Chapter Text
Summer 1995. 12 Grimmauld Place.
On this rather wet morning, Mrs Weasley had decided that after breakfast everyone was to start helping clean out all of the cupboards and wardrobes within Sirius’ childhood home. Sirius, who was rather disgruntled by Molly’s need to rake through the entire house and upend every memory he held within his mother’s old house, had decided that he would dump a whole box of old photos and knick-knacks he had kept from his old school days onto the dining table and began raking through that. This put a right hold on everything as Harry and his friends were far too curious and intrigued by all the items Sirius had held onto for all these years.
“I honestly didn’t think that box would still be here,” Sirius had said while pulling out old photos.
Ron had picked up a strange measuring contraption, a brass wheel with tiny measurements sat on top of a slim handle engraved with many other small etchings. As Ron fiddled with it another small dial sprung out and a lid to a small compartment that encased different dials and notches popped open.
Hermione had picked up a small book bound in maroon and gold with a graceful lion stamped into the cover. She ran her hands over the book feeling the leather, then she gently opened it to reveal the first page. “Property of Sirius Black,” it read, Hermione turned the page and continued, “The Tale of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs and Their Wicked Adventures.” She looked up and gave Sirius an amused questioning look. Sirius just shrugged and replied with, “I wanted a record of all the pranks we pulled over the years.” At that Fred and George took interest in the small but rather thick book, either twin leaning in to read over Hermione’s shoulders.
Remus had been going through a small pile of black and white photos, smiling down at the people dancing across the frame. “Wow, Sirius. I never knew you to be so… sentimental?”
“What are you talking about? I kept everything, tickets, stamps, photos, small pieces from every prank we ever pulled,” Sirius dug through the box and pulled out a small jar containing brown slime, “like this remember how we coated the staff room in this stuff in our fourth year? Oh and here! We enchanted this very rope to mess with Slughorn in our sixth year.”
Sirius’ eyes twinkled at the memories while Remus just looked at him rather amused. George asked about a few of the other items from pranks past and the whole table was caught up in Sirius telling them all about his one insane prank.
Harry on the other hand was looking down thoughtfully. He had picked up a photograph, one he had never seen before. The picture contained a beautiful, young woman wearing a Gryffindor uniform looking very happily at the camera. Next to her was a tall, handsome man with round glasses and unruly dark hair in a Gryffindor Quidditch uniform. He was looking at the woman and kissing her on the cheek, as his lips connected to her cheek her smile broadened. As he pulled away she looked up at him with nothing but love in her eyes. on the back of the photo, written in a very elegant hand, ‘James’ last quidditch game, 22 April 1978.’
Harry looked down at the couple for what seemed like an eternity, his head snapped up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Ginny sheepishly looking down at the photo.
“Are those your parents?” She asked. He looked down at the photo again watching his parents, so young and so in love. He could feel his eyes prick with the threat of tears, but he didn’t want to cry. Not here, not now.
“Yeah, they are,” he finally replied no louder than a whisper.
“Your mum is so pretty,” Ginny said looking at the couple in awe.
Harry carefully put the photo down, feeling as though if he didn’t know, he never would.
“Hey, Sirius, who’s this woman? I’ve seen her before but I don’t quite know where,” Ginny asked picking up another photo from one of the small piles of photographs.
Ginny held the photo up for the table to see, as Sirius’ eyes landed on the woman his eyes saddened.
“I know who that is,” Hermione said.
“Of course you do,” Ron said rolling his eyes.
Hermione shot him a glare and continued, “There’s a portrait of her in one of the fifth-floor corridors, close to the Ravenclaw common room. Her name is Alina. It’s strange though, she’s the only portrait that doesn’t move and the plaque beneath her portrait doesn’t have a last name or a description of who she was. It just says, Alina.”
Ginny turned the photo back so she could have another look, the woman in the photo must’ve been in her early twenties, she had soft features and a slightly round face, and she had dark silky curls that fell elegantly past her shoulders. She looked so kind with her warm smile but something mischievous lay beneath her eyes, a slight twinkle. Unlike the portrait Hermione was talking about this photo moved, Alina was looking straight at the camera but looked away at something or someone, winked and looked back at the camera. Just from that one wink Alina seemed warm and outgoing and Ginny wondered who she was looking at that warranted such a playful wink.
