The Sorceress and the grim
Chapter twelve
The start of something new
It had been almost a week now since she had started Hogwarts and had immediately became her houses outcast. Alyssa spent most of her time either in the library or out on the castle grounds away from the other students. Every now and again she would sit down with Regulas Black and they would talk about anything that came to mind but the one thing that worried her was how one of the students she shared a room with watched her in a way a mother would watch her child. Alyssa hadn't took the time to learn any of her house mates names as she knew she wouldn't need them yet it annoyed her that she didn't know the name of this particular girl. Since arriving at the Ravenclaw tower Alyssa had only been approached to be asked question revolving around two topics.
Her father or Sirius Black.
It was no surprise that the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry knew of the relationship, or lack of for that matter, between the two childhood friends and Alyssa soon realised that Sirius had became quite a popular subject between the Ravenclaw girls and soon learnt that some of them if not a majority had been his companions in one way or another. Now whether or not they had slept with him or just been something else Alyssa didn't care what she did care about though was the way they pestered her for every little detail she knew about him and now sat in the library wondering how he actually dealt with the over-zealous fan girls.
"Don't worry, Sirius just ignores a majority of them after a while." A voice sounded from beside her.
"Can I help you?" Alyssa growled as she noticed it was the girl she had been thinking about earlier.
"Sorry it's just you were muttering about sill fan girls and Sirius for a good few minutes and I quickly put the pieces together, my names Julie by the way I'm the one who wrote to you."
"Ah yes, Sirius' girlfriend or ex I'm guessing after seeing him with a different girl." Alyssa groaned.
"Yeah, we broke up after I received your reply to be honest." Julie smiled.
"Why?" Alyssa asked before she could stop herself.
"Because I felt he was being an idiot for not wanting to see you, for ignoring you and pretending you didn't exist any more." Julie replied as she sat down in the chair across from the staring brunette.
"He doesn't like change." Alyssa whispered.
"Sorry what was that?"
"Sirius doesn't like change, none of the Blacks do. If he had grown accustomed to me not being around my sudden appearance can be a bit too much to handle and he usually ignores stuff like that until he's ready to accept it." Alyssa explained.
"Ah, it makes sense, then again he's changing girls more than usual."
"Probably to keep himself busy or focused on other things rather than stuff he doesn't want to. Why are you talking to me because if it's going to continue to be about him then I suggest you leave?"
"Oh no, sorry I just wanted to come over and say hi. Nobody has really taken time to welcome you to Hogwarts." Julie said as she grinned sheepishly.
"Why would they, all I am to them is a murderers daughter. You had plenty of opportunities to talk to me."
"Believe it or not I just didn't know how to approach you; you give of this vibe that makes people think you're a bitch." Julie laughed.
"I am." The way Alyssa had replied so brashly had stunned Julie for a bit and she couldn't help but stare at the girl and wonder how lonely she actually was.
"I don't believe that and I'm sorry for leaving it till now to come and say hi." Julie said softly.
"Don't be, I'm not a very approachable person. It's just the way I grew up and I hate it." Alyssa said as she chucked her quill down on the table in frustration.
"Yeah I understand but if you want I can help, I can show you around the castle so you're more familiar with it and don't get lost. Or I could help you with that potions essay." Julie smiled.
"I suck at potions; none of it makes sense to me." Alyssa groaned. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because you're not as evil and demented as they all say you are I don't believe you're a cold hearted bitch with the mind of a serial killer…"
"They say that." Alyssa interrupted. "I haven't heard that one before"
"Ignore them doll, they don't know you but I'd like to get to as I'm pretty sure you could do with a friend right now." Julie assured.
Alyssa didn't reply and she couldn't help but feel a bit upset with the way Julie had spoke with a kindness that reminded her of her mother. She had painted this image of Julie of being this nosey, two bit know it all and to find out that she was actually a compassionate and genuine person made her feel guilty for cursing her very existence.
"I know you've probably grew to dislike me because of my blunt letters to you and I don't blame you, I put my nose right into something that was none of my business but I really hate seeing you shy away from everything and everyone it makes you look more like a hufflepuff than a Ravenclaw." Julie joked.
"Nobody has been that kind to me since my mother; the Blacks are a different type of kindness which just gives you shivers down your spine. But you, you've been so nice and I know you're the one telling the others off when my stuff went missing. I've noticed how you've been looking out for me and don't think I'm not grateful I just don't understand why." Alyssa wondered as she studied Julie.
"Then let me help you understand by being your friend, as I said I don't believe every thing they say about you and I for one want to get a chance to get to know you to prove to others that your really not that scary."
