Author's Note: Sirius and Narcissa's relationship is influenced by the fic Not My Own by Ebony Quill; you should take a look if you haven't already.
Jaz man: I know the portrait is supposed to be of the Fat Lady, but she hasn't been moved to that position yet. I guess Narcissa is so innocent cuz I've decided I like her, but she won't be innocent for long *evil laughter*
Rob of Eternal Fire: Thanks so much for the encouragement! ^-^ I hope I can live up to your expectations. ;)
chocoliciouz: Wow, you think it's that good? I'm so happy!
iris: Wow, thanks so much!
Ying Fa19: I'm glad you're so enthusiastic!
Everyone else, thanks so much, you don't know how much your comments mean to me.
Kay now to what you've all been waiting for, yay! ^-^ Don't forget to review
Chapter 3: Professor Pearce
The Slytherin table began to whisper when Sirius Black entered the Great Hall the next morning. He ignored them as he passed and took a seat with the Gryffindors.
Lucius Malfoy walked over to where he sat, the Slytherins' and Gryffindors' ears perked.
"I told the Headmaster there must have been a mistake, I mean really," he paused, glancing at those who sat around Sirius, "A Black in Gryffindor? Completely unheard of."
Sirius continued poking his fried eggs.
"He refused to let you try the hat again. Saying the hat put you where you belong, what a load of dung. I thought about writing father and complaining, but Bellatrix is sending your mum an owl after breakfast. My poor mother would keel over if she heard--"
"I really don't mind."
"What?" Lucius stared at him.
"It doesn't bother me that I'm in Gryffindor." said Sirius, turning toward the blonde.
"You've got to be kidding."
"No, I'm not." Sirius said firmly.
Lucius stared at him with disbelief.
"Well, I guess this shows where your loyalties lie." he sneered.
"Loyalties?" Sirius barked, "What do they have to do with anything? Just because I'm in a different house than my family? My opinions and beliefs haven't changed because of the house I am now apart of, nor would they in any other."
Lucius's eyes narrowed studying the younger boy, "Very well." and he strode back to his House table without another word.
Sirius turned back to his food frowning, "Let him take what I said the way he likes, makes no difference. Stupid git."
After the first bell rang, Narcissa hurriedly weaved her way to Sirius.
"Do you mind if we walk together?" she asked timidly. "Gryffindors and Slytherins have classes together." she added.
"Of course I don't mind, silly of you to think otherwise."
"Well after Malfoy can you blame me?"
He grinned, "I'm not that scary when I'm irritated am I?"
"You are, after all, a Black."
Sirius laughed, "So I've been informed."
Slytherin and Gryffindor's first class was to be Charms and the Gryffindor Prefect Timothy kindly led them to the classroom. He gave them brief instructions on the location of the next three before he hurried off to Potions in the dungeons. The first years divided, Slytherins to the left, Gryffindors to the right of the classroom. Narcissa and Sirius sat in the middle, on their own sides, at the back.
Their professor was a tiny little man named Flitwick who had to stand on a stack of books to see over his podium. He told them the values of knowing how to perform proper charms, and they took notes in proper pronunciation and terminology they had to have down before they could begin actual charms.
Following was History of Magic, taught by the only ghost teacher, Professor Binns. It was said Binns had slept through a staff room fire and got up the next day leaving his body behind. It was also said he didn't even realize he was no longer among the living. But Binns being dead would be the only thing interesting for many of the students in his class. After sitting through Binns's monotonous droning lecture they were pleased with the arrival of lunch.
"What's on the schedule for this afternoon?" James stuffed his face as soon as the words had left his mouth.
Remus laughed at him.
"Are you alright there James?" asked Blake, his expression quizzical, "Lunch is an hour long, you can slow down a bit."
"Oh, I know. I'm real hungry though," he garbled, bits of bread hanging from his mouth, "All that learning." He said, pointing to his head with his fork.
Remus chuckled, "Our classes this afternoon," he cleared his throat, "are Transfiguration followed by Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Dumbledore says we'll be needing that the most." Duncan McCloud, a second year piped, "That's why he hired Professor Pearce, he's trustworthy and knows his stuff. He was working as an Auror before he came to teach."
"Why do we need it the most?" Blake asked exchanging glances at the three.
"What's his face I'll bet." James said.
"Voldemort?" Remus's eyebrows rose.
"Yeah, that's it." James nodded smiling.
Duncan's eyes widened, "I can't believe you don't take him seriously!"
"How can you take anyone seriously with a name like Voldemort?" snorted James.
"Who is he?" asked Blake frustrated.
"He's the strongest dark wizard since Grindelwald, stronger even--"
"He hasn't done anything nor been around long enough to claim that." Remus argued.
"He won't get any followers, no one's stupid enough to support him." said James.
"Stupidity is usually the deciding factor, in his favor."
James, Blake, Remus and Duncan turned their eyes down the table, Sirius Black sat chewing thoughtfully, examining his goblet of pumpkin juice.
"He's right you know." said Remus.
"You just wait," Duncan whispered, "Voldemort's going to cause trouble."
"Hmph." James turned back to his food.
Transfiguration was to be the second most anticipated class for the first years. Professor McGonagall furthered their interest at the start of class by turning into a tabby cat and back. The students cheered and clapped, eager to learn how to do it themselves.
"She's an animagus!" said Lily Evans in awe.
"You know what that's called? I thought this was your first time in the wizarding world." The girl beside her, Noelle Tempest asked.
"It is, that's why I've been doing some back reading." Lily replied.
"It would be brilliant to turn into an animal," James grinned, "Wouldn't you like it?"
