`*`*`*`

Step Nine: Learning Some Manners

Grace and Lily were sitting in the common room one day, studying for O.W.L.s, when Sirius stepped in.

"Lily," he said, not seeing Grace, "can I borrow your charms? I haven't been able to finish mine. I think it might have to do with the girl classes I've been taking."

"You think that's an excuse, Black?" asked Grace.

He temporarily forgot their argument. "Duh. It's not a school class that's affecting my school work. I think that I should get cut some slack for that."

Grace stood and glared at him and he suddenly remembered. "Er, actually I have all night! I mean, who needs sleep, right?"

"Black, we will not do your homework for you. That's crossing the line," growled Grace.

James came into the common room at this point with Remus and Peter, and they all stared at the two. The showdown was finally happening.

"Well, I think you should," said Sirius.

"Look!" cried Grace. "That boy only has one ear!" She pointed at Sirius, and gained the attention of the entire common room.

"What?" asked a confused Sirius. "I definitely have more than one ear."

"You won't when I'm through with you!" cried Grace. She lunged at him, and he ran around the room.

"Mercy, mercy!" he cried while she chased him.

"Aw, wittle Bwack is being chased by a girl!" she taunted.

"But t-t-that's nothing to be ashamed of!" cried Sirius, who was being chased around a couch.

"And why's that?" asked Grace.

Sirius grabbed a first year, and held her between him and Grace. "No reason, I was lying."

"Black!" cried an enraged Grace.

"Comeon, you wouldn't hurt a harmless, little firstie, would you?" he asked.

"Hey!" cried the first year, kicking him in the shins. "I'm not little!"

He doubled over in pain. "Geez, Greenleaf, she kicks harder than you!"

Grace and the first year gave each other high fives.

"Now Black," said Grace, anger glittering in her eyes, "it's just you and me."

He jumped up and ran behind Lily. "Lily, beautiful! You would never let Grace kill me, would you?"

"Actually I rather think I would. You just insulted females," said Lily. She lowered her voice, "Besides, that's one less person to teach." She moved to the side. "He's all yours, Grace."

"You evil-" Sirius started to say, but then Grace began to run towards him again. "Oh shit!" This time he ran behind James. "Prongs, old buddy! You wouldn't let your best friend die would you?"

"The same best friend that told the Daily Prophet I was engaged and got me in trouble with one of my only living family members?" asked James.

"I knew that would come back to haunt me," said Sirius. Grace had caught him, though, because James had stepped to the side. She pinned him against a wall.

"Now, we're gonna have a little chat," said Grace.

"That little chat doesn't involve any punching or kicking, does it?" asked Sirius.

"Only if it has to," replied Grace. "Now, what's this you were saying about girls?"

"Only that they were just as good as- no, better than- boys," said Sirius.

"Uh huh. And what about Legolas?"

"He's a very masculine in a very good trilogy that I'd like to borrow you from you sometime," replied Sirius. "Did I mention that he's straight as a line?"

Grace gave a satisfied smile and let him down. "Much better. Now, you'd better keep believing that. You won't like the consequences if you don't."

"Right," said Sirius, walking away. "Moony, in the future, remind me that Grace Greenleaf has no sense of humor. And James," he said, walking past him, "thanks a lot!"

`*`*`*`

The next day in Transfiguration, they were preparing for O.W.L.s.

"As you know," said Professor McGonagall, "these tests are very important. I hope you have all been studying since you came here this year. Some of you," she looked pointedly at Sirius and James, who gave her innocent smiles, "I know have not studied at all, but I highly suggest you start. They are in one week."

Sirius and James' smiles disappeared. "In one week?" hissed Sirius to James. "I thought it was a month!"

"Is there something you'd like to share with the class Mr. Black?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Er, actually yeah," said Sirius. "You see, I thought that we had another month, Minerva."

Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at him. "Minerva?" she asked. "Five points from Gryffindor. I suggest you get a move on studying, Sirius. Otherwise, you're in for the shock of your life."

