Author's Note: Sooo, I know it's been awhile, and I'm sorry for that. ^^; But I do appreciate all your lovely reviews. ;D

chocolateKATE- Thanks! C: Yeah, I like to sort of take my time when planning out stories to make sure I don't rush the plot, but I do apologize for always updating so late.

Inspired2Imagine- Well thank you very much. (: Don't worry, Lily will be in the story a lot more, but Marlene is more of a side character. ^^" She might appear every once in awhile, but she isn't really a main 'friend' of CJ, Lyla, and Lily.

Yeah, I always liked the idea of expanding on Regulus' character (especially 'cause he's only mentioned briefly in the books) and I've got this specific picture in mind as to who he really is. But I agree, lets wait and see how he reacts to the attack. ;3

lilirox187- Wow, thanks for bothering to check back on this story and continue to read it! :3 I knew Sirius sort of needed a 'smart moment' to make CJ not dislike him so much or think of him as, you say, a 'dunderhead', but she's so prideful that she may not like him even more now because of it. XD

desigirl97- Aw, thanks! ^^ I appreciate you checking back and reviewing again!

Chapter Four

It was 5:50 in the morning. Early; even for me, and I take pride in being a morning person.

I didn't know what woke me, but it hardly mattered. Once I was awake, it was almost impossible for me to fall back asleep. My stomach growled angrily and I shoved off the covers. Hermes was curled up at the foot of my bed. He blinked his wide, eerie yellow eyes open as I passed, my pajama bottoms pooling past my feet.

The cat yawned and stretched before watching as I shoved on my boots (taking care to tuck the bottoms of my pj's in) and slipped on a warm jacket. Just as Hogwarts didn't have AC, it also didn't have a heating system either. Then, with an air of finality, I put my wand in my jacket and grinned down at Hermes. "Coming?"

So, yeah, I talk to my cat on occasion. Is that so weird? Sometimes in these early mornings he's my confidant. I mean, you don't see Lyla and Lily running around at this, and I quote Lyla, "ungodly hour."

Hermes padded along after me as I slipped out of the dorm and descended the staircase to the common room. I was relieved to see it empty.

The corridors were silent as I made my way down to the kitchens. I glanced around one last time before tickling the pear and entering, with Hermes squeezing in just before the door shut.

Instantly I was hit with salivating smells of breakfast being prepared as a half dozen house elves tripped over themselves to reach me. I vaguely recognized one of them with gray-brown skin and blue eyes. His ears were more circular then pointed and I said, "Kane!" The elf grinned toothily at me and came forward.

"What can I get for Miss Brightly?"

"Scrambled eggs and hot chocolate please."

Kane nodded. "Right away Miss!"

I was just about to sit down at a small bar counter when I felt something brush against my legs. I thought it was a house elf, but when I glanced down I was both shocked and amused to see Hermes staring at me, his face scrunched up in a kitty scowl.

"Sorry boy, I forgot."

When Kane came back with my breakfast I was quick to thank and ask for a saucer of lemonade. Some cats liked milk. Some water. My cat liked lemonade.

Hermes gulped his fill and purred, licking my hand in appreciation. I took a bite from my eggs before glancing around and spotting a torn piece of parchment and a broken half of a quill on the far corner of the counter. Luckily it still retained some ink and I was able to scribble out a brief message to Lily and Lyla.

In the kitchens, won't be at breakfast.

CJ

I did my best to stuff the parchment in-between Hermes' collar and was about to stand up and open the door to the kitchens to let him out when, to my surprise, it swung wide and a figure stepped in.

It was Potter.

Of course this didn't deter Hermes, and as soon as the door was open, my cat was sauntering out and bounding down the corridors. I'm proud to say I trained him to be my little message man. I didn't get an owl when I first came to Hogwarts, so a note delivering cat was the next best thing.

Why else would I name him Hermes?

But back to Potter. He too was shocked to see me, but he got over it fast. He flashed me a smile before turning to a house-elf and asking for some food, and once that was done with, he came over and pulled up a seat right next to mine. "Hey. You're Lily's friend, aren't you? CJ."

