astronomy • marlene mckinnon

fifty three

The fifth and seventh-year exams were terribly close now and the library was completely packed all day and even all night. It isn't always like that, Astraea had grumbled to no one, going through a crisis because her favourite library spot was taken up and she couldn't find another empty table.

She walked out of the library, having no interest in sitting with people she didn't even know because these days, as news of the dark lord and her upcoming wedding spread, so did the rumours of her being a death eater and a natural reaction to seeing her was a scowl spread on everyone's face. Well luckily for them, she wasn't very fond of everyone else since the very beginning.

She made her way to the secret room behind the tapestry of constellations on the second floor, discovered in her first year with a great view of the lake outside. She opened the door made of brick, almost hidden amongst the walls, but she and Sirius had always been great at finding places to hide, so discovering the room wasn't exactly a difficult task.

Her twin, who was shockingly surrounded by books looked up as the door opened and turned back once he saw who it was. The seventh-year Slytherin closed the door behind her, sighing out loud and crossing her arms as she looked at her brother. The Gryffindor rolled his eyes but looked at his twin sister nevertheless, a bored expression on his face, "What do you want?"

"You're in my spot."

"I don't care," Sirius made a face at her and then returned to work. The raven-haired girl scowled but sat across her brother, transfiguring one of the cushions into a table, smiling as she noticed her work.

"When are your N.E.W.T.'s starting?" he asked, eyes fixed on his books.

"Three days," She made a face, taking out her books. "I begin with the worst of them all, Arithmancy."

"Good to get the worst out before."

"I suppose," Astraea shrugged, "What about yours?"

"The day after tomorrow, Herbology."

The Slytherin nodded and the two siblings fell into an easy silence and the only sound which indicated life in the room was the occasional scratching of a quill across parchment and the crackling of the fire. After almost an hour or so, the Gryffindor looked up, closing his Herbology book, and clearing his throat rather loudly.

The young man immediately huffed and cleared his throat once again as he received no attention from the other girl who was too busy reading through her arithmancy book, occasionally writing down something involving numbers and alphabets which Sirius couldn't really understand on a piece of parchment beside her. It took at least three throat clearings and a few coughs for the other girl to sigh in an exaggerated manner and insert the parchment in between her book before closing it and looking up towards her brother with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm done with my work," He said, looking at her expectantly.

Astraea gave him an incredulous look, "Good for you?"

"Talk to me."

"No."

"But then I'll be bored."

"So? Leave me alone," The raven-haired girl scowled, returning to her work but unable to actually do it as she was, once again, interrupted by her extremely annoying twin brother.

"I heard there will be some attack on Hogwarts," he hummed and the girl looked at him with furrowed eyebrows and he shrugged, leaning back slightly and balancing his body on the palm of his hands. "The order told us, the members who are at Hogwarts."

Astraea scoffed, "You guys are kids."

"So are you," Sirius shot back and she turned her gaze away, knowing that he was right. "So when is it?" He raised an eyebrow, "The attack, Moody didn't mention a date, said that the unnamed source didn't give one. I'm figuring the unnamed source is you, so why didn't you give a date?"