A Circle of Flame- Sirius Black x OC

Chapter 1

Her brother's face turned an identical shade of purple. It was a colour that contrasted terribly with their orange freckles.

"Those wankers—"

Liza lost the rest of Gideon's response as she pushed herself into a run, feeling the familiar tug as her body passed through the bricks and onto Platform 9 ¾. Surveying the scene before her, she took in a deep breath of the comforting steam. It burned her lungs with a blooming warmth.

Several meters away, the scarlet engine puffed the stream in a merry spiral, a welcome sight after a several hour car ride with the twins. Liza swore the twins refused to apparate just to torment her. After all, they had turned of age last year.

To her right, a pair of gossiping fourth years cooed over a Pygmy Puff, the golden Hufflepuff emblems on their robes shining as they prodded the creature's purple tufts of fur. Not far off, a mother cried over her embarrassed-looking first-year while she tugged at his collar fretfully. The boy was nearly crimson with discomfort.

Liza allowed a slight smile to cross her face as she thought of her sister and how she was certain to act the same once her children reached Hogwarts age. Molly had graduated a handful of years ago and already had three boys of her own. Bill, Charlie, and Percy were among Liza's closest friends. Considering the younger couldn't even read, she had to admit that was rather depressing.

"Alright, enough dawdling." Gideon prodded her shoulder with his wand. The hickory wood dug painfully into her muscle. "Go find your evil compartment."

Allowing herself one more eye roll, Liza squeezed her brother's hand. She smiled innocently as she pressed her fingernails into the delicate flesh between his fingers. "Love you."

"We hate you." Fabian and Gideon cheerfully chorused together, their blue eyes sparkling amongst the smog wafting from the train's chimney.

Liza snorted as she brushed a strand of orange hair from her face and disappeared into the crowd. It was sort of an unspoken rule that she and her brothers went their separate ways at school. They weren't (usually) rude to each other, but with the house rivalry that conducted most school relations, it was easier to pretend the other didn't exist.

Sometimes, the isolation did sting. Liza tried not to linger on the thought while she swung up onto the steps leading into the train car. But the moment she had been sorted into Slytherin, a line had been drawn between her and her siblings. It was one that would endure until her graduation.

Trotting across the aisle, Liza pulled her hair back into a loose coil, not bothering to secure the hanging strands behind her ears. With her ghostly skin and freckles the colour of carrots, there was no point in keeping up appearances. Wizarding World or not, redheads were largely considered freaks of nature.

She finally reached the last compartment at the end of the car. There were no official areas designated by house, but the students had formed silent barriers. Anyone who didn't have an emerald tie never crossed the door in front of her. At least the alliances were predictable.

Liza slid upon the compartment door. The wheels protested at her weight, giving a painful screech.

"Finally!" she grinned at the sight of her best friends, who didn't bother to look up and acknowledge her presence. This was the typical Slytherin greeting. "Aren't you two a sight for sore eyes?"

Myra Rowle grimaced as she took in Liza's disheveled state, her dark skin as luminous and smooth as ever. Her lips glistened with an expensive gloss that Liza was certain would take her months of work to afford. A silver Prefect badge was pinned at a meticulous angle on her chest. "Do you even use the hairbrush I bought you?"