A/N: Sorry it's been so long! Like 3 months :S and if you can actually remember what has happened in the story here's chapter 10!

17th Sept

A Break In?

9:25am

Just been to breakfast and I've got about ten minutes before I get a detention for being late to Herbology so I thought I'd find a nice comfy crevice (there are loads set into the walls here at Hoggywarts) and tell you about the "grilling" we got at breakfast.

It was all pretty normal to be honest, well, to start with. I overslept as usual and raced down to meet Lily and the boys and have some breakfast when I noticed that my two friends groups weren't sat together as they usually were so I'm guessing that Lily and James had a rough patrol last night. I sat down and remembering how guilty I had felt I asked her what was up straight away.

"What happened?"

"Oh, what?" She asked, looking up from the book she was reading whilst eating her cereal. We ducked as the post arrived.

"Don't we usually sit with that lot?" I gestured up to James who was engaged in a violent tussle with Peter over the last sausage.

"Yeah. You can if you want. I'm fine." Her green eyes looked a little glum.

"Lily! What's up! Is it me, my brother, patrol, monthly problems? What?"

"You brother." She stopped eating and started stirring the congealed cereal around her bowl.

"What happened?"

"He just would NOT shut up about that dare!" She muttered furiously, a shade of red flashing across her cheeks.

"What did you do?" I had to ask.

"I sent him to a different part of the school." She laughed lightly at her solution, "Can't bug me when he's two floors up and in a different wing can he?"

"No siree." I replied accioing the less handled pieces of meat onto my plate.

"Just for the record, I definitely did not enjoy that kiss." She insisted, making eye contact for the first time in the conversation.

"As you keep saying." I smirked, Lily was about to defend herself when Professor McGonagall stood up and clinked her spoon against her cup gaining all our attention immediately. I think we were all hoping for some good news about the Quidditch tournament but none came.

"Yesterday, as it was a Monday, all students should have attended all their lessons as usual, whether they had a party or not!" A MNDL was shot around the room. "Almost everybody, bar two students, in sixth and seventh year simply skived of lessons all day! Now, Professor Dumbledore-"

"Professor Dumbledore!" I heard James call out from up the table, "Who's he!"

"-Never heard of him!" Sirius added.

"Why, if I ever met a man called Dumbledore I would have to laugh!" My brother continued in his loud voice usually only reserved for Quidditch and jokes like this.

"Especially if he had a beard."

"A long one."

"Down to the floor."

"Hey, if he tucked it into his belt I'd be in hysterics wouldn't you Pads?"

"I would indeed Prongs old fella."

"POTTER! BLACK! I SUGGEST THAT YOU START SHOWING SOME MORE RESPECT OR ELSE MR POTTER YOU WON'T BE LEADING ANY TEAM THIS YEAR!" The head of our house screamed.

"He's supposed to be head boy!" Lily muttered angrily, glaring up the table as my twin tried valiantly not to laugh. "She's just threatened to take his captaincy off him and all he can do is suppress a laugh?"

"Dumbledore doesn't seem too bothered though does he?" And he didn't, whilst Prof. McGonagall was a violent shade of red with anger he simply laid back a little in his chair, chuckling to himself and folding his hands over his stomach contentedly. Lily just shook her head.

Minnie went on to say how for every student who didn't show up to lessons yesterday, 10 house points will be deducted. Many faces dropped in horror as the few gems that had been gained flew swiftly away leaving each house at 0. Luckily, because of our Quidditch advantage, we are usually able to gain any points we loose back – maybe not this year though. Lily shook her head sadly again.

"What? They can't have expected us to show up really can they?" I moaned as the last ruby disappeared.

"I did. Remus did – it wasn't that hard." Lily had her prefect face on and I really wasn't going to try and fight this one.

"Yeah."

The rest of breakfast was a little more subdued after that, I simply ate my bacon in silence and Lily continued to stir her cereal.

Oh! Crap that's the bell! I'd really better run!

11:15am

Charms is a fantastic subject isn't it? You can make things fly, make things silent, louder, smiley. In fact, I think there is a charm for almost everything. But the best thing about charms is that I sit next to Lily and if we ever have to work in a pair we work together, little Mr Flitwick doesn't mind, he's not one to pair you up with somebody you wouldn't want to work with.

