Sirius walked out of detention that night happier and angrier then he had
been in weeks. He was overjoyed that Auria had not gone out with Snape but
was enraged to find out that he had helped to bring her such misery.
Professor Verge had returned to the classroom at 11 o'clock to find them
sitting at their desks finished the 200 lines. One of the students had been
trying to remedy their own cold and a cough stopping spell had backfired.
The minute Sirius arrived back into his dormitory room he told the rest of
the Marauders what Snape had done.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the next few weeks the Marauders hexed Snape every time they saw him. Auria never objected, knowing that Sirius must have told the others and that they were getting revenge. However, despite all the hexing, Snape kept asking her to speak with him privately. One day he seemed to be particularly desperate. As they passed each other in the hall he asked his usual question.
"Auria, can I please speak with you privately at some time?"
"No" she replied in a dead voice.
Then suddenly, as she was walking away he grabbed her arm.
"Why the hell not?" he growled pulling her towards him.
Immediately four jets of light flew his way. Snape dodged three of them but was hit by Lupin's disarming spell. He flew backwards into the wall and in an instant Sirius was on him. He grabbed him around the neck and pressed Snape's head into the stone.
"Stay away from her. Never speak to her again Snivellus" Sirius growled menacingly. His flushed face was an inch from Snape's. "You don't deserve to speak to her." Sirius roughly let go of his neck and walked towards Auria.
"Aw, how sweet, defending her like that," he said in a sarcastic voice. "But you don't have to worry Sirius," and then he looked straight into Auria's eyes and said "She's quite capable of defending herself."
Auria did her best not to show any facial expression, even though she felt sick and her stomach had sunk to her feet. Finally, Snape walked away.
"What was that about?" asked Sirius looking at her.
"Um, I have no idea" she lied.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You look a little pale."
"No, I'm fine," she said smiling weakly at him. That night Auria stood staring out her dorm room window thinking about the night her father had died. She knew that she would have to tell someone eventually. "Maybe I can tell Sirius. I know he won't tell anyone if I ask him not to" she thought. "But then what if he's afraid of me?" Auria decided that someday she would let him know, when the time was right. However she did not know that that time was very soon.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The day after their encounter with Snape was one of joy for Sirius and dread for Auria. It was December first, and a light dusting of snow had made the Hogwarts gounds look very beautiful. That morning at breakfast Auria received a letter. She hardly ever received letters, especially since her mom now lived in Canada and owls couldn't fly that far. She looked down at neat script writing on the front of the envelope.
Auria Jacobs Gryffindor, Hogwarts
The boys were too busy looking at the new broomstick catalog to notice that she received mail. She turned the envelope around and opened it. Auria read the single piece of parchment she found inside.
You have the potential to be very great and powerful wizard. If you wish, I will to teach you how to use your talents to their fullest. Meet me on the east side of the lake near the forest at midnight tonight.
There was no signature. Auria flipped it over to see if anything was written on the back. It was blank. She was sure, although she did not know why, that the letter was not from any of the Marauders, especially Sirius. The letter gave her a funny feeling; it was far too cryptic for her comfort. As Auria and the Marauders left the Great Hall to go to class she stuffed the letter into her pocket, not having shown it to anyone.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
During transfigurations class that day Professor McGonagall made the announcement Sirius had been hoping for since September.
"This year, just like every year, there will be a Christmas Ball" she said standing at the front of the room. It will be on December 25 from 7 until midnight, and dinner is included. Those of you who wish to leave for the holiday's after the ball must sign up here." She motioned to a sheet on the left hand side of her desk. "Those of you who are staying for the entire holiday season with sign here" She motioned to a sheet on her right.
The class slowly shuffled to the front. Sirius stood in line with a grin on his face. He would finally have the opportunity to ask Auria out on a real date. When Sirius reached the front he waited to see where Auria was going to sign up before he wrote his own name. She signed up to stay over the whole holidays and so did Sirius. James and Lupin decided to stay too, but Peter signed up to leave after the ball. Before Sirius had a chance to ask Auria to go with him he found that she had already left to go to her next class.
On her way to Ancient Runes, a class none of the boys took, she was stopped by a very large group of girls.
"Um excuse me," asked one of them.
"Yes?" said Auria, looking around surprised.
"Are you going to the ball with Sirius Black?" another one asked.
