October 1st 1976

Anastasia's POV:

We (Lily, Marlene, Alice and I) are currently heading to Transfiguration class as it's the first period of the day.
"Can you believe it's October already?" Lily broke the silence, but was cut off by Alice who excitedly said "which means there will be Hogsmeade this week."
"BTW, when's the quidditch tryout?" Alice asked Marlene.
"I don't know, but they may announce it any time from now" answered Marlene.
"Also, I wonder who will make into our team this year, with James being the captain" Marlene sighed.
Potter's name caught Lily's attention, "What the hell? Potter's a quidditch captain?" Lily was shocked.
Marlene nodded her head at Lily.
"I never knew..."
"I thought Ana here have told you" Marlene looked at me.
"She didn't Marlene. Ana, why didn't you tell me about this?" Lily was now looking at me.
"I forgot okay? Besides the captain badge is always pinned on his robes" I was irritated by her question.
"I'm sorry Ana, I didn't mean to irritate you" Lily stopped me as she kept her hand on my shoulder apologizing.
"No, don't apologize. It's not your mistake. It's just that McGongall's going to pair us up with others for the entire year and I'm worried about that." I looked at her hoping she'll understand what I meant. But, she didn't say anything she just gave my shoulder a squeeze and smiled at me silently saying that she understood my situation. We resumed our way to Transfiguration class and sat in our usual seat. After 10 minutes, Professor McGongall came in with a big list in her hand. I looked at Lily and Marlene who smiled at me though they were bothered with the thought of pairing with some other guys. After giving everyone a big lecture she started pairing.

Fortescue and Martinez,
Black and Pettigrew,
Harold and Benson,
McKinnon and Lupin,
Evans and Wood,
Antony and Mendler,
.
.
.
.
Potter and Wilson.
My breath hitched soon as I heard McGongall say this. Marlene, Alice and lily looked concerned, whereas Potter looked relieved. I don't know why though.

"Anastasia you can do this, Potter isn't that bad"  with this thought in my mind, I went and sat beside Potter who was now smiling at me.
"Hey Wilson!" James greeted me with a grin on his face.
I just smiled at him not knowing what to say.
"Are you happy with this seating?" Potter suddenly asked me.
"Ummm.... yeah! I'm happy. Why would you ask that?"
"Your face tells the other thing Ana" Potter said and I was dumbfounded.
"You do know that you can be ruthlessly honest with me right?" Potter was serious now, and I just nodded to his question.
I took a deep breath "Listen here Potter, I don't have any problem with this seating until you don't prank me or anyone during the class" I was now looking at him and boy, the look on his face when I mentioned about not pranking anyone was so funny that I wanted to laugh there, but I couldn't.
"What?" Potter nearly whisper screamed.
"Potter please, I know how it feels. But please for me" I made my best puppy face so that he can agree. Potter sighed and nodded his head in agreement.
"James, thanks for understanding." Wait... I called him James instead of Potter, I  guess James isn't like Black.
He smiled at me and opened his textbook, I too did the same and no longer than a minute I was dipping my quill into the ink pot. As I was taking notes, Potter started poking me.

"Potter! Please will you stop poking me?" I asked him not taking my eyes off my book.
"Not until you listen to me" was his reply still poking me.
"We can talk later, after the class. But not now. Please!" I nearly begged him as I turned towards him. Potter nodded his head with a pout. Potter agreed. Boy, Potter agreed second time to not to disturb me. I wonder if Sun has rised in the west today.

