A/N: Yipee! My first reviewer! Thanks so much cosmopolitan. This chapter is all for you! And the rest of you start reviewing!


Disclaimer: I own nothing…..still….oh, well….


Bad news comes don't you worry even when it lands
Good news will work its way to all them plans
We both got fired on the exactly the same day
Well we'll float on good news is on the way

And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on alright
Already we'll all float on
Now don't you worry we'll all float on
Alright already we'll all float on
Alright don't worry we'll all float on

Float On by: Modest Mouse


Chapter 1: Of Boys and Girls

Lily sighed from her seat settling contently for the long train ride home. The girls had been forced to search for another compartment after Lily nearly killed James five minutes after sitting down. Finally they had been reduced to Paige and Cassie forcing Alice and Lily to turn their backs so they could hex a couple Slytherins to get their compartment. Cassie and Alice were now playing a game of Exploding Snap while Paige was immersed in a large dusty book entitled: A Witch's Guide to Self-Defensive Magic: 101 Curses to Subdue A Man

Just as Lily started to get relax she heard the compartment door open and turn ready to yell at Potter when she saw the person in the doorway and closed her mouth sheepishly.

'Hey, Mickey.' Marlene McKinnon, better known as Mickey, was also a fifth year but in Ravenclaw. Despite this she was good friends with the girls and they studied together frequently (Ravenclaws were always known for being smart). She had long wavy brown hair to her waist and golden, amber eyes lit with laughter.

'Hi, Lily,' she replied as the others looked up and greeted her. 'Mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full.'

'Sure,' Cassie replied moving over so Mickey could sit between her and Lily. 'You'll never guess what we had to do to get this compartment.'

'Really?' Mickey asked arching one eyebrow at Cassie. 'Does it have anything to do with the three oozing Slytherins just outside the compartment?'

'Perhaps,' Cassie replied an evil grin on her face as Paige snorted from behind her book.

'How did the OWLs go? I never got a chance to ask; everything was so hectic.'

'Smashing…' Paige drawled from behind her book. While the other girls laughed.

'She's just mad because she thinks she failed divination,' Alice answered her soft voice filled with laughter.

'Why?' Mickey asked looking at Paige hidden behind her book.

'She pissed off her examiner,' Cassie replied.

Paige closed her book with a snap and glared at them all. 'If she didn't want a smart ass answer she shouldn't have asked if I thought Divination was funny! Honestly!'

They others burst out laughing again as Paige opened her book and disappeared behind it again. After laughing for a good five minutes Mickey returned to the exams.

'I think I did well,' Lily said thoughtfully. 'Arithmancy wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it was and Muggle Studies was nothing of course…'

'Why do you take those classes?' Cassie asked in disbelief looking up from the game as there was a small explosion. 'Arithmancy is dead boring and you're muggle-born!'

'Arithmancy isn't boring,' Alice protested laying down another card. 'It's fascinating but I'm with Cassie on the other one. I mean, it makes sense for me and Paige to take it but you know everything about Muggles.'

'Arithmancy is still nothing compared to MC,' Cassie continued.

'MC?' Mickey asked grinning.

'Care of Magical Creatures,' Lily replied. MC was the only option all girls took together and they all rather enjoyed despite Paige's protests ('Why is it we always smell after this class?') 'I'm not sure about Transfiguration, though…'

Alice, Paige and Cassie all grinned. 'Lils is still upset about the incident,' Paige teased finally coming out of her book.

'Speaking of which where are the guys….?'

---------------------------------

'Prongs, mate, you're pathetic.'

James had been staring out the window but Sirius brought his attention back to the compartment. Sirius and Peter had been playing a game of chess but were both looking at him now while Remus was reading. 'Hmm…'

'You have got to get over her, mate. There are plenty of other girls out there. Have a good snog over the summer and you'll be over her in no time.'

'Padfoot,' Remus said looking up from his book. 'Shut up.'

'I'm not going to have a 'good snog' and get over her, Padfoot,' James said angrily reaching over smacking Sirius on the back of the head.
'Well, at least snog her then,' Sirius stated dodging the book James threw at him. 'Before I do anyway….' He laughed as both Sirius and Remus threw books at him which he skillfully dodged.

A fourth book flew threw the air smacking him in the face. 'I have such abusive friends…'

Remus shook his head at Sirius and shot a look at James. 'Are you okay Prongs?'

'She hates me,' James moaned closing his eyes and leaning back.

'Do you blame her?' Sirius asked curiously as Remus also answered, 'She doesn't hate you.'

'Really?' James asked in disbelief sitting up and opening his eyes then made a face, 'She sure acts like it….'

'And you,' Remus said exasperatedly said lowering his book. 'Act like a conceited prat but you aren't.'

'You sure about that one, Moony?' Sirius asked turning back to the game.

James sighed and leaned back again. "She is just so….'

---------------------------------

'…pathetic. Absolutely pathetic,' Lily said on one of her rants about James.

'Oh, god,' the other four girls moaned.

'Shut it, Lily,' Paige ordered eyes narrowed. 'Or I'll puke all over you.'

The other girls laughed but Lily just huffed and glared at Paige. 'You complain about Potter all the time!'

'I don't,' Paige answered calmly. 'He's too good at Quidditch for me to hate him.'

Cassie laughed hysterically at the affronted look on Lily's face. After a minute her laughter subsided and she just grinned as she said, 'He really is good at Quidditch, Lily.'

Lily continued to frown as though his being good at Quidditch juts added to his criminality. Paige rolled her eyes and continued to read while Alice frowned thoughtfully. 'Your too hard on him, Lily,' she finally concluded turning back to the game and getting her eyebrows singed slightly as a reward.

'I am not!' Lily protested. 'It's just annoying because…'

'He's smart, funny, brilliant…' Mickey teased.

