Greg McMahon strolled across the Hogwarts grounds one late Saturday afternoon, making his way toward the Quidditch Pitch. The weather was warm and sunny, and he eagerly anticipated mounting his broom to embrace the gentle caress of the May breeze. As he contemplated taking a shortcut around the Greenhouses, he spotted a familiar figure ascending the hill, carrying something.
"Would you finally share some of these infamous baked goodies of yours with your big brother?" – he asked with a grin.
"Shout louder, they haven't heard you in the Borealis' castle!" – she retorted with a sour expression, balancing the huge tray laden with muffins.
"There's nobody around, don't get paranoid." – Greg smiled amicably – "Everybody's busy studying with the end-of-the-year exams just around the corner."
"Are the fourth-years having flying exams this year?" – Catherine inquired with a sarcastic smile, glancing at her brother's Cleansweep Six.
"Winning the Quidditch Cup is also important!" – the boy replied, adding – "Perhaps you'd like to join me and help me with the training? It's hard to do it alone when you're a Keeper!"
"As you said, there's a lot of revision to be done…" – the young witch attempted to find an excuse.
"Ah, yes, they say the cooking exams are the hardest during the third year at Hogwarts!" – Greg chuckled, winking at his sister – "Come on, Flame! You spend all your time with your friends. I don't ask for much, do I?"
"Fine! Don't look at me with these sad puppy eyes. They don't work on me." – she agreed with a sigh – "But I don't have a broom."
"You can use one of the school brooms." – suggested the wizard – "They're not the fastest, but they should be serviceable for trying to score a few goals."
"Trying?" – Catherine raised an eyebrow as they headed together towards the Quidditch Pitch – "If I'm doing this, I'm not just trying to score, I'll actually do it."
"I'm pretty good though." – the Gryffindor Keeper grinned, earning a scoff from his sister.
After fifteen minutes, the two teenagers were airborne, Catherine clutching the Quaffle and revelling in the sense of freedom. They practiced for a solid hour, and despite Greg's undeniable skills, he was caught off guard several times by his sister, who managed to score at least five goals.
"You're so reckless on that broom." – the wizard commented as they touched down on the fresh grass – "Have you been flying around with Black? You have similar styles."
"No. I try not to fly with the boys too often. After all, I supposedly never saw a broom before coming to school." – shrugged the girl.
"It bothers you, doesn't it? Lying to them about who you are?" – asked Greg, tossing the broom to the ground and taking a seat next to it, gazing up at the cloudless sky.
"Quite a lot recently." – admitted Catherine, settling beside her brother - "It's not even about the name or the title… it's more about the other thing."
Greg glanced at his sister, who was staring at the ground and threw his arm around her shoulders, planting a quick kiss on her currently very short black hair, styled in a pixie cut. He knew from past experience that the only way he could touch her without risking an injury was to do it when she felt vulnerable.
"I don't know what's gonna happen in the future, but I'm certain you can't get rid of those twerps you constantly hang out with. For my utter misfortune, no demon would be able to chase them away." – the wizard said with a slight smirk.
Catherine smiled appreciatively, leaning against her brother, soothed by the familiar scent of his magic. "I hope you're correct. Although, even if they won't be scared off by the demon, they might run away once they meet Mom."
"This is the real risk." – chuckled the boy.
"Can you believe she apparently sent three howlers to Dumbledore regarding the incident with my hair?" – the witch asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"I have no issues believing it whatsoever! She was absolutely enraged!" – laughed Greg, regretting that he couldn't tell Catherine that no matter how upset Louisa McMahon had been with Dumbledore, it didn't even come close to how furious she was at Marquess Carsilion Egbert. The latter made the ill-advised decision to visit for dinner during the Easter holidays. While Carsilion was certainly a remarkable duellist, he wasn't exactly prepared for the raw power of his best friend's wife, who appeared adamant to give him the same haircut as her daughter's. It took the house-elves hours to repair all the damage, and Edward, who had to intervene, was sent to sleep in another room for a week.
"Summer vacation will be a blast!" – scoffed Catherine sarcastically.
"There's a lot of events on the social calendar." – sighed Greg without much enthusiasm – "So, the house's going to be at your disposal. I hope you won't raid Dad's wine cellar, through?"
"If you're trying to ask what I needed the wine bottle for, that was a pretty lame attempt." – smirked the girl.
"Well, considering I was the one who got it for you, it's normal to be curious." – smiled the wizard.