As McGongall was giving us notes, Mr.Flinch disturbed the class.
"Professor McGongall! Head Master has requested for your presence" Mr.Flinch said in a single breath. McGongall didn't need to be said twice, she left abruptly followed by Flinch behind her.
I turned to Potter, "So what is it that you wanna talk about?" I asked him.
"Ummm... you see there's a Hogsmeade this week, so I want you to convince Lily to go on a date with me" Potter said hoping that I can do this as easily as he said.
"Potter, I'm really sorry. I can't do this"
"What? Ana, you can do this. Please for me, please. Lily will listen to you, please just do this for me" Potter whined like a baby.
"It's not like I can't, it should come from her  heart to go on a date with you, I simply can't force her to go on a date with you. But trust me, by our graduation she will give you a chance" I held his palm and squeezed it assuring him my last point. He nodded his head and ran his other hand through his hair and was about to say something, but was abruptly cut off by Marlene who dragged him to discuss something about quidditch. But Potter turned back to me, gave a smile before disappearing from my sight. I chuckled and shook my head and started packing my bag.

As I was packing my bag, Lily and Alice came to me.
"What was that?" Lily asked me
"What was what?" I looked up to see Lily standing with her one eyebrow raised with suspicion.
"You and Potter were busy talking with each other. What were you guys talking. Care to explain?" Lily asked.

"The usual October Hogsmeade thing" I replied and got up from my seat.
"Then, why were you smiling at him?" Lily again asked me.
"Oh! That's because he agreed not to prank anyone during class", Lily had this Oh! Kind of look, and Alice was smiling.
"Girls! Seeya all for Dinner! Now I have got Ancient runes. Bye!" I flung my bag onto my shoulder and left for Ancient runes.

I went to Runes and sat with some random Hufflepuff whose name I didn't know.
The class went on soo fast that, I'm now noting down the homework. Professor Babbling asked us to write an essay about Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms and we have to submit it on Friday. I should get started with this now only.
I have astronomy next, but it's at 11pm. So until then I'm free which means, I can work on my runes homework now.

I went to Library, occupied a corner seat and set my bag down and went to runes section to get  books related to my homework.
I was so engrossed with the Runes that I skipped my meals. After going through many runes book, I completed half of the work.
I packed my bag and made my way to great hall as I was bored. I saw Remus sitting alone, reading a book, and thought of giving him a visit. So I went and sat beside me.

"Hey Anastasia!" Remus greeted me without taking his eyes off from the book.
"How did you do that?" I was shocked.
"Do what?"
"This, I mean you greeted me without even knowing who it was. How did you do that?"
Remus muttered something like wolf, which I didn't understand.
"What? Come again"
" I - I - I saw you entering the great hall" Remus stuttered.
"Oh!" Was all I could say.
"Watcha reading?" I asked him as I was bored.
"I'm checking my herbology homework Ana."
"Oh! I'm sorry for Disturbing Remus, Carry on. SeeYa!" I got up and turned towards the entrance hall but Remus held my wrist stopping me from going. When I turned back to him, he was closing his book looking at me.
"I know you are bored now, so let's talk something. Okay?"
"Are you sure Remus?"
"I was almost done with it Ana, and I will check the remaining part later. So now sit."
"Are you sure?" I asked him the same question again.
"I'm 100% sure, but if you ask this question once again, I'll leave you to die out of Boredom" Remus warned and chuckled.
"No no. Don't do that, only you can save me from this boredom" I said with a pout.
"What do you wanna talk about?" Remus asked me.
"Anything" I shrugged.
"What do think of James and Lily?" After talking about many things Remus asked me about Lily and James.
"You want me to be honest?"
"Of course yes Ana, is that even a question to ask?"
"Umm... I think they both would look good together if Lily gives James a chance. But, don't tell this to her" I whispered him the last part.
"I think the same too, but the thing is I love to see them bickering"
"Same here" I laughed.
"Lily flower! Go out with me on a date?" Remus mimicked James as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Potter! What part of NO do you not understand?" Remus mimicked Lily the next second and I laughed. I laughed really hard that other house mates sent me a weird look.
"Remus! Just tell me what all hidden talents you have, so next time I won't be this surprised" I was surprised. Remus the one who always looked as Nerd wasn't nerd at all, he was so fun to hangout with.
"Where's the fun in that Ana?" He chuckled.
"But.... I never got to finish my sentence as we heard Peter calling for him(Remus) standing at the entrance.
"I'm sorry Anastasia. Best friend's call. Bye!" Remus flung his bag on his shoulder and left with Peter.

