Summer could not finish fast enough. It was the main thing Sierra wanted to be over, something she didn't think she would ever want. If missing Christmas was not bad enough punishment from the moment Sierra stepped past the front door of her home, wanting to go out with Andy and his wife was probably close enough. Being in that house had made the days pass slower. All she wanted was to go back to school, escape from the curses and the hexes.

Regan never went to her room anymore, they had become eventually drift apart. A wish that their mother had supplicated for since the day Sierra was sorted into Gryffindor. There was nothing that Sierra could do, but it didn't mean she did not look for a way to have a way to communicate with her sister once again. When their Uncle had to take care of them, they gawked at each other in silence, waiting for one sister to start talking. Regan never opened her mouth to speak to Sierra, unless it was absolutely necessary.

Walburga did not see her as her daughter. One would think that the mother was just being overly dramatic on her daughter not being sorted into Slytherin, but that was not Walburga Black. There wasn't a day where Sierra did not feel the rage of her mother. The small scars on her body said so. Sierra never backed down, and would she never let her mother get the best of her. Every formal event she had to mandatory attend, the Gryffindor tie would be a headband, not giving a care in the world that she can proudly express her house pride.

Summer could not finish fast enough, but when it did. Sierra looked over at Regan once before entering the train and not looking back. It wasn't her intention to stoop as low as Regan had, but she would not be desperately craving the attention of her little sister. The compartment was already occupied by Jane, Petra and Rena, making the girl grin as she opened the door and struck a pose.

"Get your butt in here, Black," Jane commented, before showing her two thumbs down and laughing. Sierra went around, hugging each girl before sitting next to Rena who offered her a piece of chocolate.

"Should I even ask how the summer was?" Jane asked, raising a brow and fixing her glasses.

"Just as I suspected really. Mum was delighted to have her daughter back home. She needed a new punching bag to practice."

"Siri, you need to leave," Petra mumbled, her eyes looking at the window. Sierra followed her friend's stare and made eye contact with her family. Regan waved her hand just a bit, not being able to wave back without getting her little sister in trouble made Sierra very uncomfortable. "It's not going to get better."

"I'm just 12, Pete." Sierra frowned but shook her head and quickly changed her expression. "Look, we're here, and what we need to focus on is what mischief we're going to do this year." Rena rolled her eyes, causing the girls to laugh. "I'm serious!"

"No, the dog star is," Jane mumbled, earning a hard glare from the three girls. "What?"

"Jane?" Sierra got Jane's hand into hers and sighed. "Shut up."

☼

The night was quiet that night. Jane, Petra and Sierra couldn't close their eyes. Especially right after Rena had to leave just weeks after arriving at school. Her mother had fallen ill and crushed the girls to hear they couldn't accompany their friend. The same thing happened every month, raising questions to Sierra's mind. Jane had told her to let it go. That it was normal for the girl to want to visit her mother every month to see how she was doing. Eventually, Sierra did leave the question unanswered until the day that Rena had not appeared the next afternoon and when she had, there was a fresh scar from her eyebrow to mid cheek. Jane and Sierra gave each other worried looks, wondering what had happened with this visit that caused another scar on Rena's face. Sierra kept quiet, and paid attention in class, or at least as long as she did. Professor McGonagall saw that the effort of the girl had declined rapidly and thought if it was another situation with her and her parents.

"Miss.Black, please stay after class." He said to her, right as the student began to pack their bags. Petra, Jane and Rena looked at her with wide eyes but Sierra had no answer. She was just as confused as they were.

"I'll meet you guys outside." She said, grabbing her bag and books. The girls nod and squeezed her hand before walking out of the classroom, leaving the professor and student alone. "Did I do something wrong?" Mervin laughed and shook his head.

"I think that might be why I have called you to see me. I have noticed the drastic drop of your efforts in class. I know you enjoy Transfiguration." Sierra nodded. "Please accept my apology for wanting to intervene, but will you plan to stay this holiday at school?" Sierra shook her head.

"Can't. My parents have planned a reunion with some family that I can not miss." The Professor nodded. "With all due respect, Professor. I rather not talk about my situation. May I be dismissed?"

"Of course, Miss.Black." Sierra smiled at her professor before turning her heel and walking out of the class.

"So, what happened?" Jane asked, linking her left arm with Sierra's right arm.

"Nothing too bad. Just that I was lacking in effort." Jane nodded as Petra linked her arm to Sierra's free arm and linking her own arm with Rena's. Sierra grinned at all the students who stared. She didn't care. It was the only time she would feel genuinely happy.