A week had passed of nothing happening, causing Shaula to believe that the bad feeling was just that, a feeling. That she was being paranoid and nothing was going to occur. It was only when her guard finally starting coming down that it happened.

As the mail came on the following Monday, a bright red envelope arrived. Shaula was sitting at the Ravenclaw table, her pitch black baby kneazle Nightshade lying in her lap. Pandora sat across from her, scanning over her letter when Sirius yelled across the room.

"SHAULA!"

She quickly looked up and made her way speedily to Sirius, Pandora hot on her heels as they sat next to Peter. Everyone stares at the howler, even the rest of the Gryffindor table.

"You should probably open that mate..." James says quietly,eyes never leaving the envelope. Sirius nods slowly and reaches for the envelope. They all sharply inhale, and then it begins.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK! YOU SHAME OUR FAMILY! THE MOST ANCIENT AND NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK. HOW DARE YOU BECOME A TRAITOROUS GRYFFINDOR. I DEMAND FOR YOU TO BE RESORTED INTO SLYTHERIN. I SWEAR IF YOU DO-"

The screeching voice of the twins mother is cut of by Shaula as she dumps a goblet of pumpkin juice onto it. She then grabs the envelope and tears it in half, then tears it once more for good measure. It's all silent from everyone in the Hall for a couple seconds, before chatter slowly grows and it was easily distinguishable that everyone had begun gossiping about the howler.

"Did you just..." Sirius trails off as he stares at his sister in shock, as does the rest of the boys. Pandora blinks at Shaula, concern in her eyes but appearing to seem unfazed to the majority of everyone around them.

"Her voice has always grated on my nerves. I've wanted to stop her speaking for so long now." Shaula looks up at Sirius, teaching over to squeeze his hand and then stands up. "Don't worry too much Sirius, you won't have to see her until Christmas at the earliest."

She begins to leave with Pandora, heading to her first class before her name is called once more. Both girls turn back to the male Black, who holds out two white envelopes this time. Shaula takes them, saying "Thanks" and walks to her class in silence for a couple minutes.

"Are you okay Shaula?" asks Pandora, breaking the quiet air around them. Their arms were looped together, just like their first day of lessons when Shaula thought Pandora may walk into a wall. The pair had gotten into the habit of walking with their arms looped, directing the other when she had gone off into a daze.

"Yes, I'll be fine. It's Sirius I'm more worried about, but right now all I can think of is the letter mother has most likely sent." Shaula replies softly, the two letters having been neatly tucked into one of the pockets of her robe as they had been walking.

"Read it after we have our classes. Now, put it into your bag and forget it. You can worry later, you don't want to be distracted during Potions." said Pandora as she steered her black haired friend into the dungeons. Shaula nodded and placed her letter in her bag, keeping it out of her head for the rest of the day.

It's in the evening when Shaula remembers it again. Pandora and Shaula were sat outside near the Black Lake, finishing off some homework. Shaula reached over to her school bag and dug around for her two letters. Opening the one and hoping it was from Regulus, she breathed a sigh of relief when she realised she had guessed right.

My dear Sister,

Well done in getting Ravenclaw. It may not be as good as Slytherin but it's acceptable.

Mother and Father are furious with Sirius. I can't believe he went to Gryffindor, he must be a blood traitor. Cousin Cissa says he's been hanging around the blood traitor Potter and some other blood traitors. She doesn't know who they are though.

I miss you. Is there anyway for you to come home some time before Christmas? I really want to see you, I want you to tell me everything you have learnt. Everything you have seen! I bet it is truly as amazing as everyone says it is. Is it true there is a poltergeist called Peeves?

I will keep this letter short, I believe Mother wishes to write you. If there is anything that you wish for me to send you, let me know. Either Father or I shall send it to you.

With love, your brother,

Regulus

Shaula smiled at her brothers letter, before placing the letter back into her bag so that it won't be blown away. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opens the letter from her mother and begins to read.

