/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟏.𝟝.𝟢

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?" ~ Jane Austen

~november 1971~

"Honestly, mate, you're just as bad as the girls," Sirius groaned, shouldering his bag and following James out of Flitwick's classroom, where they'd been serving detention for purposely flooding the boys bathroom.  "It's hopeless. Let them go."

James shook his head vigorously. "We've got to spend the next seven years with them, Sirius-"

"Don't remind me," Sirius said with a sigh. Artemis still hadn't forgiven him for walking them right into trouble Halloween night and it was starting to weigh on him. "Mary's okay, and Marlene's bearable sometimes, but we don't need them." He shook James's shoulder encouragingly. "Trust me, James. We're better off without a bunch of girls weighing us down."

"But Lily," James said, groaning and running a hand over his face.

"Merlin's beard, get over it-" Sirius stopped short after turning a corner and held out a hand to stop James. "Hold up."

A little ways down the hall, Peter was cowering against a wall, a thin girl with a wild mane of tangled black hair towering over him, her wand pointed at his chest. "Heard you're the one who ratted me out to Bones, weren't you, rat?" She spat out the last word so vehemently, Peter let out a little squeal and shrank further into the wall.

"That's Bellatrix Black," James said in a low voice. "I heard she can do some really awful things... we should get out of here."

Sirius squared his shoulders and glared at Bellatrix, who still hadn't noticed him and James. "Are you kidding?" he muttered, "We can't just leave Peter." And with that, he marched forward, drawing his wand out of his pocket as he walked. "Oi, Bella!" As soon as Bellatrix turned from Peter to face him, Sirius waved his wand and uttered the spell they'd just learned in Defense class that day. "Expelliarmus!"

Bellatrix's wand flew out of her hand, but she merely laughed. "Awww, look at little Siri- doing magic all by himself!" She reached out her long slender fingers to pinch Sirius's cheek, but he pushed her away aggressively.

"Shut up, Bel. You're only a year older," he growled, then grabbed Peter by the shirt and pushed him roughly behind him. "And leave my friends alone."

"Your friends!" Bellatrix cackled so loudly Sirius flinched. "Proud of being a Gryffindor, are you?" Sirius didn't say anything. "You know, I'm the one who wrote to your mum to tell her my dear cousin somehow got into Gryffindor. Must've been a mistake, hm?"

"Cousin-? Oh," James said, groaning and taking a step back, wondering how he'd never seen it before. He didn't have much time to think about it, though, because at that moment Sirius flew at Bellatrix, trying with all his might to let his fists collide with her face.

For being so thin, Bellatrix was strong. She pushed Sirius off of her with ease and caught him in the jaw with her own fist. "Get- off- of- me-" she said, struggling to hold Sirius back. He flailed his arms wildly, but she grabbed him by the hair and hurled him away. James and Peter watched with raised eyebrows as the cousins fought like they'd done so a million times.

"Hey!" a voice shouted behind them, and Frank Longbottom, the upcoming star of the Gryffindor quidditch team, hurtled past James and Peter to try and pull Sirius and Bellatrix apart. "Hey- stop it- ouch!" He managed to get Sirius away from Bellatrix and pushed him roughly behind himself. James and Peter moved forward immediately to take his arms and hold him back. "You bit me," Frank said, staring in horror at his arm, in which a set of bite marks was imbedded.