Peter was sitting on the red velvet couch in the Gryffindor common room, completely oblivious to the commotion going on around him. The common room was completely crowded; it was a Wednesday night and every Gryffindor third year and up were lounging around the common room enjoying the heat of the fire and cramming in unfinished homework or last minute studying. The weather was growing colder and colder by the day, and the night was no different. He looked back and forth between his friends, who were all lying or sitting on the couches in front of the fire; Remus was reading a book, while James and Sirius were sprawled across the couches discussing some prank they were planning on the Slytherins the next day.

"Excuse me, guys," a sixth year by the name of Marlene McKinnon interrupted, "Hey, Sirius, can I borrow you?"

"Yeah, sure thing babe. I'll be right back." Sirius said, pushing himself off the couch.

"Sirius. Any interest in some fresh air when you get back?" James said grinning, bringing an imaginary blunt to this lips.

"If he gets back." Marlene replied, pulling Sirius swiftly up the stairs to the boy's dormitory. "What are you doing right now?" she asked him, her fingers drawing hearts on his chest.

"Uh-"

"How about me?" she asked him, pushing him onto the nearest bed and climbed on top of him.

Peter and the other Marauders were used to this behavior from Sirius. James sighed and got up, his eyes flashing around the room looking for Lily. When his eyes landed on the redhead a massive grin spread across his face and he ran up to her, no doubt to ask her on the next Hogsmeade weekend. Peter could see Remus roll his eyes as soon as he saw where James was heading, before turning his attention back to his books. Peter stared into the fire, watching the flames wave and fall, and then rise again.

Suddenly the opening of the port hole caught the corner of his eye. No one was allowed to be out at this time of night, and the Prefects had finished their rounds about an hour ago, so who could it be? He turned in the direction of the movement. Blonde hair. Black leather jacket. Knee high boots. It looked like... it couldn't be... could it possibly...No!... Was it...?

Yes, it was.

Serena Angelline stood in in front of the doorway that was the entrance to the room. Her hair was windblown, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes bright from walking the frozen half-mile from Hogsmeade to the 7th Floor Dormitories. She looked even more perfect than Peter had remembered. Serena Angelline was there, in the same room, only a few meters away. So real and so mature looking now.
How cool, Peter thought. Hands down, Serena was the coolest girl in the entire world. Definitely cooler than any of the other girls at Hogwarts. And how cool to come in late, in the middle of the term, looking like that.
She hadn't had a haircut in over a year, and her hair was looking a little shaggy. Her purple lace bra was visible through her fitted white crew neck shirt, which wasn't covered by her jacket. On her feet was her favorite pair of knee high boots, and her tie was hung loosely around her neck. Her dark blue jeans were tight to her legs.

Her dark blue eyes greeted the familiar scene of the Common Room– the murmurs of her fellow housemates, the flames from the fire licking upward, the maroon and gold decor, the familiar crimson couches the stairs leading towards the dorms.

She sighed heavily. What she thought would be a discreet time for her to come proved to be the complete opposite. She had wanted to avoid as many people as possible, especially the Marauders, who were, at the moment scattered about so it would be close to impossible to maneuver around and make it to her dormitory without being seen.

A loud voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Serena?"

She jumped.

"Serena Angelline? Is that you?"

She winced and turned around. A Gryffindor girl in the year below her – Dina, who was very well known for her loud voice – was staring at her with wide eyes.

"Merlin, it is you! I would recognize you anywhere!" At this, the people in the immediate proximity as well as some a bit farther away turned to look at the girl in the doorway.

"Serena!" another girl beside Dina exclaimed, continuing her friend's thoughts. "You… you look…"

All conversation stopped in the Gryffindor common room. For a moment, the she was surrounded by a sea of stares, the silence deafening.

Suddenly, talk exploded amongst the students. Catcalls resounded throughout the room – apparently the guys had found her presence appreciative, and, although she was a little overwhelmed at the situation at hand, she couldn't help but hide a smile.

It had only been half a minute since Serena had walked into the room, and already the rumor mills were turning, wondering why she was back, and the question they had all been asking themselves the year before; why had she left?

Marlene kissed his neck and then his chest as she unbuttoned his shirt. Once Sirius's shirt was off, she loosened his pants belt and helped him off with those too.

Sirius reached down and pulled her shirt off and unhooked her bra masterfully, like he had done many times before.

Marlene grinned and removed the rest of her clothes, and was about to remove shirt underwear when a loud voice made him look up.

"Serena Angelline? Is that you?" they heard a loud voice say from downstairs.

Sirius extracted himself from Marlene, "Serena?"

"Serena, is at school. Kiss me." she replied, pulling his face back to hers.

"No, I just heard someone say she's here." He got up, throwing Marlene off of him in the process and quickly got dressed.

As soon as he was presentable, he ran out the dormitory door, leaving a pissed off and jealous Marlene naked in his bed.

Sirius ran down the stairs, and looked around trying to find her. He followed people's stares which were all directed to the front of the room.

Then he saw her.

That smile. Those eyes. That face.

He began walking towards her, his heart beating faster with every step he took. She looked better than he remembered, much better.

"POTTER! How many bloody times do I have to tell you NO!" Lily screamed at him, her face just as red as her hair.

James was about to reply, when a loud voice interrupted him.

"Serena Angelline? Is that you?"

James snapped his head in the direction of the voice, completely forgetting about Lily.

Lily followed his eyes, but she looked much less hopeful to see her best friend that had left the year prior to— actually, she looked rather upset that James had completely forgotten about her at just the thought of Serena's return.

"Merlin, it is you! I would recognize you anywhere!" she heard the girl say, and sure enough, there Serena was, in all her glory. The blond uber girl had returned.

Lily walked up to Serena, blocking both Sirius' and James' view of her, who were both about to make a beeline towards her.

"Hi, Serena!" she said smiling fakely and hugging her, "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you, Lils," her attention obviously not on the redhead. She just wanted to get out of there and up to her room away from the Marauders.

"Come, we're about to start a new game of exploding snap," Lily said, motioning to corner of the room where she had previously been.

"Yeah, actually… I can't," she replied quickly, seeing Sirius start walking towards her.

"Why? Are you leaving?" She sounded almost hopeful.

"Just upstairs... I need to unpack. I'm not feeling very well. I'll see you tomorrow?" And with that she left, quickly and quietly up the stairs, her eyes downcast, ignoring each of the Marauders confused and hurt glances, as well as everyone else's prying ones.

"Tomorrow… So I guess she's back for good." Lily said watching Serena's retreating back with disdain.

The letter Lily and Alice had received a few days earlier saying that a new student would be sharing their room with them hadn't mentioned that it would be Serena, or that she would be even more beautiful and blond, or that her eyes would and have a mysterious sparkle to them, only adding to her allure. It hadn't mentioned that Serena's trim, long legs looked even better in jeans then they did before, or that her butt had gotten even nicer since she left, which could be easily seen when she moved, which she did now with the effortless grace of a Thoroughbred, even in 3 inch heels.