Selena's Pov
After the Daily Profit printed that story, everyone became on edge or more so than usual. Some people become more cautious around me, others either ignored my existence as usual or were making cruel comments. Today was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin and I wanted to get there earlier than everyone else. 'Let's see what Uncle Remus is up to' I thought menacingly as I walked down the corridor to the classroom. When I saw the door, I opened it to lean against the frame as I observed one of my father's best friends, nay his brothers set up for the lesson of today.
3rd POV
Selena watched from her position for another 5 minutes before announcing "Why, hello there, Uncle Remus. It's been awhile, hasn't it? What's it been; 12, 13 years?"
This caused Remus to startle and spin around quickly to see her push off and prowl towards him like a wolf stalking prey. Remus examined her facial features when shock struck him at the eyes and smirk. 'I know that smirk anywhere and those eyes are unmistakable!' he thought as he spoke "Selena Black, my you look like both your father and mother."
Selena came closer and smirked broader until she was standing in front of the first row of desks in front of him. "Why thank you. Dad says I look more like mum, but everyone else says dad won out on the genes. Though you wouldn't know, would you? Not one visit, has there?"
Remus could tell that she was serious by the look in her eyes and the set of her lips. 'Just like Sirius' crossed his mind as he grew nervous. "I wanted to my dear, really I did. But they wouldn't let me." he tried to reason with the young Black.
"No you didn't because if you did, you would have tried harder! Tried harder to see us, to prove dad's innocence! But you didn't! you didn't stand by him in his hour of need! I could have been at home all this time and not in that prison cell!"
Selena was huffing and panting by the time she finished, rendering the werewolf speechless. "He was their keeper and he told him." The whisper of desperation passed through his lips as he witnessed the unshed tears in her eyes.
"No, you forgot. You turned your back and forgot about us, Uncle Moony. That is a true crime than what was accused of. I lost mum, I lost Uncle Prongs, Uncle Regulus, Aunt Lily, and you. All I've ever had was dad and even then I don't know when I'll lose him. I thought you loved him, but now I know it was all a sham." she whispered, feeling all her emotions leave her body, only thing left was numbness.
"I did love him, and I still do. There's not a day goes by that I don't miss them." he concluded before students starting filing in.
Harry's POV
Ron and I walked into DADA to see a wardrobe standing in the front of the class. Most of the desk were already full besides the ones around Selena, who was near the front with a far-off look on her face. 'Wonder what happened?' I thought as we took our seats. Soon Professor Lupin came down and started "Afternoon class, you can put away your books. You won't be needing them today, now everyone up to the front." Everyone put their books back in their bags and formed a group in the front. The wardrobe started to shake more violently as we approached it.
"intriguing isn't it, now can anyone tell me what that is?" Professor Lupin asked us, which was immediately answered by Dean Thomas "That's a boggart, that is."
Another question was asked "Very good Mr. Thomas. Now can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?"
"No one knows." came Hermione's voice, causing both Ron and I to jump scared. "When she get in?" Ron exasperated, clutching his chest while I was trying to get my heartrate back to normal.
"Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take the shape one fears the most, that's what makes them so..."
"So terrifying, yes. Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart. Let's practice it, without wands. Repeat after me, ridiculous." Professor Lupin enunciated as re-dik-cu-los. Everyone repeated with Malfoy making the comment "This class is ridiculous." under his breath, followed by a swat on the arm from his cousin. I scoffed at the interaction going on behind me when Neville was picked to be the first volunteer.
Professor Lupin answer about his worst fear and explained what to do to make it funny. The door opened to Professor Snape skulking towards him when Neville did the spell to have him wearing old woman's clothing. Everyone was laughing and formed a line when music started to play.
Ron was first and it changed into a giant Black Widow spider. "Wand at the ready Ron, wand at the ready." The professor encouraged, lead Ron to put roller-skates on it. Everyone laughed and I gave Ron a congratulated high-five when the professor called up Parvarti next, which was a cobra that turned into a large jack-in-the-box clown. A few more went, including Selena which was an ominous, black, shrouding fog that was turned into a bunch of fairy lights and dust.
It was my turn and everyone was having a ball, until my boggart showed as a dementor. Time seemed to have slowed down when Professor Lupin jumped in front of me, shielding me from its sight. Unbeknownst to me, that Selena moved up towards me when it became a dementor. Now that Professor Lupin was standing in front, the boggart shifted into the full moon. 'That's a strange fear…' I thought as he did the spell and turned it into a deflating white balloon.
After it flew into the wardrobe in took residence in, he tiredly ended the lesson for the day and I left slightly unnerved. Before I made it five feet from the door into the corridor, I heard someone calling my name. I turned, which in turn caused Ron to turn as well and Hermione to look over her shoulder for all of us to see Selena trying to catch up to us in the flow of students; Malfoy and his gang waiting patiently behind for her.
