The Black Family Legacy

Defense Against Something or Another

Remus Lupin froze when he flipped over to the Slytherin roster. No matter how many times he read her name, the painful stab in the heart irked him.

"Cygnus." He said breathlessly, and then remembering that he had a classroom full of teenagers he cleared his throat and looked over them.

"Cygnus Black, are you here?" He asked, and he was surprised when a hand raised from the middle of the Gryffindor side of the classroom.

She sat sandwiched between a Weasley twin and the boy he believed was Lee. She looked just like her Uncle, but he couldn't think of his friend now.
He finished role and introduced himself to he his students, making a point to do his best to avoid looking in her direction.

Fred elbowed Cygnus in the side.

"Do you know him?" He asks lowly.

"He looks sort of familiar, but I reckon not. Harry was saying something about this professor riding the train, but I dunno. He's probably just worked out I'm related to Sirius like everyone else has." She answers. She had decided that the Great War, as she was calling it, would stay between those who had witnessed it, and that included the lessons Professor Lupin would be teaching her.

Lee turns and joins the conversation.

"You don't think Sirius is going to come to Hogwarts, do you?"

"I dunno, Lee. I reckon he'd have to be insane to do so, what with all these dementors running about, he'd get caught."

"He managed to escape them once, hasn't he?" George asks, leaning around Fred.

Cygnus frowned. "I can't say how he managed to do it." She says, shuddering. "Those things are horrible."

The boys all frowned. They had witnessed her nearly being carried off the train in the hands of the foul beasts, and had no plans of letting it happen ever again.

"Last I heard Black was spotted in-"

"Mr Weasley." Lupin bit sharply, and both of the twins looked up. "Either one of you care to share what is so important that you must disrupt my teaching to discuss?"

"It's my fault, Professor." Cygnus says.

"I do not remember asking you, Miss Black." He remarks.

"Well I'm answering you. It was my fault that they started talking. I am currently having a family crisis and they are assisting me in dealing with the problem." She says, almost snarling.

"And what kind of family crisis happens on the fourth day back from summer? Is your mother getting lonely?" He bites, and he immediately regrets it.

"No, I have someone with the same last name as me who committed more than a dozen murders just roaming around the countryside." She practically shouts, standing and glaring at the Professor.

The students all awkwardly scoot away from the riled up Slytherin girl.

"Cygnus." Lee says, grabbing the girl's arm.

With a huff of annoyance, Cygnus sits.

"Detention, Miss Black, for disrespecting a teacher."

Cygnus rolls her eyes, but keeps quiet, though fuming, for the remainder of the lesson.