"Would you tell me how you got it then?" – asked the young witch.
"Never mind." – the fourth-year said, pursing his full lips.
"Don't sulk!" – giggled Catherine, jumping to her feet and swiftly walking to the nearby stands where they had left their stuff – "Here, have a muffin!"
"Thanks!" – grinned Greg, catching the chocolate and maraschino delight and eating it in one bite.
"All those lessons on table etiquette for nothing." – commented the girl, a bit shocked by her brother's unusual lack of manners.
"You never offer me anything you bake, not even at home!" – retorted the boy with all the dignity he could muster with a full mouth.
"Hardly a reason to choke." – Catherine said, rolling her eyes.
"It was worth the risk!" – laughed her brother, licking his fingers clean.
"I do hope they won't serve muffins at those parties you're going to attend in the summer." – the witch shook her head.
"I doubt it. The food usually consists of some unpronounceable expensive dishes that just taste like confusion." – Greg replied, rising to his feet - "Carsilion's absolutely right: skip the food and go straight to the drinks! The time will pass more quickly. Too bad I'm not old enough."
"Carsilion Egbert? Dad's best friend?" – asked Catherine, intrigued. She had grown up with stories about the Marquess but had never even seen a picture of him. It was as if he were a constant, invisible presence in their home and the girl often felt angry at her parents for accepting this faceless man as part of their family while keeping her hidden. From her current position, however, Catherine actually felt sorry for her father, realising that she, too, was keeping a huge secret from her closest friends and was terrified of their reaction if they ever found out.
"Um, yes." – Greg nodded, mentally kicking himself for bringing up Carsilion in the conversation. It was dangerous territory, and he wanted to change the topic without raising suspicion.
"What's he like?" – the girl suddenly asked, catching her brother off guard.
"Oh, well, he's, you know… pretty standard guy, I mean, a bit stuck-up, sarcastic, arrogant, with everyone except Dad. He likes expensive, elegant things and flirts with everything that moves. There are plenty of people like him at those parties."
"Hah, sounds like Carter Thorne would fit perfectly there then, if he ever gets the chance to make an impression on Borealis." – Catherine scoffed – "Have you talked with Dad about what I told you?"
"Yes, I did." – Greg answered quickly, hiding his hands in his pockets, hoping the young witch wouldn't notice them shaking – "Dad checked him thoroughly, and there is no indication of any existing connection with aristocrats. That doesn't mean he wouldn't try to catch their attention, like many others. Therefore, you should be careful around him, but there's no reason to freak out."
"You say that, but he's been awfully interested in me since my first day at Hogwarts." – the girl responded with a scowl – "Plus, he's an Air Mage. I can't understand his behaviour one bit. You should have heard how he spoke about Borealis, like he was the most amazing person who had ever walked this Earth!"
"I understand your worries, sis, but think that if he knew or suspected who you were, he would have run to Adrian that very moment, and I assure you that for this, he would have listened! Things would have escalated in the matter of hours!" – Greg attempted to reassure his sister, cursing their terrible luck. Obviously, they knew House Borealis' family home was not very far from Hogsmeade, but the possibility of any of them encountering Hogwarts' students or Catherine in particular was extremely low. Carsilion had acted upon instinct, and considering the little time he had to react, he did his best. Unfortunately, now he was back to being on the top of Catherine's enemies list, and that appeared to bother the teacher who was very unhappy while explaining to Greg and Edward what had happened in the village. What they all agreed on, however, was that whenever the girl was at Hogsmeade, she needed to be under supervision. Professor Carter Thorne needed to keep her on high-alert to avoid any unintentional slip-ups, and if they were ever to encounter another aristocrat, Greg should make sure to steal all the attention.
The young witch nodded and stared at the ground. Greg, realising how stressful this situation was for his sister, felt guilty he couldn't alleviate some of her worries, especially those connected to Carter Thorne. Utterly helpless, he just patted the girl on the back and smiled encouragingly.
"Relax a bit, Flame! You're not alone in this! We're here for you and you're protected more than you know."
"What's that supposed to mean?" – asked Catherine, her green eyes piercing her brother who swallowed hard.
"I mean that Dad and Dumbledore took a lot of precautions to keep you safe and hidden at Hogwarts, and I'm here too if you need me. Plus, the castle itself is protecting us." – he said cheerfully – "Oh, by the way, remember the weird thing with the portraits? I think I found out what it was."
"Really?" – the third-year exclaimed surprised.
