A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 2: Chapter 10

Part 2:

Chapter 10 –

September 2nd, 1974

Summer had come and gone, and Lia couldn't remember a single moment where she was happy during it. Sirius and her hadn't talked once over the holiday, despite him coming to visit Potter manor for a few weeks in July. James had forgiven his friend, telling Lia that he was truly sorry for what he said, but still threatened that if he ever said something like that to his sister again, James would make him regret it.

Sirius had tried to catch her attention at every moment he could, even asking Octavia to help him. Lia's mother had attempted to set up the two up, even going as far as locking them in a room together. Unfortunately for her and Sirius, Lia was quite experienced with silencing charms, immediately casting one on the boy as they sat in that room together.

Despite all of that, Lia found herself missing him and his charm. She missed his laugh, his jokes, his hugs, and the way her cared for her. She knew that eventually she would break and forgive him but wanted him to sweat it out a bit more. He deserved it after all.

As she walked into the Defence Against the Darks art class on her own, she skipped over the empty seat beside Sirius, instead plopping herself down beside Remus.

"Hey, how did you first day back go?" she asked him as she took her textbook from her bag.

Feeling a pair of eyes searing into the back of her head, Lia ignored it.

"Not too bad, although Slughorn already gave us four parchments of homework," Remus reminded.

Lia groaned at the thought of having to complete that all tonight, her pity party getting interrupted by their new professor walking in.

"Good morning class," the professor spoke out, writing something on the chalkboard, "My name is Professor Fawley, and I will be your professor for the year."

Lia sighed at the thought of another new professor, cursing the curse that was besotted on the Defence Against the Dark Art's teaching position. She had liked their professor last year, finding comfort in having a women teach the class for once.

"And before you ask, yes I am Preston Fawley's uncle," he continued, shaking Lia from her thoughts, "but that does not mean that he won't be graded the same as the rest of you."

Lia turned her gaze towards the boy sitting on the opposite end of the room. His shaggy brown hair and chiseled jawline made him more attractive them most Gryffindor's. Lia had talked to him a handful of times, but never found herself around him often.

"Now before we dive into this year's coursework, I would like to see where most of you stand on your duelling. So please raise and pick a partner that you deem at the same level as yourself," Professor Fawley said as he took a seat on the stool in the middle of the room.

Lia turned towards Remus, about to pick him as her partner, but a hand wrapped around her elbow pulling her away from the boy and towards a corner of the room.

Jumping softly, Lia turned around to face Sirius, a determined look on his face.

"We're partners," he growled.

Lia struggled against his hold weakly, "Let me go, Sirius," she hissed, part of her wanting to duel against him.

Even though she was going to pick Remus, she knew that Sirius was one of the only people who could keep up with her. Lia prided herself as one of the top duellers in her grade, maybe even the castle, and knew that only Sirius was the one person who could possibly beat her.

Sirius reluctantly let go of her arm, nodding towards her to begin the dueling. Lia's stubbornness was dying to show, but she knew that it would only go to show the teacher how immature she was instead of the skills she had to offer.