Daughter of the Crow

Chapter 2

October 2006

The soft flipping of pages and mummer of voices were the only noises anyone could hear in the warm library. Kiara wandered to a table half hidden by bookshelves next to a large window. She was exhausted from running from gossip mongers all day. She finally found peace in her Ancient Rune homework, pulling out her Rune Dictionary and translation worksheet. She tapped her music bracelet and settled down for a few hours of work.

Books and spare papers were scattered across the desk in a way that Kiara would tell you is organized but anyone else would say was a mess. She was halfway through her Herbology assignment when the table shook, sending her gaze up. A younger boy with black hair and signature gray eyes.

"Reg?" Kiara whispered, looking up at her only close friend at Hogwarts.

September 2003

Kiara was walking back to the Hufflepuff common room alone when she heard a noise coming from one of the empty classrooms. Kiara walked down the corridor searching for the source of the noise that as she approached, sounded more and more like stifled crying. Kiara walked into the room, away from the light and warmth of the hallway.

"Hello?" Kiara called out.

The noise she heard from outside had quieted but she could see someone slumped next to a window. The moonlight was just bright enough to make out the boy. He looked up as she tentatively approached. Gray eyes stared at her and then flickered down to her tie.

"Who are you?" The boy asked, curling up even more.

"I'm Kiara." She said sitting down next to him.

"Do you want to tell me how evil I am for being a Slytherin? I've had enough of that from Sirius."

"I don't think Slytherins are evil. You obviously aren't."

"And what do you know about me? I could hex you in a second."

"But you haven't. Anyone who judges someone by a house is an idiot."

The boy let out a quiet laugh sitting up, "No one has ever said my brother is an idiot."

"Well I just did," Kiara stood up and shouted to the empty room, "Sirius Black is an idiot!" Another small laugh escaped him.

"Ok, now that that's over... Hello, person I just met, I am Kiara Hope."

"Regulus Black," he said, reaching for her outstretched hand.

She pulled him up, "Nice to meet you."

October 2006

"How was your day?" Kiara asked, setting her work aside and pulling her legs under her.

"It was fine. I would ask you about your's but I think everyone in the castle knows what happened." Regulus sat down next to her, setting down his bag.

"Ugh! Everyone has made it into such a big deal. I didn't even do all that much. I just didn't let your idiot brother torment Severus again."

"Really? I heard you cast a curse on him and ran away cackling," he snickered.

"Like I would curse someone. I still can't believe I called him out. I'm gonna have to be so careful now. Who knows how they're going to get back at me."

"It'll be fine, as long as you don't eat any food they offer you."

"I'm not stupid." She pushed his shoulder.

Regulus smirked and pulled his work out of his bag. She turned back to her Herbology work with a groan. She struggled for a few moments before switching to her other work. Regulus looked up at her in question but she just ignored him and started humming. He shrugged, used to her shorter attention span, and went back to his charms list mumbling the spells under his breath. They stayed in companionable silence until Kiara stood up with a huff and started pacing.