𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘆, sirius black

˗ˋ 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH RUMOURS
GO AROUND

. . .

According to the gossip of Gryffindor - a girl name Tracy who seemed to know everyone and everything worth knowing about - she had seen Sirius Black and the newest addition to the year graduating in 1978, Nancy Scamander, sat side by side in the dark corner of the Gryffindor Common Room doing, in her words: 'Merlin knows what'.

It had become very obvious at the beginning of the year that Sirius wasn't the same person who had left the school in June. He hadn't flirted with a girl since coming back to school, and now thanks to Tracy, it was because of Nancy Scamander, who Sirius apparently met over the summer and was now dating.

And it seemed that Nancy Scamander was supposedly rather interesting, because whenever a girl had asked Sirius why he never took things further with someone was because he found them so incredibly boring that he said, and Hufflepuff girl Abigail Chapman quotes, 'he would rather poke his eyes out with lit cigarettes' than be with them.

Which had offended quite a few of them, but they hadn't said anything until now, when the rumour mill of Hogwarts was beginning to regurgiate what Tracy had seen and churning out several variations of it. 

But, as a Ravenclaw fifth year so wisely said; Nancy was a Scamander - who was yet to actually attend a proper school - of course she would be interesting, in a learned, rogue-ish way that none of them would be able to achieve. And she was incredibly pretty, which didn't seem to help things either.

Sirius had quickly learnt about these rumours, unable to avoid noticing the glances in the hallway, the mutters behind eyes, widened eyes as someone wordlessly directed their friend's attention over to him.

Remus had told him eventually, when he wasn't the only one to notice the various girls staring at him in their Transfiguration class - and he only hadn't mentioned it before hand because he assumed that the dark-haired boy already knew. 

And since then, Sirius had been keeping an eye on Nancy, who was blissfully unaware that her every move was being watched not only by Sirius, but also the girls who seemed relatively jealous of her newfound friendship.

Or in their eyes, relationship.

"Good morning." Nancy said, a smile on her face as she sat down at breakfast one morning, a couple weeks after the rumours had began. They had died down quite a lot, thankfully, without Nancy seemingly noticing - but they couldn't be too sure - and now, she  looked just as she had done every other morning since her arrival at Hogwarts. 

"Morning." James looked up from his breakfast first. "We have practise after classes today, if you didn't forget. I've got you uniform finally sorted... and did your grandpa get back to you about the broomstick?"

One of the things that Sirius and Nancy had discussed whilst Tracy was beginning to spread the rumours around the school had been her broomstick, because they considered her too talented to use one of the poor school brooms. And so, after thinking about it, Nancy had added a postscript asking for one. 

"It'll be here by the end of the month." She replied, adjusting her seat as she glanced around, her eyes landing on a girl several seats down. The girl was staring intently at her, and upon realising she had been caught, she returned her gaze to her breakfast. "The latest Nimbus, Newt promised. Did you know they only began their mass production of brooms in 1967?"

"I didn't - but thank Merlin they did." Sirius slid down into the seat beside her, his gaze further up the table from where they were. "I can't think of any broom better than a Nimbus."

"I have a question." Nancy's demeanour had changed a she poured herself a glass of water, as well as retrieving several slices of buttered toast. "And Sirius.. I want you to answer me seriously."

"Yeah, what's up?" Sirius asked, as he was making himself a coffee with a spoonful of sugar and quite a bit of milk. "Is it about the broom? Because I think James knows more about that than me."

"No.. I just wondered how long people seemed to think we were going out?" Nancy blinked, blue eyes staring back into his own. "Because a girl in the common room came up to me and-"

"Just ignore it." Sirius quickly said, reaching forward. "And you need to learn how to do your tie."

"Is it still not right?" The blonde asked. "I've been practising, but I can't get the hang of it."

"Chin up." Sirius tapped it, and she looked upwards, eyes on the sky-ceiling, which was now covered in gloomy grey clouds. 

"See, this is why people think it." James shook his head, mouth full of sausage. "And Tracy Chapman opening her gob too much." Nancy blinked, slightly confused.

"Just ignore him as well." Sirius shook his head, focused on doing up her tie. "You don't have to worry about it, it'll be fine."

"I was just confused.. that's all." Nancy shrugged. But she had a small smile on her face.

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