A/N: A lot of updates in succession for this story! Chapter 7 will have a lot of drama. Drama, drama, drama. There's the crowd pleaser of Umbridge and some punches being thrown. Sometimes Hogwarts is a lot of fun. Now, begin chapter 7...

RavenclawLupin11 presents:

Sapphire Eyes Book 1

Chapter 7: I Must Control My Temper

Tuesday's sunrise hit me right in the eyes, waking me up in a hurry. I yawned and stretched, pulling my clean knickers and bra into my arms before heading to the bathroom for an early shower. Donned in my undies after the shower was over, I toweled my hair dry while I put on my knee high stockings and white Oxford button down. Mandy had passed me to the bathroom on my way out and she kept coming in and out of the room remembering things she had forgotten. Padma had woken up to Mandy's clambering back and forth and currently her and Sally-Anne were attempting to wake up Donna. Donna was the worst in the morning. Not only was she the opposite of a morning person, she was also extremely grumpy. The earlier in the year it was, the worse she got. By Christmas break, she was pretty good about the early mornings. But, then again, she was still grumpy. Donna, finally woken up, got up and threw us all a nasty glare. I looked at her and said truthfully, "I didn't try to wake you up. That was them." I pointed at Sally-Anne and Padma.

"Traitor," Sally-Anne said and I stuck my tongue out at her. Finally dressed all the way, I practically skipped down the stairs and across the slowly filling common room to the door. Standing outside of it, looking like a Calvin Klein underwear model on their days off, was Blaise Lubricus Zabini.

He was leaning casually against the stone wall across the corridor from the door. Seeing me, his face broke out in a smile and his arms opened for a hug. Happily, I was swept up into his arms in a warm, gentle embrace. I smelled his uniform. Oddly, we all wore the same uniforms (boring), made of the same uniform fabric (a cotton and polyester mix) in the same uniform colors (black and grey), the ties and hood liners, though different colors, were made of the same fabrics (silk for the tie, 100% cotton for the hood liners), the clasps on the winter cloaks are all made of the same shiny metal (silver) and our shoes are all black and made of the same material (dragon hide leather, though our trainers are different, as each student buys a different brand), so why the scratchy feel of Blaise's uniform comforted me, when no one else's did, was strange. His uniform smelled like white birch soap and musk. I looked up into his black coffee eyes and his head dipped to kiss my lips.

Blaise's kisses, now they were something of a wonder. In my opinion they were one of the seven natural wonders of the world. He wasn't the first boy I had kissed. Our first kiss occurred after the Yule Ball last winter. I was taken by surprise of the kiss, not because it wasn't good, but because I wasn't expecting it. Once I had warmed up to his lips, I relished in their practiced movements over mine. Nine months later, and that practiced mouth still brought me to my knees. After a few moments, he pulled back and smiled down at me. "Good morning, Mia."

I smiled back. "Good morning, Blaise. I missed you."

"I missed you too," he replied, his smile growing larger. He kissed the tip of my nose, making me wrinkle my face which made Blaise chuckle, as the common room door opened again. A few third years giggled as they passed our embracing bodies before Terry and Stephen came out.

"And here we see a wild Black in her natural habitat," Stephen was whispering to Terry loud enough that I could hear.

I smacked his shoulder. "Ha, you're funny, just too bad looks don't count." Stephen smiled as I looped my arm through Terry's and Blaise's. The four of us made our way down to breakfast. Most of the castle had already gotten down there and I saw Draco's head raise at who Blaise had walked in with. Stephen and Terry had bowed out so Blaise and I could talk properly. "This isn't going to be easy on either of us, Blaise."

Blaise held my hands in his. "Love never is easy, sweetheart. We'll get through this together, I promise." He bowed his head and captured my lips with his. After a short, chaste kiss, he winked and walked over to the Slytherin table.

I made my way through my scrambled eggs before Evan and Harry made their way to me.

"Mira," the latter addressed me.

I looked up at Harry. "Harry."

"Mind explaining why a Slytherin kissed you," Evan asked.

