Prelude to Moondance

At breakfast the next day, the group of Gryffindors who had been up past their bedtime the night before was looking disgruntled and tired.

"I didn't get any of my Potions done," grumbled Sariyah, with a look of discontent on her tan face. She was lazily swirling a bowl of porridge and jam around with a spoon, so fast that the bowl had started spinning around, splattering it across the table.

James wiped a glob of porridge off of his glasses and rubbed his eyes, after shooting a reproachful look at Sariyah. He looked up briefly, and grinned. "Mail's here."

A flurry of owls had just entered the Great Hall, fluttering all around, searching for the owners of the letters and packages they held clamped in their talons. A letter was dropped to James, a package to Lily, and a letter fell in front of Sariyah.

She picked it up and glanced at the front. The handwriting was her father's. She eagerly tore open the letter, reading over the letter. It was written in his curvy handwriting in purple ink, detailing his past month, informing her that he was doing well and missing her, and that he was going to be in England later in the week, but there was no way that he could meet up with her, his 'work' being too important. He had also enclosed an old, battered photograph, which Sariyah slid carefully out of the envelope.

The photograph was of her father and mother, years before her birth, standing in front of a large white house on a dusty red road, with people riding bikes and rickshaws in the background. Her mother and father looked content, waving up at her and smiling happily. A smile grew on Sariyah's face.

"Who's that?" asked Sirius, his mouth full of toast, leaning over to see the picture. "That lady looks like you."

"That's my mom," Sariyah said, smiling at him. "And my dad."

"Let me see!" Lily said excitedly. "I've been your best friend for years now Sariyah, I've only seen one picture of your mom." She reached over and plucked the picture out of Sariyah's outstretched hand and stared at it. James and Remus, who were sitting beside her, examined it carefully as well.

"You look like your mom," said Lily decidedly.

"She does not. She looks like her dad," argued James.

"The only way she looks like her dad is the eyes...everything else is her mum's," Lily stated.

"Yeah, you do have your dad's eyes, Sariyah. And his smile," said Remus, looking at the picture, then back at Sariyah.

"Where was that picture taken?" asked Sirius, craning his neck to get another look at it.

"India," Sariyah replied. "A while back...that must have been in the late 60's."

"Do they have a wizarding school there?" asked Peter, now looking at the picture as well.

"Yeah, they do. I'm not sure what it's called, but I know that my half-brothers and sister go there," answered Sariyah.

"You have brothers and sisters?" asked Lily incredulously. "I'd love to meet them."

Sariyah laughed. "So would I, Lils."

"I wonder if they look like you?" said Sirius, peering at Sariyah again, scrutinizing her face. Sariyah put a hand up against his visage, as she wasn't enjoying the extra attention to her face.

"Again, they'll look like her because she looks just like her dad," stated James.

"No, they won't look like her. She looks like her mom. I've seen her mom, I know what she looks like, she looks like Sariyah," argued Lily.

"Okay, okay, you win, darling," James conceded, putting his head on Lily's shoulder. "You know I hate arguing with you."

"You're so cute," tittered Lily.

"Okay...so...class?" asked Sirius mildly.

Class that day went by painfully slow, sapping the students of all energy before the day was through. All the teachers had set upon lecturing them about N.E.W.T's and how there were informational meetings all this week about different career choices, and that they were required to go at least four meetings, and that attendance would be taken.

After hearing the N.E.W.T./informational meeting speech for the fourth time, the group of Gryffindors left Potions class talking animatedly.

"I already know I want to be an Auror," stated Sirius. "How brilliant would that be? Fighting off Dark Forces and whatnot."

"Exactly. That's just what I want to do as well," agreed James. "Sirius, don't you have detention tonight with the lovely Professor Malodor?"

A grin flitted across Sirius's face. "I do, dear James, I do...it should be quite interesting, I think. I wonder what she'll have me do?" An even bigger smile grew on his handsome face. "Nothing too...well..."

"Disgusting, Sirius, disgusting," smirked Sariyah. "She's so old."

"Yeah," agreed Remus, his facial expression showing great abhorrence. "She's revolting. The woman has probably had illicit relationships with about half the males in our year."

"Just because she's decent looking and shapely doesn't mean that she's been around," said Sirius, grinning. "Well, actually, it probably does, doesn't it? Bollocks, I'm getting jittery just thinking about detention..."

