Author's notes:

Leonora/ Trina- I think you have a bit of the Seer in you! Read it and you'll see what i mean. (N.B i finished writing this last night BEFORE reading your review!)

I did say this chapter'd be longer didn't i? I just hope it doesn't disappoint. Please review!!!

Varina overslept on the first day of lessons. She wondered why Pansy had not woken her up and was greatly annoyed. She got a hasty shower, pulled on her robes haphazardly and pulled her hair back into an untidy ponytail, not bothering to check herself over in the mirror. She grabbed her bag, checked her timetable and picked up the books she would be needing for the day. She was starting two new subjects that day, ones she had had to pick before the start of term in order to fill her timetable. She chose Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy and Ancient Runes. Today she had Divination and Ancient Runes as well as Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. Although she had previously studied the latter two subjects, Varina had never been very good at them. Potions was her strongest subject, but she didn't have that until Wednesday.
Varina hurried out of the empty common room down to breakfast. Most of the Slytherins had left or were just about to. Varina noticed that Pansy and Draco were among the few still sitting there. He had his arm around her waist and she was feeding him a piece of toast. Draco, Varina felt, had been ignoring her since the start-of-term feast. He had barely spoken two words to her. she supposed that could be because he didn't have chance to with Pansy drooling all over him every minute of the day. Varina felt a wave of anger sweep over her as she watched the pathetic display before her. She was still angry at Pansy for neglecting to wake her, but some of her anger, deny it as she might, was jealousy.
Varina's anger was forgotten as she reached the table and caught sight of breakfast. She realised how hungry she was. So much so, her stomach was hurting. Although, that was partly to do with it being that time of the month again. She hastily grabbed a couple of pieces of toast and washed them down with a glass of pumpkin juice. Almost everyone had left the Great Hall now. Varina drained her goblet and hurried off to Divination.
Varina hadn't banked on the journey to the North Tower taking so long. She wasn't surprised to find that all the other students had already gone in when she finally arrived at the trapdoor that led into the classroom. A silvery ladder descended and Varina climbed up it and stumbled into the classroom, ten minutes late. She was greeted by the many staring eyes of her fellow classmates and could feel herself blushing, so that her face was the same shade of red as the lamps in Professor Trelawney's classroom. The Professor herself was in the middle of telling the class what they'd be studying that year.
Professor Trelawney had stopped talking and was looking expectantly at Varina. She was given the impression of a huge praying mantis considering its next victim.

"S-sorry I'm late Professor," said Varina trying to catch her breath, "I, I got lost." She felt this excuse would hold more water than the truth that she overslept.

"Very well, take a seat and get your books out," said Professor Trelawney hazily, "Make sure it doesn't happen again, Miss Black, or I shall be forced to take points from Slytherin." The rumours that Professor Trelawney had become more strict since her uncertain dismissal the previous year, were, it seemed, true.