I was taken aback to hear him address me by my nickname, but I didn't say so. "Yeah, I'm CJ. And you're James Potter, Lily's own personal secret stalker and admirer, though, I suppose the word secret doesn't really fit, does it?" Maybe that was a bit harsh considering this was the first real conversation I've held with him, but the words were out before I could take them back.

He frowned. "Blunt, aren't you?" He ran a hand through his already messed up hair and sighed. Then, Potter slammed a fist on the counter. "Why doesn't she like me?"

I jumped, totally not expecting the whole fist-slamming. "Er, sorry?"

Potter turned his head and stared at me, his hazel eyes gleaming with genuine confusion. "Why doesn't Lily like me? I'm good looking, I get good grades, I'm not some nasty Slytherin Death Eater, I don't have greasy hair, or a big nose, or-"

"Woah woah, slow down." I held out my hands in a sort of 'hold up' gesture. "Since when did we start talking about Snape?"

Potter tensed. "Sorry. But what does she see in him? Why does she like him?"

I choked on my spit. What? I couldn't help it. That was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. And I told him so.

"Lily?" Cough. "Liking Snape?" Choke.

He glared. "Will you stop that?"

I shook my head. "Potter, you are so typically a boy."

"…"

I blinked. "Well then. What I meant was that Lily has no romantic interest whatsoever in Snape. Trust me, I would know."

Potter let out another frustrated sigh. "I try to be everything she wants. I try to be perfect and charming just for her, but she doesn't give a damn, and it hurts."

Something told me these emotions had been bottled up so long that Potter didn't care who he vented them out to. I was that lucky person. But I did feel some sort of sympathy for him. The look in his eyes…I could see real pain.

Merlin. This boy is in deep.

"Potter-"

"James." He cut me off, giving me a weak smile. "Call me James."

Suddenly, this conversation got ten percent more personal now that he was insisting on a first name basis. And I had only wanted an early breakfast.

But something that James had said earlier caught my attention. "James, how do you know what Lily wants in a guy? You say that you try to be everything that she wants, but have you even asked her what her wants are?"

James frowned, his eyebrows furrowed. "I just assumed-"

"Exactly. You assumed. You didn't ask or find out what she likes in a guy, you just went with what 98% of the female population is attracted to. Why don't you try being a less of a pompous toerag and more, I dunno, responsible and not conceited."

A house-elf approached and set down James' food, blueberry waffles. He stared at me, soaking in what I had said. "But she can't expect me to change who I am. I mean, not everything, right?"

I sighed. "I don't think anyone can expect that much of you, James. But it all depends on how much your willing to change for her." Smiling, I continued. "Look, if it helps, I can see that you really care for her. And oddly I think she cares for you too. She's just waiting for you to grow up a bit before she gives you a chance."

James ran a hand through his hair again, an action I noticed he did quite a bit.

"I promise I'll try and put it in a good word. Just think about what I told you, okay?" Maybe it was because he looked desperate, or maybe he and I had crossed a bridge that would help bring us closer, but whatever the matter was, I felt compelled to help him win Lily's affections.

Neither of us really knew how it happened, but I was suddenly loading him down with advice and answering all the questions that he threw my way. Soon, I realized we had been talking for over forty-five minutes. My internal clock told me it was most likely around 7:00.

I shoveled a forkful of eggs into my mouth as James dug into his waffles. A comfortable silence settled around us before it was finally broken when James said, "Thanks CJ."

He smiled at me, and I back. Okay, so maybe he wasn't that bad after all. The poor bloke was just whipped by one of my best friends. But that's not a crime. Not legally at least. But maybe in the nonexistent guy code it is.

"Finished?"

I glanced up, having just ate the last bite of my scrambled eggs. James was standing, his plate also empty.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"C'mon, we got DADA in a hour. Lets go see if the others are in the Great Hall."

"Uh, James." I waved my hands at my attire. "I'm in my pj's."

His face flushed and he nervously ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Oh, right."

Shaking my head I took pity on the boy. "Go on ahead. Lily, Lyla, and I will meet you and the rest of the Marauders in class."

