Chapter One


For as long as I can remember, James Potter had been my best friend. We grew up together. Our parents were close friends, so that meant we were too. And we were. When you've known someone since diapers it's not hard to pick up on things about them: interests, habits, pet peeves. We knew everything about each other, no secrets. We had each other's backs.

I remember being so excited for the two of us to go to Hogwarts together. After watching my brother go through most of his school career by that time, I knew enough about Hogwarts to imagine us in it. Reeking havoc and enjoying ourselves silly. What I didn't know was that we wouldn't be doing all of that together. We would barely talk during school for the next six years. He would go off and find new friends; and in result, so would I. It wasn't like we hated each other or anything, but it was too awkward to be around him.

And now I had to spend the rest of my summer vacation with him because my parents would be in France for the rest of summer. It was enough to make me bash my head against the wall.

I stepped out of the fireplace, brushing the remnants of the floo powder off my fingers. That's when I heard James's voice:

"-Mum, you have to say she can't come out this summer! I mean she can't find out about-"

I set down all of my bags and peered out into the oh-so-familiar living room that I practically grew up in. That was James's voice. So he doesn't want me here either. I glanced around the fire place surveying the area. To be honest, it really hadn't changed over the years that I'd been gone. The same furniture remained in similar spots as it had years ago. Photographs of the Potter family, as well as a few of James and I, hung on the walls and sat along the mantel piece. I ran a hand over one of James and I, the last summer I had been out here. I was splashing James in the little pond that was out in the Potter's back yard. One of the friendship bracelets I had made for James hung on the edge of the photo frame.

"Please, Mum! You have to send her back!" Ouch, that hurt. Well life is anything but fair.

"Hello?" I called out finally, setting my bags down. Mostly because I couldn't bare to listen to James's pleading. "Euphemia? Fleamont?" I stopped myself from calling out 'James' for that fact that I couldn't bare to even say his name at the moment.

Just then, the familiar face of my "second mother" appeared around the corner. "Albany Rose Lewis!" she exclaimed. Her hazel eyes were twinkling softly, and her smile as warm as ever. "Merlin's beard! You've gotten so big! So tall! Oh you look just like your mother!" She walked towards me, with her arms open ready for a hug.

"Hi Euphemia," I replied sheepishly as she wrapped her arms around me. "It's been a long time, yeah?"

"Oh, far too long," she grinned, pulling me into a hug. She rubbed my back softly and pulled back. "Oh," she breathed. She ran a hand through my silvery hair. "You've grown so much! How're your parents? Oh! How's Emmett?"

I grinned, surprised she had remembered my brother. He had left for France six years ago, but then I again the last time I had been here was five years ago. "They're all fine," I replied. "Mum went to France to visit Emmett. Dad's going to meet them when he finishes up business in China."

"Oh that's lovely!" Euphemia smiled. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you!"

I smiled in reply. I had always loved Euphemia. She was a nice break from my anal retentive mother. In fact, I had no idea how they had come to be friends. Euphemia was always so relaxed and easy going. Far more enjoyable to be around than my mother. They were polar opposites in not just personality but appearance as well. My mother had pale skinned, not a blemish or freckle in sight. The silvery and sleek hair of a Veela, or rather one-fourth Veela. She had long slender legs and a delicate frame. On the contrary, Euphemia was short and more muscular from her past as a quidditch player. Her hair was always short and messy, never longer than shoulder length. Her eyes a dark hazel, contrary to my mothers pale grey.

Oh, they were opposites through and through. Even today.

"James! Sirius! Get in here!" Euphemia called. I froze. Sirius? What the hell is Sirius doing here? I watched in horror as James and his best friend trudged around the corner. James was scowling and Sirius... seemed oddly quiet. Completely different than usual. "Well?" Euphemia asked expectantly, staring the boys down. I must say she had the motherly glare down pat, far scarier than my mother's.

James sighed, running a hand through his messy hair and shoving his other hand in his pocket. He refused to look at me straight in the eye. "Hey, Al," he grumbled.

I cocked an eyebrow and tilted my head slightly, "How are you two doing?"

