Disclaimer: I also own the color yellow. Yeah.

A/N: What's this? Two updates in such a short period of time? Well, I know I said this next update would be longer, but this sort of a 'bridge' chapter. The next one, I promise will be loads longer. And this chapter has some...well you'll see! Review!

Well I know that you're in love with him cause I saw you dancing in the gym; you both kicked off your shoes, then I dig those rhythmic blues. –Don McLean

Bellatrix Black—well, Lestrange, technically, but really, Black was just such a perfect surname for her that she hated giving it up—was not an impatient woman. She was, in fact, quite patient, especially when it came to things such as the Dark Lord's latest genius plan—weren't all of his plans simply genius?—but she wanted something to bloody happen. She was a doer, and this sitting around waiting on her arse would infuriate a saint.

And a saint she was not.

Could Regulus really be trusted to execute a plan so complicated and detailed? The Dark Lord, in his infinite wisdom, thought so, but Bellatrix—though she would never admit to it—had her doubts. She knew Regulus. He had hero-worshipped Sirius, and she was not fool enough to believe that he had simply grown out of it. Old habits die hard, and Regulus—well, Regulus, she knew, was dreaming of the day Sirius would simply come to realize the error of his ways. Bellatrix snorted to herself and took a long sip of her dark red wine. She was not such a fool—that disgusting Muggle-lover didn't deserve the Black name and good riddance to him.

Muggle-lover. The phrase rolled around bitterly in her mouth and her mind wandered to Regulus' last letter. He had a mentioned that his traitor of a brother seemed interested in a Mudblood—her name is Emmeline, cousin Bella, Emmeline Vance. Would that be considered useful information to the Dark Lord?

Bellatrix stared down into her wine, her own reflection meeting her eyes. She smiled a smile that didn't reach her dark eyes and finished off the glass.

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I trust you.

There was a new spring in Sirius Black's step, a new glitter in his eyes, and it was the subject of the numerous Hogwarts rumor mills.

"I heard—"

"—new girl, shagged last night—"

"—damn he looks incredible!"

I trust you. He was floating above the whispers.

"What's wrong with you?" James demanded when Sirius sat down at the breakfast table.

"Nothing." Sirius reached for a scone. "I'm—"

"Save it," James interrupted. "We have an emergency situation, boys."

Peter leaned in excitedly and Remus looked incredulous. "Emergency situation?" he repeated suspiciously.

James nodded gravely. "Emergency. I have to find a way to woo my lady." He placed his hand over his heart and waved his other hand dramatically. Sirius rolled his eyes but grinned in spite of himself. I trust you.

"Did you get Emmeline's blessing?" Remus asked, not really caring about the answer. Something was different about Sirius; he kept sending odd little glances at Emmeline Vance and it made Remus uneasy.

"Yeah. Won her over with my sparkling charm."

Sirius snorted. "I'll bet."

James ignored him. "I have the best friend's approval, so now all I have left to do is—"

"Convince the girl herself?" Remus suggested.

"Exactly. This is your assignment, men: how do I do that?"

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

Regulus Black wanted to vomit into his juice. Sirius was beaming. Blacks did not beam.

He would bet his wand this had something to do with that—that girl. That Mudblood girl. His hand tightened around his goblet.

Regulus was a firm believer that Sirius would eventually see the error of his ways and realize that the family was right—Muggleborns were inferior and Sirius, Regulus knew, would come around. But if a pretty blonde Mudblood girl distracted him—well, that would make it that much longer before Regulus had his brother back.

He had told Bella about this girl—this hindrance to getting his brother back—in the hopes that she could do something about it. Bella was one of the Dark Lord's confidants; she would be the one to be able to get something done.

Something caught the corner of Regulus' eye—light blonde hair being shoved gracelessly out of a pretty face—and he narrowed his eyes at Emmeline Vance. Her blue eyes met his and she smiled a little tentatively, sweetly. He scowled at her, determined to wipe the smile off of her face. Her chin went up and her smile became diamond-like, hard and bright. She had nerves of steel, he had to admit. He was impressed despite himself and he looked away first.

Bella had a plan, he reminded himself as he poked at his egg. They had a plan and Emmeline Vance would not smile at him again. She wouldn't smile at anyone, least of all his brother.

And Sirius would move back in.

Bella had a plan.

He looked up and was surprised that Emmeline Vance was studying him as though he was a puzzle she was determined to solve. She blinked when he met her eyes again. His upper lip curled in disgust and he hoped she could see how much she revolted him, how much the thought of Sirius throwing away his bloody family away for her made him want to vomit.

He felt a flare of triumph when she looked away first.

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"Why is Regulus Black staring at you like that, Em?"

"Like what?"

"Like he knows something you don't. Something horrible," Lily said, shuddering.

