a large abode if the 10 extra bedrooms in the Manor are unused?

"Weeny!" Daniel called out as the house elf arrived with a soft pop beside him.

"Master Daniel has summoned Weeny," The house elf announces as she bows toward Daniel.

"Yes. Weeny, would you please arrange one of the guest rooms—Sirius will be staying with us in the meantime." Daniel ordered.

Sirius added quickly. "Preferably close to Viviane's wing."

"Is that all, Master Daniel?" Weeny asks politely with a nod, and she disappears.

Aunt Walburga starts again, angry with his audacity to make a request. "You are stepping a toe out of line—"Aunt Walburga scolds as her knife scrapes the fine china plate. Her mother, Christine, winced at the painful sound.

"Nonsense Walburga." Daniel stops his cousin, "It will be good for Viviane to have company this summer other than Andromeda and Narcissa." Daniel nods towards the two Black sisters, silently eating their meal, trying to survive their traditional Sunday dinners, and ignoring the thick tension in the dining room.

The two sisters nodded towards Daniel with a polite smile as Bellatrix contained rolling her eyes, releasing a scoff.

As Druella released a tsk, seeing her eldest daughter's rude expression, with a low sneer, "Remember your manners, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix fixed herself from her seat and continued eating, "My apologies, Mother," she lowly mutters.

Sirius ignored them like always did, "I'll even accompany Viviane with her lessons." Sirius volunteers with a confident tone, continuing, "If that's alright, cous?"

Viviane looks at her Father for approval with a subtle nod; she contains her excitement with a calm tone, "That's alright, Sirius."

Uncle Alphard chuckled, "So you'll be practising ballet now, are you, Sirius?"

Viviane swore she saw the quirk of her Uncle Orion's lips with the teasing remark Uncle Alphard made and the smile that her Father hid as he drank wine from his goblet.

Sirius grinned, "One can learn many talents if determined enough,"

Viviane's youngest cousin, Regulus, listened intently, asking shyly, "Can I come with Sirius?" Looking towards his Father. Uncle Orion looks at Daniel, silent permission for the man of the house.

Daniel nodded, "If you want to, Regulus." Uncle Orion tells his son.

"Yes, Father. I would like to go with Sirius." Regulus answers with a soft giddy smile as Aunt Walburga frowns at her youngest son's answer.

"You'll be leaving mummy at home?" Aunt Walburga asks with a sad tone, and Regulus hides the panic in his eyes well enough, like a truly trained, pureblood child.  

"Only for a few days," Regulus answers softly as he looks away from his mother, looking down at his plate.

To make matters worse, Sirius nonchalantly says with a shrug, "I'll be staying here for a month like always."

It's true; whenever Sirius stays at the Manor, it's always a month-long holiday for a house guest. Usually in the month of July so he can be with his cousin, celebrating Viviane's birthday.

Regulus' eyes almost lit up but covered them in surprise, "Oh,"

Daniel sighs again, "It's alright, Regulus. You can stay here as well."

"Thank you, Uncle Daniel," Regulus tells him, and Daniel dismisses him with a wave of his hand.

"Would you like a separate room?" Daniel asks him, and before Regulus can answer.

"Regulus! We can room together!" Sirius excitedly says, and Regulus nods with a small smile.

"That's settled then. I got my hands full. I do love busying myself with you lot." Christine smiled—it was genuine and content. She truly adores Viviane's cousins in Daniel's part of the family. But she truly wished Viviane could also spend time with her cousins—her brother's children.

"Thank you, Daniel, Christine, for hosting our sons for a month." Uncle Orion expresses his gratitude in a formal tone. Walburga just nodded, biting her tongue.

"Narcissa and Andromeda can stay too, like they always did if they like." Daniel offered—no longer use separating the cousins; if Sirius and Regulus were going to stay, he was sure that Andromeda would ask him after dinner if she and her sister could stay as well.