"Okay, that's really enough," shuddered Lily. "Anyway, I think being an Auror would be excellent idea. I haven't really thought of anything else."

"I think being a Healer would be a good career move," remarked Sariyah. "I'm pretty good at Potions and Herbology, I think I would do that."

"Then you wouldn't be with us?" asked Remus. "We're all going to be Aurors, and you-- "

"I'll be patching you up at Mungo's," answered Sariyah, making motions in the air as though she were cutting something with a scalpel.

"Yeah, I could see you doing that," said Sirius. "It would be a lot of work, to be a Healer, or even an Auror."

They entered the tower of Gryffindors and Sariyah immediately began taking things out of her bookbag and piling them on the table.

"You're doing work? Now?" asked Sirius, staring bewildered at Sariyah.

"Yeah," answered Sariyah. "I don't want it all to pile up this weekend. I don't want to have to worry about anything in Hogsmeade."

"At Hogsmeade? Why would that matter, you've been there hundreds of times and had work to do," said Sirius.

Lily grinned and giggled, making Sariyah giggle as well.

"This weekend's a little different," Lily said, chuckling.

"Why?" asked Remus, now slightly interested in the conversation. "Is it a holiday, or something?"

"Well, I'm not going to be the one telling you two, you can ask James, he knows," said Lily defiantly, flipping her red hair and turning away towards the stairs.

Sirius and Remus looked at James, who had a blank expression on his face. Lily was already halfway up the girl's dormitory stairs by the time they had looked back, and Sariyah had placed a Field Charm around her so that she didn't hear any sounds inside the area she was in.

Sirius, not realizing that the Field Charm was up, reached towards Sariyah to tap her on the shoulder, and was greeted by an mild electric shock. He pulled his hand back quickly, mumbling in pain.

"I've actually always wanted to do that," he said pointedly, looking at James and Remus. "Stick my hand in the Field Charm and see if they were right about the shock thing."

"Of course they were right, Sirius," Remus said, laughing. "That Coulomb fellow wasn't a physicist and a wizard for nothing."

They made their way up the dormitory stairs to the 7^th year room, tired from the extensive day of classes.

"So Prongs," Sirius said, loosening his red and gold tie and pulling off the heavy black robes he wore, "why is this weekend different than any other Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Yeah, really," inquired Remus. "I hate it when people just leave you hanging from some big secret."

"No matter how unimportant the secret is?" asked James, his hazel eyes peering with interest at his two best friends, who were now hanging off his every word. "Well, if you have to know, Sariyah's going to Hogsmeade with someone."

"Is that all?" asked Sirius, looking dejected. "I thought it was something big and exciting. So Sariyah has a date, big deal."

James shrugged. "That's all, no big secret now."

They began piling books away neatly into the large bookshelf with five shelves in silence.

"Er, Prongs," Remus asked casually, dusting off the cover of Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7, "do you know with whom she's going?"

James's eyebrows rose a little. "I told Lily I didn't approve at all when she told me who Sariyah was going with," he said contemptuously. "Avery."

"Avery?" Sirius's face contorted into a look of dislike. "I can't believe that."

"Believe it, Padfoot," James said, diving gracefully on to his bed. "I'm going to take a nap. You two can talk amongst yourselves."

Sirius was standing in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection. "I don't have anything to do. It's only five in the evening and I'm bored," he complained, attempting to fix his hair, which needed no fixing, as it looked effortlessly messy as it framed his striking face.

"You have a detention at six, Padfoot," reminded Remus, now sitting on his own bed with a quill and piece of parchment out.

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot, Moony, thanks for reminding me...maybe I'll just get there early," he said, grinning.

"That Malodor is really a man-eater, Sirius. Just watch out for her," Remus cautioned.

"How do you know, Moony? You haven't been in her class since the 5^th year," asked Sirius.

"I just--well...she..." started Remus, blushing a little. "She tried to come onto me when I was trying to leave the castle a week ago."

Sirius's grin grew even wider. "Oh, I see. So she goes for the skinny type? I think I'll be fine tonight, Moony, just fine."

Remus only shook his head at his best friend, and returned to his quill and parchment. Sirius, now with a look that hinted of triumph on his face, left the dormitory and down the stairs, where Sariyah was now standing in front of the fireplace, trying to perform multiple charms on a log on the hearth. They had learned the year before to be able to split their concentration to be able to perform up to three spells at one time, and she was now trying for four.

