Chapter 7

A/N: This chapter is going to be shorter and hopefully you like it. It's going to be a bit of Sirius and Lily bonding but I'm not saying why. All will be revealed.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise.

Enjoy :)

It was a full moon and I sat in the common room waiting for Sirius, Peter and Potter to return. I had come down at 3am which was when the Moon usually went back behind the clouds but it was now 4 am and they hadn't come back. I looked into the dying embers of the fire wondering if they were alright. True, they would always come back looking slightly worse for wear but it was never anything that prevented them from returning. The portrait hole opened and Peter and Potter came in.

'Where's Sirius?' I asked at once.

'Getting what he deserved.' Potter said coldly as I began to heal a gash on his arm. I was taken aback by the icy way he spoke about Sirius but knew better than to ask. The two boys headed up to bed once I was finished with healing them but I stayed where I was and waited for Sirius' return.


It was 5am when he stumbled into the common room. His eyes were glistening with tears and although he appeared unharmed I knew that whatever was wrong was severe.

'Sit.' I commanded pointing at a cushion that was on the floor in front of where I sat on the sofa. He did as he was told. 'Are you injured?' I asked softly and he shook his head. 'Then what is it?'

'I fucked up. I fucked everything up.'

I transfigured a piece of parchment into a hairbrush and began to brush Sirius' hair. Doing Sirius' hair had originally started as something I did when we were both bored but now it was something we did when we discussed our problems. We had sat in this very position many times and here Sirius would talk about his family issues, fears, regrets, worries and things which made him uncomfortable while I brushed and braided his hair.

'So what did you do?' I asked. He didn't answer for a second before everything seemed to flow out of him in a great wave of remorse.

'Reg spoke to me today.' I nodded. Regulus was Sirius' brother and conversations with him always brought out the worst in Sirius.

'He told me how Mum wanted us to become Death Eaters and how if I didn't do as she said I would be disowned and chucked into the street. I stormed off and that's when I bumped into Snivellus. He started telling me how I was weak and stupid and, well, I just flipped. My messed up brain thought, you know what, tell him how to find out where Mooney goes every month. That'll show the little shit. Oh what a fucking idiot I am. I realised my mistake and ran to tell James. Snivellus was saved by James – luckily. He hasn't spoken to me since and I deserve that. Peter and Remus hate me too. Dumbledore only gave me detentions until Christmas. That's it! I deserve to be punished and he hasn't even banned me from Quidditch!

I deserve to be expelled. Remus could have gone to Azkaban for murdering Snivellus! And I get detentions until Christmas. THAT'S IT? Remus could have been labelled as a murder! A murderer! A FUCKING murderer! I put him that position Lily. He was fine until my brain decided to mess his life up. I'm a selfish prick Lily.' He paused.

'You can go, you know. It's probably better if you don't hang around with me. After what I've done don't forgive me.'

I continued to braid Sirius' hair in silence as he came to the end of his of his speech. I could tell he regretted every second of the past few hours.

'You haven't left yet. Why?' he asked slightly shakily, turning to face me.

'Keep facing the fire! I haven't finished braiding yet.' I said sternly. He faced the fire once more.

'You're still here.'

'Well, what do you want me to do? Scream at you for what you did? Tell you you're a waste of space? Go all disappointed on you? Lecture you on the consequences of not thinking?'

'That's what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to be livid and hate me forever. That's what I deserve and that's what you need to do.'

'I forgive you Sirius. I will always forgive you. Always. You're like my big brother and you are part of my family as far as I'm concerned. You shouldn't have done what you did. Remus almost was sent to Azkaban because of it but it won't help anyone to ignore you. You're sorry which is what matters. People throw that word around a lot and expect it to do something but it doesn't unless you mean it. Sirius, I've heard you here telling me how much you regretted what you did and I don't think anyone could say you didn't mean it. I believe you're apology and one day Potter, Peter and Remus will believe it too. We all make mistakes and some are reasonably larger than others but we can't hate people for everything they do wrong. I've forgiven Sev countless times for the stuff he done and the same with you when you bully people. But it's who you are inside that makes me forgive you.'