"Billie . . . Yep, you'll be working with Sirius this lesson." Professor Sprout read from the list she had. Great . . . I had thought . . . Just pigging great. Sirius made no move to come and join me so I had to go marching over to him. He folded his arms as I reached his side,

"Great." I thought I had heard him mumble. Turns out that that would be the only thing I would hear him say with any relevance to me at all during the lesson. He simply stood there, occasionally doing some work but most of the time standing, looking bored out of his skull in a haughty and pretty damn rude manner. I felt like hitting him. Half way through the hour he just left and went to talk to James! I was too proud to call him back and ask him for help, especially when the plant started dripping venom all over it's pot and the porcelain began to melt. To make matters even better I was wedged in between two Slytherin groups, Avery and Nott and Malfoy and Snape. They kept spreading their equipment all over my desk and swapping bottles from the shelves with mine so if I hadn't of seen them I would have poisoned my plant (and myself). They soon got bored and gave up on their plants, instead going over to the corner of the greenhouse and whispering about something so no-one else could hear. I was naturally quite curious so I snuck up behind them and pretend to search on the shelves for something.

Avery: Tonight then? (He was really excited about something)

Snape: Not so loud idiot! Yes tonight, otherwise why would we be talking about it now? (talking about what?)

Avery: Right, yeah.

Malfoy: Remind me what the whole point of this is again . . . (He, in contrast to the others, sounded bored)

Avery: We sneak into their Common Room and trash it as quietly as we can before those Gryffindor idiots get there!

Nott: Yeah! And if they do then we'll fire those new curses that Sev made up at them.

Snape: Those curses are only to be used in extreme circumstances, I don't want Potter getting hold of them like he has done all my others.

Avery: I bet the look on that Mudblood's face will be absolutely priceless!

I drew my wand and I swear I would have hexed all their laughing faces if Lily herself hadn't of come over and dragged me away.

Lily: (When we were back at my place) What was all that about?

Me: They're going to break into the Gryffindor Dorm TONIGHT!

Lily's reaction was what annoyed me most about Herbology. She raised her eyebrow in they way that a disbelieving mother might do to her child if they ran in and said they had adopted a pet troll and he was living at the bottom of the garden wearing a pink tutu and lipstick. I expected a long sigh to whistle out of her and for her to say something like: "Not now Billie" Or "Don't make up silly stories Billie" – I felt like a little kid.

"Ok. Whatever you say Bills." She shrugged.

"What? You don't believe me? Lily, I just heard them!"

"Ok Billie!" Her eyes widened in a supposedly sincere look. Pah! I knew her better than that!

"You don't believe me!" I stated in shock. Lily, the HEAD GIRL, would not even consider the thought of the security of the Gryffindor house being at risk.

"Never said I didn't." She turned her back on me but I dodged around her (a trick my brother used to use all the time if her wanted to block her path so she had to look at him when he asked her out)

"You never said you did." I countered, Lily let out a long sigh.

"Look, how would they even get through the portrait hole?" She asked. I was stumped for a second.

"They could have stolen the passwords!"

"Billie!" Her red head was tipped slightly to the side with a expression that willed me to see her view. It would have been easier if I wasn't so stubborn.

"I heard them!" I insisted. Her hair flipped as she straightened her head.

"Right, so maybe you did hear them . . . why would you need to hex them?"

Sugar. Sweet, sweet sugar.

"Err."

"What? C'mon Bills it's not like I'm going to give you a detention!" She laughed humourlessly, intent on knowing why I wanted to hurt the Slytherins.

"Errr . . . just felt like it I guess . . . I mean . . . I was just angry . . . they can't . . ."

"What did they say?" She always manages to hit the nail right on the head Lily does.

"Mublud." I answered quickly trying to get away.

"Mudblood? Me?" All traces of irritation earlier were gone she looked cool and calm. I just nodded. "Billie, I don't care what anybody calls me! I hate them as much as you do but you seriously have to stop this pride crap! You and your brother need to just accept that whatever is said doesn't bother me and not rise instead of trying to kill anybody who says anything bad!"

I nodded again swallowing, the girl scares me sometimes!

"I'll see you in Charms." And with that she flounced off to join Remus who was flicking through a thick textbook his eyes furrowed as they always do when he is concentrating very hard and I returned to my station to find Sirius had completed the work (and by the looks of it claimed all the credit) so for the rest of the lesson I had nothing else to do but slump in my stool in silence.

