OUTCAST | SIRIUS BLACK

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

YOUR HUMILITY IS BEYOND WORDS
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The week every Fifth Year dreaded had finally arrived and gone by quickly. Now all the Fifth Years sat in the Great Hall writing their Defence Against Dark Arts exam.

Instead of the four House tables more than hundred smaller tables had been placed in neat rows, facing the same way. At each table sat a student, scribbling on a roll of parchment containing the questions.

Seraphina was one of them and after hours had managed to zone out the sound of scratching quills and the occasional rustle as somebody adjusted their parchment. Her hand was cramping and every now and then she cramped to flex her fingers.

She had just finished checking her answer to the last question when Professor Flitwick announced, "Five more minutes!"

Sera looked up to see the Charms Professor move around the room, between the desks. Then her eyes flickered of to James messy head of black hair that sat two across from her and she could see him yawn hugely. He then rumpled up his hair, making it even messier than it had been, making her roll her eyes at him.

Then, with a glance toward Professor Flitwick, he turned in his seat and grinned at Sirius who was sitting four seats behind him. In response Sirius gave him thumbs-up as he sat logging in his chair at ease, tilting it back on two legs.

For a moment Sera almost wanted the chair to fall over, to disrupt the air of casual elegance that surrounded the handsome boy. Both boys then looked over at her, Sirius sending her a wink while James gave her a thumbs up.

Seraphina hid a smile at their antics. When she noticed a Ravenclaw girl behind him eyeing him hopefully, although as usual Sirius did not seem to take notice since it was a regular occurrence for him.

Instead she looked over at Remus who was completely absorbed in his exam, unlike his friends. He was clearly rereading his answers, scratching his chin with the end of his quill as he frowned slightly.

Finally her eyes flickered over to Peter who appeared rather anxious. He was cheering his fingernails as he stared down at the paper and every now and then he would glance over at his neighbour's paper.

"Quills down, please!" Professor Flitwick squeaked. "That means you too, Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! Accio!"

More than a hundred rolls of parchment zoomed into the air and into Professor Flitwick's outstretched arms, knocking him backward off his feet. Several people laughed while Seraphina winced; even though it looked funny she respected the Professor too much to laugh at him. A couple of students at the front desks got up, took hold of Professor Flitwick beneath the elbows, and lifted him onto his feet again.
"Thank you - thank you," Professor Flitwick panted. "Very well, everybody, you're free to go!"

Seraphina scanned the crowd for Lily or one of the girls but before she could find the girls an arm draped around her shoulder. James was grinning like a mad man, high on the excitement that the exams almost were over.

The rest of the Marauders surrounded her and just as they were about to emerge into the Entrance Hall Sirius playfully asked, "Did you like question ten, Moony?"

"Loved it," Remus said briskly. "'Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' Excellent question."

"D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" James asked in mock concern. Seraphina elbowed him in the stomach, both because she thought he was getting too arrogant and because she didn't want anyone to overhear their conversation.

"Think I did," Lupin said seriously, as they joined the crowd thronging around the front doors eager to get out into the sunlit grounds. "One: He's sitting on my chair. Two: He's wearing my clothes. Three: His name's Remus Lupin."

James and Sirius both broke our in laughter. Even Seraphina cracked a smile at his joke, happy that he wasn't uncomfortable with the conversation. The only one who didn't laugh was Peter.

"I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes, and the tufted tail," he said anxiously, "but I couldn't think what else —"

"How thick are you, Wormtail?" James said impatiently. "You run round with a werewolf once a month —"

"Keep your voice down," Lupin implored just as Seraphina elbowed him again, this time with a glare. Both because how he had made Remus anxiously look behind him to make sure no one overheard them and because how rude he was being.

"Don't be a git, James," Seraphina scolded him. She sent a reassuring smile towards Peter. "I'm sure you will get some points for knowing two signs. Now let's go outside, I need some fresh air after having been stuck breathing the same air for hours."

The Marauders and Seraphina strode down towards the lake, and it seemed like most of the other Fifth Years had the same idea. Sirius broke the silence by saying, "Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake. I'll be surprised if I don't get
Outstanding on it at least."

"Me too," James stated.

"Your humility is beyond words," Sera rolled her eyes.

"As if you do not expect an Outstanding," Sirius scoffed.

"Maybe, but I do not say it," Seraphina shrugged before her, and Sirius, attention turned to James who took out a struggling Golden Snitch from his pocket.

"Where'd you get that?" Sirius asked.

"Nicked it," James said casually. He started playing with the Snitch, allowing it to fly as much as a foot away and seizing it again; his re- flexes were excellent.

"Are you considering trying out for Seeker next year?" Seraphina asked. "It might give you a better chance to beat Slytherin."

"No arguing today," Remus scolded them. "Meaning no Quidditch talk."

Since Seraphina took no delight in fighting with any of them she dropped the subject and joined the boys as they sat down in the shadows under a tree by the edge of the lake. The sunlight was dazzling on the smooth surface of the lake.

By the bank Seraphina noticed Lily, Alice, Dorcas and Marlene laughing as they cooled off their feet in the water. Beside her Remus pulled out a book to read, Sirius stared at the students milling over the grass, looking rather haughty and bored, but very handsomely so. James was still playing with the Snitch, letting it zoom farther and farther away, almost escaping but always grabbed at the last second. Peter was watching him with his mouth open. Every time James made a particularly difficult catch Peter would gasp and applaud.

After five minutes Seraphina considered leaving the Marauders to join the girls since they seemed to be having way more fun by the lake than the boys who for once decided to be quiet. The same

"Put that away, will you?" Sirius finally said, as James made a fine catch and Wormtail let out a cheer. "Before Wormtail wets himself from excitement."

Wormtail turned slightly pink but James grinned.
"If it bothers you," he said, stuffing the Snitch back in his pocket.

"I'm bored," said Sirius. "Wish it was full moon."

"You might," Remus said darkly from behind his book. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored you could test me — Here." He held out his book.

"Well, as fun as this has been boys, I think I'm going to join the girls now."