𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘆, sirius black

˗ˋ 04

CHAPTER FOUR
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY REACH SCHOOL

. . .

The rest of the journey was filled with similar discussion, focused primarily on Nancy, her family, and whatever else she had stored down the long ladder in her suitcase. 

Peter eventually woke up when a Bertie Bott's jellybean hit him in the head, flicked out of the way by Sirius. It was either strawberry and peanut butter ice cream or sausage flavoured, and the dark haired man didn't want to take the chance of getting the meat flavoured, and so had flickered it at the poor Pettigrew boy's head, so powerfully that it instantly woke him, bouncing off of his forehead. 

He was introduced to Nancy, and then to the crup that had settled on Sirius's lap, having taken quite the liking to the sixth year boy. In fact, Francis had taken a liking to all of them, much to Nancy's so-called-dismay. 

She had acted rather high and mighty about it, for all of ten seconds - 'Typical, she likes you lot more than me' - but let it go without many more words. She hadn't told them too much, she knew better than that.

Telling people a lot about yourself just led to trouble. They could get to know her by time, not because she had decided to spill any information that they asked for within that compartment. Nancy hadn't had a lot of friends in her time, and so whilst she didn't know a lot about making them, information dumps wasn't exactly what could get you them. 

But after a while the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade station. Almost as soon as it had stopped, people were pouring out of the exit, and careful not to lift Francis above window height, Nancy pulled her case down from the racks above their heads and laid it on the ground, clicking it open with one hand. 

Sirius, James, Remus and Peter stood by the door, holding bags of their own. They had opened the blinds, but still stood there so that nobody could see, and watched as Nancy did what she needed to do. 

Having opened the case, she smoothly raised her finger upwards, and seconds later, a basket having risen to the top of the case. Carefully, Nancy placed Francis in it, petting her head for a few seconds. "I'll be back later." She promised, before moving her finger down slowly, then closing the top of the case. 

"All done?" Sirius asked, eyebrows raised and cleary not very impressed with how long they had to wait. Nancy stood up, not saying anything for a moment anad just staring at the boy. "Does anyone else think she's really creepy?" He asked, and Nancy rolled her eyes, grinning as the ends of Sirius's hair began to lift up, dancing around above his head. 

"I'll take that as a compliment." Nancy said, stepping forward. "Better than freak." She added, and looked at the four boys as if they were crazy. "Are we getting off this train or what?" 

The four of them mumbled their replies, leaving the compartment and Nancy following them, case swinging from side to side. She stepped out of the train and onto the platform, not even seeming to notice the large drop as she looked around. 

"How pretty." She mumbled, as the final dregs of people strolled across the platform, lit up by the orange glow of the lamps. Sirius and James began walking off in the same direction as everyone else, Remus and Peter hurrying after them. 

Nancy wandered across the platform, walking much slower than anyone else. She followed the crowd, walking under an arch and coming to a stop, watching as the last carriage set off. Sighing, she held up her finger and it came to an abrupt stop. 

"What's going on?" She heard as the door swung open, just as she approached it. "Oh Godric, of course it's you."

"Lovely to see you again, Sirius." Nancy smiled slightly. "I do have to get to Hogwarts somehow, you know." She said, and not saying anything else, he sat back in his seat, but holding out his hand to pull her up.

She finally got in, shutting the door behind her. Another flick of her finger and they were moving again, and all four boys were staring at her. "There isn't something on my face, is there?" She asked, and they shook their heads. "Look, I apologise for whatever has made me so strange." 

"It's fine, nothing to worry about." James quickly said. "We.. well I was thinking that your magic could help us out in various ways." 

"In what ways would that be?" Nancy asked, pulling her gaze away from the small window to the Potter boy. 

"Get sorted first, and you'll find out." Sirius said quickly, and someone sighed. "What? We kinda need her to be in the same house as us." 

"I'm sure I will be." Nancy said, with such an air of confidence that it shut the others up. There was only mumbling from them during the rest of the ride, and finally the carriage came to a stop. 

"Ladies first." Sirius said, and Nancy smiled slightly, getting out of the carriage, her jaw dropping as she finally lay eyes on Hogwarts. It was beautiful, and it was her home for the next year.

She couldn't wait.

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