"No clue, Evans." Liar. Regulus had seen her with his brother's tongue down her throat. No doubt he probably thought she had lured Sirius permanently away from the Blacks with her feminine wiles. Feminine wiles. Emmeline would have snickered if she hadn't seen the deathly serious look in Regulus Black's eyes. Bloke meant business. Her hand slid into her robes and tightened on her wand.

"What a creeper," Marlene mumbled, narrowing her eyes at him. "Watch out for him, Em. I think he has it out for you."

"Wouldn't doubt it," Emmeline agreed, the hair on her arms standing on end. She could still feel his eyes on her and she wanted to march over to him and slap him out of it. Literally slap him out of it.

"If he doesn't stop soon, I'm getting Sirius," Lily said, scooting slightly closer to Emmeline.

Emmeline straightened at Sirius' name. "It's fine, Lily. Look—he's stopped. It's fine."

"Creeper," Marlene repeated darkly. "Don't go into any dark corners alone, Em."

"I never do," Emmeline said, her tone forced cheery. I only ever go into dark corners with Sirius Black. Her face turned bright red at the thought and she ducked behind her goblet to hide it. Why did her brain betray her so frequently?

She abruptly changed the subject. "James Potter hunted me down last night, Evans," she announced, lightly shoving Lily's shoulder. "Wanted to talk about—wait for it, you'll be shocked—you."

"What about me?"

"About how he's been—prepare to be shocked again—in love with since third year."

"He doesn't mean that," Lily said flatly. Emmeline exchanged a look with Marlene, who shook her head exasperatedly and looked down into her breakfast.

"I think he does," Emmeline said, watching Lily carefully. "You didn't hear him, Lily. He seemed fairly sincere to me."

"And Vance here is an excellent judge of character," Marlene added. There was something acidic in her tone that made Emmeline frown, but right now was not the time to call her out on it.

"He went to Hogsmeade with that girl!" Lily argued, putting down her fork. "Explain that away!"

"He didn't go," Emmeline corrected her. "He broke it off at the last minute to come tell me how in love he is with you."

"Doesn't mean anything," Lily protested weakly.

"Means quite a lot, actually," Emmeline said. "Means he cares enough about you to want my approval before he makes a move. Also means that as I've given my oft-coveted blessing the move will be made soon enough."

Lily sat up straight. "What's that even mean?"

Marlene snorted. "Means he'll corner you in a stairwell and snog your brains out."

Emmeline winced inwardly at the sharpness of Marlene's tone. What was her problem today?

Lily looked slightly taken aback and glanced at Emmeline—she was surprised at Marlene too.

"Are you alright, Marlene?" Lily asked gently.

"I'm fine. I just have to go—somewhere." Marlene stood and left the Great Hall as though there was a stampede behind her.

"What's with her?" Lily asked Emmeline, who shrugged.

"No bleeding idea," she said frankly, stirring her pumpkin juice absently.

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

"Sirius," Remus grabbed Sirius' arm and pulled him aside as everyone filed out of the Great Hall and into their first class. "What's going on with you?"

Sirius arched an eyebrow at him. "Well, right now, I'm walking to class. I'll probably sleep in said class—"

"Don't be a smart arse. You're acting—happy."

"I'm a happy person."

Remus stared at him and Sirius smirked. "I'm just in a good mood, Moony. Enjoy it while it lasts."

"Does this have anything to do with Emmeline Vance?"

Sirius stopped. "You psychic, Moony?"

"No. You're obvious. You're going to end up breaking Peter's heart, you know."

"It had to happen sometime," Sirius defended, even as guilt flooded his system.

"Maybe not."

"You can't honestly believe Vance would fancy him back do you?"

Remus was silent.

"You do?"

"Not now. Not after whatever it is you're doing with her—"

"I haven't done anything with her!"

Remus stared at him.

"Nothing like what you're thinking!"

"Does she know about Marlene McKinnon?"

Sirius stopped. "What about Marlene McKinnon?" he asked carefully.

Remus sighed and rubbed his temples in exasperation. "Does she know that you've already shagged one of her best friends?"

"How do you know about that?"

"Does it matter?" At Sirius's glare, he sighed. "Peter may have let something slip. Does she know about it?"

"No one knows about that," Sirius snapped. He made a mental note to strangle Wormtail later.

"If she finds out—"

"She won't find out."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Remus warned.

Sirius hoped so too.

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"Marlene!"

Marlene McKinnon pretended not to hear Emmeline Vance yell her name into their dorm room. She shut her eyes tightly, hoping Em would think she was just asleep and leave.

"Marlene McKinnon, I know you're not sleeping, so you better get your arse up and talk to me!"

Damn. Marlene sat up. "What do you want, Vance?"

"What is your problem today?"

"As opposed to every other day?"

"Marlene!"

