Mrs. Black

10th September 1971

The first week of lessons has gone by and nothing exciting was happening.

I had the jubilation of watching Black be miserable over being sorted into Gryffindor but it was brief. Extremely brief. That snob had blended himself in with the Gryffindors quite well. He even found the company of that Pettigrew who belonged to a family producing several squibs, the twit Potter and that Lupin guy with copious scars across hi face and appeared indigent.

At my mother's behest, I had introduced myself to Sirius' cousins, Bellatrix and Narcissa Black.

Both of them were considerably courteous towards me. Seeing how they, especially Bellatrix treated other students, especially the half-bloods and the muggleborns, I would even dare to consider that they did not dislike me.

Other than that I had made friends (?) with some people of my year as well. That black-haired boy with the long nose. Severus Snape. I won't say we were friends but we often sat together in class and during meals. Garrick Mulciber, a brutish-snub nosed boy who was Severus' friend (?) was with us too.

But Severus was friends with someone else as well.

Lily Evans.

The muggleborn redhead. She was... rather annoying. But since she only joined us during Potions which was the only class Slytherins and Gryffindors had together, I did not mind it much. I preferred not to talk much with her during Potions either. She hung out with Severus during the free time as well. But I spent it with the Black sisters. So, I do not encounter her outside Potions much.

Speaking of Potions, it was Slughorn's first Potions class. The balding teacher with an enormous belly was cheerful.

Too cheerful.

Even when he was doing the most dull labour, like reading the register. "Black, Sirius- aha! There you are! The sorting was quite a surprise, eh? Never let a Black slip from me ever since I started teaching. Even so, I shall be expecting great things from you, my boy!" Slughorn jovially exclaimed.

I twisted my head to take a look at Black with a smirk.

As expected, he was crimson. Sensing my gaze, he met my eyes. my smirk widened as I repeated Slughorn's words wordlessly. Black's scowl intensified as he flashed both his middle fingers at me. I was contented with successfully pissing him off.

"Lierre, Y/n." I jerked my head back as I heard my name being called out. I raised my hand nonchalantly. "Aha! Of course. Lierres have always belonged to my house. Your sorting did elate me, dear." He said. I just smirked as a response.

Slughorn was weird.

But I won't say no to a little flattery.

He then went on, pausing sporadically whenever he spots a familiar last name. He recognised Potty- I mean, Potter and Pettigrew and even their scarry friend, Lupin.

After that, Slughorn asked us to divide ourselves into groups of four. Mulciber joined another group whose cauldron was placed right beside our table. It was just Severus, Lily and I. It was not the most desirable arrangement but I had gotten used to it.

Severus and Lily will be happily do everything while I can just relax.

But the mudblood then cloyingly brought the scarry Lupin guy t join us. As if the company of one Gryffindor wasn't enough. I rolled my eyes.

As expected, Evans was doing all the work. Heating up the cauldron, pouring in the ingredients and what not while glancing periodically at Severus' book that was covered with notes scribbled by Severus. "I think we need a quarter of an ounce of the desiccated snail-eye sterns..." She muttered, holding a minute jar.

"Its not that necessary to measure. Just don't add much." Severus said in a bored but soft voice.

His voice was always gentle whenever he talked to her.

I bet my fortune Severus must fancy her.

Yet, Evans continued to measure everything to utmost precision. Eventually, it was my turn to contribute to the assignment. I listlessly stirred the contents while Severus instructed me about how many times to stir in which direction. Then, it was Lupin's turn. Lily handed the book over to him but he just stared at the page with narrowed eyes for a few good seconds. What's wrong with him?

"Oh hurry up!!" Severus snapped. "Its not even difficult."

"Yeah, Lupin. We don't really fancy watching you stare at the book like a fool for the rest of the class." I added.