Sirius wasn't looking at me either, not in the eye at least; and he seemed to be at a loss of his usual flirtatious facade. He nodded briefly and shoved his hands in his pockets. I raised my eyebrows. I didn't know Sirius as personally as I did James, but I knew this was certainly out of character for him. I was in Gryffindor with the two of them and this was not them. I watched as Euphemia walked up behind the boys and smacked them in the back of the head.

"Ow! Mum!" James exclaimed grabbing his head.

"Stop pouting. You're sixteen not six! Go carry Albany's things to her room; Sirius you too!" She snapped before turning to me and smiling. "I'm so glad to see you, sweetie." She planted another kiss on my cheek before sending me off after the boys.

I nodded good-naturedly, smiling softly before following the boys upstairs. I had really missed Euphemia in the years that I had been gone. Once we were out of earshot, I turned to Sirius, "So why are you here anyway?"

"Why do you care?" James muttered harshly. I stopped in my tracks, taken aback at his fierceness. A sharp sting of sadness crept into my chest, but I pushed it away with a sharp nudge at James's shoulder.

"Hey!" I snapped, causing both of the boys to turn around in surprise. I set my guitar case on the ground and pushed James. "You and I both know that I don't let anybody talk to me like that. Ever. Especially you." My words hung in the air. I glared at the boy who I had once been so close to, and he glared right back.

"So," Sirius eventually cut through the silence, "Is it true that you're part Veela?"

I turned my glare to the eldest son of the Black family. I rolled my eyes, used to all of the teasing about my heritage. "What do you think?" I challenged. I hated that everyone knew about my heritage. It was common knowledge at Hogwarts, and really fucking easy to get teased about. "Besides, you didn't answer my question, Black," I added.

His sent me a cheeky grin and replied, "And you didn't answer mine."

I scoffed and picked up my guitar case once more. "Whatever." I didn't particularly like Sirius. Hell, I didn't like him at all. I'd seen the way that he treated girls at school: quick shags, always flirting, make-outs in broom closets. It was disgusting to say the least, and I had never accepted any of it. I sighed and turned to the boys. "Look. I heard you when I got here." The boys exchanged nervous glances. "I know neither of you want me here. And I don't want to be here either. But we're stuck like this for the rest of summer vacation, so we might as well try to enjoy ourselves. If you stay out of my hair; I'll stay out of yours. Got it?"

Both of the so called "Marauders" stared at me in shock. James had his mouth hanging open, and Sirius eyebrows were raised in surprise. I raised my eyebrows expecting an somewhat sexist statement from Sirius or something along those lines. When nothing came, I rolled my eyes again and picked up my backpack. I leaned over and opened the door to the room that I had always stayed in.

"Just leave the trunk in the hallway," I stated as I put my guitar case and backpack down on the bed. But when I turned around the boys were still staring at me in shock. I cocked an eyebrow and grabbed my trunk from Sirius before closing the door.

The guest room really hadn't changed since the last time I was here. There was still an old quilt thrown across the familiar springy mattress and a small mahogany desk by an open window. A large bookshelf and matching dresser sat on either side of the door. I walked toward the bookshelf, inspecting the photographs of the Potter family. There was one of James and I playing on the swing set out in the back yard. I could feel tears pricking at my eyes.

I set down the picture frame and wiped my eyes. Why am I so upset? I wondered. Could it have been all of the past memories in this house? Could it have been the fact that James didn't want me here either? I thought we were okay. We got along fine in class, no problems there; but as soon as I set foot in his house... Why does he hate me so much?

Just then there was a sharp knock at the door. "Just a minute," I called out, frantically wiping tears away. I waved a hand in front of my face to dry my eyes when the door opened. I spun around, assuming it was Euphemia barging in like all mother's do when you ask them not to. But when I turned around, I was met with the "pleasure" of Sirius Black. "Couldn't just have waited could you?" I questioned bitterly turning to hide my the tears on my face.