'And an amazing Chaser.' Cassie added grinning.

'No! I mean…well….he is a good chaser… but he's a bully!'

'Right, Lily' Alice muttered tiredly. 'Because him beating you in Transfiguration means he's an idiot.'

'He's smart! Fine! But he is a bully and… he should… he's better then…'

'Lily!' Cassie shouted gleefully. 'Were you about to say he's better then that!'

'No! No, I was not!'

'Yes you were,' Paige stated grinning. 'You so were!'

'Shut it!' Lily shouted, fighting to keep a strait face. 'Just because you have a huge crush on….'

---------------------------------

'Moony!' Sirius shouted, grabbing his book out of his hands. 'Pay attention! We, meaning you, are planning a prank.'

'The back to school prank is 6 weeks from now! Now give me my book back,' Remus grabbed the book out of his hands and hitting him over his head with it.

'Awww… Moony!'

James and Peter laughed while Remus glared at Sirius despite having his book back. James looked out the window and grinned to himself loving his friends' banter. He turned away from the window and narrowed his eyes spotting a discarded Daily Prophet under the bench Remus and Peter sat on. James bent over and pulled it out from under the seat.

James' smile disappeared from his face as he read the front page. His face got increasingly hard as he read and finally noticed his friends staring at him.

'What's up?' Remus asked his eyes flicking from James' face and the paper and back again.

'Nothing,' James said quickly trying to shove the paper out of the way but Remus grabbed it. He scanned the title then tried to hide it as well only to have Sirius grab it. Sirius read the page his face darkened.

'That is just….'

---------------------------------

'…nauseous. Physically nauseous.' Cassie muttered as five girls leaned over the paper. On the page was a wizard photo of a snake protruding from the mouth of a skull better known as the Dark Mark under a headline that read: You-Know-Who Strikes Again.

Cassie glared at the paper leaning back and crossing her arms with a scowl. 'All this You-Know-Who crap; it's disgusting.'

'He's evil, Cass. No one wants to say his name if they can't help it,' Mickey said shuddering.

'It's stupid,' Cassie insisted.

'It increases fear,' Paige commented disgusted. 'People are afraid to say the name and it increases his persona. We give him power.'

'Disgusting…' Lily muttered leaning back too. 'Damn Voldemort…'

'Damn mildew…' Paige muttered lighting the paper on fire with her wand. The girls shared a glanced and burst out laughing. In their third year, right after Voldemort had first appeared, Paige had been on a rant about the ridiculousness of his name Cassie had wondered in and said: 'Voldemort? What the hell is that some kind of mildew?' Since then all it took had been any mention of mildew to make all four girls to burst out laughing.

'Hey!' Alice called out standing and peering out the window. 'We've arrived!'

---------------------------------

'Andromeda?' The boys were all on the platform when Sirius spotted his favourite cousin. He dropped his suitcase (on Peter) he ran forwards and gave her a hug. James came over and also hugged Andromeda then leaned down and picked up the small girl by her side.

'Hey Nymphie,' James said fondly looking down at the three year old.

'Jamsie!' she shrieked happily closing her eyes and wrinkled her eyes as her hair turned bright blue. James laughed and turned to Sirius who was talking with his cousin.

'How's Ted?' Sirius asked his voice low and concerned. James bite his lip and shooting a glance at Sirius walked back with Nymph so Remus could say hi. Andromeda knew what kind of trouble Sirius would be in if his parents knew she was talking with her. If she was here it was for a reason and most of the time the reasons were not meant for a three year old.

'Worried,' Andromeda replied her eyes on James' back. 'We all are.'

'Ted will be fine.'

'We're not worried about him,' Andromeda said slowly her eyes moving to his face.

'I'll be fine.'

'Sirius….'

'I'll be fine,' Sirius repeated through clenched teeth.

'Sirius, whether you or I like it or not they are our family. It makes us targets; I want you to be safe.'

'I said I'll be fine didn't I?'

'You lie Sirius. This is a trait we share and it means you can't fool me,' she leaned forward looking around. 'Just promise me you'll lay low.'

'Lay low?' Sirius questioned in disbelief. 'I don't exactly jump around shouting 'Look at me!' all summer. How much lower can I get?'

Andromeda's eyes flashed with anger and she reached over and grabbed the front of Sirius' shirt pulling him towards her. 'Let's make this clear, Sirius. I do not want to read in the Daily Prophet that you've gone and gotten yourself killed.'

Sirius pried her hand off his shirt looking into her eyes. 'If I'm a target it's done already and nothing I do is going to change that. You should look after yourself and Nymph and stop worrying about me.'

Andromeda bite her lip looking miserable, 'You know that if I could take you away….'

'I know,' Sirius said gravely. 'Now please just go before you make it worse. I'll write if I can.'

She nodded slowly as tears filled her eyes then went and took Nymph from James. With a last nod she was gone.

James said bye to Remus and Peter whose parents were already there and walked back to Sirius. They both stared at the same wall for a minute then still not looking at Sirius, James said, 'What did she say?'

'That I'm loud, obnoxious and going to get myself killed.'

'Sirius? Are you sure you want to do this?'

'I don't have a choice, James.'

'Sirius….'

'Just leave it.' Sirius stiffened as his parents walked through the wall to Kings Cross. 'Bye, James.'

Sirius walked forward to greet his parents as his brother came forward. Regulus was in third year and had all the qualities of a Black: manipulation, deceit and a hatred for his brother. Sirius' mother glared at him for a minute then reached forward clamping her hand on Sirius' shoulder and walking him out. With one last glance over his shoulder James' best friend was gone.


A/N: Kind of depressing I know. It'll be better I swear but let's face the facts Sirius' life is kind of depressing.