Among Hidden Memories *Chapter 14*

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Mwah! Hello, dears. This fic seemed too cute to pass up because I just finished doing the play, The Scarlet Pimpernel and really am sorry for not posting on the others, I also hate to say that now that I am in high school, they do two plays a year, and I love theatre, so there is no way I am passing it up. We're doing Peter Pan next . Anyway, I decided to start this fic, which I hope is really cute. I'm very sorry, I feel bad for not posting lately, except for on LEatSotMW and RT, but I've been a bit busy, and the other fics I have started just lost my intererest as of now.

Also, I have realized that most stories that were after DH before the book came out, such as next generation fics, haven't been read very much, and I continue to write, but no one really notices, so I need feedback somehow, and I must admit, I'm dieing without it . I haven't really recieved any in so long, so I hope people will like this and enjoy it enough to stick around with me.


This story is set in Marauder Era, but it will mostly be in Sirius Black's point of view. It will be based in his seventh year and it will show love, hatred, and the sadness that is put between friends when trust is the rarest thing besides love.

Stories waiting to be deleated:
Enchanted Fate
In Dreams
A Generation We Can't Forget [Remake]

OK, last bit of information, I'm only going to post bit by bit, so basically, whatever I have at the time is what you get, this way the story will last for a long time, and it will be put into parts. So yes, always expect short parts, but a long, good story .

Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling, nor am I anyone with any special conections to her. I'm just an average girl hoping to become a writer someday. I do not own any of these characters or settings, though who doesn't wish that they did?

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Chapter One

It was only the first day back from the summer holidays and four particular boys had already found their way into the kitchens just hours after the welcome back feast, but unlike anyone else that had tried to sneak into the kitchens so late at night, these boys were invisible. "Prongs, are you sure we won't get caught?" asked one of the boys. He was very short and round with watery blue eyes.

"Would you have preferred to come alone and transformed, Wormtail?" the boy known as Prongs had asked his small friend. They had been traveling under the invisibility cloak and it was very hard for four tall boys such as themselves to fit under it. Sirius Black, however, also known as Padfoot, was holding in a booming laugh. James, Prongs, had been his best friend since the beginning of their time at school and he never expected him to become head boy, but even when he had he still insisted on sneaking to the kitchens.

"Lily won't be happy once she catches us," said Sirius as they squeezed through the portrait hole one by one, Peter, Wormtail, needing some extra help.

"What makes you think Evans will catch us, Pads?" asked James as he pulled his cloak off of their heads and stuffed it into his robes. Remus returned the shrunken food to normal and placed it onto the table in front of the fire as they sat on the couch to enjoy themselves.

"I don't know why I shouldn't. I knew the four of you would leave, head boy or not, Potter," said an oncoming figure that had come from the girls dormitories.

"Well, well, well, Evans. I never would have thought of it," said James. Sirius smirked at his friend's stupidity. James had really been very surprised to see her but he didn't show any sign of it to Lily. Lily smirked and came to sit next to him.

"I can't believe you! Where did you get all of this food?" Lily exclaimed as she lifted all of the food from the table and inspected how fresh it all was.

"C'mon, Evans, we're hungry," Sirius said as she started to throw away the food. "We'll share with you if you want any."

"If I were you, Black, I wouldn't say anything if I were you, Marina will find out soon," Lily turned around and snapped at him. It was his turn to smirk at her.

"Go ahead, not that she'll care," he said. The boys s******ed and Lily grimaced, knowing what he had done.

"You dumped her, too?"

He nodded.

"You really are an all time low, you know Black? You've dumped another girl?"

"It was a long summer and we had only been going out a week before school ended," he said as if it were an everyday, or in this case, every summer sort of thing. He was used to this. Sirius was a very good-looking guy, just like James. He had long, black hair and ravishing grey eyes. The girls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had always drooled over him and there was always some lucky girl that had the honor of going out with him.

"This is your last year, mate," said James. "You better settle with one girl before the year is over, or else you'll never have a decent relationship."

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Chapter Two

Sirius had been surprised that his own friend had said this but he didn't let it last long. "Look who's talking? Why don't you find someone else, because it's obvious Evans here isn't interested in you since you've been asking for three years." Lily glared at him but James winked at his friends and then turned to the red haired, emerald eyed beauty.

"Evans, will you go out with me?"

The answer that had been rehearsed so many times had come as quickly as it always had come. "No, Potter, and I never will," and she stormed off back up to the dormitories and left the boys to what delicious foods were left that hadn't been thrown away.

"I can't believe she let you go with something like this, Prongs," said Remus as he bit into some turkey.

"You too, mate," said Sirius as he hogged most of the food as usual and propped his feet up on the arm of the coach. "You're a prefect and you get away with loads of stuff."

"Is it that hard to believe that Evans may be falling for me now?" James asked as he roasted a potato over the fire. Sirius and the others stared at him, appalled by what he had just said. It was impossible for Lily to love James, just as it was impossible for Sirius ever to stay with just one girl. "All right, so the chance of that is slim to none, but you still got to love her."

"Whatever you say, mate, but I'm going to bed," Remus said, "before Lily comes back down. Remember that goal of yours this year."

"Yeah. Yeah, to be responsible 'cause I'm head boy. That doesn't mean that all the fun in life is going to be taken away for one girl." James rolled his eyes and pulled his cloak out from his pockets. "I've got to put this back in my trunk."

"I'll be right with you all," said Sirius as he took one last gulp of pumpkin juice. "I really need to go to the bathroom."

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Chapter Three

Sirius had left the other boys and left to go to the Gryffindor bathrooms but to his misfortune, the secret door, which had to be tickled, didn't feel like being tickled and pushed him back. "Bloody door," he said and then kicked the door. That hadn't made it very happy and it caught his foot, making him fall back on his butt and curse loudly, though no one woke up.

He cast a spell at the door and pulled his foot quickly away before it could cause anymore harm to him. He would have just left the matter alone, but he really had to pee. He would have gone upstairs to get James' cloak but he had a special charm on his trunk that he made himself and not even he, Sirius Black, James Potter's best mate, had known how to get into it, so he decided to go out without it.

"What are you doing out this late at night, Mr. Black?" asked the fat lady sternly as she closed behind him.

"Nowhere, gorgeous," he said with a cunning wink. The fat lady instantly softened up and her cheeks turned as pink as her dress. "I've got to go to the little boys room and the bathroom on the inside is being a pain, so I was just going to go to the one down and around the corner."

"It must be an emergency if you can't hold it," she said, giggling slightly. Sirius always had a way with being charming. Too bad it didn't work on McGonagall. "Alright, but if you aren't back in ten minutes you won't be able to get back in. I'm going to see Vi, all of the latest student gossip you know?"

Sirius laughed and waved in understanding. It wouldn't take him long and she knew it. He passed sleeping portraits and they snored away as he silently passed, casting a few charms here and there to wake them up but he never getting caught.

When he finally made it to the bathroom he ran inside and to the nearest toilet, not worrying if anyone else had to go. When he had finished he walked out whistling, careless as to who could hear as it echoed around the castle walls. Some of the portraits woke and yelled at him to be quiet but he smiled and continued to strut about. He was used to staying up this late and three of his friends had connections to high places, he'd get out of trouble easily, though it may take some thinking to get past Lily.

There was a sound of running footsteps once Sirius had turned the corner and he saw a blue nightdress pass the corner. Sirius smiled to himself, thinking he could catch himself a first year that had forgotten their house password. They were heading to a dead-ending anyway and he knew there weren't any hidden passages anywhere near here, the marauders knew of every one of them.

When he had caught up with the runaway he noticed that it was a tiny girl looking for her way around. He walked up to her coolly and calmly, his breathe still as steady as before he was running. She turned around and Sirius had to catch his breath at the sight of her. It was Brittney. But not the Brittney he knew. She was beautiful with her golden hair down and her blue eyes lighted with fear. She had been wearing a light blue nightdress and was bare foot. When her eyes caught his she slumped and rolled her eyes.

"Oh," she said. "It's only you. What are you doing out this late?" she asked as he stepped up to her and had returned to normal.

"I'm a marauder, it's my job to be out this late, the question is, what are you doing out her, Brittney Bern?"

Brittney and Sirius had been old acquaintances from their first year, but after he had played a prank with the others on her she never forgave him and loathed him ever since. They talked every now and then during classes when they were partnered up, even at lunch some times, but they had never been alone together.

"I had come out to go to the library," she said. He smirked and walked up to her, offering his cloak. She refused.

"Likely story," he said and put his cloak back on. 'If she's not going to accept it,' he thought.

"No, really, I was. My friend left her homework there and she was afraid to get it herself."

"Why didn't you wait until morning?"

"I-I didn't think about that," she said, biting her lip nervously. Sirius let out a low laugh and put his arm around her shoulder.

"You know, for a Ravenclaw, you don't tend to use your brain," he said, managing to wrap his cloak around her shoulders.

"Then maybe I've been spending too much time with you," she said, rolling her eyes, "and get your hands off of me."

"I'm hurt, darling, I try to use my brain as often as I can," he said, gazing at her beauty as she was angry. He had always thought she was beautiful but never bothered asking her out. He knew what the answer would be.

"I'm your darling now? What about Amanda? Last I heard you were going out with her."

"You're a few girlfriends behind, dear. I broke up with Marina before the summer holidays."

"Figures," she pushed her way ahead of him and started walking toward the grand staircase and folded her arms. Sirius looked hurt but didn't let it bother him for long.

"So, why were you running from me?" he asked, changing the subject so he could walk her to her common room like the gentleman he was.

"I thought you might have been a teacher. I don't want to get caught roaming around in the middle of the night like you." He trotted along her side and nodded politely. This had been the first time she had voluntarily spoken to him in a long time.

"Listen, I really have to go now, you shouldn't follow me in here," she said, stopping and looking at him. He couldn't help but notice, however, that she looked nervous.

"What? Are you afraid I'm going to kiss you?" he asked amused. She grimaced and rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't kiss you even if you were Potter." Sirius nearly choked and covered it as a laugh.

"Oh, so you like James now do you? I'll have to tell him about that one," and he winked at her again. She blushed but shoved his shoulder, which didn't work out too well because she was so small.

"You know very well what I meant, and no, please don't tell him," she said, her cheeks as bright as the fat lady's now. He promised and she walked off, leaving him to walk back up to the Gryffindor common room by himself.

When he had made it to the portrait he had gotten aggravated with himself for being gone so long, the fat lady had meant what she said and had gone to talk to Vi, but he smiled all the same.

