Chapter 19: Magic Tricks
January turned into February, February turned into March and March turned into April.
The last couple of months all passed without incident, two Quidditch matches were played giving Gryffindor and Slytherin a win each, making the final match between the two houses to declare the winner for the Quidditch Cup.
Things had even been light amongst the group of friends, they stayed away from most of the other students mostly sticking to themselves in hopes of getting everything finalised for the map but it didn't stop them from getting placed in detention.
"What are you doing?" James questioned with curiosity.
James had noticed that Remus had written on a piece of parchment, one different to the one he was writing his Charms notes on.
Sirius and Octavia had just gotten a detention for talking during Flitwick's explanation of the next charm they were working on, Remus as always had marked down their detentions and it was only now that James had finally spotted him.
"Marking down their detentions." Remus replied nonchalantly and James' jaw fell opened.
James stared at Remus before looking at where Sirius and Octavia were sitting on the other side of the classroom, he kept switching his gaze between the two unable to speak.
"I've been keeping count for you too if that helps," Remus added in before hiding the parchment and focusing on his notes again, acting like the conversation didn't take place.
"All year you two have had a bet about how many detentions you can rack up!" James exclaimed as soon as he had the opportunity.
He had to wait all day until they were alone in their secluded room but once they were in there, he let it out.
"It took you this long?" Octavia replied with a smirk on her face.
Her carefree attitude in regards to her response just angered James even more about the whole thing, "why didn't you tell me?" James stalked closer to Octavia, not taking noticing of her flinch.
"Hey careful mate," Sirius clasped his hand around James' shoulder.
James turned around and faced Sirius, taking his anger out on him instead. "You want me to be careful but yet you didn't tell me about the bet! Why the bloody hell couldn't you tell me, I want to be in on this."
Sirius smirked in response but didn't say anything.
"You are James, I've been keeping count for you all year, just been waiting for you to catch on." Remus responded.
"You're all a bunch of bloody prats." James muttered before walking over to the table in the corner and starting on his homework.
"O?" Sirius questioned softly as he knelt down in front of her, still noticing the faraway look in her eyes, unsure as to what will happen.
"I'm okay…" she spoke softly while nodding her head.
"You sure?"
"I am," she gave him a smile.
But Sirius just tilted his head and watched her, he knew that look on her face. It was the same one Remus had when he was yelling at them before Christmas break for attempting to become Animagus, the same one she had on her face whenever her parents' yelled at her at home.
Sirius hadn't been the one to work out that Octavia's bursts of magic were linked with her emotions, before they started at Hogwarts he had only seen her levitate things and just assumed it was a weird thing but when they arrived at Hogwarts he had seen her set things on fire and that one shield against him and Remus before Christmas.
He could link the fire to anger and the shield to fear but he had no idea what caused her levitation but did it really matter since she had worked out how to control that on her own?
He still worried about her, that one day someone that couldn't be trusted will see her use magic without a wand and she will be gone. He knows that he should probably tell someone, whether it be McGonagall or Dumbledore but he was worried she would be used as an experiment for something or her place at Hogwarts will be revoked and the last thing he wants is to permanently send her back to her parents.
Sirius eventually stopped watching Octavia with concern, mainly because she whacked him across his head with her book before leaving claiming that she was sick of the boys and wanted to spend time with some girls. The boys all laughed as she left, not even stopping as she flipped them off.
"Is O alright?" Remus questioned as he sat down beside Sirius on the couch.
"I think so, I think James just startled her, she will be alright."
"No shield?" Remus whispered hoping that the others didn't hear him.
"No," Sirius shook his head. "But I'm thinking, if she can control the levitating why can't she control the others? Fire is fuelled by anger and the shield is fuelled by fear, wouldn't it be the same concept she did when she succeeded in controlling the levitating?"
Remus was silent as he pondered Sirius' question, he had a very good point but because it wasn't him who was having the issues with the magic it was hard for him to come up with a good reason.
"I think the best thing is to talk to her, she knows how her levitation works. Maybe she will be able to tell you whether or not it will work, it's her magic and she knows the feeling of it all." Remus spoke and they both fell silent for a moment. "But unless you want to tell the others about her maybe we should continue this later."
Sirius nodded in agreement before getting up and walking over to where James was sitting working on the Transfiguration homework since he had left his book in the dorm.
"What are we doing in here Sirius?" Octavia questioned her best friend as he dragged her into an empty classroom.
