Breaking Black (A Sirius Black Love Story)

Chapter 45

After repeatedly assuring my mother and brother I would be fine and tell them if anything bad happened at school, they finally let me board the familiar Hogwarts Express. Unluckily, none of my gentlemanly friends were around so I couldn't force them to carry my trunk. So I forcefully pushed it down the aisle of the train, basically running into any annoying first years who got in my way. Every year, the boys sat in the last compartment, so I set off in that direction.

"The queen has returned boys!" I announced as I swung open the door. Remus and Peter smiled at me while James and Sirius looked up from a serious conversation they were having with... None other than the devil himself. "And the queen is leaving again."

"Lexi, wait!" Robert jumped up from his seat across from James and Sirius. Not going to lie, he looked better than last spring- like that quidditch camp or wherever he said he was going to really worked in his favor. But not even his new and improved looks changed the fact that I wanted to punch him in the face. "Can I talk to you?"

"No, I'm leaving." I said curtly, whirling around before anyone could stop me, immediately looking for a different compartment. Maybe Marlene had an empty seat in her compartment...

"Vix, wait!"

Rolling my eyes, I didn't turn around, expecting to see Robert starting after me with some lame excuse. But as I speed walked away, a tall and lanky brown haired boy stepped in my way- Remus.

"Oh, sorry Moony!" I sighed in relief, my eyes catching the shining prefect's badge on his chest for half a second. Of course Remus would be the one out of the fifth year Gryffindor boys to be chosen as prefect. "Prefect Moony... I thought you were Robert chasing after me. Want to find a compartment?"

"Uh, actually..." Remus pointed to the badge on his chest. "I have to meet with the rest of the prefects..."

"Oh, I get it..." I sighed, continuing to push my trunk along. Altheda swayed in her cage as I kicked the trunk across the carpet. Like the great friend he is, Remus picked up my trunk with ease and carried it to a basically empty compartment- where only one woman sat in the corner reading a book.

"Do you mind if she joins you?" Remus asked the woman, flashing her a friendly smile. He was always the one to impress adults. The woman looked up from her book and smiled at us.

"Not at all." She purred and waved her hand to the seats across from her. Carefully, I sat down while Remus put my trunk away. He kindly nodded at the woman again before leaving me alone with her.

Awkwardly, I sat still while the woman regarded me with lamp-like yellow eyes. She was older, but could still be considered pretty, with short black hair that was only just starting to grey. Her expression was friendly enough, but she gave me the impression that she was just like McGonagall- strict at times and not one for rule breaking. Those odd, cat-like eyes continued to stare and I shifted uncomfortably on the seat.

"Uh, hi?" I broke the silence and politely reached out my right hand. "I'm Alexandra Stryker, a fifth year student at Hogwarts."

"Ms. Norris, but you can call me Professor Norris." The woman said in a silky voice. She carefully took my hand and shook it lightly. "I'm the new defense against the dark arts teacher at Hogwarts."

"Really?" I mused. From the looks of this skinny lady, I was expecting her to possibly be a divination or muggle studies teacher- something soft. Definitely not defense against the dark arts! She looked like she would be afraid of her own shadow, let alone dementors and dark wizards. "Defense against the dark arts is one of my favorite subjects."