Genetics • Sirius Black

Chapter Four: A Funny Rumor.

Charms class was simply boring, to put it best. There was no thrill or challenge. After the first couple of years, things like floating feathers and turning vinegar into wine bored most students. Even those who did excel and were interested in the topic had to admit it was more tedious than anything.

After a minor incident(none that one should worry about, a simple loss of toes incident), Professor Filius Flitwick shuffled the room around a bit which led Sirius Black to the seat behind Freya Grey in the most dreadful way.

"Hello." He smiled as passed by her desk which she pretended to not hear, but he could see the way her jaw slightly clenched. Once he sat down and Flitwick began teaching again, he leaned over his desk and whispered to Freya. "Have you always been in this class?"

"Sadly."

Peter Pettigrew was also in this class and Freya had learned since first year the surest way to get a migraine was to have two Marauders in one room.

"Figured I would have noticed you by now," Sirius said with a grin.

"I'm sure it must be hard for you to notice anything with your head so far up your arse."

Sirius lost his balance and nearly fell on his face over his desk. A stark squeak came from one of the legs sent eyes in his direction.

A much too tired, Flitwick didn't even have to look at Sirius as he sighed. "Something wrong with your desk Mr. Black?"

"Nothing at all." Sirius smiled, then sat back at his desk. From his "too cool for school" slouch on his desk, he noticed the way the corner of Freya's mouth slightly perked and couldn't help the slight grin that came on his lips.

But then a crease came to his brow as he saw a pair of Gryffindors sniggering towards his direction, then give him a thumbs up. Sirius, unsure, but still himself, assumed it was possibly someone who liked the prank James and him pulled that morning and gave them a cheeky smile.

***

If one were to stand at the center of the great yard, they would not be able to see Lily, Regulus, and Severus sitting in a semi-circle with books, inks, and papers set around them. Nor would they see the biscuits Lily's mother had sent over for treats.

In fact, unless someone had spent the same amount of time hiding as Severus did, they would not know to look at the underside of a small mound next to a tree for the dark blue blanket that was charmed to repel dirt, bugs, and anything else Freya didn't want getting on her perfectly creased skirts. 

The location suited everyone in the group quite well. Lily got a break from James Potter and having to socialize(though she did enjoy making friends and talking, enough was enough at times), Severus also got a break from James and the other marauders as well as a place aside from the Slytherin common room to read or practice potions(and one that didn't make him feel so lacking in resources), and Regulus... well let's say Regulus didn't want prying eyes around his new friends.

By the time Freya came to join them for lunch, they were already chattering away, or at least they were until Freya approached them, then came a rush of silence minus a cough from Sev.

"Hello." Freya greeted slightly confused by their sudden shift. Lily brightly greeted her back, but sounded as if she was about to burst, Sev barely gave her more than a nod, and Regs seemed tense but still polite. When no one said anything, she simply sat down and began to comb through her Divinations homework. But the air was still sticky, and finally, she looked up, much too tired for this. "What?"

"There's a rumor." Regs replied smoothly and calmly, hoping Freya would stay on his tone.

"A rumor?" She repeated, slightly confused, and unamused.

Rumors were not uncommon, just earlier she heard about how one of the Prewetts was secretly in a relationship with a vela from Norway and planned on running away next fall.

Freya was never too interested in rumors, but something about this one seemed to catch Lily by the tongue. "Do tell."

"There's a rumor... that the reason you and Sirius have detention is because... you, you know... in the library, and that's why the bookshelves were knocked down," Lily said finally.

Something clicked as she recalled the events of earlier that day. The way a few eyes had tracked her when she walked down the hallway. At first, she thought she had something on her shirt, then something on her face, but then simply resigned to the feeling of uneasiness. Then, she remembered the way someone giggled and then glanced at her today, but it was two third-years, so she dismissed it as hormones.

"Interesting." Composure, Freya had to remind herself, keep composure.

"It's just a rumor." Lily quickly added. "I doubt anyone even believes it."

"It's simply ridiculous." Sev piped up in hopes of soothing the issue, but honestly, he seemed unsure of his words. Not because he believed the rumor, rather because he wasn't sure how to comfort a friend like that.

Though her chin was still high, her head was running miles a minute. "How would they even know that I have detention? The only people I've told are you three and we're practically done putting the books away. Library's functioning normally."

A look was shot around the group, then Lily said, "Well, you're not the only one who got detention."

***

Aside from thrusting a stack of books in his hands, Freya didn't even so much as look at Sirius. Instead, she quickly sorted and shelved the books McGonagall had set out for them.

He still found this detention long and cruel considering that McGonagall had to charm the books back into the shelves anyway after they left so there wouldn't be a revolt in the castle over closing the library, so why not leave them there and spare two poor old fifth years the trouble?

Sirius had made this argument, but McGonagall simply sighed and looked up to the heavens before leaving.

Bored from the work he hadn't done, he leaned on the shelf next to where Freya was working. Now, Sirius was certain she was actively ignoring him and followed her brisk pace to the shelf. "What are you thinking about in that pretty little head of yours?"

"A funny rumor." She replied without any sense of humor.

This interested Sirius, "What about?"

"The one where we had sex in the library and knocked all the books down." Freya shot like an icy dagger.

Sirius didn't seem to feel the same effect and instead leaned next to her. "How could you even knock down that many books in one go?" Freya finally looked at Sirius, and he defended. "Honest question."

"Unbelievable, utterly unbelievable." She muttered, roughly putting away her final book, before grabbing the nearest book that had the farthest location.

Sirius kept her pace. "Hang on, you don't think I started that rumor?"

"Of course not." She replied sarcastically.

Offended and losing his temper, Sirius took a long step in front of her. "Hey, unlike you or your Slytherin buddies, I don't lie for attention or respect."

Freya looked him in the eye. "Of course, you just fake valor and good morals to make you feel better about yourself."

"Really?" Sirius rose his voice, and Freya had developed a crease in her brow.

"Really." She repeated back hotly.

Nostrils flared, and eyes darkened, Sirius turned on his heel and left detention in a huff.