I'm not JK Rowling. She's cool though. I think we all wish we were her.

As of the 2nd of August 2013, this chapter has been edited for content and style and all that jazz. Just so you know x

BlueberryQuill

Kora's eyes flicked absentmindedly over the turnout for Care of Magical Creatures. Since Lord Voldemort had risen to power, the amount of people interested in doing Defense Against the Dark Arts had skyrocketed, leaving more niche subjects like Divination and Arithmancy with a lack of students. However, whilst Kora was really struggling to see what the fraudulent Trelawney or the snobbish Vector could teach her that could feasibly help kill the Dark Lord, Care of Magical Creatures seemed plain logical. The reports were everywhere - he was using dragons, he was using giants, he was using dementors, thestrals, augureys, trolls, goblins...

It seemed only her, Lysandra Kemery and Thomas Boot, both Ravenclaws who were taking at least seven NEWTS, had recognised this. However, as the two of them were avidly debating the existence of Blibbering Humdingers, something Kemery had sworn were real her entire life, and were thus completely ignoring Kora, it was looking to a be a bit of a lonely term.

"Shut up you lot!" bellowed Kettleburn as he limped over the hill. Limped was being used very loosely, on the two thirds of a leg he had left - it was more of a staggering hop, which teetered dangerously with every step. Over the summer, he had evidently lost the rest of his right arm, because the one that clutched his notebook was a bright silver. Kora had always wondered exactly what he did that was so dangerous, what creatures he worked with - but had never thought to ask.

"Sorry Mr Kettleburn," blurted Thomas, as he dropped his books in surprise.

"Silvanus will do just fine, Mr Boot. Put away your books, you won't be needing them. Unlike the last namby-pamby wishy-washy but supposedly crucial to the curriculum textbook nonsense we endured last year, this year we focus almost entirely on the practical."

Kora grinned, in spite of herself. The last year - with only five students - had not been her best; the huge quantities of textbooks had bored her so much that she had nearly dropped the subject. This year, she could shine. Or at least, she thought, as she watched Thomas produce a notebook and quill, and begin to jott down every word that Kettleburn said, Keep up with the others.

"Today," he continued. "We will be looking at the mackled malacaw. Who can tell me something about this strange coastal creature?"

Thom's hand flew eagerly into the air. At a super fast pace, he began to recite what Kora could only assume had been copied word for word from Creatures of the Coastlines, it was so formal. She had read the volume, of course, over the summer - but it had been heavy and dry and mostly pretentious bullshit about a wizard's dangerous trek through the oh-so-terrifying French Riviera.

"The Mackled Malaclaw is a land creature closely resembling a lobster. The Malaclaw has light grey skin with green spots, and can reach a length of twelve inches. Although it resembles a lobster, it is unfit to eat, and anyone who eats flesh of a Malaclaw will come down with a nasty fever and develop a green Malaclaw is found along the rocky coastline of Europe and dines mainly on crustaceans. A bite from a Malaclaw has the unusual side effect of making the victim unlucky for up to a week. Any witch or wizard bitten by a Malaclaw should call off all bets, wagers and ventures since they will definitely go against him." He took a deep breath, after his abnormally long sentence. "Or her," he tacked on as an afterthought, looking over at Kora and Lysandra.

"Well, someone's keen!" smirked Kettleburn, before seeing the crestfallen expression on Boot's face. "I mean uh - very good, Mr Boot. Take ten points for Ravenclaw. Yes, so we are going to have to be very careful when holding them, I suppose. We're just going to be checking them for any kind of disease or injury, such as wet tail, ringworm or possibly Spanish influenza. Maver, go grab the crate. They're down by Hagrid's hut."

Kora was greatful that it wasn't later in the year - but the dew and mud oozed rather unpleasantly over her bare feet. The crate was bigger than she imagined - almost so big she couldn't see over the top. Considering all she had to do was walk in a straight line she picked it up and began to stumble back in the right direction. The journey would have been made a lot easier if the malaclaws inside had not been violently lurching and clattering; making her jump with every sudden movement.

"I say!" said a familiar voice. "A walking box with legs that small? Whatever will they study next in Care of Magical Creatures?"

