Problems

Isabella was very relived when the trained pulled into Hogsmeade Station. Even though she loved going home and seeing her parents, she was happy to be back at Hogwarts. Lily and Isabella shared a carriage, listened to Dumbledore's speech, and ate dinner. The time seemed to fly by and both girls found themselves in Lily's private room, talking.

Isabella sat on the bed as Lily sat on one of the chairs. "So Lily, what happened when James walked you home?"

Lily smiled. "Nothing much, we talked, and he was so sweet. He held my hand all the way, and when we reached my house he gave me a good night kiss and told me he loved me." She got up and fell on the bed with a sigh. "I still can't believe that I'm dating James Potter, I think that I really do love him." She paused and giggled. "If we get married will you be my maid of honor?"

Isabella smiled and giggled. That's the girlyest thing I've ever heard Lily say. "Only if your mine." Lily's eyes lit up.

"That's right after we left, you and Sirius were alone. So what happened?"

Isabella blushed. "He...told me...that he loved me."

Lily's eye widened and she smiled. "Really, oh I'm so happy for you Izzy. I never expected Sirius to say that to any girl, unless..."

"Unless what?" Isabella asked confused.

Lily sat up. "Well before you came, Sirius would just go out with a girl so that he could sleep with her. Most of the time he would say or do something really thoughtful and then say that he loved them. Then after they slept with him, he'd break up with them after about a week." Isabella's eyes widened, but Lily didn't notice, and she continued. "But you have nothing to worry about Sirius would never do that to you, he really seems to care about you. Plus you two haven't done anything, right?"

Isabella put on a fake smile and nodded, but there was still a little doubt in her mind. "Right." She stood up and streached, yawning loudly. "Lils, I think I'm going to go to bed, I'm tired...I'll see you tomorrow."

Lily nodded. "Are you alright?"

Isabella stopped at the doorway and looked at Lily. "Yes I'm fine, just tired."

She left Lily's room and ran down the stairs leading to James and Lily's joined common room and out of the portrait hole. She walked down the hall to the portrait of the Fat lady.

"Password?"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Marauders rule." She walked into the common and saw Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter sitting on the couch. When she saw Sirius laughing and joking about something the doubt seemed to grow and her thought hurt her heart, but her reason won over all. He wouldn't, he said he loved me. Just because he hasn't said it again after we...that doesn'y mean... She shook her head and tried to walk by them unnoticed, but it didn't work, especially sice they had a werewolf in the bunch.

Remus smiled over at her. "Hello Izzy, I thought you were with Lily, why are you back so soon?" Sirius and the rest looked over at her curiously.

She glanced at Sirius and started walking up the girls staircase. "I was tired so I left, I'm going to bed."

Sirius looked at her concerned, she was acting strange. James looked back at them. "Is it just me or does she seem...sad?"

Remus nodded and looked at Sirius. "Did you do anything Padfoot?"

Sirius looked offended. "Why would you think I did anything?"

"Well she did look over at you sadly before leaving." Peter pointed out, Sirius glared at him annoyed.

"I didn't do anything, maybe Lily did something."

James rolled his eyes. "Lily wouldn't do anything to upset Izzy."

Sirius looked at him. "And I would?"

James, Remus, and Peter shrugged and Sirius sighed. "Some friends you are."

Isabella walked into her dormitory, only to find that it wasn't empty. Amber Brown was sitting on her bed glaring at her.

"Um...hi" She greeted nervously, but Amber kept glaring and got up.

"I thought I told you to stay away from Sirius, he's mine!"

Isabella glared right back. "I don't think Sirius would have asked me out if he was yours. Why don't you go find your self a real boyfriend and stop stalking mine!"

Amber's face turned red and she pulled out her wand. "I guess you didn't learn you lesson last time."

"What are you talking about?" Isabella asked confused, then it clicked. "YOU! It was you who pushed me down the stairs." She pulled out her wand as well.

Amber smirked. "Well I couldn't just let you get in my way, so I decided to get you out of it..permanently!" She glared at her. "But then my plan backfired on me and Sirius came and helped you. Then when he felt sorry for you he asked you out-"

"Your wrong, he asked me out because he likes me."

