𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘆, sirius black

˗ˋ 07

CHAPTER SEVEN
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH SHE'S LOST

. . .

After the various main courses, dessert replaced the savoury food. And when all the food disappeared, the attention turned back up to Dumbledore, who proceeded to go through a few things before they were to head up to bed.

"After the most wonderful feast, I must ask for your attention before I allow you to make your way up to the dorms. Madam Hooch has asked me to remind you all that Quidditch tryouts are to take place next week, and if you are wanting to tryout, there shall be sign up sheets on the bulletin board in the common rooms. Those wishing to be Quidditch Commentators may sign up with Madam Hooch herself." Dumbledore began, James looking over at Nancy and winking. 

"Our caretaker, Mr Filch, has also asked for me to remind you all of the list of banned items. It it to my knowledge that it has now risen up to 368, and the full list may be viewed in his office. As always, the Forbidden Forest is banned to all students, despite the intrigue it may hold." 

"I would like to welcome a new addition to our faculty here at Hogwarts, Professor Dawlish - as many of you may guess - will be joining us as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Dumbledore continued, and beside Nancy, Sirius was leaning over the table.

"What do you reckon will get him leaving then? Looks a lot tougher than the usual ones." He hissed, Remus looking over at him.

"He's the brother of John Dawlish, head boy from a few years again. I was friends with John, he's an auror so not much will phase him, I bet." The four boys peered up to where the teachers were sitting. 

"What's this?" Nancy asked, looking between them and their thoughtful expressions. "Why is he going to leave?" 

"The position is cursed, haven't had a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for more than a year in a long time. I heard Dumbledore had trouble this year, maybe why he's resorted to hiring aurors." James tilted his head, looking rather curiously at Remus, who nodded. 

"Could possibly think that by hiring someone who is well-acquainted with dark magic." Remus confirmed what James seemed to be thinking.

All around them, people began getting up from the seats, Dumbledore obviously having finished his speech and dismissing them. The four boys copied them, and Nancy stood up as well, struggling to keep up with them as the crowds surged towards the large wooden doors that split the Great Hall with the Entrance Hall. 

"Hey!" She shouted, trying to following the rather tall heads of brown hair - James and Remus. "I literally have no fucking clue where to go here." She muttered under her breath, loosing sight of them but catching slices of red amongst the clumps of grey, and following the colours of Gryffindor up a set of stairs, emerging at the top of them and glancing around. 

"You look like a deer in headlights." A rather sarcastic but recognisable voice could be heard, and she turned around best she could in a crowd, seeing a familiar head of dark curly hair. "And I'm not making some obscure reference to you, Prongs." Beside Sirius, James, Remus and Peter were stood, waiting.

"I told you she was smart enough to figure the first part out." James retorted, reaching out and pulling Nancy out of the crowd by the robe material that gathered around her shoulder. "It was you who suggested that we waited for her. Padfoot had absolutely no faith in you, y'know?" 

Swinging an arm around her shoulders, James pulled Nancy down a corridor and the others followed, shaking their heads at the Potter boy taking on the rather mother-hen role that he haad taken on with them all those years before. 

"Now, Scamander, one would say you hit the jackpot by meeting us."James began, turning down a corridor. "Because all four of us are rather avid explorers, we know every inch of this castle." 

"Meaning?" Nancy looked up at him, then glancing around at the other boys, looking rather worried.

"Meaning that when it comes to busy days like this-" James stopped mid-sentence, pulling her down a smaller corridor and reaching a painting, tapping three times of the frame. "We know all the secret passages."

Nancy watched as the painting swung open, the man dressed as an admiral within it saluting at the boys. "Don't worry." Remus appeared by her side, carefully extracting her from James's grip and pulling her up into the painting. "It comes out right by the corridor we need to get to, it's just a staircase."

"Lumos." Sirius said, pushing past the both of them and moving up the passageway without another word. Leaving the other three boys to follow him with Nancy, the girl wondering just what she had done to offend him so much.

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a/n
sirius is just moody
it'll get better