YEAR THREE

Back To School

"I'll see you at school" Nissa said, veering off from the compartment her cousin had chosen, one that was already filled with their Housemates.

"Aren't you going to sit with us Niss?" Draco asked, looking at her curiously.

"No.. Its a bit too crowded in there for me" Nissa said, "I'm going to find a nice quiet compartment and take a nap"

"Suit yourself"

Nissa wandered the long corridors of the train, keeping an eye out for Seamus. It had been a long summer for her, she had been grounded to her room after her little stunt at the end of term. Lucius hadn't wanted to hear her reasonings, he merely ranted at her for over an hour, told her she was lucky she hadn't been expelled, and sentenced her to a summer of boredom. No owls, no having friends over to visit. Nothing.

Seeing the familiar head sitting by himself, she knocked on the door.

"Want some company?"

Seamus looked up from his book, offering her a tentative smile. She hadn't really had much to do with him since Lockhart's dueling club, not that he blamed her. But he was embarrassed to have found himself hoping for an owl from her during summer. And was disappointed when nothing came.

"Sure" he said, placing a bookmark in his book and closing it. "Have a nice summer?"

"Not really" Nissa said with a smile, taking a seat across from him. "Was grounded"

"All summer?" Seamus asked, his eyebrow raising. "You must have done something really horrible"

Nissa laughed, "Oh, you have no idea" she said, "But I'm sprung now, if you can count school as being free"

Nissa leaned back, closing her eyes and resting her head on the seat. She wasn't oblivious to the fact that he watched her, but she wasn't going to ask. If he hadn't wanted her company, he should have just said so.

"Did you hear about the breakout from Azkaban?"

Nissa opened one eye to look at him, "I did... Sirus... something or other"

"Black" Seamus supplied helpfully.

"Yeah him. The Ministry is stumped on how he managed it right?" she said, "Guess their prison isn't as secure as they thought"

"Yeah... so do you think..." Seamus blushed, "Do you think your mum will get out too?"

Nissa shrugged, "I don't know. I'd think she'd have done it now by now if she could" she said, "But I wouldn't be upset if she did. I mean" she said quickly, noticing the look he gave her, "I don't remember her" Nissa said softly, "Not at all. I don't remember her voice, or the way she smelled. She's my mum Seamus, and I don't know a thing about her other than what is public knowledge"

Seamus swallowed, pretending her words hadn't bothered him, "That makes sense" he said, "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't remember my mum"

"You're lucky you have her" Nissa said, closing her eyes again.

Seamus sat for a few moments, just watching her. He did care for her, she was his friend after all, he just wasn't sure if he could accept her wanting her mum to get out of prison.

Boggarts and Black

Nissa fidgeted as she waited for her turn in line. So far, their new Defense teacher Professor Lupin had given them a ton of interesting lessons. This one was on Boggarts, but instead of just making them copy lines from their book, he actually had one locked in an armoire. One at a time, they were being made to face it, and their fears to see if they could defeat it.

She was far enough back in line that she could just make out the back of Seamus' head. She rose up on her tip toes trying to see what form his would take, but all she could see was a rumpled, lifeless form laying on the floor before he shakily shouted "riddikulous" and the form disappeared.

Soon enough, it was her turn. She squared her shoulders, holding her wand up as Professor Lupin opened the door. She edged back as the clown staggered out of the closet, grinning at her with blood around its mouth and a knife in its hand. "Its not real" Nissa said to herself as the thing edged closer, "Its not not real. Its not... riddikulous" she said, breathing a sigh of relief as it transformed into a doll, which she promptly kicked back into the armoire before it changed its mind and came back.

Nissa laughed as she exited the classroom with Draco, overall it had been a very entertaining class, even if Lupin had cut it short, just before Harry had taken his turn. "Did you see the look on Longbottom's face?" Draco snorted, just as they passed the boy in question. "I'm still amused he's scared of Professor Snape" Nissa said chuckling, barely giving Seamus a look as they passed him. She was over trying to be his friend if he wouldn't make the time for her.

As they started to head down the stairs, a scream made them stop. Nissa scowled, giving a first year a bad tempered shove as he pushed past her. "Watch where you're going" she hissed as another scream echoed around them. "What is that noise?" she asked, looking around before she spotted a group of people gathered around one of the paintings. "Oi you, quiet!" she yelled over, before turning red as Professor Dumbledore hurried past her.