Brittney still had his cloak. She'd have to bring it back some time.

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Chapter Four

Sirius' neck had been cramped from sleeping in the corner of the large corridor when the marauders had found him but he had walked down to breakfast with an extra spring in his step. When they had reached the Great Hall James had realized something was different about his friend just as he had taken a large bite of grits. Lily had managed to turn around just as he opened his mouth to talk and grimaced, turning back to talk to Alice and Frank.

James ignored her and ruffed his hair, "So, what's up with you," he asked as a dribble of grits fell down his chin. He scooped it back up with his spoon and ate it; winking at Lily as she challenged a glance his way and she nearly slipped off of her elbow and then continued talking with her friends.

"I've met someone last night," said Sirius, winking at his friends as they clued in understanding, though poor Peter was still trying to figure it out.

"Sirius has a girlfriend, Worms," said James as he swallowed some ice pumpkin juice and Peter looked up at Sirius in awe.

"Not girlfriend," Sirius corrected his friend. "Though that doesn't mean I won't try."

"Well, are you going to tell us who it is or leave it up to us to do some 'night time watching'?" Remus asked amusedly as his friend had been so relaxed. He laughed and then looked around the Gryffindor table and then the Ravenclaw table, making sure no one would hear.

"I ran into Brittney last night."

"Brittney who?" James asked absently as his gaze was once again fixed on Lily. His hand ran through his hair and his head boy badge lay askew on his robes.

Remus looked at his love-sick friend and chuckled kindly as Peter reached over and pulled James' elbow from underneath him, causing him to fall into Remus' bowl of grits.

"Peter, you dolt!"

"Do you mean Brittney Bern?" Remus asked as James had been trying to clean himself as best he could with his wand. James came to a sudden stop and looked at his friend with wide eyes.

"You're going to ask out Brittney Bern? But she hates you!" he said with a broad grin forming on his face. Perhaps everyone remembered the prank they had pulled on her in their first year.

"Well, I've always heard that friends reflect off one another," said a new voice that had now seated next to Sirius. He turned and saw that Lily had occupied herself with the marauders and instead of laughing at her own joke, she watched Sirius with a look of concern.

“Well, look who has decided to join us for some breakfast,” said James. “What about Alice? Don’t you think she’ll be all alone, Evans?”

“Not really.” Lily sounded irritated and when they looked down at the pair he noticed that Frank had been kissing Alice. “They’ve been doing that quiet a while now,” she said as she rolled her eyes and ate some toast from Sirius’ plate. “Before you know it they’ll have kids!”

“As long as they don’t name the poor child Gertrude or anything like that,” said Sirius and the couple broke apart.

“I rather like that name,” said Alice as she turned to look at Frank as if she were longing for his approval. The boys groaned as Frank thought about it curiously and Lily let her head drop onto the table.

“Well, you must have come here for a reason?”

“Yeah, you never really come and sit with us unless you have something to say about the way we’re behaving.” Peter blurted. James turned around and playfully hit him against they head and whispering a course “Shhh!” in his way and then continued to hear what Lily had to say.

“I am concerned, actually,” said Lily and she continued to gaze at Sirius. “I heard you plan on going out with Brittney?” she asked and Sirius knew what this was about at once and groaned but nodded all the same, he never knew a person could do so many things at once!

“You know that she hates you, who could forget about that prank! It’s nearly as bad as what you did to Snap!”

“Evans, the girls I see are none of your concern, and I hope you know that we didn’t know we would have help with that prank!” Sirius shouted. He would have left but they had plans after breakfast.

“Fine, but once you see that you’re going to have trouble getting this girl to like you, I hope you see that you’re not the all mighty male who wins every girls’ heart!” she spat and was on the verge of leaving when she noticed James’ gaze. Even Sirius had to say that it was odd how he had even taking to being a complete vegetable in front of Lily. “What are you looking at, Potter?” she asked unsure if she would get an answer.

James jumped and then, was it just Sirius or had he blushed?

“Sorry, Evans, I was just staring at your intellectual beauty,” he added with a wink and she rolled her eyes once again.

“Don’t worry, Evans, I’ll have this girl begging at my feet in no time,” said Sirius as he realized his friend would be all right. She shook her head and grabbed a book she had been reading; classes would be starting tomorrow.

“Whatever you say, Black. Oh, and Potter, you have grits caught in your nose. Just thought you should know.” And she left them as James frantically reached up his nose for the grits and the others hooted with laughter.

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Chapter Five

The days had flown by as Sirius and his friends had tried to attend every class without letting them stay too calm. Already he had received his first detention for muggle studies on Saturday; he had made fun of what was being taught and threatened to quit, if the students hadn't needed someone to keep them awake. Today, however, was his first class for Care of Magical Creatures, as was every Wednesday and Friday, and Moony hadn't been feeling very well.

"What's wrong with you, Remus?" Peter asked stupidly during breakfast, as James made sure to stay clear of the grits. He looked very tired, and there were dark, purple rings under his eyes. James stopped shoveling his face with food and looked up in consideration for his friend.

"The full moon is this Friday, isn't it?" he smiled mischievously, but his eyes looked as if they could see the pain Remus was going through. Remus nodded sadly and sighed, pushing his food aside.

"You have company," he said and then laid his head down. Sirius turned around to see Lily standing behind him and James, still being odd whenever he had seen her these days, looked at her as though he were puzzled. She had said she was staying in the common room this morning so she could get their meeting for the prefects ready later in the evening.

"What are you doing here, Evans?" James asked.

"If you must know," she said while glaring at him, "I'm here to see Sirius."

"Now c'mon, mate, we agreed Lily was mine!" James said jokily but Lily didn't find it very amusing.

"I am not your property, Potter, and you cannot agree that I am yours unless I agree, too!"

"Awe, c'mon, Evans. You know I'm only teasing," James said as he pouted. She rolled her eyes and pulled Sirius up from his seat by his arm. He didn't fight but he didn't go easily either.

"Lily, what are you doing?" he asked but she continued to pull him out until the reached the doors and shut them behind them. "Good, now will you mind telling me what this is all about?" he asked, brushing off his robes as she waited impatiently for him to pay attention. "What?"

"What do you mean 'What?’” Lily asked. He swore she was acting like his mother but he took note not to open his mouth again. "You haven't seen Brittney anytime soon?"

"No," he said while looking down at the fiery red head. "I haven't had the chance to see her since that night. Why?"

Lily seemed to relax and then let she loosened up.

"What?" he asked and he could feel himself start to relax, too.

"She was just afraid that you had told James about what she said because you haven't talked to her for long..."

"I didn't know she actually wanted me to talk to her again."

"Do you mean to tell me that you actually considered what she wanted and weren't going to bother her?"

"No," Sirius said with thought and she slumped. "I was more of along the lines of thinking about just forcing myself to her. You know? Like all of the other girls."

"I was afraid you were going to say that. Listen, Sirius, believe it or not, you are a friend of mine..."

"Awe, Lils, I never would have thought..."

"You are a friend of mine and so is Brittney. I just don't want to see you hurt her and to do as she asks. What you four did to her was terrible."

Sirius stared at his friend in shock. Lily had never really cared what he had done with other girls before, though none of them had been her friends. He solemnly nodded his head and she smiled softly. She patted his cheek and then walked the opposite way of the Great Hall. He was about to question her where she had been headed when the answer came at the sound of a bell. Class was ready to begin.

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Chapter Six

Rushing down to Professor Olin's Care of Magical Creatures class, Sirius had caught up with his friends and elbowed James in the ribs to let him know of his presence.

"It's about time you got yourself down here," said James. "What was Evans talking to you about? She didn't finally crack and say she would go out with me, did she?" He licked his finger and then pretended to straighten his eyebrow and then he brushed his hand through his hair.

"No, but she does want to know why you stare at her funny?"

"Oh hardy har har, Padfoot, you're a real joker," James said as Professor Olin started to explain how they would be taming the common Relish Fly for the next week. Everyone was quiet as she explained her exquisite rules and that if anyone had killed their Relish Fly by the end of the week they would find themselves with evening detentions every Saturday until after the Christmas holiday, not to mention a failing grade!

"Hey," Remus whispered in Sirius' ear and pointed somewhere off to the other side of the professor where all of the girls hung out. "You have a visitor."

Sirius looked for the girl he had meant and then smiled broadly. She, however, had caught sight of him as well, but instead of rolling her eyes and turning on her heel like she normally did, Brittney bit her lip and hung her head. Was she afraid of him? He cautiously walked up to her and winked at his friends behind him. It wasn't until Professor Olin announced that they would be partnered for this assignment and he ran to catch up with her.

He managed to grab hold of her arm before she made it to Mary and wrapped an arm around her.

"So, partner, do you have my cloak?" he asked and rose an eyebrow to let his grey eyes shine more than they usually did in the sun light. She grunted and started to reach for her bag. She pulled it out and thrust it into his arms.

"I can't believe you snuck that onto me, and I'm not your partner!" she said in a low, harsh voice. Sirius brushed it off and looked around the class.

"Who will you work with if not me? Everyone is already taken, darling," Brittney glared at him but then resigned her post once she noticed her friends had abandoned her and went to work with someone else. Poor Lily, Sirius noticed, had been stuck with James, as Peter and Remus would be working together.

She sighed heavily and she too grabbed his arm just as Lily had earlier that morning, pulling him behind a large tree where the rest of the class wouldn't see them. "Careful, darling," Sirius smirked, "people might think we're up to something."

She punched his arm. "And what do you suppose they'll be thinking of us?" She was ready to punch his arm again but he covered it and laughed.

"Nothing but a friendly conversation, Britt," he said and earned, yet another, punch from the angered girl. For someone so small, she sure could pack a punch.

"Don't call me that!"

"Whatever you say, darling."

"Don't call me that, either!" and she kicked him in the shin. He howled with pain and nearly fell over, but not wanting to cause a scene, he rubbed his leg and, to spite her, smiled at her. She was feisty. This should be fun, thought Sirius. She looked as if she were about to reach for her wand and then stopped, taking in a deep breath, and relaxed.

"Listen, prat..."

"Ouch, that hurt, love." Another punch in the arm.

"I'll be your partner, under one condition," she said as she held up a finger to show him what he meant. What did she think, that he was a dog? "You have to do me a favor."

