Fun Fact: Zamira Gulch is actually a writer for the Daily Prophet in the books. Just thought I'd tell you in case you all got the silly idea I'm that creative..


I sit up feeling a small hangover. I do a charm and it lightens as I look around. It's Sunday, so there's no class to hurry to. The hideout looks as if a tornado had been through it, Peter burrowed asleep behind a desk for some reason. James is on a desk as well, watching me obviously waking up as well. I give him a half-hearted wave and find Remus in an instant his arms out without her in them. Instead she's sitting against the far wall talking quietly with Lily. I blink stupidly glaring back at James.

"What's your girlfriend doing here?" I demand of him. Lily looks up from Siofra and speaks for herself.

"James went and got me last night..probably doesn't remember but I do..dragged me here smelling like fire whiskey..remember James?" She glances to her boyfriend whose eyes are wide.

"In bits and pieces..last I remember was coaxing Siofra into kissing Remus.." He rubs his head, obviously in the same agony as I was moments ago and I get up to offer a charm to fix it but Lily's glare makes me fall back into my seat instantly. Remus starts to wake up glancing around sleepily.

"You came into the girl's dorm, walked drunkenly to my bed and told me you wanted to show me some big secret..which turns out to be that you're still pulling pranks freely when you promised me that being Head Boy would stop you from doing that..you've been lying to me all year James.."

"It was my idea." Siofra's soft voice once again makes everyone pause and look back at her. She takes her wand out, returning all her hair to black again as she stands up, walking over to the red head with a confident walk. "I talked James into showing me where the Marauders kept everything..and then I wanted..I wanted to try some pranks myself and I put him back into doing it. The others were all keen on it, and I just wanted to have friends..that's all Lily."

Lily looks a little less fierce, and shakes her head a moment then looks back to James as if reminding him she's mad before she walks back over and adjusts Siofra's robes. "I've always wondered where you've been at night when you weren't in the dorm…I'm..I have to go change before anyone wakes up and finds me gone. They already have enough to talk about I don't need gossip about me added to it. You going back with me?"

"I left clothes in here from the other day..no one gossips much about me anyway. I'll stay and make sure they all get to class." Siofra looks up at Lily with her usual look and the other girl nods giving her boyfriend a last look before leaving us all alone. We all kind of hang around there, and Remus stands up. Siofra looks back to him with a smile but his expression is weird and I worry he saw us last night but she doesn't notice just walking over and hugging him.

"Morning…you look a bit hung over..poor thing.." She looks at him comfortingly then pats his shoulder. "You should go take a shower and change..you'll feel loads better..then if you want we can sneak out of class and snog a while.." She smiles at him waiting for his response.

"So I will.." Remus nods his head and kisses her forehead, his eyes remaining away as he walks out his steps echoing as he leaves us alone. She doesn't notice that either, little fool, as she looks to James with a funny little grin as if they were exchanging a joke.

"You saved the day Siofra, you're a saint! I'd kiss you if Moony weren't my best mate.." James walks over lifting her and spinning her playfully as if she were his little sister. She laughs and when he puts her down she sticks her tongue out at him.

"That means you owe me now..something simple, maybe you can do all my papers the rest of the year.."

"If I were dating Moony I'd talk him into doing that..you'll fail if it's left to me."

Siofra just smiles and looks back to me making me tense up. Her eyes penetrate me, and she turns back to her things before returning with a jar of something. I stare blankly as she opens it, taking a spoonful of it and feeding it to James, than one to me. I taste the familiar marmalade, and watch her blankly waiting for an explanation.

"It's mixed to stop hang overs…I meant to give it to you both earlier..I already fed some to Peter but he fell back asleep anyway. I'd have given Remus some but he hates marmalade.."

Harry had forgotten how awkward dating was as he stared at his reflection. After discovering the origins of the dress robes Sirius had in the box, he didn't want to wear them. Somehow, the past should remain in the past. That was his focus for the night, not to even consider Ginny or anyone else he'd been with. Zamira was waiting when he arrived in his regular robes, his hair somewhat wetted down with several spells he'd tried but it still looked very much the same. She was wearing a black dress, her hair left down as she stared at the fizzing violet drink she had been preoccupying herself with when she saw him and gave a wave. He walked over hesitantly.

"I won't bite you Mr. Potter.."

"Harry."

"Sorry, force of habit. Harry." She smiled at him, smoothing her hair back with her fingers as she took a sip of her drink and watched him a while. He found it odd she would just stare like that, but he didn't' do anything about it just waited until she spoke again. "This is a little odd isn't it? The two of us sitting here like this..on a date."

"I don't think it's that odd.."

"Really? I suppose it must just be me then..so what did you want to do tonight?" She twisted the straw around her drink, her eyes falling back on his patiently. He felt as if he were in class, and not actually on a date. She was older than him, and seemed to be a different kind of person than he was. It took him a while for a suggestion to emerge.

"Shall we just go get something to eat somewhere?"

"Oh that sounds nice. Did you have somewhere in mind? I know a restaurant around here that has lovely sea food."

