The enmity between Slytherin and Gryffindor was now greater than ever.
No students from these houses could pass each other without first casting a
curse or hex. Madam Pomfrey, who ran the hospital wing, had several
casualties to deal with every single day. Professor Grappenhall was more
unpleasant to Gryffindors than before, and MacGonagall treated Slytherins
likewise. Snape had spent a few days in the hospital wing, kicking up a
fuss about the injuries Sirius had inflicted on him, while Sirius limped
around, refusing to admit that Snape had hurt him at all.
'Will you stop lying? You're barely able to put any weight on that ankle at all!' Remus pointed out, as Sirius practically hopped into Defence Against the Dark Arts, several days later.
'It's fine', Sirius said through gritted teeth. The truth was he had fallen heavily on his ankle when he charged at Snape, and it had swollen to the size of a balloon, and turned purple. James raised an eyebrow, a disbelieving look on his face. Just then, Snape entered, and took a seat two rows in front of Sirius.
Snape had made a point of hanging around in large groups with other Slytherins, so as not to be caught alone. Sirius' fury and strength had surprised and humiliated him, however much the other Slytherins congratulated him for taking on the other first years, and cursing James so excellently.
'Hey Potter', drawled one of the Slytherin boys (a sharp-faced boy with beady eyes, called Nott), 'you warmed up yet?'
This feeble jeer provoked howls of laughter from all the Slytherins. Everybody turned to look at James, who merely stared at Nott, in an unnerving manner. There was an unpleasant silence in the classroom.
'I believe you should be facing my desk, class, and not gawping at our arrogant little attention-seeking friend in the back row', a cold voice proclaimed. Professor Grappenhall had entered the room unnoticed, and stood behind her desk, her arms folded.
'Afternoon, Professor Grappenhall', the class murmured.
'Open your books, please. I wat you to study chapter one-Elementary Wand Movement for Curses. In complete silence.' She snapped out the orders, and everybody obeyed at top speed. Grappenhall began to prowl around the room, handing back their homework (a summary of how, and on what occasions to use the Disarming Spell)
'Fail', she said icily, tossing Sirius' roll of parchment onto his desk carelessly. It rolled off the other side, and landed on the floor. As Sirius bent to pick it up, he heard her say loudly to James, Remus and Eva, 'fail, fail and fail! Really, what is the matter with Gryffindor first years?'
Sirius glanced over the homework again. He had got every single thing right! 'Professor Grappenhall', he began. The woman whipped around and silenced him with a single, icy glance. 'Only speak when spoken to', she said softly, 'one of my rules, Mr Black, I suggest write that out five thousand times for homework tonight.'
Sirius gaped at the injustice of this. He looked at James, who appeared to be equally shocked. Grappenhall had moved on to the Slytherins, who were sniggering. 'Excellent work Severus, top marks.' She praised Snape, who smiled, and took his parchment from her.
'Severus? Snivellus, more like.' Sirius said loudly, unable to stop himself. remus and James groaned softly. Lily buried her face in her hands. Peter Pettigrew let out a long, low, whistle.
'Black, what is it about you?' Professor Grappenhall was advancing on him once more, 'you're not one bit like your cousins. When I heard you were to begin school this year, I had high hopes for you. You're the first ever Black not to make it into Slytherin, and you seem intent on causing trouble. Is that because you resent these others, for being placed in Slytherin, while you were banished to Gryffindor?'
This, everyone knew, was out of line. Sirius took a deep breath. He was already in so much trouble, what difference could it make? 'I'm not the first Black not to be in Slytherin. My cousin Andromeda was in Gryffindor too. Just because everyone disowned her doesn't mean she no longer exists!' The words flowed out of him. He could hear himself speaking, and couldn't have stopped if he wanted to. 'And why would I want to be in Slytherin?' He ranted on, 'I'd probably have killed myself if I had to share a dormitory with that slimeball.' He jabbed a finger at Snape.
Professor Grappenhall seemed to be swelling with rage. She stared at Sirius, who gazed back defiantly. 'I think a week of detention is on order', she said angrily, 'scrub every toilet in this school, with your bare hands, and another twenty thousand lines of "I must not lash out irrationally." And oh yes, thirty points from Gryffindor.'
To Sirius' great relief, the bell rang, and class was dismissed. He didn't trust himself not to say anything else to her. She swept out of the room, followed by the Slytherins, who laughed nastily at Sirius.
He sat transfixed, astonished that he had said all those things. He felt James watching him. 'I'll do half the lines for you', his friend said, 'she had no right to speak to you like that.'