"Yup!" – answered the boy confidently – "It turned out that when our ancestors were building the castle, Helga Hufflepuff oversaw all the decoration, furnishing, and, in general, the transformation of Hogwarts into a home. You probably know she was the one who brought all the house-elves into the Kitchens. Our house-elves at home are direct descendants of those. Anyway, apparently, she also enchanted the portraits, and they recognise her as the landlady of the castle. That's why we, as her direct descendants, can order them, and they can't disobey us. It's similar to the power the Headmaster has over them, but in that case, he uses it based on the position he occupies; we have it because of our blood."
"Fascinating!" – gasped Catherine wide-eyed – "Are you sure about this?"
"Yeah, I asked Dad, and he also showed me some texts on that." – nodded Greg – "Mystery solved!"
"Indeed." – agreed the girl, gathered her tray of muffins, already contemplating how she could best utilise her unexpected ability stemming from her relation to Hufflepuff – "Anyway, I need to go. See you around, big brother."
Greg watched as his sister swiftly strode toward the castle. He sighed, contemplating how different everything could have been if they didn't need to conceal their relationship or her true name. Exhausted by the weight of the numerous secrets he needed to balance, he reached down and plucked a stem of Bluebells growing at the entrance of the Quidditch Pitch. The flower briefly glowed before fading away. Enjoying the sea breeze and salty scent that brought him calm and tranquillity, Greg reflected on the challenges of using Flower Magic without proper education on the matter. He kept this ability to himself, seeing no value in sharing it. His grandfather, upon discovering Greg was inclined to water, dismissed him, unable to fathom that he could have inherited his rare gift.
Recognising his limited grasp of the magic, the young wizard was aware that he could achieve little by mere guesswork. Through trial and error, he had discovered a few tricks, such as creating a calming effect using Bluebells to evoke pleasant memories. However, these simple achievements paled in comparison to the intricate mastery displayed by Florian Plantier, who could seamlessly blend different plant combinations to craft elaborate illusions. Greg recalled how his grandfather used at least twenty different flowers to disguise Catherine's presence while they traversed the streets of London. Consequently, to anyone but their family, she appeared as a young blond boy.
'It's still an illusion at the end of the day.' – thought the heir of the McMahon family, stepping out of the brief moment of relaxation and opening the heavy oak doors of Hogwarts.
The week before the last Quidditch match of the season, between Gryffindor and Slytherin, started with a lot of tension. The games between the two rival Houses had always been competitive, mobilising all their members and often accompanied by many heated exchanges and even occasional accidents. The players of both teams were particularly endangered, therefore they were constantly escorted by a loud crowd of housemates who felt responsible for their safety.
This routine was getting on Sirius' nerves. While James appeared to love the attention, the grey-eyed boy was tired of all the chatter, especially by the girls who preferred to gravitate around him and also expected the young wizard to hold his end of the conversation. The worst part was that Moony wasn't able to stand all that noise, and he decided to take alternative routes to their classes, followed by Flame, who was also not happy with all the extra interest surrounding their group.
On Monday, the youngest of the Gryffindor's Chasers sighed heavily while piling scrambled eggs on his plate. Five more days, and they were going to win the Quidditch Cup, have the wildest party of all times, and return to normal, the five of them together all the time. He quickly glanced at Remus and Catherine, who were laughing together at something, and he couldn't help but smile. He liked when she was laughing wholeheartedly. Her laughter sounded like a bubbling brook – light and refreshing, her jade-green eyes were sparkling, and her cheeks flushed.
At that moment, the mail arrived in a flurry of screeches and feathers, dropping letters and packages above the heads of the students. A big black Eagle owl landed in front of Sirius and proudly extended its leg so the boy could retrieve the parchment tied there.
My dear cousin,
I write to you with a heavy heart. Last week, Ted and I decided to run away and marry in a little chapel just on the outskirts of Bath. As you can probably guess yourself, my parents did not react well to the news. I've been disowned and am no longer considered part of the Black's family tree. You'll always remain my favourite little cousin, but I believe it's for the best if you don't contact me for the time being as to avoid tension with Aunt and Uncle.
Don't worry about me. I've never been happier! The only thing I regret is that Bella and Cissy followed the sentiments of Mom and Dad and decided to have nothing to do with me in the future.
Stay true to yourself and stick up to your beliefs! I look forward to seeing you again and introducing you to a certain someone who will soon be part of Ted's and my life!
