Under My Skin

x. Bizarre Friendship .x

"True friendship is never serene." ~ Marquise de Sevigne

1

Sixteen year old, Levana Rhoswen, stepped off the Hogwarts Express after her friends, dragging the scarlet suitcase behind her. Lily Evans turned to see where the blonde had disappeared to and followed her friend's blue eyed gaze. She felt her own eyes roll upon resting on what she was looking at. From the crowd a messy haired boy appeared shouting her name, the red haired teenage turned and promptly began walking in the opposite direction.

"James, it's been a matter of minutes can't your harassment wait?" Levana tuned out the rest of Lily's scolding, she knew what would follow. Her attention turned back to the suitcase and she successfully managed to unload it from the train. It landed with a heavy thump. It was the last time she was letting her mother pack.

"Yo Rhoswen!" She twisted round to come face to face with none other than Sirius Black and his best smirk.

"Oh God." She rolled her eyes, readjusted her hold on her luggage and began to stride towards the waiting carriages. That failed to wipe the smirk of his face and instead only encouraged him. "You know usually when someone gives you a greeting you would return it." He swerved in front of her and came to a halt, causing her to do the same.

"Fine, good evening, Black." She side stepped around him and continued towards the castle. He chuckled softly, recognizing her bad mood and fell into step beside her.

"Much better, dear Levana." She rolled her eyes again but despite herself a smile twitched at the corner of her lips. "Now there's a beautiful sight." He barked a laugh as she shoved him with her free hand, unable now to keep a small grin from her face.

A way off James Potter had been watching with a bemused look on his face he gazed at the pair.

"So how long do you think it'll take?" He cut through Lily's ranting and the entire group of students, Lily and Levana's friends, plus the remaining Marauders turned to see.

"What on earth are you talking about? As if Levana would even consider such things, it's beyond me how they have that bizarre friendship of theirs but believe you me it shall go no further!" Lily scoffed, crossing her arms definitely. Behind her the two other girls exchanged a glance.

"I wouldn't be so sure." The taller one spoke up, her brown hair cut to a bob.

"Honestly, Gemma." The red head stared, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Hmmmmm." Her other girl considered it, a smile dancing in her hazel eyes. Her hair was slightly longer an inch or so past her shoulders and with a reddish tint to the dark brown.

"Not you too, Katie."

"I say by Christmas." The tallest boy in their group concluded, an Irish twang catching his words. The lenses of his glasses framed with thick expensive looking black polymer, his black hair was tightly curled in a short dishevelled heap .

"Really, Dan?" His friend beside him asked, eyebrows raised. "It's been a while now, if something were to happen don't you think it would have by now?"

"Thank you, Tim!" Lily smiled triumphantly at the green eyed male.

"Four months."

"Gemma!"

"Nah, Five."

"Katie!" Remus Lupin watched the spectacle in amusement, stood back with Peter awaiting the final outcome.

"Hmmm... Padfoot and Rhoswen. Yup! I like it, I say two months!" James declared to the group, earning him a thump, with growing irritation Lily Evans turned and stalked away. The Potter boy gave his friends a despairing glance and ran after her, trying with little success to recapture her attention.

"So, any other bets?"

x. Ever Close Your Eyes, Ever Stop And Listen .x

Levana's attempts to re-locate her friends only managed to get herself isolated with Sirius and made them last to reach Hogwarts. They swept into the entrance and the waiting, nervous, first years turned to watch. From the ease they had with each other, they could have held a stronger relationship than the one they currently had. Many of the youngsters first assumption was they were in fact boyfriend and girlfriend, though their unlinked hands corrected them. Their outward appearances contrasted, she was fair haired he had dark locks, she had stunning blue eyes whilst his were a smouldering grey. Yet they complimented each other so well. These were the reasons their friends considered them on the brick of a mutual attraction and passerbys in Hogsmeade did a double take.

Sirius felt their stares and a raised eyebrow was enough for the new students to redirect their stares uncomfortably to the floor. His returned gaze found she was no longer on his left and was instead climbing the stairs off to the side. He glanced back, confused, at the doors leading into the Great Hall but shrugged and followed her regardless. She was rummaging around in the various pet cages when he reached her. She located the silver carrier she was looking for and pulled it towards her.

"Tadda!" She flashed a grin, her fingers moving to work on the latch.

"I didn't know you had a ca-." He was cut off by her opening the square barred front. "Puppy." She laughed as the ball of energy launched into her arms, its tail wagging madly at the sight of her. "I don't recall dogs being allowed into Hogwarts."

"Then what are you doing here?" His face visibly paled, she didn't know how ironic that rhetorical question was. For once, he was pleased that the attention was not on him. It took him a moment to compose himself. "Ha ha ha." Sarcasm dripped off his tone.

"She was a birthday present. Thank you, by the way, for my gift." She added, standing to give him a brief one armed hug, her right hand still clutching her pet. He returned the embrace without hesitation.

"Ah, mon belle! I knew you would cave to my charm in the end!" She shook her head but smiled nonetheless, pushing him gently away. He shot her a grin and stroked the jet black puppy. "Ah she's not a bad little thing, I don't mind looking after her if you're ever short." He flashed a satisfied smile as the short tail wagged, her head curving into his hand revealing a white patch in the centre of her chest.

