Chapter 1 – A new prankster
Sirius stepped into the great hall. He was slightly late, or as he liked to think of it 'fashionably late' rather than sleeping in. The great hall was alive with vibrant chatter…more so than usual. Barely anyone was sitting and eating breakfast, they were all standing up and chatting to random people. Even Slytherins and Gryffindors were going out of their way to talk to each other
"HEY SIRIUS" came, sadly, familiar voice, Sirius turned around to see a pretty blonde Slytherin girl running towards him. Narcissa Black. One of his hated cousins, she used to be okay, before she hung around with nasty friends, became obsessed with being a Pureblood and went form bad to worse.
"Narcissa?"
Narcissa grinned; of course this grin could be mistaken for a smirk. She smirked a lot now but still had not perfected it. So, naturally, often this was mistaken for a genuine smile.
"Sirius you'd better step aside" she said
"Step aside…from what exactly cousin?" he said raising his eyebrows
"You mean you haven't heard" she gave shrill laugh "the great Sirius Black has not heard! HEY BELLA!" she called out to her sister and ran off.
Sirius furrowed his brow and walked over to find his friends. For some reason he felt that people were staring at him, more than usual…but why?
Sirius found his friends. Remus had his nose in a book and was studying hard. James was stirring his porridge moodily with a face that could turn someone to stone if they stared directly at it. Peter was looking terrified at James, as if he was about to be punched hard in the nose
"Whats going on then?" Sirius asked looking at the three friends. A smile played at Remus' lips but his eyes did not divert from his book. Sirius looked at James…he was looking more moody than ever. Peter looked as if he was about to be given the killing curse. Sirius raised his eyebrows and sat down opposite them
"Okay, you have two choices; choice one…" he raised his index finger "you can tell me what the hell is going on off your own back, OR…" he raised a second finger "you can tell me after I have cursed it out of you"
Remus lowered his book and looked directly at Sirius
"There's a new student," said Remus casually
"And your point is?" asked Sirius
"Well, the new student only arrived this morning and…has already received detention. That's quicker than you or James."
"So basically you're telling me that people think there's a new prankster about. They think he's going to take the Marauders place?"
"Actually what make the new student such an item of gossip associated with you is that she's a girl"
Sirius' mouth fell open,
"Some new girl wants to take my place"
"Yep, that's why everyone's so anxious to meet her, toast Sirius?" asked Remus pointing at the last slice of toast. Sirius grabbed it scathingly and spread jam on it so fiercely that he stabbed the toast with his knife.
"So what house is this girl in?" asked Sirius moodily to Peter
"Dunno, she's not been sorted-"
SUDDENLY the great hall doors crashed open. Professor McGonagall was striding along the hallway, she looked angry. Her nostrils flared and her eyes fierce. Even Sirius or James would not want to taunt her on a day like this. She almost seemed to have a thundercloud following her as she walked.
Behind though, walked a sixteen-year-old girl. She walked very casually in comparison with McGonagall. There was a small smug smile on her face as her arms swung happily by her side. Sirius noticed that the hall had gone totally silently. Everyone was craning there neck to see this mysterious girl who seemed to 'claim power' over the marauders. Sirius heard a few gasps from around him, including (to his bitter shame) from his own mouth. This girl was stunningly beautiful. There was no two ways about it. She had light olive skin, a slightly upturned nose, beautiful brown eyes and rich dark brown (almost black) hair. Which she wore loosely under a back-to-front blue baseball cap reading the words 'ITALIA'. Her figure was curvy and muscular under her scruffily worn robes. Her shirt was untucked and her top button was undone. She did not have a tie yet as she was not sorted. But the more Sirius looked at her the more he noticed that she was not stunning but mesmerising. All together though Sirius felt predisposed to feel badly towards her. He turned towards her as she walked past him. She looked down at him still smiling and she winked. Sirius felt his skin both blush and drain of all feeling…a curious sensation.
Professor McGonagall stood up next to the staff table and waited for the girl to reach her.