James nodded and gave me a grin goodbye before leaving. I leaned back against the bar counter and sucked in a deep breath. What in Merlin's pants had just happened?

Great, I groaned, I'm starting to sound like Lily.

-TIME SKIP-

"Dueling." Professor Merrythought said as she began the lesson. "I'm sure you'll all agree that it is in our everyday lives."

Benjamin Fenwick, a Ravenclaw, sniggered and made a motion towards Danny Everhart before picking up his wand and waving it.

Idiots.

"And no, Mr. Fenwick, the previous statement does not mean I am encouraging you to curse one another in the corridors."

I saw Benjy's cheeks go red and watched as he dropped his wand and grumbled under his breath. Danny, meanwhile, was also going red, but from trying to hold in his laughter.

"We duel with words and, dare I say it, we duel physically. Whether it is something you are used to and/or particularly good at or not, there comes a time when you must be taught to handle a situation in which you have no choice but to duel; to not do so may cost you your life."

"So," Merrythought finished, "What better way to teach you then to let you battle it our for yourselves? You'll see how your classmates, your friends, think while they are in a potentially life-threatening position. Figuratively speaking, of course." There was a bit of a hustle to get to a partner, but Merrythought shook her head. "First, you'll be against your table mate. Now…"

As the professor flicked her wand, all desks, stools, and items flew to the walls of the classroom, creating a wide, open space in the center; perfect for dueling.

I turned and grinned at Lyla who returned my excited expression. If we both had to pick a class we knew we were good at, both of us would say DADA. No questions asked.

"Well, c'mon then." Lyla said, tugging on my arm. We moved to a more centered part of the room and faced each other, standing a few paces apart. Other partners stood lined up all along the room, stretching to both ends. All together, there would be about six duels going on at one time. I rolled up my sleeves and spied James and Black a few people down from us. James smirked and waved at me. Black, who had been busy smooth-talking Paisley Clearwater, glanced over at James in confusion before he followed the boy's line of vision. When his eyes landed on me- well, they should've landed on me, but they merely grazed over before settling on Lyla. I gripped my wand tightly as I tried to shove down the bile rising up in me. How thick and dimwittedcould he get? Trying my best to control myself I smiled back at James before turning once more to face Lyla.

"Begin!"

The next forty minutes of my life were filled with dodges, shouts, cursing, and a whole lot of "Expelliarming". I ended up beating Lyla in our duel, and went on to defeat Winnie Price and Mary MacDonald afterwards. Lily, who had first been pitted against Marlene, defeated Marlene and Benjy before ultimately being defeated by Remus.

After my round with MacDonald I got to watch the last duel before the finals. Lyla and Lily were on either side of me, all three of us entranced as we watched the scene before our eyes.

Believe me when I say that James' and Blacks' duel had lasted forty minutes, and was still going on. Whoever won would, to either my chagrin or delight, face me.

It was like a blur, watching those two have a go at it. They both wore identical smirks on their faces as they waved their wands and ducked spells that would fly over their heads. It was a dance, I soon realized. A graceful sort of waltz as they sidestepped and spun, each of them trying to disarm their opponent while also protecting themselves. I was, for lack of a better word, fascinated. The rest of us must've looked like Cornish pixies with sticks.

Then, in a flash, James was the victor, a jet of light hitting Black square on. Paisley Clearwater, who had been standing facing Black, made a dumb decision to blow the wizard a kiss. Black, being the complete dolt that he was, glanced away and winked at Clearwater. And then the duel was over.

Black's wand clattered to the ground and an uproar of cheers was heard as classmates threw their 'congrats' to James and 'touch lucks' to Black, who sauntered off to join the crowd after collecting his wand.

It was me.

It was James.

I shoved aside my nervousness and smiled at him. He grinned cheekily at me and bowed mockingly, spreading his arms wide. I laughed at the gesture before taking up my stance, waiting for Professor Merrythought to give the go ahead.

"Begin!"

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted, but the word had barely left my mouth before I was sent diving to avoid the same spell from James.

"Stupefy!"

"Protego!"

"Expelliarmus!"

I ducked and threw back, "Rictusempra!"

