A/N: My computer messed up and to make a long story short, this story got deleted. I figure I'll repost a chapter every two to three days until I'm all caught up to Chapter 16, at which point I'll have already finished writing Chapters 17-and-beyond. Sorry if you've already read this stuff, but I figure you can cope.

Summary: Lupin notices the date and sits down to reminisce (that's about half a page). Then it's the tale of his 7th year and beyond, complete with new characters, old characters, and one hell of a lot more.

Disclaimer: whatever.

Now, on with the story...


When the train arrived at the station, Remus once again caught sight of Elysa Fauchelevent. She was with a group of girls. She seemed much more popular than she had been the year before, when she had only had a few close friends, rather than a whole gang of them.

Up at the castle Remus again caught sight of Elysa, sitting at the Gryffindor table with her friends. He swallowed and tried to decide the most inadvertent way to sit with her.

Sirius, however, was all for the direct approach. He strode right up to Elysa's group of friends and, sweeping his hair out of his eyes, said, "May I sit here?" The friends all started giggling. Elysa herself looked somewhat amused.

"I suppose," she said airily. Her friends scooted over, and Sirius sat down next to her.

James and Peter were laughing. Remus laughed too, though inside he felt very annoyed. Why was it that the noncommittal Sirius always got the girls? Remus loved Sirius, of course; Sirius was one of his best, most loyal friends. But really, could it hurt to just once have Sirius not get what he wanted?

James led Peter and Remus over to sit across the table from Sirius and Elysa. "Long time, no see," James remarked to Elysa. She smiled at him pleasantly, but then turned back to Sirius, who was talking to her.

"So," Sirius said, "I feel like we got off on the wrong hand. Allow me to introduce myself: the name's Sirius Black. You can call me Sirius, or, if you prefer the more literal approach, 'Thou whom I desire, His Lordship Black.'"

Elysa let out a breath through her nose, raised her eyebrows, and said, "'Sirius' is fine."

"I get that a lot," Sirius said quickly. It took Remus a moment to get the joke.

Elysa rolled her eyes. "I'll bet you do."

Sirius grinned and winked at her.

Elysa rolled her eyes again, but then she smiled genuinely. "I'm Elysa Fauchelevent."

"Fauchelevent? You French?" Sirius asked, reaching for a goblet of pumpkin juice.

She nodded. "Yeah, but I've lived here all my life. We're the British branch of the Fauchelevent clan."

Sirius nodded. "I've heard of your family."

"Likewise."

Sirius didn't say anything. He gave her a rueful look.

Elysa looked confused. "I'm sorry… is that offensive?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, sorry. I just don't really get along with my family."

Elysa looked surprised. "Why ever not?"

Sirius laughed derisively. "Short version? They're pure-blood maniacs."

Elysa frowned. "I'm sorry," she said conversationally. "How do you stand them?"

"I don't," Sirius replied. "I ran away last summer. I live with him now." He jerked his head at James.

Elysa looked taken aback. "That's… um, interesting."

"Save it," Sirius said, looking somewhat miserable.

Then he looked at Elysa and smiled. "My apologies… I usually don't share that whole sob story with people I've just met. Let's get back to the 'nice to meet you' part."

Elysa laughed. "Alright… so, what'd you do this summer?"

"Hung out with him," said Sirius, jerking his head toward James again.

"I do have a name, you know!" said James, pretending to be indignant. He turned to Elysa. "My name is James," he informed her.

She smiled. "Charmed."

"Yes, and that's Peter and that's Remus, as you know," said Sirius. "So, how about your summer, then?"

Elysa grinned. "Went to France. Saw the French Fauchelevents. It's an annual thing."

"Parlez-vous français?" Sirius asked.

"Oui, naturellement.… et toi?"

Sirius shook his head. "Nope... we Blacks generally don't stray far from this cold island."

"What a shame."

"'Tis."

Elysa laughed.

Sirius brushed his hair out of his eyes and grinned at her.

"Stop doing that!" she exclaimed.

"Why?" asked Sirius, doing it again.

"Because it's… annoying," Elysa finished lamely.

Sirius did it several times in quick succession. "They don't seem to mind," he said, glancing behind Elysa's shoulder at the table of girls who were staring at him.

Elysa looked behind her. She laughed.

Sirius leaned close to her and whispered, "Are you just annoyed that when I do it, you can't resist me?"

Elysa whipped her head around to stare at him. Across the table, Remus could see her noticing his gray eyes, his Grecian features, the smile that was playing across his lips.

Elysa opened her mouth. She didn't say anything for a moment. Then she said, as sarcastically as she could muster, "Yes, that's exactly it."