"Yes, Professor Trelawney. Sorry," Varina said again, sidling into an empty chair at the only unoccupied table in the room. Professor Trelawney continued running through the sixth year syllabus.
Varina got her text book out and opened it at the correct page before turning her attention back to the class. As she looked up, taking in her peculiar surroundings, her eyes met another's. A pair of bright green, bespectacled eyes were gazing back at her. Harry Potter had been watching her from across the room. Varina noticed he was sitting next to the same red-haired boy he had been by at the feast. Harry's intense gaze made her uneasy. She brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear and buried her nose in her text book, and began trying unsuccessfully to grasp the complex subject of the Tarot.
Varina's day got progressively worse. Ancient Runes proved extremely difficult. Apparently it was not a subject you could pick up in a few lessons. Varina began to feel she had picked the most complex lessons possible and wished she had taken something like Muggle Studies instead. After lunch was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Varina struggled with the jinxes they were studying, the majority of the class found them easy. Pansy remarked that even an idiot like Longbottom would be able to do them. Varina blushed furiously, sure that Pansy had only made this comment after noticing how much difficulty Varina was having. The worst part of her day, however, was in Transfiguration.
A more than usually irritable Professor McGonagall had openly criticised Varina's lack of knowledge on the subject, stating that either her previous teachers had been incompetent or she was just plain stupid. By the end of this verbal bashing, Varina was close to tears. She fought desperately to hold back the flood that threatened to ensue when she saw the smirk on Pansy Parkinson's face. She gave herself a mental kick for allowing herself to get so emotional. Get a grip she told herself it's just a really bad case of PMS.
Varina was given extra homework by McGonagall so that she could begin catching up with the rest of her class. Varina had managed to keep her tears at bay all day, when finally she broke down. She was the last to leave the Transfiguration classroom (McGonagall had been discussing the homework with her) and as she made her way along the corridor she heard a loud ripping noise, followed by a loud thud and what sounded like breaking glass. She looked down to find that her bag had split open, leaving her books and bits of parchment scattered about the floor and her ink bottle smashed, its contents spilling out on her books. Varina swore openly, tears welling up in her eyes.
Varina heard distant laughter and looked up in time to see Pansy and her gang of girls turning the corner at the end of the corridor. She knew instinctively that Pansy had caused her bag to split. After all, she had only bought it a few months ago. Pansy's laughter rang in her ears and before she knew it the tears that had threatened all day were streaming down her face as she scrambled about, trying to gather up her things.
"Do you need a hand?" came a voice from behind Varina. She jumped; she hadn't heard anyone coming. She turned to find herself looking into those bright green eyes once more.

"Oh, no, it's fine. I've got it under control," she said, trying to hide her tears. She knew she must look foolish, crying over a broken bag.

"Looks like it," said Harry unconvinced, "Here, let me help." He bent down and started gathering up bits of ink-covered parchment.

"Scourgify," muttered Harry. The spilt ink vanished from her things, leaving them clean again. Varina sniffed and piled up her books.

"Reparo," she whispered, the rip in her bag mending as she did so. She stuffed her things back into her bag and Harry held out the parchment he had recovered for her. She smiled feebly and took it from him, their hands touching briefly.

"Thanks," said Varina shyly, "You must think I'm a right idiot."

"Why on earth would I think that?" asked Harry taken aback.

"'Cause I'm crying over a ripped bag."

"Not at all. And I may have the wrong end of the stick here, but, it seemed like it might be more than a split bag you were crying over." Varina raised her eyebrows in surprise. Draco had given her the impression that Harry Potter was an arrogant attention-seeking little shit, but now that she was here, talking to him, she found him kind and approachable. Even attractive in his own way. How could he know it wasn't just the bag I was crying about? thought Varina. How could he be so insightful?

"You just looked as though you were having a rough first day," he told her in way of an explanation, "It can't be easy for you; joining this late on in the school."

"No. No it's not."

"It's Varina isn't it?" asked Harry. She smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. Varina Black. And you're Harry Potter." He also nodded. He hesitated for a moment, leaving an awkward silence, before asking,

"Black? Was your- I mean, who were your- is that, is that a wizarding name or a Muggle name?"

"Wizard," she said curtly, not liking where this was going.

"Oh, right. I suppose that'd b your father's name, wouldn't it?" he asked, pretending to be making casual conversation, but the strange gleam in his eyes suggested it was something more than that.

"Yes, it is. Was," she said quietly, not looking at him. She was suspicious of this line of questioning. She had hoped no-one would link her to Sirius. Harry moved closer to Varina and lowered his voice.

"What was his name? Your father?"

"Why do ask?" asked Varina.

"It's just that- well, my dad, his best friend was a Black and, well, I thought maybe, you know, you were related." Varina finally met Harry's eyes. Of course, she thought, Potter. James Potter. He had been Sirius' best friend. Asked him to be his best man. Asked him to be his son's godfather. And it dawned on her. Harry was Sirius' godson. Harry knew Sirius was innocent.

"Yes," she replied, "He's my father. But please, don't tell anyone. People will talk. I just- I just want to fit in." She lowered her head as fresh tears ran down her face.

