Not a month later Haesel is peacefully napping on a couch to the far end of the common room. Boots, only slightly bigger now, is curled up on her stomach, also fast asleep.

She looks like she tried to do some studying, Sirius reflects as he sits down opposite. There's a thick book called Uncommon Uses of Common Spells on the floor where her hand is lightly touching it. He wanted to tell her that it's announced they'll have their first flying lesson two days from now on Thursday, but there have been slight bags under her eyes lately and she has admitted to sleeping bad so he lets her rest and takes this chance to study her.

Now the green eyes are closed, he notes other things about her more easily, like her long black lashes that rest on skin darkened just a shade from spending a lot of time out in the sun this summer. She's extremely fair still, and he knows from her letters she burns easily. A few vague freckles are scattered over the thin bridge of her nose and her hair is spread over the arm of the couch she's on in wild tangles.

He knows Lily and Haesel are twins, has seen how much they look alike and as he squashes the urge to pick up a stand of hair he contemplates the differences again. Lily has red hair to Haesel's inky black, and she's taller as well. Laying there sleeping Haesel looks even more fragile than normal, arms and legs thin. He knows why now; how she hasn't yet recovered fully from the terrible accident that almost took her life and as Lily had admitted the moment she knew he knew about that, she likely would always bear the scars.

The scars. He hasn't seen them, but Lily has shown him a photo of a pale, tiny Haesel covered in bandages with short, uneven hair because most of it was burned off.

He thinks he likes it better long. It's wild and often tangled, but it's all her and Sirius isn't sure if he ought to fear how much he values her as his friend. They've made their nice little group of friends, he and Haesel, James and Remus. All of them are very bright and also very mischievous. So far they haven't really done any real pranks, but last week Remus came up with the idea to see if they can recruit the house elves to help them with food related pranks. Immediately declaring that to be brilliant, they've been looking for the kitchen but they've yet to find it.

When they do... Ah, Sirius can't contain a grin.

Green eyes blink open and Haesel gives a great yawn as a languid stretch almost dislodges Boots, who gives a token protest but settles again almost immediately.

"Oh hi Sirius." Haesel says between yawns, looking unwilling to move from the comfy couch.

Sirius leans back and feels his grin widen. Sometimes he thinks Haesel and Boots are not only in looks alike.

"Stop smiling like that, it gives me the shivers." Haesel says.

Sirius keeps grinning. When she narrows her eyes at him, he holds his hands up. They're all a little afraid of Haesel, after she completely decimated a bloke from Ravenclaw annoying her after their shared Transfiguration class. James and Haesel had been the first to manage to turn a matchstick into a needle, and James' quick escape had left Haesel to the mercy of the inquisitive Ravenclaws, a move she hadn't appreciated at all, nor the endless questions of "So how did you..."

"Haha... anyway! They announced when we'll have our first flying lesson."

"Really?" There's faint interest in Haesel's eyes though she doesn't move. "When?"

"Thursday - two days from now."

Haesel frowns. "Why are you exited? I know you've flown before."

Sirius shrugs. "I have, yes, but you haven't! Lots of people won't have flown before. Brooms are fairly expensive, so most parents just don't buy one."

"You mean the good ones are expensive."

"True." Sirius is unrepentant. It's something Haesel has noticed over the course of their friendship and that she can now see in James as well. Both come from wealthy, pureblood backgrounds and while they don't buy in any supremacist talk they are used to not thinking about the money they spend. It shows in the quality of their robes and personal effects. James even has a little pocket money to order sweets and prank items with, which was surprisingly his mother's idea.

Haesel's family is well off certainly, but they're still middle class and not so rich 'no one has to work for three generations and they would still be able to live off the family fortune' as Sirius had put it once.

She lets one hand drop to rest on her tummy. "I hope it's going to be any fun."

"It's flying, Haesel. It will be!"

"Stop pretending to be James."

Sirius pouts.

"I mean it. You're already attached at the hip, no need to pretend!"

Sirius grins. Haesel gives it up as a lost cause.

"I'm so glad I have Remus." She remarks to the room at large. A sneak peak to Sirius shows his fake wounded expression and the hand he presses to his heart in an exaggerated motion. "And Lily and the girls."

She sneaks another look and ads, gleefully: "Especially the girls."

Sirius has now a very put upon expression. "I'll take my revenge for that, I promise!"

"I'm looking forward to it." Haesel grins. The look he gives her makes her regret those words though because that look is pure evil.

