It was November and a fire burned brightly in the Gryffindor commonroom warming the students as the chill of winter crept up on them. A group of boys sat near the fire contemplating their latest adventure in the cold forest.
"Next time. Next time we will be able to do it. I know we will," Sirius insisted.
"Maybe you two but not me," Peter said glumly.
"You were close," James added while he stretched in the armchair in front of the commonroom fire before rumpling his hair. "Like last time when you were on all fours making that whining noise. Maybe you'll be a horse."
"No. I tripped over a rock and fell down. And then I fell on the rock and it cut my knee and it really hurt, so I was probably making a noise and..."
Sirius gave Peter an incredulous look and then met James's eyes. Both boys grinned but then James was distracted by Lily Evans crossing the commonroom and heading towards the exit. The easy grin on his face faded into a look of confusion. Now, Sirius and Peter were the ones exchanging knowing looks. Before Sirius could make a comment, Remus sat down heavily on the empty armchair with a deep sigh, having just walked in.
"Hang on," James said sitting up. "If you're just coming in from Prefect duty where is Evans going?" For a moment it seemed like James was about to run after her.
"The head girl decided she wanted to try something new. So now we do inter-house patrolling. I had duty with Skylar. And Lily goes out now." On Skylar's name Remus glanced towards Sirius and saw the smallest of reactions.
"So who is Lily patrolling with?"
"Probably the other Hufflepuff fifth year, Dylan." Remus said while he rummaged around in his bag for something.
"Oh. He's a git." James said decidedly.
"Exactly," Remus said as he found a bar of chocolate and took a bite. "I don't know how Skylar puts up with him without hexing him. Or acting violent towards him, for that matter."
"Someone's grumpy. Must be that time of the month." Sirius joked.
"He even has chocolate!" James laughed.
"Who's Skylar?' Peter asked oblivious to the other boys' teasing of Lupin, who was usually kind to everyone.
"Fifth year hufflepuff in our Herbology class." Sirius answered.
"Blonde hair?"
"No, That is..." James faltered on a name.
"...Anna." Sirius finished for his friend.
"And Meg's the one with black hair." Remus added.
"I know who Meg is." Peter said as he looked down at his lap and wringed his hands nervously.
"Peter, you're absolutely blushing!"
Peter muttered something about going to bed and hurried up the stairs. His three friends stared after him speechless before turning to eachother.
"That was odd," Remus said.
"I think Peter has a little crush," Sirius smiled as he lounged back in his chair again.
"Poor bloke," James said as he looked at the door of the commonroom, which Lily had exited from moments before.
"I think we should set them up," Sirius said slowly as he looked at the dying fire.
"Sirius, don't" Remus warned with a groan.
"Come on, Peter deserves some love too. Maybe Skylar would help us out."
"Speaking of Skylar and crushes: You never told us what happened while you two had detention together and now you want to come up with some elaborate plan with her..."
"...To help Peter. Don't be mad because no one offers you any help with Lily."
"I dunno. What do you think, Moony?" James asked ignoring his friend's comment.
Remus looked at his two friends with a look that made it clear that he knew something that they didn't know and then said:
"I'm not getting involved."
"And neither am I," Sirius said a little defensively. "Imagine what would happen to my reputation if I dated a prefect. I will get involved with getting Peter a date though. And you two are going to help me."
"Peeves, please," Skylar pleaded as she jogged to catch up with the poltergeist.
"Little firsties better get to beddykins before the big bad werewolf of Hogwarts gets them."
One of the first-years whom Peeves was chasing after with ink pellets stopped short and ink splashed all along the bottom of her robes as a result:
"There's a werewolf at Hogwarts?" She asked horrified.
"No," Skylar said firmly now that she had finally caught up to the odd little pack. "There's no werewolf but he's right. You shouldn't be out roaming. Where are you coming from?"
"The Library," Said one of the boys in the group.
Skylar looked and saw Ravenclaw colors on all three of the first-years.
"Okay, but it's five minutes until curfew so get back to your dormitory."
The first years ran off looking in all directions as they went, either on the lookout for Peeves or the pretend Werewolf.
"And you," Skylar said as she spun around to face Peeves. "Stop telling the first years lies to scare them and stop with the ink. "
"The itty bitty prefect thinks Peeves is a liar. Well the itty bitty prefect is wrong."
"Peeves, Don't be ridiculous and don't make me call the bloody baron."
At this threat, Peeves aimed an ink pellet at Skylar's head which missed her by about an inch.
"The perfect prefect is too scared to call the bloody baron," Peeves cackled as he aimed another ink pellet towards her.
"Maybe. But I'm not. And I already did." Said a voice from behind Skylar. She turned to see who it was and the ink pellet hit her on the back. She felt the ink explode all over the back of her robes.
"PEEVES!" She shouted but he was already floating down the corridor laughing his head off.
Skylar was trying to see the ink damage and looked like a dog chasing it's tail as she spun in a circle.
"I don't think that's working," The unidentified voice said.
"It's past curfew, why are you out?" Skylar snapped before she looked up and saw Sirius leaning against a pillar with his hands in his pockets.
"Looking for you actually. I came to tell you Lupin won't be patrolling with you tonight."
"I noticed." Skylar snapped again, still trying unsuccessfully to get rid of the ink.
"Here," Sirius said as he pointed his wand at her back and performed a spell to get rid of the ink.
"Thanks," Skylar said, becoming aware of how rude she was being. "Is Remus okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, just a little under the weather."
"He's ill a lot, isn't he?"
Sirius shrugged uncomfortably and Skylar wondered if she overstepped her boundaries.
"It's probably just the rain. It makes me feel bad too," Skylar said as she looked out of the window at the mixture of rain and leaves blowing in the wind. It had been raining all day and clouds still dominated the sky, Skylar could barely see the bright full moon.