Remus was looking at Sirius, with a curious but slightly concerned look on his face, Sirius on the other hand was still transfixed on the photo in Ginny’s hands.
Sirius got up from the table, walked around to where Ginny was standing and plucked the photo from her fingers.
“Sirius?” Remus spoke softly, trying to draw Sirius back to them. But Sirius was captivated by the photo. He stared down at her for a long time, the others around the table shifted awkwardly looking at one another and back at Sirius.
“Sirius,” Remus tried again, louder this time. When Sirius didn’t respond Remus got up and stood next to his friend. He placed one hand on Sirius’ wrist and the other grasped the photo. Sirius looked up at Remus and seemed to suddenly remember where he was. He let go of the photo as Remus pulled it out of his grasp. Sirius looked around the room at all the faces staring at him, a forced smile tugging at his lips. He patted Harry on the shoulder, “I think there’s another box of stuff like this in one of the upstairs rooms, I won’t be a moment.” Sirius left the silent room and wondered slowly up the stairs. Once the group heard a door close the youngsters all looked at Remus as if to say - well? What was that?
Remus flopped into one of the dining chairs and looked at the photo again and sighed. He passed the photo to Molly, “You remember her, don’t you?”
Molly looked down at the picture, she studied it for a moment and placed it back down on the table, “Of course I do, no one who ever met Alina would forget her. Mind you I didn’t know her very well she was a few years behind me in school. I think my brothers knew her quite well though when they were a part of the order.”
Hermione snatched up the photo to get a better look. She studied the photo and turned it over to see if anything was written on the back. She squinted trying to look closer, “There’s something written here but I can’t quite make it out. It looks like her name, I think. It’s so faded.” Hermione pulled out her wand and with a small flurry of magic, the writing became brighter. “Ah huh, there we go. Okay, so it says ‘Alina - summer of 79’ I thought there would be more. Who is she, Remus?”
Remus’ eyes shifted between all the people looking at him. “Um, I don’t think I’m the right person to talk about her.”
“Oh come on Remus! We want to know,” Ron said.
Remus sighed and started flicking through the rest of the photos, “I remember there being another photo taken of her and if Sirius has that one he probably has the other one too,” he seemed to be muttering to himself. He stopped on a rather large photograph and smiled down at it. “Here it is,” he said and passed it to Hermione. Ron, Harry, Ginny, Fred and George all crowded around her to get a better look. In this photo, six people were standing in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom in Hogwarts. Alina was staring on the one end wearing deeply coloured wizard robes while the other five were wearing their Gryffindor uniforms. She was standing in between a seventeen-year-old Sirius who looked at her with such admiration in his eyes and Remus who was smiling brightly. Standing next to him was Lily and then James, Lily had her arm tightly wrapped around his waist and his arm was draped over her shoulders. On James’ other side was Peter Pettigrew who was looking left to all the members of the group. All of them had such happy beaming smiles on their faces. Hermione turned the photo over and read aloud, “‘Saying goodbye to Professor Ravenclaw, the coolest defence prof we’ve ever had - April 1978.’ Wait, Ravenclaw? Alina Ravenclaw?”
Remus smiled at the group who all seemed a little confused.
“I didn’t realise the Ravenclaw line ran so long,” Harry said.
“She looks a little young to be a professor doesn’t she?” asked Ron.
“Oh she was, I think she must’ve been around twenty-four when that photo was taken, probably the youngest professor to ever teach at Hogwarts,” Remus said.
“Not that she wanted to be a teacher,” Mrs Weasley chipped in, “She was an Auror, and a mighty good one, she was on assignment wasn’t she?”
“Yes, she had been assigned to Hogwarts to protect the students from the war and I suppose each other in a way. Then our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor left quite suddenly and Dumbledore asked her to step in for a short while.” Hermione looked at Remus as he spoke, a question forming on her brow.
“What do you mean protecting students from one another?” Hermione asked.