I was almost late for charms because Professor Green made me stay behind and clean up all the mess because apparently I had done nothing this lesson – when I tried to object I was threatened with a detention, I realised it wasn't worth it, I hate doing detentions alone.

2:00pm

I'm am EXHAUSTED! If somebody ever asks me to help them bathe their cat ever again . . . no matter how miserable it's smell is making my life . . . the answer will be no!

Lily and I finished lunch at about twelve-ish, we didn't sit with the boys again though my stupid, but I have to admit lovable, brother did make an upset, frowning face when I gestured that I wouldn't be joining him again and Moony just looked at Sirius then back at me glumly. After lunch, in which Lils and I had nattered about everything and nothing it was the aforementioned red head's plan for us both to head off up to the common room (not the library for once!) and do some of our ever present homework because: "That's what free periods are for Bills". So, as there is really no point arguing with this child, we headed off with me mouthing a "help me!" to Remus who as usual wasn't eating very much and chuckled a reply.

"Right!" Lily had said as we had got settled and unrolled our parchment, "You do the Herbology homework and I'll do the Potions one thenwe can both read each other's and get ideas!"

I snorted: "Like you need help with Herbology Lil." She's easily the best in the class, although James can give her a run for her money with me and Remus not that far behind – oh and Diggory, Diggory's good.

"Just do it." I had half wanted her to disagree with me so I could stall for time but she didn't so I set to work writing about all the work that Sirius hadn't done and I had today, rearranging the pot, trimming the leaves . . . Neither of us saw Stumpy, Lily's faithful cat stalk into the room.

"Eurgh! Billie did you just-?"

"No!"

"Then what in the name of Merlin's beard is that . . . Stumpy there you are!" Lily greeted her pet warmly inviting him up onto her chair and tickling under his chin whilst he purred blissfully.

"I think he might be the source of the smell . . ." Something seriously strong was wafting from that cat.

"Ugh, yeah, he needs a bath pronto." Lily pushed him gently from the chair and in true cat fashion he landed on all four stumpy legs and mewed loudly.

"I suggest now!" Looking back I would have totally chosen the homework.

"Ok, I'll meet you in the girls bathroom in ten, you take stumpy and I'll take shampoo and towels!" Said a suddenly business like Lily.

"Oh, great I get the smelly cat!" It was too late she was already racing up the stairs, "C'mon stinky stumpy."

I bet Lily to the bathrooms by running through the increasingly full corridors brandishing Stumps and shouting: "GANGWAY! GANGWAY! SMELLY CAT COMING THROUGH!" I passed James.

"What the?"

"Don't ask, smelly cat, ugh, smell it," He got a face full of fur then cringed away from it, wrinkling his nose, "See! Smelly, smelly cat. Gotta go, love you!"

"Love you too!" I thought I heard him call to my back as I ran off again.

When I skidded into the bathrooms the always happy face of Moaning Myrtle greeted me.

"Ohhhhh, a visitor, it's not often Myrtle gets visitors." She let out a long wail and I felt the hairs on Stumpy's back prickle up letting out a disgusting been-rolling-in-dragon-turd aroma.

"Yeah." I replied lamely.

"Ohh, a cat . . . I used to have a cat . . . before my DEATH!" She burst into loud tears – I didn't even know ghosts could cry until today!

"Right . . . Well, you could help me and my friend bath it . . . it smell you see . . ." At this the ghost became even more inconsolable.

"IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, I CAN'T FEEL OR SMELL! I'M DEAD!"

"Billie?" Lily burst through the door then sighed with relief when she saw Myrtle dive, screaming, down a toilet. "Don't mind Myrtle she's . . ."

"Dead?"

Lily laughed in spite of herself. "Well, she didn't take to death too well did she!" I joined her, sniggering.

"You'd be a great ghost Lil, The Ginger Goul of Gryffindor!"

"HEY!" She splashed some water from the sink she was filling over to me but missed and got it all over the floor. "Here, I think that should be warm enough for him." I handed her over the cat that I had been clutching and she tried to put it in the water. Tried being the operative word. Tried, because Stumpy did NOT want to go anywhere near that water, he clawed at Lily's robes, clawed for me then, and then, when all was about to fail, he clutched onto the side of the sink with his stumpy legs and would not allow us to move him at all. I couldn't help it, I laughed SO hard.

"S-sorry Lily . . . Your. . . Your cat!" I cried in between cackles.