"Leave him alone, guys!" Evans chided, making my eyes roll. "Don't mind them, Remus. Besides, the book his covered with your notes, Severus. It's not a surprise that he is unable to read from it." She flicked open her brand new potions book in front of Lupin. But Lupin just shrugged. "Why don't you do it, if you're so clever?" He spat at Severus. The audacity-

"Oh, Merlin!" Severus' lips curled. "You can read, can't you?" "I mean even muggle schools teach that, don't they?" I smirked provokingly. "Guys!" Evans gasped but before she could do anything else, Lupin threw himself at Severus, landing a punch on his face. Wide-eyed, I stepped back as they both landed on the floor beside my feet. Okay damn. Not long after, Mulciber also joined the brawl only to be stopped by Slughorn.

It resulted in Slughorn deducting ten points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin. Evans was asked to escort Severus to the Hospital Wing while Lupin was made to clean the mess they had made.

As soon as the class ended, Mulciber who had apparently been eavesdropping the entire conversation was dictating it to whoever listened.

I rolled my eyes.

Since Mulciber was ugly to be honest, he was contented with whatever attention he got by whatever means. I exited the classroom. Two steps through the door and I heard an annoying voice.

"Saved your arse, eh?" I knew who it was before I had even seen his face. I turned around with a scornful face. "Sensitive that your mate got beaten up?"

"It was two against one!" Black defensively said. "You should've joined the scuffle then." I snapped.

Black didn't say anything for a few moments. Until he did.

"We'll get back at you Slytherins."

12th September 1971

"Can I see the ring again, Bella?" Narcissa pleaded to Bellatrix as the three of us were heading to our common room. Bellatrix preened, extending a long, ivory arm. Her bony finger bore a enormous, ugly silver and emerald engagement ring. This was her last year at Hogwarts. After graduating, she shall be tying the knot with the pureblood politician Rudolphus Lestrange. Of course it was an arranged set up. Everyone at Hogwarts knew it.

I am almost certain such an arranged set up awaits for me as well.

I tried not to think about it. There was a long way to go.

"Its gorgeous!" Narcissa squealed as if she had not seen the ring more than anyone else at Hogwarts. "Its pretty." I commented. I had to remain in their good books as instructed by my mother. "Right?! I can't wait to get married!" Narcissa agreed.

"Wait for your turn." Bellatrix said in her usual unpleasant voice. "Once Lucius acquires a better position at the ministry, I'm sure Mummy and Daddy will agree to the match."

We had reached the door to our common room. Bellatrix and Narcissa stood in front of it, both bearing the haughty look and perfect bone structure with long black hair just like everyone else in their family. It disgustingly reminded me of that git. I haven't encountered him since that brawl. I wonder if he is actually plotting a revenge like he warned.

But maybe it was just an empty threat.

"Mundus Sanguine." Bellatrix announced and the brick wall slid aside, letting us enter. But as I walked through the door, it felt as if I heard the footsteps of more then the three sets of feet of ours.

I stopped and turned around but there was no one. The brick wall had slid close again. I must've misheard it.

"Y/n!" I heard Narcissa's voice that hauled me back from my thoughts. I turned around. Both of them were a few steps ahead of me. I caught up to them. "Something happened?" Bellatrix asked blankly. I opened my mouth to say what I think I heard but then I decided against it.

"Nah, nothing."

I must've misheard it.

13th September 1971

I did not mishear anything.

It became evident the next morning. Initially, neither I nor Severus was sure how his entire body was red and covered with rashes. One of his eyes was swollen. He had told me that it just felt itchy everywhere.

But when both of us entered the Great Hall for breakfast, the Gryffindors started wheezing. Especially four particular Gryffindors. Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew.

"Oi Snivellus!" Potter yelled. Severus turned around and the four wheezed even louder as they caught the sight of his face.

"Looking good!" Black crowed.

My eye twitched. "Wingardium Leviosa." With a lick of my wand, I levitated the goblet of pumpkin juice in front of Black and poured it on top of his face. I heard him calling me slurs but I tugged onto Severus and hauled him towards out table.