Remus looked solemn thinking back to what Hogwarts was like when he was a student, “There were a lot of students whose parents were either Death Eaters or sympathisers to Voldemort’s cause and during that time there was a large rift forming between the students at Hogwarts, the staff did everything they could to calm the situation but the tension was nearly impossible to ignore.”
“It was just as bad when I was there, the war was raging outside the castle walls and you either left Hogwarts wanting to be an Auror or a Death Eater. Your blood status and family and sometimes even your house would force you onto a side and then once you left you were a part of a very real, very dangerous war,” said Molly, a very grave look on her face and she looked at her children.
“So she was a direct descendent from Rowena Ravenclaw?” Harry asked.
Remus seemed to think about his answer for a bit, “As I understood it, yes. Her father was a Russian wizard but when he married her mother they kept the Ravenclaw name so it wouldn’t die out. Unfortunately, the line ended with Alina and her brother anyway.”
“So she’s dead then?” asked Ron.
Hermione rolled her eyes at the question, “Why have we never heard of them? The Ravenclaw siblings? And why doesn’t her portrait at Hogwarts have her full name below it?” She pointed her questions at Remus. Remus considered her and as he was about to answer Hermione spoke again, “Oh hold on! There’s a portrait across the hall from her. A boy, probably only around fourteen, wearing a Ravenclaw uniform. He moves but doesn’t speak to anyone. He also only had his first name below his portrait. Ilya I think it said - is that her brother?”
“Possibly I never met her brother, he died before I met her. I never even knew there was a portrait of her in the castle,” Remus mused.
“I remember Dumbledore put it up shortly after her death,” Molly said, “Something about keeping her close to her family.”
“Why doesn’t she move though?” asked George.
“It could be a range of different things,” Hermione said, “I’ve read about the portraits and there are quite a few things that can stop a painting from moving and speaking. Most commonly is how they died.” She paused for a second and looked at Remus who was studying her intently. She looked back at the photo and asked, “How did she die?”
Remus sat back in his chair, hands fiddling with what looked like a silver bottle top, “She was murdered. Tortured for the secrets of the Order, she never gave in but eventually, it became too much and she died from her wounds.”
Hermione’s mouth opened to speak but closed again. she looked confused trying to put the puzzle pieces together.
A horrible silence fell over the rest of the group as they looked down at the photos of the bright happy young woman.
“Alright! that’s enough of that. Let’s get to cleaning this house. I want it looking spic and span before the Order meeting tonight so no dawdling,” Molly got up suddenly as the small group of friends groaned, she got everyone up and moving into the adjuring living area. She turned back to Remus, “Would you be a dear and put all of that away.” Remus smiled at her and began picking up all the photos and small bits and bobs, placing them neatly back into the box. He did happen to notice that the small book with all Sirius’ pranks and gone missing and wondered how many of those pranks the twins would try once they got back to Hogwarts.
He wandered up the stairs, box in hand. As he came up to the third-floor landing he saw Sirius sitting on the stairs leading up to the fourth floor.
“It was all my fault you know. I should’ve gone with her that night, the night she was captured. She shouldn’t have gone alone.” Sirius looked down at his hands with disgust as if they were covered with her blood. Remus sighed and sat down next to him on the staircase, “You know, all the time that we knew her I always believed she was at least three steps ahead of everyone else. She knew what she was doing and she knew the risks.”
Remus paused for a second, considering his friend, “Do you remember what she said to you? I think it was in our sixth year or so, not that that matters but she said to you that you must stop blaming yourself. Yet here you are still blaming yourself for so much that is out of your control. It’s not your fault that Alina died, it’s not your fault that Peter betrayed us, it’s not your fault that Voldemort killed James and Lily.” Remus took a breath, looking down into the box that he had placed on his knee. “Sirius, you have to stop letting yourself feel guilty for all these things that have happened, there’s no changing them now and Harry needs us, needs you. Besides James, Lily and Alina sacrificed themselves for a cause worth fighting for they knew that. Don’t let their sacrifice go to waste because you were too busy condemning yourself.”
Remus stood up, box in hand arching his back in a small stretch, “I say this as your oldest friend, you need to grow up, realise what and who you’re responsible for now and be there. Don’t try to take responsibility for things that are in the past, it won’t do anyone any good.”
