Disclaimer: I don't own any of the canon HP characters. I do however own any characters that I make up and therefore you should not use them without my permission.

The Snake

"Who's that?" James asked, motioning to a tall blond haired girl walking past their compartment door. The train had left King's Cross Station well over two hours ago and people were already beginning to roam about the train.

Sirius grinned, "Another Sirius Black conquest. Excuse me there Prongs, I have a lady to charm."

"Women aren't objects Sirius!" Remus called after him as Sirius exited the train. The girl was standing in front of the food trolley, talking with the witch who pushed the cart up and down the Hogwarts Express. Suddenly, she turned and promptly ran into Sirius' chest.

"Watch where you're going!" she snapped irritably a thick French accent flooding her voice.

"I do believe it was you who ran into me," Sirius replied as he plastered a heartbreaking smile on his face.

The girl blinked before shaking her head and attempting to move past Sirius in the small corridor.

"You ran into me and I don't even get an introduction?"

The girl stared at him for a moment before she spoke, "Jacqueline Benoit."

Without another word she swept down the hallway, nearly gliding as she went.

Sirius returned to the compartment, slightly dazed from meeting what he was sure was the girl of his dreams.

"I'd say it went well," James said in an amused manner, "What's her name?"

"Jacqueline Benoit...French accent...looked at me like I was the scum on the bottom of her designer shoes. I think I'm in love Prongs," Sirius said dreamily.

"Are you alright Padfoot?" Remus asked, slightly concerned about the state of his friend.

"Is it safe to assume that the Black charm did not work one bit?" Peter Pettigrew interjected.

Sirius glared at him, "It was only one attempt Wormtail, don't you worry by the end of the year, and Miss. Benoit will be mine."

"Another year, another conquest," Remus said absentmindedly before he returned to reading his book.

The sorting hat sang a different song every year. But this year, among the crowd of First Years stood Jacqueline Benoit. She towered over the First Year students and they all stared at her like she'd grown a second head.

Professor McGonagall, an elderly woman in her mid-seventies, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House, unrolled a scroll of parchment with the new students' names on it.

"When I call your name, you will come up and sit on the stool, I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will join your new House," McGonagall said.

The students murmured in excitement before the first name was called.

"Benoit, Jacqueline."

Jacqueline glided past the First Years in front of her and gracefully taking a seat on the three-legged stool. The hat was placed on her head, but it took several minutes to decide where she should be placed. Finally, the hat had made its verdict.

"Better be...SLYTHERIN!"

"Sorry mate, guess she'll be more of a challenge than you thought," James said, clapping Sirius on the back.

Sirius didn't say anything as he watched Jacqueline glide toward the Slytherin table. The challenge would prove to be a little more interesting than he'd anticipated.

Classes started at nine o'clock sharp each morning and it was no surprise that Sirius Black woke up just in time for Professor McGonagall to hand him his schedule with an annoyed look on her face.

"It would do you well to get an alarm clock Mr. Black. I will not tolerate tardiness from a N.E.W.T. level student," McGonagall said sharply.

Sirius grinned, "Of course not Professor. I'll even be early for your class. Front row."

Professor McGonagall blinked, "Do not try my patience Mr. Black. Class, five minutes."

Sirius glanced at his timetable; he did indeed have Transfiguration first thing this morning. He groaned before heading back up the stairs to the third floor. Sirius dove into an empty seat near the back of the classroom. He heard James snicker, Remus snort and Peter let out a chuckle. McGonagall arrived in her Animagus form several seconds later, pointedly giving Sirius a stern look. The tabby cat swished its tail and jumped lightly on to the desk at the front of the room. A second later, their teacher stood in front of it.

"Today, we will be discussing the more advanced art of Animagus transformations..."

Sirius yawned, finally glancing over at his desk partner before jumping in surprise. Jacqueline raised an eyebrow in his direction before flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder and going back to taking notes. He watched her in interest as she ignored him completely. Her handwriting was just as graceful as she was, perfect calligraphy. After five minutes of him staring Sirius felt another presence and looked up to find Professor McGonagall standing over him.

"I'm aware that today is the first day of class Mr. Black. But for the sake of passing your N.E.W.T's attempt to pay attention to the lesson or you'll be repeating it. In detention," McGonagall snapped.

Sirius smiled charmingly, "Of course Minnie. Lead the way!"

The class erupted in dull laughter while McGonagall looked less than impressed as she strode back to the front of the classroom.

"What are N.E.W.T's?" asked a voice to Sirius' left. It was quiet enough that it had to have been directed at him. Sirius turned to glace at Jacqueline.

"The Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test; if you want to work at the Ministry they require the highest marks to even be considered. Healers need them too I think, since they have extra training...but there's plenty of witches and wizards who've done quite well without them."

Jacqueline nodded to confirm that she'd understood before returning to her work. McGonagall droned on for another hour while Sirius struggled to pay attention without stealing glances at the girl beside him. At the end of class, Jacqueline stood gracefully, pushed her books, parchment, quill and ink bottle back into her bag and left without a word to anyone.