Chapter 21 - Courting

Serena found herself caught in a shower of snowflakes, the cold crystals melting on contact with her skin. The long strands of her black hair were speckled with white, and her red lips were curved into a small smile. The sight of Lily Evans and Evelyn Sallow laughing, their faces flushed with exertion and delight, warmed her heart. 

It had been too long since she had spent time with them. She had been drowning in her research, lost in the pages of ancient texts and the swirling depths of potions. She had been playing a dangerous game, pretending to be clueless on certain issues and topics, and hiding her past and future. It was a secret that had consumed her, and in her preoccupation, she had neglected her friends.

But now, as she watched Lily throw a handful of snow at Evelyn, her guilt lessened slightly. The two girls got along well; Lily's vibrant energy matched Evelyn's down-to-earth nature, creating a balance that Serena admired. She enjoyed their company, and she was grateful they hadn't pushed her away despite her recent distance.

"Rena!" Lily's voice cut through her thoughts. She looked up to see a snowball flying towards her. Serena was too slow to dodge, and it hit her square in the chest, sending a shower of snow down her front.

"Hey!" Serena protested, but she was laughing, her stern exterior momentarily crumbling. She scooped up a handful of snow and threw it back at Lily, who dodged with a triumphant shout.

Eventually, they wound down, their laughter echoing across the snow-covered grounds of Hogwarts. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape. Serena felt a pang of sadness. She wished this moment could last forever, that she could always be this carefree and unburdened.

"Let's go inside," Evelyn suggested, brushing the snow off her robes. "I'm starving."

The three of them made their way towards the Great Hall, arm in arm. The warmth of the castle was a stark contrast to the chill outside, and the smell of food wafted towards them, making Serena's stomach rumble in anticipation. 

~~~

The Great Hall this evening was no different from any other, with its enchanted ceiling mirroring the star-studded sky outside.

Sirius sat with the rest of the Marauders at the Gryffindor table, his gaze frequently straying towards the Ravenclaw table where Lucius Malfoy, the elegant omega, was chatting away with Barty Crouch Jr.

A month had passed since Lucius's omega status and impending engagement to Sirius had become public knowledge, and the Hogwarts student body was still buzzing with excitement. The females, in particular, found the entire scenario wildly romantic and couldn't help but squeal and giggle whenever Sirius and Lucius were mentioned in the same sentence.

Serena remembered the night of the infamous Marauders' prank like it was yesterday.

~~~

[A week ago, while the student body was enjoying their dinner, the Marauders had set off a prank that turned all the boys in the Great Hall, with the exception of themselves, Lucius, and the girls, into troll-faced caricatures. Amidst the chaos and Professor McGonagall's loud reprimands, detention statements, Sirius Black, in all his childlike glory, had approached Lucius at the Slytherin table. 

Sirius, tall and handsome with his dark hair and eyes, walking confidently towards Lucius. His friends followed behind, cheering him on. The Omega watched Sirius approach with a calm, detached expression amidst the pandemonium.

As the Marauders took their positions, Sirius Black stepped forward. With a mischievous glance at James, he cleared his throat. A sudden hush fell across the Great Hall as Remus cast a sonorus charm, amplifying Sirius's voice so that it resonated throughout the room. 

"I, Sirius Orion Black, Heir to the House of Black," Sirius began, his voice low and clear, "present myself to Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, Heir to the House of Malfoy." He bowed gracefully, extending a hand towards Lucius who sat at the Slytherin table, his blue eyes meeting Sirius' gray ones. 

The room held its collective breath as Lucius made his two years junior, Sirius, wait in anticipation. After what seemed like an eternity, Lucius finally extended his own hand, accepting Sirius' gesture. The moment Sirius' lips touched Lucius's knuckles, the hall erupted in squeals and giggles from the female students. 

Sirius then took a step back, reaching into his pocket to reveal a small velvet box. Opening it, he took out a silver bracelet with a single charm attached to it. The charm was a custom Gryffindor symbol, a roaring lion with a letter 'S' etched in the middle. 

"In hopes of a blossoming relationship in the future," Sirius said, his voice echoing through the hall, "I hereby present this courting gift to Lucius Malfoy." He held out the bracelet towards Lucius, his eyes never leaving the Omega's face. 

Lucius observed the bracelet for a moment before finally lifting his gaze to meet Sirius's. "I, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, accept your courting gift, Sirius Orion Black," he said, his voice clear and steady. 

The Great Hall exploded in gasps and hollers, the female students clapping and cheering at Lucius's acceptance while the male student body was still grumbling and spitting out curses towards The Marauders with their troll face situation. The Marauders had once again managed to turn the mundane into the extraordinary.