Marlene sighed. "Emmeline, whatever you want to talk about, I don't."

"Too bad. Why are you so damn grouchy today?"

Silence. Marlene had recently discovered her mother's technique of counting slowly to ten to control her temper. One. Inhale. Two. Exhale.

"Marlene?"

Three. Inhale.

"Fine. Don't tell me," Emmeline huffed, crossing her arms and glaring. Four. Exhale. There was a pause and then the sound of the door opening and exasperated footsteps echoing down the staircase leading to the dorm.

Marlene collapsed back down into her comforter and stared up at the ceiling. What now, she wondered, twirling a strand of dark hair around her finger. To tell or to stay silent? She imagined how the conversation would go—I was drunk and he was there—and laughed humorlessly.

This—thing between Emmeline and Sirius would blow over. It had to.

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When Lily Evans walked into the perfects' meeting, she was shocked that James Potter had not only beaten her there, but that he had clearly been there for long time—he was relaxing against a wall, talking amiably with Remus Lupin. When he saw her, she immediately looked away and dropped her bag in a corner.

She expected some sort of jab at being late, but as she sat next to James, he simply nodded at her and called over the low buzz of talking voices, "Shut it! We're starting!"

The prefects stopped talking almost at once, and, she noted, much faster than they ever did for her.

James held up a sheet of paper and tossed it onto the nearest table. "New patrolling schedule," he announced. "Couple of minor changes, nothing big." Lily tuned him out as she picked up the new schedule and scanned it for her name.

She wasn't paired with him. James Potter had tweaked the patrolling schedule and hadn't paired himself with her. Remus Lupin's name was scrawled next to her own.

Her stomach sank into her shoes and she bit her lip. Hadn't Emmeline said he was interested? What was he bloody doing?

"…and that's it for today," she heard James finish. Then, much closer to her ear, "You alright, Evans?"

She blinked and looked up into hazel eyes. "Yeah," she replied faintly. "I'm fine." She stood and went to retrieve her bag from its spot near the door.

"It's just—" she found herself saying before realizing what she was doing and shutting her mouth.

"Just what?"

She swallowed. Might as well dive in headfirst. "Emmeline told me about your conversation."

His expression didn't change. "Our conversation?"

"About…" she hesitated. "Never mind." Losing all of her nerve, she turned to leave.

"Are you talking about the conversation where I told Emmeline I'd been in love with you since third year?" he asked casually, mussing his hair.

She turned bright red. "You don't have to—"

"I wasn't lying."

Lily turned even redder and stayed silent. He shrugged. "You just never seemed all that interested."

What was she supposed to say? I wasn't but then you were different?

"I wasn't," she affirmed quietly.

"Wasn't," he repeated, walking over to her. "Past tense?"

"Past tense."

"As in, you are now?"

Lily chewed on her lip. "I wouldn't go that far."

He laughed a little. "Yes, you would."

How had he gotten so close in so little time? She looked up at him and said, "What did Emmeline say to you?"

James grinned down at her. "She said you're interested."

Lily was making a mental note to curse Emmeline as soon as she saw her but she never finished the thought due to James' very distracting mouth covering hers.

He seemed almost unsure of himself, or maybe unsure of her reaction, but as it became apparent that she was going to neither pull away nor hit him, his arms slid around her and pulled her closer.

Through her fuzzy brain, she thought vaguely that he must have had loads of practice with this—he was too bloody good and had too many girls staring longingly at him.

And then she couldn't think anymore because his tongue was in her mouth and she'd never really been kissed like this because James Potter knew what he was bloody doing. She could barely breathe, could barely stand, thank Merlin for his arms around her or she would have collapsed by now. All these years and she had been refusing this?

He pulled away slightly and murmured, "Are you alright, Lily?"

Lily.

"Yeah," she breathed before pulling his face back down towards hers.

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"How do we tell her, Albus?"

Dumbledore shook his head, his bright blue eyes gazing off into nothing. "We just...tell her."

Minerva McGonagall blinked back tears and sighed. "She's in my House. I'll inform her immediately."

Dumbledore took off his half-moon glasses and stared at his desk. "Minerva. Don't tell her everything."

McGonagall frowned. "What should I tell her, Albus?"

"Only what is necessary."

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Lily very nearly skipped back to her dorm room; she felt as though she were walking on clouds.

"Emmeline Vance, have I got something to tell you," she sang out as she opened the door to the room. Her smile dropped off her face.

Emmeline was sitting in the middle of her bed, cross-legged, with tear tracks streaking down her face. Her arms were wrapped tightly around herself as though she was freezing and she was rocking back and forth in a daze.

"Em," Lily said, crossing the room in three wide steps and putting her arms around Emmeline, "What happened?"

A/N: I think that's a good place to leave that. Review and I won't leave you in suspense too long!