"Good morning, sunshine," Lucius's voice drifted around the Slytherin common room as Narcissa entered, looking immaculate despite her oversized uniform; she nodded at Lucius mutely, and went to select an Apple from the fruit bowl on the table. "Narcissa - this is getting ridiculous." Lucius's sudden anger from the night before and his stance was rather intimidating.
"I won't want breakfast," she shrugged, "An apple is adequate."
"I am not talking about the apple, Narcissa. But a good meal or several wouldn't hurt—" he stroked her hair patronizingly, "sit with us, my dear, not with the filthy blood traitors—oww!"
Narcissa slapped him hard on his cheek, which was now rather red. "You deserved that," she told him cruelly. She took a bite from her apple and wandered out of the common room.
No sooner after she had left, Bellatrix descended along with Rodolphus, Severus, Crabbe, Goyle and Regulus, looking rather smug. "Oh, did you get slapped?" She commented coyly, pointing at Lucius's smarting cheek.
He swore angrily at her and turned away, beckoning for his cronies to follow. Bellatrix looked perplexed, but followed her friends and boyfriend admiringly.
Narcissa threw her apple into a bin which burped in relish, before sitting down at the Gryffindor table once more. She was warmly welcomed by Sirius. "Hey Narcissa, did you get enough sleep last night?" He asked, his tone deliberating mock concern.
"I hope so," she replied, equally sarcastic.
He grinned, she raised an eyebrow. Now they could continue.
"Where are Remus—and James," she added hastily, to Sirius's eyebrow raise.
"Well - Prongs is still dragging himself out of bed, Moony is still re-arranging his bag for the lessons ahead 'cause James 'lost' his schedule mysteriously but we weren't really surprised, so you know. And, Wormtail is ill." Sirius finished this rather grandly, and rewarded himself by shoving scrambled egg in his mouth.
"I see—wait, Peter is ill?" Narcissa poured herself some water and looked concerned.
"Yeah, the stupid git has food poisoning or something…" Sirius reported, leaning back enough to see Remus and James enter the hall. James sat next to Sirius, and Remus sat next to Narcissa.
"So - what do we have first lesson?" James said loudly, taking a large portion of scrambled egg and toast. Sirius smirked, and then looked enquiringly at Remus.
"Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall," Remus replied promptly, and then smiled warmly at Narcissa, who had gotten herself another apple. "And how are you today, Narcissa?"
"Rather well," she replied, taking a bite, "bar getting cornered by Lucius Malfoy."
James snorted. "What did the git do - threaten to get Snivellus to wipe his nose on you again, or something as equally pathetic?"
Narcissa smiled. "Not exactly, James, he simply aired his concerns about my choice of friendship. Hanging out with you lot does no favours for my Slytherin reputation, you know!" She pulled a face.
"What did you say?" James looked curious, shoving toast in his mouth.
"Well…" Narcissa paused, "I slapped him."
James chuckled with appreciation before spraying toast crumbs all over the table.
Remus looked apologetically at Narcissa, smiling. "My friends aren't the most delightful sites when eating food, Narcissa."
She grinned in response.
At that moment, Severus entered the hall. He looked at Narcissa sitting with the Gryffindors, and smiled benignly. She waved at him in response.
"Slimy git," Sirius said with disgust, watching Snape sit down with the Slytherin table. Snape opened a little book he always carried with him, and ignored the mountains of food and drinks that was in front of him.
Narcissa sighed inwardly. "We better get going, then."
They all stood up, and walked out of the Great Hall together, barely noticing that Dumbledore was vacant from the headmasters chair - which could only mean that something was seriously wrong.
"Today, you will not be writing essays nor using transfiguration on an animal or human, you will merely be reading through your books assigned to you yesterday evening. You may talk, if you wish, but please," Professor McGonagall looked pointedly at James and Sirius, "Keep it quiet!" McGonagall was not the only one who was pleasantly surprised with Narcissa's flourishing friendships with the three Gryffindors, infact, all of the teachers were rather happy.