Sirius looked up at Remus, a frown burrowed deep in his brow, “I know that I’m responsible for Harry now and I need to be here for him but I should’ve been here for him years ago not stuck in some bloody priso-”
“Will you stop that,” Remus cut him off giving him an incredulous look. “Yes if you had been there for Harry as soon as James and Lily died it would’ve been better, we know that but things didn’t pan out that way and we’re fifteen years down the line now and that boy needs us now more than ever. So suck it up, you weren’t there, I wasn’t there but guess what Dumbledore was, the Weasleys were and Harry is alive and loved. What matters is that we are here now.” Remus’ voice was harsh but he kept it low hoping that no one else in the house was privy to their small spat. He raked his free hand through his hair, glaring at the floor.
Sirius was still frowning looking off away from Remus. Remus took another look at Sirius and started walking down the few steps back to the third-floor landing. As he reached the door and grasped the doorknob Sirius spoke, “Fifth year.”
“What?” Remus asked, confused.
“It was in our fifth year, Alina told me that I needed to stop blaming myself at the end of our fifth year. Lily had just turned down James again and I was convinced it was because he was friends with me and she hated me so much back then,” Sirius gave a small humorous laugh at the memory.
Remus looked up at him with a sad smile but said nothing and carried on through the door.
Back down in the living room, Hermione was not happy. She stood in the middle of the room arms folded, glaring out the window at the dull sky. “I think there’s more.”
“What?” Ron asked her, his hand busy sweeping up the dust from under the ornate sofas.
“Remus didn’t tell us everything. I want to know more.”
Ron just rolled his eyes, “Leave it alone Hermione. Did you see how Sirius reacted? If the poor bloke doesn’t want to talk about it just let him be.”
“Ron’s got a point you know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sirius that way,” said Ginny while she dusted a rather large mirror above the fireplace.
“Well, Harry? What do you think? You know Sirius better than all of us.”
“I don’t know Hermione, he’s told me all about his school days with my dad and Remus but he never once mentioned her,” Harry replied as he halfheartedly dusted the ornaments standing on the piano. He was deep in thought, he always knew there would be things he wouldn’t know about his parents but he still wanted to know everything and it made him mad when he learnt that there were still things he didn’t know. They were his parents after all. And if this woman did play a more important role in his mum and dads’ lives shouldn’t he know about her?
Molly came back into the room, fussing over the drapes across the window.
“Mrs Weasley?” Hermione asked.
“Yes dear?”
“There’s more to Alina’s story isn’t there?” Mrs Weasley stopped and turned to face Hermione. She looked between all the faces looking at her and sighed.
“What I said before was true, I didn’t know her well. I’d met her a few times and I knew the myth of her, there were constant rumours around her and stories some possibly true and others completely outrageous. But when it came down to it I don’t think anyone really knew her and if anyone did it would be Sirius and Remus. So if you want to know more go ask them.”
“No need for that,” Remus’ voice came from the doorway. He stepped into the room and smiled, “I’m here to help tidy up, if you have any questions feel free to ask and I’ll try my best to answer them.”
“Did anyone have a weird deja vu moment right then?” Ron asked, “Like we were back in class and Remus was still our professor.” Fred and George both shook their heads at Ron while Remus gave him an amused look.
Hermione was just about to dive into her questions when Sirius stepped into the room, “Actually I think it would be best if we told you the whole story, so much happened in those last few years, Alina and your parents,” he said looking at Harry, “deserve to be remembered.” He placed a hand on Harry’s should and looked over to Remus, “Besides, it’s one hell of a story.”
Remus smiled at Sirius, who smiled back broadly. “But not now because it’s a long story and needs to be told properly, how about later tonight after the Order meeting? We can get some hot chocolate out with shortbread and make a whole event out of it!” Sirius paused and looked at Molly, “If that’s alright with you?”
“Oh please mum! We only have a few days left of the summer holiday let us have one late night!” Ginny begged.
Molly looked at Sirius and said, “Fine by me, one late night. But I still expect everyone up in time to help with breakfast tomorrow morning.”
Sirius’ eyes twinkled, “You have my word.”