"Its the Fat Lady" she heard someone whisper, "The painting that guards Gryffindor Tower"

Nissa glanced back, in between her hysterical cries, Nissa managed to catch the words she was trying to say. Sirius Black had attacked her. Sirius Black was in the castle.

Great Hall Campout

"I don't see why we have to camp out in the Great Hall" Draco said, tossing his pillow down on one of the cots that had been erected. "After all, its not us Black's after"

"No one knows what Black is after" Pansy pointed out looking worried.

"But he's a Pure-Blood like us" Draco pressed. "He wouldn't actually hurt one of us. Maybe he's here to finish what was started last year"

"Oh give it a rest will you?" Nissa hissed, "I'm not in the mood"

"Well someone is in a bad mood" Draco said, nudging Pansy as Nissa flopped down on her cot, "Come on Pans, lets take a walk"

Nissa crossed her arms over her chest as she glared up at the ceiling. She didn't want to be here anymore than they did, but there was no point in making a fuss about it.

"Family drama?"

Nissa looked up, rolling her eyes as she saw Seamus standing over her cot. "Draco's always a prat" she said with a shrug, "Sometimes he's just a bigger one than usual"

"I saw you arguing"

"We weren't arguing" Nissa said, immediately defensive. "We were having a difference of opinion"

"Which is different from an argument how?"

"Just go away Seamus, I'm not in the mood to deal with you either"

Nissa turned her head, looking away from him and missing the hurt that flashed into his eyes.

"Fine" he said after a moment, "But here... anyway I came over to give you this"

Looking over, Nissa smiled as he held out a small bowl of ice cream.

"Trying to make it all better?"

"Failing obviously" he said, before turning and leaving her staring after him.

Home Already?

If the other years had seemed to go by fast, this one had simply flown by, and for that Nissa was thankful. Maybe it was the extra treat of visiting Hogsmeade village (even if she did tag along with Draco and Pansy and feel like a third wheel the entire trip), or maybe it was simply because she no longer had the distraction of her favorite Cub, but she was lonely.

Nissa blew out a breath, fluttering the hair that always seemed to hang in her face.

"What's on your mind Little One?" Lucius asked looking up from his parchment. The girl had been so quiet, he had almost forgotten she was there at all.

"I was just thinking" Nissa said, looking over at him. She had always trusted her Guardian, always felt like she could confide in him. Well some things at least. She didn't think he was ready to hear about her boy troubles, and she certainly wasn't ready for the lecture on responsible behavior that would certainly come from telling him.

"You know Carnissa", Lucius said, walking over and tilting her chin up so she would look at him, "You can tell me anything"

Nissa sighed, "If Sirius Black figured out a way surely my Mother can" Nissa said hopefully as she looked up into her Guardian's face. "Its just... I know what she did, but I don't like not knowing her. I am a part of her."

"Honestly" Lucius blew out a soft breath, "I'm surprised she hasn't. But before you get too excited over the idea, maybe you should read these..."

Nissa looked at him curiously as he handed her book after book.

"What is all this?"

"Newspaper clippings... family photo albums... Narcissa's Diary" Lucius said, flushing a bit as he said the latter. "Things you should know before you wish for something you cannot take back"

Nissa waited until Lucius had left before opening the first book. She felt a mixture of surprise and revulsion as she read about what had happened to the Longbottom's. She felt tears spring to her eyes as she saw photos of herself as an infant and as a young child, seeing her Mother's disdainful glances towards her. As though she were something unwanted, unloved.

"Why didn't you touch me?" Nissa whispered, lightly running her fingers over the image of her Mother's face before she could stalk out of the picture. "I am your daughter. Your flesh and blood. Why didn't you love me?"

Nissa felt the blood drain from her face, and her hands begin to shake as she read the first entry in Narcissa's diary, something she felt for certain she should not read, but now understanding why Lucius had given it to her...

Dear Diary,

My beloved "sister" dropped her daughter off at my home for the weekend. The child is dirty, malnourished, and showing obvious outward signs of torture, my best guess is the Cruciatus Curse. I will never understand what causes my sister to treat her child this way"