ink - sirius black

sharp quills and overheard statements

Sirius hadn't anticipated her thinking of this. Usually, he could read women very well, and her being unpredictable sent a small thrill through him that he told himself was very wrong.

He had made his decision to hate her and fully planned on sticking to it.

"Who said the business was holy?" he asked with a wink as he exited through the open air corridor.

And made sure the Map was secure in his pocket.

Anneliese blinked a few times in surprise at both his response and departure, not having expected such a bold reply.

But she had decided on hating him, and that wasn't going to change.

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September 8, 1976
2:19
Transfiguration Classroom

"Did you guys have Transfiguration in America?" Marlene asked curiously as they went to the first block of the day. "Where you transform things?"

"Yes, we did," Anneliese confirmed with an amused expression. "Ilvermorny wasn't all that different from here. Actually, that's a lie. We didn't have Peeves."

Lily groaned at the mention of the poltergeist that her friend had become partners in crime with instantly.

The two of them had already blocked an entire corridor yesterday with an enormous pumpkin swelled to mold the walls. The huge vegetable had taken two hours and three professors to clear away because of the protective enchantments around it, and made the fourth years miss Potions.

"Yes, that is enough chatter," the stern professor that had welcomed Anneliese to Hogwarts said with a wave of her hand. "You too, Miss Callaway. I don't want to take any more points from my own house after the pumpkin."

James, Remus, and Peter all grinned at the mention of the prank they had never thought of with admiration, but Sirius forced his features into a gruff expression.

"Yes mam," Anneliese said, setting her bag down and sitting down only to see that the entire room was staring at her oddly, McGonagall included. "Did I say something?"

A few sniggers went through the classroom at her question.

Sirius frowned a bit. They should know that she wasn't from here, and that she had no idea what things meant here versus in America, not laugh at her for something that wasn't her fault.

"When in my classroom, you will address me as professor or Professor McGonagall, is that clear?" she asked with a tight, strict expression.

Anneliese's face flushed a light pink the color of rose petals, not knowing what she had done wrong as she mumbled her confirmation and finished getting out her things.

"Hey," the boy with green eyes identified by Marlene as Remus Lupin whispered, leaning over from his desk over to her.

"Yea?" Anneliese asked, hoping that he wouldn't proceed to embarrass her further or make fun of her like many people in the room already seemed to be doing behind her back but not her observant eyes.

"I know it's just manners in America, or in the South or whatever, but here it's considered offensive to call a woman mam," he said in a hushed tone. "Might be a hard habit to break, but worth your while."

"Thanks darlin," she whispered back, and Remus blushed a bit. "Sorry, I use that casually."

"No, it's fine," he muttered, turning back to his notes as Anneliese did the same.

The lessons at Hogwarts were just as challenging as Ilvermorny, but the American school had given her a head start on a few classes, Transfiguration and Potions being two of them. Most of the things McGonagall had been teaching the sixth years so far was review for Anneliese, and she took to doing something she did best.