Hugs and kisses,
Andromeda
"Are you alright, mate?" – asked James, his mouth full of porridge, as he noticed Sirius' pale face and trembling fists.
"No, I'm not! I'm sick of being part of this so-called family!" – he hissed angrily – "I can't stand them anymore! I don't want to look at them, I don't want to hear about them, I don't even want to think about them!"
"What's going on?" – Catherine inquired, her attention drawn by her friend's laud voice.
"What's going on is that I've lost yet another family member who refused to marry 'right'!" – shouted the boy, jumping to his feet. His eyes dashed across the Great Hall, stopping at the tall, black-haired Slytherin fourth-year girl who was just leaving through the door.
"Bella!" – Sirius yelled, darting after his cousin.
By the time the young wizard managed to catch up with his relative, she was already climbing down the stairs towards her Dungeons. Sirius angrily grabbed her sleeve, forcing her to turn around. Bellatrix Black stood roughly the same height as him, her thick, shiny hair cascading down to her waist and contrasting with the fair tone of her skin. The witch regarded the Gryffindor through her long eyelashes, her dark, heavily lidded eyes brimming with disdain and mockery, as her thin lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
"What is it, pup? I'm surprised your bald Mudblood had let you run free, considering the short leash she usually holds you on." – the girl said, chuckling.
"There's no point trying to anger me, I'm already pissed off!" – Sirius shouted, clenching tightly the wand within his pocket – "I knew you were an arrogant, petty, greedy cunt, but at least I thought you cared about your own family!"
"If you're referring to that person and her decision to betray her own blood, I don't see how I owe her anything but spitting on her if I ever see her again!" – declared Bellatrix, lifting her chin definitely, breaking free from Sirius's grasp and striding towards the Slytherin Common Room.
But the boy refused to let the matter drop. He followed the witch, blocking her path in the corridor and compelling her to halt once more.
"I'm not done talking!" – he growled, his grey eyes ablaze with frustration and rebellion – "What is your damn problem, Bellatrix?! Andromeda is your sister! We grew up together! She read us 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune' and 'Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump'! When you fell from your toy broom and hurt your knee, she healed you and didn't tell your parents a thing! How could you be so cruel? Why does it matter who your sister loves?"
"Mighty Salazar! Being sorted into Gryffindor does turn your brain into mush!" – the girl giggled, the sound devoid of empathy, dismissing the young wizard's arguments – "If you're so attached to that ungrateful trollop, go live with her and her Mudblood chav! You can babysit that bastard that's she is about to spawn! This way, Aunt Walburga will finally move past her disappointment in you. She was bedridden for days after I informed her about the company you keep at school. Fortunately, Regulus has proven to be on the right path."
Sirius gritted his teeth, battling the urge to hex Bella. He hadn't known what to expect when he followed her, but he had hoped—against hope—that she couldn't be so heartless toward her own sister. While he had anticipated her disdain for Ted Tonks, he refused to believe that her hatred extended to their unborn child. The revulsion he felt toward his own relatives left him feeling nauseated, especially knowing they shared the same name.
The clicking of high heels echoed down the corridor, drawing both students' attention to Narcissa slowly approaching. Her long blonde hair gleamed in the candlelight as Lucius Malfoy, as always, accompanied her, his arm possessively wrapped around her slender waist. His steely gaze fell upon the two cousins, and he raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Do you need assistance, Bella?" – he inquired with a sly smile, giving Sirius a once-over.
"No, Lucius." – Bellatrix shook her head – "We were just discussing some family-related questions, but it seems we've reached an impasse."
"Are you giving up on your sister as well?" – Sirius asked Narcissa, who remained tight-lipped in response.
"She's no longer our sister! Is that so difficult to grasp?!" – Bella erupted in anger – "Cissy is a good girl! She knows what's expected of her and how to uphold the Black name with pride!"
"Indeed, she is!" – Malfoy praised his girlfriend, his smile carrying a sinister edge as he drew Narcissa even closer.
"Is that it?" – Sirius demanded, completely repulsed by the view in front of his eyes – "You're content with fulfilling your purpose and becoming some Pure-blood's scrubber and you don't care about Andromeda anymore?"
"Be very careful how you use that tongue of yours, Black, or you may lose it!" – Lucius warned him with a grave tone, removing his hand from Narcissa and drawing his wand. Sirius mirrored his actions, standing ready to fight them all if he needed.