"Whatever it takes, lo- Brittney," Sirius said and then waited for her to continue. He had been planning all week on how to ask her out, and after Lily's words he was sure that he would have to be gentle about it, which made things much easier to consider.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and Sirius felt as if he was about to be trusted with something very secretive, though, they had really just started talking to one another again. "I-I would appreciate it if you would help James notice me," she said and then her cheeks instantly turned scarlet. She was a funny girl. She had a fiery temper and had no problems punching Sirius if he said something wrong, but she was embarrassed easily. Sirius rolled his eyes and grabbed her by the arm and pulled her from behind the tree.

"Oi, James!" he called with his other hand around his mouth so he would be heard. His friend looked up from his Relish Fly and both he and Lily had looked up to see him and Brittney. "Isn't she fine?" he called across the spacious area before them and his friend gave him a thumb up and then continued on the assignment. Brittney squeaked and then pulled him back behind the tree.

"There. You see? He noticed you. Now, will you go out with me?" Sirius added a wink and whipped his hair away from his eyes. She stared at him in shock and then, slowly, shook her head. "Why not?" Sirius asked surprised. He had never been rejected before.

"Because I don't want to go out with you! I want to go out with James."

"Since when?" he asked. He was very confused.

"You mean to say that you didn't tell James about what I said?"

"Why does everyone keep bringing that up? What did you say?" Sirius asked, frustrated at last.

"About me wanting to kiss him! You didn't tell him?" Brittney looked as if she could jump to the moon as her eyes shone with happiness, her scarlet cheeks slowly fading away.

"Why would I tell him that? You were only joking, weren't you?" Sirius asked with hope but she shook her head. "But he doesn't want you! I want you! James wants Lily," Sirius was feeling upset. He had never been rejected before and this had been the only time he had truly wished she would accept.

"You want me? It didn't seem so in our first year. After you pulled that dreaded prank he and the others saved me, you didn't!"

"We were children then!" Sirius defended.

"Then you still need to grow up," she said. "If you can't do this for me then I won't bring it up again. This week will go by smoothly and quietly. In fact, we won't talk again," and she turned on her heel and started walking toward the Relish Flies.

Sirius smacked his face and dropped his hand as he let out an aggravated cry. "Fine," he said. "But only under one condition."

"You have conditions?" she asked cheekily and smirked as she turned only her head to see her partner.

"Yeah," he said nervously. "You have to give me a chance." Brittney looked shocked, nearly speechless, but she continued on with his 'game'. "If it doesn't work out, I promise you that I will help James notice you. It shouldn't be too hard."

"And when is this chance?" she asked, unsure of herself.

"This Friday night at eight," he said hopefully. She considered it for a moment and then rolled her eyes.

"All right," she said. He threw his hands up in the air. "But this is your only chance! Don't mess this up," and she waited for him to run down the hill and stand next to the Relish Fly cage. He was very happy and couldn't help but show his handsome smile. "Can I ask you a question?"

"As long as I get to ask one, too."

"Deal. How can you, after six long years of solid dislike, get a girl to go out with you the first week back?"

This was an easy question. "I don't know," Sirius shrugged. "I guess it's because of my devilishly handsome good looks."

She laughed and rolled her eyes, choosing the smallest Relish Fly that still had both of it's wings. "You only wish."

"Hey! I take that offensively! You don't think I'm good looking?"

"Not the slightest, now ask your question."

"All right, you liar. Why James? I mean, you know he's been after Lily for years, and she's your friend!"

"Well, I've had a crush on him for quiet a while, and Lily knew that. So, being tired of having James breathing down her back all the time, she offered him to me." She said, shrugging. Sirius snorted and then put a leash on the fly. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just, she always harps on him that he doesn't own her and yet she's offering him away."

"Listen, do we have a deal or not?" she asked, holding her hand out for him to shake. He settled down and noted the seriousness in her eyes. He cleared his throat, straitened up and shook her hand.

"Why yes, I do believe we do." He had a very deep, mature voice and a look of serious business. She laughed and took their assignment away from him and let it fly in the air; it had no legs and was very hairy, almost the size of a quaffle.

'I'll hand it to Evans,' he thought, 'the girl does know how to use her brain.'

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Chapter Seven

As Friday finally came by Sirius couldn't help but notice how sick his friend was looking. "Today is the day," Remus said dreadfully and James patted him kindly on the back. Around lunchtime, however, their friend looked positively awful. He could hardly keep his eyes open and had to go to the hospital wing. When the other boys went to the Great Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table to celebrate their first week back at Hogwarts, James leaned in and motioned for his friends to do the same.

"Listen, it’s been a quiet week, and I think it is about time that we pull our beginning of the year prank." James said in a low whisper so no one else could hear. "You know, something to surprise Moony with once he hears how great our idea is. He should be out by Sunday...that leaves us up to next Saturday and we'll be free to do what we need."

"And just what is this excellent prank of yours, Prongs?" Sirius asked with a smirk and then stretched while flexing his arms. A few first year girls swooned while others, the girls he had gone out with before, looked disgusted but yet longing. He winked at a girl he dated in his fourth year and she blushed, turning away to talk to a friend of hers.

"I thought you were trying to impress Lily this year?" Peter said as he started filling his plate with many different foods. Sirius grabbed a turkey slice and some corn to add on to his already full plate. James looked annoyed and rubbed his hand through his hair. Sirius laughed at the thought of his best mate thinking of Lily Evans even while she wasn't around.

"Trust me, Wormtail, if there is anyone to blame for this year's prank, it is her," said James. Sirius snapped up from his lazy position and feel back on the bench. Everyone had taken their chance to see one of the marauders embarrassed but missed their free show because he had leaped up and was nearly face to face with James.

"You mean... You've finally given up on her?" Sirius asked worried that he had. James laughed nervously and shook his head.

"Of course not, mate. Why are you so worried?"

"I- I was just afraid that you were thinking of making her 'suffer' for all of your rejections or something..."

"No," said James exasperated and eyes wide in shock. "I meant that I'm doing the prank for her and she should like it." James grabbed his books and started to head out of the Great Hall, meaning that the others must follow. Once he had realized that they were going down in the dungeons he knew that they would be going to Potions.

Slughorn was sitting behind his desk, beaming as Lily was talking to him about a pink vial that she had brought. "So this is where Evans was?" James said as they sat somewhere in the middle, the front was too prominent and the back they weren't seen. Sirius laid his books down and slid next to James as the rest of the class had begun to hoard in, he noticed that Peter wasn't with them and then remembered he had Transfiguration this time.

When the bell rang everyone, including Lily, was seated and the last bit of chatting had died down. Professor Slughorn had stood up at the front of the class writing something on the board.

"So," whispered Sirius, "what exactly is this prank of yours?"

"Not today. We'll discuss it tomorrow," James said as he started to take notes. Sirius took a double take. James was taking notes? He hadn't done that since his first day in their first year before he completely given up and left it to Lily to be the star of this class. "Moony's little escapade will be tonight and I don't want anything distracting us when we go," he said and Sirius slowly nodded, wondering what was up with his friend.

"Good afternoon, class," boomed Professor Slughorn after he finished wiping his hands and then winked at Lily. "This lesson, and the following few after it, will be harder than ever. Perfect for your NEWT level. Ms. Evans here has introduced me to a potion she had been in the middle of last year called the Qualdrale Potion." He then lifted the pink vial Lily had given him and then allowed the class to see. "Can anyone tell me what the Qualdrale Potion does?"

James' hand shot up into the air and Sirius nearly fell back in surprise and force. "James, are you all right?"

"I would like to ask the same thing, Mr. Potter. Are you all right?" Professor Slughorn asked with his eyebrow raised. The whole class had been looking at the pair and though Sirius was used to attention when they had done something funny but whenever they had answered something for the class it was never this big of a deal.

"Why are you all acting so surprised?" James smirked and then rolled his eyes. "It's a liar's potion. It has the same effects of Viratisiram but instead of telling the truth you lie."

The rest of the class didn't look stunned at all, James was a very clever boy, but everything had gone quiet. No one knew there was a liar's potion. At least Sirius didn't. He looked around to make sure that no one had taken this in for account and then he noticed Brittney had been staring up at his table. He waved and she blushed, looking around at her friends and then waved back. He smiled and then leaned back in his chair as if nothing had changed. Perhaps nothing every really changed.

"That- that is correct, Mr. Potter. Five points for Gryffindor," Slughorn beamed and then scurried behind his desk to place Lily's vial in a drawer. Lily looked up at the pair and then grabbed her books. At first Sirius had thought she was mad for being showed up, but to his surprise, she sat next to him.

"All right, Potter, what are you up to?" Lily hissed as Slughorn started to explain what they would be doing, but Sirius was too busy listening to the two next to him.

"Nothing, Evans. I knew the answer so I answered it. No harm in that is there?" James asked and Sirius noticed he was holding back a laugh.

"No, I suppose not," she said softly and then looked as if she had gone in deep thought about something. "Will you be my partner?" Lily asked suddenly. Now it was James' turn to be surprised.

"Why, Evans, I never would have known that you would want to work with an arrogant pig like me."

"I can take it back."

"Now I didn't say no."

"Well then answer me already!"

"Evans, of course he wants to work with you!" Sirius interrupted and then rested his head in his arms. Though James was his best mate, getting him and Lily together was a mistake. They would be arguing everywhere they went now over a homework assignment. Lily looked at Sirius in shock and then winked at him. His smile vanished and then he glanced at James. He hadn't noticed.

Sirius then noticed that everyone had been partnered up besides him and he quickly shot a glance toward Brittney but she had been sitting next to Clara, another Ravenclaw girl. She noticed him and his look of pleading but shrugged apologetically and then continued looking at the rubric that Slughorn had passed out that was flying up past his row. He grabbed one and sighed. He looked around and then saw only one other girl that didn't have a partner.

Marina Weston was glaring at him as she slumped into the only available seat next to him.

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Chapter Eight

Now Sirius had three things to watch out for. He couldn't let James give up hope on Lily or else he would be officially an eligible bachelor, which connected with Brittney wanting to go out with James, which was his main problem, and how to not make Marina any angrier as he complained about their assignment.

"Why do we have to collect all of these ingredients ourselves? This will take ages," Sirius wined as he threw the paper down and decided to lean back on the back legs of his chair. She didn't answer him but instead, glared at him. She took the paper and started to circle things with her quill and once she had finished she handed him the list of ingredients. "What is this for?"

Marina started to pack her bags and Sirius leaped up to stop her. "You know, in order to work together and get an A you're going to have to talk to me." Sirius assured her. She stopped packing and glared at him but sighed heavily before answering him at last.

