"You didn't have to hit me that hard, you know." Sirius broke the silence between us during potions, and I rolled my eyes.

"I obviously did, Black. I had to prove that I was boss."

"You could've done it without hitting me on the head! Do you know what kinda of delusions I had! It was bloody embarrassing!" Sirius exclaimed, lowering his volume as Slughorn shot him a warning glare.

"You've gotten me curious now." I admitted. "What kinds of things did you say?"

"I'm not telling." Sirius stuck out his tongue childishly, turning around in his seat so that his back was to me.

"Git. Remind me I even try to be nice to you, or friendly?"

"But alas, soap dope, you aren't nice or friendly to me at all, going against your claim. Therefore, I cannot remind you." Sirius pointed out cheekily, patting my knee.

"Au contraire, gargoyle nipple, you are experiencing my nice and friendly side right now." I reprimanded with a small smirk. "I'm trying to be nice to you, but you make it so hard, seeing as you're a stuck up jerk."

"My feelings!" Sirius whispered dramatically. "I think my heart is broken forever." He added more seriously.

"Why would it be broken, Black, we hate each other?" I rolled my eyes. "Stop acting like a fool, we need to start this potion."

"Right." Sirius muttered bitterly. I shot him a confused glance.

"What's with the attitude?" I questioned, slightly concerned by his quick mood change.

"Nothing." Sirius said with a forced smile. "Don't worry your pretty little head over little old me."

"Did you just call me pretty, Black?" I gaped. "Are you feeling alright? Did you eat something at breakfast?" Sirius blushed, something he rarely ever did.

"So what if I did?" He retorted. "Of course, you're not as pretty as me, but..." I felt myself slightly deflate with hurt as I realized he hadn't meant it. I hadn't even realized I had swelled from flattery as well. Confused at what I was feeling, I shook my head, covering it up with an eye roll.

"But what?" I pried.

"But don't take offense because everyone knows I'm just drop-dead gorgeous." Sirius grinned.

"Whatever let's you sleep at night, Black."

"Thanks, Elise." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Really boosting my confidence."

"Do you need any boosting? Your ego is almost as big as Potter's!" I laughed. Sirius frowned.

"Hey, that was mean!" He pouted.

"Mr. Black, Miss Elise, would you kindly pay attention to my class?" Professor Slughorn bellowed, his eyes narrowed. I gulped, and found myself blushing under his intense stare.

"Of course, Professor, just had a question I needed to ask my partner about." Sirius answered smoothly, the boy didn't miss a beat.

"Very well." Slughorn said, but his gaze remained locked on us for the rest of class, staring at us with extreme suspicion.

---

"Cas!"

I turned around to see Gabrielle running in my direction, her face streaked with tears. I quickly hurried over to my friend, helping her sit down in an empty window seat nearby.

"Belle, what's wrong?" I questioned nervously. Gabrielle choked back a small sob, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes.

"Bradley's b-best friend i-in Hufflepuff, his mother w-was killed by You-Know-Who last night. His father's withdrawing him from H-Hogwarts, and Bradley is so u-upset!" Andromeda hiccuped, and a cloud of anger swept over me, anger at the Dark Lord who had ruined so many lives. Gabrielle's face suddenly darkened, and she opened her mouth to speak again. "I-I, why? Why is You-Know-Who doing all of this? What does he gain? I can't stand the thought of him hurting anyone else, and...I-I've...I've decided that I want to j-join the R-Resistance."

"I agree, I want to fight as well." I nodded without hesitation, speaking fiercely. The thought had been plaguing my mind. I was in my sixth year at Hogwarts. It wouldn't be long until I wasn't under the shelter of the castle, and before I was out in the world.  "Nobody else should have to die, no more innocents should loose their lives."

"Exactly. But I don't know how I could help, nobody trusts me in Slytherin, so I couldn't become a spy, and most people would probably have difficulty trusting me outside of Slytherin." Gabrielle sighed, her tears vanished.

"I could be a spy." I whispered suddenly, glancing around to make sure nobody was near. "I've never really spoken against pure-blood claims, although I haven't really ever mentioned them either. I could get in with the Death Eater crowd, learn some stuff, report to the Resistance." An idea was forming in my head. I could speak with Dumbledore, convince him to let me join the Resistance now, and I could become a spy. I could start sitting with the Death Eater crowd. I could get inside, find out Voldemort's plans. Just thinking about it made my body fill with adrenaline, and it took a second for Gabrielle to snap me from my daze.

"But what if something happened to you?" She asked worriedly. "What if they found out? You could get hurt, you could get killed!"

"Isn't it worth it, though?" I defended. "I don't care if something happens to me, I'd very much like to protect more people from dying."

"What a Gryffindor thing to say." Gabrielle sighed. "I shouldn't have mentioned it. Now you're going to go get yourself killed!"

"I'm not going to get myself killed, Belle, relax. Sure, my entire family has been Gryffindor, but I was put into Slytherin for a reason. I'm cunning, crafty, resourceful, and ambitious. I can get out of sticky situations. And I'm confident that I can get Dumbledore to let me into the Resistance." I said slowly, inflating a little with pride.

"I don't think I can stop you." Gabrielle said meekly.

"No you can't. I'm doing this to help people, and I'm doing this for you, Belle."

"No, you aren't doing it for me."

"What?"

"I never said I wasn't planning on joining. You go to Dumbledore, you're going with me. I'm seventh year, remember? We're in this together, if you really have your heart set on it." Gabrielle explained, a small grin beginning to light up her features.

"Together?" I questioned, suddenly uncertain. She nodded.

"Together."