'But I'm a danger and-'

'Sirius Orion Black, might I remind you that you are afraid of spiders. I don't think you could ever be a danger to me when I remember last year. Remember there was a spider siting on one of the cushions next to you and remember how loudly you screamed and demanded I get rid of it. Forgive me if I'm not quaking in your presence.'

'Yes but-'

'No buts. I am a very firm believer in giving people another chance. You are one of my best mates and I'm not shutting you out. I'll stop Potter from beating you up as much as possible and you can hang around with me if you want. The others need time. Eventually they'll forgive you too.'

'I don't think they will.'

'I beg to differ. You and the rest of the Marauders have an amazing relationship. You all bring out the best in each other. You stand together with everything and I think it's fair to say that most people can only dream of your friendship. It will take them time but true friends have a way of getting back together again.'

'If you say so.' I finished his braid and the clock on the mantelpiece.

'And after that soppy one-to-one, I'm going to get dressed cause it's ten to six.'


The hubbub of the Great Hall was like the engine of a car as I entered for 'second breakfast'. I had doubled back to the dormitory to get my painkiller for my cramps which Madame Pomfrey given me. I was once again riding the crimson wave and had almost forgotten the potion which could have resulted in me passing out from my cramp for the third time (my cramps needed this potion to be bearable - along with a heating pad).

My girlfriends sat around the middle of the table with Frank Longbottom, Kieran McKinnon and Ben Fortescue. Although Ben was a Slytherin he ate with the Gryffindors unless it was a important feast. Further down the table sat Potter and Peter. They were sending dark looks at a scowling dark haired figure sitting at the end of the table nearest to me - Sirius. I glared at Potter, waved at the girls and then sat defiantly opposite Sirius.

'You don't have sit with me.' he said but his lips twitched at the corners.

'I want to.' I answered simply.

'No, go sit with Prewitt, MacDonald and Young.'

'Nope.' I sighed. 'You're not sitting alone besides Marlene and Alice are too engaged with their crushes and Mary is in her daydreaming about Andrew mode.'

'Prewitt likes Longbottom? That's interesting...'

'So we're agreed. You can hang out with me and you are NOT a burden.'

'Fine. I'm not a burden. Happy?' he grumbled. I grinned in response and sipped my water. 'Could you possibly eat any more food?'

'Haha. You're sooooo funny. I can hardly breath for laughing.'

'You love me really,' he said as his lips split into the smallest of smiles.

'That I do my dear Sirius and that means you're stuck with me for life.'

'Damn! I was hoping to escape.'

'Ah!' I grabbed his wrist and began to imitate the Divination teacher Professor Conan. 'You will not be so lucky. I see it, plain as day in the palm, your hand. This!'

I jabbed my finger at one of the lines on his hand. 'Shows that a Miss Evans will be ever present in your life. She will loom over you in all that you do. Her disturbed spirit will stalk through the shadows of the world, forever scolding you.'

I rolled my eyes up and semi-closed my eyelids.

'Beware! Beware! Miss Evans will remain with you forever. You must accept her or face the gravest of consequences.'

Sirius snorted. I continued with my 'reading'.

'You may laugh but it is all written right here. Miss Evans is really a banshee in disguise when she's refused. Her wailing will be the death of you along with her tickling you.' At that Sirius yanked his arm back and wagged is finger at me.

'You wouldn't dare! Lily don't even think about it! I happen to know where you're ticklish too.'

'No fair!'

'I think that's perfectly fair.'

'Isn't!' I stuck out my tongue childishly.

'Is!' Sirius returned the gesture.

'Isn't!'

'Is!'

'Isn't!'

'Is!'

'Isn't!'

'Guys, I hate to break up this fascinating argument but we've got 5 mins till Charms so we'd better go.' Mary interrupted. Sirius' face returned to a scowl and hung his head. We reached the Charms classroom with a minute to spare and headed inside.

'Sirius you can sit with me if you want. I believe Alice is sitting with Frank.'