`*`*`*`

"You haven't started studying yet, Padfoot?" asked James as they walked out of class.

"I thought I had more time!" said Sirius. "You know what I always say, never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether."

"Sirius, when have you ever said that?" asked Remus.

"Er, never. But there's no time like the present to have a motto," said Sirius.

"Yours should be: Stupidity is the answer to every question," said Grace from behind them.

"Ah, how nice of you to grace us with your presence," said Sirius.

"Very nice, squirrel boy," she replied. "Thanks for proving that you definitely live up to that motto. We have a surprise class tonight."

"What? But I have to study!" cried Sirius.

"You should have thought of that before you showed that your manners were completely lacking," said Lily. "Ciao, see you at four."

"Four?" asked James. "I thought it was four thirty."

"It was," said Grace. "But then you friend here showed how seriously thick he could be."

"Haha!" laughed Peter. "She used the serious thing just like you used the grace thing! Hahaha! Isn't that funny?"

"Can it and eat it, Wormtail," said Sirius. "It wasn't funny."

Peter instantly sobered. "You're right. Of course it wasn't."

"Comeon, Prongs," sighed Sirius. "We'd better start studying if we want to graduate in the next five years."

"Start studying? I've been studying for a month, mate," said James.

"A month?" asked Sirius. "Where the hell have I been? Remus?"

"I've been studying for two," he replied.

"Peter?" asked Sirius hopefully.

"I've been tutored all year," said Peter.

"B-b-b-bu," suttered Sirius.

"Sucks to be you," said James, as the three of them left behind a gaping Sirius.

`*`*`*`

"Now," said Lily, "when Grace and I heard Mr. Black call Professor McGonagall by her first name we were appalled."

"I felt like throwing up," stated Grace calmly. "I think she should have taken off more points. It was horrid, vile, disturbing-"

"We get the point, Grace," said Sirius. "I already feel bad enough!"

"Good," said Grace. "And it's Professor Greenleaf."

"People who are teaching you, your elders, or your boss should be referred to by their title and surname," said Lily.

"We would say that you should refer to people smarter than you thus, but than Mr. Black here wouldn't call anyone by their first names."

"Hey!" cried Sirius. "I resent that!"

"Resent away," smiled Grace.

"You may call anyone by their first name if they tell you to," continued Lily, ignoring Grace and Sirius.

"Which, Lily might add, Professor McGonagall did not tell Sirius."

"Hey!" said Sirius. "I don't believe I told you that you could call me by my first name!"

"Due to your incompetence, I can call you whatever I want," she replied.

"Grace, Sirius, enough!" cried Lily. "Do I have to ask you two to leave the room?"

Grace raised an eyebrow, "I'm not a student, though."

"Fine, I'll rephrase that question. Do I have to lock you two in a broom closet together?" she asked.

"Whatever," said Grace.

"Without your wands," she added.

"You wouldn't dare!" cried Grace.

"Oh wouldn't I?"

"She'd kill me!" cried Sirius. "Besides," he said, a smile growing on his face, "how could you take on the two of us alone?"

"Expelliarmus," she cried twice quickly. "Like that," she said, holding up both their wands.

"Oh, you're evil," said Grace.

"Geez, how can you be so devious? You're named after a flower!" cried Sirius.

Grace rolled her eyes, "Honestly, I have no idea how you haven't been kicked out of here yet."

"Oy, James! Why aren't you standing up for me?" cried Sirius. "We're supposed to be best mates and all that!"

"Padfoot, it's much more fun to see you back yourself into a corner," James replied. "Actually, in your case it's like jumping off a cliff numerous times."

"A load of help you are! You're letting me be torn apart by an evil female!"

"You forgot brilliant and beautiful," said Grace. "Besides, you let yourself be torn apart. James can't help you."

"Brilliant, ha! I got better than you on Transfiguration last year!"

"But you won't this year, Mr. Procrastinator!"

"Broom closet," Lily reminded them.

