A bit shorter than the last one…

A review would be most appreciated. ;]

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THIS, EXCEPT FOR ANY CHARACTERS YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE. JK ROWLING IS JESUS!

CHAPTER 28

The transitions of having an additional 2,000 students in the castle had been quite interesting during the first month of school. The hallways were much more crowded, the chatter that rang through the hallways was in three different languages, Audrey felt fortunate to understand two, and the teachers were interesting.

The systems were similar still, Gryffindors were all together in classes, as well as the other houses. But with the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students thrown into the mix as well.

Much to James' dismay, Quidditch was going to be different this year as well. There was no Quidditch Cup, at least, it was replaced by something else.

"Now I know many of you have been asking your professors about Quidditch this year." Dumbledore said one morning at breakfast. "We will still be having Quidditch this year."

There were several loud cheers from the students and the Headmaster continued.

"There will be the additions of the four teams of Durmstrang, and the four teams of Beauxbatons added into our competition this year. There will be more games because of this, in all weather conditions."

Hans and Petro high fived, Karl and Sven grinned at each other.

"You gents play too?" James asked. They all nodded.

"We're beaters." Hans and Petro said together, grinning.

"I'm a keeper, and Svens a seeker." Karl said.

As Karl happened to be a Keeper, I happened to be trying out for the open Chaser's position… James knew this, and gave me a look.

"So how do your teams work?" Marlene asked, conversationally. "Do your schools have houses?"

"Sort of…" Sven began, not quite sure how to put it. "We are sorted by character, like your school, but our houses are colors, not animals. Our four houses are, Fioletovyĭ, Zoloto, Chernyĭ, and Zelenyĭ."

"Purple, gold, black, and green." Audrey translated.

Sven nodded and continued. "In Fioletovyi, Purple, students who are considered to be magical, mysterious, and 'royal'" He did air quotations on the last one, making a face. "They turn out some of the worst sorts of wizards."

"The others." Karl picked up the conversation. "Zoloto, gold, is personal power, courage, confidence, and willpower. They're a very successful house, that's Sven's and my house. Chernyi, Black, is simply a mysterious house, however, Chernyi has the darkest people, the most evil."

Karl's eyes flickered to Sirius for a second, then continued. "Zelenyi, Green, is the house of nature, change, and life."

"Interesting." Remus said thoughtfully. "So it appears that half of your student body is prone to becoming dark wizards."

Sven nodded. "It's true. They all graduate thinking they're high and mighty, then they go join the other jackasses."

James laughed at his sense of humor.

"What are your houses?" Sven asked, turning to Chantal.

"We don't have houses, technically. We have our dormitories based on our year. So all the first years sleep in the same dormitory, the second years, and so on. Our four teams though, are made up of students from the fourth year and above, it's random. The teams are the Thestrals, the Owls, the Banshees, and the Pixies."

"The Pixies?" Sirius snorted. "They sound vicious."

"They are." said Hans. "You'd be surprised. They play quite dirty."

"I'd expect the Thestrals to play dirty." James said thoughtfully.

"We're on the Thestrals!" Petro and Hans said together, offended.

"Oh! Sorry mates!" James replied, feeling awkward.

"It's okay. Everyone always judges the Thestrals, they're misunderstood creatures." replied Hans, casually.

"What even are Thestrals?" Sirius asked. "I've never seen them.

"Me neither." said Peter.

"Same." James nodded.

"They're invisible creatures, they pull the Hogwarts carriages." said Lily. "They're only visible to those who have seen death."

"Ah." James said. "Well, I look forward to playing you guys."

They grinned.

For each subject we took, we had a different teacher from a different school, this would be rotated each term. The start of term, we had the Durmstrang potions professor, Professor Perov.

"Audrey, what the hell is he saying?" Sirius whispered in her ear. To Audrey's dismay, they had been partnered together during potions class.