"Last year you promised me you wouldn't practise your wandless magic on your own, but yet you did. You spent all summer practising how to levitating things, I think it's time you start practising on the next one. The next one that showed itself was the fire and I sure as hell aren't letting you practise it on your own."
"I didn't mean to break my promise, I just…" Octavia frowned and hung her head, not being able to finish her sentence.
Sirius stepped forward and hugged her, he might not know everything that happened during her summer, but he understood to a degree as to why she broke her promise about not practising her magic alone.
"It's fine O, I understand. I just don't want you to get hurt this time because you really can, it's fire you are playing with."
"How do I even start with this one?" Octavia mumbled against his chest, completely unsure of what exactly Sirius was saying.
"I think it's all linked with your moods, the fire manifests when you are angry."
Octavia pulled away and looked at Sirius, how he worked that out she was unsure, did that mean that the one time shield was caused by fear because she was scared that day when Remus was yelling at her but was unsure as to why James hadn't caused it.
"So what you're going to throw pillows at me?" Octavia raised an eyebrow and watched a smirk appeared on Sirius' face before he shook his head.
"Far from it, you managed to control your levitation with no idea of how or why it happens, we have a better idea with the fire. So tell me, how did you manage to control the levitation over the summer?" Sirius questioned and Octavia went silent.
She tried to remember everything she did during the summer, how she worked it out, how she managed to pull the magic out of her.
So she and Sirius then made themselves comfortable on the chairs in the room as she attempted to explain everything she could think of in regards to the summer and her working out how to control the levitation ability she seemed to have.
"What have you and Sirius been up to?" Octavia opened one eye and came face to face with James.
She was currently sitting in the Gryffindor common room, hoping to get a nap in before Quidditch practise. Sirius had kept her up late the night before with the two of them trying to get her fire magic to manifest.
"What are you on about James?" She spoke while shaking her head, she stood up and headed for the girls' staircase now knowing her nap would be out of the question so she decided that a fly beforehand would be more beneficial.
James wrapped his hand around her wrist attempting to stop her before she went up the stairs now knowing full well that he couldn't follow her anywhere.
"No whatever it is you and Sirius are planning I want in, whatever it is against the snakes I want in." James spoke sternly and Octavia pulled her arm out of his grasp.
"You're losing it James, we aren't planning anything. Just go bug Pete, I have practise." Octavia snapped before heading up the stairs.
She entered her dorm glad to see it was empty, she walked over and rested her head against the post of her bed. If James had worked out that her and Sirius were up to something how long until the rest of their friends worked it out.
Sirius tried telling her to tell them but she couldn't, she was worried they would treat her like a Wandless. It didn't matter if she had a wand or not, the fact that she could perform wandless magic was a scary thought to anyone.
Wandless were known to be uncontrolled creatures that could be set off at the smallest thing, a lot of people threw around the word 'unstable'. She had a temper when provoked but she also knew how to keep it in check when needed, especially around her parents.
She was unsure on how her friends would handle the information, Sirius grew up watching her perform the magic and knew she wasn't anything like the Wandless mentioned in books. In fact it was something Sirius had already looked into.
Remus accepted her because of his own condition, he believed himself to be unstable and harmful to other people but they accepted him and in turn he accepted her and he tried to tell her that the rest of her friends would be the same.
But she knew the truth, she knew that Wandless were less common than werewolves and there was even less information about them out in the world. The only reason that Sirius had access to the books was because of his own family, they were curious in the Wandless but Octavia now believed it was because Voldemort was in search of one for himself.
"What's your problem Carrow?" Octavia turned her head and glared at Blake.
"My problem is nosy bitches like you!" Octavia snapped.
"I'm a nosy bitch? It's better than walking around thinking I'm better than everyone else."
"But you do think so!" Octavia screeched and it was then she noticed the spare bed catch fire.
She knew it had to be her and just hoped that Blake didn't turn around and spot it, the last thing she needed was someone who hated her see something as weird as this.
They had worked out that the fire was linked to her anger, so she just hoped that if she calmed down she would be able to stop the fire.
She didn't even know what Blake was ranting about anymore, she had tuned the girl out since she was too busy focusing on the fire hoping it would stop.
Octavia let out a sigh of relief when the fire went out, "bugger off Blake." Octavia snapped before pushing past the girl and heading down the stairs, completely forgetting as to why she went up to her dorm in the first place.