It was intuitively obvious that those were responsible behind it. Any Slytherin boy I have encountered today is suffering the same as Severus. they must've entered the dormitories and it must've been their footsteps that I heard yesterday.

But I didn't see them...

Then... how?

23rd October 1971

"What up with the ecstatic looks?" I raised a brow at Severus and Mulciber's thrilled smiles as I slid into the seat on the other side of Severus for dinner.

"Good timing, Y/n." Severus turned to me.

"Good timing?" I raised a questioning brow.

Severus gestured to the Gryffindor table with his eyes. I diverted my eyes. "Watch those freaks." Severus said. I knew who he was referring to. Potter and crew. I watched them chatter to one another for a while. Everything was normal. I have no clue what Severus was implying.

"Severus, I don't know wha-" But my sentence came to an abrupt halt as I spotted Lupin growing hair on his body. Thick dark hair was crawling out of his skin at an alarming rate. Not just him, dark curls sprouted out of every inch of exposed skin of Potter and Black as well. "Pete!" Potter's roar reached the Slytherin table as well.

A snigger escaped my mouth.

The situation and their condition was too comical not to laugh at.

People all around the Great Hall were nudging one another, whispering, giggling and pointing at the three incredibly hairy boys at the Gryffindor table. Severus was rolling with laughter.

Black was the first one amongst them to sprint out of the Great Hall. He must be embarrassed to the core. "Oi Black! I didn't know you were related to the Yeti!" I couldn't restrain myself from jeering him as he hastened out through the door, flashing his middle finger over his shoulder.

Severus, who was still laughing hysterically, high-fived me, evidently overjoyed at the jab I took at Black. "How did you do it?" I asked him.

"That dimwitted Pettigrew shared chocolate frogs to his friends that were sent by his mother." Severus spoke through his laughter. "But his mother never really sent them."

I understood what he meant. Severus sent them under the alias of Pettigrew's mother.

"Pettigrew is such a blockhead." I sneered.

Later that night, as I was wandering around the corridors before curfew, I spotted Bellatrix Black at the end of the hallway. I was about to approach her but then I spotted that she was talking to someone. A long raven haired boy much shorter than her. Sirius Black.

I decided not to interrupt them.

Bellatrix was saying something to Black while he barely looked up at her. He was staring at the floor the entire conversation while scuffing his shoes on the flagstone. He must've felt my gaze as he directly jerked his head up to my direction. It was a brief moment. I quickly put on a taunting smirk.

But he didn't do anything.

He did not even flash his middle finger at me like he always does.

Instead, he resumed to stare at the floor. Not after long, Bellatrix patted Black on the head, turned on her heel and spotted me. "Hey, Y/n. What are you doing here?" Her tone was not angry. Yet it has a sharp edge to it. I tore my gaze away from Black and rested it on Bellatrix instead.

"Oh, nothing. Just a stroll after dinner." I responded.

"Its almost curfew. Lets head back to the common room." She reached me. I nodded and walked alongside her in the direction of our common room. I had glanced over my shoulder. Black had left.

Bellatrix must've noticed.

"His mother wanted me to invite him for tea. His birthday is two weeks away." Bellatrix said, swinging her wand to make a Gryffindor first-year who was running around trip and fall on his face. Thank Merlin I'm in her good books. "His mother wants to bring him back into the fold. She also loathes the company she keeps. Filthy Gryffindors. I don't know why he's so fond of them or the house."

"I would've rather eaten ash than be elated if I were sorted into Gryffindor." I said.

Bellatrix was much taller than me. I could sense her turn to me. She then patted my head just like she had done to Black. "I wish that dimwit shared these views. His mother will probably start writing to you soon too."

"Me? Why?" I asked, perplexed.

"You know why." She nonchalantly said.

At the back of my mind I knew why.