Paper Rings || R. Lupin¹

Chapter 5

"Who would have thought they would give us this much work on the first day." Complained Sirius as he flopped onto the sofa in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I know, like who said 'you know they are 11 and it's their first day but let's give them two pieces of homework for each class, I mean come on,'" added Peter as he fell into an overstuffed armchair that was next to the sofa.

A minute later Remus came through the portrait hole, followed by James who was running and carrying Nova on his back, "Out of the way loser!" Shrieked Nova as James dropped her off of his back and on top of Sirius who was still sprawled on the sofa. "Get off me," Sirius groaned. "I am not your jungle gym, I am your brother."

"But I'm comfy," mumbled Nova, but she moved away from Sirius until only her feet were still seated in his lap and the rest of her was perched on the armrest of the sofa.

"Sooo," started Nova, "what do you guys want to do until dinner? I was thinking we could get a start on our homework. What do you guys think?"

Remus immediately agreed with Nova as the other three boys groaned in annoyance at the idea of doing their homework in their free time before dinner. 

"How are we related to each other, geez you're such a nerd." Nova gasped and put her hand over her heart, faking being hurt by her brother's words. "How dare you say such a thing about your own sister."

The group laughed and giggled as Nova sat and thought. It ought to have been strange right? Strange that she was the only girl in their little group, but she was completely comfortable with these boys and it was funny to her, she never imagined going to school and being in a group with her brother and his roommates but here they were, and she was happy.   

After the boys had calmed down and finished laughing, James and Sirius went back to their earlier conversation about Quidditch, and Remus and Nova started to work on their homework, both knowing that they would probably have to share their answers with their friends. Peter sat alone by the fire quietly reading his book and Nova thought she should go talk to him but he seemed quite content as he was so she just let him be.

About an hour later it was time for dinner and the group put away their homework and books and walked out of the portrait hole and started to make their way down to the Great Hall when from behind them sounded a cold laugh that was very familiar to both Sirius and Nova. They both turned around to see their older cousin Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. When Lucius and Narcissa saw Nova and Sirius, Lucius grabbed Narcissa's hand and pulled her toward her cousins.

At this point James had realized that his two friends weren't following them anymore, he turned back to them and saw Sirius waving his hand to tell him to just go on without them and that they would meet up with them later. Narcissa and Lucius had now reached the Black twins and Lucius was glaring at them with a smirk on his face.

"Cissy, Lucius, how nice to see you both." Sirius addressed.

"We would say the same about you of course, but it would be a lie and you know how I hate such nonsense." Lucius sneered back at Sirius and Nova and Narcissa opened her mouth to say something, maybe to defend her cousins maybe not but she never even got the chance to get a word out because Lucius was talking again.
  
"I was surprised to see that your mother had sent you a Howler at all. I assumed that she would have just pretended that you didn't exist and gone on with her life, I mean that's what my parents would have done if I had been such an absolute disgrace to my family name."

Nova gripped Sirius' hand hard to stop him from throwing himself at the older boy and looked at Narcissa to see if she was going to add in on what Lucius had said and was very surprised when her soft-spoken cousin joined in with his taunts.

"I mean you two can't honestly be surprised, can you. With you both being in Gryffindor of all houses, what disappointments." And with these last couple words she grabbed Lucius' hand, a strutted down off toward the Great Hall, leaving Nova and Sirius standing in the corridor in shock.

A/N: I am so sorry that it had taken me so long to update I have been very busy with school and my family I will try to be faster about updating in the future.

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