"Shut up!" groaned Kora. "Haven't you had enough fun ridiculing me over breakfast? Shouldn't you be in class or something?"

"Got a free period, haven't I, Maver?" He dropped back so she could see him, but she looked determinedly away. "Oh, come on, the back of that box can't be that interesting!"

Begrudgingly, she lifted her gaze. "Why are you even here, Black?"

"Black? Merlin, that's formal!" Sirius snickered, shaking his head at her.

She looked back at him indignantly. "And you've called me Maver since fourth year!"

"Maver's a cool surname!"

"You haven't answered my question, Black," she said, more impatiently. She'd been back all of two seconds, looking forward to time away from home, and so far the Marauder's had made her first two days hell.

"I came to admire the scenery, and the um...firecrabs you have in that crate there. Or are they dragons?"

"They're malaclaws." Kora rolled her eyes, slowing her brisk march back to a more amicably stroll. "Be serious."

Sirius let out a short whoop of laughter. "You want me to be serious? Well, it's a good thing you came to - " he clicked his fingers - "Sirius Black!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" exclaimed Kora, shaking her head in despair but grinning in spite of herself. "That joke wore thin in second year!"

"Sirius-ly, though," smiled Sirius, "I'm here, gate-crashing this incredibly popular, amazing class because I may or may not know where your trainers are."

Kora wanted to scowl at him, but for the squelching mud under her feet, she couldn't stop smiling in relief. "And would that be because you are the miscreant that put them there in the first place?"

"Maybe..." he said. "But I didn't count on you having no other goddamn shoes!"

"So where are they?" she said, and looked away from the box, back to him. "Is it worth me going to get them before Defense Against the Dark Arts? Are they both in the same place? What did - "

"Whoah! Patience, grasshopper."

"You watch muggle television?" asked Kora, as they walked over the hill.

"Might have come up in muggle studies at OWL..."

"So what are you doing at NEWT - "

"Miss Maver!" the grating voice of Professor Kettleburn snapped over her conversation. "I must remind you that this class is not a time to hang out with your friends."

"Oh, we're not friends!" cut in Kora. Sirius tried to arrange his featured so they didn't look so crestfallen at her snappy reply.

"It's very amusing, Miss Maver, but you speak as though I care!" snarled the elder man, his eyes glossing over Sirius as though he were not there. "Now, miss Kemery, if you could open the crate, we're going to do a medical check of the malaclaws."

The box opened surprisingly easily, revealing three, rather ugly crustacean-like creatures in a nest of seaweed, pebbles and a repulsive clear goo. Green and grey mottled, they clambered around in their home, occasionally beating each other over the head with over sized pincers. Kora wrinkled her nose in distaste, despite herself.

"Pick them up gently - no, not like that Thomas!" said Kettleburn, as Thom grasped his malaclaw by the tail. Kora bent down, and scooped one up under the belly, cradling it against her chest like a pet cat or dog. It immediately pinched at her hair, leaving a strand of seaweed nestled there. "Very nice, Miss Maver."

"They're disgusting!" blurted Sirius, and Kettleburn and Lysandra looked at him accusingly. Kora looked around, and then scowled back at the malaclaw, who was becoming increasingly interested in her face, Thom was still wrestling with his ugly new pet, swinging it inadvertently by the tail.

"They are one of the most important creatures, as far as potions ingredients go!" gasped an affronted Lysandra. Even Thom rolled his eyes at that - Lysandra was well known for surpassing usual nerdiness as far as Potions was concerned. Kora had to admire her dedication.

"You're that Black kid, aren't you," sneered Kettleburn, wrinkling his nose with obvious distaste. "Regulus?"

"Sirius", Sirius gritted his teeth as he spoke. He and his brother looked so similar that this was a common reaction - half of the time, teachers seemed disappointed to learn that they were speaking to the old Black child, the other times they seemed very relieved. Kettleburn's gaze softened a little as he surveyed Sirius.

"Well, Sirius, it seems you might benefit from watching Miss Maver. Seems you might have a thing or two to learn."

Kora groaned. "Oh for Merlin's sake!" she whispered, as soon as Kettleburn was out of earshot. "Now I'm stuck with you all morning!"