The silver light that shot towards James made him side-step, giving me a second to yell, "Expelliarmus!"

James scrambled and hit the ground before spinning and shouting, his wand pointed straight at me. "Tarantallegra!"

The spell narrowly missed me, but I saw what James was planning a second too late. As I swerved to avoid his first spell, a second one from him came jetting at me. I had no time to react before my wand was flown from my hand. I stumbled backward a few steps before shaking my head, a small smile on my face.

I heard noise around me, but I watched as James came over and picked up my wand, handing it back to me. "Great job CJ."

"You too, James." Then he surprised me by hugging me. It took me a second to respond, but I did. We pulled away when Black suddenly appeared, clapping James on the back.

"Mate, that was amazing!"

I tucked my wand into my robes and was ready to join Lyla and Lily when Black stopped me. He gave me what he must've assumed was a charming look. "Good match Brighton."

I was one more name flub from punching the ninny in the face. "Brightly, Black. It's still Brightly." But now, I was slightly more amused than angry. Here was Sirius Black, heart-throb and DADA expert. Yet he couldn't even remember a simple name. I was beginning to wonder if he was doing it on purpose just to spite me.

The boy shrugged. "At least I was close."

Close? Close? I shook my head.

"Oh CJ! You did really good!" Lily wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tight, and as soon as she let go, Lyla replaced her, crushing me so hard that I actually felt my breath leave me.

"Lyla!" I gasped.

She released her hold and gave me a sheepish look. "Sorry. But you did do great."

"Yes yes, wonderful job!" Merrythought had a pleased smile on her face. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes today's lesson."

I let out a sigh of relief and slung my bag over my shoulder.

"Hey," Lyla said, glancing at Lily and I, "I'll catch up with you guys, okay?" She then walked over to Lupin, her hips swaying oh-so-subtly. Not.

I snorted. "That girl is going to give him a heart attack.

Lily blinked at me, looking a little worried. "I wouldn't make jokes CJ."

Staring, I asked, "What do you mean?"

She bit her lip. "I think Lyla really likes Remus."

"Are you sure we're talking about the same Lyla I know? Blonde, pretty, bold-"

"CJ!" Lily huffed. "I'm serious!"

I couldn't help it. "No you're not, Black is."

"…"

"Oi, put that finger down Lils!"

The red head rolled her eyes as we walked out of class. "All I'm saying is that I think Lyla wants to give Remus more of a chance. Meaning, I think she wants to try and have a serio- er, real relationship for once."

I shook my head in disbelief. "I'm sorry Lily. I love Lyla and all, but I'll believe it when I see it; and even then, I'll probably need a few weeks to digest."

"Well, what about you and Potter? You and him seemed awful chummy today. I swear, I didn't even think you liked the prat." I was positive I heard a bit of an edge in her tone, and I tried to mask my smile.

"Chill, Lils. He and I just had a bit of a run in this morning. It turns out he can't wait for breakfast either." I flashed her a cheeky smirk, but she just scowled. "Okay, so we talked a bit, but it was all platonic, honestly."

She snorted. "If you say so."

"It was!" I stated, staring at her with wide eyes. How could she even think that James and I were into each other like that?

Oh, right, because she's Lily Evans. Secretly fancying a bloke that she curses by daylight and dreams about during moonlight.

As we reached the Great Hall, we parted ways. I had free period right now while she had Arithmancy. I ran my hand along the banister of the staircase before turning and heading outside. The sun was out and shining, and I wasn't going to waste my day in the castle. Besides, I needed to write my letter to home, and where better to do it then under the shade of a nice tree besides the Black Lake?

Once I found the perfect tree I sat down and leaned my back against the trunk, my eyes automatically snapping shut. It had been awhile since I had been able to come outside and just relax. I usually had Lyla or Lily poking and prodding me constantly, but now, I was by myself. I was at peace.

Dear Mom, Dad, and Kyle

I miss you all so much. My classes are great; in fact, we just did a bit of dueling in DADA, and I got pitted against James Potter in the final round! I lost, but it was still pretty awesome. Plus, Sirius Black totally got his loss thrown in his face, which made my triumph all the more better, and my loss a little less wounding.