Later that night Sirius was pouring hot chocolate into a variety of different mugs. Next to him, Remus was topping off the sweet drink with a dollop of cream and a few miniature marshmallows.
“I’m glad we’re doing this,” Remus said.
“We? I think you mean me, I tell stories better than you do.”
“No you exaggerate stories better than I do, I’m better at recalling the truth.”
Sirius rolled his eyes at that, then smiled, “I’m glad we’re doing it too, Harry deserves to know about her, especially considering all that she did for us.”
“I owed her my life.”
“We all did.”
They walked into one of the more comfortable living areas where the teenagers had set up a whole slumber party. Fred and George were stretched out over a bunch of pillows in front of the fireplace while Hermione and Ginny were lounging on one of the big sofas. Harry had curled himself up in an armchair while Ron was sitting on the floor his back leaning on Harry’s armchair, a grey fluffy blanket covering his stretched-out legs. Molly and Arthur had also come down to hear the story and were sitting on the other sofa. Remus passed around the cups of hot chocolate and sat down in one of the large armchairs, his legs crossed in front of him. Sirius sat in the adjourning armchair and looked around the room.
“Ok well, I guess I should start at the beginning?” Sirius asked starting to feel a little nervous. He hadn’t spoken to anyone about Alina if he could avoid it and now trying to account and retell every memory he had of her seemed daunting. Well maybe not every memory, some weren’t suitable to retell.
“A good a place as any,” Remus said and he sipped his chocolate, he sighed happily looking down at the mug. Sirius watched him and laughed.
“So it was September 1975 and we had barely gotten used to the new fifth-year regime. James was being made captain of the Quidditch team. Remus was a prefect. I was being my brilliant yet troublesome self and Peter was still trying to keep up with the three of us as always. We knew there were going to be more people around the grounds, Dumbledore had said so at the beginning of that year, and the students were all reminded that no matter their outside affiliation with any side of the war that the castle was a place of learning and growth and that any demonstration would not be tolerated. The extra staff were just to keep the students safe. But what he didn’t say is how unbelievably gorgeous one of them would be.”
“The day that Alina got to Hogwarts was the day our lives changed forever. We all knew about the dangerous Ravenclaw girl, with a sharp tongue and an even shaper wand. She was definitely a Ravenclaw, she was smart and witty and mastered every single spell thrown at her before the rest of the class even had time to recite the incantation. She was as beautiful and she was dangerous because bloody hell did she have a temper. She captained the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, became Head Girl and was a part of every club Hogwarts had to offer. But she always needed a thrill so when she left she went off to Auror training. Wanting to challenge and defeat dark wizards. She ripped a large hole deep within Voldemort’s ranks, putting more than thirty Death Eaters in Azkaban in the span of three months. Obviously, this didn’t go unnoticed. Voldemort did everything in his power to stop her. Then one day she got a Patronus message from Dumbledore asking her to go to Hogwarts immediately. When she arrived she was greeted by grave and sorry faces. Her younger brother Ilya was murdered in his sleep. Apparently, it was an initiation for one of the other students who needed to prove they belonged and were ready to join the Death Eaters. She broke that day, she had never loved anything as much as she loved her brother and now he was gone.
“A few years passed and I don’t think anyone was quite sure what she did while she was away, trying to heal or find meaning I suppose but when she came back she was never the same. Dumbledore had asked her to come and keep watch over the students at Hogwarts for him but she believed that he was keeping an eye on her the whole time. She had been at Hogwarts for maybe two hours before Remus spotted her and that is where our story begins.”
September 1975. Hogwarts Castle.
Alina had trekked from her quarters down to the Great Hall. Cursing to herself. Why did I come back here? What in Merlin’s name was I thinking? Am I looking for closure? What!? Ugh she groaned aloud. Leaning against the archway just outside the Great Hall looking across the entrance hall to the double doors that lead to the courtyard outside. Last time I was here I carried my brother's lifeless body through those very doors. She cast her eyes down inspecting the floor. At least they removed the blood that kept spilling from the slit through his throat, she thought cynically.