Auria hesitated not knowing what to say. "He really hasn't had much time to ask me. I hope he does, but if I tell these girls no then they'll all ask him." She thought to herself. However, Auria decided to tell the truth, thinking that if he really wanted to go with her he would turn all the other girls down.
"No, I'm not" she said slowly.
"Great" said the first one, and then turning to her friend said, "Now you'll have your chance Crystal."
Auria left them behind feeling very nervous.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That night, as Auria was walking back from the library she heard two voices coming from around the corner.
"So its definite?" asked a girl.
"Yup, probably" said a boy's voice that she recognized as Sirius'.
"Great" said the girl happily. "So I'll see you around"
"Yup" replied Sirius.
Auria felt like the floor had vanished beneath her. "He's asked somebody else," she thought in despair. Quietly she turned around and took another route towards the common room.
She had just reached the top of the last staircase when she heard someone calling her name. Spinning around she saw Sirius running up the stairs.
"I was hoping to talk to you before you got back" he panted, a little out of breath.
"Oh, ok" she replied, looking everywhere but at him. Looking down he saw that his shoes were a little bit muddy.
"What's wrong?" he asked innocently.
"Nothing" she replied coolly.
They stood there for a moment in awkward silence.
"So what did you need to talk to me about out here?" she asked with a sigh, guessing that he probably going to tell her that he was going to the ball with some girl.
"Well I ask you in there, but it's a little embarrassing with everyone around."
"What?" As she looked up she was that he was holding a single red rose and grinning nervously.
"I was wondering," he said handing her the rose. "If you would go to the Christmas ball with me?"
She just stared at him. "But didn't you already ask somebody else. I overheard you and some girl talking near the library and,"
"Oh Oh you thought!" he interrupted her. "No, that girl, Jade, was asking if I thought Mooney would be interested in going with her."
"Oh" said Auria feeling very very foolish. Then gathering herself she said, "then yes, I would love to go to the ball with you." Sirius had never seen her look so happy. She blushed and turned away, but Sirius could still see a smile playing at the corner of her lips.
"Shall we?" asked Sirius pointing to the portrait of the fat lady.
Auria nodded, and they stepped inside to tell everyone else.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Auria was so happy that Sirius had asked her that she nearly forgot about the cryptic letter. She had decided not to go, figuring it was some either a prank or a trap. However she was still curious to find out if anyone did show up, so at midnight she snuck down to an empty classroom that provided a clear view of the lake. Auria stared out the window at the shore of the lake for over an hour. No one ever appeared.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the next few weeks the Marauders hexed Snape every time they saw him. Auria never objected, knowing that Sirius must have told the others and that they were getting revenge. However, despite all the hexing, Snape kept asking her to speak with him privately. One day he seemed to be particularly desperate. As they passed each other in the hall he asked his usual question.
"Auria, can I please speak with you privately at some time?"
"No" she replied in a dead voice.
Then suddenly, as she was walking away he grabbed her arm.
"Why the hell not?" he growled pulling her towards him.
Immediately four jets of light flew his way. Snape dodged three of them but was hit by Lupin's disarming spell. He flew backwards into the wall and in an instant Sirius was on him. He grabbed him around the neck and pressed Snape's head into the stone.
"Stay away from her. Never speak to her again Snivellus" Sirius growled menacingly. His flushed face was an inch from Snape's. "You don't deserve to speak to her." Sirius roughly let go of his neck and walked towards Auria.
"Aw, how sweet, defending her like that," he said in a sarcastic voice. "But you don't have to worry Sirius," and then he looked straight into Auria's eyes and said "She's quite capable of defending herself."
Auria did her best not to show any facial expression, even though she felt sick and her stomach had sunk to her feet. Finally, Snape walked away.
"What was that about?" asked Sirius looking at her.
"Um, I have no idea" she lied.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You look a little pale."
"No, I'm fine," she said smiling weakly at him. That night Auria stood staring out her dorm room window thinking about the night her father had died. She knew that she would have to tell someone eventually. "Maybe I can tell Sirius. I know he won't tell anyone if I ask him not to" she thought. "But then what if he's afraid of me?" Auria decided that someday she would let him know, when the time was right. However she did not know that that time was very soon.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The day after their encounter with Snape was one of joy for Sirius and dread for Auria. It was December first, and a light dusting of snow had made the Hogwarts gounds look very beautiful. That morning at breakfast Auria received a letter. She hardly ever received letters, especially since her mom now lived in Canada and owls couldn't fly that far. She looked down at neat script writing on the front of the envelope.