"That is the list of ingredients I need you to find in order for us to make the potion. I've got a list too and I will be bringing the things that aren't circled. Is that all easy enough for you to understand?" she said all too sweetly and then the bell rang, dismissing class. Everyone had started to pack their things and with last bits of conversation on who would be bringing what ingredients. He knew he never should have asked her if she understood why they had broken up before the summer. What a joy he would have during Potions class from now on.

He left the class in a hurry and had thought about making a trip to the hospital wing but James wasn't with him and he couldn't go alone. Instead he went up to go to the common room and read a magazine. Classes were finally over and Sirius had the whole weekend to relax, except for the midnight stroll he would be having of course, and the endless amount of homework he already had.

Picking up an old magazine he had found near the fire he picked it up and glanced through some of the pictures the warmth had caused him to slowly drift to sleep.


"What is that in his hands?"

"I don't know, but Potter says he needs him. Have you see Peter?"

There were faint whispers around Sirius but he didn't want to wake up. He knew that they must be the normal rush of students that came around just before time to eat. The magazine that he had fallen asleep with was pulled out of his hands. "I can't believe this!"

He woke as someone hit him over the head with the magazine. "Wake up, Black, or else you'll find yourself without a partner very soon!" He jumped and noticed that Marina had hit him and Lily, Alice, and Ellie were with her. Sirius rubbed his head, still tired, and looked up at Marina and then Lily.

"Why do you have to go befriending all of the women that hate me?"

"It gives me something to do to pass time. Now get ready. James is looking for you," Lily said as she sat on the couch, forcing him to sit up.

"Not until she bloody explains why she hit me in the head!" Sirius exclaimed and glared at Marina and she did the same.

"You were thinking of buying our ingredients!" Marina screamed in outrage and threw it at him. “I’m talking to Slughorn tomorrow for a partner change,” and she stormed upstairs without Lily and the rest of her gang. Lily was nodding toward the portrait door and he took the hint and quickly left. As he passed many of the windows in the halls he noticed that it was very near dark and rushed to the hospital wing.

“It’s about time you’ve got here,” said James as Sirius burst through the doors. “Madame Pomfrey has already taken him down to the willow. Where is Wormtail?”

Sirius looked around and noticed that their other friend wasn’t with them and shrugged. “Lily was looking for him in the common room and I haven’t seen him all day.” Sirius was trying to catch his breath, he had run into the wrong corridor because the stairs had changed and he had to find one of the shortcuts.

James looked outside and then at his watch. The moon was already up but just barely, Remus wouldn’t transform until after it had been officially set. He sighed and then let his arm swing lazily next to him. “We’ve got to get going, Padfoot. Do you think you can get the knot tonight? I’ve just finished studying with Lily in the library and I’m too tired to fight that blasted tree tonight.”

“You’ve been studying with Lily?” Sirius looked at his friend in puzzlement. “Since when does actually let you study with her? Let alone be in the library with her?" James laughed heartedly and winked.

"It all happens in good times, my friend. Now, we better get going or else Moony is going to be all alone tonight."

"At this rate, she's going to finally say yes the next time you ask her out!"

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Chapter Nine

Though Peter never showed up during that night, the boys still transformed and ran around with their friend, exploring all of the old sights they loved to see. Sirius was just happy that it had happened on a weekend this time; last time it was on a school night and he had to catch up on loads of homework for the day he missed by sleeping in. Now the three boys were hanging around the lake and watching girls pass by and Peter had nearly fell in the lake when he saw the giant squid.

"It sure is a peaceful day," said James as they went to sit under their favorite beach tree. "Its too bad Moony had to stay in the hospital wing. He really looks unhealthy doesn't he?" The other boys nodded in agreement.

Sirius was trying to relax as much as he could because today he owed his detention for McGonagall and he really couldn't miss it this time, last time he skipped he had lost his house fifty points. James pulled out the golden snitch he had stolen so long ago, though he played as Gryffindor Chaser, and released it, only to catch it right away again and again. "When do tryouts start, Prongs?" Sirius wondered as he rolled his eyes at his arrogant friend.

James didn't hesitate with the answer. "Two weeks from today, I've told the rest of the team, too." Sirius smirked and leaned back against the tree only to be elbowed painfully by Peter.

"What do you want, Wormtail?"

"Sorry, Sirius, but someone is coming this way and she doesn't look too happy," he said with fear in his eyes. Perhaps he thought it would be another fight that he would get caught up in the middle of where he would get hurt, but Sirius looked over and his stomach dropped instantly.

"BLACK, WHERE IN THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU LAST NIGHT?" Brittney sure did have a loud voice when she was angry. Perhaps her and Lily were related? Sirius jumped up confused and grabbed hold of her when she hadn't stopped when she reached them.

"What are you on about, Bern?" James asked, jumping up beside his friend and reaching for his wand. Sirius waved him down and then looked at Brittney as she stared up at James. "Sirius was with Peter, Remus, and I last night. You know, his friends."

"You don’t understand, James," said Brittney with a cool blush. "We were supposed to go out last night." She was barely starting to steam off, but Sirius felt bad as he suddenly remembered what had been going on. He was with Remus last night after he had promised to take Brittney out and he instantly paled.

"Oh, Pads got himself a date with Ms Impossible and didn't tell us. Why are you holding out on us, mate?" Peter now stood up and looked slightly hurt.

"It isn't like that, James, I swear," Brittney said quickly and James looked at her suspiciously. "I just need to talk to Black alone." Sirius pulled her away and neither of them said a word until the reached the steps of the castle. He had been planning on taking her inside where they would have a little more privacy but she had forced him to stop.

"Listen, Brittney, I forgot all about last night. Something...more important had come up and I had to go."

"More important than your promise? I don't care if you decided you didn't want to be with me after all but you could have at least kept your promise by showing up and dumping me properly!"

"I-I don't want to dump you," Sirius said quietly and placed a hand on her arm and looked at two blue pale eyes. Her fire had died out and she tried to glare at him but it hadn't worked. He smiled slightly and tried to pull her into a hug but she pulled away. "I'd do anything for a second chance. Even if that meant making our date on this very night."

"You can't even do that can you?" she asked and the more he thought about it he remembered. He had a detention with McGonagall tonight.

"No," he sighed, "I have a detention but I promise you any other night..."

"Sirius, I don't have time for this. I've got homework to be studying and I don't need to be here with you," Brittney turned on her heel and Sirius laid his hands on his head, kicking the floor. Biting his lip he called out for her.

"Listen, Black," she flipped around and her rage was back. "If there is one thing I'm tired of it is you and your attitude! You think you can win any girl's heart just because you're good looking and they know that you're going to break their hearts but they know that the one week they spend with you will be nothing but snogging and boasting. You're just a boy that needs to learn how to grow up and wake up."

Sirius stared at her, stunned, and then looked over at the top of the stairs. Professor McGonagall was watching them with her nostrils flaring and then walked down the stairs very stiffly.

"Ms. Bern, what is the reason for your yelling in the halls? It is a perfectly good day and if you want to make a spectacle of yourself do it outside or not at all! Detention, I think, will suit you just fine this evening. Perhaps you can learn some self control," and she took herself, and the book load she had been carrying with her, down to the dungeons.

Brittney looked shocked and then stared at Sirius as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. He looked back at her and then smiled at her, which soon turned out to be hysterical laughter. "Looks like I'll be seeing you in detention, love." He winked at her and she clenched her hands into fists and continued on her way.

Sirius laughed and then turned back around to go outside and enjoy the rest of his non-detention hours.

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Chapter Ten

The hours past by quickly and soon Sirius found himself in detention with both Brittney and McGonagall. He had a hard time finding the joy.

"Mr. Black, Ms. Bern, I would appreciate it if the both of you would come up here in the front and take a look at the classroom around you." Said McGonagall. The two stubborn children did as she asked and looked around the dirty room. It needs a lot of work done and perhaps even some repairs, but surely she wouldn't make them do that? His thoughts were smashed as McGonagall asked them to do just that.

"For your detention tonight the both of you will work together by cleaning this room up. It has collected a rather large amount of dust and there are papers everywhere. Two hours without magic should do you well, and I hope to come back to two very alive and healthy students."

"What do you mean, professor?" Brittney cut in. "Are you leaving us here? Alone?"

"Why yes, Ms. Bern. Professor Dumbledore has requested a meeting with the staff tonight and being the Transfiguration Professor I am needed. I ask you yet again, to clean this room, as I will be back to inspect it before it is over. Hand over your wands please."

Sirius handed over his wand first and winked at Brittney, as she was slightly surprised he had given up so easily. Truth was, he was just used to it. She handed hers over as well and then grabbed a dry rag, dusting the professor's desk first. McGonagall smiled curtly and then waited for Sirius to start before taking her leave.

"Fine mess you've gotten me in this time, Black," Brittney said as she moved some papers off of the desk so she'd have an easier clean, "you'd think the lake was enough but now this? You have reached an all time low."

"Excuse me, Bern? Last time I checked you were the one that got yourself in this mess, if that's what you want to call it. I've been in much worse."

"I doubt."

"I'm serious."

"I know you are."

"No, I mean that I've had much worse detentions than this. What? Have you never had a detention before?"

A silence fell after Sirius' words and he felt Brittney's discomfort. He realized why she had suddenly blushed and then chuckled lightly, which soon turned into a hearty laugh.

"It isn't funny!" she shouted but let the smallest of smiles pass her lips, and he caught it. "What pride must one have to always be in trouble?"

"None at all, my dear. Pride is not when one is in trouble, but what one has done to get them into trouble. Just as long as they haven’t hurt anyone or anything like that." Sirius added with a devilish smile, hoping to impress Brittney, but to his dismay she did not smile and instead she threw the rag down and started his way.

"So are you telling me that you take pride in torturing Severus Snape?" she glared into his eyes and he gulped calmly.

"No. Not exactly...Are you sure you're not related to Evans?"

"I don't have to be Lily to care about another human being, Black. It's just out of pure knowledge that you don't torture someone for fun. The only thing left is when are you going to understand that?" Brittney tested and then continued with her chore. Sirius felt like saying something comical and witty but thought against it continued to work in silence.

After the pair had finished cleaning the rest of the desks, McGonagall still had not come back, Sirius decided to move on to a crack he had seen on the wall and found some things in the back to fix it. When neither of them had spoken for nearly a half hour Brittney decided to take a break and get something out of her back.

"You want some food?" Brittney asked as she pulled out some fruit.

"What? The girl that has never been in detention has come prepared? I'm impressed," and he shook his head, continuing his work.

