Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 135

The new term had a pleasant surprise for the sixth years: a large sign had been pinned to the common room notice boards overnight.

APPARITION LESSONS

If you are seventeen years of age, or will turn seventeen on or before the 31st August next, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry of Magic Apparition instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. Cost: 12 Galleons.

'We're starting Apparition training.' Isabella wrote in the diary, as she sat in the empty Great Hall in the morning for breakfast.

'Oh, yes, I remember that.' ink spilt back.

'Was it easy?' Isabella asked.

'For me, yes.' Tom wrote. 'Do you think you'll be fine?'

'Yes, I'm pretty confident.' Isabella wrote back. 'I've read the Ministry pamphlets. It should be fairly easy.' 

'It is.' Tom wrote. 'Tell me if you manage it on your first try.'

'Are you making fun of me?' Isabella scribbled, slightly ticked off.

'Of course not!' Tom wrote back. 'Why on earth would you think that?'

Isabella felt annoyance well up in her. She had written to Tom long enough to know when he was being sarcastic and when he was being honest. And Tom was a sarcastic little shit. 

'Honestly, Tom, shut up.' Isabella scribbled. 'You like making fun of me, don't you?'

'Oh, dear, why would you think that?' Tom wrote to her. 'No, no, Bella. Make fun of you? Never.'

'Git.'

'Haha.'

'Sod off, you prat.' 

'You must be respectful to your elders, Bella.' Tom wrote chidingly.

'Certainly, Grandpa. Forgive my insolence.' Isabella wrote promptly. 

'Look who's being the prat now!' Tom's quick reply came back, and Isabella could see that he was indignant. 

Isabella looked up and saw Black walk into the Great Hall. She shut the book immediately, stuffed it into her bag, and pretended to focus on her toast. 

Black was the only other person in the Hall apart from her. 

Why on earth was he so early? 

As she stared at Black, curiously, he looked up and for a second, their eyes met. She was expecting him to glare at her, and then turn away immediately, but he held her gaze. 

Isabella felt her heart skip and beat and the heat rise to her cheeks. She dropped her gaze promptly. She was extremely surprised. By Black's behaviour, yes. But mostly because of what she had done herself.

Why on earth was she getting so flustered? All he did was stare at her? And what's wrong with her heart? 

. . .Good Merlin, please don't be that. Anything but that!

Isabella slipped the diary back out from her bag, and propped it open on her lap. 

'Tom.' she wrote hastily. 'I think something is wrong with me.'

'What? What happened?' Tom scrawled back hastily. 

'Didn't I tell you about Black?' Isabella wrote. 'I think I might have a small problem.'