She turned her head towards the sound inside the hall, laughter, chatter. She wondered how many people inside that room knew of the horrors that happened just around the corner. But she knew all she needed to do was find the ones with the black skull etched into their forearm. She had a hard time not ripping off the sleeves of every student that passed her but she needed to wait. I need to be smart about this. I can’t just go in wand firing, they’ll think I’ve gone mad. Maybe I have, these are just children. Yes, just children - like the one who ripped open your brother's throat with a dagger. She cursed again. This was going to be the hardest few months of her life but soon they would be over. She gave Dumbledore 4 months. When January came she would be back with the Aurors searching for dark wizards.
She stood up straight and prepared herself to walk in. As she turned she saw someone descend from the grand staircases walking towards her with a bright and happy look on his face. “Alina!” he exclaimed, obviously very happy to see her. He embraced her in a large bear hug. “Hi Frank,” she said as he let go of her, “I didn’t know you were on assignment here.” The tall man had short blond hair and soft clear blue eyes filled with nothing but kindness - she secretly wondered how he could possibly be an Auror, he was too kind.
“Uh actually I’m not, I was here to talk to Dumbledore and he said you would be arriving today so I stayed to see you, to see how you were doing.” He gave her a genuinely concerned look.
She rolled her eyes at him, “I’m fine Frank, I just need to keep busy that’s all. But honestly being here would’ve been easier if you were here too, every friendly face is a relief.”
“Don’t worry you’ll be seeing a lot of me. I’ll be in Hogsmeade every weekend and they’ll probably have you patrolling there as well.” She smiled up at him slightly relieved that she would be seeing someone from her Auror group she knows.
“Shall we go in?” He asked her.
“Sure, I’m quite hungry, I hope the food is still as good as it used to be.”
“No doubt about that! This is Hogwarts we’re talking about, not those horrible food packs you’d get sent from the Auror department when on any other assignment.” He laughed. He did always have a way of lightening the mood no matter what they were talking about. She laughed too.
“Those are the worst! Literally, I used to love baked beans on toast but seriously with some of the brightest wizards working for them and they can’t figure a way to pack Sunday lunch into a tin!”
They laughed together as they entered the hall. A few curious students paused to look up and watch the two wizards enter. Alina felt a little nervous having all these eyes on her. How many of these students know who I am? How many of them knew my brother? She spotted two open chairs at the staff table closely set to where Dumbledore sat in the middle. They made their way up and took their seats smiling and greeting the other staff members. Dumbledore gave her a warm smile and raised his cup to her. She felt eyes watching her but didn’t dare look. She busied herself with the plate that magically filled itself in front of her.
Frank had already begun to dig in. Minerva McGonagall was sitting on her right. “So are there any students I should be wary of?” She asked the older witch.
McGonagall seemed to think about that for a moment, “Are we talking just general troublemakers or possible Death Eaters?”
“Both probably?”
“Well I can probably draw up a list for you of students that are possibly being initiated into the ranks of the Death Eaters but we can never be quite sure unless there’s substantial evidence.” Alina had to bite her tongue to not say oh like a dead fourteen-year-old? She just sat there and listened.
“As for trouble makers, there are one or two amounts the different houses, some are bullies, others are just taking out their frustrations in more… creative ways. But there is this one group of fifth-year Gryffindors that just like causing chaos for the sake of chaos. They call themselves the Marauders.” Alina snorted at that.
“The Marauders? Really?”
“Say, Minerva, that wouldn’t happen to be Potter’s group of friends would it?” Frank asked.
“Quite right Longbottom, do you remember them?” McGonagall asked.
“Sure do, I was a prefect when they were in their second year, right pieces or work they all are, I’m convinced they're all kindred spirits having found each other so quickly. I don’t want to even think about what they could be like now.”
“I seriously doubt anyone could be worse than Gideon and Fabian Prewett, they were a pair of pranksters those two,” Alina said.
“I remember them too and trust me, these four could prank circles around the Prewett brothers,” Frank laughed.
Alina looked dumbfounded, gaze jumping between Frank and Minerva. “Seriously? No one could possibly pull off pranks better than they could, right? I mean if the pranks are so outlandish then why are they still at the school?”
“See the thing is, you could never catch the Marauders, everyone knows it was them but there’s never any proof,” Frank replied.
