REVISED: 7/13/2013

A/N: In the book the class order is Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, then Divination but I wrote it as Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, then Divination. Divination will be in the next chapter.

Kirsten couldn't even stroll around the grounds without having professors on her tail, and she was getting sick of it. After Sirius sneaked into the tower, the faculty have been on "high alert." During the first day she didn't realize that there were professors on practically every corridor she turned. Then she realized it probably had to do with Harry since him and Ron began talking to Hermione again. That would make her tag along with them at times because Hermione was insistent on dragging them along.

She wanted to go visit Hagrid. But there was no possible way without getting caught. It was only a day ago when they received news from Hagrid that Buckbeak lost the appeal.

Now the only times she could practically talk to him was during his class.

"'S'all my fault. Got all tongue tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes and I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates, yeh both looked up fer me. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up and said his bit and the committee jus' did exactly what he told 'em…"

The giant of the man was pretty much numb with shock.

"There's still the appeal!" Ron told him fiercely. "Don't give up hope yet, we're working on it!"

"S'no good, Ron," Hagrid replied sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest of Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that…"

And with that, Hagrid turned around rushing back towards his cabin.

"Look at him blubber!"

Kirsten turned around narrowing her eyes at the three baboons. She already spotted Hermione making her way towards them.

"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" Malfoy said. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

She had half a mind to join in on what she could only guess Hermione would do. But thought against it. She already done her bit and received a detention during the evening because of the git. It wasn't her fault that her fist rammed into his gut as she passed him the evening before after dinner.

Kirsten watched in amusement as Hermione lifted her hand towards his face, resulting in a loud — SMACK!

Malfoy staggered back from the blow and a chuckle escaped Kirsten's lips while she stepped up next to Hermione. She caught sight of Hermione's hand lifting again.

"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul—you evil—"

"Hermione!" Ron yelled, trying to make a grab for the pissed off witch. Before he could hold her back, Kirsten caught his arm.

"Don't stop her," she warned, looking back at the scene in front of her. It didn't take Hermione more than a second to pull out her wand, causing Malfoy to take a step back. His eyes averted from the furious witch to Kirsten's rather mischievous smile. She noticed how his eyes flitted to the startled Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

If he thought that she was going to stop the madness, he didn't know how wrong he was.

"C'mon," Malfoy muttered, glancing at Kirsten for a second. The three Slytherins disappeared in a hurried state.

"Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed. His eyes then landed on Kirsten. "I'm surprised you didn't get at him, but…Hermione!"

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final," Hermione said shrilly, changing the topic. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"

"We're due in Charms," Ron said, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go."

The group of four climbed up the marble staircase. Kirsten couldn't help but notice that Hermione was lagging behind somewhat, fiddling with something underneath her robes. She could make out a flash of gold, but quickly averted her eyes so Hermione wouldn't notice. It was when Harry reached open the door, that Kirsten turned to chat with Hermione, when Hermione all but vanished from her view.

Kirsten's eyes widened in puzzlement at what just happened. Hermione disappeared. All but vanished into thin air. She can feel her jaw slacken.

Surely she can't Apparate. Nobody could Apparate in Hogwarts.

"Kia."

Ron's voice pulled her away from her thoughts and she went in after them into the Charms classroom.

"Boys and Miss Carlisle, take a seat please and wands out. We're experimenting with cheering charms today," Professor Flitwick squeaked. Kirsten took her seat next to Neville who was sitting in the desk behind Harry and Ron. She had a feeling Hermione would not show up for Charms, but was surprised when she was a no show for lunch.

"You don't think Malfoy did something to her?" Ron asked rather anxiously.

Kirsten shook her head as her answer, narrowing her eyes in thought. This had something to do with her disappearing acts and her full schedule. She knew this had something to do with that gold chain around her neck. Somehow it was taking her to the classes where she needed to go.

Those classes she had were at the same time...

Was whatever she was wearing able to transport her back in time?

That was the only way Kirsten could think of.

"Check the common room, will you?" Kirsten told the two boys. She stood up from her seat and placed different pieces of food in a napkin.

"Where're you going?" Ron asked.

"I'll see you in Defense, alright? Give this to Hermione," Kirsten told him, placing the napkin in Harry's hands. Before the Ron could say anything else, she walked out of the Great Hall and towards the library.

Maybe if she asked Madam Pince...

It didn't take her long to reach the library and it definitely didn't take her long to feel the piercing gaze of the librarian.

At least she wasn't glaring at her this time.

