Chapter 5: The Other Black
"Alright class gather round, today we will be practicing duelling. Please form a circle around the mats here and we'll begin."
Excitedly, the students obliged and spread into a lopsided circle, Slytherins on one side and Gryffindors on the other. Brenna stood with Lily, Alice and Marlene and Cyrus stood diagonally across the circle from her with Malfoy and others.
"Good, now I'm hoping you all were paying attention last class because today you will be duelling against your classmates. It will be a test of knowledge but also a test of skill and agility. You will need to move and think quickly to win your duel." Professor Miller said as he looked around the circle and his students, as he was mentioning skill and agility, Sirius caught Brenna's eye before she looked away hoping she had made the right decision in telling-or rather showing-them.
"So I'm going to need two volunteers to start us off, everyone needs to pay attention to the duels, analyzing the way your fellow students fight can improve your techniques by adopting some of theirs and also knowing what to expect from opponents. Alright, I think we're ready to begin. Any volunteers?" Instantly the Marauders' hands, except Peter of course, shot up in the air, though Remus was more hesitant, along with Cyrus' group of Slytherins and a few other Gryffindor boys. Only a few Slytherin girls, Brenna, Alice, Marlene and Lily (after Marlene grabbed her hand a pulled it up) volunteered, the others being too hesitant and content with watching the boys.
"Alright so we're not getting into house rivalry right now. Let's see Mister Derby and Mister Wilson up first." Miller said as the two Gryffindor boys walked to the center of the circle. Suffice it to say, those who were not chosen were disappointed, particularly the Marauders who loved an opportunity to show their superiority.
The entire class watched the first duel as Professor Miller walked them through the appropriate positions, leaving spells for them to decide. Once they were done and Andrew Derby won the duel, they returned to the edge of the circle. It had been rather subdued, more of a tutorial and a succession of hexes than a high speed, high power duel.
"Alright, now that you have all seen what a duel should look like albeit faster, I want you all to find a partner and practice duelling, every 10 minutes you will switch partners to test your skills against other people. On Friday we will have a duelling competition, so practice." Miller said as the class dispersed to practice.
"Brenna, want to be my partner?" Lily asked as Alice and Marlene partnered together. James and Sirius, who decided to be partners so as to escape Peter's hexes, were standing close to Brenna and Lily, and James, idiot that he was didn't think Lily would be safe duelling against Brenna.
"Be my partner Lily?" He said on impulse, his eyes slightly widened as he tried to protect Lily from suffering the injuries that Cyrus had received last night. Brenna glared at James and Sirius as Lily turned to face them completely annoyed.
"Not on your life Potter, I don't want to be your partner and I don't want to go out with you. Just leave me alone. Come on Brenna." Lily said aggravated as she turned away from the boys and walked away toward Marlene and Alice.
As Brenna turned to follow Lily she glared at James.
"Keep your mouth shut, Potter." She hissed menacingly.
After she walked away and began practicing with Lily, Sirius hit James on the back of his head.
"Idiot, what the bloody hell were you thinking?" James didn't respond as he rubbed the sore spot on his head. "You realise she doesn't trust us now and there's an even smaller chance that she'll tell us anything? Damn it Prongs, she knows enough not to hurt Evans! Idiot."
"Look I'm sorry, Padfoot, jeez, I didn't think sorry."
"Yeah well, let's just practice."
:.:.:
Brenna was walking down an empty corridor on the way to her last class of the day, History of Magic, one she didn't share with Lily, Alice or Marlene. As she rounded one of the corners she saw Malfoy intimidating and threatening to hex a small first year Gryffindor boy.
"Malfoy" At the sound of his name, Lucius Malfoy's blonde head snapped in her direction.
"Ah the lovely Brenna Templar, I'd love to chat, but as you can see I'm a bit busy at the moment. Perhaps we can meet later tonight." He said with a suggestive smile.
"I most certainly will not be meeting you tonight or any night for that matter, you disgust me." She spat the last few words at him as his eyebrows rose slightly surprised.
"Now, now Brenna I'm sure you don't mean that" He began as the first year watched the two nervously.
"I mean every bloody word of it. Let him go." She said firmly holding his eye contact.
"Why would I do that? I was simply having a nice chat with this Gryffindor." He sneered.
"Well your chat is over." She said ready to grab her wand if she needed it, sensing Malfoy's hesitance to let the kid go and focus on her instead she added, "What's the matter Malfoy? Do you get kicks out of hexing first years, kids 4 years younger than you? I guess it's understandable considering you don't have skill or guts to take on a fifth year Hufflepuff let alone a Gryffindor."
Brenna didn't think any less of the Hufflepuffs' skill level, but she knew their reputation for being weak and not the best duellers and so she taunted him with it.
