68 Return to Hogwarts Ⅱ

Their peace is interrupted by the slide of the compartment door opening. They all glance at the door only to see the handsome figure of Sirius Black leaning against the open door. "Can a roguish scoundrel get a bite to eat?" Sirius ruefully asked.

Terry and Rowan automatically hide their sweets, while Severus says, "Sure," before pausing to scowl at Terry and Rowan. "These two wouldn't share their sweets if their lives depended on it."

"I knew I could count on you, Sev," Sirius grateful said with a grin as he stepped inside plopping down next to Severus.

Rowan rolls her eyes rather pointedly at Severus, who ignores his twin sister's antics.

Once Sirius settled down to enjoy a snack, Terry curiously ventures forward. "And pray tell, why aren't you with the rest of your pack?"

"Well, aren't you, nosy!" Sirius narrowed his eyes at the Slytherin.

"At least I'm smart enough to feed myself."

"Touché, but I'm not a Slytherin."

"Oh? Well, the friend that you just received food from just so happens to be a Slytherin."

"Severus doesn't count."

"Enough!" Severus tried to intervene between his best friends to no avail as the two spoke over his voice. Severus sends a pleading look to Rowan, who doesn't meet his gaze.

"Then what about Rowan?" Terry sharply pointed out.

"Neither does Rowan," Sirius snapped.

Terry snorts in derision. "You're delusional, Black."

"Of arrogant, dark wizards and witches, who think, they're better than everyone else?!" Sirius barked. "Well, I want no part of that!"

The air is tense and is broken by the sounds of crinkling foil as Rowan unwraps a chocolate frog. "I understand that your holidays may have been less than pleasant, Sirius, but don't out on us."

Rowan paused to stare Sirius pointedly in the eye. "You judge us for being in Slytherin, but need I remind you, the greatest wizard in history Merlin was a Slytherin. And in fact, Gellert Grindelwald was not a Slytherin, but rather from Durmstrang!"

"So, though Slytherin has provided a share of dark wizards and witches, so have each of the Hogwarts houses including Gryffindor. House sorting does not determine our future rather our individual choices do. And right now, you are acting like a hypocrite, Sirius Black!" Rowan pointedly reminded Sirius, who had the grace to flush with shame.

"Sorry," Sirius stiffly stammered uncustomed to apologizing. "I didn't mean that."

"I'm sure you did," Terry crisply replied earning a glare from Severus. "However, I am certain that your apology is equally sincere, apology accepted."

A slow, wary grin spreads across Sirius' face. Without hesitation, he genuinely extends his hand out for Terry to shake. "Sorry, let me introduce myself, I'm Sirius Black."

Terry's hazel eyes observe Sirius for a moment, before extending a delicate, effeminate hand. "Terry Greengrass."

The two boys firmly shake hands, before letting go. "You're not a bad chap for a Slytherin," Sirius truthfully acknowledged.

"And you're not bad for being a dull-headed, Gryffindor," Terry smirked.

Sirius chokes for a moment, before furrowing his brow in disbelief., "I think, I'm starting to like you. Does that mean, I'll be on friendly terms with three Slytherins now?" He said a bit aghast.

"So, it would seem, what an utter shame?" Terry cheekily answered causing Severus to sigh in relief and leaving a bewildered Sirius to chew a bit of food to console himself.

With the tension gone, Severus changes the subject. "Sirius, where's James Potter and the rest of your gang?"

"Lupin and James are playing wizarding chess," Sirius mumbled through a mouthful of food. "Pettigrew is cheering them on. I don't much like chess. Bored, I went out to stretch my legs for a bit."

"How fortunate for us," Rowan muttered under her breath.

"I knew you liked me," Sirius perked up at hearing Rowan's words only to earn a look of disdain from Rowan.

Terry loudly scoffed at Sirius's comment earning a scowl from Sirius. "And how would you know, Greengrass!"

"Please," Terry rolled his eyes, "I have four married older sisters."

Rowan loudly choked at recalling the golden-haired, fair-featured woman that seemed to be in her early thirties. "But your mum looks so young!"

Terry nonchalantly shrugs. "That's just how all the women in my family are."

"You got any unmarried cousins?" Sirius happily interrupted.

"Yes, but I have to warn you, the men and women in my family have a bit of a temper," Terry earnestly emphasized. "My great-grandmother, Ethel is a Veela."

Rowan and Severus's eyes widen in surprise. Although in retrospect that certainly explained a lot about Terry. Veela's by nature are predators.

"You mean those gorgeous women, who when angry can turn into harpies and throw fire?" Sirius scrunched up his face trying to recall his tutor's lessons on magical beings to avoid being tricked.