Auria Jacobs Gryffindor, Hogwarts
The boys were too busy looking at the new broomstick catalog to notice that she received mail. She turned the envelope around and opened it. Auria read the single piece of parchment she found inside.
You have the potential to be very great and powerful wizard. If you wish, I will to teach you how to use your talents to their fullest. Meet me on the east side of the lake near the forest at midnight tonight.
There was no signature. Auria flipped it over to see if anything was written on the back. It was blank. She was sure, although she did not know why, that the letter was not from any of the Marauders, especially Sirius. The letter gave her a funny feeling; it was far too cryptic for her comfort. As Auria and the Marauders left the Great Hall to go to class she stuffed the letter into her pocket, not having shown it to anyone.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
During transfigurations class that day Professor McGonagall made the announcement Sirius had been hoping for since September.
"This year, just like every year, there will be a Christmas Ball" she said standing at the front of the room. It will be on December 25 from 7 until midnight, and dinner is included. Those of you who wish to leave for the holiday's after the ball must sign up here." She motioned to a sheet on the left hand side of her desk. "Those of you who are staying for the entire holiday season with sign here" She motioned to a sheet on her right.
The class slowly shuffled to the front. Sirius stood in line with a grin on his face. He would finally have the opportunity to ask Auria out on a real date. When Sirius reached the front he waited to see where Auria was going to sign up before he wrote his own name. She signed up to stay over the whole holidays and so did Sirius. James and Lupin decided to stay too, but Peter signed up to leave after the ball. Before Sirius had a chance to ask Auria to go with him he found that she had already left to go to her next class.
On her way to Ancient Runes, a class none of the boys took, she was stopped by a very large group of girls.
"Um excuse me," asked one of them.
"Yes?" said Auria, looking around surprised.
"Are you going to the ball with Sirius Black?" another one asked.
Auria hesitated not knowing what to say. "He really hasn't had much time to ask me. I hope he does, but if I tell these girls no then they'll all ask him." She thought to herself. However, Auria decided to tell the truth, thinking that if he really wanted to go with her he would turn all the other girls down.
"No, I'm not" she said slowly.
"Great" said the first one, and then turning to her friend said, "Now you'll have your chance Crystal."
Auria left them behind feeling very nervous.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That night, as Auria was walking back from the library she heard two voices coming from around the corner.
"So its definite?" asked a girl.
"Yup, probably" said a boy's voice that she recognized as Sirius'.
"Great" said the girl happily. "So I'll see you around"
"Yup" replied Sirius.
Auria felt like the floor had vanished beneath her. "He's asked somebody else," she thought in despair. Quietly she turned around and took another route towards the common room.
She had just reached the top of the last staircase when she heard someone calling her name. Spinning around she saw Sirius running up the stairs.
"I was hoping to talk to you before you got back" he panted, a little out of breath.
"Oh, ok" she replied, looking everywhere but at him. Looking down he saw that his shoes were a little bit muddy.
"What's wrong?" he asked innocently.
"Nothing" she replied coolly.
They stood there for a moment in awkward silence.
"So what did you need to talk to me about out here?" she asked with a sigh, guessing that he probably going to tell her that he was going to the ball with some girl.
"Well I ask you in there, but it's a little embarrassing with everyone around."
"What?" As she looked up she was that he was holding a single red rose and grinning nervously.
"I was wondering," he said handing her the rose. "If you would go to the Christmas ball with me?"
She just stared at him. "But didn't you already ask somebody else. I overheard you and some girl talking near the library and,"
"Oh Oh you thought!" he interrupted her. "No, that girl, Jade, was asking if I thought Mooney would be interested in going with her."
"Oh" said Auria feeling very very foolish. Then gathering herself she said, "then yes, I would love to go to the ball with you." Sirius had never seen her look so happy. She blushed and turned away, but Sirius could still see a smile playing at the corner of her lips.
"Shall we?" asked Sirius pointing to the portrait of the fat lady.
Auria nodded, and they stepped inside to tell everyone else.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Auria was so happy that Sirius had asked her that she nearly forgot about the cryptic letter. She had decided not to go, figuring it was some either a prank or a trap. However she was still curious to find out if anyone did show up, so at midnight she snuck down to an empty classroom that provided a clear view of the lake. Auria stared out the window at the shore of the lake for over an hour. No one ever appeared.