Usual... don't own, want to... but sadly... fate. Oh and feel free to give any advice!

"Will she be okay?" I asked Madam Pomfrey hesitantly looking down at my friend. She appeared okay, breathing normally and everything but after everything that had happened the previous night...

"She'll be fine. What she really needs is a chance to relax and recover"

I nodded and continued to linger at my friend's bedside.

"That means that you have to leave Miss Evans alone Miss Phoenix..."

The sight of girls before any formal event whether it is a date at Hogsmede or dinner with relatives is always the same. Mania with makeup littered across tables, hair constantly being rearranged, dresses thrown about.

"Jez, you're not even changed!" Careen exclaimed in a slightly hysterical manner.

I shrugged, we still had an hour before the Ball even began and "My Aunt told me that real women keep men waiting..."

"Just at least put on your dress robes Jez." Lily said patiently before Careen could say anything. Alice wasn't paying attention to anything but the charm she had trying to perform to grow her hair longer.

"Is that really what you're wearing?" Careen exclaimed when I came over to the mirror to see myself in my clothes. I had on robes of grey and a gun metal blue, cut in an aristocratic style with scalloped cuffs and a laced neck.

"I don't know Careen..." Alice said giving me the once over, "It does work for her, I mean the colours highlight the pale skin and set nicely against the light eyes, the brown hair makes her look even more lost... wait try this." She flicked her wand and my waist length hair formed itself into and elegant bun with stands coming out in a fashion that suggested that little effort had to go into making me look good, she nodded "and the old fashioned dress looks like something you must have pulled from a family closet from medieval times... adds to the Phoenix Princess mystic."

I shook my head "the dressmaker said that she had missed making dresses for Phoenix women... she looked like she was 500 years old... but she put a lot of effort into this dress so how could I not be happy with it?"

Lily approached me, a vision in shimmering green dress robes that changed shades as she moved and the material caught the light. She also had her hair up, twisted into a braided coil at the back. She grabbed my chin and whispered an incantation; she nodded "Perfect."

It wasn't too much make up; the charm she had performed on me was simply to highlight my eyes, lips and cheeks. I turned to the girls smiling "Thank you. But as you can see we still have forty minutes and I will only leave in an hour to..."

"Keep the boys waiting, yes I know." Lily smiled, "I'll wait with you."

"No Lily I could not ask you to do that, I just think that my Aunt must have had a reason to advise me to do this..." I didn't want her to wait; she was to go with Tudor Harris, a sixth year Ravenclaw. I didn't think much of him before he had asked Lily, but he had certainly shown courage to have asked her one morning at breakfast in front of the entire school.

"Well I am behind on my study for Herbology... so I'll just use the time to read the chapter we were set on walking pus roots." Lily smiled and sifted through her school books.

"Well I don't want to keep Frank waiting." Alice said cheerfully as she left. Careen waved us goodbye as she left too.

When we did venture out into the Great Hall we were confronted with both Harold and Tudor. "Sorry to keep you waiting boys... we were just getting ready" Lily said smoothly.

Tudor smiled looking her up and down "Don't mention it, it was worth it."

Overall the night was quiet pleasant, the Great Hall had been decorated to resemble a scene from the 19th century with a space cleared for dancing and an enchanted orchestra. Lily had remarked that it reminded her of a scene from Pride and Prejudice. Tudor treated Lily with the respect and courtesy she deserved and for his efforts he was glared at by James the entire night who completely ignored his date in favour of monitoring Lily. Harold was pleasant enough but I got the impression he was less interested in what I had to say and was rather more concerned in making sure everyone saw me with him.

He was happy to dance and thankfully he was not a bad dancer... if only he would focus more on the music and less on looking around to catch his friend's eyes.

"Excuse me, may I?"

I could see that Harold was about to say that he did mind so I quickly cut in "Of course Sirius."