Amber laughed. "Oh yeah, then why was it that he didn't start liking you until after you were out of the infirmary and after you suddenly became pretty?"

Isabella raised her wand, but Amber just laughed.

"I bet he got you something he made himself, saying that it shows how much he cares. Then later told you that he loved you, and you, being the whore you are, gave yourself to him. It's the same story every time, ask any girl he went out with."

By now Isabella had tears in her eyes and her hands were shacking.

"Oh I'm sorry," Amber said in mock-concern. "You really thought that he cared about you? Wow, your more pathetic then I thought. Don't worry, though, when he breaks up with you and goes out with me I'll tell you every mean thing he says about you. How you're just some nerd that he wanted to have some fun with, how you meant nothing to him, only another name in is book."

Isabella's whole body was trembling, gripping her wand tightly, knuckles white. "You're wrong, he wouldn't do that."

Amber smiled turned into a taunting one. "Are you crying, what a baby. And yes he would, he's done it before. He doesn't care, he never did. He could never love someone as ugly and plain as you."

"SHUT UP!" Isabella's yelled.

Amber smilied a taunting, evil smile. "No, not until you learn your lesson." She pointed her wand at the shacking and angry Isabella. "Sirius doesn't care, and will never be yours, and since your still in my way, I'm going to make sure I squash you like the bug you are."

"Stupefy!" Amber yelled.

Isabella lifted her wand. Protego! A blue shield went up, blocking the spell and throwing it back at Amber. Whose eyes widened as she jumped out of the way.

"How did you do that? Your mouth didn't even open!" Amber yelled as she got up.

Isabella didn't say anything. Incarcerous! Ropes flew out of Isabella's wand, wrapping around Amber so that both her arms and legs were restrained. She couldn't move and dropped her wand.

Pertrificus Totalus!

Amber's body went rigid and she fell over. Isabella walked over, face blank, and stood over a scared Amber; she picked up Amber's wand and pocketed it.

"As much as I want to, I'm not going to hurt you, but I'm taking you to Dumbledore. Hopefully you will be expelled." Isabella said in a icy voice, that made Amber shudder in fear.

Wingardium Leviosa! Amber started to lift from the ground, hovering in the air.

Isabella walked out of the room and down the stairs to the common room, with Amber flouting behind her.

When she saw Sirius tears came to her eyes. She knew that she shouldn't believe what Amber said, but everything she said Sirius did was true, and then there was what Lily had said. He gave her a gift her made himself, said that he cared about her, then told her that he loved her and she slept with him. And he did ask her out after Angel gave her a make-over. She could practically hear her heart breaking. It was all a lie.

She wiped her eyes and continued to walk out of the common room, ignoring the looks she was getting for others as Amber floated behind her.

When the Marauders saw her they all got up. Sirius saw her tear stained face and grew concerned. "Isabella what's wrong?"

She continued to walk, not saying anything. He grabbed her hand and asked again. "What's wrong, where are you going?"

"Don't touch me." Sirius barely held her, she said it so softly.

"What?" He asked confused.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She pushed him away and he fell. With her free hand she took off the necklace that he had given her and threw it at his feet. "Here take it back, I don't want it, you can keep the bike, I don't care." She said sadly and continued to walk out of the common room.

It was dead silent as the door closed behind her and the floating Amber. Sirius numbly picked up the necklace, looking at it. The two colors were still swirling together; she still cared for him. He looked at where she had just been standing. Why?

James helped him stand up. "Come on, lets go up to the room." He said softly.

Sirius just nodded and let James lead him up to their dormitory, Peter following. Remus watched as the portrait close itself after Isabella left.

Isabella pointed her wand at her face murmuring a quiet "Tergeo" clearing her face of tear stains, before continuing to the Headmaster's office. She had been to his office at the beginning of the year to discuss her transferring, and Lily had told her the current password.

"Sugar Quills." The gargoyle moved, reliving a staircase that lead to Dumbledore's office. She walked up them quickly and knocked on the door.