Daniel knows that Bellatrix dislikes staying at the Manor, or rather has a brewing jealousy towards her daughter. How could she not? Daniel couldn't blame the poor girl, especially with how Druella and Cygnus treated their eldest child because she, too, wasn't a boy—Cygnus and Druella were officially out of raising a potential heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black; it all went to Walburga and Orion for the taking.

Daniel learned well enough to treat her daughter well. He observed over the years how Bellatrix was raised by those two.

It's no secret that at a young age, Bellatrix exhibited a behaviour of madness. Daniel never considered Crucio a punishment—he avoided punishments overall because of Bellatrix; what's the use of having one child if he's driven it to madness? Viviane still has Black blood in her.

An unlucky flip of a galleon Bellatrix is really.

"Will that be alright, Father?" Andromeda politely asks her Father Cygnus with a hopeful glint.

Uncle Cygnus looks at his wife, who raises an eyebrow, then he looks back at her daughters sitting beside each other.

"Yes, yes." Uncle Cygnus answers resignedly, "If your Uncle Daniel insists."

"I do insist." Daniel answers with an obvious tone, and Christine places a hand on her husband's, "It's good the children spend time with each other and form a bond."

Uncle Alphard mutters as he drinks from his goblet, "Surely we didn't have that," No, they didn't, hence, awkward traditional Sunday Dinners.

Alphard almost wished he was a child again to join his nieces and nephews to escape the hollow walls of Grimmauld Place.

"This is great!" Sirius exclaimed excitedly as he ate contently. Viviane, too, couldn't wait.

"Viv," James gently taps Viviane's knee. Viviane raises her head slightly, acknowledging him and then placing her head back on Sirius's lap.

"Yes, Jamie?" Viviane asks. Jamie is the nickname she gave him after James started calling him Viv. Viviane thought of a lot of nicknames for him.

Surely, toerag and daft dimbo is not an appropriate nickname for James if she wanted to publicly address him, but Lily Evans had no problem with the matter.

"You spent a lot of time with Evans at the library." James started as he scratched his chin as if he had a growing beard.

"Oh, get on with James." Sirius rolls his eyes. It's a miracle he lasted this long; it's been like, what, four hours since they rode the train? They have two more hours to endure, which they can. The boys got used to it in the common room.

Remus grunts as he faces away from them, opening his book and tuning James out. At the same time, Peter always tries to listen to James rambling about his crush—which is a miracle because Lily Evans is a muggle-born. He has his own pureblood beliefs, Viviane guesses he endures because James is his friend, but she can see how badly he wants to scrunch his face.

"Does she talk about me?" James asks Viviane with a hopeful glint in his eyes. Viviane purses her lips as she looks up at Sirius, who just shakes his head.

"If she did. I'm not sure I was there, Jamie. Sorry." Viviane offered him a frown.

"I'm sure she did." James boasts as his chest puffed. Then he took Viviane's purse, looking for a mirror, and he did, staring at himself, "I'm a handsome bloke."

"Sure you are, mate." Sirius clasped his hand to his shoulder.

James raised an eyebrow at him, "I'm not asking a question; it's a fact."

"Merlin, help me endure," Viviane mutters to herself as she shuts her eyes again.

But she would rather listen to their playful banters than be haunted by the walls of the Manor.

Viviane still couldn't believe she had made friends and got sorted into a house she eventually loved.

Viviane finally believed her mama's words that all would be well when she received her Hogwarts letter.

Because Hogwarts became her home.

Author's Note:
— Act One is finished! But I won't be updating this fic any longer if I don't get feedback and votes that I'm completely satisfied with because I deserve the feedback.

— I finished Act Two already, and I'll continue to write for this fic but not publish any chapters here on Wattpad. So, it is discontinued until further notice here on Wattpad.

— I did this with my TVD fic as well because I don't get any feedback from the chapters that I published. For the time being, I will write all the chapters of "Suck it and See" in my google docs alone and won't be posting any chapters.

— This chapter contains 4K words I didn't even notice that? LOL.

—I also posted this on Ao3! Check it out if you want!