Thanks again drummerxbaby. It's nice to know that someone is reading my story and liking it so far!

We see more of Skye in this chapter, she's going to be one of the main characters soon.

Please review!

Love, Sapphira.

EDIT: I didn't like the end bit of this chapter (Sirius' reaction was a bit out of character) so I've changed the last couple of paragraphs. :)

Skye didn't talk to me for the whole of Astronomy. I walked back with her from the hospital wing, and she sat next to me in the lesson, but not once did we exchange words. I hadn't expected any different and I was happy. Happy that I had helped her: happy that I had stood up to someone. I was convinced I had done the right thing.

Come lunchtime, and I was feeling very different. Sirius was there with James, who had heard about my 'betrayal' as he put it and was decidedly unimpressed.

"Do you not get it Rain? She's a Slytherin! She's not worthy of you sticking up for her!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Can you hear yourself?'She's not worthy…' You sound like Mulciber and Avery and that lot when they talk about us 'mudbloods'!" James always got wound up about that word.

"Don't call yourself that!"

"Why not? According to you, Skye's not worthy of her rights as a human being! And according to the Slytherins, I'm not worthy of being here because I'm a mudblood!"

"It's completely different and you're twisting what I'm saying."

"No I'm not! Why can't you see how stupid this prejudice is?"

"It's not prejudice, it's defending your friends against – "

"Oh, save it! It's prejudice and you know it is. Did you get angry when Severus called Lily a mudblood?"

"Well yes, but – "

"Why did you get angry?"

"Because he disrespected her and he called her that word!" Bless him; he always got so passionate about Lily.

"Why do you hate that word, James?"

"Because it's judging people by their – "

"By their blood, exactly! And that's what Sirius did to Skye! Judged her by her house. Didn't matter if she was a nice person! So don't you dare lay into me because your bezzie mate is upset about not looking his coolest in front of Natalie Roberts!"

I gave James one last withering look, turned on my heel and left. On the whole I was rather impressed with myself. I had never been able to talk to people like that before. Maybe you're finally starting to get a grip on yourself, I thought to myself. Trying to hide a smile I pushed my way past the students crowding around the Great Hall for lunch. There was someone waiting for me when I made it into the entrance.

"Can I have a word?" It was Skye.

"I… yeah, okay."

She led me to an empty corridor. I was puzzled. She hadn't wanted to speak to me this morning; why start now?

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know. Stop Black before Astronomy."

"I… because…" I stuttered. What was I supposed to say? I wasn't about to tell her about Leah.

"Never mind. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

I was surprised at how perceptive she was. "I just… I just knew how you felt that's all."

She looked at me wryly. "He's done it to you to, huh? Bullying, I mean."

"No… not really. Not him anyway. I…" I decided to outline it. What did it matter anyway? "I have a half sister. She isn't too fond of me. And there were others too – she wasn't the only one."

She smiled sympathetically. "I understand. But thank you, and I mean that. I don't think Black will make your life too easy now."

"No. No, I guess he won't."

She looked at me tentatively. "I don't suppose you want to sit by me in Potions? It's just I normally sit on my own and, well, if you don't want to it's fine."

I mulled it over. Lily usually sat with Severus and Ruby could spend some 'bonding time' with Remus. So then I'd be on my own.

"Yeah, that'd be cool." I looked at my watch. It was only one, and classes didn't start till two. "D'you want to go outside for a bit? We've still got an hour before Potions."

She looked grateful and a little excited. I think she spent most of her free time working on the library – she didn't normally get a break from the sheer monotony of work and studying.

"I'd love to." She smiled at me, and I smiled back.

We walked outside, and we soon found a common interest. Skye shared my passion for Quidditch, and like me, she had never tried out for the team. She supported the Chudley Canons.

"Do you support a team?"

"No. I don't really know many. Like, I love the game, but I never go to any real matches."

"You don't know what you're missing. One of my older brothers took me to see the World Cup Final three years ago. It was amazing. It went on for 45 hours, 22 minutes. The players were amazing."

"I wish I could play Quidditch like that – I always wanted to be an international player. I don't know what else to do with my life, but I don't think I'll ever be good enough."

"You shouldn't day things like that about yourself. If you never believe in yourself, no one else will."

"Insightful," I remarked sarcastically."

"It is actu-al-ly. You're a lot more talented than you give yourself credit for. You shouldn't put yourself down all the time."

I looked at the ground. "I guess."

"Nope, you know. And anyway, the word of Skye Matthews is law."

I grinned. "Whatever you – "

"RAIN!"

I looked around sharply. Lily was bounding towards me.

"We waited for you for half an hour! And then Potter said you threw a strop and stormed out of the Great Hall! What is going on? And another thing, why isn't Remus here today?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. Speaking to Rube yet?"

"Rain, I'm a bad enough mood already, don't go asking me obvious questions. Come one, what you waiting for?"

I looked helplessly at Skye. "See you later?" It was a question, not a statement.

"Later," she replied and stood in the same spot, watching me get carted away by Lily.

I felt awful. I was embarrassed and guilty. I felt so rude, just leaving her like that, but what else could I do? I couldn't release myself from Lily's iron grip and I didn't want to anger her by trying.

Although we were a good ten minutes early for Potions, Lily decided to go down to the dungeons early to teach me about the 'importance of punctuality'. She had been so stressed over the last couple of days, and I didn't know why. When James had asked her out it was no longer the "Can I ignore you another time, Potter?" She completely flew off the handle at him instead, and rowing with Ruby on the first day was a record, even for her.

Sirius and James were already there, leaning against the wall and talking darkly. They looked up as we came in. Both of them ignored me and refused to look in my direction.

Lily noted it and threw me a calculating look.

"I never knew you were friends with Matthews."

"I'm not."

"Why did you stand up for her then?"

I was getting seriously frustrated. "Because that idiot there was treating her like schmuck!"

He heard me. What did I care? He couldn't do anything to me. Except humiliate you, bully you and hate you for the rest of your life. I ignored the annoying voice inside my head.

"Shut up Sullivan. It's getting kind of boring hearing that over and over again." I hated his arrogant attitude.

"I'm sorry, did I just call you an idiot? I take it back. Calling you an idiot is an insult to stupid people."

"At least I'm not an insult to the whole of humanity."

"Yeah, because you're not human."

And with that, I marched off, forgetting about Potions, Lily, Skye, everything.

Except that bastard: Sirius Black.