The Loop

The scene faded and quickly morphed into another.
“Who the hell was that?” Ron asked through a mouth full of muffin.
“An Order member we never met?” Ginny added.
“I suppose it makes sense we didn’t know every member? It was more far reaching than we imagined.” Hermione theorized.
“Why didn’t she ever come out of the woodwork? All those Order of Merlins that were awarded after the downfall. She would’ve gotten one.”
“She must’ve died.” Harry stated simply. He wondered who sent him the package.

The next scene was a large music room. There were rows of chairs completely occupied by young students ranging from 6 or 7 years up to about 14 or 15.
“Okay, canon in D major!” Shouted an instructor from the front of the room. “I will know if you didn’t practice.”
There was a shuffling of stringed instruments as violins were hoisted onto shoulders and bows where adjusted in hands.
Harry was surprised at the level at which the student’s played. The song was soft at first and more musicians jumped in as it slowly built to a crescendo. Canon in D major was the song played at Ron and Hermione’s wedding three years prior. There was a flourish of violins and a winding down before the song ended. It was an odd memory to watch, random students playing their instruments.
“Potter” the instructor said, waving his hand in the direction of a small boy with untidy hair.
Harry sat up straighter in his seat when he recognized his father. A small smile fluttered across his face.
“Switch seats with Black”, the instructor continued. James tried to hide the sour expression that graced his otherwise handsome face. He looked to be about nine or ten years old. James got out of his seat, first chair, and switched with a short girl who looked about his age. She was short and thin, with long, glossy black hair.
Rhiannon. She was the woman from the first memory. She knew Harry’s father.
“Beautiful, Miss Black. I’m thoroughly, thoroughly impressed. Absolutely perfect. The rest of you! Not perfect. Take a page out of Mrs. Black’s book and practice so you will actually make music instead of that crap that you’ve been spewing from your instruments. Next week, be on time this time.”
The class started to pack up their belongings. From the look of the room, and the condition of its occupants, it was an expensive music conservatory. James and Rhiannon exited the room together.
“Sorry you lost first chair. I thought you played fine, certainly not better than me.” She apologized.
“Naw, don’t worry about it. I haven’t been practicing lately. My mum’s gonna be upset, but she’ll get over it, won’t she. Besides, I’ll have my spot back before the recital.” James responded charmingly.
They walked down the hall together chatting idly. Rhiannon kept glancing between James and her expensive shoes, blushing as he spoke.

“Looks like Rhiannon here was in love with your dad like old Snape was in love with your mum. Maybe they should’ve hooked up!” Ron remarked, earning a slight shove from Hermione.

The children can across a handsome boy with shoulder-length black hair, sitting against a wall at the end of a long hall.
“Sirius, you’re supposed to be in piano until 4!” Rhiannon scolded her brother.
“I got bored. Piano, when an I ever gonna need it? Hey James”
“Hey”
The two boys nodded nonchalantly at each other. They met through Rhiannon and loved spending the rare moments they could together. Rhiannon supposed that Sirius skipped piano to have fifteen minutes or so to spend with James before their mothers would retrieve them. Sirius’ mother would be livid to learn he and his sister had befriended a blood traitor Potter.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Sirius said, glancing at his twin sister. She resented him for sending her away from her crush.
“No. You do though. I’m telling mum you skipped piano.”
“That’s fine. I’ll be gone in a few months anyway. Got my Hogwarts letter in the post this morning. I’ll be on that scarlet train come September.”
Rhiannon looked panicked.
“No you didn’t!”
“Yes I did. Wait….you didn’t get one?! James got his, didn’t you James?”
James just smiled, not wishing to involve himself in the sibling’s fight.
“Guess Hogwarts didn’t want you Ann. I heard Regulus got one. They were willing to take him three years early but they didn’t even want you then.”
“You guys,” came a small voice from the end of the hall. It was a seven year old Regulus. “Mum’s here. She’s gonna be mad if you don’t hurry.”