7

Chapter 1

Remember That One Time…?

"Remus, will you come on? What are you so worried about?" asked an 11-year-old Tara standing in the doorway to the Hogwarts Express.

After the incident two years ago, Remus had gone from carefree and reckless to a more cautious and reserved boy. When he received his letter to Hogwarts, he was hesitant to accept. Tara had to do much persuading to get him to come. He was too worried about the what if's that may or may not occur. Now, yet again, Remus was demonstrating his cautious demeanor.

"Remus, come on…please. You have nothing to worry about, I'm here for you, and always will be," said Tara extending her hand.

Remus took it and boarded the train. As the train began moving, the two found it harder and harder to find a place to sit. Finally, they arrived at a compartment that only contained two students. Two boys, both of whom looked to be first years.

"Let's try this one Remus," Tara opened the compartment door and spoke to those inside, "Mind if we join you?"

"Sure," spoke a boy with messy black hair. He moved over closer towards the window while the boy sitting opposite moved just enough to provide sitting room.

"I'm Tara Knight by the way, and this is my friend Remus Lupin," Tara said taking the seat next to the boy who spoke to her while Remus sat opposite her.

"James Potter," answered the boy with messy black hair shaking their hands.

Tara then looked at the boy who was sitting next to Remus. He had been staring at Tara ever since she opened the compartment door and she could not understand why. She found this to both be uncomfortable and rude.

"Can I help you…Sorry I didn't catch your name?"

"Sirius Black, please to make you acquaintance," he said whilst taking Tara's hand and gently kissing the top of it.

"And pompous too," Tara said taking her hand away rather briskly, "Wait. Did you say…Black?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Excuse me," Tara said rushing out of the compartment with her hand over her mouth trying to contain the sobs.

"I-I'll go see if she's ok," stuttered Remus as he exited the compartment to go find Tara, just as another boy entered.

"What did I say?" asked Sirius to no one in particular. James just shrugged his shoulders.

Remus moved through the narrow corridor of the train to find Tara, peering into every compartment. He walked past the lavatories only to back step at the sound of crying. He opened the door to find Tara slumped on the floor, tears cascading down her cheeks.

"Tara," he looked at her questioningly

"He's related. Remus. My father is dead because of people like his family. People like his family, who believe in doing whatever it takes to keep pureblood purity. The Death Eater that killed my father is related…to him!"

~*~The sorting~*~

Tara watched patiently, waiting for her name to be called. She watched as the other first years were sorted. Tara inwardly cringed when Sirius' name was called. The way he strutted towards the stool to be sorted bothered her to no end. She was positive that a boy like Black would be sorted into Slytherin. His whole family belonged to that Hogwarts house. She was shocked when he was sorted into Gryffindor and was sure that the other three Hogwarts houses, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, students felt the same way. Maybe he was different from his family thought Tara…just maybe. More students were sorted into their respective houses. Soon Tara was being called.

"Knight, Tara."

Tara walked up and sat on the old rickety three-legged stool. Professor McGonagall proceeded to place the old hat on Tara's head, as she had done with all the other students. The hat fell over Tara's eyes making it difficult to see. Tara let out a small yelp as the hat began to talk to her.

"Hmm. Tricky, tricky," began the sorting hat in a low murmur, "Brains you've got plenty, and yes loyalty is by far you best virtue. A GREAT Hufflepuff you would make. Ah, but your courage is what sets you apart. GRYFFINDOR!" roared the sorting hat.

Tara happily made her way through the crowd to the Gryffindor table. On her way, she passed Remus. "I'll save you a seat," she whispered to him patting him on the back.

Remus looked at her curiously, as he walked up to be sorted and Tara walked to the table where she sat across from Sirius and James.

"Um…Sirius?" Tara asked cautiously

"Yeah?" Sirius responded looking at Tara as Remus sat down next to her.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened on the train. It wasn't your fault and I shouldn't have reacted the way I did," explained Tara

Remus continued for Tara at Sirius' confused expression, "Tara's dad died four years ago at the hands of a Death Eater. One who is related to your family?"

"I'm sorry for your loss," Sirius said quickly. "But believe me, I want nothing to do with the beliefs my family has. When they find out I was sorted into Gryffindor, they'll have a fit. They might even send me a howler. It'll be perfect." Sirius added with a grin, feeling all too proud of himself for accomplishing the one thing that would anger his parents the most.

"Earth to Tara. Come in Tara."

"Huh?" said Tara blinking a few times.

"You haven't spoken the whole trip. Where'd your mind travel this time?" Sirius joked, who was lounging against the window. Next to him was his partner in crime James and next to James was Peter, a small lump of a boy that Tara only tolerated and found rather unnerving.