"Oh, but I will enjoy it." Sirius almost purrs and Haesel is sure her eyes are wide. Now it's Sirius' turn to look gleeful.

"I promise to never ever say I prefer the girls over you." Haesel says in an attempt to calm him. She's brave, sure, but not suicidal.

"Too late."

"I promise to never ever even think about it?" Haesel offers.

No reaction.

"Not even dream about-" she breaks off her own sentence, suddenly reminded why she's so tired she fell asleep reading.

Sirius has noticed the abrupt end to her sentence. "Go on, I'm waiting?"

"Never mind." Haesel says and she looks down to a still asleep Boots, the hand on her tummy going to softly pet him. The kitty wakes slowly, already purring.

Sirius leans forwards. This is what he's been waiting for, because he knows by now that just plainly asking will get an 'I'm fine' and no progress at all. You've got to lead Haesel into it, using anything you can. If she thinks it's important she'll share it, like she shared the story of her accident, but if it's just about her health she'll brush it off so he has to go roundabout.

It's even more worrying because Lily had said - who's a lot more willing to talk about her sister to Sirius now she knows Haesel trusts him enough to tell him her secrets - that she wakes up in the middle of the night and Haesel would be sitting up in her bed, reading a book by the light of her wand. Any attempt to get her to sleep or talk about it would fail and Lily had looked really worried when she said that.

Sirius has to admit that is worrying, because ever since they made up on the Express he was sure the twins had gone back to the closeness Haesel has often written about.

"Never mind what?" He asks.

Haesel doesn't even glance his way as she says: "Nothing terrible important."

"But still fairly important."

"Would you just leave it alone!"

Haesel looks even more shocked than he is in the wake of her outburst. It was louder than she'd surely intended, but the other students who've glanced at them look away when they see nothing but a slowly reddening Haesel and a surprised Sirius.

Haesel, who'd shot to a sitting position and disrupting Boots in the process, sinks down into the couch again and attempts to pacify the angry kitten, but Boots won't have it and stalks away with his tail high in the air. Haesel follows her cat with her eyes, eyes that seem curiously wet.

"I'm sorry." She whispers eventually and Sirius gets up, goes around the table and sits down next to her, drawing her into a hug.

"It's okay." is all he says as she curls into him. There are no tears, but they sit like that for a little while, Haesel hiding her face in his shoulder. Sirius sees James and Remus approaching from the entrance of the common room, but he shakes his head minutely and luckily Remus, the one who's slightly less socially obvious gets the hint and pulls James to the stairs to the dorms.

Sirius gives them a grateful smile.

Haesel is silent for such a long time Sirius almost fears she's fallen asleep again, but then her voice sounds, muffled against his school jumper.

"I've got these dreams, nightmares actually. I've had them as long as I can remember - and that's saying something."

Sirius says nothing, but doesn't protest either when Haesel cuddles even closer. She's still not shown her face, but he's happy enough that she's sharing that he's not going to say anything about it.

When she volunteers nothing more, he ventures to ask. "What are they about?"

She shudders. "War, death, destruction." He can almost physically feel her swallow before she goes on. "I didn't used to know it was magic - that the people in my dreams fought with magic or that unicorns and centaurs were real… but then I discovered Lily and I were magic and suddenly it wasn't so strange anymore. I thought they might even be going away."

She is silent again. He speaks again, encourages her. "But they didn't?"

She shakes her head against his shoulder. "No. Since coming to Hogwarts they even got worse, actually and sometimes I wake up and it takes ages before I remember they're not real. They seem so real, though. They're not always bad, but the good ones are worse. I feel like I lost so much."

"Maybe they're subconscious fears?" He suggests, turning her last words over in his head.

"I don't think so. They feel like memories. Sometimes it even feels like…" she pauses to swallow again. "As if they're trying to tell me something."

Sirius' mind whirls. He could dismiss the dreams out of hand, that would be what everyone would do he thinks. They would maybe suggest a visit to a mind healer to discuss some obviously trauma she's not over yet, but he doesn't think that's it. That she doesn't remember anything before the accident sure hurts but in part she's already over it and he is fairly sure she's already seen a mind healer or the Muggle equivalent for it. No, this is more and with magic, that can mean anything.

He sighs.

"What?" Haesel says, finally looking up. Her face is dry, her eyes not read, he was correct in that she wasn't crying but her inner turmoil is clear on her face.

"We'll have to go to the library for this one."

She starts laughing at the look of distaste on his face.

"Really? You think it means something?" There's undeniably hope in her voice.