My precious daughter, Shaula,

I implore you, beat some sense into your elder brother. That troublemaker of a son has begun tarnishing the great name of the Ancient and Noble House of Black. How dare he go into Gryffindor, at least you had the sense to not tarnish our family by being a pathetic little Hufflepuff or a bloodtraitor Gryffindor like those Potters.

Whilst I am not entirely happy that you did not go into Slytherin, I understand that you will thrive under Ravenclaw. It is where the intelligent witches and wizards come from and I am proud to call my daughter intelligent. But so help me if you disgrace our family name in any way then be prepared for a severe punishment girl.

Remember however, I expect you back for the Christmas Gala. So do try and make some connections whilst at Hogwarts, it'll allow Orion and I to find a suitable Husband for you in the future if we see you interacting well with the others.

Sincerely,

Walburga Black

Shaula takes a deep shuddering breath, eyes closed as she breaths out her mouth slowly. The letter is crumpled in her hand. How could Walburga even tell her daughter to beat her own brother? Her twin no less.

"Shaula? Do you want to talk?"

The female Black twin whips her head around to look at Pandora, having forgot that her new friend was there. Shaula gave a small, barely noticeably nod.

"I think it's best if you just read it." Shaula hands over the letter, allowing her best friend to read it. They sit in silence for a few minutes as Pandora reads the letter, her expression barely changing. She would be a brilliant poker player.

"I'm sorry you have a horrible Mother," said Pandora as she handed the letter back. Shaula chokes out a laugh and lies back on the grass, looking up at the darkening sky.

"She has never been the best. Rather negligent. Often threatens to curse or hex us. The fact she wants me to do the same to Sirius? It makes me think that she wants me to become like her. To be HER." Shaula says dejectedly. She runs her hands up into her think wavy hair and twists it tightly into her hands. "I'll never hurt Siri. But I don't want Mother to turn on Regi either and hurt him."

"Well, I think you should talk to Sirius about this. If he knows how insecure you feel about Regulus' well-being, he may be able to come up with an idea possibly." The blonde girl suggests, lying down beside Shaula and watches the clouds in the sky.

"No, Siri won't be any help with this. He is too rash, too impulsive. He doesn't think things through." She painfully tugs at her hair, trying to think of what to do. She thinks back to her diaries. Maybe she'l have written something helpful down when she was younger. Standing up, she offers Pandora a hand up, which she gratefully takes. Together they walk to the Ravenclaw tower, both uttering small ideas or theories of what could be done.

Pandora knocks the Ravenclaw entrance once they arrive and answers the riddle for Shaula. The Black girl may be intelligent like her Mother said, but when it came to riddles than she had no idea what to say. She was never any good at brain teasers in her previous life, so she wasn't too surprised when she was unable to come up with the answers for the knocker at Ravenclaw's entrance.

The pair walks up to their dorm and Pandora goes over to her bed and begins doing her own things whilst Shaula grabs her collection of diaries she had amounted over the years. Closing the curtains around her bed, she flicks through her books and grabs her newest diary to begin writing down new ideas and theories. It was when she was seven years old and Sirius had tried to read her diaries, Shaula had asked her Father how to protect her diary to prevent anyone else from opening it and reading it. Of course, he had suggested a blood locking spell or a spell that when you pushed your magic into it, it would recognize its owner and open. She had quickly chosen the recognition spell then the blood spell. With the amount of diaries she owns and how often she uses them, Shaula didn't fancy having to cut open herself constantly and lose lots of blood.

Two and a half hours had passed when Shaula finally finished her ideas and got herself ready for bed. Pandora was sat on her bed reading a book when she opened her curtains. She moved to sit on the blondes bed and lent her head on her shoulder, closing her eyes and finally relaxing after having read the letters.

Whilst the day could have been worse, it could have been a lot better as well. She should make sure Sirius was okay in the morning. Perhaps spend the day with him, she hadn't seen much of him surprisingly over the weekend and wanted to spend some time with brother.