Chapter 1

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe. – Ella Wheeler Wilcox

"We are going to be late," Lily said, exasperatedly watching the traffic lights doze on the red light.

"Calm down. It's 10:30. You can see the station from here, Lily. It will be fine!" Maisy said, straightening up in the back seat and grabbing her bag from her feet. "Is this what happens every time you get to see James?" she mocked.

"Potter? Don't be silly. He's like, ew. So arrogant and pompous. And that stupid snitch of his, always buzzing around..."

"Mhmm... Sure thing. Don't you think he's even a little gorgeous? He worships the ground you walk on. He would kiss your feet if you asked him to. Is that not attractive to you?"

"You must be joking! He's just so pent up with himself. He talks about HIMSELF. All the time! How arrogant can you get."

"I think it's to impress you, Lils." Maisy winked.

"Fat lot of good that's doing."

"So is ANY good actually being done?"

"NO!"

"Aw, c'mon Lils! Imagine your beautiful children..." she teased, poking Lily in the ribs playfully.

"Honestly Maisy, the less time spent with Potter, the better. Even you're getting ideas. Has he brainwashed you?"

"Na, I just think you guys would be sweet together."

"Sweet? Huh. It would be sweet-er if we spent less time together. Maybe the Head duties will throw him off this year. I wonder how often I can patrol without him suspecting that I'm actually dodging him.."

"Ha! You know he'll follow you around in that cloak."

"I KNOW! It's so creepy. He could totally be watching us in the shower or whatever. It's kind of disgusting."

"Then again, maybe the cloak's a good idea. He might wanna hide after you find out that..."

"Find out what exactly?"

"Well, I heard fro..." The car jolted forwards towards the train station and Maisy stopped. It was unlikely Lily would hear her over the noise of the engine now anyway. She put her hands in her lap and stared at them for a long while, remembering the letter from Remus. Remembering how excited he had said James was for becoming Head Boy. And how even more excited he was when he found out that Lily would be his partner in Head duties for the next year. She smiled to herself. One day she'll realise the attraction.

Inside the station there were crowds of people. Everyone's families had come to say goodbye, hand over last minute parcels and scrub dirt off of rushing son's noses. There was an atmosphere of happiness. Everyone was going back. Home. Friends would be reunited and pranks would be had. The whole school was technically buzzing. Pranks. Which meant only one thing...

The Marauders were sat in a compartment, lounging lazily on the plush seats and talking about their summers. A golden snitch was flitting around the compartment, until James caught it and sat upright, staring at the handle on the door.

"Lily! It's you, it's actually you!" James squealed, jumping up from his seat and hugging her. Remus looked up from his book and laughed. Sirius stood to move from his seat and over to James, pulling him off of Lily and into the corner.

"Ten fifty seven and James has already given himself a hernia." Sirius laughed, looking up at Lily. "You can sit there, it's fine. Ill restrain husband-to-be over here." He added with a wink. Maisy walked in and smiled at the group, sitting down next to Lily. Sirius beamed back.

"Please welcome, the new Head Girl and her partner in crime!" Remus pointed his hands in the direction of Lily... And James.

"WHAT?!" Lily shouted. I gripped her hand tightly. Do not go OTT I kept repeating in my head, sending signals to her with my eyes.

"It'll be great, Lily. You wait. We'll be the unstoppable duo." James smiled.

"Yeah, I guess." Lily said, calming down very smoothly and squeezing Maisy's hand back as a thankyou.

"So, any gossip?" Sirius called to the group, fishing for something to joke about. Lily looked ready to pop with excitement with her news. Of course she had kept it for this very moment.

"Just letting you guys know, Lea is officially off the market!" Lily nearly burst out.

"Oh gosh, which poor sod is it this time?" said James.

"Urm.. Some Jason bloke in Ravenclaw. He's in your Muggle Studies class, right Maisy?" said Lily, smiling down at Maisy.

Maisy nodded, without breaking her smile. But inside, her heart pumped madly, her ears were ringing and Sirius was looking clumsy and, well, wet. She didn't realise she was crying until the first tear splashed onto her denim skirt, causing the moisture to spread quickly through the material and deepen the blue. She put her hands to her eyes and breathed in quickly, brushing away the tears and looking up, smiling.