Harry let her lead the way, feeling strangely distant as she talked to him about her day. Little things, her sister (who was supposedly a great twit and never left the house), people around the office. He tried desperately to focus on what she spoke about, but it grew harder and harder not to think of the past, of a red headed woman who he wished he could just catch a glimpse of.

The restaurant was small, and as he looked around it seemed dark as if one weren't supposed to see the people around besides at your table. He walked over and pulled her chair out for her, and sat across from her once she was sitting down. She held the menu carefully examining each entry. Harry's stomach flipped a little, and he realized he wouldn't be able to eat anything at this rate. He looked up and then realized that he could see the people behind Zamira. One of them especially, because even with the darkened curtains around each table the bright firey hair struck out to him. He suddenly realized he had been in this specific restaurant. It in fact had awful sea food, enough to make Ginny sick. It was also where they first decided to move in together. Great.

"You're really quiet, with how often you pop in and out of my office, I'm surprised you are ever near silence. Someone on your mind?" The newspaper editor smiled at him, resting her hands in her lap as she spoke, the menu discarded onto the table.

"Oh no, just..considering how amazing you look..when your hair isn't fixed up like a broomstick.." He didn't meant to blurt out such a stupid compliment but it just fell out when he gazed back to her from the red head.

"Oh I see.." Zamira giggled like a younger woman, and shook her head. "No, I get a little too into some of the Quidditch games..you should have seen me last year with little snitches braided into my hair..I thought my assistant would die laughing.."

"You're really into quidditch aren't you?" The common ground was a relief, and Harry watched as Zamira lit up talking on about it. She ordered them both some sort of wine called 'dragon fire' and after a while his eyes didn't focus on the red head talking with his old classmate. He was focused on Zamira as she spoke about the office and things. After a while Ginny got up though, and their eyes met.

Even with the wine, the company he'd chosen, the way her honey colored eyes flickered even in the little light made his head rush. She looked at Zamira with a smile that could have broken glass, and flicked her hair walking back away with Dean. Harry felt like an idiot.

"Ugh they can't do anything at the office without me.." Zamira's bag began to move around and light up, and she pulled the rock out from before. She put it back and glanced at Ginny's disappearing form.

"No it's really fine…you're really busy. I have to go home anyway, things to do and all.."

"Harry this has been rather nice. Tomorrow morning, why don't you bring by some tarts and we'll chat in my office? 9:35 I have twelve free minutes all your's." She stood up, leaving money on the table. He left some as well and stood up awkwardly moving to kiss her. She froze a moment, but shook her head.

"Oh no Harry..I'd be taking advantage of you.." She smiled and kissed his cheek instead. "Tomorrow morning. Cherry tarts are probably best, they're my favorite." She apperated out and he returned to Sirius's. The past had followed him, mocked him. He sighed and realized he had no idea where to get cherry tarts. Damn..


"It has caterpillars. Marmalade and caterpillars, she's genius. Even Remus never came up with a better hang over cure.. Moony's really lucky..if I didn't have Lily I'd have found her first I'm sure.." James chats away about Siofra when we're alone, she and Peter going to breakfast after the marmalade was fed to us. I'm too annoyed to respond I just stare off at the wall, thinking over the last night with a little anger.

"Look…you alright? You mad you haven't brought Michelle here? I mean since Lily knows..it only makes sense we bring Michelle for you since you're so keen on her.." James waits a while then slams the desk I'm sitting at with his hand, bowing his head with disgust as if he can't look at me. "Just stop it! Stop looking so cross!"

I freeze, awkwardly pulling away from the desk a little as I ramble on. "It's nothing..that marmalade didn't work right for me that's.."

"Bullocks! Stop lying to me. I'm not stupid I know what's going on. I've realized it a while now, I'm not that thick! Even Remus has to have seen it.."

"Look I've pushed her off I can't help it that she's in love with me! I can't she's just.."

"The night we drank after she got blown up by that potion, you were in your bed when I came in, and I was about to wake you when you kept saying her name. I saw you jump and pull her away when it had exploded, and you know you did! In the library when we all separated, you two were in that passage alone, on the floor alone. Merlin knows that I wish Remus had realized it but he was just so mad at himself..when you had her!"

"Look I don't want anything to do with her! Just because you want to keep her as the marauder's pet doesn't mean I'll keep her in love with me if that's what your insinuating."

James just looks at me sternly, and once again we're fighting. I don't understand what's going on and then he leans down, looking at me a while and his expression softens a bit. I hate her, that stupid girl. She's screwed everything up completely and now my mate is mad at me because..because..I don't understand..

"We all like Siofra. But it's more and more obvious that you love her…and that she isn't sure what to do. I don't think she wants Remus..and I don't know what to tell you, but you can't play stupid. You're going to look like a git if you just blow her off and ignore it all."

"Remus is one of my best mates. I'm not going to run off with Siofra just because.."

James just gives a slight grin and stands up shaking his head. "It's a bad situation but..you have to figure it out.. Now that you're admitting the truth.."


A/N—I didn't get any reviews after the last chapter! What a heart break that was! I didn't write that much this time..and I really am slowing up when I don't get reviews, it makes me feel like I've made a mistake in the last chapter..and if I did leave me a review as to the fact I did. Please?