'We'll all do some lines', Peter butted in, 'you should report her to MacGonagall for that.'
'We'll help with the toilets too', Remus added loyally, 'and good on ya, talking to her like that.'
***
'Will you stop lying? You're barely able to put any weight on that ankle at all!' Remus pointed out, as Sirius practically hopped into Defence Against the Dark Arts, several days later.
'It's fine', Sirius said through gritted teeth. The truth was he had fallen heavily on his ankle when he charged at Snape, and it had swollen to the size of a balloon, and turned purple. James raised an eyebrow, a disbelieving look on his face. Just then, Snape entered, and took a seat two rows in front of Sirius.
Snape had made a point of hanging around in large groups with other Slytherins, so as not to be caught alone. Sirius' fury and strength had surprised and humiliated him, however much the other Slytherins congratulated him for taking on the other first years, and cursing James so excellently.
'Hey Potter', drawled one of the Slytherin boys (a sharp-faced boy with beady eyes, called Nott), 'you warmed up yet?'
This feeble jeer provoked howls of laughter from all the Slytherins. Everybody turned to look at James, who merely stared at Nott, in an unnerving manner. There was an unpleasant silence in the classroom.
'I believe you should be facing my desk, class, and not gawping at our arrogant little attention-seeking friend in the back row', a cold voice proclaimed. Professor Grappenhall had entered the room unnoticed, and stood behind her desk, her arms folded.
'Afternoon, Professor Grappenhall', the class murmured.
'Open your books, please. I wat you to study chapter one-Elementary Wand Movement for Curses. In complete silence.' She snapped out the orders, and everybody obeyed at top speed. Grappenhall began to prowl around the room, handing back their homework (a summary of how, and on what occasions to use the Disarming Spell)
'Fail', she said icily, tossing Sirius' roll of parchment onto his desk carelessly. It rolled off the other side, and landed on the floor. As Sirius bent to pick it up, he heard her say loudly to James, Remus and Eva, 'fail, fail and fail! Really, what is the matter with Gryffindor first years?'
Sirius glanced over the homework again. He had got every single thing right! 'Professor Grappenhall', he began. The woman whipped around and silenced him with a single, icy glance. 'Only speak when spoken to', she said softly, 'one of my rules, Mr Black, I suggest write that out five thousand times for homework tonight.'
Sirius gaped at the injustice of this. He looked at James, who appeared to be equally shocked. Grappenhall had moved on to the Slytherins, who were sniggering. 'Excellent work Severus, top marks.' She praised Snape, who smiled, and took his parchment from her.
'Severus? Snivellus, more like.' Sirius said loudly, unable to stop himself. remus and James groaned softly. Lily buried her face in her hands. Peter Pettigrew let out a long, low, whistle.
'Black, what is it about you?' Professor Grappenhall was advancing on him once more, 'you're not one bit like your cousins. When I heard you were to begin school this year, I had high hopes for you. You're the first ever Black not to make it into Slytherin, and you seem intent on causing trouble. Is that because you resent these others, for being placed in Slytherin, while you were banished to Gryffindor?'
This, everyone knew, was out of line. Sirius took a deep breath. He was already in so much trouble, what difference could it make? 'I'm not the first Black not to be in Slytherin. My cousin Andromeda was in Gryffindor too. Just because everyone disowned her doesn't mean she no longer exists!' The words flowed out of him. He could hear himself speaking, and couldn't have stopped if he wanted to. 'And why would I want to be in Slytherin?' He ranted on, 'I'd probably have killed myself if I had to share a dormitory with that slimeball.' He jabbed a finger at Snape.
Professor Grappenhall seemed to be swelling with rage. She stared at Sirius, who gazed back defiantly. 'I think a week of detention is on order', she said angrily, 'scrub every toilet in this school, with your bare hands, and another twenty thousand lines of "I must not lash out irrationally." And oh yes, thirty points from Gryffindor.'
To Sirius' great relief, the bell rang, and class was dismissed. He didn't trust himself not to say anything else to her. She swept out of the room, followed by the Slytherins, who laughed nastily at Sirius.
He sat transfixed, astonished that he had said all those things. He felt James watching him. 'I'll do half the lines for you', his friend said, 'she had no right to speak to you like that.'
'We'll all do some lines', Peter butted in, 'you should report her to MacGonagall for that.'
'We'll help with the toilets too', Remus added loyally, 'and good on ya, talking to her like that.'
***