bloom • sirius black • marauders era | book one

chapter forty

1976

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Fifth Year

"Did you see Kettleburn handling that Vampyr Mosp?"

"Yes! I was terrified it'd slip out of his grasp and go after us."

"No way, the man's a pro!"

"I don't know... Remember the incident with the tarantulas? Also, I heard he almost got his eye taken out by a Nazzle Mumph a couple years ago."

I resisted the urge to laugh at Tommy's comments and instead replied, "Okay, I'll give you that. Maybe he's not exactly a pro, but I like him. He loves the animals in his own way."

The boy glanced over at me with a smile and I found myself returning it. It was so nice to be away from drama or expectations and just talk to a friend.

Classes had passed regularly with a few birthday wishes here and there. I'd most been looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures because it was my favorite subject and the fact that I'd be seeing Tommy. To my surprise, when I got there the boy was waiting for me with an excited expression.

As I approached him he brandished a container of chocolates and said, "Happy birthday, Prim!"

I hadn't been expecting anything and when I glanced at the treats he'd handed me I saw they were Charm Choc, "These are my favorite, how'd you know?"

Sheepishly, he ducked his head down and answered, "I might've asked Hestia and gotten them for you."

That'd been such a sweet and unexpected gesture seeing as we'd just recently started becoming good friends.

"You're the best, Tommy! Thanks a bunch."

Now as we walked back to the castle, we talked about any and all things. It was typically how we spoke, jumping from one subject to the next especially when it came to magical creatures.

"I wish we could start something! Like where we just talked about this stuff all day and no one got tired of it," I remarked.

Tommy paused, "What? Like a club? For animals?"

"A club... You're brilliant, you know," I said, throwing him a grin. It was just like Professor Kettleburn had been saying. I needed to open my horizons and focus on the things I liked. I may not be an expert at potions and a part of the Slug Club like Lily or amazing at quidditch and a part of the team like Hestia but there were things I was good at and passionate about. It just took someone to open my eyes to that. Tommy was the only other person I'd met who liked animals as much as me. With him, maybe I could do it.

Before either of us could say anything we were interrupted by a voice chiming in, "Brilliant, huh?"

I whipped around and came face to face with Sirius who seemed to be entering the castle right behind us. He'd hardly ever taken this route so I hadn't expected to see him.

I'd hoped to catch a glance of the boy all day but he'd remained absent at breakfast and all my passing periods. It was unlike him but I reasoned he must've been with Marlene.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked because I was genuinely puzzled.

Sirius squeezed in between us, and we separated from where we'd been previously standing to make room. He was acting a bit oddly and it left me unsure how to proceed with the conversation. Tommy looked on just as confused as me, or maybe even more so.

Sirius shrugged, "Just having a bit of a stroll 'round the castle. Hoping I'd bump into the birthday girl."

I smiled shyly, "Ah, well I think you found her."