I was pissed. I was already mad when I heard about the changes last year, but this was beyond unreasonable. Maybe I should backtrack a bit . . .
My fifth year was great. Well, maybe not great, but at least good. It was stressful with OWLs and the several sessions with teachers advising us about our uncertain future. However, the worst thing about it was the promise of a truly awful sixth year.
The Ministry of Magic decided, due to the impending Great Wizarding War and the rise of Voldemort, that instead of getting to choose our own classes and attempt to get an actual education and learn about all the things we find the most interesting, we would be placed on Career Paths based on our meetings with teachers and on our OWL scores. Instead of going to classes with our houses, we would go to classes with everyone who got the same "Career Path," taking only classes specifically designed to prepare us for that career. I mean, it was complete bullshit! School is supposed to be for gaining knowledge, developing thinking skills, and finding out who and what we wanted to be, but the Ministry turned it into a giant training session! So yes, I was pissed off.
But I knew all of that at the end of fifth year, and I was even pleased to find out that I was placed in the auror program. I figured that it's a bad situation no matter how you looked at it, so I might as well be content with the fact I was able to be in the "Career Path" I wanted. So why was I particularly pissed off now, at the Welcome Feast for my sixth year? Well, it was because of a little announcement Professor McGonagall had just made.
"Due to the necessary partner work in several of the Career Paths," I could hear the strain in her voice, and was glad that she didn't like the change either, "We have assigned all sixth and seventh years partners for the school year. The lists are posted on the door to my classroom."
Mass chaos ensued. Food was completely forgotten as a flood of people, myself included, rushed to see who they were paired up with. I ran out with Ariel and Valerie, the only other sixth year Ravenclaw girls. "How do you think they'll pair us?" I asked between breaths.
As I was quite literally the only sixth year Ravenclaw in the auror program, I knew I wouldn't be paired with anyone I actually knew. I wasn't particularly disappointed though. Ariel and Valerie were best friends, and I often found myself being the awkward third wheel to their glamorous duo. Maybe it would be an opportunity to make a friend?
When we arrived at McGonagall's classroom there was already a huge crowd around her doors. I tried pushing my way through, but only ended up getting pushed back out. Valerie is quite petite, and managed to squeeze her way to the front. She pushed her way back out of the crowd, and ran to Ariel squealing as she said, "We're paired together!"
The two jumped, hugging and squealing until I finally interrupted them asking, "Did you see my partner?"
"No," Valerie replied hesitantly. "I'm sorry, Elle, I only saw the Healers' list. But they paired us by last name, not by house. There were plenty of interhouse pairs, so you could be partnered with anyone really."
The crowd was starting to thin out, so I tried again. I made it to the front and searched the completely covered wooden door for the parchment labeled 'Aurors.' I finally found it, and went down to the "B" last names. 'Bell, Eleanor' was paired with . . . I groaned, "You have got to be kidding me."
"You wound me, love."
I turned around and came face to face with the devil himself. Yes, my partner for the next two years was Sirius Black. I blushed; I didn't mean for him to hear that.
I recomposed myself quickly, folding my arms across my chest. "Black," I addressed him coldly.
He mimicked my stance. "Bell," he said with a smirk, mischief shining in his grey eyes. "Come on, working with me will be great!"
"Look, I know you don't care much about school and grades, but I actually do. I'm not looking forward to having to pick up your slack."
"If how you are in the classroom is anything near how you are on the quidditch pitch, trust me, I won't be the slow one."
Oh, now he had made it personal! "That was a fluke game and you know it!" I practically screamed.
"Don't get upset, Bell. I'm better than most; I wouldn't let it get to you." And with that he turned on his heel and walked away.
"All that hair product is going to your head!" I yelled at his retreating figure. I was beyond pissed. I was literally seething. Sixth year would definitely be interesting.
That night, in our dorm, Ariel and Valerie would not stop talking. "You're so lucky! I can't believe you get to be partners with Sirius Black for a whole year!" Ariel squealed.
"He's so attractive," Valerie sighed.
"Trust me, if I could switch partners with you, I would," I responded through clenched teeth. I was still pissed off at him from our conversation earlier. Who was he to belittle me?
"Why do you hate him so much anyways?" Ariel asked.
"I know I could never hate someone with a face like that," added Valerie.
"See, that's why I don't like him," I said.
"What, because he's fit?"
"That doesn't sound like a very good reason to hate someone to me," Valerie said, rolling her eyes.
"No!" I was almost shouting, "I don't like him because he's an arrogant asshole who thinks he can say and do whatever he likes without consequences because he's attractive! You just said it yourself, Val. People don't stay mad at him or put blame on him because he's beautiful and charming. He pranks the younger kids, and is unnecessarily cruel at times. He thinks that rules don't apply to him. His general elistist, blasé attitude towards everything and everyone pisses me off."
"So, you admit that he's gorgeous," Ariel said slyly.
Really? That's all you took from that? I thought angrily. "I just meant that the general consensus of the girls at our school is that he's good looking. Just because he fits society's beauty standard doesn't mean he fits mine."
That was a lie. Sirius Black was by far the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on. Something about his very presence was virile and majestic. I know this is the most cliche metaphor ever, but it was no wonder that girls were drawn to him like moths to a flame. It's a good thing his personality was such a massive turn off.
"You can say whatever you'd like, I'd do just about anything to get in his bed," Valerie responded.
"Oh please, that's nearly impossible!" Ariel told her.
Which was true. I mean, despite the fact that all the girls practically threw themselves at him, he wasn't a serial womanizer. He never had a girlfriend, at least not publicly. There were rumors about a few hookups at parties, but it wasn't a ridiculous number of girls. Not that Hogwarts had that many anyways.
"Look, I don't give a damn who Black sleeps with, so if you want to make that your mission for the year, go right ahead. I just want to wake up and find out that this was all some terrible dream. Working with Black for a whole year is gonna be hell." I said.
"C'mon, Elle, it can't be that bad," Ariel spoke softly. She saw that I was about to protest, but before I could she said, "We really should get some sleep. We've got a big first day tomorrow."
I couldn't argue with her about that. I groaned, hit the pillow, and prayed for sleep to take me.