Astra Black is the twin sister of Sirius Black. Unlike her brother, she was sorted into Slytherin. That didn't break their bond but it separated their friend groups.
What happens when James Potter and Astra Black get mixed into each other's lives...
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since astra spoke to james at the astronomy tower, she hadn't really spoke to him again. in passing, he said hello but she just nodded back, walking away from him. she said less during their tutoring sessions and when james would crack a joke, she'd hum or move onto the next question.
astra didn't really want to talk to him much, thinking he'd bring up her words or ask her how she was. it was a pathetic sign of weakness in her mind and she hated the fact she'd spoken so openly with someone. however, astra couldn't help but want to converse with him more; he made her feel comfortable and she had rarely experienced that much comfort with someone she barely knew.
slughorn's party had finally arrived and astra could get it out of the way. however, she had to find someone to go with before salem made her go with him and she'd already declined over 5 times; he was getting impatient and angry with her at this point.
"are you going with lily?" astra asked harley, the pair sitting under a tree by the black lake, phoenix and sophia with them.
harley looked up from her book, smiling, "yeah. you can come with us, if you want."
"no, i'm fine. plus, i'm almost certain you two want more time alone." astra smirked.
phoenix scoffed, "like they need more time alone. scampering off to broom cupboards whenever they can, coming out looking like they've been dragged through a hedge backwards."
harley closed her book and slapped him across the arm with it, "we do not."
"you do, harls." sophia nodded. "lily came to arithmancy with her robe on backwards and her hair falling out of their plaits."
"okay, we did once." harley muttered.
"and then once more around a hundred more times." phoenix teased.
"this book'll hit you in the face, this time." harley threatened and phoenix pressed his lips together as if forcing himself to stop talking. "who're you going with?"
"i've no clue." astra sighed. "phoenix or soph, either of you free?"
"i've got a date with a ravenclaw." phoenix beamed.
"and i promised peter i'd help him with his transfiguration." sophia said, smiling apologetically. "sorry."
"it's okay." astra smiled. "you and peter seem to be getting along."
"he's nice. funnier than he gets credit for." sophia muttered absentmindedly.
"shit, what's the time?" astra asked quickly.
sophia glanced at her watch, "nearly half-two. why?"
"i'm late tutoring potter." astra said, grabbing her walkman and standing, rushing towards the castle.
"bye then!" phoenix called.
"yep, bye!" astra rushed out, speeding up her steps.
"for someone that doesn't want to be around potter, she sure is getting to him quickly." harley remarked, sharing a look with her two friends who hummed in agreement.
astra pushed past some ignorant 5th years in the corridors, heading for the library. she slammed open the door, being shushed by madam pince almost immediately making her hold up her hand in a silent apology. she saw james leaning over some parchment, brushing a hand through his hair, thinking.
"hello." astra greeted, sitting beside him.
"hi." james grinned. "you're later than usual."
"i am. i didn't realise the time." astra replied. "what do you need help with, then?"
"this potion. felix felicis." james said.
"liquid luck? that's amazingly difficult, potter." astra said and he tried to not frown at being called by his surname again.
"i know, but i thought slughorn would maybe favour me a little more if i could do it." james shrugged. "it might bump my results up a bit."
"you don't need to do that, just complete our level of work and he'll understand you can do potions. he can't bump your results up on an exam." astra responded.
"that's true." james mumbled. "i can bribe him with something. what does he like?"
"crystallised pineapple." astra responded.
james stared at her, "out of everything, crystallised pineapple."
she nodded, "he absolutely devours the shit. have you not seen the jars on his desk?"
"i thought they were potion ingredients. maybe, like, chicken toes or something." james stated and she tried not to smile.
"i wouldn't try bribing him, i don't think he's that easily swayed to change exam results, no matter how much sugar-coated fruit you get him." astra mused. "what are 3 ingredients in polyjuice potion that isn't the hair of someone?"
astra had taken to asking james random questions during their sessions, seeing if he had memorised anything.
james thought for a second, "leeches, knotgrass and shredded boomslang skin?"
"yes." astra nodded. "find a different potion we can make this time."
"yeah, okay." james agreed, flicking through the book, pushing his glasses up on his nose.
"hello, astra." a female voice said from behind them and astra turned to see a 6th year hufflepuff called aurora smith standing there, cheeks flushed and a shy smile on her lips.
"hello." astra replied, james glancing up from his book. aurora's reddened cheeks seemed to darken more when astra spoke, confusing the slytherin.
"i wondered if you were going to slughorn's new year's party?" she inquired.
"i am." astra said, still a little confused.
"i am, too. would you, maybe, like to, if you're not already going with someone, come with me? as my date?" aurora asked, her voice getting quieter throughout her sentence.
"yeah." astra nodded causing the hufflepuff to look at her, shocked. "yeah. um, i can meet you at the hufflepuff common room at 7, if you like?"
"yes! that'd be wonderful!" aurora beamed, waving a hurried goodbye before leaving the library grinning.
james looked at astra with an unfamiliar face and she gave him a puzzled one back, "what?"
"you're gonna use her? she's clearly infatuated with you." james scoffed.
astra rose an eyebrow at him, "but it's okay for sirius to do so? what's the difference between us, potter?"
"n-nothing, i didn't mean it like that—"
"i know you didn't, you daft bastard. don't panic. i'm not using her." astra muttered. "i happen to like women as well as men."
"oh. so you like her?" james asked, his shoulders slightly deflated.
"i don't know. but maybe she won't like me if she goes out with me for the night." astra mused. "i'm emotionally constipated and have no idea how to give physical affection unless it's a one-night-stand. i doubt someone could enjoy a date with that type of person."
"i dunno. you're not as bad as you think you are. you seemed to understand your emotions perfectly the other night." james smiled warmly.
astra stared at him blankly before clearing her throat, "well, that was an embarrassing moment of weakness i will never hear of again."
"it's not weakne—"
"i will never hear of it again, okay?" astra interrupted and james nodded quietly. "now, name the second step to creating a beautification potion."
