A Circle of Flame- Sirius Black x OC

Chapter 9

"Password?"

Liza grimaced as she gazed up at the Fat Lady. The patron of Gryffindor had put on her best silk dress for the occasional and her cheeks were painted in a dreadful shade of rogue. The colour clashed terribly with her tight ringlets. Liza was immensely thankful for the Slytherin Common Room, which was tucked behind a stone wall. No irritating guardian in sight. Even if there was, it was likely the Slytherins would have bullied them from their post.

"We already told you, we were invited." Myra crossed her arms over her chest, adopting her most stern tone. The Fat Lady just responded with a cough of poorly veiled derision. "By the McKinnon girl."

"In that case, the password is courage."

Liza and Myra spun around to see a redhead of average stature grinning at them, her dark crimson waves spilling down her shoulders. Emerald eyes glinted in the torchlight as she adjusted the heavy Charms textbook in her arms, the cover worn and peeling. It was ancient enough to be apart of Flitwick's private collection.

"Thanks, Lily," Liza managed an awkward smile at the Gryffindor Prefect. They had never personally spoken, but the number of times Hogwarts students had mistaken her for Lily was embarrassing. She knew she didn't look that good.

Myra seemed utterly unaffected as she spun back to the portrait, who offered them a final glare before the frame swung forward reluctantly. If not for Lily, they would have stood in the corridor all night. "Real original password."

Wincing, Liza tried to usher her friend along, worried they had already offended their hosts. Instead, Lily's eyes sparked with a hint of mischief.

"I know from Severus that Slytherin alternates between 'mudblood' and 'Salazar,'" she ducked in front of them as she led the way through the stone tunnel, "so I'll pretend you didn't say that."

Myra looked a mix between highly affronted and shocked. Her mouth parted like a fish searching for oxygen and Liza suppressed a giggle. She had never seen her friend so floored.

The grin didn't leave Lily's face as they stepped into the common room, which had been completely altered from when Liza had seen it last. Red and gold streamers crisscrossed over every spare inch of ceiling and people swarmed in all corners, holding glasses of butterbeer and firewhiskey in various degrees of stupor. Even the fireplace had adopted the jovial mood, spitting crimson sparks as it roared happily.

Liza nudged at a pile of fabric nearest her toe that looked suspiciously like a pair of knickers. She had no desire to linger and confirm her suspicions.

"Tell your brothers I said happy birthday, will you?" Lily nodded to where Gideon was attempting some sort of Irish jig on the coffee table, his blue eyes bright with merriment and half his butterbeer sloshed down his shirt. "I'd rather not push my way through all that."

Letting out a snort, Liza nodded. "Sure thing." She turned back to Myra, who was already edging back to the portrait hole with a disgusted twist on her face. A thick-set boy darted past her shoulder, nearly sending her toppling to the ground. The only garment on his pale skin was a pair of boxers that flashed "I love Alice" in various shades of red. He was clearly inebriated.

"You go on," Myra noticed Liza inching towards the biggest cluster of the throng, who were cheering on someone in the center. She was rather curious about what would attract so much attention. "I'll attempt to stake out an empty corner."

"Are you sur—"the dark-skinned girl cut off her half-hearted protest and disappeared, the emerald hem of her skirt flashing occasionally amongst the crowd. In mere moments, Myra's presence was gone entirely.