The log was levitating in mid-air. She shut her eyes briefly, and said "Inflammare", and the levitating log erupted in flames. She shut her eyes again, and the log, flaming and in still hanging in mid-air, wobbled slightly. She opened her eyes and flicked her long wand, and the log turned into what looked like a third of a rock, a third of a log, and a third slimy creature with a tail, all still quite on fire. Her shoulders dropped in exhaustion, as this was the fourth time trying the multiple charms. A bit of water squirted out of her wand and extinguished the flames, and with a wave of her hand, the log returned to the grate.

"Quit?" asked Sirius, watching her progression.

She looked up, startled to see someone else in the room watching her. "Yeah," she sighed. "I've tried it too many times, I can't get it."

"Keep at it, it'll come to you soon enough," encouraged Sirius. "So...Lachlan Avery?"

Sariyah's cheeks went rosy. "Yeah, er...he asked me the other day, so..."

"I'm happy for you," Sirius said, smiling. "Even though I don't like him."

"Oh Sirius," chuckled Sariyah, now gathering up her books. "He hasn't done anything to you."

Sirius smirked. "I suppose not...but it's your decision, not mine."

"Exactly," Sariyah stated. "I'll see you after your detention, then?"

Sirius glanced at the timepiece above the fireplace. "Right. Tell Lachlan I say hi," he added, with a hint of scorn in his voice.

"I don't see him until tomorrow," Sariyah shot back. "So I'll tell him then."

The tension was beginning to grow thick in the room as Sariyah and Sirius eyed each other, Sariyah with a calm look on her face, and Sirius looking slightly irked.

"I'm going, then," he said, turning away from her and going towards the exit.

"Have a good time with your favorite professor," she said, shoving books into her bookbag with a little more vehemence than before.

"I will!" he responded, letting the portrait slam behind him.

Sirius made his way through the winding passages of Hogwarts, through tunnels and secret passageways that only he and James knew about until he reached the lowest dungeon, where the office of the Potions professor was situated. He glanced at his watch, which read five minutes before six. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his gray pants and began cantering around outside the office door, kicking around some pebbles that were on the ground.

He heard footsteps approaching as he took one last kick at the stones on the ground. He looked up, and to his surprise, saw not only the tall, well-proportioned Potions professor, but also Severus Snape following closely behind her.

Sirius's mouth curved into a sneer as he saw Snape. "All right, Snivellus?" he asked.

Snape's dark eyes narrowed in contempt and a look filled with scorn covered his face.

"Mr. Black," stated Professor Malodor in her low, silky voice, "I would not try and provoke Mr. Snape. If you do, I'm afraid it will be more detention." She smiled, her dark blue eyes twinkling.

Sirius stood up a little straighter and tried to look as unconcerned as he could. "I could spend hours in detention with you, Professor," he said cheekily, looking first at her, then past her to glare at Snape.

"Please come in, Mr. Snape," she said, unlocking the door to her office with a large set of keys. They both entered, Snape giving Sirius another smirk as he followed the professor into her office. The door snapped shut. Sirius pressed his ear against the door, and to his dismay, he realized that he couldn't hear anything. After ten minutes, the doorknob turned and he deftly jumped away from the door as Snape exited. His face was more flushed than it normally was, but it showed no signs of anything else. His hair was messier than when he had entered and he smoothed it out as he walked past Sirius without saying a word to him.

"Come in, Sirius," called Professor Malodor.

The office was dark and damp, with various knicknacks strewn about messily. The walls weren't decorated, and there was a faint greenish glow coming from the torches on the wall. There was a desk in the corner of the room, dark mahogany with nothing but a quill and parchment resting on it. Beside the fireplace was an armchair and a long sofa, and some magazines with stylish witches and wizards gracing the covers. A bookshelf in the other corner of the dark room housed a large array of books, and the whole place had a mingled odor of strawberries and vinegar.

The professor waved her wand and a chair appeared in front of the mahogany desk, where she sat. She motioned to Sirius to take a seat, and he did as he was told.