Lyla's been surprisingly good this year, other than an incident with some fire crabs, but don't worry Mum! I swear I'm fine. She's up to some heart-breaking again (it's what she lives for, sadly). Lily's already studying…a record, I know. I don't know how she does it. That's my friends for you.

Oh! That reminds me. Regulus and I have been having regular tutoring sessions now, and he says I'm getting better, though I know he's just being nice; I'm still complete rubbish. Still, it's nice that he puts up with me.

Does this mean I may finally get my own owl? Kidding. But that's fantastic; I'm sure Prim will come in handy when Kyle comes to Hogwarts. I can't believe he's really going to turn ten in a few months! He'll only be a year away from getting his letter. Aww. Hey Kyle, how are you holding up buddy? Please tell me you didn't kill Hermes' lemon tree again. We don't need another episode of 'Cats' greatest freakout'. You mutilated his poor lemons. Kidding, bud. I love you, and don't cause too much trouble, okay?

No sleep loss for me, Dad. You know that. I'm up before Hermes even has a chance to blink in the morning. But he comes in handy on those rare days when I am in the mood to sleep in; that I won't lie about. As for my eating, well, honestly Mum, I'm not starving. Chill a bit. Hey Dad, pacify her, okay? I don't need her barging into Hogwarts insisting that I eat my vegetables.

because I really have been eating them, I swear.

Don't let Kyle read this part! …Wands, really? I didn't see that one coming. But don't worry, I promise I'll find something for him when in Hogsmeade. Love you all. I know you're dying without me, but try trudging through. Again, kidding.

Love,

CJ

I glanced over the letter, holding back a tear. Yes, I got pretty sentimental when it came to my family. Especially my brother. I really loved them. I'm always told how blessed I am to have a good home life, and I've never taken those words for granted.

I was about to seal the letter and put it away when it was snatched from my hands by long, calloused fingers. My heart pounded in my chest and my head shot up as my hands grabbed at the air, trying in vain to get the letter back.

"Regulus!" An exasperated sigh escaped me, but my smile betrayed my true feelings.

He grinned warmly at me. "Hey there CJ. What you got here?" His eyes began to scan the parchment and I hurriedly stood up, going for the letter until Regulus 'tsked' and held it out of my reach. I extended my arm as far as it would go, but I was still too short. Damn him and his tallness. He was a year younger, but still a good foot taller.

I frowned at him and crossed my arms. "That's so not fair."

He leaned a shoulder against the tree and smirked at me, his grey eyes twinkling. "Life isn't fair CJ. At least, that's what I'm told." I totally didn't think I was getting my letter back anytime soon but he surprised me when he simply raised an eyebrow before handing it back.

"It sounded a bit too mushy for me anyway."

I gaped before quickly punching him in the arm. "You prick!"

He laughed, a few strands of black hair falling into his eyes. "You know you love me."

"I'm kind of obligated to."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." I smirked sweetly at him. "You're my ticket at passing Potions."

Regulus' sucked in a breath. I stared, confused. Was that disappointment in his eyes?

No, it was gone. My brain must be warped from getting up so early.

"Of course." His tone softened. "Look, CJ, I've been meaning to tell you something; something important."

"Okay. We can talk now- shit!" I scrambled to grab my things and stuff them in my bag. "Look, sorry Regulus, but I'm gonna be late for Transfiguration. Wait." I paused in my haste, my eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here? You don't have free period right now!"

Something flashed across his face, but I shook my head. "Never mind, tell me later. Right now I have to go!" I gave him a quick hug before running towards the castle. "See you later!"

My back was fully turned now, so I was unaware that Regulus' eyes were still glued to me, a puff of air leaving him as he sank down and let his back rest against the tree.

"Damnit."

Author's Note: Again, I apologize for the incredibly long wait. ^^; I hope everyone liked it though! Please review!

Also, I'm not sure if anyone is interested, but I found pictures for many of the characters in this story. :3 Just go to my profile and scroll down a little ways until you see links for CJ, Lyla, Lily, etc.

I'll try and update faster with chapter five. ;D

Sincerely,

Blue