𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍.
chapter eight; Silk Pj's And Gold Lockets
" Always so cheerful, Maddie. "

  AS MUCH AS Madeline loved Christmas, she always hated the fact that James brought his rowdy friends home. The girl was comfortable with having minimal friends, but around the holidays she was aggressively reminded that James had won the friendship lottery.

  The boys were willing to ditch their own families to be together, and not that they should, but Kai and Bluebelle did not. She was left to fend for herself, in the middle of the best friend that had ever existed in Hogwarts history.

  So Madeline woke up alone on December 25th, mostly due to the howling laughter coming from downstairs, but the owl incessantly pecking at her window assisted. The brunette finally dragged herself out of her warm bed, pulling the window open and accepting the letter and small parcel from the familiar owl.

  Dear Mads,

  I absolutely do not fancy Dorcas Meadowes, I'm insulted you'd assume such a thing. Speaking of fancying Gryffindors, I've gotten nearly three letters from Lily already, I swear to Merlin she has a crush on your brother but won't admit it.

  Anyways, happy Christmas, Love! Don't let James give you a hard time, and if he does you know the Declan's love you nearly more than I do. And, it'd give me an excuse to go to town and breathe away from my grandmother for a moment. The woman's gone loopy, mumbling on about muggle things she's heard of recently.

  Tell your Mum and Dad I said Happy Christmas as well, I hope you like your present and I'll see you New Years.

  Yours truly,
  Kai.

  Madeline smiled, setting the parchment down and pulling the end of a red bow. She shifted the top of the box beneath it, revealing a small golden locket that held a photo of Kai, Bluebelle, and Madeline grinning madly. The brunette clipped it around her neck, stopping to inspect her appearance in the mirror attached to her fresser, before heading downstairs.

  She knew if she didn't come down soon, someone would come up to find her and that would be far worse.

  James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were planted in the living room, already loud as if they didn't understand the concept of the morning. Madeline didn't spare them a second glance, but the three boys (excluding her brother) admired her silky blue pajama bottoms and messy brown hair.

  "Oi!" James snapped the boys back to reality, "Stop looking at my sister!"

  "Would you quit shouting?" Madeline yelled from the kitchen, filling the faded red kettle in the sink, "It's bloody early!"

  "Always so cheerful, Maddie," James grinned, popping his head into the room, "Breakfast?"

  "Were you planning on cooking?" Madeline questioned, rolling her eyes when her brother frowned, "I'm not a house elf."

  "Could've fooled me."

  Madeline grabbed the nearest thing, which happened to be a wooden spoon and whipped it directly at James' messy bedhead. The boy let out a cry of pain, which sent Sirius straight into the kitchen.

  Sirius eyed the situation, a half-asleep Madeline setting the kettle on the stove, and his best friend cradling the side of his head.

  "Stop fighting." The girl looked up, unamused, at Sirius, "It's Christmas!"

  "Maddie," James seeming instantly recovered after seeing the glint of gold around his sister's neck, "Who in their right, logical, mind would get you a present?"

  "Maybe my boyfriend?" Madeline crossed her arms, leaning against the counter as James narrowed his eyes, "It's from Kai."

  "Oh, so it is your boyfriend?" James grumbled, marching towards her with purpose and attempting to grab the necklace.

  "What the hell, James—?" Madeline tried to pry his hands off, but it only ended in a sickening snap.

  The gold necklace, that had been in Madeline Potter's possession for mere minutes, was now snapped in half.

  "Oh, look, you broke it!" James threw his hands in the air, faltering when he saw the genuine sadness on Madeline's face, "Maddie—"

  "Happy Christmas! You kids get up earlier every year," Fleamont Potter grinned as he entered the kitchen, oblivious to the tension between his children, "You've already put the kettle on, Maddie?"

  "Yeah," The brunette sighed, shoving the broken jewelry into her pocket, "Happy Christmas, Dad."

  "Dad, do you think—"

  "Good morning, lovie," Euphemia pressed a kiss to her daughter's head, despite being younger by ten minutes, Madeline was the baby of the Potter family. Perhaps it was because James was already a miracle, but Madeline was the unknown gift that had barely made it.

  "Morning, Mum," Madeline smiled, jumping when the kettle whistled. The girl quickly poured herself a cup of tea, happily accepting the warmth it radiated.

  "Maddie?" The brunette let out a hum, "We'll be in the living room in a minute, hm?" Madeline took that as her queue to go, attempting to disappear up the stairs, "Living room."

  The Marauders watched as Madeline grumbled, lazily slumping into the tall armchair situated right by the crowded Christmas tree. She pulled her feet under herself, sipping the beverage in the sudden awkward silence.

  "Do you have to be in here?"

  "It's Christmas, Jameson, the time for family," Madeline gave him a faux smile.

  "Who's ready for presents?"

  It took them just over an hour to open every present under the tree. Both James and Madeline were rather content with their gifts and didn't waste time waiting around after the last one had been ripped open.

  Madeline was planted in a kitchen chair, lazily flipping through an Astronomy book. She wasn't actually fond of studying, reading in general unless it had to do with whatever she wanted to know in a split second. But at that moment, she was bored enough to read the book Sirius had gifted her minutes before.

  The girl flipped the page, only too see a gold necklace. She reached into her pocket, finding nothing but soft silk. Madeline carefully picked up the necklace by the glittering gold chain, opening it to find the familiar photo of her, Bluebelle, and Kai.

  She looked up, just in the general direction of the living room, and found Sirius Black discreetly looking at her. Once he noticed the girl was looking, his nervous demeanor was replaced with a smug grin, one that made Madeline scoff and shut the book quickly. 

ϟ

  "Maddie!" Fleamont's voice called up the stairs, "The boys are leaving!"

  "Yay!"

  Remus let out a snort, stifling his laughter as Euphemia sighed. The woman walked briskly up the steps with a determined expression.

  The boys' eyes widened as they heard a hushed conversation, a bang, and then Madeline was grumpily walking down the steps with a smiling Euphemia behind her.

  "Goodbye, Remus, it's been so nice having you."

  "Madeline."

  "Yeah, yeah." Madeline crossed her arms, "Bye Peter, bye Sirius."

  "Bye Mads," Sirius grinned, earning a glare from the girl.

ϟ

  "What's the matter with you?" Madeline furrowed her brows at James. The family was sitting down for dinner, as they always did, and James looked as if he was going to throw up after each bite of food.

  "Nothing," James spoke, though his mouth was full of vegetables making Madeline rolled her eyes.

  "Are you sick?" Euphemia questioned worriedly as James nearly gagged again. "Do you not like it?"

  "No, no I'm fine," James plastered on a huge grin, stuffing more food in his mouth, "Yum!"

  "Fleamont," The man looked up, "Your son is acting strange."

  Fleamont looked to James, smiling brightly at him; putting his mashed potatoes on display. James did the exact same right back.

  "Now it all makes sense," Madeline whispered, dodging a napkin thrown from James.

  "No fighting at the table!"

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
maddie being annoyed at
all of the marauders>>>>>>