Remus felt his heart sinking. He knew that she was only flirting now. Damn that Sirius and his charm!

Sirius cocked one eyebrow at Elysa and brushed his hair back again.

"Sorry. No effect," she informed him, shrugging.

Sirius snapped his fingers in exaggerated aggravation. "Damn." He sighed. "Ah well… I tried."

Elysa laughed.


That night, Remus went to bed in a bad mood. He did not tell his friends his thoughts. Sirius was busy talking about Elysa Fauchelevent.

"Glad I met her," he remarked airily. "Perhaps I'll ask her out some time this term…"

Remus could barely contain his frustration. Here was Sirius, having casually flirted with the girl Remus wanted to get to know better, now turning out to not be excessively interested in her. This was what had always bothered Remus: Sirius got all of the girls without trying, but then he didn't want everything that he got.


Meanwhile, in her dormitory, Elysa Fauchelevent was having a chat with some of her friends. "So, you've just been hit on by Sirius Black," Marvina Dermott remarked. "How does it feel?"

Elysa shrugged. "Glad I met him, I suppose," she remarked. "Maybe I'll go out with him some time this term…"

Marvina rolled her eyes. "Well, if you don't, I will," she informed Elysa. "By the way, Lysie, just out of curiosity: why are you so different now?"

Elysa tilted her head to the side and tugged on one of her long curls, puzzled. "How so?"

Marvina shrugged. "Well, it's just that last year you were sort of shy and quiet… I mean, with everybody but us… now you seem a lot more… outgoing, I guess."

Elysa smiled slightly. "Oh, please… doesn't everybody go through phases? My cousin Nathalie was saying the same thing over the summer: 'Lysie, I don't know but something's different about you…' I guess I just don't feel as shy now. Now I don't care what people who aren't my close friends think about me."

Marvina grinned. "Sirius Black noticed."

Elysa rolled her eyes. "Oh joy."


Over the next week, Remus came to realize that Elysa Fauchelevent was being pursued by a large portion of the male population of the school. He was in a perpetual state of annoyance because she was so damn hard not to notice. Elysa seemed to be growing more beautiful by the day, at least in Remus's eyes. Her loosely-curled golden brown hair always looked fabulous, be it back in a ponytail or falling around her shoulders. She had perfect skin, the perfect figure… and she was smart, besides!

Every day, Remus saw Elysa chatting with a new guy. He wondered what Sirius's thoughts were on this, but found him unperturbed. "I told you, I don't plan on marrying her or anything… she was just nice to meet!" he exclaimed, grinning and shaking his head at Remus's naïveté.

On Thursday, Remus was sitting in the library when Elysa Fauchelevent walked in. She had her book bag with her, and she made straight for his table.

"Hey, Remus! Mind if I sit here?" she asked.

Remus smiled, joyful. "Not at all," he replied.

Elysa sat down across the table from him. "So, I haven't seen you lately," she said. "How're your new classes, and everything?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Just grand, of course."

Elysa giggled. "Likewise."

Remus, thankfully, found himself finally relaxing around her. They chatted for a few minutes, but then Elysa said, "I need to do my essay now," and pulled out her parchment and quill. Remus smiled slightly. She was still just as studious as before.

Next weekend was a Hogsmeade trip. Remus was trying to decide if he was brave enough to ask Elysa to accompany him. Unfortunately, Sirius was too quick.

While walking to class on Monday morning, Remus and his friends crossed Elysa and hers in the corridor. "Hey, Lysie!" Sirius called out of the blue.

Elysa, as well as all of her friends, many of whom were blushing or grinning at Sirius, turned toward him. "Hey, Siri!" Elysa called back.

"Want to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" Sirius asked.

Elysa grinned. "I suppose."

Sirius grinned back. "Alright, then."

"Well, that's settled," remarked James, "but we need to get to class."

"That was… random," said Remus lightly. "I though you fancied that Rosy girl in Hufflepuff… what happened to her?"

"Who?" Sirius asked. "Oh, right, Rosy… nah, she may be good looking, but she's boring. Not too smart."

Remus was flabbergasted. "Since when do you care about how smart people are?" he asked. James and Peter laughed.

Sirius smiled slightly. "Since now."

Remus didn't know what to make of it.


Thanks to those who reviewed!

CONFUSED IDIOTS - glad you think it's cool!

lavizsla- thanks; I will!

tresdrole - I know! "WTF!" But yeah, I will.

If you read the chapter, please review, too! It makes me sooooo happy and I'll definitely get Chapter Three up sooner!