Whispers

Christmas

Christmas was white that year. Clara slipped into the common room with her book after opening her presents, and started reading. It was called the "Secrets of Hogwarts". She flipped through the pages. She heard someone come up next to her and sit down on the couch.
"Where did you get that?"

Sirius asked.

"If you spent more time in the library you would have noticed this. We've had it for ages, mum just won't get rid of it..."

Clara tried not to think about her family.

"Any way it was written by the founders of Hogwarts so it has all its secrets. I just can't get the part that Slytherin wrote to show up. I think he may have enchanted it. But here is the part on the sword. It says that it WAS somewhere in Hogwarts, but to keep secrets safe it is only mentioned in clues given by Rowena Ravenclaw." Clara turned the page and found the clue.

"If you have to ask, you'll never know, if you know, you need only ask."

Sirius nodded.
"And that would be...?"
Clara sifted through the pages again.
"I don't know. I've checked Ravenclaw and Gryffindor's sections, but there's nothing."

Sirius sighed.
"Great. It's a secret that has secrets."
__________________________

Christmas night wasn't dark. There wasn't any snow in the sky, and the stars shined brightly. Clara put her book ip from reading all day and went out into the common room. It was deserted, the perfect place to be alone after dark. She walked over to a full length window, and laid down with her head facing the window so she could still see out. The stars were beautiful out here.

She wasn't surprised when Sirius stepped down the steps and leaned against the railing.

"Hey."

She whispered. Sirius answered,

"Hey."

Sirius laid down next to Clara and started gazing at the stars.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Sirius asked.

"No"

Clara answered.

"Me too."

Sirius added.

"That's the dog star right?"
Clara pointed at a bright star in the winter sky.

"Yes that's Sirius. The dog star."
Clara nodded in response to Sirius' answer.

"Do you do this often, I mean, stare at the stars and constellations like Sirius and Regulus and such?"

"Yes, I like to see where my name comes from."

"Brightest star in the sky."

"The dog star."

Clara suddenly saw a flash of light.

"A shooting star. Make a wish Sirius."

"What did YOU wish for?"
Sirius asked.

"If I tell you it won't come true."

"You and I know it won't come true either way."

Clara sighed. Sirius was right.

"I wished that things would go back to normal. That we would be home for Christmas, celebrating with Bella and Cissy and Andi and Reg. That we were just put in Slytherin so no one could complain."

"Where's the fun in that?"
Clara saw Sirius smiling in the faint light.

"I don't know."

"Exactly. You can't let someone control a major part of your life if they don't accept you for who you are."

"Good point. You could quote that, you know."

"I think I will someday."

"Well we should probably get some sleep. Its late."

Just then the bell tolled midnight.

"Midnight." Clara answered it.

"Miracles can happen, Clara. Maybe being put into Gryffindor was one."