"I may not have ever been in detention but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that one will get hungry after two hours of work. Are you sure? I have tangelos, too."

"It took me until my second year to realize to bring food you know?"

"My point has been proven then," she smirked and then bit into a bright red apple. After a few more moments of silence she spoke again, but this time she seemed more uncomfortable. "How come you weren't there last night, Sirius?"

Sirius stopped spreading the cement and looked at her at last. Her face was grim and he had realized that he really had crushed her last night, though she had said she would prefer James. At this Sirius realized that he would now have to help her hook up with James, and even though Lily had given James away, how was he going to get James to get over Lily? It would all come in due time, he supposed.

"I've already told you. Something else came up and I-I had to be there," Sirius wasn't sure that this was the best answer to give her but it was all he had. He couldn't exactly tell her that Remus was a werewolf and he stood her up to spend the night roaming around the Forbidden Forest.

"Right," she said rather curtly and he could hear the crunch of the apple. "Well, I guess that you're going to have to help me hook up with James now. What fun, eh?"

Sirius never knew he would be so thankful when McGonagall finally returned.


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Chapter Eleven

"You mean to tell me that Brittney Bern got her first ever detention?" James exclaimed as Sirius told him everything the next morning. Sirius nodded impatiently and waited until James was done talking about it. He had something else on his mind that he wanted to know instead of reliving his life of last night.

"That's right, and she was prepared for it and everything, as if she had been in it before. Now, are you going to tell me about the first prank of the year or what?"

He had realized that with McGonagall's detention he hadn't had the chance to hear about the plan. Remus rolled his eyes as James didn't hear the question and grabbed his friend by the shoulder just before they had gone down the stairs to the courtyard.

"James claims that the first prank of the year has already been pulled."

"What!" Sirius cried. He had only been gone two hours last night, but he hadn't heard anything about it on his return or this morning. "What happened to us doing it together? We never let petty things like detentions get in the way before?" he turned to James. "Why couldn't you wait for me?"

James turned and shrugged. "I didn't really think that any of you would be this mad. I thought you'd like it actually," he said with a curious expression, looking at Peter and Remus for help.

"You mean that neither one of you helped with this prank either?" Sirius asked his friends in mock surprise. Remus had been sick for only one prank and then Peter had chickened out until their third year, but Sirius had been a part of them since the very beginning! Both of the boys shook their head. "What are you playing at, James?"

"Sirius, you're taking it a bit rational, don't you think?" Remus asked, allowing him to go down the stairs. It was a clear Sunday morning and they had just finished breakfast, but no one had shown any signs that a prank had been pulled.

"A bit rational, Moony? I really don't think so."

"James didn't even do anything, really," Peter said so quietly that Sirius had hardly heard it.

"What do you mean, Wormtail? James? You didn't pull the prank?" Sirius was very confused now and he felt as if he was being left out of something.

"Sirius, mate, do you really want to know the prank, even though it is already done?" James asked mockingly and Sirius was unsure he wanted to answer. "It will be done again tomorrow, and then the next day, just until everyone realizes what is going on."

"Of course I want to know! Why else would I be this upset?" Sirius said truthfully. "You know I don't like being left out of your plans."

"Fine, but you might not like it now that I've seen the way you have reacted."

"Try me."

All right then, the plan is that there is no plan."

Sirius allowed his jaw to drop and stare at James and his bemused expression. Perhaps he had misunderstood? "Huh? You lost me for a minute, Prongs. Try that again."

"No, you heard me just right, Padfoot. People all over the school will soon be wondering where the marauder's prank is, but when they realize there is no prank everyone will be confused and start asking us."

"And what do you have planned to tell them?" Sirius said sarcastically. Surely he was joking? This was the worst plan ever! People would never fall for it!

"The truth."

"Which is?'

"The truth is," Remus said so the two friends would stop fighting, "is that our Prongs here is growing up. The head boy wants to make a good impression on Lily and let her know that he can be responsible."

Sirius could feel his pulse in his neck skip a beat. This was all for Lily? He loved Lily as a friend and all, but she didn't love James back like James did her, he was surely making a mistake. Should I tell him that she has given up on him? Sirius debated amongst himself, but the voice that was telling him he should had lost and he continued his debate with James.

"That's the worst idea you've ever come up with, Prongs! You want people to come up and ask questions? I have plenty of questions for you right now! Question number one: What made you come up with such an idiotic plan?"

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think mate?" James said and he did sound a bit hurt.

"You just don't like that you can't do anything about it," Remus said. Sirius was about to say something but once again found that he couldn't since what he had said was true. Without the pranks, there really wasn't any fun in school. He was caught up in all of his classes; he made good enough marks, what fun was there to do now?

"This isn't the beginning of a very boring year, mate," James said reassuringly, "will do our normal things, just not anything Lily will hear about right away."

Sirius sighed and shook his head, letting his long black hair fall in front of his face. "This is our last year of Hogwarts you do know that right?" Sirius reminded all of his friends. They nodded. "I just wish you would have done this some other year, you know, not the last one as so we won't be remembered when we leave the school."

James smiled slightly to show that he understood and that he was sorry; after many years of friendship you'd be surprised what facial features mean what on your friends. "I'll tell you what, Pads. Let's go and see if ol' Snivellus is down by the lake. If so, we can have a bit of fun."

Sirius grinned and then raced them down to the lake. When they didn't see Severus by the lake they resigned to the beach tree and relaxed, welcoming it's shade.

They had relaxed there in silence for a while, letting the passing girls look at them and they even looked down at a group of girls studying right at the edge of the lake. Remus started worrying about if their books had fallen in the water it wouldn't turn out too well, but was then reassured when they set them down and started looking inside the water.

"What could they possibly be doing?" Peter asked, being the first to speak. James woke with a jump and instead of trying to fix his hair in any way he reached up scratched his head, making it worse than before.

"Dreaming of Lily, mate?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. What's going on?" James muttered as they all rolled their eyes at their love-stricken friend.

"He doesn't have to dream for long," said Remus. "Lily is right over there." He pointed at the edge of the lake and sure enough they recognized the red head and possibly a few of the other girls. Sirius looked even closer and swore.

"Marina is over there, too. They must be looking for ingredients for potions class. I still haven't even looked at that list."

"Maybe you should try. I've all ready got half of mine, mate," James said and then Remus nodded too. He sighed and raised himself up off the grass. "Where are you going?"

"Well," Sirius answered while stretching, "if I'm to get the ingredients, why not find them with my partner?" The others acknowledged what he had meant and let him go. He had half hoped that one of them would come with him, knowing that Lily wouldn't want to pull him aside if he did. He didn't need to be reminded that he had to help the girl of his dreams and his best friend get together.

The girls hadn't even noticed his presence until he cleared his throat and they turned abruptly.

"Could you please be quiet? We're trying to catch grindylow!" Sure enough it was Marina that had spoke up but her voice died once she realized whom it was. "What are you doing here?" she asked curiously and he allowed a grin to slip from his lips.

"Why do you seem so surprised, Marina dear?" he said jokily but realized the mistake he had made when her face-hardened and she squinted her eyes.

"You can't mooch off of the things that I find so you don't have to do anything, Black." She said hatefully. He would have actually been hurt if what she had said wasn't half true.

"Don't be silly," he said, noticing that the other girls were now watching the ex-couple. "I knew what you were looking for and I thought I'd come over to help." He said only half truthfully. He didn't know what they were looking for, but he knew the easiest way to catch a grindylow. Marina looked half surprised but Lily knew exactly what he was about to do.

"Accio grindylow."

A few seconds and then something came zooming out of the water. Lily tossed him a glass jar and he opened it and pushed it into the jar. Marina looked half ashamed and half grateful.

"Thanks," she muttered and then held a hand out for the grindylow. Sirius smirked and then handed her the class assignment they would be needed, though he knew they still need the other half of ingredients that he needed to bring.

"Sirius, I need to speak to you," Lily said with a small smile at Marina's shocked face. Even she knew what was funny every now and then. Sirius looked back at the beach tree to make sure that the boys were still relaxing and then agreed to meet her a little off away from the girls.





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Chapter Twelve

Sirius grabbed Lily by the arm and led her to another tree. "Listen, I know what you're about to say," he said hastily, "and I'm still thinking of a way to get them together, but don't you think it's a bit unfair?"

Lily looked a little surprised and pulled her arm away from him. "Unfair? What could possibly be unfair? She didn't want to go out with you, you made a deal, and now you have to keep it. It would be unfair if you didn't."

Sirius let his head loll side-to-side and waited to her to finish. She didn't appreciate it very much but she didn't say anything. "But what could possibly be wrong with me? I'm a nice guy - just forget about the lake incident. Don't you think you could talk Brittney into giving me another chance?"

Lily didn't even give herself time to think. "No, Sirius." He pouted but she still did not falter. "She really likes James. She really wants someone who is grown up."

"But James is just a immature as I am! Besides, I can grow up if that is what she wants..." His voice broke at these words. He had only really just met Brittney, he had a bad encounter with her when they were younger, but really just this year he had gotten to know her, and he was already ready to make a life changing decision for her. He wanted to think more about his words but Lily had already cut in.

"Would you really do that for her?"

"I'd give her anything she wants! Flowers, jewelry, anything!" Sirius shouted in frustration, throwing his arms in the air. This was true, he would give her anything she wanted for her to give him a second chance.

"If you want to show her that you are grown up, then you'll realize that even though you love her, she doesn't. And you'll let her go to the one that she does love and that she can't be bought with gifts. That'll show her how grown up you are." Thinking about her words Sirius realized that she may be right, but there was still something on his mind that he needed to clear up and Lily seemed to notice because she asked, "Is there something the matter?"

"Yes," he answered quickly. She was taken aback but then nodded, allowing him to continue. "You say that you have given up on James, right?" She agreed silently. "Even while knowing that he still loves you, no matter what you do or say?" She nodded again. "Then why are you his partner now? After all of these years, don't you think that he's probably thinking that you've probably caved and are trying to get his attention?"

Lily's eyes had never seemed to get so big but they were like Emerald moons staring at him. "Of course not! I-I'm trying to show him that I can now be his friend, and if he ever tries asking me out I'll just tell him the truth of what is going on."

"You mean he hasn't actually asked you out yet?"

"Nope."

"At all this year? Wow!" Sirius put a hand to his chest for a dramatic effect. Was James as committed to Lily as Sirius had thought he was to Brittney just moments ago? He had to tell Lily about James' plan. Lily's eyes darted toward the castle and she quickly turned back to Sirius.