"Billie! Help!" Lily was trying her best to wrench the cat away, only succeeding in making him dig his claws into the porcelain even more leaving deep grooves. So I did the only thing that would come to me at the time: squirting it with water to shock it then make it fall into the sink.

"Aguamenti!"

"BILLIE!"

To be fair my instinct did get the cat in the water, as the fountain coming from my wand landed on his back he jumped and splashed into the sink firing water and soap suds all over the floor, and all over Lily. Then, of course, in the time it took for Lily to turn and shout at me Stumpy was straight out of the sink and running under the cubicle doors for a place to hide.

"Get him!" I cried, darting round the other side of the row of toilets to catch the cat.

"What if he's fallen in one of the loos?" Lily fretted as she disappeared into a stall trying to chase her cat out.

"There's water in the toilets Lil . . . somehow I don't think he'll be going near the toilets themselves. For a ginger you are so blonde."

Lily's head poked out from around a door, "I am NOT ginger!"

"In fact, for a ginger who is Head Girl and top in our year – you're blonde." I laughed.

"I'm not top in our year." I could picture her blushing as she stuck her head round each door.

"But you are-"

"GOTCHA!" I heard Lily shout triumphantly then march back over to the sink. "Now, are we going to do this the easy way or the . . . WHOA!"

I burst out laughing again. I just couldn't help it. The image of Lily striding over to the sink, an extremely angry looking Stumpy in her arms, then slipping on all the water and soap shall be etched in my memory forever. I laughed so hard that I too slipped and cracked my back on the tiles. Stumpy was still clutched in Lily's arms his dark eyes unnaturally large, half because he was terrified and half because Lily was squeezing him too tight, it reminded me of a spell James had once used on Peter to test, it made his eyes pop out, and then it struck me:

"Lily, how stupid have we been?" I wanted to laugh again but before that I brandished my wand at the cat and "Scourgify!" the poor cat's stinking fur was momentarily covered in pearly pink bubbles then they vanished leaving Stumpy with a silky, shiny coat.

It was agreed that Lily and I are the stupidest of people sometimes.

11:00pm

Someone or some people are banging around in the common room, usually, at this time, people are usually in their dorms to avoid the wrath of Lily or now, almost more commonly James, the only people that stay up are the ridiculously studious fifth years but they're respectful and never make this much noise. I'm scared it's the Slytherins.

11:01pm

Not scared. Brave. Off to have a look.

11:45pm

It was the Slytherins!

I had never found our the stairs up to our dorm creepy before, even when I've been out at night with the boys, now, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and I had to dare myself to breathe - it was worse because I was alone. Finally, after what I can imagine always feels like years, I reached the bottom of the stairs, I made sure I was tucked in the shadows and the stone wall felt like ice through my pyjama top, they couldn't see me but I could see them, Snape, Malfoy, Avery, Nott, Mulciber the whole greasy lot were down there vandalising all the furniture and peoples' work and looking for something:

"Where is it?"

"I don't know! In here!"

"I thought you said you knew where it was!"

"No, I said . . ."

I tiptoed back up the stairs and swung open the door to the boys' dorm, the hinges were squeak free for silent entry and departure – thank Merlin, then raced over to James' bed.

"James! James! Wake up!"

"What is it?" He mumbled, rolling over, his hair, I can assume like mine, crumpled and messed up in a way that would make Lily cringe.

"There are Slytherins in the Common Room!" James gave me a testing look, to see if I was lying or not, then deciding I wasn't he reached under his bed and found the cloak and the map.

"Lumos." I whispered and the tip of my wand lit up.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Our map sprung to life, inky lines running like cobwebs over the parchment, and James flipped to the correct fold and found the common room. Sure enough, little black dots were making their way around, the scrolls attached to them reading Lucius Malfoy and (I saw James' face darken hugely in the half light) Severus Snape. Without a word, he threw the cape over himself and made for the door whispering: "Get Sirius!" before the door shut behind him. Trying not to worry, the shouts hadn't started yet, I moved on to Sirius' bed. He looked so scarily peaceful when he slept, it was easy to forget what a spiteful, horrid person he can be. Of course, I could easily remember when I woke him up.

"What do you want?" He half spat, seeming wide awake, unlike James.

"James needs you in the Common room, a bunch of Slytherins have broken in." I shot back.

"Funny."