"Well," I put my fork down. "Maybe it's because the aforementioned Slytherin has a death wish. Or maybe because he made a bet with his mates that he wouldn't kiss me and is in need of some gold. Or maybe it's because he's my boyfriend." I began eating again "Take your pick."

Evan glanced over at the Slytherin table. "Who is he? I've never seen him before. Is he in our year?"

"Blaise Zabini is his name, you're obviously blind because yes, he is," I replied dryly.

Harry's arms crossed. "You're sleeping with him, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, I'm not."

Evan raised an eyebrow. "You answered that rather quickly."

"Evan stop," I warned. "Blaise and I are not sleeping together."

"Then why did he kiss you," Harry asked again.

"Because," I gave a sideways glace to Terry whom was wearing a worried, almost scared look on his face. "He and I are together. Officially."

I looked passed the now frozen Gryffindor's to see Blaise rising from his seat on the bench. Ignoring the stares from his housemates, and the rest of the school, he made his way across the Great Hall over to my table. "Hello, boys," he said to Harry and Evan in a friendly tone.

Harry recovered first. "You're Blaise Zabini." It wasn't a question.

Blaise's brow furrowed in confusion and nodded. "You're Harry Potter."

"You're Blaise Zabini and you are dating Mira Black," Harry said, expanding on his previous statement, as though he had to speak it for it to be true.

Again, Blaise nodded, still looking confused. Evan pushed Harry out of the way. "What's your motive, Slytherin?"

"I don't have one, Gryffindor," Blaise replied in a thoroughly cautious tone. "I honestly just want to go out with her."

"Er," I said, noticing the crowd of people watching, including Dad and Lily. "Can we not talk about me like I'm not right here?"

They ignored me. Typical. Evan went on. "What does a Slytherin like you want with Mia, hmm? Maybe it's a bet or to break her heart?"

"Honestly, Evan," I said. "Leave the boy alone!"

Harry looked over at Malfoy and Parkinson. "The other fifth year Slytherin's put you up to this, didn't they? It's some sort of sick joke, isn't it?"

"For your information, Potter, no, it isn't," Blaise said, with a truthful look on his face. He turned to answer Evan's inquiry. "Mia and I started talking last year after the first task. She helped me with my Potions essay in the library. She continued to tutor me in Potions because I'm absolutely horrid at the damn subject. After the Yule Ball, we shared our first kiss, since we weren't able to go with each other. The weeks after that we just hung out and talked as often as we could. We wrote to each other over the hols. I fell in love with her, and she with me. Yesterday evening, we made our relationship official."

Harry and Evan stared at Blaise. Harry looked over at me. We shared a look, a secret look that spoke volumes. Harry turned back to Blaise. "Alright. But you'd better treat her decent, Slytherin. She's like a sister to me, and I will be watching you." He pulled on Evan's uniform sleeve. "C'mon, Evan. We have to go to Charms."

Harry started walking away but Evan didn't move. He kept staring at Blaise. "Evan, don't." My voice gave warning. I could see what Evan was thinking in his head and I knew he would get into a load of trouble for it.

"I'm not going to warn you. You may have Mia fooled but you're a Slytherin and you lot are all the same. All the same muggleborn-hating, no good, Death Eaters-in-training blood purists. You make one wrong move, put one toe out of line, and you won't have to worry about Harry, or even Mia, making you pay for it." Then he pulled his right arm back, made a fist, and pushed that fist, hard, right into Blaise's jaw.

All hell broke loose.

"Are you mad," I shrieked, looking and feeling absolutely murderous pulling Evan off of Blaise. Blaise had a broken jaw and Evan's ring made a cut on Blaise's lip, which was bleeding. There was a bruise already forming on his cheekbone. "What in the hell is the matter with you?" Dad and Lily had made their way down from the Head table. I was still berating Evan when Dad pulled me away from him and told me to take Blaise to the hospital wing. "He punched my boyfriend for no reason. He better be punished!"