He smirked, "Sorry, I'm not the patient type. You should talk to James about that. He's been chasing after the same girl for about six ye-" Sirius stopped short and looked at me closer. "Hey, are you alright? You look like you were-"

"I'm fine," I snapped. I spun back around and ushered him out of the room, but there was a split second when his eyes connected with mine. He knew. Sirius knew that I was crying. "Just leave me alone."

"But-"

I slammed the door shut, locking it with a satisfying click.

"Come on, Albany. Just..."

I huffed, feeling a stream of tears falling down my cheeks. I grabbed a change of clothes and walked into the bathroom. I turned on the hot water and let the shower run while I fiddled with the radio that sat up on the shelf in there until finally getting it to click onto one of the muggle stations around here.

I wiped my remaining tears away as I stepped into the shower. The warm water calmed me down; washed away the frustration. My frustrations with James and Sirius, with my mother for forcing me to stay here, my brother for even moving to France in the first place. I had to admit. I was still bitter about him never coming to visit within the six years that he'd been away. I hummed along to whatever song was playing on the radio, while I shut off the water.

I dried out my hair with my old T-shirt, something that I'd grown used to doing ever since I was little. Apparently it was nicer for your hair; according to my mother. Not that I particularly cared about what was good for my hair and what wasn't. Half the time when I was away at Hogwarts I didn't even brush it. But Mum would kill me if she found out about that. I snorted at the thought.

I threw on a sweatshirt and a pair of shorts, shutting off the radio. That's when I heard it... the guitar? I could feel my eyes nearly popping out of my head. I swung the door open to find Sirius sitting on my bed playing with the strings of my beloved instrument. I was speechless. I didn't even know what to say. Why the hell was he in my room? Why is he touching my guitar? Can he just leave me alone? And most of all: What the fuck?

"What the fuck are you doing?" I sputtered.

Sirius looked up from my guitar as if he didn't know I was there. "Oh, hello, Albany," he greeted calmly, plucking a few more strings on the guitar. I stared, not even attempting to hide the horror on my face.

"How did you get in here?" I demanded.

Sirius cocked an eyebrow and held up his wand. He made a wide gesture with his hands and whispered, "Magic."

"Black, I swear if you don't put down my guitar right now..." I warned. My hands were shaking, actually shaking.

His eyebrows raised casually. "You'll what?"

I groaned, rubbing my eyes with my hands. "Seriously, it's bad enough that you do this to me during school, but now here? What do I have to do to escape you, Black?" I fell back into the wooden desk chair and rested my head in my hands.

"Well," Sirius started. "You could play me a song?"

I looked up an glared at him. "No fucking way."

He smirked in reply, setting down my guitar in its case. He walked over and kneeled in front of me. "Well, you could tell me what was wrong earlier," he offered.

I leaned back, looking down at him. "Go to hell," I muttered softly, running a hand through my hair.

Sirius shrugged. "I already am, so..." He stood up and leaned on the desk next to me.

I rolled my eyes, biting back a laugh. "Can you just go, please?" I asked when the silence finally got to me.

Sirius's brows furrowed and shook his head. "Not until you tell me what's wrong. I mean, why were you crying?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes and walked toward my bags, which were sitting haphazardly on my bed. I got to work unpacking my clothes and sticking them in the empty dresser by the door. "Why don't you just run back to James?" I asked, ignoring his concerns.

He cocked an eyebrow and leaned against the dresser. He stared at me and asked calmly, "Would you stop that?"

I stopped right in front of him, setting my clothes in the open drawer and placing my hands on my hips. "Stop what?"

He laughed exasperatedly and looked up at the ceiling. "Stop changing the subject like that. I mean I'm just trying to help."

I stopped, looking up at him. He was only a few inches taller than me, but he seemed a lot bigger. Maybe it was his ego. "Why?" I challenged.

He stopped and looked down at me. "Well..." He started, but he didn't continue. He just got quiet. All this quiet, it was killing me. I hated the awkward silences; they just made me feel worse.

"Listen, mate. I'm fine; I'm a lot stronger than I look. Now," I grabbed him by the arm and ushered him out of the room. "Leave me alone."


Yeah... That's it for the first chapter. Let me know if you like it and you think I should continue? Anyway, check out some of my others stories if you'd like. :)