A black-haired boy appeared from a door on the side of the corridor a few feet in front of Nicole. He stopped and stared at Nicole, and Nicole couldn't help but do the same. He closed the distance between them. Nicole looked into his eyes. They were a mixture of blue and green. His black hair was cropped short and neatly tucked behind his ears.

 She wanted to explain that she was on their side. She had gone into so many cities on assignment investigating riots, acts of vandalism and quiet frequently, hate acts. She knew what non-pure bloods went through in America. She saw the destruction and blood first hand. She wanted to explain all this, but she couldn't.

 Would it be an apology, an explanation, an invitation to come back home, a reproach for leaving? Nicole had no idea what was waiting for her inside the letter and she wasn't completely sure she wanted to know.

He wanted her to stay, but how could he stop her from being with her father? Their relationship was so strained and it hurt Nicole, Avery could tell every time she talked about him. He couldn't tell her to stay, to be with him. That was selfish. Avery wished he could be selfish but he cared about her to much for that. He got down from the table and began walking to the door. 

Students were sitting at their work tables looking at Slughorn who looked the exact opposite of "quite fine". His face was flushed and his eyes were puffy and red.  

 Sirius was barely touching Nicole but somehow his entire body was electrified starting at his fingertips that touched Nicole's skin. This was the first time that Sirius had really had a chance to look at Nicole, up close and personal. Nicole was very attractive, and it wasn't just about her face and body but who she was as a person.

"She is difficult! You never know what her parents have already bought her or what will clash with what she already has. It's bloody torture." Sirius said shaking his head and taking another sip from his drink. Nicole laughed 

 What happened? I thought that they were happy." Nicole said to no-one in particular. It was Sirius who responded.

"Nothing happened. They were happy and then out of nowhere I guess Amos wasn't anymore. " Sirius shrugged. Sansa scoffed at his statement and shook her head. Sirius looked at her.