Adena was happy to meet with her Ravenclaw fellows again when their patrol was finished. They all seemed happy as well. Starting a new year was funnier when she had company. She still couldn't figure out how did she got close to them last year, what could have made her accept people in her life, the need of affection becoming too important to resist maybe. She was glad she was accepted among them even though she had made sure to distance herself from her housemates since first year. She eventually got a little close to these five, then six when Noah joined in, but she could have never imagined she could consider someone her friend. She had grown a lot.

After dinner, both Adena and Noah had to help the other prefects lead the first years to the dorms and common room, but Candace had called out the brunette.

"Let's hang out tomorrow after class! You have to enjoy the sun as long as it's still there! Bring your little friends along."

"Candace, are you sure? You'd preferred to enjoy the afternoon with your friends after the holidays. Maybe they'd preferred that as well..." muttered the girl, a bit hesitant.

"What? No! You know they all love you. I think they miss you actually."

"Really? Why?" she said, confused.

"Adena!" whined the blonde "You know they all consider you as their little sister. Most of them don't have younger siblings that's why."

"Sirius does though." Her voice was cold as she said that. Sirius wasn't something Regulus and Adena talked about a lot but like everyone she knew he had left their home years ago. It was easy to guess they weren't on good terms, but Sirius was the one who left, and when he did, he left his little brother behind as well.

"At this point I don't think he even considers this Slytherin git his brother anymore."

"It's not hard to guess."

"I'd rather not talk about this. See you tomorrow." And she left, sounding less cheerful.

Adena walked back to her common room and as she did, she unsurprisingly found a pair of prefects on her way. But happily, it was only Ivanna and Regulus.

"Winsten, it's ten minutes past curfew," said Regulus, obviously smirking.

"And so? I'm a prefect as well."

"You're off schedule though."

"Winsten it would be bad to start the year with detention," added Ivanna but she started laughing after.

"Have a good night the two of you," said Adena as she walked past them with a chuckle.

When she got back to her room, she took some time to unpack everything while catching up with the girls. She was mostly listening to their diverse adventures that happened during the holidays, as she didn't have anything to tell them. She soon finished unpacking and tidying everything. And when she was done, she changed into her night clothes before placing her hairclip on her bedside table, just to be sure she wouldn't lose it somewhere.

Adena woke up tired the next day. It was much earlier than any other day of the vacation, she wasn't used to the change.

"Adena, get up. I don't think you wanna be late for the first day," said Eugenia's voice by her side, which made the brunette groaned a little.

"I don't want to hear this first thing when I wake up."

"You'd rather hear Jacob's dumb alarm clock?"

"Oh, that's worse."

"Get up before I put it on."

Adena groaned again before throwing the sheets off her, finally getting up. She made her way to their shared bathroom where Jade and Millie were brushing their teeth, and she did the same.

When finishing, the four of them made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Damn, you princesses surely took your time this morning," said Jacob as they arrived. The girls greeted Noah and Isaac before sitting.

"Adena wouldn't wake up."

"You should have put on my amazing alarm clock."

"I'd have jumped from bed for sure..." replied Adena as she drank some tea, not in the mood to eat.

"Eat you idiot or you'll stay sluggish for the rest of the morning," muttered Jade.

"I'm fine this way..."

"I got your timetables from Flitwick, by the way," said Isaac as he gave the girls their timetables.

"Starting with potions then...." groaned the brunette.

"I'm sure Slughorn missed you," teased the redhead.

"Eh, don't say that..."

"Jacob and I dropped Potions, you know. We only got Acceptable at our O.W.Ls and anyway, I didn't like that class that much," told her Millie. 

After finishing, Adena and the others made their way to the Potions classroom, where Slughorn felt delight to welcome them.

"Oh, my dears, what a joy to see you all!" exclaimed the chubby man, a content smile on his round face, "And Miss Winsten, you're here again, like I hoped!"

"Good morning sir," said Adena politely before entering the classroom to take a seat where her usual seat from last year was. She wasn't too surprised to see her usual partner as well.

"Winsten, you again,"  murmured Regulus, as he glanced up to see her arrive, a small grin tugged on his lips.

"Am I a bother?" replied the girl in the same tone, not being able to hide her grin.

She sat down next to him and he looked at her for some seconds, not saying anything, and she returned the stare.