Sirius had just entered the common room, him and Remus were off in the library researching on what could be different about Octavia. They had come across something but all it was, was a word mentioning something but they couldn't find any information on it.
As soon as his eyes laid on Octavia he knew straight away that something happened, that something had gone wrong and she was annoyed and he was just grateful that nothing had burst into flames yet.
"Is she alright?" Remus spoke, now realising that something wasn't right with Octavia.
"I'll handle it, you keep the others occupied." Sirius responded before leaving the common room following her.
"O stop!"
Sirius continued to chase after her, he knew she was ignoring him but he needed her to stop. He made a grab for her wrist and pulled her back to face him.
"What the hell Sirius!" Octavia growled at him and his face softened, watching her, he was really worried.
"What happened? What is so bad that you are storming away from me?" He questioned softly, grateful when she closed her eyes because it was a sign she was calming down.
"Blake was yelling at me and I got so annoyed that the spare bed burst into flames," Sirius' eyes went wide as she spoke and she shook her head. "No I managed to stop them, if I calm down then so does the fire."
"Well that's something O, we are one step closer to being able to control the fire. What was Blake going on about?"
"No idea, I was too focused on the fire." Octavia lowered her gaze.
Sirius noticing her actions wrapped her arms around him and pulled her close, he didn't know what else to say. He knew that Blake always pushed her buttons, they didn't really get along from the start. Even with her magic he was so unsure, he couldn't even work out what was going on with it just that whatever they thought used to be bursts of accidental magic, isn't since she was able to control it.
"Come on let's go for a fly before you have practise."
Lilith looked around the Gryffindor common room, James was trying to help Peter understand Wizard's Chess he always stated he couldn't play and James had finally agreed to help him today. Sirius and Octavia were sitting in the corner, obviously arguing about something while Remus was sitting next to Lilith, watching Sirius and Octavia as well.
"What do you think they're arguing about this time?" Lilith questioned, knowing full well she caught Remus off guard by the way his body tensed for a moment.
"Who knows with those two, I'm sure there are arguments between you and Frank that no one else knows about." Remus retorted with a sly smile on his face, knowing full well it was true.
"But don't you worry about them? Obviously their home life is different to ours."
Lilith watched as Remus was silent for a moment, she knew then and there that there was something he knew that she didn't, his silence proves it. She was a little hurt over it but she knew Sirius and Octavia, they didn't easily give up information, Remus had to have found out.
"As long as they keep turning up to Hogwarts when needed, I will butt out of their home lives. If one of them doesn't return after breaks them I will worry." Remus responded with a sad smile and Lilith frowned at him. "It's not my place Lilith," Remus spoke, noticing that she knew there was something going on. He grabbed her hand and gripped it before looking back over at Sirius and Octavia.
"Hey O!" Octavia stopped walking at the sound of the voice, she wearily turned around and faced Regulus.
Regulus hasn't said a word to either Sirius or Octavia since September, while they were at Hogwarts, Christmas break when they were forced to spend time together doesn't count.
"Hey Reg, how have you been?" She gave him an easy smile knowing it would be better to be polite as she didn't know what information he was sending home.
"Good, but listen you and Sirius need to stay out of trouble, it's causing waves back home."
In that moment Octavia was thankful for all the etiquette training she had growing up because she knew if she couldn't control her facial expressions it would have shown disgust, annoyance, a multitude of things.
She didn't have to question who was sending information home, it could be any number of the students in Slytherin since her family had connections to most if not all of them. The only people she knew wouldn't be sending information home was Sirius and the two Ravenclaws, only because they knew what it was like to be in her shoes except to those families Ravenclaw was a second choice option.
"Reg, you stay out of my business and I will stay out of yours. I've seen you following Lestrange around like a lost puppy, even you've said that Bella is certifiably crazy, he's her brother in law."
"And Bella is my cousin, what's your point?"
"Make friends with people your own age Reg, come Lestrange's graduation next year you won't have any friends left." Octavia spoke sincerely and Regulus slowly nodded at her. "You know our parents, you know what they are like. Yes they will appreciate you making friends with Lestrange but your own age will be better."
"Yes because father would enjoy me making friends with the Head of the Auror Department's son," Regulus spoke bitterly and Octavia shook her head.
"You never know what will happen, he may be nothing like his father."
"Like you aren't anything like your parents?" Regulus spat out and it took everything in her not to glare at him.