"Don't worry," he said, gently lifting her head so that her teary eyes met his own, "I won't tell a soul." They smiled at each other, feeling a new, very welcome bond had been formed between them.

Draco had gotten halfway to the common room before realising that he'd left his notes in class. McGonagall would eat him alive if he didn't get his homework in on time, the mood she was in, and there was no way he could do it without those notes. So it was with an frustrated sigh that Draco reluctantly made his way back to the Transfiguration classroom.
He remembered the going over McGonagall had given Varina earlier. He had never seen McGonagall be so harsh towards a student before. Varina had looked so vulnerable and upset. He had felt a sudden urge to go over and hug her, comfort her, kiss her. But he was in the middle of a lesson. He couldn't very well get up and hug Varina. He wouldn't have even hugged his girlfriend who had been sitting right next to him. Pansy, he had noticed, had suddenly become a lot more attentive as his girlfriend and was fawning over him even more than usual. She touched him at every opportunity and tried to snatch kisses whenever she got the chance. He had been thoroughly embarrassed by her display at breakfast that morning.
Draco got the distinct feeling that Pansy's new-found affection was not merely for his benefit. It was something to do with Varina. Pansy was clearly marking her territory as the girlfriend. Had she been a dog, she'd have peed on him by now. He shuddered at the thought. He couldn't understand why Pansy was so threatened by Varina. He had only talked to her. Sure, he found her attractive, who wouldn't? But it didn't mean anything. It didn't.

"When did you find out? About his death, I mean?" asked Harry.

"July. I got a letter from Remus Lupin. He was good friends with my dad. Knew about me."

"Yeah, I know Lupin. He was friends with my dad too."

"Of course. I forgot. So...when did you find out?" she asked, returning his question.

"I was there when it happened," he answered quietly, taking his eyes away from hers.

"You were- how did it- I mean- " she struggled to find the right words. Harry seemed to know what she was asking anyway.

"He was duelling with Bellatrix Lestrange. She hit him with a curse and he- he fell behind this veil...and he was gone." Harry had tried not to think about Sirius since it happened. The memory was too painful. He struggled not to cry.

"Just like that?" whispered Varina, crying harder than ever.

"Yes. He- he never told me about you."

"No. He wouldn't have. He didn't want us- that is my mother and I – to be hurt." Varina didn't even bother trying to wipe away her tears now.

"Harry?" she asked tentatively, "I know we're in rival houses and everything, but do you think, maybe we could get together and talk about him sometime? I never really got to know him."

"Of course," he said. She was still crying a great deal and Harry, although he had only just met her, put his arms around Varina and embraced her, like a parent hugging a child.

Draco turned the corner and was greeted by a sight that made him stop dead in his tracks. There was Varina. And she wasn't alone. Potter was there, arms wrapped around her tenderly. Draco retreated back round the corner and leant against the wall, his head spinning. He had realised Varina would end up with a boyfriend sooner or later, but seeing her with another boy, and Potter of all people, made his blood boil. Jealousy coursed through his veins so that he was trembling. He felt more hatred for Harry in that moment, than he had ever felt throughout the five years he'd known him. He stormed back to the common room, his Transfiguration notes forgotten.

Varina had said a shy goodbye to Harry and thanked him for being there for her, before heading back to the Slytherin common room. She had found someone she could talk to openly. She didn't feel like she had to hide from Harry. He was her father's godson. She had someone she could talk to, someone who could tell her about her father. She smiled, feeling better than she had done all day.
When she walked into the common room, the first thing she saw was Draco kissing Pansy. Varina's smile was wiped from her face instantly. She was filled once more with anger and jealousy. She went straight up to the dormitories and flung herself on the bed. Why did Draco get to her so much? What could he possibly see in that cow Pansy Parkinson? She wondered briefly what Draco would say if he knew she'd been talking to Harry Potter. Hugging him. Then she realised she was being stupid. What did it matter what Draco thought? He didn't rule her life. She could and would be friends with whoever she wanted. After all, a friend was what she really needed now.