Suddenly, someone jumped in front of him, and the Gryffindor boy realised it was Catherine who had her wand now pointed directly at Malfoy. The Head Boy's expression flickered momentarily before a smirk danced across his lips.
"Always one for action, aren't you, Little Bird?" – he remarked, advancing until the tip of Catherine's wand pressed against his chest – "Are you really going to hex me?"
"Don't worry, Malfoy, there are plenty of us here who would gladly hex you!" – James interjected sternly, flanked by Remus and Peter as they emerged behind the Slytherins.
"This is enough!" – Narcissa's cold voice echoed through the corridor. She was holding her head high, and her blue eyes were shimmering with contempt as she looked at Catherine and Sirius – "This is a private matter of the Black family, and I would not have it discussed in front of Mudbloods and blood traitors! Regardless of how you feel about it, cousin, there are transgressions we cannot overlook. Our honour and purity take precedence over any past attachments. Either accept this reality or remove yourself from our family tree. You're already heading in that direction!"
The blond witch scoffed as she glanced at Catherine with a mixture of disgust and superiority and departed, trailed by Lucius and Bellatrix.
"What possessed you to go straight into the snake's den?" – James groaned, joining his best friend.
"I don't know, mate, I just needed to try one last time." – the boy replied flatly – "Thanks for having my back!"
"We barely made it in time." – noted Catherine, stowing her wand back in her pocket – "Be cautious. I didn't like the way Malfoy was looking at you."
"And I liked even less how he looked at you, Flame!" – Sirius retorted angrily – "You know what? I've had enough of cowering before my family. I won't stand by while they malign Andromeda! I wasn't able to protect her from all the harm she suffered at the hands of her mother and father, however, I'll be damned if I allow her own sisters to trash her name!"
"How do you plan to stop them?" – asked James sympathetically.
"By fighting fire with fire!" – declared the grey-eyed boy decisively – "They keep accusing me of not being worthy of the Black's name. Then, I'll do exactly what our family is best at doing – playing dirty until we get what we want!"
'I have a bad feeling about this.' – thought Catherine as she noticed the devilish smile on her friend's handsome face.
On Tuesday morning, Catherine understood exactly what Sirius had meant by playing 'dirty'. The Gryffindor team had practice before breakfast and arrived at the Great Hall hungry but in high spirits. The third-years had a double Transfiguration class before lunch. As they headed towards the first floor, screams erupted from the Entrance Hall. From her vantage point on the top landing of the Grand Staircase, Catherine cast a curious glance below and saw Bella and Cissy Black drenched in mud, which dripped into puddles from their hair and clothes.
A barrage of what appeared to be mudballs flew through the open oak door, striking the two Slytherin girls hard and eliciting more screams. Bellatrix drew her wand but seemed clueless about the source of the attack and how to counter it.
"What did you do?" – Catherine whispered to Sirius, who stood next to her, a triumphant smile playing on his lips.
"I took inspiration from your snowball spell and tweaked the formula a bit!" – he sneered with satisfaction – "They always act so terrified of getting dirty and strive to preserve their purity. I thought it was high time to show them there's nothing frightening about a bit of mud. Consider it therapy!"
The young witch somehow doubted Sirius' cousins would interpret this attack in such a positive light. Yet, she couldn't help but be impressed by how skilfully her friend had devised and executed the plan. He must have enchanted the mudballs before coming to breakfast. Naturally, they couldn't have entered the castle unless someone opened the door, providing Sirius with a perfect alibi, since he was with all his classmates when the mudballs began mercilessly pelting the Black sisters.
While Sirius believed he had the upper hand and that his "warning" would deter Bella and Cissy from escalating their conflict, Wednesday's Care of Magical Creatures class proved him wrong. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were revising how to care for Flobberworms when a sudden, dangerous incident occurred. The pen door of the enclosure housing the Hippogriffs burst open, and a loud noise sent the creatures stampeding from their quarters. Sirius, standing near the fence, threw himself to the ground to dodge the charging beasts and was trampled, sustaining kicks from several hooves. James and a few other students were also slightly injured, ensuring a busy afternoon for Madame Pomfrey.
"I think we all know this was not an accident." – Sirius declared angrily that evening, as they were all seated in their favourite spot in the Common Room. The young wizard had no injuries left but due to the big number of spells that had to be applied to mend his skin and a few bones, he was having a terrible itchy rash, which was driving him insane – "I can't wait for the Quidditch final to be over! While I don't shy away from putting Slytherins in their place it's exhausting always having to watch your back!"
