𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘆, sirius black

˗ˋ 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH NANCY
SETTLES IN

. . .

Now that Sirius had taken it upon himself to actually like Nancy and accept her into the group, he wasn't doing anything to help the rumours. He had been particularly touchy with his friends before, but with Nancy it just seemed to be a lot more.

He would always sit besides her, knees brushing against hers and most likely engaged in some form of conversation about a creature she had told him about or the homework that Professor Slughorn had assigned them in Potions earlier that day. It was a common, almost daily occurence to see him doing her tie in the common room, Entrance Hall or even at the breakfast table - where he would pour her coffee for her and always push an extra warm, buttery bread roll onto her plate (more often than not, she ended up chatting so much she just wouldn't eat). 

In classes, such as Potions, he would cut particularly stubborn ingredients for her. In Care of Magical Creatures; even though she most definitely didn't need the help; he would risk his general cleanliness to pick up disgusting food for the Mokes they were looking after her. And he would listen carefully as she reeled off facts about the native lizard creature. He wasn't the only one; Professor Kettleburn was constantly praising her and it was very clear who his favourite student was.

It was like he had just completely turned on his own thoughts, instantly changed his mind on his own opinion and taken it upon himself to make him seem as friendly as possible.

Most people, who simply knew of Sirius's reputation of a flirt which thus put forward the idea of him liking to sleep around - which in reality was not at all true but then again thought to be true by the number of times Sirius joked about it - thought it was just him actually participating in a relationship.

They simply assumed he was somewhat clingy and didn't want her to have to lift a finger. All that was missing was the physical displays of affection - and the origin of the rumours even claimed she had seen Sirius and Nancy kissing in a dark corner, which was where majority of her sightings took place. There had been a couple of kisses on the cheeks, ones as he left the group for somewhere else, when she managed to catch the Snitch in record time at practise.

But to others closer to him knew better. James, who had rarely experienced Sirius ever be regretful, knew instantly what this turn around was. Sirius was guilty for how he had treated her, realised that perhaps someone who had travelled with her grandpa for most of her life wouldn't be comfortable with the same thing he was.

There was no other way to describe it. He wasn't in love - certainly not yet any way - and he wasn't even in the beginning of a relationship with her. He was just plagued with guilt from how he had treated Nancy. 

But other than the personality change on Sirius's behalf, Nancy was settling in well. She was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and practising hard in anticipation of their first Quidditch match against Slytherin during the first week of September. ,

She was enjoying all of her class, an undeniable expert at Care of Magical Creatures with an experience the teacher himself couldn't even compare to. Of course, there were small holes in various other courses, but Newt had taught her enough to pass each topic test an achieve perfect grades.

Nancy was enjoying her time at Hogwarts, especially now that she had solidified her place in the friendship group of girls she dormed with, as well as the boys she had initially met on the train. James liked her lending her powers to their pranks, Sirius was being.. well himself, Remus loved to hear all about her travels and what her grandfather was in real life and Peter seemed to enjoy the visits of various magical creatures that would sit on his lap in the common room, or take nest in Nancy's hair.

It was when she was sat in the common room one night in late October, fire alight in front of her, Francis the crup puppy on her knee and a letter from Newt in her hands, a remorseful Sirius asleep beside her, James, Peter and Remus trying to simultaneously plan a prank and do Potions homework on the sofa with masses of parchment spread across the coffee table, all held down by cups of pumpkin juice and mugs of coffee and hot chocolate, did Nancy come to a realisation.

She was extremely glad she had come to Hogwarts. And she was grateful she had found such an amazing group of friends to spend the new journey alongside. Even if there was Sirius, who constantly bounced back and forth on his opinion of her.

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