He shrugs. "I've heard of stranger things. In some bloodlines strange powers are passed on. In my family, for example in my family sometimes there's a metamorphmagus."

"A what?" Haesel frowns. "Ah, well, never mind. But I'm Muggleborn, though."

Sirius shrugs again. "You never know."

He nudges her. "But you should talk to Lily about this, too."

Haesel looks reluctant. Time to go in for the kill, then. "She worries about you."

Haesel still looks reluctant, but she gives in. "Okay."

She sinks back into the couch, conveniently ignoring how he's still hugging her sideways. "Thank you."

He smiles. Because that's what friends do, don't they?

"Stop fidgeting. You're making me nervous." Haesel hisses and Lily looks apologetic.

"Sorry…" She whispers and shifts to her other foot again. Haesel rolls her eyes at Remus, who's on her other side.

The Gryffindor first years are lined up across from the Slytherin first years, each one standing beside a battered school broom. It's Thursday 30th September 4 o'clock and they're having their first flying lesson.

Haesel wonders at the wisdom of the Gryffindor and Slytherin firsties have it together, because those two houses are the worst when it comes to inter house disputes. Aside from one pair of unlikely friends, she has to admit as she spies Lily giving Snape an encouraging smile from the corner of her eye.

But they are the exception. There's one girl Haesel has Potions with whose name is Elizabeth Burke sending her nasty looks and whispering to her friend Tabitha Bainbridge, who's standing at the next broom. Haesel has no clue what she's done to warrant their hate, but it must have been something truly atrocious because the girls go out of their way to insult her.

Lily sees her looking and doesn't have to guess what she's thinking off.

"They think you stole Sirius from them." She leans over and whispers. Haesel colours and splutters.

"I did what? You make me sound like a thirty-something home wrecker!"

"Sev told me that Burke went around saying she was going to get engaged to Sirius when they were older, because her family is also one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight."

Haesel nods. That explains a lot - no wait it doesn't. "The what?"

Lily gives her a look as if she ought to know this. "The only families to be completely, truly 'pureblood' in the 1930's. Didn't Sirius tell you this? I think it was even in that thick history book of yours."

"Ah now I remember." Haesel says. Lily humours her and continues.

"They often inter-marry because then they're assured of a continued pureblood line, so it's not unlikely Burke would marry Sirius."

"Why would he do that? She's awful!"

"To us, yes." Lily doesn't have to say it's because they're Muggleborn.

"But why would she say I stole him?"

"Your friendship would have swayed him into thinking favourably of Muggleborns and thus ending up in Gryffindor, so now his parents don't think him good enough to continue the Noble House of Black."

"It's the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." Haesel corrects almost absentmindedly and Lily giggles.

"That's not discounting the theory that Sirius got into Gryffindor as a part of an elaborate plot to make the Blacks seem friendlier and get a shoe in with the Light side."

Now Haesel's the one giggling. "Who thinks those things up?"

"It's inter-house gossip." Lily shrugs. "Sev tells me it's a big thing with the Slytherin girls, and the boys too, actually. Apparently gossip and appearances are everything among the higher social circles."

"That's so Victorian." Haesel says and the twins share a grin before the instructor, one Madam Hooch, a witch appearing to be in her fifties for all that says anything about the long living Wizarding Folk, calls them to attention.

"Good afternoon, class."

The thirty first years reply as one. "Good afternoon, Madam."

"My name is Rolanda Hooch, and I will be your flying instructor. If any of you ever manage to become part of a Quidditch House Team, I will be your referee also. Now, today we will have our first Flying Class. Anyone who has ever flown before, raise your hand."

Half of the hands go up. Madam Hooch nods approvingly.

"Good. We will start at the beginning and then work our way up, assessing your individual level as we go. If by the end of this class I declare you proficient, you need not return next week. If I deem you not ready, you will return until I say you are."

She gives them a hard stare. "I repeat, I decide if you are proficient or not. I do not care about your previous experience or your father's influence on the Board of Governors. If you think you are, then show me. I will not enter into discussions with anyone."

More than one of the firsties gulp nervously. From the other side of Remus James throws Haesel a wink. Sirius leans around James to give a little wave and a thumps up for Remus who looks like he's going to be ill.

Haesel tries to feel confident instead of queasy herself as Madam Hooch tells them to put their hand above their broom and call out "Up!"

"Feel it! No, boy, not like you're afraid from it, command it!"

Like a dog, Haesel tries to tell herself and holds out her hand.

"Up!"