"Do you really think today's chaos was just about Quidditch rivalry?" – asked Catherine flatly. She, herself, was able to avoid any harm by swiftly climbing a nearby birch tree to escape the agitated Hippogriffs.
"Of course! What else could it be?" – scoffed Sirius sarcastically.
"Um…Sirius…" – Peter interjected reluctantly – "I think I've seen something that I don't know how to tell you!"
"Just spit it out!" – snapped the young wizard, frustrated by his friend's hesitance.
"While the Hippogriffs were rampaging and Professor Kettleburn was trying to calm them, I saw someone sneaking back towards the castle."
"You did?" – asked Sirius, surprised – "Who was it?"
"Your brother." – the chubby blond boy admitted reluctantly.
"Regulus?! That bloody knobhead!" – yelled the grey-eyed teenager as he slammed his fist on the table – "So they think they can outsmart me! Alright then! The game is on!"
"Sirius, maybe that's enough?" – Catherine suggested cautiously – "This is getting out of hand pretty quickly!"
"It's just the beginning!" – sneered the young wizard, leaping to his feet – "I know you don't understand me but when you come from a messed-up family like mine, leaves no room for showing weakness—or you're finished."
Catherine let out a heavy sigh and also stood up. She rested her head on Sirius' shoulder and gently slipped her hand into his, prompting him to look at her with surprise. "Just be careful, okay?" – she whispered."
"I promise!" – he smiled affectionately at the young witch.
Unfortunately, that promise proved hollow. Sirius, seemingly spurred by Catherine's recent confrontation with Snape, abandoned the subtlety of spells as he strode decisively to the Slytherin table the following day and landed several solid punches on Regulus Black before Slytherins and alarmed teachers intervened.
This brazen approach yielded the desired effect of humiliation, provoking a swift and brutal retaliation aimed at inflicting maximum pain on Sirius. On Friday, Catherine Plantier missed her Defence Against the Dark Arts class after Bellatrix Black cast a Leg-Locker Curse on her while she ascended a staircase, causing a heavy fall accompanied by the panicked cries of her friends who failed to catch her in time.
Hours later, with a mended wrist and a plate of eclairs, Catherine sat in the near-empty Common Room, nestled beside Remus as they gazed at the stars through the window.
"I have a bad feeling about tomorrow, Moony." – she murmured drowsily.
"So do I." – Lupin replied with a furrowed brow – "Sirius wore this very determined expression which I don't like one bit. It always leads to a disaster."
"I warned him, didn't I?" – the girl lamented, stifling a yawn – "His life would have been so much easier if he listened to me more often."
"Perhaps that applied to all of us." – Remus mused, a playful smile tugging at his lips – "But you know how he becomes when it involves his family. Rationality gives way to emotion and old wounds."
"You're right." – the witch conceded thoughtfully – "And I can relate. Let's just hope maintain composure until the end of the match."
Regrettably, Catherine's hopes were shattered with a literal explosion. Saturday morning saw the entire school spilling out of the castle and into the Quidditch stands. Swathes of students, bedecked in vibrant red and gold for Gryffindor, or green and silver for Slytherin, brandished banners and placards, blew whistles, and chanted fervently in support of their respective teams. While Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs traditionally sided with Gryffindor, Slytherins remained self-assured, seeing themselves as the top contenders.
Catherine and Remus had chosen to avoid sitting close to the cheering squad, despite Peter's disappointment. Instead, they opted for two seats right next to the tunnel through which the players entered the field.
"We can wish them good luck just before they start!" – the young witch exclaimed eagerly, clapping her hands with anticipation.
At that moment, a loud bang shook them all, and screams erupted from everywhere, mingling with heavy smoke billowing out of the Gryffindor Changing Room.
"What in Merlin's name just happened?" – Remus shouted over the chaos.
"I don't know, but I need to make sure they're okay!" – yelled the girl, leaping from her seat and weaving through the panicked crowd of students.
"Flame! Wait! Don't go!" – Moony called after her, attempting to follow. However, amidst the confusion and rush toward the exit, he lost sight of her.
The girl began coughing as she entered the tunnel, heading toward the source of the commotion. She could make out dim silhouettes ahead when a bright stream of light narrowly missed her left ear.
"Sirius! Are you alright, mate? What's happening there?!" – James' muffed voiced came from behind the barricaded Changing Room door, which was partially obscured by debris from the explosion.
"Protego!" – Sirius's voice echoed from somewhere to the left – "These idiots blew up the whole tunnel! Are you hurt, James?"
