Hiraeth

5

"Miss Black" professor Snape said, bringing my focus back to him. We were in potions right now, with the Gryffindors and I had zoned out.

"Yes sir?" I asked.

"If you could stop zoning out and actually pay attention."
"Yes, sorry sir" and with that, he went back to teaching. The next hour went by fast, as the students walked out of the classroom to their next classes. Briar had Ancient Runes next, so she made her way to her class, leaving her friends who had their own classes.

On her way, she remembered the events of that night. How her father had chosen Potter over her. How nobody did anything. She remembered how George had held her hand. Squeezing it now and then. She remembered his expression, and how he looked ready to attack Sirius. Those actions had made her feel some way. But, she couldn't identify it. It was a warm fuzzy feeling. She didn't like these new, strange feelings. But, a part of her wanted to feel it again.

Her mind wandered to what she had said last. "You failed not only me, but everyone else as well. You failed uncle Regulus, aunt Andie, hell, I'm sure you failed even Lily, and James! And you know what's the worst part? I'm not surprised. And I'm sure the rest wouldn't be either."

'Uncle Regulus' she wondered what he would be like. Living in his room, the girl had thought about him a few times. His room had an aura that she always loved. She felt safe in that room. Like someone, or something, was protecting her. She wondered, what if Regulus was alive? Would he have stood up for her? Would he have told Sirius that what he's doing is wrong?

The girl had always wanted to meet him. Or get to know anything about him. She had a choice, to read his journals. But she had decided against that when she was at Grimmauld Place. She wanted to read them now, and luckily she had brought a lot of his stuff with her. She had taken some of his clothes, journals, old books which he had made notes in, and his rings that she found very hot.

She was wearing one of his rings now. It was a snake ring. (I put the picture above)

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Pulling out an old worn out journal, she sat back in her bed and opened it. Briar was sitting in her dorm room, done with classes. Pansy and Draco had dragged Theo and Blaise to the grounds. They wanted to go swimming as per their tradition, which Briar had sat out of every year.

'Evan said that I should journal. He said it would help me. I don't really know why, and how writing in a book is supposed to help me, but I'll try it out. It's the second month of my first year in Hogwarts. I got into Slytherin. Mother and father were very happy. Even Sirius was. He had stood up on the Gryffindor table and clapped. I also made friends. Evan Rosier and Barty Crouch Jr. They're really nice. Evan told us about the kitchen and how to enter it, and now every week we go there and have cookies and milk. It's the best.'

As the girl kept reading, she figured out who Evan Rosier and Barrty Crouch Jr.;  Lucius had talked about them at the Malfoy manor. She had gotten through two journals. One was for first year, and the other for second. As she completed her third and fourth year journals, she moved onto the fifth year, thinking that it would be the same updates of her family, the Marauders and school. Oh, how she was wrong..

'Mother and father want me to become a Death Eater. Because of Sirius, you-know-who thinks that the Blacks aren't loyal to him. So they want me to join him and show my loyalty. They think that if I become the youngest Death Eater ever, he won't doubt their loyalty. I don't know what to do. Ever since Sirius ran away, I've been more lost. He doesn't even look at me in school. He's always with Potter, Lupin and Pettigrew. He called Potter his brother yesterday in the great hall. He didn't even look at me. He likes Potter more than me.'

She was furious. She knew about what Walburga and Orion did to them. But forcing Regulus to be a Death Eater?!

'I like someone. She's so pretty. She makes me feel safe, and happy. She makes me laugh, and whenever I'm with her, I forget every one of my problems. I don't care about anyone or anything when I'm with her. Her eyes are so pretty, I could stare at them forever. She doesn't like them though. She thinks brown eyes are basic. But how do I tell her that her eyes are the prettiest and most mesmerising things I've ever seen? Her smile as well. Whenever I see her smile, it's like it healed me. Her smile is the cutest thing ever. I don't know if she feels the same for me, but I hope she does. I just want to make this girl mine. Oh, Natalia Warner. You make me crazy.'

'We have a ball. It's like a Yule ball, I guess? The Great Hall will be decorated and we will all dress up and dance and have dates. I want to ask Natalia. But, how? She's so popular and nice. Everyone would be asking her. Evan told me that Gilderoy Lockhart is planning to ask her. And so is Amos Diggory. How am I supposed to compete with them? To her, I'm just a best friend. Mother did send me my robes, and I tried them on. I think I look good, but they would still not be enough. Maybe I'll just pick up my courage and ask her.'

'I asked her. And she said yes. I was so happy when she did, and it looked like she was as well. I was waiting outside of the Great Hall for her, and when she came down the stairs.. I was mesmerised. She looked breathtaking. I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Her green dress made her look even more beautiful. From the moment I looked at her, I felt as if she was the only one in the room. When she came down, I was still staring at her, she realised and she let out a little laugh. Oh, how I love that laugh. We danced together all night, we sat and laughed about other people. We walked through the castle, and then I dropped her off at the Hufflepuff common room. But before I walked away, she gave me a kiss on the cheek. I was dazed and I knew it. That night was the best night of my life.'

'We kissed. In the library. We were sitting at the back of the library, studying. But it was more of just laughing and giggling. I don't know what happened, but I asked her if I could kiss her and she said yes. It was a small kiss.. but it was everything I had ever wanted. But she had to go. She had class.'

'We're going out on a date. I finally asked her out, and she said yes. I can't wait. Evan and Barty said that they were proud of me. And Pandora said that she would help me in getting something for her, since they're friends. Our fifth year is ending soon.. and I don't want to go home. I think they'll force me to get the Dark Mark.'

This is what Natalia Warner looks like :)