When Somers Turned To Black

Chapter 10: Friends Fight, Foes Fathom

Disclaimer: We do not own any of the Harry Potter works. Fortunately, we don't own the movies either.

A/N: Hope you're staying with us! Thanx for all the reviews… Also thank you to my beta for this chapter, Aerandir. Luv ya! Again, I know this is frustrating, but I am truly sorry for all the time in between posts. This school year has been really busy. But that's okay! Almost over! Three… more… days! YES! Hope you like this chapter.

Sirius, James, Remus and Peter continued to gape open-mouthed at Professor McGonnagol as she proceeded to explain.

"So, due to your increasingly disastrous grades, I will be assigning a mandatory study group to all fifth years."

"Professor, why should everyone have to be assigned study groups, when not everyone is failing," stated Remus boldly.

"If you had been paying attention you would have caught that part, Mr. Lupin," snapped McGonnagol, frustrated. "To pass your O.W.L.'s , I'm afraid grades will have to improve greatly. At this point, no one is even close to just barely obtaining a satisfactory grade."

"But Professor…" said Sirius whimsically.

"No buts, Mr. Black," McGonnagol cut in sharply. "Now, study group will start after all of your normal classes are finished for the day. They will begin promptly after supper tomorrow in the library. You will work a full hour and a half every other evening until your overall grades improve."

"WHAT!" resounded the class angrily.

"And I can assure you ," McGonnagol continued loudly, attempting to speak over the loud protest, "that you will not be partnered with an apparent friend. The list of partners can be seen after class. You will only be partnered with someone of your house."

As soon as the bell rang, students clustered around McGonnagol's bulletin board. Messages could be placed and erased with the flick of a wand. Sirius scanned the list quickly. He spotted his name towards the bottom and followed it across to his partner's name. He let out a loud groan as he saw who it was.

"Ugh, I can't believe McGonnagol put me her.

"It figures I'm stuck with her again," groaned Sirius to James who was clearly paying no attention to his whining.

James rolled his eyes and looked over at Sirius.

"You are a prat, Sirius Black. You guys aren't even talking anyway, so what does it matter?"

"Shut up, James," Sirius snarled.

"Ah… dear Lily," James teased, soon forgetting his argument with Sirius, as Lily craned her neck to get a better look at the list.

"Move, Potter," she said piercingly, pushing James out of her way.

"Ugh," Lily said her face contorted in frustration. "This has got to be another sick joke," she exclaimed.

James laughed as she shoved her way to Professor McGonnagol.

"Please tell me you did not put me with Potter," begged Lily.

"Alright, I did not put you with Potter," McGonnagol said. Lily smiled, relieved but McGonnagol continued. "But unfortunately for you, I did. I already informed the entire class that you would not be with a good friend. You should have expected the worst seeing as that is obviously how you feel about the pairing."

Lily's smile faded as she glanced menacingly back at James.

"What is it?" James sneered. "Afraid I'll bite?"

"No. Afraid I will."

"Oh! A bit feisty today, aren't we?" James shot back haughtily.

Meanwhile, Raven attempted to make her way through the clusters of students towards the bulletin.

"No need, Somers," Sirius said grimly as he watched her scan the list.

"No need for what? Do we know each other?"

"We're partners," Sirius replied simply.

"What! Not you!"

"Sorry I'm not good enough."

"Well, I guess it's not your fault," Raven started heinously. "Your parents were the ones that decided to have you in the first place."

Without even thinking, Sirius grabbed Raven around the throat.

"Don't ever talk to me about my parents like that again," he snarled.

Raven gasped for breath as she struggled to escape Sirius's grip.

"What is wrong with you!" she strained.

McGonnagol overheard Raven's yell and quickly made her way behind Sirius.

"Black! Put her down! What has gotten into you? That is twenty points from Gryffindor. And you most definitely will be serving a detention with me after classes. I am appalled at this behavior!" McGonnagol bellowed.

"Professor?" Raven asked angrily as she rubbed her reddened and slightly chaffed neck. "I am already studying for O.W.L.'s with Severus and Lily. Is it truly necessary for me to have to deal with him?"

"Yes. We will still keep the same partners. I refuse to make an exception in your case. Maybe if you spend more time together you will not be as ridiculously immature towards your fellow classmate. This may just teach you a lesson."

"Teach us a lesson!" Raven yelled. "You expect me to study for O.W.L.'s with this… this… strangler?"

"That is enough, Somers!" McGonnagol yelled. "You will also serve detention with me after classes," then turning to Sirius she continued, "I want to see you both at 8:00 sharp. No excuses."

"But professor…" Raven started, ready to argue her case.

"8:00."

Sirius glared at Raven as she stormed out of the room. James stared at Sirius with wide eyes.

"What's gotten into you, you dolt?"

"Nothing," Sirius said and then just as fast as Raven had left, so had he.

"Look!" James yelled. "I'm sorry, okay? I'll find the mirrors. I've just misplaced them or something."

The Gryffindors had returned to the common room and were haughtily discussing the circumstances among themselves.

"I can't believe I'm stuck in detention with her again!" Sirius scowled angrily. "I was really counting on something to do, James."