No one had noticed. That was the perfect thing about being the underdog. The best friend. The side kick. No one noticed. Maisy went back to sitting in the compartment with her friends, watching Lily push James off of her at least a dozen times and talking to Peter about his summer. Normality was back, Hogwarts was back. Alone, was back.

*

Sirius looked over at Maisy. She glanced back and smiled. She didn't know. Sirius had seen the tears. The small shaking had been the trigger. Then the unbroken smile. Then the head in her hands. Sirius noticed. Sirius always noticed. She was so beautiful, so captivating. It was impossible not to notice.

Maisy pushed a strand of hair behind her ears and lightly touched her jaw. She did this when she was nervous or uncomfortable. James was talking about his dream about Lily, which probably involved a blow by blow account of the sex. Generally, anyone should feel uncomfortable, but Maisy wasn't like the others. She laughed when Lily hexed him, and she scowled when Lily threw insults at him. Her big green eyes smiled with her, but they seemed empty somehow. She would look distant in between conversations. Staring into space. And then the tears. And every time Sirius saw the tears track down her cheeks, another inch of his mind was filled with Maisy. And his heart grew, larger and larger until it felt like it would burst out from his body and scream "I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU." Shocking. But, that's what love does to a guy.

Sirius leaned forward towards Maisy. She was directly opposite him, her legs almost grazing his knees. She wasn't wearing tights and her skirt was short. Today she was wearing an oversized sweater in purple. A few beads and she was done. Simplicity perfected in the most fragile form of a human.

"Hey" he almost whispered.

"Hey" she said back, even quieter than before. Everyone else was bantering, no one would even notice them talking to be honest.

"How are you? Good summer?" he smiled at her.

"Well... urm..."

*

That smile was just dazzling. Even after a year of getting over it, it still managed to dazzle her. But it was all over. No more obsessing over Sirius Black. He hadn't been on her mind for a while, not since Jason had come along. Maisy thought her and Jason had something. They sat together in Muggle Studies, they studied in the library together – heck, he even invited her to his New Year's party last year. With like, the rest of the year but that wasn't the point. The point was Lea was her friend and she, she... Stole her man! Not that anyone knew he counted as hers. No. No one. So this was really all her own fault. Again.

"Well my mum's really ill so I didn't do much. But I'm good!" she nearly shouted, when she saw the look on Sirius' face. She willed him not to ask her about it. It was painful enough to see it. Then leave her mother at home. Talking about it just stuck knives in her side.

"Okay. I'm sure she'll be fine." He sent her another dazzling smile. He usually kept those for the girls he was crushing on. Weird. She must looking terrible today. Do I scream 'PITY ME', Maisy thought. Well, it's a possibility.

"So..." Maisy said, looking around the compartment, about to sink back into her seat.

"Yeah I was thinking, you were moaning last term about Transfiguration..." he winked.

"I was not moaning. I'm just, a bit tired with pretending to understand what I'm doing, that's all."

She laughed. Real laughter. Well, that was shocking. She sat up straighter.

"Well, you know I'm just – wow at it. So I thought I'd give you a hand." He smiled. "If you want" he added hastily when she stared at him, dumbstruck.

"Sirius Black, school's most popular boy, is going to give me tutoring?" she laughed. This must be a joke.

"Why's that so surprising?" he looked confused.

"This is me, Sirius! Why would you wanna tutor me?!"

*

Good question, Sirius thought. Because I love you? Na, too cliché. Because, I find you incredibly attractive? No... Awkward! Because I want to wrap you up in cotton wool and keep you safe for forever and a day? Okay, this sucks.

"Because we're friends, Maisy." He smiled. Well done Sirius, you prat. Smooth. Real smooth. Now she's gunna be interested. NOT.

"You look like you're fighting a war over there. How's your conscience doing?" Maisy laughed. Again. Her face seemed to lift and brighten whenever she laughed. It filled the room with all things wonderful...

"Huh? What?" Sirius snapped out of his reverence and concentrated on Maisy again. Not that he hadn't been concentrating about her. But not on her. Not actually physically in this room. Maybe it was showing.

