The Miraculous Effects of Darkness

Chapter Twenty-Four

Sirius was quite the gentleman to Anika for the rest of that evening's detention. He continued this into the next day when he sent James to usher Anika to sit with Sirius, Remus, Peter and himself at breakfast the next morning.

Anika had told her friends about what had happened in the trophy room when she returned from her night's detention to find them sitting in the common room surrounded by revision. It was mid-March and their exams were approaching, Anika had internally chastised herself when she realised that with everything that had happened in the last week, she had done little to no revision.

Mary had squealed with excitement, Marlene had begun trying to compare notes on Sirius' kissing technique before assuring Anika that she and Sirius had been a one-time thing and not to think anything of it and Lily had looked at Anika with extreme disapproval.

The same look was evident on Lily's face as the girls were ushered to sit with the four boys at breakfast, Lily looked like she was going to punch James when he put his hand on her shoulder to guide her to the seats they had saved for the girls. James withdrew his hand quickly when he saw this look on her face.

Anika sat down beside Sirius in the seat he had been gesturing for her to take.

"Good morning Flamel," Sirius said brightly, "can I interest you in some breakfast?"

"What are you doing?" Anika demanded.

"Doing exactly what I said I would do," Sirius said quietly so that only Anika could hear him, "proving that you're more than just a conquest. You mean more to me than that."

Anika stared at him, perhaps he had felt the electricity that she had felt during their kiss, perhaps he also felt that it was right that they should kiss, it was right that he should only be with her.

It was a silly romantic thought, but Anika couldn't help but hope. She hadn't realised she had feelings for Sirius until the kiss, but the kiss had ignited something inside of her that she didn't know existed until that moment.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her owl Stanley landing in a bowl of cornflakes just in front of her, scattering them everywhere, coating the entire group in - thankfully - dry cornflakes.

Anika grabbed the letter that was tied to Stanley's leg and released the owl after giving him a treat. She had all but forgotten that she had written to the Flamels, but now that she remembered, she was eager to hear Nicholas' response.

She ripped the letter open. To see the letter was written in French.

Anika,

I can assure you I will never share anything which you tell me in confidence and I assure you that I would never risk getting you or your friends into trouble with my dear friend Albus.

From the little I know about werewolves, I believe their instinct to attack is linked to their sense of smell. That is to say, werewolves are drawn to the smell of blood. Your blood would smell significantly different to that of any other not only due to its colour, but also because of the fact that it is imbued with the elixir of life. I cannot say for certain what would happen if a werewolf did bite you, but I believe that no werewolf would be compelled to do so.

Please ensure you are remaining safe, though it seems the exploit of a few nights ago did not result in anything catastrophic, I cannot help but worry for your safety if you are finding yourself having run-ins with werewolves.

With love,

Nicholas

Anika folded the letter quickly and stashed it in her robes before anyone else could see its contents. She didn't want Sirius to know that she knew about the truth of the situation that had happened down by the lake. She didn't know why, but she felt that it was a secret that Sirius would tell her one day when he was ready and she did not want to divulge to the boy what she knew before he was ready for her to know.

"Who's writing to you?" Sirius was looking at where the letter had been moments before with a hint of envy evident in his eyes. No one ever sent him letters.

"Nicholas," Anika replied, "He likes to hear from me once a week." It wasn't a lie, Nicholas did like to hear from her once a week, but this letter had a more specific purpose than just general life updates

Breakfast continued and the group of girls made polite conversation with the boys, all except Lily who hit James over the head with a book when he asked her to go to Hogsmeade with him.

"When will you get it in your thick head!" Lily yelled at him as she stashed her book back in her bag, "I will go out with you when hell freezes over."

"Which could happen!" James insisted, "We're meant to be Evans, we both know it!

Lily jumped to her feet, "I'm going to class."

Mary and Marlene followed closely after Lily. Anika turned to Sirius.

"I'll see you later." She said.

"Ah yes our final detention together," Sirius mused, "I can't wait to clean fifty more trophies. My hand hurt so much this morning that I couldn't even have a wank in the shower."

"Sirius!" Anika said, scandalised at his vulgarity.

"I'm just being honest!" Sirius insisted.

"Maybe tone down the honesty to a more comfortable level," Anika said. She got to her feet and made to follow after Lily, Mary and Marlene, but Sirius grabbed her arm.

"We're still on for Hogsmeade this weekend?" His eyes held a strange look of pitiful excitement in them. Anika was shocked to realise that Sirius Black was looking forwards to going on a date with her.

"Yes," Anika said, "yes we are."

Anika left the Great Hall and didn't see the besotted look on Sirius' face as he watched her go.

"How come you can get Flamel to go on a date with you but Evans still tries to knock me out every time I ask?" James complained.

"Simple," Sirius said, "I've got moves you couldn't even dream of Prongs."