She peered into the darkness but couldn’t see anything. It must have been my imagination. Alisha then walked to the window and looked out at the full moon. It was beautiful. She wrapped herself tighter and rubbed her arms a little. She loved such nights, full moon and a light breeze and no one to disturb her.
‘Look who’s here?’ a voice drawled from behind.
Alisha closed her eyes wishing him to go away and turned around. Well some things are too good to last. There was Sirius standing in front of her, his hair ruffled and clothes crumpled.
‘What do you want?’ she asked her anger reaching the surface.
‘Ooooh. Temper. I like that.’ He said stepping up to her.
‘Why don’t you just piss off?’
‘Well’ he replied, scratching his head in mock thoughtfulness,’ as far as I know you don’t own this school. That means I can stand anywhere I want to.’
He finished, crossing his arms at his chest. ‘Anyways, what are you doing here?’
‘It’s none of your business. Anyways what are you doing here?’
‘Believe me you wouldn’t like to know what I was doing here.’ he replied shaking his head and started walking away towards the stairs.
‘What have you been doing? Why am I even asking? Must have been making out with one of your girlfriends.’ She replied walking behind him.
He turned towards her.
‘You really jump to conclusions so quickly. I am impressed.’ He said
mockingly.' And yeah don’t walk behind me, people would think you are stalking me.’ He continued climbing the stairs.
‘Don’t flatter yourself. I wouldn’t follow you for anything.’
‘Come on’ he again drawled,’ I know you would love to follow me or much better walk with me.’
‘Dream on.’ She replied and speeded up so that she was a little ahead.
Sirius laughed a little and also speeded up a little. Since Alisha was
smaller than him she had to jog to be ahead and very soon they were racing against each other trying to outdo the other.
They ran up to the sixth floor, panting but neither willing to give up, and she gained up a bit on him but her legs got tangled up in her gown so that she slipped on the stairs. Sirius raced ahead. Alisha quickly got up and raised her gown with her hands and ran so that she was climbing the stairs without any hands to help her. She climbed two steps at a time to catch up but Sirius had already covered the stairs and was in the corridor when she finished the stairs. She could see the fat lady snoring away at the far end.
Sirius reached the portrait first and gave the password.
‘WAKE UP!’
‘What is it boy? Cant you let me sleep in peace.’ Fat Lady spoke up rubbing her eyes.
‘Alpha Centauri.’ Sirius mumbled catching his sides and gasping for air.
By the time the portrait opened Alisha had reached it and pushing him away got into the common room first and plopped down on the floor trying to catch her breath, her throat dry and her sides hurting like hell. Her hair was all messed up. She closed her eyes and gasped for breath, her mouth slightly open and her heart beating like a hammer.
‘That’s cheating!’ Sirius shouted stumbling into the room.
He shouted looking much better than her, which was obvious, considering he was a quidditch player.
Alisha looked at him and stood up, her breathing now normal.
‘Everything is fair in love and war.’ She replied smirking and started
going towards her dormitory.
‘So you agree you can’t stop yourself from falling for me?’ he walked up to her, grinning standing a step below her staring at her as her face flushed due to the exercise.
‘Black, although I expressed my feelings towards you quite well in the morning I don’t think it got through your brain. So let me make myself clear. Just get me an approval of being able to do anything without any punishments and I’ll show you what I would like to do with you.’
She said, her eyes becoming threatening with every word she spoke.
There was silence as Alisha looked at Sirius challenging him to say something.
‘Got anything else to say? No! Then I guess I will go back to sleep ‘cause I get enough of you in the class without having to look for extra dose.’ And she turned and walked away.
It was almost 4 so that if she fell asleep she would find it difficult to wake up on time so Alisha decided to stay awake. She brought her paint book, her brush and a glass of water and sat downstairs in front of the window to paint the grounds and Hagrid’s hut which was in direct line of sight.
Sirius had gone upstairs but came down after sometime carrying a cloak and went outside. Alisha began painting and didn’t get to know what time it was until about 7 when students started waking up.
‘You didn’t sleep last night?’ Sue asked her, rubbing her eyes.
‘I woke up early.’ Alisha replied closing her paint book.
‘I thought you were a late riser. By the way what are you painting?’
Alisha was still sitting at the window-sill with her brush in her hand.
‘Nothing’ she replied getting up.
‘Don’t be shy! Show me.’
Sue took the book and opened it but it was blank.
‘It’s blank!’ she replied incredulously.
‘I told you it’s nothing.’
‘But I saw you painting!’
‘You must’ve been dreaming.’ She replied laughing.
‘Think so.’ She mumbled walking up to the notice board,’ hey, it’s Hogsmeade weekend the coming Saturday.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Oh! It would be your first visit there, right! Well it’s this kind of village where there are lots of shops. It’s wonderful. You can get everything there- candies, clothes, quills, drinks everything. I was waiting for it. I thought they had postponed it. What!’ she asked as Alisha stood
laughing at her.
‘You are so excited. Just look at you! As if you have been transported to a fairyland.’
‘Just you come and see it once and you will be a fan of hogsmeade for ever.’
‘I don’t think I will be able to go.’ Alisha replied climbing the stairs to her dorm.
‘Why cant you?’
‘I’ve missed two weeks of classes and I am sure there must be lots of homework waiting for me.’ She replied entering the dorm.
‘OH come on!!! Homework can wait. There’s life outside classes. You don’t play quidditch and now you aren’t going to hogsmeade.’
‘I can’t. It’s my OWL year.’ Alisha was now setting her bag and changing her dress.
‘This is ridiculous!’ Sue plopped down on her bed, ’OK fine. I’ll help you with your assignments. And today is just Monday. The trip is on Saturday. Now will you go please? Please, please, please, please, please……
Alisha looked at her as she made pleading faces.
‘OK fine. I’ll go! But you don’t need to do my work.’
‘I love you!’ Sue jumped on her and hugged her tightly
‘Hem, hem’
Both of them turned around to see Eva who was looking strangely at them.
‘Don’t let me disturb you two.’
‘Shut up, Eva.’ Sue replied throwing a pillow at her.
Alisha went to the bathroom, laughing.
The moment she entered her first class she knew how much she had to cover up. It was History of Magic and she was sitting at the last desk, all alone. Although she liked the subject but the way Prof. Binns taught them it was enough to turn her against it. Despite it being the first class most of the students were fidgeting as he taught them about the history of slavery of house elves.
The monotonous tone which he used had sent Alisha to sleep and she put her head down which was no problem as the people sitting in front of her were so tall that they were hiding her perfectly. Suddenly something struck her head.
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