McGonagall took a deep breath
"I would like to introduce you to your new student, this is Miss Nadia DiVincenzi!" Nadia looked down at her fellow students smiling, she raised a hand in a bored wave.
"Miss DiVincenzi has been to many different schools Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, Salem Institute…" A ripple of laughter spread through the great hall as they saw the new girl yawning dramatically behind McGonagall's back. McGonagall looked exasperated "…yes well, I'm sure Miss DiVincenzi shall fill you in, but as she has been to so many other schools I'd like you all to prove to her how Hogwarts is the best school yet." McGonagall turned towards the new girl, who, put on a huge fake innocent smile "Now its time for you to be sorted, sit on the stool and here is the sorting hat." Said McGonagall taking the old patched sorting hat off of the staff table. Nadia DiVincenzi removed her baseball cap and sat down on the stool. She was not bothered at all that everyone was looking at her. Actually was appearing to enjoy the attention.
The sorting hat on her head sat and thought for a while, its top leaning forward slightly to think, it grumbled and mumbled thinking intently.
Secretly Sirius was hoping that she was in some other house to Gryffindor, if she was a rival prankster, whom it seemed she was as getting detention on your first day was no mean feat, the least she could do is not be a rival in his own house…but to his horror
GRYFFINDOR!" the sorting hat called out. Everyone but James, Sirius and Peter applauded happily. Even Remus shrugged his shoulders at his friends and clapped politely. Nadia DiVincenzi took off the hat and gave it to McGonagall. She then replaced her own baseball hat.
Sirius saw her ask McGonagall something. To Sirius' horror he saw McGonagall pointing directly at the Marauders. Sirius saw her smile as she looked in their direction; she nodded and walked towards them. Dumbledore stood up
"LET BREAKFAST CONTINUE" His voice rang out.
Nadia DiVincenzi was standing exactly behind Remus. Remus raised his eyebrows and James and Sirius and turned to face her
"Hi are you Remus Lupin?" she asked kindly. She had a very odd accent. It was not French or German, it was not Italian, it was not Spanish or Russian. It seemed to be a vast mixture of all of them
"Yes I am, you must be Nadia…welcome to Hogwarts" he said shaking her hand. Remus moved up a bit to let her sit down
"Thanks" she said smiling
"Strange accent you've got…where are you from?" asked Sirius coldly. His grey eyes seemed like ice. He never looked at girls with that expression (except perhaps Bellatrix Black…and his probably his Mother.)
"Well" said Nadia, not at all slighted by him "Officially, I am Italiano" she said putting on a Native accent "but I've lived in so many countries its hard to keep track. I've been to school in America, France, Bulgaria, Russia, and Turkey, New Zealand, Israel, China, Japan and well that's about it. I don't usually stay more than a few terms in each one." She commented helping herself to cornflakes
"Why do you move around so much" asked Remus, Sirius could not escape the thought that Remus was slightly intrigued by her.
"My Mum's an auror. And Dad has this boring little boat business in the Almalfi Coast so he pretty much stays put. I see him in the holidays and help him in his work"
"Boat business?" asked James "Is he a muggle?"
"My Dad!" asked Nadia amazed "No…he just loves boats. Actually its quite fun. I just take a boat out now and then a go around the coast. Just a little speedboat or whatever. I take snacks on there and sunbathe. Its really fun"
"Sounds amazing" said Sirius tonelessly. Nadia raised a well-shaped eyebrow
"Sorry I don't know your name?" she asked
"Sirius Black" he said coldly shaking her hand. Nadia nodded
"And you" she asked looking at James
"James Potter" said James scathingly shaking her hand coldly
"Peter Pettergriew" piped up Peter.
"Nice to meet you all. Perhaps tomorrow you lot won't hate me as much."
The marauders exchanged bewildered glances.
"McGonagall told me about you four. Biggest pranksters in the school are you. Well she told me "even Sirius Black and James Potter didn't get detention on their first day!"
Well don't worry boys I'm not here to take your place…just show me the ropes around here and I swear to stay out of your legacy" she said suavely.
The Marauders exchanged surprised expressions, Sirius grinned
"DEAL!" said Sirius shaking her hand.