“That and they’re impeccable students, excellent marks, always ready to get involved, loyal to the school,” McGonagall added. Alina sat contemplating the idea of the marauders for a few seconds when Frank, mouth full of Yorkshire Pudding said, “Oi Minerva, isn’t that them over there? Looks like Alina over here has caught Mr Black’s eye.” Alina’s eyes darted across the Gryffindor table looking for what Frank was talking about.
McGonagall spotted him too, “Oh well would you look at that so it does, I’ll have to remind Mr Black that all relations with staff are strictly prohibited. Not that we think you’ll do anything Alina, it might just deter him from flirting with you every chance he gets.”
“Become a flirt has he?” Frank asked.
“You have no idea,” McGonagall replied, “he will flirt with anyone, witch or wizard. I’m not sure if it’s just to make them uncomfortable or because he’s a hormonal teenager that's attracted to everyone. He enjoys the attention he gets from it though, there have been so many love-sick boys and girls crying over him it’s becoming insane.”
Frank found that utterly hilarious and was laughing much better. Alina on the other hand was busy studying the boy they were talking about. Once she finally noticed him she turned her head and evaluated her from the corner of her eye so he wouldn’t notice her looking at him. His gaze would drift to her every ten seconds or so and linger for about five before returning to his friends or the plate in front of him. He had dark wavy hair, flicked stylishly over his forehead and into his eyes. He had strong elegant features, containing the ethereal beauty most pureblood families possessed. Frank said he was a Black, didn’t he? Wait. A Black?
“Did you say Black?” Alina asked suddenly.
“I’m sorry what?” Frank questioned confused.
“The boy you were talking about, you said Mr Black?”
“Yeah I did, why?”
“But, he’s in Gryffindor?”
“Oh quite right, yeah he’s uhm I don’t know different I suppose?” Frank said looking over to Minerva for an explanation. She obliged. “Sirius Black has had a rather hard time of it lately, you see he was put into Gryffindor and ever since he’s been there I have had no doubt that he belongs there. He shows all the traits of a Gryffindor even though most families like his are bound by loyalty to one house. His brother Regulus is in Slytherin but they don’t speak. He ran away from home earlier this year and has since then been disowned by his family because he refuses to share their views on muggles, muggle-borns and certain other matters.” Frank and Alina both looked from McGonagall to the boy in awe.
“Bloody hell, I knew he has issues with his family but I didn’t realise it was that bad, did they really disown him?” Frank asked.
“If he ran away where did he go?” Alina inquired.
“Yes, they did but he will always be a Black, there’s no changing that, but he will never let that define him,” McGonagall sounded quite proud, “I believe he’s been staying with the Potters’ they’re a very kind and gracious family, I don’t think he could’ve gone anywhere better.”
“You sound quite fond of him Minerva,” Frank smirked at her.
“He’s been through a lot, he has so much potential I want to see him achieve whatever he sets out to be.”
Alina glanced towards the boy again, this time their eyes met. They gazed at each other for what seemed like an eternity, an expression on his face she couldn’t quite place. Just then a few students were getting up and going back to their dormitories for the night. Breaking their trance. She looked over at Frank who had a questioning look on his face as he looked at her. Before he could say anything she said, “So will I be seeing you again soon? or will the next time I see you be at your wedding?”
Frank’s face lit up at the mention of his wedding, he was so irrevocably in love with Alice and couldn’t wait to make her his wife. “No I’ll probably be here this coming weekend of the Hogsmead weekend but after that, it’ll be at the wedding, I’m so glad you said you’d come! Alice was over the moon when we got your owl. She misses you.”
Alina smiled at him, slightly saddened, “I miss her too, I wish we could see more of each other.”
Frank smiled at her and nudged her side with his, “Don’t worry, we have so many years ahead of us! We’ll have loads of dinner parties, just you wait and see.”
Not long after, Alina was saying goodbye to Frank, she looked forward to seeing him and was sad to see a familiar face leaving. Just before he was about to say his last goodbye, four boys came out of the Great Hall. Alina recognised them as the marauders.
“Well, well look who decided to come back.” The one boy with glasses said. He was tall and fit, long lean limbs and an unruly head of black locks atop his head.