"Don't start on this Reg…" Octavia stopped speaking at the sound of footsteps coming up behind her, she turned around and found three fifth year Slytherin students.
"Why are you sharing air with this blood traitor Black?" one of the girls spoke and Octavia didn't say anything in response, she didn't see the point.
"Because if you haven't forgotten Crabbe she is my future wife." Regulus spoke calmly but when Octavia looked at him she noticed the tensed jaw that she regularly saw on Sirius when he was annoyed.
"Right…" the girls all gave Octavia a once over before smiling at Regulus. "Of course, come we need to talk." They walked over to Regulus and two of them looped an arm through his before they dragged him away.
Octavia shook her head, it didn't surprise her that the girls were acting this way. She had seen it happen with Sirius when they first started at Hogwarts, hoping to get his attention in hopes of maybe securing a future with him and his family. Everyone knew he was the heir to the Black family, but not everyone knew that he was already promised to another.
Not overly bothered by the attention Regulus was receiving, she turned on her heel and headed in the original direction she was going before Regulus noticed her.
"I'm sorry." Octavia spat out while Remus and Sirius quickly rushed forward to put out the fire Octavia had caused but wasn't able to put it out.
"It's fine, we knew what would happen when we agreed to this." Sirius responded but didn't face his freaked out best friend.
"Knew what would happen…is that a fire!" Lilith shrieked causing all three of them to jump in fright, not noticing that she had joined them in their hidden room.
It was the weekend and at some point during the day all three of them have snuck off to the hidden room the group of friends shared, in hopes of helping Octavia find some control over her powers but so far no luck. She had only managed to put a fire out once, and has been able to start them at will on the rare occasion.
Fear run through Octavia's veins as she saw Lilith standing there, watching the scene with curiosity. She was no longer looking at the boys' so she had no idea if the fire was still going or not.
"Damn it, O." Octavia heard Sirius mutter but she didn't turn around, she continued to watch Lilith and her unnervingly calm face.
"What's going on in here?" Lilith questioned, looking at the three of them but no one spoke. "O tell me, what is so bad that you can't tell me. It seriously can't be worse than Moony being a werewolf."
Octavia shook her head as her eyes welled up before she rushed out of the room, not even noticing that Lilith was pushed to the floor as she went past her.
"Okay what the hell was that? I was pushed to the floor but she didn't even touch me!" Lilith yelled while still sitting on the floor, neither of the boys said anything at first but Remus walked over and helped her stand up.
"Should we follow her?" Remus questioned and Sirius shook his head before he paced the room.
"Someone me what happened now!" Lilith ordered and Sirius finally stopped pacing.
Sirius faced Lilith and took a deep breath, "she'll never tell her Moony."
"But she'll hate you, both of us." Remus responded, realising what Sirius was about to do.
"She'll forgive us, the more people who know, the easier it might be for us to find something." Sirius responded and Remus nodded, knowing full well that Sirius knows her better than anyone.
"Tell me!" Lilith fumed and the boys could tell she was getting annoyed.
All three of them then sat down on the couch in the room as the boys explained what they so far knew of Octavia and her bursts of magic, what ideas they had and what they knew couldn't be true.
"How could you! I trusted you, I trust you with so much Sirius but you couldn't even keep this one bloody secret! I hate you!" Octavia yelled with tears in her eyes before she stormed off.
Two days ago Sirius and Remus told Lilith everything they knew about Octavia and her burst of magic, they thought she took it well but Octavia yelling at Sirius now proved him wrong.
Sirius placed his face in his hands and gripped his hair, sitting there for a moment giving Octavia her space before going in search of Remus knowing he needs a heads up.
He knew Octavia would calm down eventually, he just had to wait but for now he was worried about what happened between Lilith and Octavia.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who continues to read, set alerts and review my story it means a lot to me but reviews mean even more.
lizy2000 thank you for reviewing, it means a lot to me. Yes, you could say what Amycus did was nice but remember, he is also the reason as to why her broom got damaged in the first place.
Raven that flies at night thank you for reviewing, it means a lot to me. I probably would rebel as well but Octavia loves her family and doesn't want to lose them, regardless of what they do. Yes I understand it is clearly a fucked up version of love but it's the family she grew up with and the world she grew up in. Her rebellion will come out one day, just for now she's a young girl terrified of losing the only people she knows as family.
Rose099 thank you for reviewing, it means a lot to me.