'Sure.' came the reply. Potter had just entered and he was looking at Sirius with a cold gaze. He looked disgusted at Sirius sitting by me.

'Got a problem Potter?' I asked.

'Yeah, I do actually.'

'Your ego?' Marlene stifled a laugh as Professor Flitwick entered the classroom. Potter was forced to swallow whatever pathetic comeback he had been about to say as Flitwick began the register. I settled into my favourite lesson of the day and tried to ignore Potter glaring at the back Sirius' head.


Dinner arrived and me, Sirius, Frank, Kieran, Ben and the girls sat together eating contently. Sirius' mood had swung from cheerful to depressed throughout the entire day. He would laugh at something funny and then sink back into his remorseful face.

I was tucking into a bowl of soup when someone tapped on the shoulder. I turned and extracted my self from Marlene's rather hilarious retelling of the time she accidently set all the salamanders free in Care of Magical Creatures.

It was Potter.

'Did you want something Potter? Other than a brain of course.'

'Evans you wound me.' He mimed clutching his heart in pain. 'Actually, I wanted a word.' I looked at him expectantly. 'In private?'

I glanced at my friends uncertainly.

'Go on babes.' Mary said as she prodded me in the back. 'He's too thick to do any damage.' She looked scornfully at Potter.

'Thanks MacDonald' She smiled sweetly at Potter and feigned innocence.

'Fine Potter. Lead the way...' I followed him out of the Great Hall and into an unused classroom. Sitting myself on one of the desks, I watched him move in front of me.

'Firstly, I would simply like to say you look absolutely ravishing as always. So do you want to go-'

'Is this what you wanted? I'm leaving!' I got up from the desk.

'Evans wait!' I lowered myself back on to the table. 'I need to warn you. Stay away from Black. He's a danger to you. Same goes for Snivellus of course.'

I crossed my arms and glowered at him.

'I'm serious! I doubt he told you everything but stay away from Black. He may have told you he's innocent but trust me he's just a backstabbing piece of shit.' His eyes darkened.

'Are you quite finished?'

'List-'

'No Potter! You listen to me. Sirius is one of my best mates and I don't care what he does but I'll forgive him every single time. You may have told yourself that he's pleading innocent but I know better. You should know that he regrets what he's done. You should also know that Sirius told me everything at 5am this morning. I'm not saying it was right what he did cause it wasn't but he's not going to be alone for what he's done.

Who influences Sirius, Potter? You and the rest of his mates do. When he's confronted, who stops him from doing anything rash? You and the rest of his mates do. Who talks him out of doing something impulsive and stupid? You and the rest of his mates do. And when he's alone? No one. Guess what? When he told Sev, he was away from his mates. Sirius needs his friends and he does stupid things when they're not around. He needs you. He needs Remus. He needs Peter. He needs his friends.

You don't have to forgive him straight away but you have to forgive him in the end. In the meantime, don't try turn others against him. If you want him to do more things like this Potter, by all means, try and isolate him. But I'll warn you now, I won't let you do that.

Give Remus space to make up his own mind and lay off Sirius. If I find out you've beaten him up Potter, I'll make sure you'll regret it.'

Potter stared at me with something flickering in his eyes which I couldn't read.

'Oh and about Sev being an danger to me, I'll answer with this. You know nothing about me Potter so keep your nose out of my business if you know what's good for you. Sev is one of my mates so leave him alone. Lay off him and he'll lay off you. Now if you don't mind, I'm going back to dinner.' And with that, I left Potter to gawp at the wall opposite him.

Thanks for reading!

What did you think? I'm not sure about some of it but I like it overall. I didn't specify when this happened but its a few weeks into the school year. Halloween's up next and don't worry the Marauders won't make up too quickly. I always imagined that Lily would have been the first to forgive Sirius and straight away. Most people make her hot-headed but I always imagine she only ever got cross at James and hardly ever shouted at anyone. When she does shout it will have a bigger impact because she'll hardly ever do it. I think most people would never have heard her shout. To me Lily was the peace-keeper in situations and was the first person to welcome back someone who had wronged.

Btw Lily wasn't shouting at James in this.

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