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Some Sirius Trickery, by .x.

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It was just one of those normal evenings at the Gryffindor table. Alice and Marlene were laughing beside me, the girls in the surrounding vicinity gossiping ferociously. Extremely bored, I tuned in to the girl's high-pitched, giggly conversation:

"So what's your guess?" Jane McCleef trilled.

"You know what? Let's ask." The "ever-so-perfect" slut of a girl, Eva Kimble, turned to her right. Sirius Black sat there, his fellow Marauders arranged in the regular table formation. Interrupting, Eva said, "We're really clueless, and we know how much you know about the people at Hogwarts. Could you please tell us who likes who?"

I snorted into my pudding. Typical! Alice cast me a strange look.

As if they were eight year olds, wondering about their petty little romances between classmates, giggling and chasing each other around the playground. I scowled and continued my eavesdropping.

"Sure," Sirius replied lazily, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded behind his head. "Well, to start off, there's Frank. Everybody knows he likes Alice, of course." Sirius glanced over at Alice, Marlene, and I, who were all now listening intently to the conversation.

"And to continue, there's our flame-headed Arthur- who's head over heels in love with Molly."

Molly, who was sitting several seats down, immediately perked up at this statement. However, Eva let out an impatient sigh and said, "But what about you? The four of you, of course. That's what we really want to know."

"Oh! Us? Why didn't you just say so?" Sirius glanced at his friends, who passed him rather desperate looks. "Yes, we should get on with the telling," he continued, and the other Marauders looked down at their dishes, giving up hope for secrecy.

"Now, you must listen to this. No repeats, you hear?" Sirius said, his voice similar to a grandfather's while reciting an old, treasured tale to his grandchildren. Sirius grinned and said, "Now dear little Remus here..."

Remus reddened and averted his gaze to the Gryffindor banner above the table.

"...has quite a thing for that attractive Marlene McKinnon." Sirius did the double eyebrow waggle while my poor friend slowly slid from her seat, her face a bright crimson.

"Peter, of course, likes somebody that nobody else knows or acknowledges. I, however, have a thing for that pretty Ravenclaw 7th year. I don't even know her name, but she seems pleasant. And James..." Sirius stared right at me, his eyes glinting and his eyebrow raised and a huge smirk plastered on his face. I was nearly out of my chair, leaning on the edge toward the gossipers so I could catch every detail.

"...Well, he just so happens to like Jenette Simmons."

I didn't quite know what happened next.

It felt like a hole blasted through my heart. I felt completely winded, and my face probably showed my utter shock. All these years, all this time...and now what?

He had always been, I guess, my fallback plan. Even when nobody loved me, I could always count on him to admire me and flirt, even though my response would never be positive. Had he become tired of my constant rejections? Given up all hope?

Or he just simply never loved me, contrary to the many times he had said it. I guess it had been for the chase after all.

Empty and unfeeling, I had no idea what I was doing. I was past tears and into the stage of utter shock and disbelief. Why was I feeling like this? I hated him. Or at least I thought I did. I heard Marlene's and Alice's slightly hysterical voices in the background, calling my name, possibly questioning my sanity. I floated through the rest of dinner in a daze.

After the shock came complete and definite, undeniable, unrequited rage.

Powered by anger I rose from my chair and snatched James by his collar, dragging him out to the Great Hall. He stumbled after me, completely bewildered, before I stopped stomping and dragged him toward me. I pointed an accusing finger in his face and said,

"YOU LOATHESOME LIAR!"

"What the-?"

"How? How? It was for the chase after all! I can't believe it! How horribly DESPICABLE of you! You...you arse! And to believe that I was actually starting to lov-"

Mmm.

Well, that was unexpected.

The kiss lasted long. Neither of us were willing to pull away. It was different, somehow. Wholesome. Gratifying. Right.

Coming back down to earth, I caught the unmistakable sound of applause, opened my eyes to see a very surprised yet extremely happy James and a crowd of the whole school surrounding us. I turned as red as my hair and said, "So...who's Jennette Simmons?"

"Jennette Simmons?" James looked at me like I was crazy.

"Well, yeah. Remember what Sirius said...?"

James continued to look confused and said, "Who's Jennette Simmons? A new student?"

"You mean there's no Jennette Simmons?"

"Not that I've ever heard of. Who is she, a muggle celebrity or something?"

Of all the nasty, dirty, tricks that horrid Black could play...

Hmph. I hugged James again, and flipped Sirius the bird behind his back. He grinned and waved in response.

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Review! Thanks for reading! I love LJ fics, but haven't written one myself before. Review, tell me if I should do more! There such a wonderful couple :)