"It's lovely to see you again," Kirsten said to the woman. She could tell the woman wanted to roll her eyes at her, but she kept a stern gaze.

Kirsten wasn't going to back down, and she guessed Pince thought so too when she sighed.

"What do you want?"

Perfect.

"I would like to know if you had any books about time travel?" Kirsten asked. "Any artifacts that could be used to aid in time traveling would definitely help."

The librarian raised an eyebrow at her request, and Kirsten was grateful that she didn't question her. Instead she passed Kirsten and disappeared beyond the vast bookshelves only to reemerge with one old book.

Kirsten thanked her and left the library with the book in hand and placed it inside her bag. Checking her watch she realized that she was going to be a little late to class. She sighed in relief, realizing it was Defense Against the Dark Arts.

She felt a little bad that she was using her connection with Lupin to her advantage. But then again, she only felt a little bad.

Reaching the door, Kirsten was met with the gazes of the entire class as well as Lupin staring directly at her. She was about to take her seat when she heard Lupin clear his throat.

"Kirsten? You're needed in Professor Dumbledore's office."

Her eyes looked at him in confusion and she notice the same thing reflected in his.

In no time, Kirsten was in front of the large oaken double doors of the headmaster's office. She opened one of the doors, and was no longer in question of why she was in the office anymore.

Dumbledore was not the only inhabitant of the office.

"I am sorry to have disturbed you during class, Kirsten," Dumbledore said, his voice was sincere as he spoke.

"I don't mind, Professor," she told him.

"Would you like to have a seat?" he asked. She shook her head in response, and let her bag slide down at her feet.

"No, thanks."

Her eyes traveled from his to her head of house before landing on the person who was most likely the cause of why she was here.

The portly man shifted under her gaze in his chair before he stood up. It seemed as if he gained a backbone in less than a second. His eyes narrowed in her direction.

"I think you know full well why you're here," he said.

Kirsten couldn't help but look at the man incredulously. His attitude towards her was horrific and she hadn't had to face an adult like this — besides Snape of course — since she was at the orphanage.

Attitude aside, she knew why she was here. She just couldn't believe how long it took for him to actually show up after Sirius broke in. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that Fudge had been suspicious of her since day one. And that didn't get any better when she heard him at the Three Broomsticks.

She was definitely looking forward to making his life more frustrating.

"Yeah...no, actually I don't," Kirsten said, folding her arms in front of her. "Maybe you should enlighten me?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Carlisle —"

"Why would I?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You will tell me at once —"

"Don't like being left in the dark do you?" she questioned, cutting him off. A smirk tugged up at her lips. "Neither do I."

If possible, his eyes narrowed even more as he looked at her.

"Cornelius, she does not know what is going on here."

The voice belonged to McGonagall. Her tone was ice cold towards the man and her eyes were narrowed in his direction. Kirsten made a mental note to not give the woman such a hard time.

"What happened the night Sirius Black came into Gryffindor Tower?"

Her smirk turned into a smile when she locked her eyes on him.

"Well, me and Sirius Black had tea and biscuits near the fire. It was quite nice, you see —"

"Carlisle —"

"— we were just discussing my love life —"

"Carlisle —"

"— which is unfortunately nonexistent at the moment —"

"Carl —"

"—but that will change. Pretty sure Justin Finch-Fletchley won't say no —"

"Carlisle!"

Kirsten threw him the most unapologetic look she had ever given anyone.

"I'm sorry, were you calling me?" she asked him. From behind him, she could see the small smile on Dumbledore's face. He seemed to be enjoying the little one-sided discussion. She was thankful that he didn't interfere, and had an idea that he figured as much. The amused look on McGonagall's face didn't go by unnoticed by her.

"I was trying to get your attention," he gritted out. "Carlisle is your name isn't it?"

Kirsten looked at the man with her mouth slightly ajar. She couldn't believe he had the gall to even ask this in front of her. This man was the reason she didn't know about her relationship with Sirius until recently.

Snapping her mouth back shut, she narrowed her eyes at the man. She couldn't keep this charade up any longer. She was getting tired of Fudge and just wanted to leave.

"I wasn't exactly in a right state of mind when he came in. I was asleep on the couch," she told him.

"Why were you sleeping in the common room?" he questioned.

"I was actually trying to finish my essay for the next day, and I just fell asleep on the couch," she replied. Not true, but Kirsten was grateful that Hermione forgot to take her work upstairs with her.

Kirsten's patience towards the man was running thin. If he had one more question to ask her...

"And wh —"

"Oh shut up," she said exasperatedly, interrupting the minister.