Narcissa was battling the dilemma that was in her head—she was a pureblood but felt like a blood traitor. She wasn't entirely sure where she stood in this situation, and so she decided to make the most of these friendships.
Sirius, James, Remus and herself claimed a double table by the window, sunlight flooding through, the sky outside looking surprisingly light, not a cloud to be seen.
She could not help but to encourage her cousin's bad behaviour, James's rebellious ways, or Remus's interventions. She had caught him looking at her rather intently during their animated, flowing conversation regarding the Dark Arts and what the Dark Lord – or you-know-who, in their words, was up to. Whenever Remus spoke she began to smile – her cheeks ached from doing so.
"I think," Narcissa spoke directly to Remus, "That Bellatrix is going to sign up with the Dark Lord and become a ... oh, what's it called?"
"Death Eater," Remus replied instantly, smiling at Narcissa. She felt her cheeks tint slightly.
"Yes, that's right—a Death Eater. Bella seemed rather passionate about joining him. I'm pretty sure the others," she indicated her old friends lightly, "are intent on signing up aswell. Even your brother, Sirius."
Sirius rolled his eyes, giving up pretending to read his book by flinging it onto the table. "That doesn't surprise me," he replied darkly, "He's just like mum and dad - obsessed with being pure and that muggle borns and half bloods should be, well, you know."
"It's pathetic," James interjected frostily, "pure blood mania if you please! This you-know-who sounds rather immense though – hey, do you know what I heard?"
"No - what did you hear James?" Remus asked, curiosity getting the better of him. He leant forward slightly, pressing his fingertips together.
"That he doesn't have a mum or dad." James looked pleased with himself, and pushed his glasses up his nose as if to confirm his excitement.
Remus raised an eyebrow at this piece of information. "And you know that how?"
James shrugged. "I dunno, I overheard a couple Slytherins discussing it, so I listened before hexing one of the stupid ones - Goyle, I think."
Narcissa laughed softly. "So it was you who hexed him? I wondered why he looked too disturbed to speak."
He nodded, looking proud. He began to watch Lily Evans with mild interest. "She wants me..."
"Yeah, when you stop hexing people," Sirius looked amused, "And will you ever?"
"Well ..." James said slowly, "Maybe we can make certain exceptions - for Snivellus."
After attempting to read their books for a little longer, Narcissa noticed that Sirius was becoming restless. He knocked James slightly on the arm, and then indicated Snape. He whispered something to James who, in response, snorted with laughter. Sirius pointed his wand at Snape and murmured, "Langlock!" as McGonagall began to quiz Snape about his previous essay, but after the hex had been spoken, Snape could not speak, he merely grabbed his throat and couldn't speak, gesticulating wildly. He spluttered, heaved, and banged his head on the desk in agitation.
McGonagall could not, unfortunately for Snape, find the culprit, and she dragged Snape off to the hospital wing, yelling over her shoulder that class was dismissed.
"Nice one Sirius!" James was still laughing as they left the classroom. Lily Evans swept past him.
"At least it's not you hexing for a change, James." She called over her shoulder, walking off with a girl called Mary. James grinned massively, looking rather pleased with himself. "So, what do we have now?"
"Potions," replied Sirius unenthusiastically, heading off to the Dungeons. Remus smiled at Narcissa again, and she returned it, before saying, "I wonder what sort of potion we'll be making today?"
Remus shrugged. "Not sure, to be honest with you."
"Oh, you don't know this, but yet you usually know our schedule inside out," She teased, her blonde hair falling over her face a little as she laughed. He blushed a little then gestured Sirius and James who were at least several feet in front of them. "We better follow on."
"Yes - we simply can't be late for Slughorn..." Narcissa replied sarcastically, and to her surprise Lupin laughed. They both picked up speed and headed to the dungeons.