"He said to put the beetles in after the pickled toad." Audrey whispered.

"I can't believe they let him teach us. His English is horrible." Sirius muttered, putting in the beetles. Audrey stirred the cauldron.

"Well, Sirius. He's never had to use English in a classroom before." Audrey said casually.

"That's true, I suppose." He mused, cutting up some roots. "I'm surprised your friends speak such good English."

Sirius had never called Karl my boyfriend, he seemed to be avoiding that word all together.

"Yeah, their parents speak English also. It's come in handy for them during the wizard tourist season." Audrey replied, conversationally. The two hadn't been tense in a while, though Sirius was acting weird during meals and around the common room. She couldn't say Karl wasn't acting a bit strange either, but by far less strange than Sirius.

"I don't think Karl likes me much." Sirius said out of nowhere.

"Why?" Audrey asked, choosing not to look at him and deciding to look at their potions book.

"I don't know…I just get this weird vibe from him." Sirius replied. Audrey turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "The other day, when he was talking about Durmstrang's houses, he gave me a peculiar look after mentioning the Black house."

"So? It could be a coincidence, your last name…" Audrey replied calmly.

"I know, I thought that too." Sirius ran a hand through his hair.

I decided to play the innocence card, I was quite good at it. It made me look better around my female friends, in particular, Audrey.

"Then he was saying how every wizard in the Black house was evil." Sirius acted nervous. Audrey shot him an odd look.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it that way." She replied, thinking about it. "You know, he's not pleased about the prank a few weeks back."

"I didn't see anything." Sirius replied, a naughty smile forming on his lips. Audrey whacked him lightly, shaking her head with a small smile.

"I know that, and he knows that. I just think he's upset about it almost happening. It's a little more uptight in Russia to do something like that…" She said. "without a woman's consent at least." She added.

At that point, I wondered how hard it would be to get her consent on that. Ha! Who was I kidding? Very hard.

Because of the additional eight teams that year, Quidditch trials were extra early for the Hogwarts teams that were looking to replace players that had graduated.

Judging by the smug look on Sirius' face when he walked into the common room that day, I assumed he had gotten the open Chaser spot.

Then again…Sirius always had a smug look on his face.

"Someone's looking happy." Marlene laughed, as Sirius plopped on the couch next to Remus and looked at his friends.

"Got a new girlfriend yet?" Audrey asked, without looking up from her Charms homework.

"No, you know I'm going out with Lucy!" Sirius laughed. "I got the Chaser spot!"

"Nice!" Remus clapped his friend on the back.

Peter high fived him, Marlene grinned.

"Congratulations!" Audrey beamed, looking up from her homework.

I melted, every time she smiled. It was awful the affects she had on me.

"You know who Gryffindor is versing first match of the season, right?" Remus asked him.

"No…I don't."

"The Zoloto." Remus gave him a mischievous look, Sirius' eyes widened. Audrey looked up and said.

"Oooh, that's going to be so awkward. I don't know who to root for…"

"Your house, obviously!" Sirius sputtered.

"My best friend of ten years is on Zoloto and so is my boyfriend, Sirius." Audrey gave him a look.

"So you're going to betray your own house?" Sirius snarled.

"I never said that!"

"It's implied." Sirius hissed, giving her a dark look.

"Way to twist everything I say, Sirius. Once again your oh so brilliant mind comes to the wrong conclusion." Audrey snapped, taking her homework and walking out of the common room.

Everyone around Sirius sighed, it was happening again. Just as it happened every year, except this year involved a boyfriend…

"Keep pushing her away, Sirius." said Marlene quietly. "And she'll just get closer to him."

"Marly, are you even on my side?" Sirius asked quietly.

"I take no sides, Sirius. If my friends are happy, I'm happy. But I think you should at least give him a chance. He's under the impression that you don't welcome him here." Marlene replied.

"It's because I don't welcome him here!" Sirius replied, throwing his hands in the air.