"No, not all..." murmured the Slytherin male again, "I wasn't sure if you'd be here or no."

"Actually, I only dropped History of Magic."

He laughed before adding, "Me too. Too boring. I dropped Herbology as well."

"Oh, no, a class where you won't be distracting me this year," said Adena with a fake pout.

"Not my problem if you can't focus..."

"Anyway..." she sighed.

"Slughorn started his lesson..."

"Black stop bothering me," hissed Adena in a fake serious tone as she elbowed him lightly with a frown, feigning focus.

"Just focus, you idiot." That remark made the girl giggle quietly, Regulus not able to hold back his grin either. But they both became serious again when some stares, including Slughorn's turned towards them. The Ravenclaw bent down on her textbook to start writing notes, trying to hide her faint smile, when she threw glances at the male beside her, his expression was just alike.

"Now, come one by one to the front to experience Amortentia. You need to know the effects even though you will not taste it since it's very dangerous. Smelling its scent should be enough. You'll be able to smell the scents you like the most."

He started calling names one by one so students could discover the different scents of the potions.

"Mr Black, come here my boy." Regulus left Adena's side to give a try to the potion. Slughorn was smiling widely at him, feeling obviously curious about each student's taste.

"Tea... strawberries... fresh laundry... and that's it," concluded the boy returning to his previous position. Everyone passed one by one when the teacher called them. When it was Noah's turn, he said he smelled pumpkin juice, hair gel and something similar to coconut. After saying that, he returned next to Jade, blushing madly. And finally, it was Adena's turn. She made her way to the front and start smelling the delicate scents of the potion.

"I smell fresh-baked biscuits..." The scent of her home she thought with her smile. "And... tea and... I don't really know this one, that's maybe some perfume," muttered Adena confused as she got closer. It was enjoyable, very comforting at the same time, but she couldn't put a name on it. "I'm sorry, I can't name it sir." And she returned to her previous position. The young girl felt confused as she walked back until the scent enveloped her again. Adena realized where the comforting scent she seemed to enjoy so much came from. It was hypnotizing, and she got closer to it; closer to him.

When it was almost the end of the class, Slughorn cautiously made his way to the back of the classroom where Adena and Regulus were doing their potion.

"Miss Winsten, Mr Black, I'm really joyful about seeing you two again in my class that year," said Slughorn quietly. "You two are my best sixth year students so it's no surprise to see you two there, especially together. What a great pleasure to see two of my greatest students creating links through their hard work. Well, I'm letting you continue that hard work." And the teacher then left his two students who were a little confused.

The first day of class wasn't too full, but the sixth years already had tons of homework by the end of the day. Adena didn't complain though, usually keeping her bothering feelings to herself. Unlike her sister.

"Why McGonagall already gave us a two rolls of parchment for the essay. That old hag can be so annoying," whined Candace as she was lying in the grass.

" 'Dena, I don't know how you can live with her or how can you bear her," said Sirius letting out a bark-like laugh.

"I don't. You guys must have a harder time dealing with her. Especially Maylyn."

"I'm basically her babysitter," replied the girl from where she was sitting against a trunk.

"Hey, I'm not deaf yet," groaned the blonde girl.

Adena turned towards her saying smugly, "You were supposed to hear this."

"What's that shining thing in your hair?" asked Sirius from nowhere.

"Hm? What?" said Adena as her hand went to her hair, feeling the golden hairclip she got from Regulus, "It's a birthday present."

"She always wears it now," commented Candace.

"Well, I like it..."

"It suits you. It even has stars, that person must know you well," said the male with a fond smile. Of course, Sirius would know that, he had found her so many times with her nose nuzzled in the same astronomy books.

"You think so? I guess it's the case then," replied the brunette, trying to hide her grin. That remark pleased her a lot she must say.

Adena found herself almost everyday outside for the last days of September. Candace wouldn't stop dragging her out in the fresh air, as she wanted her to enjoy the sunny atmosphere.

"You're still so pale even though, I've been forcing you out for three weeks..." had complained Candace one day.

She was spending so much time outside that she had even started doing her homework in the nature, with such a beautiful view.

author's note: i posted my other story, "yours" in case you're interested 👉👈 (regulus x oc again, idk i love him okay)

did i say thank you for the 1K? i don't know but thank you so much