"Nothing major!" – answered his friend – "We'll come help you! Stay away from the door!"
"Don't do it!" – screamed Catherine, who had swiftly assessed the situation – "The construction won't be able to handle another blast! Stay there, James!"
At that moment, a hex landed at the young witch's feet, forcing her to step back immediately.
"It seems we're going to hit two birds with one stone!" – laughed Bellatrix, emerging from the smoke, wand at hand, pointed at Catherine. Narcissa appeared just behind her, also ready to fight – "You'll learn not to mess up with the House of Black!"
"Apparently, you also need to learn that!" – yelled Sirius, jumping in front of Catherine, blood streaming down his face from beneath his hair – "I'm not going to allow you to lay a finger on her!"
"And how are you going to stop us, cousin?" – chuckled Bella – "We already took out the whole Gryffindor team, and we're three, while you are one and a half if counting that Mudblood!"
"Well…" – Sirius said with a cold smile – "At least in that regard, we're kind of equal."
"What is that supposed to mean?" – the back-haired witch asked grumpily.
A fresh wave of screams came from the outside, followed by the sound of people running and spells being cast.
"I would say that the Slytherin team has also been naturalised." – sneered Sirius – "Who would have thought that a bag of Doxies could cause equal harm to triple Bombardment Spell? And considering Flame is stronger than Cissy and my little brother combined, I think you would choke on your words, cousin!"
"Confringo!" – yelled Bellatrix, beyond herself with rage.
"Locomotor Wibbly!"- Narcissa followed suit.
"Flexifortis!" – shouted Catherine.
"Speculo!"- Sirius cast a Reflection Spell.
The two curses of the Black sisters collided with the barrier created by Sirius and Catherine, merging into a single stream of orange light that got redirected and struck the surprised Regulus as he emerged from the smoke. The boy screamed and crumpled to the ground, his leg now bleeding profusely. Yet, the conflict raged on. Undeterred, the four teenagers raised their wands once more.
"Go for Cissy, I'll handle Bella!" – Sirius hissed at Catherine.
"Hurlement Sonique!"
A brief flicker of blue light danced between the duelling students before erupting into a thunderous boom, the noise being so strong it hurled them all away.
"What do you think you're doing?" – the angry voice of Lucius Malfoy pierced through the chaos, reaching the green-eyed girl as she struggled to rise to her feet. She glanced at Cissy, who looked terrified and visibly shaken, staring at what Catherine presumed was Lucius' face somewhere behind the Gryffindors. Bella's expression mirrored Sirius', showing no signs of remorse.
An abrupt, powerful gust of wind swept away the remaining smoke. Catherine felt an eerie sensation, like chills running down her limbs. She no longer needed to turn around; she was certain the teachers had arrived shortly after Malfoy.
"Why is it always you?" – the weary voice of Professor Thorne resonated, though he didn't spare her a glance as he and Dumbledore passed by, focusing on freeing the Gryffindors from the Changing Room.
"Miss Black…but why?" – Professor Slughorn asked desperately, appearing on the verge of tears.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall was shouting at Sirius, occasionally casting angry looks at Catherine, apparently uncertain of her level of involvement in the incident. Feeling utterly out of place, the young witch moved a bit back and noticed Regulus Black still on the ground, clearly in a great deal of pain, holding his leg and biting his lip. Something in his expression reminded the girl so much of Sirius that she felt his suffering almost physically. Kneeling beside the Slytherin, she extended her hands over the wound and concentrated. A blue light enveloped the gash, and Regulus' breathing became less erratic. Yet, the pain persisted, evident in his involuntary groans.
"Shut up, or I might change my mind!" the witch hissed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. In what felt like hours but was, in reality, only around two minutes, the wounds vanished completely, and the pain subsided. Catherine sighed with relief and rose to her feet, swaying with exhaustion. Leaning against the nearest wall, she witnessed Dumbledore and Thorne escorting the Gryffindor team out of the Changing Room and toward the exit.
The Headmaster briefly glanced at Regulus on the ground, then met his student's green eyes with a smile and nod of satisfaction.
'Well, at least I accomplished something this year!' – the girl thought, observing McGonagall and Slughorn leading the Black family out, with the Head of Gryffindor still reprimanding Sirius.
"Miss Plantier, return to your Common Room! The Headmaster will make an announcement later on!" – McGonagall instructed, turning toward Catherine as she finally remembered her other student – "Don't wait for Mister Black, he has a lot of explaining to do!"
