The Second Chance | James Potter

Chapter Four - Dancing with Slytherins

Once on the train, Astraea immediately left to find her siblings. She walked what felt like the whole length of the train, not seeing a single sign of them. Just when she was about to walk past a certain compartment, she heard her name being called. Looking to the compartment to her left, she was met by the sight of James Potter. A bright smile made its way onto her face as the boy gestured for her to come into his compartment. Astraea entered, a little nervous as she knew what she was getting herself into.

James grabbed a hold of her hand as soon as she entered the compartment, kissing it softly before he greeted her with a soft smile on his face. Astraea returned his smile although she had no idea as to what she had done to receive such a greeting from the Potter Heir. "Hello James," she smiled at the other three people in the compartment, each of them staring at her in shock and a little bit of awe. Sirius's grey eyes flickered between her face and where her and James's hands were connected.

The young boy stood, making a small bit of anxiousness leak inside her but Astraea stood firmly and faced Sirius head-on. This is not your father Astraea constantly reminded herself but, she guessed that she missed him so much that she would take any part of him even if it was a 16-year-old version of him who also had no idea who the hell she was. She slowly watched as Sirius sauntered over to her, a certain confidence that he hadn't gotten back in her time in his step. A roughish smile appeared on his face, one that she found herself returning and he said, "Well hello there!" she could see the glare that James threw his way but she couldn't help chuckle at the boy's ways.

Sirius grabbed her other hand as James was still holding her other, the one that she wore her Laurent Ring on and pressed a brief kiss to her hand. She saw the way his eyes widened at the Ring but he pushed his surprise away for the moment. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Lady Laurent." Astraea did not curtsey to the Sirius as was custom but she did smile quite brightly at him.

"It is a pleasure to meet you too, Heir Black." His smile immediately disappeared from his face. Sirius slowly retracted his hand as a closed-off expression appeared on his face. She had expected this. Even in her time, her father didn't like who he was but she had shown him that while both of their names were Black, they could be different. They were Blacks in name only, their actions didn't need to reflect that of their family.

"I am no Black," Sirius stated. "I have been disowned." Which he hadn't. Walburga had certainly tried but she was not Head of the Black Family; that power was with Arcturus Black, her great grandfather and he had never approved of Sirius's disownment.

Astraea stared at the boy, not wanting to upset him but "I am a Laurent, Heir Black. We make it a point to know every person in every House so while you might think your parents have disowned you, our sources say otherwise."

"Do you feel the absence of your family magic, Heir Black? If that were the case then you would find your magic to be much weaker than before." She told Sirius, the teenage boy looking severely troubled by her words. Sirius couldn't deny that he hadn't felt any difference in his magic since he had all but fled from Grimmauld Place last summer. His magic has felt much the same as it always has.

"That makes no difference to me. I am not a Black neither am I the heir," He told her, his voice bordering on almost shouting at her. Astraea discreetly cast a silencing ward in their compartment. This was not a talk for everyone to hear.

"Was your brothers' heirship announced in the Daily Prophet? No, it wasn't and that is because he is not the heir," Astraea stated, knowing why Sirius was fighting so much. She looked the impassioned boy in the eye as she spoke. "No matter how much you try, you cannot deny that you are a Black but, that does not have to mean anything to you. It is merely the name that you carry, it is not who you are. It is your choices and your actions, they are the true judge of your character."