"I was saying, it looks like you're losing the battle with your head. You look totally phased out!" another eruption of laughter. Maybe acting like this would be better, if she smiled for the rest of.. urm, I don't know – eternity?

"Oh, yeah. Was just thinking about you actually!" he grinned. And your mum and how sad you look and how I wish I could make it all better for you.

"And my pathetic wand work? Lesson plans for me? Good idea Sirius." She said, glancing down at her hands again. Not quite what he was thinking but, whatever works for her.

"Yeah, good idea Sirius" he said under his breath. Really, utterly splendid. You're acting like she's not there! She thinks you're just being nice because she's .. I don't know.

*

It must be because of Lily. That's why he's being nice. Nice one Maisy, getting your hopes up for an actual friend who didn't have a vagina. Smooth.

"I guess I'll go and get changed." She said, fleeing from the compartment swiftly, not caring to listen for a reply. She collided with a tall, solid figure rather abruptly.

"Oh, sorry, excuse me" she said without looking up.

"Hey, Maisy. Wait up!" a gruff voice called from behind her. Jason. Jason was calling her! Oh my gosh, it must all be over, he's realised we should be together, we'll be growing old and.. Maisy turned around and saw Jason, his arm around Lea's waist and a tie in his hand.

"You dropped this." He said, simply, dragging Lea around and back down the carriage.

Life is cruel.

*

Sirius watched her leave and looked out of the window, dejectedly. Great. Now he would have to talk about burping and beef ribs with James until they got to the castle. Woop de frigging doo.

"What did you say to her!" Lily accused him, slapping his arm.

"What? Nothing" Why would he want to hurt Maisy?

"Well that didn't SEEM like nothing. She's got a lot going on right now. She doesn't need you taking the piss or anything." Lily's hair seemed to grow scarily fiery.

"I wouldn't do that. I offered her some tutoring actually."

James choked on his Chocolate Frog.

"I'm sorry but WHAT? TUTORING? Padfoot you must be joking..." James laughed.

"No. I knew she was struggling so I thought I'd give her a hand." Sirius shrugged his shoulders. Oh, and I love her. Na, too much.

"Oh, well.. That's urm. Nice of you, Sirius. Thanks." Lily said, sitting back down but looking slightly puzzled.

"Padfoot, you little Professor, you!" James said, flapping his hand in a rather camp fashion.

Lily laughed from across the compartment and James looked up at Sirius, raising his eyebrows slightly and smiling like a Cheshire cat. Jamesie, in love. Well, all we need now is a woman for Remus!

"Oi, Remus!"

"Yes, Sirius?" Remus sighed, looking up from his dusty book.

"How's the lady hunt going?" Sirius winked.

"Yeaaaaaah Moony! How's that going for you?" James teased.

"Very well actually." Remus went back to his book.

"And how IS Ava?" Lily said, not looking up from her own book and smiling to herself.

"What? How did you.. I.. HOW DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW THIS?!" Remus nearly exploded.

"Ava came to mine in the summer. After she'd been at yours. Oh, woops.. too much?" Lily twinkled, a wry smile spread across her lips.

James jumped up and sat on Remus' lap, ruffling his hair.

"Oh Remus you old CAD! Fancy not telling us!" James said.

"Not that it wasn't obvious but, you know. We did play along for a bit but, just get in there Remus!" Sirius smiled.

"She really likes you, you know?" Lily said from the corner.

"Really?" Sirius noticed Remus sit up slightly straighter.

"Yep, totally. I think, gorgeous and interesting and funny also popped up. Inbetween the serious retelling of some major making out.." Lily laughed.

Remus looked at her dumb-founded. Even James was silent. Peter snored loudly, nobody had realised he was actually there.

"I'm joking! God, aren't I allowed to joke?" Lily laughed.

"Well, urm.. It wasn't that funny, love. That's a serious crime right there, talking about sexual things

when I'm so obviously ready to jump you!"

"I'm Siriu..." Sirius started but stopped when Lily glared at James vindictively and stormed from the compartment.

"I think you blew it." Remus laughed.

James sat down, staring at the door.

"Maybe sex wasn't the best approach at such an early stage..." Sirius laughed.

"Sex is always the best approach my dear Padfoot!" James joked.

Or maybe, just being a friend to a girl in need, is the best approach.