"Walk away Templar before you get in over your head" He glared coldly at her but took a couple steps away from the boy and towards her.
"Afraid you'll be beaten by a girl?" She taunted, they were only a few paces apart now, perfect for duelling and as Malfoy raised his wand, Brenna whipped hers out using the non-verbal incantation, Stupefy, as she aimed at Malfoy's chest.
"Tarent-" Malfoy's hex was cut off as Brenna's stunning spell hit him and he fell backwards. The first year looked at her in awe.
"That was awesome!" He said grinning and looking between Brenna's lowered wand and Malfoy lying on the ground. She smiled at him.
"You alright?" The young boy nodded and walked over to her.
"That was really cool; could you teach me how to do that?" Brenna chuckled at the young boy's enthusiasm.
"You'll learn it when you're a bit older. What class are you going to?"
"Herbology, what about you?" He asked as the two began walking down the corridor toward the staircases.
"History of Magic, I hear it's pretty boring. I'm Brenna Templar by the way, fifth year, I just transferred." She said introducing herself.
"Roger Davies, first year, and History of Magic is really boring, I had it this morning."
"I suppose I could always do with a bit more sleep." She said as the staircases came into view. "Well Roger I'll see you around, let me know if Malfoy bothers you again, alright? Something tells me he's not a quick learner."
"Alright I will, thanks Brenna. Have fun in History of Magic." He said waving as he hurried down the stairs to join a few more first years and Brenna continued on her way to the History of Magic Classroom.
Brenna sat down in a desk by the window near the back of the room, that way she'd at least be able to look at the grounds during what would surely be a boring lesson. That was exactly what she was doing when a black haired boy with grey eyes walked over to her, he bore a striking resemblance to Sirius and was what most girls would consider attractive though not as attractive as the latter.
"You're sitting in my seat." He said as she turned to look up at him noticing the Slytherin robes and arrogant demeanour.
"Sorry, I'm new, but there are plenty of other seats." Brenna wasn't exactly shy or sheepish and wasn't going to move just because a Slytherin told her to.
"Not with a window" He said still looking at her coldly.
"I know that's why I chose this seat. Maybe you should've gotten here sooner." Brenna swore she saw the corner of his lips twitch up when she said that.
"I don't like sitting with Gryffindors." He said as though that was going to make her move.
"Well there are a few seats open at the front." She said with a fake sweet smile. Just then Professor Binns walked-or should I say floated-into the room.
"Mr Black, take a seat." He said in a boring monotone voice as the boy, scowling, pulled out the chair next to Brenna's desk and sat down.
"Please tell me you're not one of those people that take notes and insist on listening to everything the professor says." The boy muttered as he pulled out his textbook and opened it to a random page.
"To be honest I was planning on having a quiet, peaceful nap in this class, but obviously that's not going to happen now." She whispered back glancing out the window.
"I won't talk to you." The boy said sitting in his chair with a lazy nonchalance that would have taken years to perfect.
"I'm more worried that I'd wake up with no hair." Once again the corner of his mouth tugged upward slightly as did an eyebrow.
"Why would you think that? Just because I'm a Slytherin?" he asked eyes flickering from her to the front of the room to make sure Binns hadn't noticed.
"Actually, I might have hexed Malfoy on the way to class and I figure he's got some friends in here." Brenna replied with a shrug glancing out at the glassy lake.
"Malfoy, as in Lucius Malfoy?" When Brenna simply nodded the boy continued. "Then it's probably wise for you not to nap in any classes." Brenna turned back to look at the boy and noticed that his eyes, which had been bored looked mildly amused and interested.
"That's what I thought. I'm Brenna Templar by the way." The boy's eyes showed that he recognized her name, most likely because of Cyrus, and he gave a curt nod.
"Any relation to Cyrus Templar?" He asked glancing lazily around the room.
"Yes, he's my twin." She replied as he looked back at her.
"I'm Regulus Black."
"Any relation to Sirius Black?" She asked in the same manor.
"Older brother" He answered shortly, obviously the two weren't exactly fond of each other, or if they were, then they didn't show it to the outside world, whether because of the house rivalry or because Sirius was the only Black to be sorted into Gryffindor. Instead of commenting, Brenna gave a short nod.
"Let me know if I catch on fire or suddenly become bald, yeah?" She asked barely stifling a yawn.
"Sure, Templar" He answered as Brenna rested her head on one of her hands as she gazed out the window tiredly.
A/N: So let me know what you think, I'd love to hear anything from you.
Reviews will help Sirius and James find out more about Brenna and Cyrus, where they came from and why they're at Hogwarts!
~Orion