After Remus left, Alice joined me and soon the great hall was filled by the students as it was a dinner time.

Lily followed by Marlene came, and Lily had this pissed off look while Marlene was a laughing mess. I raised my left eyebrow in question at Lily, for which she pointed her index finger at Marlene. Marlene who was now sitting in front of me was taking deep breath to calm herself down.
"Marlene what happened? By looking at Lily, it's confirmed that James happened. Care to explain what he did this time?" Alice asked Marlene.
"James just threatened a guy who asked Lily to go on a date with him and declared that he's the future boyfriend of Lily" Marlene bursted out into a fit of laughter. I mentally face palmed at the foolishness of James.
"The nerve of that git" Lily muttered under her breath.

"Hullo Ladies!" Potter greeted us as he sat next to me. Marlene and Alice smiled at him whereas Lily glared at him.
"Lily flower! Why that look dear? It's not nice to glare at your boyfriend like that" Potter ran a hand through his hair.
" Boyfriend? My ass! You will never be my boyfriend Potter", Lily was beyond angry now. This is something that I can never get tired off, I laughed.
"Wilson!" Potter warned me, to which I instantly shut my mouth.
After being failed repeatedly trying to impress Lily, he now whispered my name. I turned towards him.
"Can we exchange our seats Ana? Please" Potter asked me with the best puppy face he can make.
"Why should she exchange her seats with you Potter?" Lily asked James
"Because I want to sit beside you" James said looking at Lily.
"Not happening" Lily snapped at him and held my wrist.
James who now looked disappointed turned towards Black, who was watching everything with the look of amusement.
"Sirius Mate! Can we both exchange our seats?" James asked him to which Black nodded.

"Wth? Anastasia Irene Wilson, do something. You can't let that Black sit beside you." My inner self yelled at me.

"No!" I held James's wrist who was about to get up from his seat.
"What?" James was puzzled.
"Because I want you to sit here, not Black"
"Ana- James was cut off by Black.
"Darling! You can say it directly that you want to admire Sirius aka me" Black said  while he flipped his hair back off his eyes.
"Admire you? Black listen carefully, I'm not your fan girl or your girlfriend to admire you" I spat back.
"Then, do you have any problem with the seating?" Black smirked.
"Yes! I'm afraid that what you will do next" I whispered the last part.
"And why's that?"
"Because I made Remus take points from our own house few weeks back when you were caught in the broom closet. And since then, you haven't had your revenge on, so.." I said looking at my hands because I knew he was smirking at me enjoying the fact that I was afraid of him.
"Omg! Wilson... if I knew you were this scared of me, then I would have never missed a chance to make your life a living hell" Black was now laughing like a dog, but soon his laughter died down and he smirked saying "now that you have mentioned, I'll definitely  make your life a living hell from now till our graduation". I mentally face palmed myself for my foolishness.
"Don't you dare Black!" I glared at him.
"Or else what? Complain to my mother about it? Go on I'm not at all scared." Black bursted out laughing again.
"Black shut your bloody mouth now, before I do something that you and I both will regret later" I warned him gritting my teeth.
"Make me shut up Wilson. I dare you" Black smirked and leaned down to my face level.
For a second I was blank. I couldn't let Sirius win this argument.
"I hate you Sirius Black" I said with the look of disgust.
"The feeling's Mutual Wilson" Black said with pure hatred.
"Pig" I muttered under my breath and started digging into my plate ignoring Lily's call, thinking how to spend Astronomy next with Sirius Black being in that class together with me.

I was brought back to my senses when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

To be continued,

Someone tapped Anastasia's shoulder. Who do you guys think it is? Comment down your answers...

I hope you guys will like this Chapter.
Do vote and comment down your opinions. Also add the book to your reading list if you find it worthy.

Until next time,
Xoxo :)