Catherine nodded and closed her eyes for a second. Healing another person evidently took a toll on her. She began to move slowly toward the exit, but dizziness overcame her, and she took a step back, bumping into the solid chest of someone. The intoxicating scent of amber and leather filled her senses, and she realised she was alone with the only wizard she genuinely feared.
"I'm sorry you got dragged into this, Little Bird." – Lucius Malfoy said apologetically – "I warned Narcissa to make sure, you were not involved in whatever they planned for Sirius Black. I assure you that she's going to pay for disobeying me."
Summoning all her courage, Catherine turned to face the Slytherin with a stoic expression. "As I've already told you numerous times, Malfoy, I don't need your protection! I'm not in the mood to entertain you! As a matter of fact, I'm tired of all these games you're playing with me. I can't fathom what you could possibly want from me."
"What do you think I want from you?" – asked the Head Boy with an amused smile.
"The whole school knows what kind of sick, perverted things you fancy, but unfortunately for you, whips, chains and dog collars do not interest me in any shape or form." – the girl declared firmly, her cheeks flushed, as she attempted to hold her ground.
"People like talking about things they do not understand. There's nothing sick about what I do. It's just a way for those who experience life differently to get what they need. If you're curious when you're older, I'd happily show you it's about much more than 'perverted things' as you expressed yourself so eloquently. – Malfoy said with a smirk – I told you, Little Bird, you have my attention, and I've been thoroughly enjoying our interactions during the past year. You've awoken my curiosity, and I can't stop thinking how much more you have to show me."
Before Catherine could react, she found her wrists pinned above her head against the nearest wall in a gentle but firm manner as Lucius bent over and whispered huskily in her ear. "Even this ridiculous haircut couldn't extinguish my interest. If anything, I started wondering if I would also enjoy playing with boys. You're such an inspiration, Miss Plantier!"
Catherine felt her face burning red. She wanted to say something snarky, but her mouth was perched, and she couldn't breathe right, let alone fight against the seventh-year. The most disturbing part was that she didn't really want to fight. Suddenly, she heard his laughter as he released her. Hesitantly, she looked at him, noticing an arrogant smirk playing on his lips.
"I love this expression!" – he chuckled – "Forgive me, Little Bird, I wanted to get one last glimpse of it before I leave Hogwarts. One never knows how long it will be before we see each other again."
Catherine's cheeks burned hotter if that was even possible. She felt like a complete fool. The ease with which Lucius Malfoy could sway her from one extreme emotion to another left her bewildered and incensed at her own weakness. She pursed her lips and glared furiously at the Head Boy.
"If it's up to me, we shall never see each other again. Farewell, Lucius!"
"Such a brat!" – giggled Malfoy, then he swiftly bent down again and planted a brief peck on the top of the girl's head, leaving before she could grasp what was happening.
"Goodbye, Catherine!" – Lucius purred as he walked away, out of earshot.
The atmosphere in the Gryffindor Common Room that evening was thick with gloom. Dumbledore, deeply disappointed by the outbreak of violence between the two houses and considering the year's previous incidents, made the difficult decision to cancel the Quidditch tournament for the remainder of the season. The students' frustration surpassed mere annoyance. Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, in particular, directed their ire towards Gryffindors and Slytherins, feeling unfairly punished for actions they didn't commit.
Every member of the Black family lost fifty points, and they received detention for the rest of the school year. This outcome, however, resulted in a positive for Gryffindors since they had only one Black in their house. James was simply devastated, torn between anger and sympathy towards Sirius, and he opted to retire to bed early.
The main offender sat in a dark corner, contemplating all the time wasted on practice. He had never anticipated such a severe punishment and believed that the tension in the outside world was slowly creeping into Hogwarts as well, resulting in Dumbledore complete overreaction. Sensing someone's presence, he quickly raised his head and met Catherine's cheerful smile.
"Aren't you mad at me as well?" – he asked with a sigh, picking at a loose thread on the carpet.
"No." – the girl replied, taking a seat beside her friend – "I know you didn't intend for things to turn out like this."
Sirius smiled appreciatively, draping his arm around Catherine's narrow shoulders. "Thanks, Flame! You're the best!" – he murmured.
"I know." – the young witch giggled – "Plus, you know, there's one silver lining to all of this."
"What is it?" – asked the boy surprised.
"I didn't get detention!" – Catherine burst into laughter.