February 25th, 1891

He felt like she was looking at him, and he didn't understand why. Sirius continued working on his homework for a few more minutes, and looked up from his notes, and still felt like she was looking at him. Zenobia was Flora's cousin, so maybe she was looking at him because she was trying to figure out where Flora was, but she was still looking at him, and Sirius was feeling distinctly - unsettled. Disturbed, maybe, even.

"Miss Zabini?" he said, when he looked up from his work a third time and still felt like she was looking.

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Zenobia Zabini Ellory Lestrange

  

Zenobia had assumed herself a friend of Flora's friends, but the truth was that they weren't very close. Miss Gamp and the other girls were alright, but the boys didn't pay her much mind. Zen wanted to conquer that, because being friends with older boys was what cool and mature girls did.

Additionaly, Sirius Black was the Headmaster's son, so there had to be benefits to being in his inner circle.

Without Flora, it was awkward to approach him. He hadn't addressed her at all, even though he'd seen her join the other Slytherins in the common room. Finally, after much starring from her, he spoke to her.

"Mr. Black! What a pleasant surprise to see you here!" Adults would always say something like this when meeting people they weren't at all surprised to see somewhere. "What are you studying?"

  

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set by mj <3

So she had been looking at him, or she was interested enough in talking to him that she was starting a conversation instead of looking away. Sirius glanced around like he expected Flora to appear - like perhaps they had somehow started working in a group when he wasn't paying attention, and now they were hanging out. Were they somehow hanging out? He hadn't thought they were.

"Transfiguration," he said, after a confused beat, "Are you studying?"

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"I was reading," Zenobia replied and half closed her book (her hand stilled remained inside so she wouldn't lose the page) and showed him the cover. It was a book on animagi.

  

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set by mj <3

"Oh," Sirius said; he straightened in his seat. "That's neat. Your father's an animagus, right?" He tended to remember Cool Parent Facts, and had perhaps talked about it with Flora before.

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Zenobia smiled proudly, as though it was her accomplishment instead of her father's. "Yes, he is! Almost everyone in my family is." Auntie Camilla wasn't, oddly enough, but she compensated for that by being her favourite aunt. "I'm going to become one before graduating," she stated matter-of-factly. In all honesty, perhaps it wouldn't be that difficult, given how many relatives she had to guide her through the process. That and Zenobia had an over-inflated idea of herself and her abilities.

  

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set by mj <3

"Oh, that's neat," Sirius said, because it was pretty cool of her, although he was not sure it was possible. First years especially tended not to know how good they were at magic yet. "What do you think you'll be?"

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"A bird, maybe," Zenobia answered. Her voice had been described as 'bird-like' before. She would also like that form for the practicality of it. She could travel by means of flying and she could use her form to spy on people. She'd hate to turn into a sea animal, or something huge and impractical, like an elephant. That would be no use to her at all. "Have you thought of becoming an animagus yourself?"

  

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set by mj <3

Sirius shrugged. "Not yet," he said, "I mean, it's pretty early to commit to something like that."

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set by Lady

"Doesn't your family have a... Skill they are all into?" Zenobia asked. The Zabinis had their animagus niche - perhaps the Blacks had something similar? So far, the only reputation they had was of being somewhat unpleasant people. Sirius was alright, though.

  

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set by mj <3

Sirius frowned, as if she was implying that the Black family was somehow lesser. "We have a myriad of talents," he said instead.

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"Which are?" Zenobia pressed, noticing the slight implication of him having gotten offended. She leaned closer and quirked an eyebrow.

  

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set by mj <3

Sirius frowned at her again, with her lean and her familiarity. He leaned back, to create some additional air between them. "Several."

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Zenobia's quinted and she said: "I see." A pause and then she laid back and said in a bubbly voice. "It's okay if it's anything illegal. I won't tell anyone, I promise."

  

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set by mj <3

Sirius laughed, actually amused by this question. "I mean, my aunt's hobbies include taxidermy, but I think that's legal," he said, leaving out the house elf bit, because sometimes people found it 'unsettling.'

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"My Papa collects it," Zenobia said. "And he would never do anything illegal. I think that's more up to the Lestranges' alley." The family liked to think of themselves as wizard royalty, but they also had a convicted murderer in their roster.

  

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set by mj <3