Chapter 2
The next day the fifth-year Gryffindors' last class was Transfiguration. The class was nearly over, and most of the class, despite Professor McGonagall's best efforts, were day-dreaming of spending the remainder of the afternoon in the warm sunlight beside the lake. However, McGonagall still had one last weapon to snap them out of their reverie.
"Seeing as none of you are paying attention, I must presume that you are already finished the project I was going to set you, that will count for a third of your Christmas grade!"
At these words the class finally began to sit up and take notice, guilty expressions on most faces as they tried to refocus their minds.
"There. Now, as I was saying, this project will count for a third of your Christmas grade. I will divide you into pairs, and you will have until the end of November to finish. Each pair will be set an OWL standard spell. You are to master the spell, and also research it's full history, and the situations in which it is used. Now, the pairs....."
The class exchanged horrified glances, but McGonagall, oblivious to it all, was starting to pair them up.
"Miss Evans, you will be working with Mr. Longbottom. Mr. Potter....... You will be partnering Miss Bradshaw. Ms. Kehst, you will be with Mr. Black."
Roseline looked over at Lily, who was looking relieved at the fact that she did not have to work with James. Frank Longbottom, her partner, was okay, and quite bright, so Roseline figured that would be alright with Lily. And she herself was with Sirius..... Well, that wasn't too bad. They got on quite well, and he was really smart. She glanced at Sirius who was absorbed in conference with his mates, and half-shrugged to herself before returning to her work.
Three days later, Roseline was sitting with Sirius in the library, supposedly looking up the history of the Respori spell, which caused the enchanted object's appearance to blend in with its background, like a disillusion charm for objects. In fact, they weren't working at all, but playing Wizard Chess, out of sight of Madam Pince, who was sitting at her desk reading the Daily Prophet. Sirius had just won the game, when a sneering voice beside them said,
"Working hard I see, Black, as usual. I'm sure Madam Pince would be fascinated if she knew the uses her precious books were being put to."
It was Snape, his eyes on the pile of spellbooks that Sirius had been using as a table for several bars of Honeydukes chocolate. Sirius did not look up, but yawned languidly before replying in a bored voice.
"Piss off, Snivelly, unless you want us to start work by using you to practise hexes on."
Snape scowled, eyeing the chocolate in Roseline's hand.
"I'm surprised not to see Potter with you, Black, I didn't think he'd miss the chance of free food."
Sirius laughed.
"So that's why you're here, is it? To nick our food? You're welcome to it."
And, still without looking at Snape, he gave his wand a complicated little flick, causing two of the larger bars to whack Snape around the head as he disappeared behind the shelves.
"Waste of good chocolate, that," said Sirius mournfully. Roseline laughed.
"So, why isn't James here? Not that I'm agreeing with Snape, but it looks like you nicked his chocolate, and from what I know of James I would have thought he'd have come to claim it by now."
Sirius chuckled.
"You're right, but he hasn't noticed it's gone yet. He's too busy up the common room, trying to persuade Lily to go out with him."
"I don't know why that surprises me. But I doubt Lily will be any more receptive, you should hear her talk about him."
"I know, but the guy's blind to it all. Pathetic, really."
"Well," said Roseline slowly, "you can see why he likes her. I mean, she's gorgeous."
Sirius looked at her. "You're pretty good-looking yourself, you know."
Roseline snorted with laughter. "Who me? You can't mean it, Sirius, you're taking the piss." She grinned, expecting to see him grin in return. He smiled, but shook his head.
"No, I mean it. Honest."
Roseline stared at him. He moved closer. At the last second her brain registered what was about to happen, and she turned her head. Sirius, unable to stop, kissed her on the cheek. Sirius turned away, not looking at her.
"I better go," he said.
His voice was frosty and he still wouldn't look at her. He stood up and left the library. Roseline touched her cheek, her mind whirling with what had just happened.
What was all that about? She thought. Did he just try to kiss me? She got up and went back to the Gryffindor tower. She climbed through the portrait hole, still in a daze. She spotted Sirius sitting alone by the fire, his expression stony, and quickly decided to spend the rest of the evening in her dormitory.
Many hours later she was still wondering about it. The rest of the girls had come up by this stage, but Roseline had pretended to be asleep. Now she turned over, and for the first time that day, closed her eyes.......
