Chapter four.

Down to the dungeons again, I pulled my cloak closer against me as we ran down the remaining steps to the closed classroom. Slughorn hadn't shown up yet. I felt shivers down my spine, the corridors down here were even chillier than the actual classroom. We were not the first students there, some fellow Ravenclaws stood leaning against the stone wall while speaking to some Hufflepuffs. It was Thursday and the conversations about the approaching weekend could be overheard from every corner in the castle. Those who turned seventeen during the summer talked eagerly about their first drink of firewhiskey or their first sip of real beer. Lara and I listened to the conversations in amusement. I turned seventeen six months earlier, and I had already consumed that cup of firewhiskey. Multiple actually. Lara had been dying of jealousy during my first trip to Hogsmeade as a wizard of age, but I would let her take a little sip of my whiskey now and then 'till the day she turned seventeen herself. That was a good day.

"So, are you and Casper going to Hogsmeade this Saturday?" Lara said.

"I suppose so, we haven't talked about it, actually."

"Why am I not surprised? Alissa, be honest, what do you two even speak about?" she frowned.

"Loads of things."

"Except from schoolwork?"

She had a point, but I was not in the mood to admit that to her. For Merlin's sake, wasn't she the one to talk me out of dumping him?

"We have things to talk about that don't involve school work, our naked bodies for example."

Before Lara got the chance to respond we were cut off by a loud voice and, of course, that voice belonged to none other than Sirius Black.

"Whoa, as much as I'd like to hear more about that," he winked at me and I rolled my eyes. "But I suppose you have something else to tell me, Alissa?"

Hey, what's up with the first name basis? Did he skip to that part of normal social behavior? He waited for my response as he tilted his head to the side a little, so that his long hair fell down from behind his ear and covered his cheek, his eyes looked into mine without blinking once. I was such a hypocrite for thinking this, but bloody hell, he looked freaking good.

"Is that so? I can't recall having anything to tell to you." I made a confused grimace and his friends howled in the back.

"Come on, Padfoot, she's not interested." James Potter shouted from where they stood. Sirius closed his eyes but didn't react to the little taunt.

"Look, I know you understand what I'm talking about, and I also know your friend's response was a big loud yes. Please, give up this charade you have going on and just tell me."

I couldn't decide if he appeared to be angry or not, because there was still something playful about his eyes when he spoke. I sighed heavily, I didn't want to tell him what Beth had said, but I guess this was one of those moments when you can't turn back.

"Fine. She said yes." I muttered, he smirked and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"That wasn't so hard, was it, love?"

I shoved his hand off my shoulder and stared in those grey eyes of his.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't call me love. And if you so much as touch a hair on Beth's head without her approval, I'll end you, Black."

What did I just do? I thought in panic.

To my big relief, Slughorn just moved down the stairs and pulled up his large key to the classroom from his robe. Sirius looked at me with big surprise and I pushed my way past him with Lara following behind.

"Way to go, Fione." Potter shouted after me as I entered the classroom. I didn't understand where all this outrage came from but it had felt good snapping at Sirius Black like that, perhaps it was one thing you needed to have done at least once before graduating Hogwarts. Or maybe it felt good because that snap was going out to all my sisters out there that had their heart broken by Sirius Black. And now, with Beth being next, I felt a responsibility to protect her from those seducing eyes and the smile he possessed.

"Alissa, I bloody love you." Lara whispered when we sat down on our usual seats in the front of the classroom. I flipped my hair over my shoulder and looked at her with a cocky expression on my face.

"Oh well, you know me and my temper. It's easily triggered."

She laughed and glanced at the marauders behind me with her dark eyes.

"Well, you certainly made an impact on Black. He's still staring your way with those big eyes."

You better be sure I mean it, Black, I thought slightly irritated.