"Thanks but Ruth and Storm have got me covered on that one. They're the reason Minc's here, between them and Hagrid they managed to convince Dumbledore." She laughed placing the pup back in the carrier and murmuring a promise to see her later.

x. You Don't Need A Reason Let The Day Go On And On .x

The Great Hall would mean facing her peers rumours when they saw her alone with him and that was something she would rather avoid. Instead she suggested a trip to the kitchens. They reached the familiar portrait and leant forward to tickle the pear.

"This brings back memories." Sirius chuckled.

"Three years, right?" When they had been in third year (after an unfortunate incident in class where Sirius accidentally hexed Levana and she in retaliation flung him across the room with a spell of her own) they'd shared a detention. After two and a half hours of sorting through their professor's unkempt shelves and swearing her to secrecy, he lead her to the kitchens where they enjoyed their own long awaited evening meal. It had only been the fifth or sixth time they'd really spoke to each other. Aside from the odd single sentence communications inside the Gryffindor common room where he would ask her a question thus obliging her to answer or vice versa they'd largely had little to do with the other.

"Levana?" She blinked, realising she'd been staring and the painting had already opened up. She turned and walked hurriedly into the kitchen with an amused Sirius following behind her.

"Did you have a good summer at James' then? You mentioned you were there in your letter. Home alright?" She added, once they'd sat at one of the benches. He nodded from opposite her, his smile becoming more fixed. She noticed and threw him a questioning glance. He shrugged and she nodded accepting that he didn't feel like talking about it, not just yet, by the apologizing glance he then sent her. She gave a soft smile in return, her eyes wandering to the fire in the corner as they sat in companionable silence.

"How about you?" She raised her head to look back up at him, after a moments pause she cleared her throat.

"They were tolerable. Though mine would never match Orion and Walburga Black, my mother's just a bitch most of the time but my dad can be nice just a bit too arrogant. Thank god for my siblings." He gave her a wan smile.

"Behind closed doors, huh?"

"Exactly." She agreed. Yes, it was funny how their parents could be so different in public. Though, Levana knew and regarded her poor relationship with her mother as nothing compared to Sirius's family troubles. She surveyed him in silence, his boyishness seemed to fade momentarily from his features but his shoulders were relaxed with the knowledge that at least someone knew, even only slightly, how he felt. And that to the young Black was comforting.

"I ran away from home." He admitted waiting for her reaction. Her eyebrows furrowed but the blue gaze was not horrified; accepting instead. Yes, it was very comforting indeed.

x. Every Summer Sun, Every Winter Evening, Every Spring To Come .x

Their laughter filled the kitchens some time later and together, still chuckling, they emerged.

"Ssssh, ssssh!" She tried to hush between giggles, the time had flown and they'd found themselves out past the allowed hours. Sirius chuckled and drew his arm around her guiding her down the corridor. They managed to subdue themselves to wheezed laughs, creeping through the various corridors. He stepped out from behind a shield, her close behind him, only to reverse and squash them both back into the tiny passage.

"Filch." He hissed, peeping through the minute gap. This was so much easier when he had the map, though perhaps not as fun, he decided. "The old bugger." She bit her lip to prevent another giggle from escaping but he caught the smile and flashed a broad grin at her. Had it not been that this was the third time she'd found herself in a confined space with the Black she would have found it incredibly awkward, but now the initial embarrassment had worn off. The caretaker vanished and after a short pause he climbed out offering her his hand.

"After you belle dame." She grinned taking it and, exaggerating grace, stepped into the corridor.

"Why thank you, bon monsieur." He chuckled, raising their hands and twisting his fingers so she twirled. She laughed softly, before the sound of footsteps greeted their ears. Breaking into a run they bolted towards the stairs, flashing a grin at each other as they went.

They arrived at the common room a few minutes later, out of breath but still smiling broadly. Levana gasped out the new password Storm had informed her of on the journey in, her older sister now being Head Girl, and the duo scrambled into the Gryffindor quarters. Waiting was said girl accompanied with their youngest sister Ruth, who'd probably refused to go to bed until the middle sibling had returned.

"Levana."

"Storm." She suspected the others had been sent to their dorms and would be waiting to pounce on them. Out of no where Minc appeared and bounded towards her. She felt her lips curve upwards again, catching the over excited puppy. She looked up to find Sirius being eyed by her siblings, he'd simply turned his head away impassively. Biding them goodnight he swiftly crossed the room to the boy dormitory's stairs. Her siblings waited until the door had clicked shut before bombarding her with questions. Stern exteriors quickly evaporating and with curious smiles they clutched onto either arm of their sister, excitement making their eyes dance mischievously.

"Tell us everything Levana." So she did, also repeating throughout that they were friends and they were making a big deal out of nothing. The other Rhoswens thought the contrary as would her friends when she regurgitated her dwellings to a keen Katie, an amused Gemma and an initially disapproving Lily who quickly became very interested.

x. What A Way, What A Way To Make It Through
What A Day, What A Day To Take To A Wild Child .x