Remus had been chewing his lip quietly. "Oh, yes." He forced some enthusiasm into his voice and a smile on his lips.
The Head of Ravenclaw set them to work though, dampening their spirits with chapter reading, background notes and turning matchboxes into feathers. Like their other classes, the first day seemed to be the most boring and unfulfilling to the first years.
The Gryffindors and Slytherins were nearly all giddy with excitement. They took their seats in the second floor classroom and chattered animatedly while waiting for their professor to arrive, most wondering what he would be like. Once he did however, he wasn't as they'd expected.
Up close he was little over two feet taller than each of his students. He was thin, and this was emphasized by his forest green patched robes hanging loosely off his body as if he was wearing a size twice his own. He had wispy light-brown hair that was unkempt, adding to his boyishness, and sharp green eyes set in a fair defined face. Overall he looked very young indeed, one could even go so far as to say he had just graduated Hogwarts himself.
"Good after-I mean morn-I mean afternoon class." Professor Pearce blundered. The students laughed and his cheeks turned a shade of pink. He ran a shaky long fingered hand through his hair muttering apologies.
"It's okay Professor," spoke Lily from the front row, "It's our first day as well and we're a bit nervous."
He looked at her as if she was speaking another language but the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile and he nodded.
"W-well," he in took a deep breath, "First we'll take care of introductions." his words becoming steadier and more confident as he progressed, "I'm the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor John Pearce, and for you," he motioned to the Gryffindors, "Gryffindor Head of House, if you failed to hear earlier." he clasped his hands, "In this class you will learn spells and techniques everyone needs to know in order to defend against your foes. Today," Pearce began, "You will be partnered and practice with a few defensive spells. Miss Evans, if you'll please demonstrate with me."
She positioned herself in front of him, her wand out and at her side.
"We will start with a disarming spell. Remember the more familiar you are with your wand, the results shall be more to your liking. Now, Expelliarmus!"
Lily's wand shot from her hand into that of Pearce's.
"See? Quite easy." He handed her wand back, "Your turn Miss Evans."
Lily nodded, she took a steadying breath then spoke, "Expelliarmus!"
Pearce's wand flew from his hand and Lily caught it. She smiled, pleased with herself.
"Now this doesn't just work for wands, it'll work for anything else your enemy has to use against you. Lily you'll be with Willow Madigan. Peter Pettigrew will be with Narcissa Black. Sirius Black go with Severus Snape." He pointed at each, directing them to their partners.
"Come on, get together." He ushered them all to stand, "Rabastan Lestrange, Remus Lupin. James Potter, Alexander Dwyer. Blake Arbin, Alexis McFay. Marisa Conte, Tobias Whittier." He swept over to the remaining students, "Cordilia Amory, Marsden Williams. Noelle Tempest, Gwendolyn Blair. Jessica Daniels, Celia Stewart." Professor Pearce walked back to the head of the class while the first years stood a distance from their partners, eyeing them.
"You may be wondering why I've put you in pairs and that's because you will be partners, for the entire year. I advise you to get to know one another and disregard your differences, become friends if possible." Many exchanged looks as if this was impossible. But there were those such as Lily and Willow who seemed perfectly fine with this proposition.
"Now, partners on the left will start. All of you raise your wands please, left side repeat after me, Expelliarmus!" Wands flew in the opposite direction, many students were able to catch them while those like Narcissa's wand, flew right over their partner's heads. The results were much the same as the first time when the right half of the class tried.
After they had become more familiar with the spell Pearce went on, "I'm sure you'll all enjoy this next one, it's a shielding charm, the object being to raise your defenses so your partner is unable to disarm you. Now it goes like this." He held up his wand and swished it in a figure eight. "You will be able to feel the shield rise around you if you perform it properly. Now we're going to practice just like before but instead of standing waiting for your opponent to disarm you, you will raise your shield to block it." The students took their places and began, Pearce walked around observing the pairs. "Be advised when in a real battle, your shield can only take so much before disintegrating and must recharge before you are able to use it again. I suggest you don't rely on it too heavily."
When the bell rang the students were reluctant to leave and groaned.
"For homework I would like you to continue practicing and read chapter one and two of your textbook The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection!" He bellowed over the buzzing voices as the students swarmed out the door. Pearce smiled to himself, today had gone very well considering it was his first time teaching anything.
"That was fun wasn't it?" James breathed heavily, wiping sweat from his brow. He and Alexander had lost interest in doing things the normal way and had spent the majority of the time practicing 'creatively.'
"Yeah it was." smiled Remus. "I think you and Alexander enjoyed it a great deal more than the rest of us though." The two had been seeing how far away they could throw each other's wand, how high it could shoot into the air before falling back to earth and dodging their spells as if it meant life or death.
James laughed nodding.
At dinner the Great Hall was filled with talk and laughter as the students discussed classes. Of course it was no surprise Lucius Malfoy's gang were one of the few who could find empty, not to mention lame reasons to complain about Defense.
"And putting us with Gryffindors..." Bellatrix Black made a gagging noise, "They are so below us."
"Oy, do us all a favour and shut up." Willow Madigan said loudly from her spot down the table.
Rabastan laughed and received a dirty look from Bellatrix, whose eyes also flashed dangerously in Willow's direction. Willow glared back at the older girl and continued eating. Three students away Severus Snape hid a smile, "Finally, someone agrees with me." Even though he hated to be paired with a Gryffindor he was glad someone was willing to stand up to Black and Malfoy. Maybe he would, someday...
A/N: The next chap will most likely be up in two weeks as I haven't finished it yet. Such a loser, though you won't have to wait that long for the one following, it's complete!