She leaned forward slightly. Sirius had already taken note that she was wearing a robe that had a plunging neckline, and when she leaned forward, he could see nearly everything, in plain view. Her thin, shiny black hair rested temptingly just above her chest, a few stray strands falling into the crevice between her breasts. A silver pendant in the shape of a serpent dipped into the curve of her breasts, twinkling in the greenish glow of the room.

"Mr. Black," she said, making Sirius force his eyes away from her chest and to look directly at her, "you are in here for detention. I realize that you are most likely the brightest student in my class, but that does not exempt you from being punished for provoking other students."

Sirius nodded, trying to look as solemn as possible, trying to keep his thoughts and eyes away from her chest.

"So you, for tonight, will be scrubbing out these--" she waved her wand and about thirty small cauldrons appeared where the sofa and armchair had been before, "with this." A small washcloth and a bottle of Skower's All-Purpose Cleaner appeared on her desk.

Sirius nose scrunched a bit at the smell emanating from the cauldrons and grudgingly picked up the washcloth, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and began scrubbing the cauldrons, all while being watched avidly by the Potions professor as she sat at her desk, grading essays. She would glance up, now and again, only to see the muscles in his back rippling as he used his entire strength to clean the cauldrons, which seemed as though the muck had been stuck to them for years.

Hours passed, and he was not done with the cauldrons. His white school shirt was now stained with dark splotches, his neat gray pants scruffed up, and a variety of colors had made their way onto his face. His hands were red and swollen from the constant rubbing, and the washcloth had deteriorated into what looked like a thin sheet of parchment.

"You've done well for one night, Sirius," stated Professor Malodor, now standing above him, as he tried to scrub out the 20^th cauldron. He stood up to face her, and realized that he was quite a bit taller than she was. Her eyes scanned his face, then the rest of his body. She reached towards him and loosened his red and gold tie, which was still fastened haphazardly around his neck. Her hand strayed from the tie to his chest, where he allowed her to slide her hand down his muscular torso.

"You wouldn't want something to drink, would you?" she asked him, now looking back up at the much younger student.

"Actually," Sirius said, looking at a clock above her desk, which read 10:30 pm, "I have to finish some homework tonight. Perhaps tomorrow." He laid the remnants of the washcloth and the bottle of cleaner on her desk and exited with a goodnight farewell to the Potions professor.

He came the next night, and scrubbed away as he had the night before. She offered him a drink again, and this time he agreed.

She conjured up a pot of tea and they both sat there, on the sofa, sipping it in silence.

"You know Sirius," she started, "I'm glad I have someone to keep me company at night now. I look forward to you coming for detention."

Sirius laughed and put his tea down. Today the Professor was wearing deep blue, low cut robes, and the pendant was there, swinging and coming to rest in the same place it had been the night before.

Sirius had to restrain himself the night before, but just as most men, he took the opportunity when it presented itself. He reached towards her and touched the necklace, picking it up off of her pale skin and letting it rest in the palm of his hand. Her face became pink as his hand grasped the necklace.

"I'm guessing you were in Slytherin?" he asked, looking at the necklace.

"I was, yes," she answered breathlessly. "You're a Black. Why didn't you go into Slytherin?"

He let the necklace drop. "Because I'm a Gryffindor."

In the next second, Sirius felt the Professor's body on top of his own, her lips on his, and her hands holding him down on the long sofa. She kissed him furiously, but Sirius's was too shocked to respond. He put his arms around her waist and pushed her away from him, away to the other side of the sofa. Her hair was everywhere now, and she was breathing heavily.

"No one," she said, breathing hard. "No man...has ever resisted me, Sirius. No one."

Sirius finally realized that Remus's statements about the professor were true. He laughed out loud. "I'm not an easy man to please, Professor. I have more will-power than a lot of people that you might know."

"Really? More will power than Lucius? It didn't take me long with him, or with Severus, or with any of the other boys in your class. So it won't take long with you," she said almost casually, getting up from the sofa and walking back towards the desk.

"I'm a Black, Professor. And while I may not be in the House of Snakes, I still possess qualities of the Black family. One of those is persuasion. Another is strong will. I'm afraid tonight was my last detention, and quite frankly, I can guarantee you that I'm not going to be caught dead alone with you, ma'm," Sirius ended, picking up the washcloth and tossing it on her desk. He left the office with his head held high, and shut the door behind him, leaving a very disgruntled and unsatisfied Potions professor.