Chapter ten.
"Remember children, never stop believing in your own ability. Class dismissed."
I gathered my books and shoved them down in my already overfilled bag. The two hours of divination had dragged slowly, mostly because of my lack of concentration. And without Lara or Beth there to keep my mind on track it drifted off far to long. I wasn't used to this newly formed trait, drifting off in thoughts about a boy during class, but after mine and Casper's little dispute it happened a lot. And no, I didn't daydream about Casper, unfortunately. My mind always wandered to the one and only; Sirius Black.
I knew I was such a hypocrite for even thinking about that man, but I couldn't help it. Not since he looked at me with those sad eyes of his, and not since he hadn't spoken to me in almost three weeks. It drove me crazy not to be aware of what he was thinking about, and it drove me more crazy that it drove me crazy. I had spent six years in this school before this semester, unaware of the attractive force that man possessed, but he had to go ruin it all by asking my friend out, whom was still completely obsessed with him. Merlin's beard, it was a mess.
I heard chants the distance and I stepped down the stairs from the divination classroom. There was cheering and howling surrounding the narrow courtyard but it was all fading away when I heard her speak. Iona.
"You filthy little blood traitor." people were buzzing in excitement or fear, possibly both. "Oh yes, your dearest little brother has told me everything about you…"
"Don't you dare talk about my brother, you evil serpent."
I didn't have to see them to understand what was going on. Iona's voice could cut through glass but in this moment I feared for her safety, Sirius Black was known as the type that fought his enemies, despite the consequences.
"Weak spot, aye?
I got down to the courtyard just in time to see Sirius draw his wand out of his robe, Iona responded with the same move. They were facing each other, both pointing their wands at each other's face. The cheering and howling was gone, all around the yard students examined the scene with fear in their eyes.
Except for Emma Vanity and that awkward looking fella, Severus Snape, who stood behind Iona, both smiling.
"Is this wise, Black?" she spat out his name like it was sickening for her to even pronounce it.
"I don't know, Fione, you tell me." He spoke with confidence. His eyes were flamming with rage but his hand pointing towards Iona was steady.
"I doubt it's wise of you."
Sirius laughed with a harshness in his voice and began to move around the narrow area of grass. Iona followed his lead, so they circulated, wands still pointing at each other.
"What do you want from me, Iona?" Sirius spat.
"I thought I already told you. I want you to tell me where your brother is!" now she screamed and the evil fire was lightninged in her sights. I had seen that fire too many times before, and I froze in the middle of my step. She frightened me. Sirius on the other hand didn't seem frightened at all, which simply made me more concerned.
"I don't know where my brothers is, sweet little Iona. You see, we're not on speaking terms."
"Who did you call sweet?" she hissed. Her glare turned even more hateful, and the scar across her left eye pulsed in red. The surrounding students froze at the venom in her tone. I realized this was it, she would lose it any second, and that did not bode well for Sirius.
Without thinking twice I stepped up in the middle of the courtyard, turning to confront my sister. My heart was beating hard and my hand was shaking when I grabbed my wand.
"Let it go, Iona." I could hear my voice cracking but tried my best to keep my stare steady.
It took a few seconds for Iona to react to what just happened but when she did her face turned even paler than before. Her mouth twisted into a wicked grin before speaking in a gravelly voice.
"You disappoint me sister. Taking the side of that blood traitor scum." She looked at the man behind me with disgust in her pastel blue eyes. "Fucking him are you? What does your little puppy say about that?" she pouted her lips and blinked with large eyes.
"Just leave." I spat. Her comment was bouncing of my back as soon as is reached me, I had practiced on that for seventeen years.
It seemed as if she would add something further but realised she would only embarrass herself if she remained here any longer. We were now two against one, and I doubted her allies were willing to get in trouble for a fight over sister-rivalry.
"This is not over." She hissed between her teeth before turning around and marching away with the rest of her companions.
I shut my eyes and let out a heavy breath, my heart was still pounding fast from nervosity and dismay. She wouldn't let this pass, that I knew, but she was gone for now and that I was grateful for.
I had just enough time to take another breath before someone grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the courtyard.
Sirius walked fast inside the caste and as soon we were out of sight from the other students he pressed me up against the stone wall. His right hand placed on the side of my head and his other hand holding my arm, so I had no possible way out from his grip.
His intense eyes pierced mine and my breathing grew heavier. Before he spoke he lowered his face closer to mine, so I could smell his breath. A faint scent of cigarette smoke hit my olfaction and I couldn't help but breathe it in.
"Why did you do that?" he was obviously angry I had stepped in. He should feel happy I stepped in, otherwise he might've ended up in the hospital wing.
"Saved your as you mean?" I spat. His eyes flickered with rage and for a second I regretted my decision to defend that pompous bastard.
"I don't need anyone, saving me. Okay?" He spoke slowly, as if the words weren't only meant for me.
"I get it, you're the rebellious Sirius Black. You can deal with every danger coming your way." I rolled my eyes, and it only made him look more furious. "But when it comes to my sister, I believe I'm the one to know what's best." I raised an eyebrow at him and he stared at me for a long time without uttering a word.
"So, you're implying you defended me back there because you were afraid of what your sister might have done?" the rage in his voice had faded but his intense stare didn't.
"Yes." I sighed.
He let go of my arm but didn't remove the hand he pressed against the wall on my right side. He lowered his eyes and bite his lower lip before meeting my sight once more. His voice seemed different when he spoke.
"Well, then I guess I must say thank you." he now talked in a hushed tone.
"You're welcome." I nodded, trying my best not to stare at his red plump lips when he licked them. He was so freakishly sexy right now. His eyes still wild from the fight, his black hair tangled around his ivory coloured face and his white shirt carelessly tugged into his black trousers. And those lips, those red puffy lips just screaming for me to touch them with my own.
What was I even thinking? Merlin I have sinned.
"Was that all?" I asked with annoyance. I needed to get away from him, right this instant. Before my mind could betray me even more.
"Yes, that was all." he removed his hand from the wall and put it in the pocket of his trousers.
"Good." I stepped away from my trapped position against the stonewall as soon as he cleared my way. I walked towards the courtyard again when he slowly spoke my name. This time, he didn't say it like all the other times before. This time he addressed my name with tenderness and I would lie if I said it didn't make me weak to my knees.
"Alissa."
I spun around once again.
"What now?"
The misery in his eyes I had seen the last time we spoke was back, and I stopped the urge to grasp him in my arms. He would be too tall to fit inside my embrace but that didn't matter.
"I know," he whispered. "How painful it is to stand up against your family." He looked at me with hurting eyes for a second and then turned the other way.
I thought about what Iona had said, about his little brother, and I realized right then and there; I was now caring for Sirius Black.
How did this happen?