At the word 'boyfriend' Dad had looked at me like he had never seen me before. He growled, "Then take your boyfriend to the Hospital Wing and leave me here to deal with him." I huffed, turned, and helped up my bloody, sore and bruised boyfriend off the stone floor. He held the left side of his face with his hand as I led him out. Terry, Stephen, Malfoy and Nott followed us out.

"So Lupin took the news well," Nott said obviously sarcastic.

"If that was taking it well, I'd hate to see him mad," Stephen drawled back, just as sarcastic.

Malfoy came up to Blaises' other side to support his friend and asked me with a soft, almost protective voice, "Was he provoked?"

I shook my head. "No, Blaise just explained everything in an ordinary, leveled tone. Harry took it as well as can be expected. Evan, well, you saw what happened."

"I just hope, for Evan's sake at least, Umbridge isn't in charge of his punishment and it stays in-house," Terry said, ever the sympathetic one. "Merlin knows what medieval torture device she'd scrounge up for his violence."

I glowered and scoffed. "So what if she is in charge of it. He deserves the worst. He had no right to punch Blaise the way he did."

We had made it to the third floor. Nott and Stephen pushed the doors open, and Terry went off to find Madam Pomphrey. Malfoy and I sat Blaise down on a cot and his eyes closed in happiness of being on something soft. I stroked Blaise's hair and his hand found my other in my lap. He squeezed it affectionately. Madam Pomphrey came over to check on Blaise's face. She siphoned off the blood and fixed the cut on his lip.

"You boys may want to hold him while I fix his jaw," said Madam Pomphrey. I made to let Nott take over my position, but Blaise wouldn't let my hand go. Malfoy held one shoulder, while Nott held his other shoulder, over our clasped hands. Terry took one knee, and Stephen took the other. Madam Pomphrey pointed her wand at his left cheek and, waving it slightly, said, "Episkey." There was a loud crack, Blaise squeezed my hand hard and screwed his face up as he called out in pain. After a moment, his face and hold on my hand relaxed.

"That's much better, thank you," Blaise said to the nurse. She nodded.

"I'll give you a potion for the headache you're bound to get soon. Stay here." Turing to the rest of us she said, "You all may go to class."

I nodded and went to get up, but Blaise held me back. "She stays with me."

Madam Pomphrey threw her hands up in exasperation, but said nothing as she went to get a Pepperup Potion. The boys all slid off the bed and stood. Terry turned to me. "I'll have your stuff in Transfiguration for you."

"Thank you," I said and the four left. I looked at Blaise then. "How aren't Malfoy and Nott killing you for being with me?"

He blushed. "I told them that if they said anything or did anything, I'd hex them. But to be honest, they weren't too upset with it in the long run. We were all kids together, remember?"

I smiled before saying, "Yes, and look what our old childhood friend Evan has done to your face."

He grimaced as Madam Pomphrey handed him the Pepperup potion, "Come back if the headache surfaces again." Blaise nodded as he swallowed the potion in one gulp.

After Madam Pomphrey had released Blaise back to classes, we walked quickly to Transfiguration. Since we were the last two students there, we were made partners and got the front seat. McGonagall, true to form, gave all the students a lecture about the importance of our OWL year. "Today, we start Vanishing Spells. They are easier than Conjuring Spells, which aren't really to be attempted until NEWT year, but are still the most difficult magic you will have to know for the OWL." After teaching the incantation of Evanesco we were each given snails which we were set to vanish. After a few attempts, my snail vanished, earning me ten points for Ravenclaw. Terry also earned ten points for vanishing his too. Setting everyone else up with homework; practice the spells overnight and do more tomorrow, we gathered our books, separated from the Slytherins (after a kiss from Blaise) and headed back up Ravenclaw Tower to drop off our Transfiguration textbook and grab Monster Book of Monsters for Care of Magical Creatures. Care of Magical Creatures class was the best one we'd had in the three years we'd taken it. We'd seen bowtruckles and wood lice. We had to draw a picture of a bowtruckle and label its parts for homework, which most of us finished in the hour allotted. The best part about Care of Magical Creatures with Grubbly-Plank was that she showed us creatures that weren't deadly or boring. After lunch we trudged down in the soggy weather for Herbology. Listening to every teacher lecture us students on the importance of OWL year was really beginning to weigh on me. Terry, Hermione, Ernie and myself really didn't have much to worry about. We were all neck in neck for the top of the class.