I could tell Harold was slightly insulted, but I was slightly annoyed that he had sought to us me and display me as a status symbol.

Sirius spun me around and considering we had been taught to dance together by both my Aunt and even his own Mother at times we were in perfect unison with one another. "Hudson is a fool... you should have listened to me." Sirius whispered.

"I expected nothing more out of him than a partner for the Ball." I calmly replied staring up at Sirius's face as he calmly directed me around the floor.

"Shame..." he drawled glancing down to briefly smile at me "I expect he wanted much more... from now on you can't go to these things unless I am you're partner."

"While that is very chivalrous of you... I doubt Melissa will appreciate that and I doubt that I like being told what to do!" I said in reply.

He drew his brows together and quickly said "Melissa and I have grown apart."

"What you mean to say is she dumped you because she wanted to be more to you than a play thing?" I said lightly.

"There is only one who is not a 'play thing' I make that clear from the beginning to these girls but... they all think that they can change me..." he said sadly.

"I am sure that if you are meant to be with this 'one' then it will work out and who knows... perhaps you will discover that one of your 'play things' was actually the 'one'. You are young Sirius, this is not the time to be caught up in sadness over love or any emotion." I said.

"And you my dear, are incredibly old because how else would you know such things?" he laughed.

"Perhaps..." I softly reply.

"Let's go outside." He suggested. I nodded and we left the dance floor, I felt bad for leaving Harold, but at the same time I knew I would be unable to be his trophy all night.

We talked of menial things from our childhood, people we knew. He was the boy I knew before school began, but he had also matured into a flirty, suave teenager who delighted in entertaining women. But he still remained a dear friend through all that time.

"What's that?" he suddenly said cocking his head to the side. I looked at him, I knew his secret, I had sensed when he, James and Peter had changed, just as I had sensed when I first encountered Remus his secret. I knew Sirius's hearing was greater than any human's could ever be.

He growled at the back of his throat and dragged me along the path until we were revealed to my cousin and other Slytherins 'playing' with a second year Hufflepuff girl.

"Did you honestly think that I would have asked you to the ball on anything but a dare?" said one I recognised as McNabb. She struggled as they laughed holding her in a magical bind.

"Stop!" Sirius yelled from next to me whipping out his wand.

"Oh, hello Black... Phoenix... don't worry Black I get it... you want to have a go at some of this too?" McNabb calmly replied.

"Get Fucked!" Sirius yelled sending a curse McNabb's way.

"What the...?" McNabb yelled as Lucifer deflected the curse, the curse hit the fountain which cracked and the top fell into a clump of bushes. The sound of a muffled 'oww' was heard.

"Nice Black." Lucifer said with a nod, "I didn't have such high expectations of you, but I suggest you leave before the staff reach here." And with that he and the other Slytherins left and the small Hufflepuff scampered away.

Curious Sirius and I edged around the fountain to find that the fountain had fallen on Lily and her date Tudor who had been enjoying a very private moment.

Sirius turned to me "Let's not tell James how we found them yeah?"

"It's a shame." I shrugged "Such a special moment... only to be crushed by a fountain." I approached, Tudor was fine... just very embarrassed. Lily on the other hand had been knocked out and I suspected a few fractured bones.

"Help me Sirius." I said "We'll take them to the hospital wing before people can see them like this."

He nodded and scooped up my best friend, while I helped Tudor to make the distance to the hospital wing.

Unfortunately the line was down the hall with numerous cases of hexing and curses from angry partners had rendered it necessary that a number of boys seek medical aid.

Sirius turned to me, "Girls are always over reacting."

"Hey Sirius you're back! Which girl did you piss off this time?" someone yelled in the line.

I smiled at Sirius's embarrassed flush.

Another chappie done... hopefully this story is picking up for you guys... it's all very skimmy at the moment and I get that that can be frustrating, but remember they're only in fifth year... there's plenty more to come so I don't want to get bogged down in the details at the beginning.