Chapter Ten

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Our Transfiguration homework wasn't due for another three days, but Crystal thought it would be best if we caught up with it before that day arrived. Surprisingly enough, she had invited Remus to join us. It wasn't necessary to have a study group, considering this was an essay but she thought so, after all, having someone as smart as Remus wouldn't hurt either.

We were seated at the farthest corner of the library where it was unlikely that anyone would bother us. Crystal, who was seated across from me, was concentrating with her reading; that was something I should be doing myself but there was something else that needed my attention.

Unfolding the letter, I read its contents.

I still refuse to believe that you are not a hormonal teenager. Sorry, but… you are, I know you are. You don't have to hide it. All teenagers are regardless of their gender.

Well, I told the only one of my friends I knew would not laugh at me. Turns out he did laugh at me, which wasn't very encouraging. And, it's funny you ask this, because the same day you asked the same day one of my other friends walked into the dorm, eating an apple, at the same exact moment my other friend and I were discussing the letter. Then, apple eating friend found it amusing to the point were he ran out of the room to go tell my other friend. I have started to wonder what I got to lose if I get better friends than these.

It's not exactly that I'm scared of meeting a person… I am actually more scared that you will turn out to be some old hag… or maybe even McGonagall pretending to be a student, and then she'll go and turn me in to Dumbledore and get yet another excuse to get me into detention… yeah I don't need that right now. I'm sorry you're being fed false information but I am pretty sure you'll freak out the moment you meet me. I can picture a faceless you stammering and being all in denial so yeah… no can do.

Just do what you truly want to do… I'm pretty sure that surrounded or not by other people he wouldn't mid meeting you. Believe me, you are a girl, he won't mind meeting you. Oh honey, don't worry (I would to say this out loud and imitating my mother, but since I can't, just try and picture and old hag saying it), I am pretty sure you're not the only teenager with a difficult life.

"Another one?"

I looked up to see Crystal observing me before glancing at the letter I had. Her question was obvious.

Later that day when she found about my pen-pal, I had finally given her the details she had wanted to know. Of course this wasn't done willingly, but I did give her what she wanted to know, except for a few facts. Not only was she amused by the act I held before she found out but intrigue in the secret identity of my pen-pal. Since then she made me promise that I'll tell her whatever new fact comes my way. In other words, she wanted to read the letters.

"Just got it this morning," I told her, folding the letter as it once was. "Interested, aren't you?"

"Need you ask?" she asked with a grin, placing out her hand towards me.

I shook my head as I handed it over to her.

"So he has three good friend and a mother who he seems to have no respect for." Crystal stated a minute later after reading it.

I looked up from my parchment, raising an eyebrow at this statement.

"Those are clues but like you said," she said, folding the letter before handling it over to me, "they might not be true or they might be."

I placed the folder letter back into my schoolbag, "Find me a guy who doesn't have three good friends."

"Guys don't necessarily hang out with the same guys continuously, but I'm sure there's a way in finding out." she said.

"True, but the correspondence with this person is what makes it intriguing." I admitted.

"Aren't you even interested in finding out who this person might be?" She asked, "I mean, if it were me, I would be interested in meeting with the person whom I'm corresponding with."

"You know, Sirius also has been corresponding with a girl... I think he likes her, which is quite unbelievable."

We were involved in the conversation that we didn't even notice Remus had arrived. That isn't what worried me though; the words that he had just spoken where the most unexpected. It must be a coincidence, I thought as I watched him sit on the empty chair beside Crystal's.

"What House is she in?" Crystal had asked.

I quickly turned to her, my mouth halfway open to intervene when Remus had suddenly responded.

"Oh, she's in Huffle–" he stopped abruptly; his eyes lingering on the book he just placed on the table a minute earlier.

I looked away from the two of them. I had to keep myself calm, I couldn't reveal and much less react to what was happening here.

It was at this moment that Crystal had realized what she had done. Quite the perfect time, if I say so myself. Casting me a worried glance, she quickly took reigns of the situation.

"Hufflepuff, huh?" she asked him; a nervous chuckle escaping from her.

Of all the things that Crystal was known as, an actress wasn't part of her description.

Remus looked at her with an expression that can only be identified as a mixture of wonderment and anxiousness. "It's you, isn't it?"

"I…uh…"

It was my turn to step in, "it's just a coincidence, Remus." I started, "There's lots of possibilities; it doesn't mean Crystal is the one… that Sirius is corresponding with."

He turned to me, the same look still on his face. "I…I… have to go."

Before anyone of us could protest, not that I knew a way of stopping him, he picked up his stuff and quickly walked away.

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"Sirius Horatio Black," James was yelling, as he entered the dormitory. "You won't believe what just happened."

"Stop using my middle name," I warned him. "And what happened that has you yelling it to the whole house?"

"Oh, come on, there are only like five people outside," he said defensively. I walked out of the dormitory to see, half of Gryffindor house staring up at the staircase.

"Revenge is going to be so sweet," I muttered to myself as I walked back into the dormitory. "What happened?"