“It’s good to see you Frank!” another boy said, he was quite fair, with light brown hair that just covered his ears, with sad blue eyes and a few thin silvery scars running along his face and hands. Alina wondered how many more scars he had across the rest of his body. The boy caught Frank in an embrace. “It’s good to see you blokes too, I hope you’ve been keeping out of trouble.”
“Aw, Frank I thought you knew us better than that.” The shortest boy in the group had short blond hair and was quite chubby, he had a round face, pink cheeks and a large button nose.
“Say Frankie, aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend?” The last boy said, his eyes hadn’t left her since they came around the corner and she avoided his gaze.
“Right sure, gents this is Alina Ravenclaw, one of the most dangerous Aurors around, be careful to not get on her bad side. Alina these are the Marauders, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black.” Peter the short blonde boy waved sheepishly at her, Remus gave her he a bright smile making his sad eyes look a lot more hopeful. James nodded towards her and gave her a jovial hello, while Sirius Black smirked at her his eyes trailing over her body slowly. She stared him down and once their gazes met again she saw that his eyes were grey, deep and dark like a storm cloud.
“Well I’m afraid I’ll have to be leaving now,” Frank said, pulling Alina’s focus away from Sirius’ eyes.
She turned to Frank with a sad smile, “I’ll see you soon.”
“Don’t be a stranger!” He responded and gave her a large hug again.
He walked off and just before he disappeared he turned a waved, the five people still standing in the entrance hall all waved back and then he was gone.
“Wait, how’d he leave? I thought you couldn’t apparate in the grounds,” asked Peter.
“We’re Aurors, we have special permission for Dumbledore, just in case he needs us to get somewhere quickly,” Alina stated.
She turned back to the boys, “Shouldn’t you be getting back to Gryffindor Tower?”
“Would you like an escort to your quarters, Miss Ravenclaw?” Remus asked politely.
“No thank you I’ll be quite alright, I probably know this castle better than you lot do.”
“I highly doubt that,” Sirius said with a devilish smirk. His one eyebrow was slightly arched as the smirk pulled at his lips. She felt that challenge in his words and so badly wanted to challenge him back. Being here again was making her irrational, she was always very calculated and level-headed, most of the time that is. But being back here made the anger inside her constantly bubble beneath the surface, she tried to be cold and drawn to hold back the anger she had been feeling all morning since arriving but she wasn’t sure if it was the fact that she was standing in the same place she stood years earlier holding her dead bothers body or if it was this little shit standing in front of her rubbing her up the wrong way. At this point, she didn’t care about what McGonagall had said about him because right now the way he was looking at her irritated her to no end. Rather than reacting she decided it would be best to just walk away. She gave Sirius a very levelled look. “Good night gentlemen, I’ll probably see you around the grounds.” And with that, she walked off towards her quarters for the night.
Sirius and his friends made their way up to Gryffindor tower and he couldn’t believe what had just happened.
“Boys, I think I’m in love,” he said as Alina was well out of earshot. James and Remus just rolled their eyes at him and started towards the tower.
“Really?” said Peter, “With the Ravenclaw lady?”
Sirius placed his hands on either side of Peter’s face and squeezed, “Yes my dear Pete, that Ravenclaw lady is by far the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on! I want to marry her!”
Remus stopped on the staircase and looked down at his friend, “C’mon stop squishing Pete’s face and get a move on.”
“But Moony! I’m in love!”
“Yeah, I’m very happy for you now hurry up I’m tired and I want to go to bed,” Sirius was looking longingly down the corridor Alina had walked down, then Remus spoke again, “C’mon the quicker you get to the dorm the quicker you wank off to the thought of your future wife in the shower.”
James and Peter both made funny faces at that statement.
“Moony! You’re so right! let’s go." Sirius bounded up the stairs taking three at a time, leaving his friends in the dust.
James watched his friend go, “He’s insane, absolutely insane, why’s he our friend again?”
Remus shrugged, “Beats me.” From somewhere a few flights up they hear Sirius call down, “Hey! I heard that!”
James, Remus and Peter were all sniggering at the friend for the rest of the night.