"That's right!" Terry answered with pride. "My great-granddad was almost disowned, but since there were so few members of the Greenwood family to start with he was not disowned in the end. In fact, thanks to great-granddad marrying great-grandmother, our side of the family is the largest Greenwood branch. Great-Grandmother had six daughters and one son, while all my various aunts have all had three or more daughters and only son in each generation."

"I take it, you're not only the youngest, but the sole male heir of your family," Sirius drily concluded.

"That is correct, sir," Terry proudly puffed out his chest.

"Same thing for Severus," Rowan knowingly chortled. "It's all up to poor Sev to continue the Prince family line."

"Hey, I would think you would have a hand in it as well, Rowan!" Severus snapped.

"No can do," Rowan innocently shrugged. "If I ever got married and have kids, they'll have my husband's surname remember?"

"IF you get married!" Severus growled back.

"That's why I said IF I get married," Rowan sniffed. "Of course, I could always do something scandalous and have a child out of wedlock."

Severus chokes as Terry playful winked, "Now that is a sight I would pay to see. Count me in!"

"I'd give the gossip mill a run for their money," Rowan cackled out loud.

Severus shakes his head in dismay only to be further appalled by Sirius's falling words. "Not a bad idea. Maybe, if I threaten to leave a trail of bastards left and right to continue the Black family name that will stop them from trying to fix me! And if that, well, that ought to at least choke my parents right up about continuing the family name."

"That's positively indecent!" Severus protested as the three of them shared mischievous glances.

"I don't know, I feel that I'm a rather loose woman already," Rowan drawled. "What do you, guys think?"

"What can I say, I'm a lover of all flowers," Sirius poetically murmured in a low voice causing Severus to huff indignantly.

Terry pats the sputtering, red-faced figure of Severus on the back. "What is love if not lustful desire?" Quoting a poem, he had heard his male cousins say behind their mother's back.

"Terry!" Severus choked unable to speak as the three of them roared with laughter until a small meow caused them all to stop.

"What is THAT?" Sirius warily asked with the slightest of tremors in his voice.

"Alchemy, of course," Terry responded leaning down to open the basket and gently pulling out an adorable kitten.

At the first sight of the kitten, Sirius instantly presses himself further back against his seat as if to escape the horrible little beast. "Er, I'm not very good with cats!"

"Are you allergic or something?" Rowan asked in disbelief.

"No, err, I'm just not good with them and their creepy stares," Sirius lamely lied.

Severus's eyes glint ominously as he spots a chance for petty revenge. "You aren't afraid of cats, are you, Sirius?"

"Of course not!" Sirius feebly stammered as his face turned rather pale.

With an evil grin, Terry holds out the adorable kitten toward Sirius. The kitten's large, greenish, yellow eyes blink cutely at Sirius. It licks one little white paw and uses it to clean its fuzzy little face.

"Stay back!" Sirius squealed in panic jumping onto his seat as far as possible from the kitten.

There is a bout of silence until Rowan, Severus, and Terry burst into laughter. Trying not to shake from laughter, Terry settles the purring kitten into his lap. The three of them can't speak from their laughter.

Embarrassed with a lobster-red face, Sirius unhappily mumbles, "I'm leaving!" Before scurrying as quickly as possible from the kitten.

Terry is tempted to shove his kitten at Sirius, but he didn't want Alchemy to be accidentally hurt. Thinking better of it, he just laughs. Their laughter lasts a good while after Sirius slams the train compartment door shut.

"I could have never imagined Sirius being afraid of cats," Rowan gasped holding her aching ribs. At some point, Sirius must have gotten over his fear of cats if Crookshanks is any indication.

"Well, we know Sirius's weakness," Terry darkly chuckled, before rubbing the face of his purring kitten.

"An adorable weapon," Severus cackled just as darkly.

"You really aren't going to let it go, are you?" Rowan arched her brow at Severus. Then again, Severus could be just as petty as her or moreover.

"No, I'm not going to let it go," Severus truthfully admitted.

Pointedly eyeing them both, Terry steadily remarks, "At times like these I can clearly see the similarity between you two."

The twins instantly smirk at Terry, who sighs as he gazes outside the window at his reflection. "Unfortunately, we still have to go ride back across the icy lake in the boats again."

All three of them shudder to imagine the cold. "It's 1st year hazing," Rowan drily commented, "At least next year it will be our turn to snicker loudly as the 1st years suffer the same tragic fate."

"Amen to that," Terry murmured, before tucking his kitten back into the pet carrier to rest.

The three of them continue their chatter until it gets dark. The train lanterns keep them from being plunged into complete darkness. Sensing the time, they change into their robes. Because sooner or later, they would arrive at Hogwarts and have to brave the icy, night chill to cross the frozen ink, black lake.