"I can't help if you have detention, so don't yell at me. You're the one that decided to choke Somers in the middle of McGonnagol's class. Real smart, you dolt. You're the one who got into this."

"Oh, great friend you are. Back up Raven and not me! She started it anyway," Sirius growled.

"All she said was something you would have said to anyone else. She insulted you, Black, and you can't handle it."

"Oh, sod off! If you're so sure it's my fault, I'm sure that we're not friends anymore."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Sirius grabbed a book and threw it at James, narrowly missing his shoulder, before storming out of the crowded common room.

I can't believe this. I get detention because of Raven, and lose my best friend all in the same day.

Sirius made his way into the Transfiguration classroom just as his watch read 8:00.

"Good. I expected you to be late, Sirius," said McGonnagol good-naturedly. "This is the second time you've proven me wrong, although I'm disappointed that your promptness occurs only during detention."

"Well, Professor, I just couldn't wait to see you again today," said Sirius with a sarcastic smirk.

"In a bad mood, are we? Well, a couple of hours' worth of sitting with Miss. Somers should help clear that up."

'What?" asked Sirius suspiciously.

"You two," McGonnagol started, now looking at Raven who was sitting towards the back of the classroom, "will sit facing each other until you can successfully apologize."

"We have to stare at each other until we apologize?" he sputtered. "Never!" Sirius griped.

"Well, then you will be here all night. I assure you, I am not tired in the very least so I have no problem whatsoever sitting here until tomorrow morning if need be," McGonnagol answered.

"You may sit directly in front of Miss. Somers and turn your desk around to face her," she continued.

Sirius slumped over to the seat and turned it towards Raven. She glared at him maliciously.

"Thanks a lot for getting us into this, Black," Raven said seethingly.

"Oh, I got us into this, did I?" Sirius replied. "You're the one who insulted me in the first place. I really didn't have a problem with you as my partner to begin with since we weren't talking anyway."

"Yes, I insulted you. That doesn't give you any reason to strangle me!"

"You didn't have to bring my parents into it," Sirius glowered.

"What have your parents got to do with anything?" asked Raven disbelievingly. "This is ridiculous."

"Yeah. It may be ridiculous to you, but you never insult a Black without facing the consequences."

Oh great! Now I sound like my father. I shouldn't have said that. Wait… What do I care for? This is Raven Somers. The one who blows me off every time I try to be the least bit nice. I guess it was uncalled for, but I'm not going to let her know that.

"Ha!" Raven laughed sarcastically. "Without facing the consequences! Well, it looks like your facing some of your own right now."

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't have said anything to me."

"Oh, so now I'm guilty for talking?"

"Yes. And if you want to get out of here, I suggest you apologize so we can be on our dandy way," Sirius said snidely.

"Me? Apologize? Ha! I'm not apologizing until you do," said Raven stubbornly.

"Well, we'll be sitting here a very long time."

"Fine."

The clock ticked by slowly.

30 minutes went by…

… one hour…

… two hours…

"Will you two stop being stubborn and apologize?" Professor McGonnagol said after all the two did was silently stare at each other. "I'm sure you would both like to go to bed just as much as I do."

Sirius quickly gave McGonnagol a loathing stare.

"I thought you weren't tired," Sirius sneered. He looked back at Raven grimly.

"Well?" he asked scathingly.

"Well, what?" Raven shot back.

"Nothing."

Why doesn't she just apologize, so we don't have to keep staring at each other. I mean, I'm something to look at, but she's… Ahhhh! I just want to go to bed. The worst part is that I have to see her again tomorrow. Well, better get this over with.

"Sorry," Sirius mumbled quietly.

"Excuse me?" Raven asked angrily.

"I said… sorry."

Raven looked so surprised that she let her eyebrows unfurrow and her mouth gape open.

"Umm… I am too. Sorry, I mean," she said quickly, and it looked like she truly meant it.

"Well, it's about time. Now off with you," McGonnagol sighed. "I hope you've learned your lesson. I certainly don't want to be doing this again anytime soon."

Sirius and Raven followed Professor McGonnagol out of the classroom and started towards the grand staircase. Raven was staring down at her feet and Sirius looked at her.

"What?" asked Raven, considerably cooled down since she had left the classroom.

"Nothing. Just wondering why I gave in to a girl."

"A girl? There you go with your sexist remarks again."

"Sorry," said Sirius.

"Oh. We're on a roll tonight. I've gotten two apologies out of you in the last five minutes."

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Upon entering the common room, James looked up from his seat in the corner.

"How was detention?" he scoffed.

"Oh, so you've decided to talk to me. Wonderful. You know? Detention was just great," Sirius said sarcastically. "I got to stare at Raven Somers for two hours. Loads of fun."

"I found the mirrors, but I guess you won't ever need them since you had so much fun doing nothing," James retorted.

"You know what? I'm really glad that you aren't my partner for study groups because I reckon we'd both find ourselves in numerous detentions."

James did not say anything to this and turned his head to talk to Joan. Sirius went up the long staircase to his dorm and got ready for bed. He quickly fell asleep, dreaming of James and detentions with the girl who didn't want to have anything to do with him.