"Shutting up," said Sirius.

"Anyways," said Lily, "like I was saying, manners are very important. You need to be taught them, so these classes will have to go on to next year."

Sirius groaned. "Are you kidding? That's not fair! I just called her Minerva! I promise to never do it again!"

"It's not just that! You and James hex people just because, too! That's not manners!" cried Lily.

"When was the last time we did that?" asked Sirius.

"Today at lunch to Rodolphus Lestrange. You transfigured his nose into a chair," she replied icily.

"Oh yeah," Sirius smiled at the memory. He caught himself, "Wait, you saw that?"

"Duh," said Grace. "You and James gave each other high fives and said you should write a book on all time greatest pranks."

"You were listening to our conversation? That's invasion of privacy!" cried Sirius.

"The whole Great Hall could hear you! You screamed it!" Grace replied.

"Well," Sirius muttered to himself, "that would explain why Professor Flitwick laughed when I told him he needed proof for detentions."

"Whispering," said Lily, "it's a good thing. But it shouldn't have happened at all. I expect you two to come back with better manners. It's your summer project."

"Homework over the summer?" groaned Sirius. "Comeon, Prongs! Complain with me!"

"What and make things worse? I've found it's best to not piss people off when you're trying to get your way."

"Yes!" shouted Lily. "At least James is learning something!"

"That's probably because he's getting private lessons," said Sirius suggestively.

Lily glared at him for a moment before looking at Grace. "Should we?"

"Oh yeah," said Grace.

"Mr. Black has just earned a meter-long essay," said Lily, "on ettiquette…" she and Grace shared an evil smile, "…of muggles."

"What?" cried Sirius. "But that involves major research! That's torture!"

"Want to make it ten meters?" asked Lily.

"Ya know what?" asked Sirius.

"What?" asked Lily.

"I think your name should be Venus fly trap. It describes you better."

"That's not half as interesting as some of the ones that could describe you," said replied.

"Did you take Grace pills this morning, or something?" asked Sirius. Grace raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean, exactly?"

"N-n-nothing! She's just so… happy today!"

"Sirius, are you out to die young?"

"Not if I can avoid it."

"Well, you really suck at avoiding it."
`*`*`*`

A/n: Sirius and Grace (i'm sorry to disappoint everyone) are NOT getting together. grace would probably kill him five seconds into the relationship.

I love every1 who reviewed! hugs to you all!

JerseyGirl03: the great thing about legolas is that we can all share him! orlando however...

i o u a name: Grace likes the character and him in the movies, but orlando (we agreed on this) is ALL mine. she gets legolas and i get orly, who is v. yummy, i agree!

soupie: hey! i think sirius didn't die. he's comin' back. he CANNOT DIE! it's illegal. i'm outlawing it. i'm all sad that they didn't go out until seventh year. it's hard 2 work around!

QoF: thanks! that comment was awesome! they're getting together in two or three chapters. i dunno yet.

Musicizdbest: yeah 15 year-old, feminist tree huggers! we rock!

Lima Beans: bridge, will u be mad if i quit my other story? jk, i know u'd kill me.

Carmel March: that's okay. the ppl who get in crazy moods have fun reviews 2 read! i personally write really boring ones.

Moonlight and Midnight: yup, grace is 1 smart cookie when it comes 2 hot characters!

sissy-6: yes, james' head is deflating! it took him long enough, 2!

MoonFaith: i'm glad u like it!

Kat44: thank you! i'm glad it's original!

Kari Lynn: i'm glad their personalities r shining through! thanks!

Lorelei6: ur the person who reviewed my HDM story! ur so awesome!

Tribal Leader: i was gonna stop, but then i realized all the things i could do, so this might be around 20 chapters.

lYdoSpaRklyLemOnDroP: glad u think it's funny!

B. Nonymous: s'alright! we can all share legolas! (Olrando's mine, no 1 else can have him lol)

Little House Girl: no sirius/ grace, but there is lily/james!