The next day the fifth-year Gryffindors' last class was Transfiguration. The class was nearly over, and most of the class, despite Professor McGonagall's best efforts, were day-dreaming of spending the remainder of the afternoon in the warm sunlight beside the lake. However, McGonagall still had one last weapon to snap them out of their reverie.
"Seeing as none of you are paying attention, I must presume that you are already finished the project I was going to set you, that will count for a third of your Christmas grade!"
At these words the class finally began to sit up and take notice, guilty expressions on most faces as they tried to refocus their minds.
"There. Now, as I was saying, this project will count for a third of your Christmas grade. I will divide you into pairs, and you will have until the end of November to finish. Each pair will be set an OWL standard spell. You are to master the spell, and also research it's full history, and the situations in which it is used. Now, the pairs....."
The class exchanged horrified glances, but McGonagall, oblivious to it all, was starting to pair them up.
"Miss Evans, you will be working with Mr. Longbottom. Mr. Potter....... You will be partnering Miss Bradshaw. Ms. Kehst, you will be with Mr. Black."
Roseline looked over at Lily, who was looking relieved at the fact that she did not have to work with James. Frank Longbottom, her partner, was okay, and quite bright, so Roseline figured that would be alright with Lily. And she herself was with Sirius..... Well, that wasn't too bad. They got on quite well, and he was really smart. She glanced at Sirius who was absorbed in conference with his mates, and half-shrugged to herself before returning to her work.
Three days later, Roseline was sitting with Sirius in the library, supposedly looking up the history of the Respori spell, which caused the enchanted object's appearance to blend in with its background, like a disillusion charm for objects. In fact, they weren't working at all, but playing Wizard Chess, out of sight of Madam Pince, who was sitting at her desk reading the Daily Prophet. Sirius had just won the game, when a sneering voice beside them said,
"Working hard I see, Black, as usual. I'm sure Madam Pince would be fascinated if she knew the uses her precious books were being put to."
It was Snape, his eyes on the pile of spellbooks that Sirius had been using as a table for several bars of Honeydukes chocolate. Sirius did not look up, but yawned languidly before replying in a bored voice.
"Piss off, Snivelly, unless you want us to start work by using you to practise hexes on."
Snape scowled, eyeing the chocolate in Roseline's hand.
"I'm surprised not to see Potter with you, Black, I didn't think he'd miss the chance of free food."
Sirius laughed.
"So that's why you're here, is it? To nick our food? You're welcome to it."
And, still without looking at Snape, he gave his wand a complicated little flick, causing two of the larger bars to whack Snape around the head as he disappeared behind the shelves.
"Waste of good chocolate, that," said Sirius mournfully. Roseline laughed.
"So, why isn't James here? Not that I'm agreeing with Snape, but it looks like you nicked his chocolate, and from what I know of James I would have thought he'd have come to claim it by now."
Sirius chuckled.
"You're right, but he hasn't noticed it's gone yet. He's too busy up the common room, trying to persuade Lily to go out with him."
"I don't know why that surprises me. But I doubt Lily will be any more receptive, you should hear her talk about him."
"I know, but the guy's blind to it all. Pathetic, really."
"Well," said Roseline slowly, "you can see why he likes her. I mean, she's gorgeous."
Sirius looked at her. "You're pretty good-looking yourself, you know."
Roseline snorted with laughter. "Who me? You can't mean it, Sirius, you're taking the piss." She grinned, expecting to see him grin in return. He smiled, but shook his head.
"No, I mean it. Honest."
Roseline stared at him. He moved closer. At the last second her brain registered what was about to happen, and she turned her head. Sirius, unable to stop, kissed her on the cheek. Sirius turned away, not looking at her.
"I better go," he said.
His voice was frosty and he still wouldn't look at her. He stood up and left the library. Roseline touched her cheek, her mind whirling with what had just happened.
What was all that about? She thought. Did he just try to kiss me? She got up and went back to the Gryffindor tower. She climbed through the portrait hole, still in a daze. She spotted Sirius sitting alone by the fire, his expression stony, and quickly decided to spend the rest of the evening in her dormitory.
Many hours later she was still wondering about it. The rest of the girls had come up by this stage, but Roseline had pretended to be asleep. Now she turned over, and for the first time that day, closed her eyes.......