To her surprise the broom flies into her hand immediately. Her fingers close around the wooden shaft, which feels almost alive under her hand. She exchanges a wide eyed look with Lily, who's a little peeved because her broom refuses to cooperate.

"Imagine talking to a dog." Haesel whispers. "Command it."

Lily gives it another half-hearted try, and then another and another. Finally, she holds a broom which appears almost as reluctant as herself. Haesel tries to smile encouragingly.

"Good! Now seat yourself and place both hands around the shaft." Madam Hooch commands and everyone does so. Madam Hooch goes around to check their grips, correcting here and there. Haesel is faintly happy to see her correct Elizabeth Burke.

"When I blow my whistle, you will all push off the ground slowly. Wait, girl, what are you doing!"

The gathered first years look on in amazement as Edith Newton, a shy Gryffindor girl in one of the other dorms, pushes off to early and much too hard and then almost unaware of the eyes on her goes up vertically only to lose her grip on the broom and crash down to the ground from thirty feet. Haesel looks around quickly. Madam Hooch is as surprised as the rest of them and is staring stupidly as most of the firsties and Haesel realises if no one is going to do anything Edith is going to seriously hurt herself.

She whips out her wand from the special pocket and whispers the first spell she can think off, the Wingardium Leviosa they're rumoured to learn next. Edith's fall slows and then she's floating and Haesel's wand is shaking - or is it her hand that is shaking? - when she lowers her to the ground.

Everyone is staring at her, some in disbelief, others in amazement.

Edith is just crying and all around going into hysterics. Madam Hooch tries to calm her but fails and ends up deciding to take her to the Hospital Wing for a Calming Draught.

"Don't you move. If one of you decide to try flying, you'll be gone from Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch." She threatens them before leaving with a sobbing Edith. The first years crowd around Haesel.

"How'd you know to do that?" Florence asks excitedly.

"Yes that was great!" James exclaims.

Haesel doesn't get a chance to say anything before Elizabeth pushes her way through the crowd.

"If it isn't one Mudblood saving another." She sneers. There are gasps and pointed exclamations among the group.

"What do you want, Burke?" Sirius sneers and Haesel has always thought he was fairly handsome but now, with that expression, it's hard to see.

"I want nothing from you, Black." The way she says his last name is like saying it seems to cause her pain. "But I have something you might want." This she says to Haesel, turning from Sirius as if she can't bear to look at him.

"What?" Haesel asks. It's hardly started and she's already tired of this.

Burke pulls out a wand and twirls it in her fingers, studying it.

"Edith's wand!" A Gryffindor girl Haesel doesn't know the name of but is sure shares Edith's dorm says.

"Give it here." Haesel says.

"No." Burke says and then she's on her broom. "Come get it."

"Don't!" Lily calls but Haesel determinedly gets on the broom she'd taken back when she'd but her wand away and pushes off. This is Edith's wand, the most important thing to a witch or wizard. She can't have Burke throw it away or damage it.

"Haesel!" Lily calls again but Haesel's shakily gotten to the same height Burke hovers and is determined to ignore her sister for now.

"So you think you can fly." Burke sneers. She's even uglier with it and Haesel thinks that with all her heart. "Prove it then - catch it if you can!"

With that, she throws the wand as hard as she can towards the nearby castle wall.

Haesel sees the wand flying, closing in on the unforgiving stone and suddenly she's not thinking anymore but feeling. The broom is alive under her hands and she bends down and flies.

The wand falls fast but Haesel is faster and she catches it a foot from the ground, managing to pull even and rise up again, euphoria filling her as she stares at the wand and then at the broom with a wide grin.

Flying is awesome!

Under her, the Gryffindor first years cheer and they surround her as she lands lightly. She's in the process of being hugged by a fanatically worried Lily and an evenly fanatically delighted James who yell about completely different things when a sharp voice cuts through the sounds.

"Miss Evans!"

Haesel turns, feeling her doom settle heavier than the combined weight of Lily and James as she sees Professor McGonagall bear down on the gaggle of firsties who separate like the red sea.

"Follow me." Is all the Professor says but Haesel can't read her face and wonders dejectedly, broom and caught wand clenched in her hands, if her parents will let her be home-schooled or she could chance a smaller school of magic, because she'll be kicked out of Hogwarts for sure now. She manages to hand the wand to an equally worried Lily who promises to give it back to Edith before she's forced to run after the Professor.

For some reason, the Professor leads her to a corridor where she's never been before, stopping before a stone gargoyle to which she says "Ice Mice" before the gargoyle leaps aside to reveal a spiralling stone staircase.