"Listen, Brittney loves Quidditch, and she'll be trying out for the Ravenclaw team on Friday, and so will James, but for the Gryffindor team. You go to her practice, watch her, and then take her to James' tryouts. He's captain, so he'll be there for a while. Let her watch, and then once he's done, corner him and her together and give them a chance to talk. I've really got to go now, so go back to your friends and talk to James about it. Tell James everything if you have to, you’re his friend and he should understand."

"But-" Sirius tried to speak but she had been speaking so fast he could barely understand what she had meant. He wanted to tell her that there was a fault, there was no way James would let another house watch him try his team out!

"Just go!" Lily pushed him away from the tree and then ran back to Marina and the rest of her friends, two of who were his ex-girlfriends. He looked up at the castle and noticed what Lily had seen. Brittney was coming down the courtyard but she hadn't seen Sirius yet. He ran back to the beach tree that he and the others had been relaxing under and sat next to Peter and Remus; James was now resting on one of the branches.

"What took you, mate?" James asked lazily. "Did Evans have anything to say about me?"

"Um, sort of..." Sirius admitted but he wasn't going to repeat it all right now. Not on this perfect afternoon. James slid off of the tree, hung by his arms, and then dropped gingerly to the ground. Sirius watched the girls and saw that Brittney had now accompanied them and was in full conversation with Lily.

"What do you mean, Sirius?" James sounded a bit nervous.

"I'll tell you later tonight, back in the common room." Sirius had let his attention slip back to James. Peter looked as if he was about to protest but James beat him to the punch.

"I have head duties tonight. You can tell me now."

Sirius shook his head and waved his hand to let him know that he had to forget about that idea. He had to know how his friend would feel about the whole idea tonight. "Tell her that you've become suddenly ill, or an old assignment has caught up with you and you need to start studying for you NEWT's. She'll like that. What I need to tell you is extremely important." Sirius insisted and waited until James had finally gotten the message that it was important.

He sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "I guess I do owe you since Snivellus wasn't here," he said jokily and then punched Sirius in the arm. "I'll meet you tonight then. But first, I need to go and find the rest of my old team. I've told a few of them, but there is still Cassie and Hayden that I haven't gotten a hold of."

Sirius agreed to meet James in the common room later that night and then let him leave. Remus and Peter just continued to sit there, watching him as he turned his attention back to the girls that were now hitting the books that they had safely tucked away from the water earlier.

"What was that bloody about, Padfoot?" Remus asked amazed that James had agreed to miss out a night with Lily. "It must be pretty important."

"It is. You two can come if you would like, tonight that is. I would have told him now but there was too much of a chance of someone else hearing and it is sort of, erm, embarrassing for me. I'm not even sure what choice I should make." Sirius was mostly talking to himself, and he could tell that the other two hardly understood him because they were both looking very confused. Sirius laughed and then stood to stretch. "I'll tell you tonight. As of now, who wants to go over to Hagrid's with me?"

The other two stood and followed Sirius to the large hut where they had a nice cup of tea and rock cakes.


Later that night, when the boys were full of rock cakes and James had found his team and told them when they would be meeting for tryouts, they had all gone to dinner and then once the common room was nearly empty, with the occasional fifth and seventh year studying here and there, Sirius thought it was time to tell his friends what had been going on.

"So, are you ready to tell us or have you realized it wasn't that important after all and I can go ahead and do my head patrols?" James said as he threw himself down onto the red sofa in front of the fire and then laid his hand in his hair, allowing it to go up and down at will. Remus had come and sat in the chair that Sirius normally preoccupied, Peter sat on the floor against the sofa, and Sirius remained standing, pacing the room back and forward.

"I'm ready to tell you now, but it's best I don't have any interruptions because it's a bit rocky even for me to remember!" Sirius admitted. The others respected his wishes and did not speak after what he had said and then he continued. "James, Quidditch tryouts are Friday right?"

"Yeah. It's the last time I can try, but I've been so booked with homework just in this first week of school that Friday was the only day I could squeeze any time in, so we'll be practicing on the practice field. Ravenclaw gets the ring."

Sirius nodded, as everything was just right. "Well, you remember Brittney right?" Sirius asked though it was unneeded.

James snorted but then stopped when he saw that his friend still hadn't shown any sign of joking. "Of course. She's all you talk about these days."

"Well, I really need you to do me a favor, James. I'll be your best friend," Sirius said in a singsong voice.

"I believe it's too late for that," said Remus. Peter snorted and rolled on the ground before settling down and lying on his stomach.

"All right, best friend, what do you want?" James asked sarcastically.

Sirius hesitated for a moment and then decided to push James' feet off of the sofa and sit where they had just recently been. "I need you to go out with Brittney."

James surprisingly didn't look shocked or angry at all. Instead he just sat there looking at his friend and seemed to be waiting.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"I'm waiting for you to be Sirius." James said shortly but yet he still did not sound angry.

"I am serious."

"No," James said. "I mean I'm waiting for you to be Sirius Black. You know, the boy that I met day one at Hogwarts. What do you mean you want me to go out with Brittney? Last time I checked you were the one trying to go out with her and I'm still trying to get Lily to agree! So what do you mean you need me to date Brittney?"

Sirius sighed and shook his head. James' voice had raised slightly but a fifth year had thrown a throw pillow at him but immediately regretted it when they realized it was the head boy and quickly got back to their work. James put the pillow behind his head and put his feet back on the sofa, letting his knees be raised in the air.

"I know this is the last thing you want to hear. Especially after you're trying so hard to impress Lily, but you see, I have this theory that Lily is a little tired of you asking her out and everything, but she is trying desperately to make good terms with you and become your friend for once instead of fighting with you." Sirius said quickly, hoping that he had made it sound convincing. He didn't want to tell James up straight that Lily was tired of seeing him. But he did have a theory.

"I also made this deal with Brittney and I sort of lost. You see, I'd give her anything if she'd just give me a second chance, when we had spent that night with Remus as a werewolf I missed our date and she won't give me a second chance. Truth is, she really didn't want to go out with me in the first place. She likes you, James. She thinks that it is all my fault about the lake prank."

James and Remus looked shocked, but Peter was still on the floor though Sirius had a high suspicion that he was asleep. "What does any of that have to do with Lily?" James asked finally.

Sirius sort of perked up and then made himself more comfortable on the sofa, too. "Well, Lily is in this deal too, in fact she is the one that keeps reminding me of it. First of all, the deal was that if I failed to be a good boyfriend to Brittney then I'd have to help her date you. Lily has given her all permission to flirt, talk, and go out with you, so there will be nothing awkward going on between the two of you when you find out that she wants to be just friends.

"My theory, however, is that if you go out with Brittney, even for just a little bit, and act like the James I know you are, then she'll see the true you. And with you acting the way you do around Lily now you can tell her how great your dates are and she'll love the sound of that. I think she's just trying to see what sort of man you have become and she'll want to be with. You can ditch Brittney, get with Evans, and I'll have her all to myself!" Sirius concluded and clapped his hands together as if everything was going to be fine.

James and Remus stared at their friend in disbelief and Sirius watched the two of them with innocence. "What?"

"What do you think, Padfoot?" Remus said but he sounded so sure about it that Sirius felt as if he should have known the answer. He shrugged and turned to James, hoping to get the answer from him.

"Listen, Sirius, I know you really like the girl, but don't you think you're going about it the wrong way?" James stood and kicked Peter gently in the side so he would wake up. He grumbled and sat up but his eyes were still closed.

"And don't you think that if Lily ever finds out what James is doing it will ruin everything he is trying for this year? That isn't exactly being respectful, mate." Remus commented and both he and James thought about the possibilities of the failure.

"But this is Lily's plan!" Sirius insisted.

"The whole thing?" James asked though he sounded very disbelieving that she had even spoken with Sirius about it in the first place.

Sirius kind of slumped in the chair, ashamed of what he had to say. "Well, not exactly. But she has given Brittney permission to go out with you, and she does just want to be friends with you!" he added quickly.

James watched as his friend practically begged him to do it. For once, besides the fleas, Sirius was glad that his animagus was a dog; he knew the puppy-dog eyes trick well. James stopped looking at him after that but instead turned to the fire and asked, "And just how exactly do you plan for us to get together?"

"This is where Lily's plan comes in," Sirius said and then perked up by sitting comfortably on the sofa. "On Friday, when your team is having tryouts, I'll be spending the day watching Brittney's team as a dog, the team won't let me watch of course, and once she has finished I'll turn back to normal and corner her off somewhere. After all, it was her deal that I help her get together with you.

"I invite her to come to the tryouts with me but oops, what do you know? You've already finished."

"How do you know I'll be finished by the time the Ravenclaw team will be?" James interrupted but he looked very amused.

"You'll really have to try hard to get them done fast. Anyway," Sirius continued, "You'll come up to say hi, you know, very respectful like, and of course she'll be excited about it. Perhaps you could apologize for being so rude whenever the both of you meet, and bada-bing-bada-boom, she'll be happy that I kept my part of the deal. Lily will continue to meet with you, and you'll have a girlfriend. Well, for a little while at least."

There was a moment’s silence before James sat back down and smiled. "So all I have to do is say hi? You seriously, no pun intended, think that any girl would just want me to say hi and that's the end of it? No dates?"

"Well you'll ask her out of course, but not on that night! It'll be too obvious," Sirius thought about how complicated things were starting to get now. How was he supposed to keep up with everything that was going on with the two of them if they'd have to be alone on dates?

"Ask her out where exactly?" Remus asked. Sirius felt a sigh of relief coming. If Remus wasn't going to ask any questions about anything else he had said, surely it was all making sense!

"I don't know. Halloween is coming up shortly, and you know that there is a Hogsmead trip for that. Perhaps you can ask her to go to Hogsmead with you?" Sirius suggested and finally, James had started to show some approval.

"So do I make that a miserable date and then tell her it's all off?"

"No!" Sirius couldn't believe those words had come out of his own mouth, but he knew he couldn't just allow him to do that. "Y-you need to make the first big date nice. Tell Lily about it too she'll like that. There are plenty of nice places around Hogwarts, and I'm sure you can take her out on one of those sorts of dates afterward. Then, when you feel ready, just tell her that you don't think it's working out.

"She'll be devastated for a while, and that's where I come in. To console her and tell her that everything is going to be all right." Sirius sounded so sure that the plan would work he had started to sit on his knees from all of the excitement.

"So you're willing to break her heart in order for her to go to you?" Remus asked from disbelief. Sirius bit his lip but nodded all the same. He felt he would do anything to get this girl.