"I'm not joking, I wouldn't even be talking to you if James hadn't asked." I stated and at this something clicked and he too shot straight out of bed and rushed out of the door. I didn't think it was imperative to wake anyone else up so I raced after him. There was just enough shadow on the stairs to cover both Sirius and I as we waited and watched, the intruders had either left or had cast disillusionment charms on themselves. Thinking this a good idea I cracked Sirius on the head and then repeated the spell on myself to render us both practically invisible. The first jet of light could be seen a few minutes later, a muffled moan could be heard and a body hit the floor. I had a clear idea where whoever it was had landed so I aimed a mental Expelliarmus and a wand flew briefly through the air before landing just at the bottom of the stairs, I felt Sirius move to pick it up. We repeated the process many times, James stunning the Slytherins then Sirius or I disarming them when James decided everyone was out cold he lit the lamps with his wand then pulled the cloak off himself.

"Hide these." He told Sirius, our charms had worn off by now, as had the Slytherins. With a grin I helped my brother gather the bodies into the middle of the room and he was just about to say something when:

"What on Earth?" Lily must have been woken up by the noise, I could have explained but no.

"Ah, Lily, could you go get Minnie for us?" James asked, then gulped as the head girl turned more crimson than her hair.

"Potter. What have you done?"

"Stunned and disarmed all the people that decided they would like to break into our house tonight." He replied simply, "With help from Billie and Sirius of course." I glared at him, although I thought credit was deserved on my part he didn't have to get Lily annoyed with me!

"Billie?" Her gaze was cast to me.

"Yeah. Turns out I did hear them plotting in Herbology." Now Lily turned red for a different reason, she must be embarrassed she didn't believe me.

"Sorry." She bit her lip, "I'll go get Professor McGonagall." I received an apologetic look as she hurried through the portrait hole.

Almost everyone had assembled in the Common room by the time Lily got back with Professor McGonagall, several people were whispering amongst themselves but most were just sat in groups watching the Slytherins, then James, then me, to see who was going to make a move first.

"What? Oh My!" The Professor gasped as everyone parted and the pile of unconscious students was revealed, Lily and surprisingly, Professor Jubential followed just behind. "Somebody please explain!"

"I think Billie probably knows the most?" James thought aloud. Damn him. An MNDL was sent my way.

"Yeah." I agreed rather lamely, almost every pair of eyes in the room was on me.

"Why don't you tell us what happened then?" Sir asked from his crouching position, he was talking the pulses of the Slytherins, he seemed quite calm.

"Err, well I guess it started in Herbology, I heard them," I gestured to the pile, "Talking about how they were planning on breaking in to the Common Room tonight, I tried to tell someone but they didn't believe me, so I didn't tell anyone else . . ." Lily flushed pink, "Then tonight I heard banging at crashing coming from down here and I know that everyone who is up at this time is usually pretty much silent so as not to disturb James' beauty sleep-"

"-Damn right!" A few people laughed, including me.

"So I knew it wasn't anyone from Gryffindor. And then I plucked up the courage to come and have a look and I saw it was them so I went to get James," There was more laughter and I felt myself going a little red, "Which has always been my safety plan, if something goes wrong then I'll get James to fix it!"

"Awwww!" My Brother teased so I stood on his foot and had to bite my tongue to stop myself from sticking it out at him when he winced.

"Anyway, James told me to wake Sirius up, so I did then we came down and cast disillusionment charms on ourselves then James went into the middle of the room and when he saw people move he stunned them then Sirius and I disarmed them."

"Do you have their wands?" the Jubemaster asked. Sirius handed the fistful over looking like he'd much rather snap them in half and let that be that.

"Right." Minnie broke the would be silence briskly, "Professor if you could help me take these students up to Madame Pomfrey and we'll bring them round there-"

"Yeah, sure, I'll be right behind you." He gestured for me to come over and talk to him. "Are you and Sirius ok now?" he asked quietly. I glance over to where he and James are stood, trying to get Lily to hi five them.

"Not a chance." I murmur sadly and I don't think there is, he seems fine, I'm fine despite what everyone seems to think, I don't need to be friends with him to be happy! Sir nods thoughtfully then bids us all good night and follows Minnie and her amazing floating students through the portrait hole just as Lily starts ushering people off to bed and I follow the herd.

I hope there aren't any more interruptions tonight.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it, I know it's not 3 months worth of writing but I'm starting the next chapter right now and reviews do inspire people to write quicker! Sorry again!