Due to the steady decline of her mood during the course of this assignment, one would have probably assumed Alice would have grumped her way to the Whomping Willow. Which would have proved true if not for what she hoped to see there. The brightest star in the sky wasn't something to grouch about, and the sixth year felt kind of eager to find this one. Sirius. It'd be easy, right?

Canis Major was a favorite of hers, and it wasn't too difficult for her to locate it on a day this clear. Peeking through the lens of her telescope, Alice found the greater dog in no time, and sure enough, Sirius was right there in the constellation. A few glances to her star chart just to reassure herself that she wasn't mistaking it for another star, and then she was packing up her things again.

It really was a pretty star.