"Sirius, you know I love you like a brother and I don't want to see you ending up being hurt, and I don't want to see you become a creep and hurt someone else either. I just don't know what to do about this. And it's like Remus said, what if Lily finds out about all of this extra stuff you've added? What chances will I ever have with her?" James placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at Sirius, letting him know that his words were true. They had known each other for a very long time. Even Sirius was living with James now! It was true that they were very much like brothers.

Sirius placed his hand on James' shoulder as well and kept the same sort of eye contact he was giving him. "All my life I've never felt this way about a girl. You were lucky. As soon as you set eyes on Lily you wouldn't shut up about her, and I want to feel that way too, but that isn't going to happen if the girl I'm crazy about is falling for you as well.

"I just need some help in getting my girl, and I swear this is all I'll ever ask of you, James please." Sirius sounded, for the first time since he was a little boy, near to tears. Had he really felt this deeply for a girl who hated him so much?

Remus stood next to them and watched as they sat and read each other's faces, knowing what the other wanted and didn't say a word. James placed a hand on Sirius' face and nodded his head.

"Alright. I'll do it." Sirius smiled and hugged him so tight that he was sure that James would run out of breath if he didn't let go soon. "But only if you promise me you'll keep everything going as it is supposed to and don't let it out worse than it can get. I'm doing this for you and Brittney, not just because I may score Evans in the work, but because I love you and I'd do anything to make sure you, all of my friends, are happy."

Sirius let his head bob freely and with so much energy that it had started to hurt. He heard someone crawling through the portrait hole and he jerked his head toward the boys’ dormitory and James got the hint quickly and ran for it. Remus took his seat and he and Sirius quickly made up conversation.

"And I know how you love your muggle things, so I thought you might like to go to the muggle shop with me when we go to Hogsmead?" Remus asked politely, pulling a catalog he had found on the side table and showed Sirius.

"Oh wow, look at those bikes - Oh, hey Evans!" Sirius said looking up. He had suspected that it was her coming in, finished with her head rounds. "James went to bed, said that he was tired from the studying." She yawned and nodded to let him know that she understood and when he caught her looking at him he winked and gave a quick thumbs up. She couldn't hide her smile and it was as if an extra step of energy had boosted through her because she ran up the girl's step to her dormitory without even saying goodnight.

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Chapter Thirteen

Sirius sat there, allowing his long, black tail to thump hardly against the quidditch stadium benches. He had transformed into a black do nearly two hours ago and had been waiting for Brittney to finish her tryouts. Apparently, she was just like James when it came to quidditch. When someone went up to the air on their broom he would hide underneath one of the benches, careful not to be seen. His little brother had tried out for the Slytherin team this year and made it as Seeker. Sirius was very proud of him.

As for Sirius himself he had never actually played quidditch, but he and James always loved to talk about the next play. He would go to every game and watch, cheering his team on. Even when Gryffindor wasn't playing the marauders always went to the other matches. Brittney, however, was a very fierce and loyal player. If someone had proved that they lost their temper too easily she would ask them to go back up to the Castle.

Sirius was starting to doze off while waiting until he heard stomping and realized someone was coming up his lot. He ran up to the top of the box and hid under a bench. Two very young looking boys came up and sat themselves down on the bench. Sirius watched as he remembered the problems James had while trying to keep first years away.

"I can't believe she found us out!" said the boy with very shaggy brown hair that covered his eyes. The other one, with blond hair, shrugged and slumped down in his seat.

"I just can't believe she made me do fifty throws before she finally caught me!" said the blonde.

"You didn't have to do fifty! You didn't even make all five, and that's all she asked you to do. Now I did fifty. I wanted to show her how good a job I would do as Chaser." The first one said proudly. Sirius nearly thought about scaring them, he had been told that his form looked very much like the Grim, but thought that listening to them was more fun.

"You didn't do fifty either!" said the second. "Besides, your stupid ageing potion didn't really work." The other boy looked shocked. Perhaps he was a Ravenclaw, but not even the first years were capable of making an aging potion. Even Sirius still had troubles making one!

"You were the one that said you found chest hair on you after you drank it!"

"That's because I already do have chest hair. See?" The second boy pulled his shirt down slightly to show the boy what little hairs he had there but was careful not to show too much. The first boy looked carefully and then smiled, though it looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Is that where that patch of your wool blanket went, Earls?" Earls blushed and pulled his shirt back up quickly. Sirius' dog mouth let out some sort of snort but the others did not hear because a sudden visitor had accompanied them. Sirius was taken aback at Brittney's sudden appearance. Her tryouts must have been over, but what if she were to come to the top of the box? Surely she would have seen him and questions would be asked. He would have to show her his form.

"Do either one of you know why you are up here?" she asked with her hands on her hips. Sirius stared in awe as she let the wisps of her blonde hair be blown all about and the rest of her hair that was wrapped tightly in a ponytail. Her quidditch uniform fit her perfectly, and with her armor it wrapped tightly around her body, showing almost every curve very effectively. Being a dog, Sirius couldn't help but drool.

"Cause Wilks and I are first years." Earls replied quietly. Sirius half expected him not to speak after his embarrassment.

"No," said Brittney, "first years can be just as great as seventh years. You are up here because you lied. And because you lied you are not allowed to even think of joining the team this year. First years should not go around saying they're third years and then go about boasting that they have chest hair! Not even most seventh years have chest hair yet! You lied and therefore you will not be on the team."

Wilks nodded his head before Earls but elbowed him when he was having trouble comprehending that he would not be on the team.

"Go on then, you two. I've gone ahead and packed up."

The two boys left quickly, and again Sirius made sure he was hidden securely under the bench. Brittney let out a long sigh and turned out to look at the stage. Sirius was sure that James must be close to finishing up with his lot, if he wasn't already done that is, but Brittney made no notion of wanting to leave the stadium.

She seemed to take a particular liking for the golden rings that stood fifty feet into the air. After she hadn't shown any more signs of leaving soon he decided now was the time to do a little trick he and Prongs had worked on; for when the other spotted a teacher come over they would send the signal. He barked loudly but he made it sound as if it had come from somewhere else. Brittney turned and looked all around for the animal but she did not see one.

Perhaps she was a bit frightened, and Sirius felt slightly guilty, but it did get her to leave. He waited until he was sure she was in the changing room and then headed down the box and outside, changing back into his normal form, as if he had been waiting for her the whole time. Looking at his wristwatch it was nearly seven o'clock. He hoped he hadn't waited too long.

Finally, after another ten minutes of waiting, the doors behind him opened and out came a disbelieving Brittney Bern.

"Black?" she asked nearly unsure of what she was seeing.

"You're not wrong, darling, but why so formal? Have I done something wrong?" Sirius smirked as she came closer to see him. Did she have a seeing problem? James was supposed to have glasses but he said the doctor at home said that it wasn't nearly bad enough that he absolutely had to have them, but he never saw any signs of Brittney needing them. Brittney grunted and decided to move ahead of him, not wanting to take the time and see what he wanted to talk about. He knew exactly what he did wrong. "You know," he continued, "if you continue to ignore me like this you just may never get that Care of Magical Creatures project." He said in a very singsong voice.

Turning sharply she started on him with fire blazing in her eyes. "You know perfectly well I can take care of my own grades." But Sirius hardly took in the meaning of her words. She must have taken notice because she let out a very aggravated yell; a few birds near by flew away, and then headed off toward the castle. Sirius, realizing that she was going the wrong way, ran to catch up with her.

"Listen, Britt - Brittney - I need you to come on a little detour with me," he said but she still didn't stop. She didn't even take notice that he was following her. "Remember that little deal we had?" he asked quickly, hoping he didn't sound as if everything was planned. What else was he to do at such a desperate moment? Brittney stopped and he ran into her causing the both of them to fall to the ground. He was laughing but she didn't look too happy with his fingers tangled up in her blonde hair, which was now flowing down.

"Would you mind getting off me?" she seemed to be trying to hold in her temper. Sirius stood and then helped her up, dusting her off before he did himself. She was grateful but slapped his hands away when he tried dusting her front. "Now what about the deal? Did you talk to James about it?"

Sirius cringed a bit, he hadn't really thought about how he would explain to her why exactly they would be going to the practice field, but of course being a marauder he was a very quick thinker. "No, I didn't tell him at all. I just thought you would like to take a stroll with me to the practice field." She looked shocked but didn't say anything so he decided to continue with his hopefully, very convincing lie. "I promised James that I would meet him after his practice was over and thought, since you like him so much, you'd like to come with me."

Brittney looked shocked but gathered herself nicely with narrow slits in her eyes. "You're not trying to make me fall for you are you, Black?" Sirius looked taken aback, and it wasn't even an act!

"Where ever would you get an idea like that?" he asked. She hadn't heard anything about the plan of James ending it with her had she? It was the first time he had seen her smile all night.

"Lily told me about the little conversation the two of you had. She said that you would be willing to give me anything. I'll tell you what, Black. Gifts aren't going to work." Her face nearly fell once he let out a sigh of relief but he frowned slightly and nodded in understanding.

"That isn't what I'm trying to do, Brittney, and you should know me better than that by now."

"I know you better than the better you're talking about and that side isn't always trusting..."

"I just thought I'd add a little twist to the deal is all." Sirius said without showing any sign of what was really going through his mind. He was quiet proud of how he was handling the situation. "You know, to be a little more convincing about the whole thing."

Brittney seemed to think about his words for a moment before continuing her stroll up the path to Hogwarts. He first thought she was going to leave him but then she said, "And what exactly were you planning?"

Sirius caught up with her and took the hint in that he would have to convince her before they got to the castle. "Well I figured that if I just asked James to ask you out everything would seem a bit too forceful and he'd find out he was a deal. That isn't the best way to fall in love with someone, love," she grimaced at his pet name but encouraged him to go on. "Seeing as how you're one of those mushy love girls that believe in complete romance, I thought we could try and really make James fall in love with you. You know, like let him get to know you on his own."

"That's not too bad of an idea," she said finally after a moment’s silence between the two of them. Sirius could feel the knot in his stomach that had been there since last week start to loosen. He sighed and put an arm around her solders casually. "What are you doing?"

"Come now, darling, you didn't think I'd let you continue your way to the castle after I explained all of that to you? If we're going to do this we have to do it tonight." Sirius waited until the turn in the path and then tried to get her to turn. She did not follow his lead. "What are you doing?"