After lunch we went to Charms where we reviewed Summoning Charms "for they'll come up on your OWL's!" Flitwick had squeaked and sent us off with a large essay due on Friday. At dinner, Angelina Johnson made quite a scene with Harry and I was tempted to come to his aide when Luna appeared on my side. "That Hermione Granger really is a pain."

"What did she say now," I questioned, taking a swig of my pumpkin juice.

"I was just telling Harry how Daddy and I believe him about You-Know-Who and she thanks me by saying the Blibbering Humdinger wasn't real."

Stephen and Terry exchanged looks. The latter replied, "Luna, she's just not as open minded as you are."

I snorted. "Hermione is about as open minded as an owl is an amphibian." Noticing that Harry and Evan had risen for their first detention, I rose to join them. "First detention with Dolores. Let's hope it's a good one, shall we?"

Joining the boys on the Marble Staircase, I heard Evan say, "You're better off not saying anything to her."

"Anything to who," I asked Harry, resolutely ignoring Evan. I noticed Evan glaring at me too.

"Angelina is angry at me because I have detention on Friday. That's when we're holding Keeper tryouts and she's livid. She told me to ask Umbridge if I could get off," Harry replied to my query.

"Honestly," I began. "You'd have better luck persuading Peeves to stop tormenting Filch."

Arriving at Umbridge's office on the third floor, I knocked on the door. After a soft "come in", I pushed the door open and looked around. Just like the inside of the classroom, her office looked like it had been doused in Beautification Potion; everything was coated in lots and lots of different shades of pink. On the walls were more of the horrid kittens, and more flowery fabric than I ever wanted to see again. In fact, anything floral that was in my wardrobe, was getting pitched forthwith.

"Good evening, children," her high pitched voice came from behind her wide mouth.

"Evening," we all replied stiffly.

"Mr. Potter, you sit by the window. Mr. Lupin, please sit by the fireplace. Ms. Black, you may have a seat on the sofa. I'll pull up a desk for you." We all sat in our respective places as she transfigured a tea saucer into a small desk. "You're going to be writing lines for me. Mr. Potter, please write 'I must not tell lies.' Ms. Black, please write 'I must control my temper.' And Mr. Lupin, please write 'I must never befriend werewolves." I want you to write this until the messages sink in. There will be no need to talk. Use the quills provided. Begin."

"Um, professor," Evan started quietly. "You haven't given us any ink."

"Oh, you won't need any ink," Umbridge said with the merest suggestion of laughter in her voice. I poised my quill at the top of the parchment and felt my blood boiling after hearing what the other two had to write. I heard Harry wince. I looked up and saw both Harry and Evan glaring at Umbridge. "Yes?"

"Nothing," Harry replied.

"That's right, Mr. Potter," she said, squatting down to his level. "Because deep down you know you all deserve to be punished."

I wrote my sentence and felt a burning sting on the back of my hand. As I looked down, I saw the sentence show up on my hand, and the lettering on the parchment shone dark red. The woman was using a Horror Quill. I had read about them in the library during a research run for History of Magic. After what felt like several days, she told us to put our quills down and hold out our hands. My hand was nearly split open from the session and she looked down upon it pleased. "You don't have to come back, Ms. Black. Messrs Lupin and Potter, I'll see you tomorrow night, same time, same place. Goodnight."

I glanced at my watch as we stumbled sleepily down the corridor. "Quarter past midnight. Harry, whatever homework you have that is written, I'll do for you tomorrow. I'll have mine to do tonight. I'll see you tomorrow then." Harry thanked me nearly in tears, and Evan looked hurt that I didn't offer to do his too. The two split from me and headed up the Gryffindor tower. At the end of the third floor corridor, I broke into a run towards the Ravenclaw Tower, in a hurry to at least start my essay for Flitwick and my translations for Ancient Runes. The meeting I promised to have with Blaise on Sunday was totally forgotten.