One year passed in a rush, bringing a few changes with it. Sirius' brother, Regulus started his first year in Hogwarts but was sorted to Slytherin, to his brother's displeasure. However, keeping in mind Mia's advice in the previous year, Sirius didn't just ostracize him, making an effort to be there for him as much as he could.
These days, Lily 'hated' James more than ever, especially because of the fact that Snape was the main victim of James and Sirius's new habit of cursing Slytherins in the hallways.
Despite that new habit of his and his increasing popularity, Sirius had kept his promise to spend her 'dark day' with her.
"I think it is stupid, to be honest," Mia told Sirius, referring the mentioned habit, as the two sat by the lake. "I mean, what's the fun of cursing people?"
"I dunno, it's just fun," he said, shrugging. "But you should see it when Snape or Ned Remington are on the other ends of the curse. Snape just glares but I swear I heard Remington squealing when we threw him a tickling charm. You have to admit he is a horse's arse."
Mia tried not to smile but didn't succeed. "Okay, so he is a bit annoying…"
"A bit? He thinks he is the king of the whole school, the pompous git," Sirius told her. "Almost worse than bloody Lucius Malfoy was!"
She gave up. "Fine, I can't stand him. I can't see how anyone does," she said. "But changing the subject, I've been meaning to ask you something for a while. What are the 'Marauders'?"
Sirius stared at her in disbelief. "How do you know about that?"
"I heard you and James saying something about them during Charms," she quickly explained. "You're not as discreet as you think. Thank Merlin Lily was too busy telling Elizabeth how to do the spell for the two of them to hear. But really, who are these 'Marauders'?"
"I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you this," he stated.
"Oh, come on, Sirius!" she insisted. "I promise I won't breathe a word to anyone. I'll even make an unbreakable vow if you want."
"Are you insane?" he asked her in disbelief. "Don't you ever make one of those! You can die!"
Mia rolled her eyes. "I was kidding," she said. "You know you can tell me. I swear I won't tell a soul."
He sighed. "Alright," Sirius agreed. "So, Marauders is a name the guys and I came up with for ourselves."
She raised an eyebrow at Sirius. "You guys gave yourselves a name?" Mia asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. What's the problem?" He inquired defensively.
"Just seems a bit strange to me," she told him. "But hey, your group, your rules." Mia leaned against the tree, looking at the lake. "Just it's a little… odd."
"Odd?" Sirius asked in disbelief. "Okay, maybe we should change the subject."
"Alright, alright. So, what is it I hear you having a five feet long waiting list for dates to Hogsmeade next year?" Elizabeth had mentioned that to her earlier that week and Mia had been a little surprise – and, unexplainably, disturbed – by that.
Sirius chuckled. "Please, that's just a rumour," he said naturally. "Just between us, the list is actually six feet long."
She gave him an indignant look. He couldn't be doing that. "Are you joking?" Sure, Sirius Black was a flirt but not that much of a player. He was just thirteen, for Merlin's sake!
He made an effort to look serious but didn't succeed, instantly braking in laugher. "Of course I am!" he said. "You'll believe anything, won't you? Six feet long waiting list… That's just something James made up as a joke, which, by the way, has made me a girl magnet. Wouldn't it be a bother if I actually liked one of these girls and had to clear the whole waiting list to be her exclusive?"
"A real bother," she replied sarcastically.
"No long-time tying for me now. I mean, better fool around while I can, right?" he asked.
She coughed uncomfortably. "Right."
He got up. "Come on, I'm sick of sitting in here. Let's take a walk," he suggested, giving her his hand to help pulling her up.
She accepted the hand gladly. "So, I've been meaning to ask, how the family?"
"Wonderful," he said sarcastically. "They couldn't be happier that my cousin Bellatrix married Rodolphus Lestrange, a pure-blood of the greatest pedigree. Not to mention that I heard she's now affiliated with the cause of some creep who hates muggles and muggle-borns. He calls himself Lord Voldemort. You have no idea how much my parents adore him."
"He does match his ideas," Mia pointed out. "I heard of him before. I heard my parents talking about him when they were at home this Easter. Apparently, the ministry suspects he might be behind some muggle-supporters' disappearances that happened last summer – my parents are in charge of his case with a few other aurors."
Sirius nodded silently and they started to walk around the lake together. "How does it feel this year? The thing with your sister."
Mia shrugged. "I dunno. I guess you were right – I'm healing. The tingle is still there but I guess this is as good as it gets. I'm trying not to think about her much."
"Well, I'm glad you're dealing better," he said. "So, what do you say we do this again next year? Maybe I'll get to teach you how to fly a broomstick."
She stopped walking and looked at him with her eyes wide open. "Please, don't. Lulu tried to teach me once but crashed into a tree and almost broke my neck."
Sirius had to make a big effort to keep himself from laughing, succeeding this time. "You can't be that bad."
"I can't ride a broom to save my own life," she assured him. "I saw you and James trying to teach Peter the other week and, believe me, I'm a lot worse."
"Well, that's just sad," he said in disappointed tone. "Pete could barely keep his arse in the air!"
"See how pathetic I am," she told him with a laugh. "Hum, so is this how you plan to get girls? 'Let me teach you how to play Quidditch'. Because, let me warn you, you'll be able to use your fingers to count the ones that strategy will get you."