"I noticed." Sirius joked.
There was a sound in the next corridor and Sirius and Skylar both looked towards it.
"Er, you didn't actually call the Bloody Baron, did you?" Skylar asked.
Sirius shook his head but said: "We should move anyway though. Don't want to run into our old friend Filch now, do we?"
"Yeah, old friend. You think he's mad at you for ditching him the night we had detention?" Skylar joked, trying to make up for being short-tempered.
"Is he ever not mad?"
They both laughed as they moved along the deserted hallway. An awkward silence fell between them and Skylar wondered why he was there, he already supposedly told her what he had to tell her.
"You know my friend Peter?" Sirius said suddenly.
Skylar nodded.
"And you're a Hufflepuff so you know Meg, right?"
"Yeah," Skylar said slowly, confused.
"Well recent events have made it clear to me that Peter has a little crush on-"
"Meg? Are we thinking of the same Meg?"
"Yeah," Sirius was now the confused one. "Is there something wrong with that?"
"No, of course not. It's just that I don't think anyone has ever had a crush on Meg before."
They turned into another corridor and Skylar thought she saw someone turn the other corner, she couldn't tell if it was a student or ghost.
"Well, I don't think Peter has ever had a crush on anyone before. See? They're perfect."
"I didn't say Meg never had a crush before," Skylar said with a smile. "She's actually kind of boy crazy just without the whole, you know, being crazy with a boy part."
"Do you think she would be crazy with Peter?" Sirius asked with a smirk.
Suddenly Skylar understood why many of her classmates had a crush on him but Skylar's heart was already too full with another crush to develop one. Even though she didn't fancy him, she still felt her stomach sort of swoop but she ignored it and frowned in thought:
"I don't know. I don't think she has ever really mentioned him. But maybe."
"I think it's perfect. She's a little odd, he's-"
"She's not odd!" Skylar said defensively.
An easy way to describe Meg would be this: she's what everyone considers a Hufflepuff to be. Not the smartest, Not the bravest, Not the most clever but she was a sweet girl who had to be nice to everyone until they wronged her and she had a big heart especially when it came to boys.
"You didn't let me finish." Sirius said testily. "Peter's a little odd too. I think it's a good fit. It's just a matter of how to get them together, which is where I need your help."
"Why do you need my help?"
"Because I know Peter. He'd never be able to pull this off on his own. He needs his friend's help. And you're a loyal Hufflepuff who would do anything for your friends..."
"Fine. What's your plan?" Skylar asked, not wanting to hear whatever he was going to say to get on her good side. She was still in a somewhat bad mood from the ink incident and feeling odd about the stomach-swooshing.
"Well, we need to get them together alone somehow. Maybe...detention?" Sirius said with a slight smile.
"No way. Meg would never get a detention."
"So she's a goody goody, huh? I guess that will work" Sirius muttered more to himself then to Skylar but then he turned towards her with that grin that would have knocked most girls off their feet but Skylar's stayed firmly on the ground. Her stomach didn't evcn swoosh this time, maybe she was just hungry a moment ago. "Though if that's case, why did you get Prefect over her, miss detention?
"Because I'm perfect, obviously. At least that's what Peeves said..."
They both laughed and then suddenly they heard footsteps behind them. A girl with dark hair was running towards them before stumbling and catching herself at the last moment before falling.
"Meg," Skylar said surprised and threw Sirius a look. "What are you doing out here?"
"Anna sent me," She said panting. She stared at Sirius suddenly. "What are you doing?" She asked looking between Skylar and Sirius.
"Nothing. What's wrong with Anna?"
"I dunno. She got a letter and is upset and then asked if I could find you."
"Oh," Skylar said concerned. "Let's go back to the commonroom."
Skylar looked at Sirius and he raised his eyebrows and looked discreetly at Meg. Skylar gave the tiniest nod and said:
"I'll talk to you soon."
Skylar and Meg turned around and began to walk towards the kitchens. Meg was holding a stitch in her side, panting. Skylar was thinking of how the letter was probably from Anna's boyfriend or was it exboyfriend? Skylar couldn't keep up with their ever-changing relationship status. When the girls turned the corner, Meg asked:
"What were you doing out with Sirius Black?"
"Nothing. He was breaking curfew. Like you are." Skylar said quickly
"He's always breaking rules. It's part of what makes him so dreamy." Anna said in a far-off voice. "Do you think he's dating someone?"
A sudden idea struck Skylar. "Yeah," she asnwered. "Me."
"WHAT?"
"Sort of. I mean he wants to date me. He...asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him. I said yes but I'm not sure-"
"You're not sure you want to date Sirius Black?"
"Come with me. Then it won't be so weird." Skylar said with a fake plead.
"You want me to go on a date with you and Sirius?" Meg asked as if Skylar had completely lost her mind.
"Yeah. And one of his friends too. Like a group. So it will be fun not weird."
"Oh. I get it. You're still hung up on Michael." Meg said slowly.
"I...no." Skylar said flustered. "If I still liked Michael, would I be going on a date with Sirius?"
"Of course you still like him. Otherwise, why would you ask me to go on the date with you?"
"Well, I'd ask Anna but you see how she gets with any mention of boys. I doubt she would want to doubledate with one of the Gryffindor boys." Skylar said rolling her eyes, hoping she was playing her role convincingly.
"Which boy?" Meg suddenly asked suspiciously.
"Does it matter?"
"I guess not," Meg said with a smile. "Is this really happening, Sky?"
"Yup. Next Hogsmeade visit."
Meg squeeled as she hopped into the commonroom. Skylar shook her head, unsure if this plan would work but was amused to see how how excited Meg was. She left one friend's excitement about her first date behind in order to find her other heartbroken friend.