"I never said that I agree you know?" Brittney said smugly. He stared at her disbelievingly. How could she be so stubborn? She should be a redhead like Lily! Letting everything he had been planning so carefully go up into his mind, he slumped over in defeat and turned to face her.

"You're right," he said. "I need to stop forcing you to do things you don't want to do. I should have learned my lesson the first time we met with the incident with the lake. I'm sorry and I'll just tell James tonight and I'm sure he'll ask you tomorrow or something. Goodnight, Brittney." He turned to head toward the castle completely downcast and for the first time in his life, truly hurt. He had worked so hard to plan all of this out and was trying to be adult enough to make it romantic for her but it was all a waste of time.

"Hey, where are you going?" Brittney shouted. He noticed that she had not followed him. She hadn't even moved from the spot he left her at all. Sirius raised a very thick, black eyebrow and watched as she just stood there and smiled at him as if it were all some sort of game. "The practice field is this way, Black!" she pointed to the path he had tried to lead her just moments before. He perked up and ran to her side, placing an arm around her solder once again.

"By the way, dearest, I don't believe we've properly met. I'm Sirius Black. You may call me Sirius."

Brittney laughed slightly and delicately picked his hand up and let it fall back to his side. "Yeah, and I'm Brittney Bern. I'm not Bern. I'm not your dearest, and I'm most certainly not your love. You can call me Brittney."

Sirius stopped and stepped in front of her. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Brittney." It was the first time he had ever bowed.

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Chapter Fourteen

Something wasn't quiet right. James was supposed to be out of the practice stadium by now; Sirius had thought he had made it perfectly clear that he needed to finish early. Soon Brittney would be irritated and want to go back up to the castle and there would be nothing else he could do. Sure, he may be able to think of something cunning, but not without sounding stupid for making her stop for the third time in a row. The two seventh years were sitting just out front and Brittney seemed preoccupied with picking blades of grass from the ground and he was lying in the grass.

Every now and then Sirius would peek a glance at her, trying to think of something to say to her so neither one of them would be so bored, but he couldn't think of anything at all. She seemed to realize that there was an awkward silence between the both of them as well and threw the grass down into a pile and started to make it dance with the wave of her wand. Sirius thought it was magnificent and sat up, making his way toward her.

"How did you do that?" he asked, knowing perfectly well how she had done it. It was a very common spell, but he had never seen it used on grass before.

"Come on, Sirius, not even you can be that daft," Brittney commented looking up at him for a brief moment before releasing the spell cast amongst the talented dancers. "Well, now that I've got you to talk. Where is James? Didn't he know you were waiting for him?"

"Of course," he said, "I told you everything just before we came here. Do you know any other spells?"

Brittney stared at him in disbelief. "No, Sirius. None at all. I've been going to Hogwarts for seven years and the only thing I've learned is to make grass dance. Surely something has got your interest lately for you to be asking such stupid questions!" She had no idea. Sirius smirked but shook his head. He was starting to wish that James would come out now; Brittney was really starting to intimidate him.

"You're right, sorry," he said brushing it off coolly.

"Sure you are. Anyway, you and Marina seem to be hitting it off well, considering you've actually decided to work on the assignment. By the way, you'll be in that class in two days time again. Do you have any of your ingredients?" Brittney raised an eyebrow and he started to kick himself mentally. He hadn't even worked on it since earlier when they had been getting grindylow. "And I don't mean the grindylow, either." How was it that girls always knew what men were thinking?

"Err, sure?"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes as she started to pick at the grass again. "I don't even need a Qualdrale Potion to tell me you are lying. Besides, you're probably too busy working on your beginning of the year prank."

Sirius perked up in surprise. With James' lame plan for this year, with complete respect of being his best mate, he had completely forgotten that they were actually pulling a prank this year. "Nah," he said, "James came up with a plan a while ago and it isn't that good. In fact, you can say that the marauders aren't really doing one for the beginning of the year this time. He is so infatuated with Lil- he just wants to be more mature this year because he is a Head Boy."

"Wow, really? I'd hate to see another innocent girl fall into the same fate as I did."

"That wasn't a prank and you know it!" Sirius was starting to lose his temper about the whole lake thing, but he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about it all. "It was more of an accident."

"It wasn't an accident until after you had done it," she said quietly and he was sure that he had insulted her in some way. Girls were always emotional in his perspective, but he was never sure what had caused them, maybe that was what Lily had meant whenever she told James that he an emotional range of a pudding cup. He bravely crawled closer to her and thought about placing an arm around her but thought it too bold.

Brittney looked up at him and he noticed that she was very tired looking. Her eyes were starting to dull and he knew that after try outs she must have been very tired and he should have allowed her to go back up to the castle like she had wanted to. If only she wasn't so infatuated with James. "Besides, the first prank of the year happened after that lake incident. So now you know that it wasn't meant to be a prank."

"You sure did enjoy having a laugh about it." Brittney seemed willing to give up the fight and he was half tempted to lead her back up to the castle and forget about the whole plan. He could always just get down on his knees and beg her to give him another chance, though he had already tried that, without getting down on his knees.
"Anyway, you do know that the four of you will be surrounded by wondering students once they realize that your first of the year prank hasn't been pulled right?"

"Yeah, but I've tried explaining that to James and he doesn't care. If he doesn't mind, neither do I," he said only half trying to convince himself that it was true. He thought for a moment and then decided that one of the things that would really make her happy was to stop talking about him, and it would also make him a lot happier if they could stop talking about James, though he never knew he'd ever think that in his life. "So, what is it you enjoy doing most in life?" Lame, but it was the only thing he could think of asking without including himself in it.

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment and then straightened up just slightly and he could have sworn that it seemed she had woken up a bit. "I love James of course!" That was not the answer Sirius had been looking forward to. He slumped and he could even feel his ears start to redden. He was happy that his hair was long enough to cover them or else she would have realized.

"Oh," he said sullenly. She s******ed and shoved his arm.

"I'm only joking, Sirius. The thing I love most in the world is quidditch. If there is anything I want more in my life right now is to be a professional quidditch player."

"So I should look for you in the Daily Prophet after we get out of Hogwarts right? James may be in a few pictures with you I suppose?" Sirius said slyly and eyed her suspiciously.

Brittney looked appalled at the thought of the mention of marriage. "Sirius Black, I never even thought about James that way. It would sure be nice to have him as a boyfriend, but I never thought of living the rest of my life with him!" Her cheeks were starting to glow bright red.

Sirius was starting to grow curious. James had wanted Lily as a girlfriend for a long time but even he had talked about a fantasy wedding between the both of them. Sirius had always made fun of him for thinking like a girl but here he had proof that not all girls thought about that. "You know," he said, "for a girl that really wants to get with James you sure don't seem to be in love with him like you seem to be. Most girls talk about marriage even if they only have a crush on someone!"

"Of course not, Black. If I rush it then no one would know what would happen between us. If we go out during the year we'll be split up before the year ends!" Sirius felt something weird wriggle inside his stomach, but he knew for sure that he wasn't hungry. "Anyway, I'm sure you don't want me to continue talking on about James, that isn't what you asked."

"What makes you think that?"

"Just because you seem to think I don't care about how you feel, I do, and I know that you had once, just a few days ago at the least, wanted to go out with me. I should know better than anyone that the last thing anyone wants to hear about is that the person they once liked is talking about some other guy. Anyway, about quidditch, it has always been my dream to become a professional and be captain of my own team." She didn't sound so confident.

Sirius decided to lie back down on the soft grass and lay his hands behind his head. "And?"

"And?"

"Yeah. And. A simple question you know, and sometimes a conjunction that helps you add something on," he smiled up at her and bit his lip as he had the perfect view of her sitting up and looking down at him. She rolled her eyes.

"I get the point, Black-"

"Hey, whatever happened to calling me Sirius? It isn't that I'm very proud of my family name after all."

"Right. Sorry. Anyway, my father disapproves of my idea of a career. He says that it takes a lot to be a professional quidditch star; talent, calm nature, high tolerance, and looks."

Sirius sat upright at her last words. Looks? What was her father talking about? Brittney had enough looks for most of the girls at Hogwarts. All right, so maybe it was a bit of an embellishment, she certainly was no veela, but she was still very pretty. "I thought all fathers were supposed to tell their daughters that they are the most beautiful women in their lives?"

"I don't know if I should take that offensively or not, Bl-Sirius. Are you saying that even if a girl is not beautiful their fathers are lying to them by telling them that?"

"No! I mean, well, um- Just look at Rita! That's a classic example of a lying father." Brittney laughed and nodded at his comment.

"Very true. Well, even if I can't become a quidditch star, my biggest dream is that when I have children they'll share the same love for it as I."

Sirius stayed in silence for a while after she had finished speaking. He was sure that she would still continue her dream no matter what her father said, she was too head strong, and what about her mother? Perhaps she had different views? Both children enjoyed the other's silence as they waited for James to come out, and when he finally did Sirius jumped up to help Brittney to her feet, and she even seemed almost thankful.

"I'm so sorry I'm late mate, but I only have a spot open for Beater and there were two equally good Beaters for the spot. We had to- Oh, hello, Brittney!" James had played of realizing Brittney had accompanied Sirius really well. It almost seemed as if he had forgotten what they were planning to do after his tryouts. He glanced at Sirius to make sure he was sure and then with their psychic, scary connection the two shared, James turned back to her. "I had no idea that you would be waiting for me, too. Have you been waiting long?"

Brittney seemed to be much more awake than she had before, but she also seemed to be at a loss of speech. James stared at her curiously as if she was broken or something, and raised a thick, black eyebrow. "Err, are you all right?" She seemed to snap out of whatever trance she had been in and nodded.

"Not long at all. Besides, I completely understand that you needed to get a good team up for this year." Said Brittney.

Sirius smirked and covered it with a cheery grin when James shot a glance toward him as if wondering if he really had been gone too long. He nodded and James gave him a very apologetic look. "Shall we head back up the castle then? You do have to change out of your quidditch robes after all, James."

The three of them walked back up the castle and Sirius made sure to stay just barely behind the two so he could hear every word they said.

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[ginnypotter19]

As I continued writing this story I fell more and more in love with it, but yet, sadly, more and more of my fans would go on and find the much better, I am sure, stories out there. I am sorry I have been on hiatus with this story, but I'd more than glad to finish it for those of you who wish to continue reading it. Please, have a go with reading it, leave feedback in the past links, and let me know what you think. If you are a past reader, please come back and tell me some of your enjoyments of the story and what you would like to see. I'd really like to see this story progress and know how you all like it.

As always, your dear friend,
ginnypotter19