He gave her a mock-hurt look. "Why would need I strategies if I was born with such charms and flirting qualities? I mean, you can serve as a witness that spending time with me is not horribly boring. It is actually very well-spent time. Confess it Mia, I have it all without the getting-girls strategies."
Mia blushed slightly and turned her face so Sirius wouldn't notice it. "I've had worse mornings," she admitted. "But you need to work on the subjects to talk about. Not many girls will be willing to discuss how funny your pranks might be or something of that sort."
He gave her one of his dazing smiles. That was why he liked to spend time with her – she was probably the only girl who would tell him things right in the face. And suddenly, he really couldn't tell why, he took one step in her direction and his lips touched hers in a kiss.
Mia froze for a fraction of a second, but instinctively respond. How the hell did this happen? She asked herself. But she didn't really didn't care because she was kissing Sirius. Her brain was in standby mode until their lips parted.
They looked at each other, wide eyed for a moment as if asking 'Did that just happen?'
"Er… let's keep walking," Sirius suggested, feeling extremely awkward.
She nodded, still slightly shocked. "That seems like a good idea." The silence didn't help. It really didn't help her when she came to a conclusion that, honestly, she felt stupid for not reaching earlier. Maybe it had been the kiss that had served as her wake-up call. The fact was that she knew now that she had a crush in Sirius Black. And she hoped that neither that not the kiss would ruin their friendship.
---
Third year arrived in a heartbeat. As time passed, the kiss was 'forgotten', or at least that was what Sirius and Mia wanted each other to think. The truth was that it had been kind of stuck in their memories ever since but they never dared to even mention it, afraid that would somewhat ruin their friendship. They were back to the whole close friends things they had since first year.
By the end of October, the date for the first Hogsmeade visit was set to the first weekend of November. Sirius immediately found himself with half a dozen candidates to be his date and ended up choosing Samantha Lawrence from Ravenclaw.
James, who after being selected as Chaser to the Gryffindor Quidditch team had gained a whole new status in the school, asked Lily to be his date to Hogsmeade every single day of the week that followed the announcement of the visit, being rejected every time. Instead, Lily was spending the visit with Severus, so he wouldn't be all alone during their first visit to the village. She had promised Mia and Elizabeth next time she would spend the whole visit with them.
"It is depressing, you know," Elizabeth stated as the two of them sat alone by a table in the Three Broomsticks. "Coming to Hogsmeade without a date. Even Lily has one."
"Snape is not her date. She just came with him because it was either that or he would be alone the whole time. Not to mention how much it will irritate James Potter. And you shouldn't be complaining," Mia said. "Didn't Ned Remington ask you for a date?"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she took a sip from her butterbeer. "Like I would ever go on a date with Remington, of all people. He's annoying. Besides, he was just trying to get me to come with him because Black had a date too and you know how ridiculously competing Remington can be."
"I know, I'm just saying that at least someone asked you," Mia said. "Nobody asked me. I'm starting to think I'm invisible or something."
Elizabeth laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course you're not invisible. Black notices you. You guys talk all the time."
"He notices me as a friend," she said. But that doesn't explain the kiss, she thought. She hadn't told anyone about that. Why would she? He was one of the most popular boys in the year. She was just one of his friends, who nobody knew. That made him completely out of her bounds.
She turned to the window and frowned at the sight. Secluded in the alley in front of the pub, she could see none other than Sirius Black making out with his date. She looked away, suddenly feeling a bit jealous. Completely out of bounds, she reminded herself. Of all the alleys in the village… They had probably been too distracted to care if they could seen by anyone, including professors, in the pub.
"Oh, get a room," Elizabeth mumbled, looking at the scene. She turned back to Mia in order to resume their conversation. "Anyway, the boys haven't started 'the hunt' yet. Most of them still think 'girls are icky'." She nodded at the window. "I guess Black is an exception."
Mia fought back a frown. "Guess he is," she sighed.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at her friend and then at Sirius's shadow outside kissing his date. She chocked in her butterbeer when she realized the truth. "Merlin's pants… you have a thing for Black. Wait until Lily hears this!"
"Don't be ridiculous," Mia said, too quickly to sound believable.
"Then why are you all touchy because he is kissing Samantha Lawrence?" Elizabeth asked. "Come on, it's not that bad. I think you would look cute together."
"Stop it, Elizabeth!" she demanded in a stern tone, starting to feel annoyed. She regretted using that tone when she noticed that Elizabeth looked a bit hurt. "Look, even if I liked him, we both know this wouldn't lead anywhere."
"Why not?" her friend asked. "You are free healthy individuals that are not related. I mean, not that it matters to me but both of you are pure-bloods. Not even his family can complain."
She chuckled sarcastically. "He sees me as a friend, nothing more. I'd rather be his friend that the silly girl who had a crush on him and was rejected. Plus, we're only thirteen!"
Elizabeth shrugged. "Whatever you say, Mia, but you are making up excuses. I say if you have a thing for him, go for it. I'm going to the bathroom. Think about it while I am gone."
Mia did. But all she could think about was how wrong things could turn.
A/N: Here is another chapter. Only one review so far. I'd like some feedback, people. It is not that difficult to send, really.