it was the beginning of ayla's fifth year at hogwarts, an institution for young witches and wizards to hone their magic abilities, learn an array of subjects, and create bonds that would last their entire lifetime. at least, that was what her father would constantly tell his godson, harry. he never really spoke to her unless it was to berate her, constantly spewing his obvious distaste for the house she was sorted into. not that she really had a say in the placements.
it wasn't like this when she was younger, not fully. he at least was civil with her, not letting her see or hear how much he truly despised having her every summer or every other week. sirius black was known for many things. his charms, good bone structure, steel gray eyes, how he opposed his family's horrid views, how he was the first and only black to be sorted into gryffindor. he was not known for being a good father for his only child, ayla. and that was just something she had to come to terms with.
ayla was in her muggle studies class, seated far in the back waiting for class to begin. the area around her was empty, which wasn't surprising as she was the only slytherin in that class and with the rise of voldemort and the feeling of war nearing, people were wary in her presence. she didn't blame them.
ayla was immersed in a book she found one day while in a bookstore with her mother, six characters in search of an author. too enraptured by the play, she didn't notice the chair moving beside her, nor the body that gracefully placed itself in that chair, not until the book was plucked from her hands.
turning her head, she was met with a boy looking at the cover of her book with raised brows, keeping a finger in it to hold her place. taeyang lee, a gryffindor boy in her year whose name means sun, which was highly fitting for his personality. he was a bright young man, stellar grades, friendly to everyone no matter their house or blood status. he even managed to get on the good side of her cousin, draco, which was a feat in of itself. he was also very sassy on occasion and ayla found him funny.
he was also stunning to look at, his hair was always styled well, and this year he had managed to dye it a light brown, close to her own hair color. he face was perfectly defined, a true adonis in her eyes. some days he wore make up, and ayla felt like she couldn't breathe when he did, like today. the dark eyeshadow, with hints of red and gold made his eyes stand out more, and when the gold rays of the sun peaked through the window ayla couldn't help but wonder if angels and god were real. looking at taeyang, she truly believed perfection existed.
"are you going to say hi, or are you going to continue to ogle me like art in a museum, love?" his words brought her from her daze, and she found herself staring into his eyes. a soft smile made its way onto her face, one only reserved for him. "hello darling. i didn't know you signed up for this class." he laughed softly, grabbing her bookmark and setting her book aside. "it was the only class i knew we could have together, without your bothersome godbrother." "so you want to be alone with me? oh you could've just said." she wiggled her eyes, laughing when he flicked her playfully.
"so how was summer for you?" he asked cautiously, knowing how her home life with her father was. "it was quite lovely, the first half of it. my mother and i went back to china to visit family. my grandparents just recently moved to shengcun village, it is truly stunning. and i just spent the rest of my summer in my room at father's house. i grew tired of watching him play family with harry. and to make it worse, the weasley bunch were there. minus the twins, i truly can't stand that family. they are too invasive and judgemental. do i look like i heed to a murder's every beck and call." she huffed and rolled her eyes.
it was truly unfair, gryffindor's are seen as apart of the light side. the good and holy. the ones that could do now wrong, yet they are the ones that do the most wrong. all because the headmaster continuously turns a blind eye whenever his golden house does anything bad. "they are fools, my love. blind fools, especially that father of yours. a true idiot, that one."
he smiled hearing the laugh he brought out of her. ayla wen-black. he believed he fell in love with her the moment they met back in their first year. she truly was radiant to him, the brightest star in the universe. her presence alone made waking up something to look forward to. he knew everyone in the black family was a walking masterpiece, but when he saw her he knew masterpiece was simply not grand enough.
her hair was honey colored, and when the sun casted in, it made her appear as if she had a halo. she was angelic in every way imaginable. her green eyes were warm, always inviting and full of life. although she outwardly appeared cold in the halls, giving off the vibe only purebloods could, he knew she would forever smile when he was around, just as he does for her. he admired everything about her, from her laugh that was like music to him, the sweetest symphony, all the way to the freckles that were splatter along her face that made her the most incomparable work of art.