"Carlisle, if I —"

"It's Black. My name is Kirsten Black," Kirsten retorted. A startled expression was evident on his face and Kirsten frowned.

"So you knew, didn't you?"

The third year looked at him as if he were the biggest idiot in the world.

"If you were so suspicious of me, then why are you so surprised that I knew," she questioned him. She wondered how long the Ministry's survived with this man as the minister. "You make no sense to me."

"Carlisle —"

"Cornelius," Dumbledore said, his voice took on a dark tone. Something she has never heard from the elderly wizard. His eyes flashed at the minister, and Kirsten took that as her cue.

Making a grab for her bag, Kirsten turned around and swung the door open to leave. The man was making her miss a lesson for no reason and was pissing her off to boot. Her legs carried her down the hall and down the corridor. She reached out for the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"WE WEREN'T DONE TALKING!"

Oh. My. God.

Kirsten had half a mind to go up to the man and send him swinging. Her eyes left the door in front of her and she was met with an red faced Fudge.

Was he this mad to follow her from Dumbledore's office?

And yelling in the hall?

She could hear doors opening along the hall and students filling the hall. Their faces were confused as to what was going on. Kirsten could make out the confused faces of Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

"Yes we were," she told him, eyes narrowing.

Ready to go through the crowded hall, Kirsten stopped when Fudge spoke again.

"If you don't come back to Dumbledore's office —"

"You'll what?" she asked, tilting her head mockingly. The man seemed flustered now that he noticed the students in the hall. Their faces curious as to what was going on.

This scene oddly felt like the last day of school before she found out she was a witch. Mrs. Harrington was screeching at her to get back there.

Damn, this really was like old times for her.

Nothing came from her mouth as she waited for him to respond.

"Shove me in Azkaban like my father?" she asked mildly. She heard gasps coming from students all around her, but she didn't care. It was odd how calm she was at the moment. She couldn't deny that she was furious. But her heart wasn't beating fast. Her mind was clear as could be at the moment.

"Let's go back and continue to have our discussion —"

"You've been hiding the truth from me," she said, taking a step towards the minister. "What makes you think you have any authority over me?"

"As the minister of magic —"

"Why did you have to hide that Sirius Black was my father," Kirsten questioned, "when you thought that I was working for him this entire time?"

Gasps of surprise filled her ears as the noise rang around the corridor. Eyes were wide in surprise.

Fudge was flabbergasted at her question.

Kirsten took this time to step directly in front of the man and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Maybe you should do something useful and continue that investigation at the orphanage," she said lowly. "Other than that? Leave. Me. The. Hell. Alone."

"I have asked you to leave earlier, Cornelius," a voice said from behind Fudge. Dumbledore stepped into the scene with McGonagall by his side, her eyes shooting the harshest look Kirsten has ever seen. But what shocked Kirsten even more was the grave look Dumbledore was sending the man.

"You have disrupted classes and deeply disappointed my student," he continued, making his way to Kirsten. The harsh look in his blue eyes disappeared as he looked down at her. "I did not intend for this meeting to go the way it has, Kirsten. For that, I am sorry."

A smile didn't even make its way on her lips as she looked back up at him, her eyes softening.

"It's no problem, Professor," she replied. The headmaster nodded his head in thought, his eyes looking at the girl in concern.

Kirsten glanced at the portly man who was now trying to reason with a furious looking McGonagall.

He had some nerve...

"You will be excused from the rest of your classes today."

On any other day Kirsten would have agreed immediately and already made a beeline for her room to go to sleep or outside for a walk. But now she just wanted to go to class. She didn't need to miss any classes. Even if she was catching up, she was still behind her year taking extra lessons almost every evening.

"I think I'll be fine. Thank you, Professor," Kirsten told him. Her eyes caught sight of Fudge before she turned around to see the different faces of students staring back at her. She found Hermione's chocolate brown eyes staring back at the front of the crowd of students and made her way towards her.

"If he doesn't leave soon, there's going to be a reason to throw me in Azkaban," she muttered to her friend. As she walked closer to the crowd she noticed that they moved out of the way for her and she was able to settle herself in her seat in Lupin's classroom. The bushy haired witch sat down next to Kirsten with an odd smile on her face.

"You're more than a strong person with the way you handled the Minister," Hermione told her softly.

Kirsten frowned at her friend in confusion, and placed her hand on Hermione's forehead.

"Are you all right? I just argued with the Minister of Magic and you're complimenting me..." she trailed off quietly.

"Oh hush up, will you?"