Peter became friends with the three other boys in third year when he, as Tara assumed must have been an accident, hexed Severus. James and Sirius had developed a rather fond enjoyment for hexing Severus Snape since their first year. Tara never fully understood why, and like Remus, never took part in the hexing. However, she did share the common dislike for the greasy haired Slytherin. This dislike of Severus put a strain on Tara's and her fellow Gryffindor Lily Evan's friendship for Lily was friends with Severus. A friendship Tara never quite understood. Lily hated James and Sirius for the way they treated Severus and could not understand why Tara chose to be friends with them. Tara could still hang out with the boys as she was best mates with Remus and Lily and the other fifth year Gryffindor girls seemed to like him.

"Just remembering first year when we all met," said Tara leaning her shoulder into Remus who was reading a book.

"Wow you only went back four years this time!" James said faking shock as he clutched at his heart for emphasis.

"Oh shut it Potter or I'll steal your new glasses."

"You do that and I'll have to give you detention," said Remus putting his book down beside him.

"Really now," said Tara. A devilish grin taking over her fair face, "Is that really how you want to use your new powers as prefect, sending your friends to detention?"

"Ya, Remus. We could use this to our advantage," said Sirius giving Tara one of his infamous smirks.

Remus went red and hid behind his book. Everyone else began to go into a fit of laughter. Sirius seemed to have barked with laughter.

"It wasn't that funny," said Tara

"No, no," said Sirius regaining his composer, "it just reminded me about second year."

Tara looked at Sirius puzzled before realizing what he was talking about. They had told no one about the little incident that took place in the fall of their second year. Tara hadn't even told Remus.

Tara was walking back from the library after completing a transfiguration essay. She only had a flight of stairs to go and was thankful, as the books were getting heavy. She then felt as though she was being followed. She turned around only to come face to face with Luscius Malfoy and Severus Snape.

"What do you gits want?" Tara asked trying to sound braver than she was; she was cornered, and she could not reach her wand.

"We just came to see if you needed some help?" answered Lucius

"I'm fine thanks," Tara said snidely

"Now, now, don't be hasty, Knight. Us purebloods have to stick together," said Lucius moving closer to Tara.

"Ha! Purebloods. Unless I stand corrected, Snivellus is only a half-blood. Father was a muggle wasn't he. Left your mum right?" Tara said the later cautiously.

"You leave my family out of this," yelled Severus advancing on Tara, "Beauty isn't so tough without her beast,"

"Hope you're not recruiting Malfoy."

Tara looked up to see Sirius standing on the landing ahead of her. Lucius and Severus, having turned their attention to Sirius, gave Tara an opening. She quickly moved past the two Slytherin's and ran behind Sirius.

"What a git," said James crossing his arms stubbornly

"Oh don't be jealous James. Sev and Lil's have known each other as long as I've known Remus," Said Tara

"It doesn't make sense. She should be with me."

"She is not dating him. So stop being such a pillock Potter," said Tara

Peter laughed at this and started chanting pillock Potter in a rather awful singsong voice.

"Well I have to do prefect duty. Tara do you know where Lily is?" asked Remus standing up and moving towards the door.

"Um, if she's not with Mary and Kae-Ann…then try a private compartment with Snivellus," laughed Tara using the nickname James and Sirius had given Severus.

"Just don't interrupt if they are snogging," added Sirius as Remus left the compartment shaking his head.

This had been Tara's life with the four boys, constant laughs and knowing not to take life to seriously. However, not all was good fun with the boys. There were times when life wasn't all laughs. Many times over the years, James or Sirius but mostly Sirius, would make an insensitive comment that would drive Tara away. She was lucky to also be friends with her dorm mates, Lily, Mary and Kae-Ann, though Remus always made sure to always bring her back.

"Hey Tara, Tara," said Sirius catching his breath from laughing so hard

"Yeah?" Tara asked looking up at Sirius from clutching her sides

"Why didn't you tell what really happened?" at Tara's confused expression Sirius continued, "You know, the part were Snivellus snogged you."

"Oh for Godric's sake, I've been trying to forget that," said Tara getting embarrassed

"That must have been…greasy," commented Peter

"It was nasty that's for sure Peter. Although I don't think he wanted to either. Most likely put up to it by Lucius."

"Probably imagined it was someone else," said Sirius giving Tara a 'play along' look

"Oh I don't know, Sirius. You think this someone has red hair and is named after a flower," added Tara

"You wouldn't," said James going wide-eyed.

"Lily and Snivellus sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then come Lily…" the three began to chant

"ENOUGH!" yelled James lunging at Sirius and grabbing him around the throat. His breathing raged.

Tara tried not to laugh at the situation. Slowly she couldn't contain her muffled giggles. Even her hand covering her mouth couldn't contain the noise. Giving in, Tara allowed her laughter to fill the compartment. Soon Peter joined in laughing, followed by Sirius once James' grip loosened from around his neck. James, taking in the whole situation, too, began laughing. For the remainder of the trip, Tara entertained the boys by transforming her facial features into that of various animals.