"We just heard some girls talking about how boring you'd become," said Peter, and from what I could see he was very freaked out about that.

"I beg your pardon?" I said suddenly realizing what he had just said.

"The day has finally come mate," said James, looking amused. "Your popularity with girls is diminishing."

"Ha, haha, ha, funny," I said. "Hey... where's Remus?" I asked, suddenly noticing his absence.

"Oh, he's studying with his girlfriend," Peter was saying when Remus burst into the room, "or not."

Without saying a word Remus walked over to my trunk and flung it open. James, Peter, and I stared dumbfounded as he threw its contents, one by one, aside until he found the stack of letters. Without even looking at he ran out of the dormitory.

"What…" I started.

"… the heck is wrong with him?" James finished. Peter could only stare open mouthed at the mess Remus left on my side of the room.

"Dude, he's lost it," said James, I nodded as I made my way over to the mess. "I mean, he made a mess and left it there."

I busted out laughing. "I wonder why he took the letters though."

"Well, his girlfriend's in Hufflepuff," said Peter. "Maybe he wants to show them to her and see if she knows who the girl is."

James and I looked at each other. "Bloody hell," I muttered as James and I ran out of the dormitory to try and find Remus.

It took us all of ten minutes to find Remus. He was sitting in the middle of the room of requirement, which at the moment looked really melancholic.

"Uh… Remus?" I said, looking around the room. It looked, a lot like the shrieking shack, to the point were there were marks on the walls, that looked quite similar to drying blood, but I wasn't exactly going to just ask him why.

"Hey, what's up guys?" he said, looking up with a smile on his face. A really fake smile.

"Are you okay, Remus?" and that was not me.

"Yeah," said Remus, scanning the letter currently in his hand. "I am much better now."

"Care to explain?" again, I really do appreciate my life, and Remus was still looking like a serial killer.

"I thought you were corresponding with my girlfriend," was all he said.

I could've cried. I seriously thought he was going to kill me right there on the spot. That only lasted until I realized that he meant that I was actually not corresponding with his girlfriend.

"So, you know or you don't know who I'm corresponding with?" I asked.

"Oh, I know," he said and I suddenly felt really excited and very sick.

"So…" James said tentatively. "Who is it?"

"Oh, I am not telling you," he said now standing up. "Let's go back to the dormitory."

Before anyone could stop him he walked out of the room. James and I looked at each other.

"Why won't he tell me?" I whined at James.

He laughed, "Oh, Padfoot, I think he has spent a little too much time around us."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Means," he said making his way out of the room. "He is going to have a lot of fun with this one."

I groaned. "Why did I tell you thickheads about this…"

We walked into the dormitory to find Peter eating a sandwich, while Remus put my stuff back in the trunk.

"Did you get the new letter?" said Remus.

"No," I said. "Don't you think it's too early for her to have answered?"

"I told you to get the letter," he said. "And considering I know who she is, I can tell you, mate, that she has replied."

"When did you tell me to get the letter?" I asked. "And when are you planning on telling me who she is?"

"I thought it was implied…" he replied. "Anyway, I'm not telling you."

"May I ask why, father?" I asked.

"Go get the letter," he answered lying back on his bed. James and Peter looked too amused at this little exchange.

"Fine," I growled.

Ten minutes later…

"REMUS LUPIN!" I yelled, entering the Common Room. By the time I got to the dormitory, he was cowering behind James.

"WHO THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU TELL I AM CORRESPONDING WITH SOMEONE?" I yelled at him. Peter, James, and Remus all took a step backwards.

"Why do you ask?" he said as calmly as he could.

You know, I think we are a couple of steps closer of finding out who is who. I'm not going to explain why I have written that because I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. The funny thing is I'm not exactly ready. I thought I would have been when the time came but by the looks of it, I'm not. That also means that I will have to be careful with what I write but don't worry, nothing will be a lie…

Oh alright, I can't act as if nothing has happened.

I've heard from someone that I'm corresponding with Sirius Black himself.

"How am supposed to deny it's me now?" I said a little bit more composed. "Do you have any idea what am I supposed to do now?"

I continued reading before he could answer.

But it can only be a coincidence, right? I mean… well… come to think about it I can't really imagine him doing the whole "writing to a total stranger" thing. He doesn't look the type, pity, and he's such a good-looking bloke… I can imagine Remus or even Peter doing so, but well, the cards weren't handed that way.

Oh no, that's not good….

The person who said it, looked quite calmed in doing so, I'll let you know. That is until he realized something. So… It just has to be a coincidence.

I'm sorry, I can't really write about anything else at the moment that doesn't involve me wondering if I'm writing to a Sirius Black.

I promise, I'll be a-okay next time…

"That's that," I said. "Hoepfully, you really enjoyed that letter, 'cause this is the last you'll hear from this subject."

I walked back out of the dormitory before they could stop me.

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A/N: Sorry for the delay but school has oficially started and I'm a senior now... lots of responsabilities... lol... thanx for all the reviews by the way... made me a very happy person.