"Nice hair," Regulus smirked at Frannie's figure as he waited in the center of the Quidditch pitch, the early morning air still crisp from last night's rain.
"Don't speak of it," Frannie scowled, patting the emerald clump of curls. How James and Sirius had managed to sneak into the girl's bathrooms, she didn't want to know.
The Slytherin snorted, mounting his broomstick with ease and hovering a few feet in the air. "Hard to miss it." His silver gaze held a rare flash of curiosity. "What'd you do? Normally the Gryffindors are safe from their schemes."
"I called Potter a git," Frannie replied sourly, tossing a Quaffle from one hand to the other as she eyed the goal posts. "But he asked for it!"
Regulus rolled his eyes, pulling the clasp on his jersey robes tighter. "When does he not?" The younger Black pulled a golden snitch from his pocket, releasing the ball to flutter in the air, beginning to weave madly around his head. "Let's see if your last trick was just a stroke of luck, Smith."
Frannie's lip twisted into a smug smile as she narrowed her chocolate gaze. "Game on, Black." It was rather odd to use her surname when she wasn't referring to herself.
Regulus turned his broom to the right, coaxing it to a quick speed as he began to circle the Quidditch stands, skimming the benches where the students normally sat. Frannie opted to soar upwards into the breaking fog as the sun began to rise, casting everything into a golden hue.
She looked down at the pitch below, scanning the grass for any sign of movement. A hint of gold glittered at the bottom of the Gryffindor stand and Frannie sank into a dive, pressing her knees close to her chest as she approached the snitch.
Suddenly, she was shoved out of the way harshly, nearly losing her grip as her broom clipped the side of the wooden stadium. By the time she had regained her balance, the snitch had disappeared.
"Thanks a lot," Frannie snapped, glaring at Regulus, who looked rather proud of himself. "At this rate, we won't have time for breakfast."
Regulus adjusted his dragonhide gloves, pulling at the leather arrogantly. "If you were a true Quidditch fan, food would be much less important."
"I'm trying to help you!" Frannie retorted, her eyes growing in indignation as her tone softened. "I owe you, for not telling on a Gryffindor."
Her uncle shrugged, his brow wrinkling slightly. "I looked up your name. Seems the Smiths own several large manors in France."
Frannie froze, sending a prayer of thanks that a wizarding family with the same last name existed. "I see," she replied, shifting her position to be more comfortable as she headed back into the air, this time circling closer to the pitch. A large grin grew on her face as she urged the broom forward, zooming across the ground as she pretended to spot the snitch. To her surprise, Regulus actually fell for the trick, following right on her heels.
At the last second, Frannie pulled up, her arms brushing a Hufflepuff banner as a flash of gold caught her eye. She heard Regulus curse behind her as he slammed into the stand, nearly toppling from his broom. Frannie allowed herself a satisfied grin as she extended her arm, reaching to grab the snitch as it fluttered in front of her right side.
Suddenly, a Bludger raced at her face, causing her to swerve and allow Regulus to pass her. Her uncle grasped the snitch in his fist easily, his face lighting up in satisfaction.
"You didn't tell me you released the bludgers!" Frannie protested, sending the boy a playful glare. "Cheater."
Regulus seemed unbothered, his grey gaze gleaming as he landed on the ground, dismounting from the broom. "First thing I learned in Slytherin: secrets are power."
Frannie frowned, thinking of Draco and Dumbledore. "Or a weakness."
Regulus raised a dark eyebrow. "You're telling me you're not hiding something?" He strode forward, leaving Frannie behind on the field. "Because Beauxbatons students don't just show up without an explanation."
Frannie watched his retreating figure before returning to the Gryffindor locker rooms, shoving Sirius's broomstick into his locker. She sighed, ripping off her practice robes and pulling on her skirt, smoothing out the scarlet and gold trim. She still hadn't gotten used to the new colours and she felt another pang of sorrow for her beloved emerald. A few tears pricked her eyes as she thought of Draco, who always seemed to have a green apple in hand. What would her cousin say?
Get your bloody act together Black.
Frannie smiled as she heard his familiar drawl, rubbing at her cheeks and smoothing on a thin line of eyeliner. Taking a last look in the mirror, she left the changing rooms and headed back towards the castle, tripping on a rather large pebble in the middle of the path.
"You're a complete klutz," James grunted as he caught her arm from where he and Sirius had been passing by. The boy's lips curled into a satisfied smirk as he looked at Frannie's green curls. "Glad to see your new look is lasting properly."
Frannie scowled, rolling her eyes as she smiled slightly. "Thanks, Potter." She raised an eyebrow. "You've got me thinking maybe Slytherin isn't so bad."
James looked scandalized; his hazel eyes widening in horror. "WHAT?" he grabbed her elbow, shaking his head firmly. "NO. I'll give you the counterspell if it will erase these traitorous thoughts from your head."
Sirius nodded in agreement, his dark curls falling to his shoulder. "Trust me, Smith. You can't go back from being a snake." His eyes darkened as he looked over Frannie's shoulder and she turned around to see Regulus stalking back to the castle, sending his brother a cold glare.
"Maybe not," Frannie replied carefully, feeling a flash of loyalty to her house. "But not all Slytherins are bad. They might surprise you." She pulled away from James, leaving the warmth of his fingertips.
"How would she know? She's only been here a few weeks," she heard Sirius mutter to his friend in annoyance as they made their way down to the Quidditch pitch.
Frannie sighed, shaking out her robes and loosening her tie, trying to stop the familiar pull of loneliness. She made her way to the library, trying to avoid Madame Pince's glare as she ducked into the DADA section. The room had always been a refuge to her in her darkest times.
"You didn't bring the rest of them with you, did you?"
She looked up to see Remus hiding behind a desk in the corner, his face rather pale under the torchlight.
"Who?" she frowned, looking around at the empty aisle.
"The idiots," Remus whispered, the scars on his face stretching as he peered over his shoulder.
Realizing he was teasing, Frannie broke into a large grin. She had gotten to know her godfather a bit better her fifth year, with joining the Order meetings and all. "You mean the Maurauders?" she sat down across from him, opening her textbook. "I suppose you're included in the idiot category then?"
"Absolutely not," Remus returned to his business-like manner, tightening his tie as he began to scribble a few notes. "I just have to make sure they don't die."
"Or kill each other," Frannie added, leaning back in amusement.
Remus snorted, shaking his head as he opened another pot of ink. "Actually, I would be just fine with that. Take each other out, make my life easier." He sighed, unrolling a scroll of blank parchment. "Maybe then I would have a chance at peace."
Frannie laughed, throwing her head back as she let the sound fill her chest. "I can understand." She frowned, her eyes darkening. "I always wondered how you survived it."
There was a moment of silence as Frannie realized her odd choice of words. "I mean just over these last few weeks," she quickly corrected, burying her nose in the textbook as she felt her heartrate increase. "They really are toe-rags."
She felt Remus's gaze linger on her before he continued his notes, pushing his tongue between his lips in concentration. "Still, they're the best mates I could ask for."
Frannie felt her stomach sink as she realized full moon was only a few days away. She reached down in her shoulder bag, pulling out a plastic package. "Here," she smiled, remembering all the nights she had spent at Grimmauld Place talking to her future professor. "Snagged this from a muggle shop. Hot chocolate." She pushed the parcel over to his side.
Remus's expression lit up as he ran a finger along the outside. "I assume Sirius mentioned my obsession with chocolate?"
"Er.. yeah," Frannie lied, smiling faintly as she pulled out a quill of her own. "Says you couldn't live without it."
Remus gaze darkened for a moment and she saw a flicker of anger in his eyes. "I wish I could."