April 20th, 1890 - Slytherin Common Room

They were second years, and everything was different now. Flora's father was in a wheelchair, Ursula had almost died, and they were no longer the smallest people in the second year. Except.

They were second years, and everything was the same. The older students always got the best chairs and they were left to stake out a corner on the floor and hover like vultures, waiting to see if the older students left so that they could be the important people in the dungeon. That was what Sirius was doing, instead of working on his Potions homework - staring at the occupied chairs and waiting for someone to leave. He had his quill in his hand, but it hadn't moved for several minutes.

"I just want to be a third year," he complained, "Then we get to go on Hogsmeade weekends."

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Flora Mulciber

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   Flora Mulciber

Second year was marginally different from first year. They learned most of the same things, though no one was as worried about hearing from home or getting their wands to work. Everyone had a good idea of what they were good at and what they were not, and most friend groups had been sorted out by now. Although she'd made a few new friends, she was still most comfortable with those she knew from her childhood, and she still regretted that Rex had not been placed in Slytherin with she and Sirius.

Third year would soon come, and life would be overhauled once more. They would add new classes, have new responsibilities, and also new privileges. Flora was eager to grow up, to be a young lady rather than a little girl, and to wear her hair like all the other girls. They would go to Hogsmeade and she would be able to buy her own hair ribbons and bracelet charms instead of having Mama send them when she needed new ones. It would be great.

"And we'll also get new classes. I assume you'll be wanting to take Care of Magical Creatures." All the boys did, or at least that's what she heard a giggling group of fifth year girls talking about. Flora had been less interested in taking it since she heard they didn't get to handle live unicorns (which was and always would be her favorite animal).

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"I don't know," Sirius said. "I haven't decided yet. What are you taking?"

Frankly, Sirius had not thought about it much. He would pick two or three or whatever classes, they would probably be whatever Flora or Abraxas or both were taking, he would probably do very well at them, it would be fine. Sirius had not developed any special, deep interest in any of his classes yet, although he took studying seriously - Aunt Ella did not tolerate idiots.

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Flora, unlike Sirius apparently, had considered what classes she might take. She couldn't take too many; she already took Art and Music on top of her core seven, and she had no desire to fall behind. She couldn't deny that a great number of the offered electives seemed more interesting than her core classes, though. There was Divination, which, despite its negative reputation, was at least interesting. It was more interesting than Ancient Studies, which she had no desire to take at all.

"I'm not sure, either," she said, surprised at herself. "I wouldn't want to take anything that required too much reading. We already do enough of that. Divination sounds fun, and so does Earth Magic. I'm sure you've met a numebr of the elective professors," she said, as if being the headmaster's son meant knowing everyone and everything that was happening at the school. (Though the more she thought about it, she didn't have any recent memories of Sirius interacting with his father...)

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"My father doesn't like people enough to have them over for dinner," Sirius said, which was a true and accurate summation of the situation. He did not, actually, know many professors on a personal level - which suited him just fine. "Divination sounds chic, I guess. Also, how hard can it be to make stuff up all the time?" Obviously there could not be seers who were telling the truth.

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She supposed Headmaster Black wasn't the friendliest person in the castle, but she'd never considered him to be unusually unfriendly. Her father wasn't the most social, either, but she'd always assumed the lack of Unspeakables at their dinner table was more because of secrecy purposes than social purposes. It didn't matter anyways; it only meant that she and Sirius (and Rex and all their friends) would be just as blind as they entered their third year.

"One of my friends said they were named by a naming seer. Could you imagine?" she said, trying—and failing—to imagine her own mother doing so. What if she'd been told to name her Mildred? Or Hippolyta? How dreadful that would've been. "But the crystal balls and teacups seem like fun. What about Ancient Runes? Have you heard much of it?"

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"That's distasteful," Sirius said, because clearly it was ridiculous that people named their children based on what a Diviner said. (And never mind that he had a brother named Arcturus Black II.

"Crystal balls could be fun, though. I think Ancient Runes is like - old stuff. Languages, I mean. Picts, maybe."

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Flora had seen runes before, but she didn't know anything about them. They were a picture language, and were typically associated with archaeology and history, but there had to be more than just that. Professor Cramming seemed like an interesting woman, but unfortunately that was all Flora could say about her.

"Well whatever we take, we must promise to share notes. I can't believe we're not allowed to drop any of our core classes until sixth year," she complained. If only she could let go of History of Magic and the others that didn't matter as much to her, she could focus more on enjoying school. "But like you said, at least we'll be able to go to Hogsmeade. I hate getting ill-fitting coats sent by owl."

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"I just want to go to Honeyduke's," Sirius complained, "And the Three Broomsticks." Hogsmeade had a dreamlike tinge in his memories; they had moved out in 1884, when he was only seven, and so he did not remember the village particularly well. But he liked the idea of it.

"Hogsmeade has stuff," Sirius said, a continued complaint. Hogsmeade was a real town, with no muggles - they could do whatever they wanted there.

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"Honeyduke's," Flora sighed. It had been so long since she'd gotten sour drops or chocolate frogs. Last year she'd been able to rely on Merry to bring her one or two pieces of candy if she annoyed him for long enough, but now she had nobody. There was so much that they didn't have here, and it really was an injustice.

"It won't be too long now. Exams start next month and then we get to go home. And at least we have the Quidditch World Cup to look forward to!" It would be a fun summer at least!

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