Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

A Wednesday morning in the second week of October.

Third-years filed into the Transfiguration classroom, Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, each finding a seat.

Sirius dropped into the second-to-last chair by the window, tossed his bag on the desk, and pulled out his wand, spinning it idly between his fingers.

James squeezed in beside him. "Budge over."

Sirius didn't move. James drove an elbow into his ribs, and he finally shifted.

Lupin sat on James's other side, textbook already open, head down and reading. Peter Pettigrew had wedged himself into the far corner of the back row.

"Heard we're learning something new today," James whispered, leaning close. "McGonagall mentioned it last week. Complex Transfiguration or something."

Sirius kept spinning his wand, eyes on the window. "Mm."

James didn't appreciate the enthusiasm. Another elbow. "Don't you want to know what it is?"