Sirius's point of view.

School has started up again; it's nice to have a change of scenery. Avery came back to school, for a while there we thought she wouldn't, I worry about her though. She's slipping; she came up to James today at practice and told him she was resigning her position. We tried talking her out of it, but she wouldn't listen. James told her that when she was ready she could have her position back, and we'll only find a temporary. She thanked him but said it wasn't necessary she couldn't see herself enjoying it ever again. I wish I could help her but she won't talk to anyone not even Lilly. She had started opening back up at James' but as soon as we got on the train she shut back up.

Classes are starting back up tomorrow and the marauders and I are dreading it. Sure we can torture Minnie and the Slytherins, but it's never fun anymore without Avers.

"Sirius?" I heard a soft voice calling over to where I was sitting.

"Yes Laura" I said as she placed her hands on my shoulder.

"Where were you this morning, I looked all over for you?" I enjoyed the warmth of her breath along my neck line.

"I was out walking" she sighed pulling away and sliding next to me on the couch.

"Why?"

"Because I needed some time to myself" I said.

"Oh, well are you okay now?" she asked cuddling up in my arms.

"Yeah, I'm much better now." I smiled.

"Hey have you seen Avery lately?" a hurried James asked walking over to us.

"No, actually I haven't all day." I said thinking of the last place I saw her.

"She was crying all night last night in the dorms" Laura said annoyed.

"You don't think she would hurt herself do you?" I asked standing up, worriedly, "I'm mean she wouldn't do that to us would she?"

I began pacing, what if she was hurt, but why would she do that I know she's upset but she was getting better. All these horrible thoughts kept running through my head.

"Sirius come sit down, you're driving yourself crazy over nothing" Laura said patting the seat next to her.

"Over nothing, Laura she's my best friend she could be hurt" I said getting angry.

"Who's hurt?" a voice called from the portrait entrance, the most lovely voice I've ever heard.

"No one thank god" I yelled as I ran and twirled Avery in a huge hug.

"My ribs kind of hurt, and I need to breathe can you put me down please?" she asked.

"Yeah, yeah sorry, I just thought you'd gotten hurt or something. I haven't seen you all day"

"Oh, no I just spent the day with Hagrid drawing that's all. Do you want to see?" she asked as if she was a five year old who just learned to tie her shoes.

"Yeah of course" I said as she pulled her leather bound sketch book from her bag and opened to a picture of the school.

"It took all day, you'd never think one building could have so many windows, and that's only one side of It." she said.

"It's amazing" and it truly was.

"Ahem, now that we know she's alright can we go somewhere else Siri?" Laura asked impatiently.

"Yeah, I suppose so" I agreed, handing Avery back her book and leaving with Laura.

Avery's POV

"What was that about?" I asked James.

"I have no idea, so are you feeling better?" he asked.

"I'm not totally better but I'm getting there." I sighed, twisting a lock of my hair around my index finger.

"You ready for class tomorrow?" he asked.

"Kind of, yeah," but really I wasn't. "Hey James, do you think Laura hates me?"

"No, why would she? Who could hate you?" he asked.

"My family minus Lucius, all of the Slytherins, and probably many more." I sat down on the sofa and pulled out my sketch book again.

"Don't worry about her alright" James said sitting next to me.

"How can I not worry, she's Sirius' girlfriend and he's my best friend what if she makes him chose?"

"He would chose you" James answered getting up and heading to his dorms.

"I seriously doubt that" I said to myself before heading to bed myself.

I woke up and glanced over at the clock, it read 2:40 am in bright red numbers. I sighed to myself and got out of bed. As I was pulling my hair into a ponytail I remembered the dream I had. It started out with Sirius and Laura fighting in the common room and I was sitting on the couch when she stormed out. Then Sirius turned on me saying it was my entire fault. So I ran outside crying and into the forbidden forest. I had found a clearing and sat down. Slowly my tears subsided when I heard a slight crunch from behind me. I didn't stay long enough to find out what it was because I was up and running from it. It chased me for a good while when everything went blank. Then I was standing in front of the Malfoy manor. I slowly made my way through the front door, I heard people conversing in the dining room. I pushed the heavy wooden doors open to find a group of people surrounding the table and hanging above the table was a woman the same from my previous dreams. She was screaming my name she kept saying, "Avery you need to find him" then there was a flash of green light and everything was quiet again. Then I woke up.

I made my way downstairs and sat on one of the plush couches.

"What are you doing up this early?" I heard from behind me.

"Oh, I couldn't sleep why aren't you in bed?" I asked Sirius.

"Same thing, you want to talk about it?" he asked sitting beside me.

"I just keep having this weird dream, and it always ends with this woman hanging over a table screaming my name or telling me to find him, then she dies." I tell him.

"That is weird, but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." he assured me placing his arm around my shoulder.

"So why couldn't you sleep?" I asked laying my head on his chest.

"I've been thinking a lot recently about my family and school and Laura." he sighed.

"We can talk about it, or I can just listen" I tell him.

"You know I ran away from my house last summer, because I couldn't deal with all the hatred. It bothered me, but I think I made a mistake."

"Go on" I pushed.

"Well I left my brother there, and I'm scared he'll turn into a death eater he hangs out with Bellatrix and Rudolphus" I cringed. "Sorry, he hangs out with them too much nowadays and I heard they use unforgivables on him just for fun."

"Siri, that's horrible, have you asked him if he needs help?" I asked hand with my thumb.

"He just tells me to screw off"

"I'm sorry, but you can't force help on him."

"I wish I could" he sighed. "Then there's school, my grades have been slipping and I have no idea what I want to do after school."

"Not everyone knows what they want to do either, and I'll help you study whenever you want." I offered.

"Thanks Avers. That means a lot, how about during our free period and after dinner" he suggested.

"That's fine with me but what about Laura?" I ask looking up at his face, noticing how beautiful it looks as the shadows of the fire dance across his features. 'No stop, he has a girlfriend' I think to myself.

"She'll get over it, she's way too clingy anyways. I care about her, I really do but the girl has got to give me some space before I blow up"

"Have you tried talking to her? Maybe it will help."

"Maybe, I hope so, if not I don't think we'll last much longer" he says looking down at me smiling, god I love that smile, and you don't see it much. I smile back up at him, my face tenses it's an awkward feeling. I'm not used to smiling lately.

"Are you smiling?" Sirius asks. "Oh goodness you are! I've missed that smile so much. Now if only we could get you to laugh."

"I'm not quite ready for that yet" I say.

"And why not?" he asks tilting my chin upwards.

"I just feel if I'm happy I'm betraying someone. Like I shouldn't be happy because I just lost the last thing I had. It feels wrong. But sometimes I can't help it."

"Being happy isn't betraying anyone, stopping yourself from indulging in happiness is betraying yourself." Sirius said hugging me.

"I guess you right, but I need a little more time please?"

"Sure but not too much more, I miss you Avers, really I do." he said kissing my forehead. "And now I think it's time to get some sleep." he yawned.

"I think you're right" I got up and made my way to the stairs again. "Good night Siri, thanks for talking with me"

"I think you mean good morning, and thank you my'lady for helping me, see you at breakfast" he said heading up the boys stairs.

I laid back down in my bed once I got upstairs and stared at the ceiling. 'Maybe it is time for me to be happy' I thought to myself. I pulled my covers over me and rolled on my side and fell asleep with a