"Harry…" she puffed out winded, a bit of flushed cheeks coloring her face to give some more color to her light olive complexion. "Are you alright?" she questioned, her eyes examining me head to toe and tugging me a little closer to her person.
"Uuhhh… yeah, I'm fine. Just a little shaken is all." I replied, not understanding why she was talking to me, but strangely satisfied with the attention she was giving me. "Just wanted to make sure that you were okay. I know what terrors those things can make people feel. If you ever need help or to talk about it, I'm here to help."
She assured me, looking me straight in the eyes until the end to look down blushing. She let go of my hand which I didn't even know she grabbed, said bye to Hermione while nodding to Ron before returning to her cousin for a second before leaving the corridor.
I was in shock by what just happened that I didn't see Malfoy marching my way until he pushed me towards the wall. "Keep away from my cousin Potter, she has enough troubles already." He warned before leaving as well.
"What just happened?" I asked, my brain still trying to comprehend the following situations that just occurred. "Selena Black just talked to you and Malfoy threatened you to stay away." Ron breathed out, also in shock.
Hermione on the other hand was smirking at us before stating "See, I told you she was nice." Before leaving for her next class.
Classes went on without much of an incidence, Quidditch season had started and the first game against Slytherin went off without a hitch. Gryffindor won and October rolled in with the holidays soon coming up. The weather turned cold and icy with chilly winds that threatened snow. The first Hogsmeade weekend came up and I still didn't have my form signed. I tried to get McGonagall to sign it, but it was a no go; so I stood there on the steps to see off Ron and Hermione while seeing Selena in the crowd as well.
While everyone was enjoying themselves at Hogsmeade, I spent it talking to Lupin about class and my mother Lily. Later on, everyone of third year and up returned from the village. "There's Honeyduke's sweet shop, but nothing beats Zonko's joke shop. Did you know that the Shrieking Shack is the…"
"The most haunted building in Britain, I know." I finished Ron's statement as he and Hermione recapped their trip on the way to the common room. As we approached, a large population of Gryffindor were standing in form of the entryway.
"What's going on?" I questioned, trying to see what's causing the traffic jam. "Probably Neville forgot the password again." Responded Ron in a low voice, followed my Neville's protest who was behind us.
Percy Weasley, head boy and the Weasley's oldest school-age son pushed through the crowd. Ginny emerged from the gold and scarlet crowd to exclaim "The fat lady, she's gone!" Everything went into an uproar, paintings and students yelling and rushing to see the damage before Dumbledore and Filch arrived.
Dumbledore cautiously stepped up to the painting, shocked by the long diagonal cuts that tore the canvas apart. "Mr. Filch, round up the ghost. Have them search every part of the castle to find the fat lady." Dumbledore concluded his observation of damage done.
"There will be no need for ghost, headmaster. The fat lady be right there." Filch pointed out to a close side wall that lead to all of us running to see. We stopped in front of a medium-sized painting of the Serengeti with a hippo grazing up front and the distressed fat lady hiding behind its rotund body. "My dear lady, who did this to you?" gently probed Dumbledore, still shocked by what occurred in his castle.
She was almost inconsolable when she resurfaced from behind the animal, looking about as if waiting for another attack. "Eyes like the devil's, he's got. Not a soul utters his name. It's him headmaster, the one they all job about; he's here! Somewhere in the castle, Sirius Black!" she sobbed before pointing out Selena and exclaiming "The devil's incarnate! She of his spawn looks just like him!"
Everyone was shocked by the accusation towards the girl, especially since she turned sheet-white by it. "Secure the castle Mr. Filch and the rest of you, to the Great Hall!" he commanded before swiftly traveling down the staircase, probably to alert the other teachers. While everyone was heading towards the designated place, I caught Selena stop before the portal hole and run her fingers along the rips like Dumbledore had previously done; an expression of remorse lighting her eyes, causing them to cloud into a storm gray.
3rd POV
All students were gathered in the Great Hall, the house tables pushed up against the walls. Teachers were assigned sections of the castle to look for the prison escapee. Everyone was given a sleeping bag of their house colors and told to pick a spot in their house's designated area. Selena was gathered up in Draco's arms as soon as she walked through the doors, be checked over for any signs of change. After reassuring her older cousin of her positive, yet shaken health; returned back to the Gryffindor area to grab a bag and be flagged by Hermione to sleep near her.
As the night progressed, Harry Potter for the life of him couldn't fall asleep. Teachers and Dumbledore were taking watch duty; Filch reported that the Owlery was clear, Flitwick cleared the third floor and Snape scouring the dungeons to have them clear. "We don't know how he got in sir, so there must be someone helping him inside the castle." Snape suspected to the headmaster which he put down the theory. They discussed if they should warn Harry, unknowing that he was awake to hear the whole conversation.
Harry was awake for a little while longer, taking a glance over at the youngest Black to see that she was in a blissful slumber. 'It's probably gonna get tougher here on out for her…' was the last thought going through his head before unconsciousness took over in the state of dreams.