Alyssa couldn't help but laugh for the first time in a while, for people to be afraid of her made Alyssa realise that she could see why they would be after everything they heard about her father and knew nothing of her so naturally they would assume she was just like him. Yet as she laughed and saw Julie smiling before laughing as well made Alyssa think that this school may not be all bad.
Neither girl had noticed the Gryffindor watching them from behind the bookcases, his grey eyes observing intensely. Ever since he had seen Julie get up and go over to Alyssa, Sirius couldn't help but be a bit curious and went to listen in only to watch as Julie was her usual compassionate self which he couldn't help but smile at. But as Alyssa began to laugh Sirius felt his heart tug painfully at the sound he had missed more than he began to realise.
Julie was right; I should have jumped at the chance to have Aly back. Sirius thought to himself.
The Gryffindor timetable had been changed due to the continuous clashes between them and the Slytherin's and now the red and gold house shared classes with the Ravenclaw's. Since she had stared Hogwarts Sirius had watched Alyssa carefully in and out of class and had quickly noticed how she stayed away from everyone and no one wanted to partner with her, always being the first one in and the last one out of class. In the great hall she would sit close to the teachers which Sirius guessed was because of the door beside her which he caught her glancing at every so often. Since their first meeting Sirius had tried talking to Alyssa only to find that every time he went over to her she would disappear and now as he took a deep breath he made his way over to the table to try and fix things with his childhood friend only to find Alyssa glaring coldly at him
"What do you want?" Alyssa growled as she spotted him.
"Can we talk?" Sirius asked quickly.
"No."
"Julie, do you mind?" Sirius asked as he hinted for his ex to leave.
"You heard her Sirius, she said no alright." Julie replied as she stood up and led Sirius away. "Look now isn't the right time, she's really mad at you."
"How in the hell would you know, you've barely even spoken to her." Sirius snapped.
"Well with the way her eyes harden and the way she talks about you with such distaste kind of speaks volumes don't you think that and they way she just growled at you." Julie replied calmly.
"I've been a damn idiot haven't I, when in the world did I become the wizarding world biggest prick." Grumbled Sirius as he ran his hands through his hair.
"Alyssa explained to me how you handle change…"
"You mean how I don't" he interrupted.
"Yes well that too, I understand but it doesn't make up for you being a complete ass but with the way things went I don't blame you for being a little bit scared." Julie continued.
"I was not scarred, I don't get scarred." Sirius protested.
"Okay so you weren't scarred but it was definitely something that spooked you into not wanting to take her back into your life. Look, I'm sorry we ended on such bad terms but I don't blame you and I'm not mad at you for it at least now you realise your mistake."
"Yeah, I guess." Sirius sighed. "Look could you talk to her for me, tell her I'm sorry, tell her…"
"You can do that yourself when she calms down." Julie interrupted as she held up her hand for him to stop his rambling.
"You don't know her; she can hold a grudge like no tomorrow."
"And I don't think you know her any more than I do right now, I bet from the young girl you knew to who she is you barely know her at all. So just back off from her a bit and let her get settled, give it till the end of the month and I'll see what I can do." Julie assured.
"You are an absolute saint Jules." Sirius' expression softened slightly. "Do you think we could start again and probably be mates, kinda miss having you as my female consort?"
"Sirius Orion Black I would love to but first let me deal with Alyssa, things are pretty rough in the tower." Julie smiled.
"Yeah I've heard, look I'll talk to them. Merlin knows they bloody worship the ground I walk on; you know there are sometimes I really hate having the Blacks infamous good looks, well being a Black full stop." Sirius groaned.
"But then where would you be without them." Julie grinned "You'd be nothing, everyone knows us girls only use you for your looks."
"Oh very funny Julie, absolutely hilarious. My sides are splitting from how much I'm laughing right now." Sirius said sarcastically yet still held a grin on his face. "I did love you, you know that right."
"I know and I'm sorry for everything, it was just weird when I loved you like a sibling."
"Yeah, I guess in a sense I was jumping to fast on my emotions it could have been the same. I always wanted a sister and now I have you." Sirius laughed.
"There, we can be surrogates." Julie said as she giggled.
"You should go; Alyssa looks ready to murder me if I don't give back her new friend."
"Her only friend." Julie corrected.
"She still has me, nothing's changed I was just too blind to see it and now all I want is for her to see." Sirius sighed sadly.
"Look I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise you anything so don't hold your breath just yet okay."
"Thanks poppet." Sirius smiled
As he watched Julie head back over to Alyssa he couldn't help but notice how her face lit up slightly to have someone pay her some attention into a friendlier way than what she was used to. At the thought of what she had gone through at the hands of her deranged father, Sirius felt his heart tug painfully again as he began to realise that he may never be the one to make her smile so happily the way Julie just did.