Serena, still reeling from the spectacle, turned her eyes to Lucius. Black accepting an engagement, and not just any engagement but one to Lucius Malfoy, was beyond what she could have imagined. And courting on top of that! It was truly a sight to behold.

A smirk graced her lips as she turned to Lucius, who was now wearing the silver bracelet on his wrist. "My condolences, Lucius," she said, her voice laced with dry humour, "Being betrothed to Black...it's a harsh fate indeed." 

Lucius turned to her, a small smile playing on his lips. "I appreciate the sentiment, Serena," he said. "But I assure you, I'm not planning on making it easy for him."

Serena's smirk widened. She leaned back in her chair, studying Lucius. He was a far cry from the Lucius she knew in her previous life.

This Lucius was vicious, unyielding, and she found herself approving of this change. 

"By all means, Lucius," she said, her tone dripping with amusement, "I'm all for enjoying the show."

She couldn't deny that there was a part of her, the part that still remembered the torment she endured as Severus Snape, that reveled in the thought of Sirius Black being put through his paces. Even though she had forgiven the Marauders, a bit of suffering on their part would be quite entertaining, she mused. 

As she watched Sirius join his friends, a victorious grin on his face, she couldn't help but look forward to the future. This was going to be far more interesting than she had ever anticipated.]

~~~

Now, a week later, the excitement hadn't died down. Every move Sirius made towards Lucius was watched and analyzed by the student body. The Marauders were no longer just the school's troublemakers; they were now part of a love story that had everyone hooked.

"Did you see the way Sirius presented the bracelet to Lucius?" Lily asked, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. "It was so romantic! But I don't understand why Sirius had to introduce himself so formally. They already know each other, right?"

Evelyn chuckled, pushing her light brown hair back from her face. "Lily, it's a traditional custom," she explained, her tone patient. "In the pureblood socialite culture, when an alpha courts an omega, they have to formally introduce themselves. It's a sign of respect and signifies the beginning of a courtship. I'm sure Sirius and Lucius were taught this from their families."

Serena listened to her friends' conversation, her face impassive. What's so interesting about a 13 and 15 year old's love life? 

As she twirled a strand of her black hair around her finger, her mind wandered back to the lessons she herself had been taught.

She remembered her mother instructing her on the same pureblood courtesies, a memory that made her lips twist in a smirk. How utterly ridiculous. She thought to herself, recalling her old self's distaste for the pomp and ceremony of pureblood society.

A shadow of worry crossed her face as she remembered her mother's odd behavior over the summer. Eileen Snape had been strangely absent, spending more time out of the house than ever before. Serena had been so engrossed in her spell practice that she hadn't paid much attention to her mother's comings and goings. But now, thinking back, she realized that this was unlike the mother she remembered from her previous life.

Did something change? Tobias was still an abusive drunk but it's the same as before… She thought, her eyebrows drawing together in concern. Did it have something to do with her being an Omega or a girl? That was mostly like the reason but what of it? 

She was jolted out of her thoughts when Evelyn nudged her. "Hey, Serena, you've been quiet. What do you think about all this?"

Serena looked at her friends, her gaze steady. "I think," she said slowly, "that we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg. There's more to this story than Sirius courting Lucius. And hopefully…It isn't so boring." 

Her declaration was met with surprised silence, then Lily and Evelyn burst into laughter, their giggles echoing around the table. Serena joined them, her laughter genuine, but in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss. 

As the laughter subsided, Lily's eyes sparkled with a new bout of excitement. She leaned forward, her hands clasping tightly around her mug of hot cocoa. "You know," she began, her tone thoughtful, "I've noticed that the wizarding world has more chivalry than the muggle world. The way Sirius presented his courting gift to Lucius, it's like something out of a storybook."

Evelyn nodded in agreement, but Serena raised an eyebrow at Lily's comment. Before she could respond, however, Lily continued, her enthusiasm undimmed.

"Oh, speaking of storybooks," she said, her eyes lighting up in remembrance. "Serena, what did you think of Romeo and Juliet? I gave it to you as a Christmas gift, remember? Don't you find it similar to the Slytherin and Gryffindor romance between Lucius and Sirius?"

Serena took a moment to collect her thoughts before answering. Her eyes, as dark and mysterious as her previous life's persona, flickered with a glimmer of amusement. "Romeo and Juliet," she said, her tone dry, "is a tragedy, Lily. It's a tale of two foolish young people who rush into things without thinking about the consequences."

She paused for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. "If Sirius and Lucius are anything like them," she continued, "then we're in for a load of trouble."

The blunt honesty of Serena's words left Lily and Evelyn stunned for a moment before they burst into laughter once again. Even Serena, with her cool exterior, couldn't help but join in, her laughter ringing through the library like the tinkling of silver bells.