They ride the stairs in silence and poor Haesel is thinking of even more gruesome sort of public shaming when they enter a small stone chamber.

"Wait here." Professor McGonagall tells her and knocks once before entering what appears to be an office. Haesel can hear her say "Professor Dumbledore, I wish to ask special per-" before the door cuts off her words.

Haesel moans. The Headmaster, of course she's brought to the Headmaster. She clenches the broom even closer, glad she's got it to hold on to.

Haesel waits in the little room for what feels like an age but is probably more close to ten minutes. She can't hear anything through the thick oaken door, but as convinced she is of her fate she doesn't try anyway. It's a surprise then when the door swings open and she's beckoned inside.

If Haesel hadn't been scared out of her wits to be thrown out of school she'd be pleased to have a look around the office. It's a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises and curious silver instruments. The walls are covered with portraits of old Headmasters and Headmistresses, all of whom are either looking curiously at her or snoozing gently in their frames. There is also an enormous, claw-footed desk behind which the Headmaster himself is sitting.

With a wave she's invited to take a seat before the desk.

"Do you know why you are here, Miss Evans?" The Headmaster asks her.

"To be expelled?" Haesel hazards a guess.

Both professors look incredulously at each other. The Headmaster recovers first. "Of course not, dear girl. In fact, Professor McGonagall here has an incredible proposition for you if you were to take it." His blue eyes twinkle friendly behind his half-moon spectacles, but Haesel has more notice for the Professor mentioned.

Professor McGonagall seems to be softer somehow as she looks down at her. "Would you like to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team as Seeker, Miss Evans?"

Haesel feels her jaw drop. "Wh- What?" She squeaks.

Now both are laughing.

"Professor McGonagall told me she saw you catch a wand a foot from the ground after diving a full fifty feet and then rising again. Is this true?"

Haesel can only nod.

"It was incredible, Albus!" Professor McGonagall almost gushes and Haesel thinks almost because Professor McGonagall gushing, what is happening to the world? "We really need a seeker and she'd be perfect!" Turning to Haesel, she adds "Do you own a broom?"

"Um, no." Haesel says feeling as if this is a dream and she's about to wake up in a really bad way. "This was my first time on a broom, Professor."

"First time!" Professor McGonagall has to sit down.

"Very well." Headmaster Dumbledore says and he smiles at Haesel. "We'll contact your parents for approval and to organise a broom, of course, but if you feel up to it, welcome to the Gryffindor Quidditch Team."

"Eh okay, thanks." Haesel says because this is a dream and it's going to be fine, right?

Professor McGonagall smiles. "I'll introduce you to Captain Bones after dinner, then. Come to my office at half seven, please."

Haesel nods and says her goodbye's automatically before she descends the spiralling staircase.

When she goes to put the broom away no one is there anymore and it's only when she enters the Gryffindor common room she finds her sister and friends.

"Haesel!" Lily yells the moment she sees her and hugs her before patting her face and sides to check if she's still okay and there in one piece. "What happened? Are you all right? Did they expel you?"

"No, I don't think so." Haesel says slowly because while she's coming out of her daze she's still not sure what exactly happened, but in the back of her mind she hears the warning the Transfiguration Mistress and Head of Gryffindor House has issued her; that she's to keep this secret as long as possible so she pulls Lily and Remus, the first ones she can grab, towards the window seat they've claimed for their own.

James, Sirius, Alice, Florence and Mary follow and when they're seated Haesel motions them closer still.

"You can't tell anyone this, okay? Professor McGonagall made me swear to keep it secret. If anyone asks where I am, say detention with her, okay?"

They nod and swear secrecy one after another and then Haesel drops the bomb.

"Professor McGonagall was so impressed by my flying stunt she went to the Headmaster to ask special permission to let me be on the Quidditch House Team as seeker."

Jaws drop.

"I know." Haesel commiserates. "That was my reaction too."


Hi!

I hope you enjoyed! Hihi, took the description of the Headmaster's office almost entirely from The Chamber Of Secrets. Wanted to stay authentic. I changed that scene a little too. Hope you don't mind! I thought flying was really important to Harry (Haesel) and thus had to add it.

Also, Sirius in denial. I love writing them! Didn't mean to put them together like that - I swear it wasn't in the plans - but they happen to like being really friendly so there you have it. I do promise that whatever romance this story will have, it will be at a more appropriate age. But well, plans. Hihi! :)

Thanks for reading!