"Enter"

She opened the door, and walked into the office, Amber floating in behind her. When the door was closed, Isabella ended the levitating charm, making Amber fall to the ground. The portraits and Dumbledore looked at her confused.

"Miss Griffin, why is Miss. Brown tied and petrified?"

Isabella sat in the chair opposite Dumbledore and looked at him with a blank face. "So she can't get away." She said emotionless.

"And why, may I ask, don't you want her to 'get away'?" He asked.

"So she can be here while I tell you what she told me." Isabella answered.

The Headmaster looked at her curiously. "What did she tell you?"

Isabella glared over at Amber. "That she was the one who made me fall down the stairs, she then said that since her plan didn't work she was going to get me out of her way permanently."

Dumbledore's eyes lost there twinkle. "And do you know why she attacked you?"

Isabella nodded. "Because I was in contact and currently the girlfriend of Sirius Black."

Dumbledore looked at Amber with a grim look on his face. He took out his wand and conjured another chair, before removing the spells that were cast on Amber. He put his wand away and motioned to the seat. "Miss. Brown, please sit down." When she did he continued. "Is what Miss Griffin saying true? Did you really attempt to end her life because she is dating Mr. Black?"

Amber shook her head. "She's lying Headmaster, I would never do that, It was her that attacked me and brought me here so that I would get expelled. She got jealous when she found out that Sirius liked me and was going to break up with her!"

Isabella scoffed and crossed her arms. "Lying is a sin Brown." She hissed. Amber winced and Isabella smirked. She's afraid, good, she should be.

Dumbledore calmly stood up and walked over to a cabinet by his desk and took out a shallow stone basin with odd runes and symbols carved around the edge. Inside was something that was a whitish silver color, and was a cloud-like substance that swirled around inside the basin.

"Do you know what this is?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"It's a Pensieve. It stores a persons memory so that they could go back and see what happened, just in cast they forgot or didn't see something that happened while the memory took place. Professor do you want me to give you the memory of what happened?" Isabella asked.

Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "Yes Miss Griffin, that is exactly what I want you to do. That way I can see for myself what took place."

Isabella nodded and put her wand to her temple and thought about what happened in the dormitories. Amber looked at her wide eyed as Isabella pulled a silver-white strand from her head and put it in the Pensieve.

Dumbledore taped the edge of it with his wand and all of a sudden a hologram-type thing can out of the Pensieve and replayed the scene that took place in the dormitory. When it was over Dumbledore was silent while he put it away before turning to face the two girls, his face grim.

"Miss Griffin, thank you for bringing Miss. Brown here, instead of doing anything irrational. 25 points to Gryffindor. I would like you to leave, I want to talk to Miss Brown alone."

Isabella smiled weakly at the Headmaster and stood. "Of course, Headmaster. Goodnight." She left the room.

When she entered the common room she saw that it was empty; she was glad. She didn't want to be questioned. Before she could go up the staircase a voice stopped her.

"Why did you do that to him?" She turned and saw James sitting in a chair by the fire.

"What?"

He stood angrily and walked over to her. She suddenly noticed how much taller he was. "You bloody well know what! Why did you do that to Sirius! He didn't do anything and you yell and him and give back the gift that he spent months making for you! He's hurt and confused, wondering why your so mad at him and what he did!"

Tears came to her eyes as she looked at James wide eyed and backed away. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

James scowled. "What? You didn't know what?"

She looked down. "That he cared that much. I didn't know if he cared at all. I didn't know if I was just some temporary girlfriend until he found someone better." She walked over to the couch and sat down. "I found out that it was Amber Brown who pushed me down the stairs. She wanted me to stay away from Sirius, saying that he was hers. I told her to go away and stop stalking Sirius. She got mad and tried to kill me to get me out of the way. Tonight she told me that she was going to get me out of the way permanently so she could go out with him. She said the only reason he asked me out was because I suddenly became pretty and he felt sorry for me. I didn't believe her and said he asked me out because he likes me. But she just laughed and said

"'I bet he got you something he made himself, saying that it shows how much he cares. Then later told you that he loved you. And you, being the whore you are, gave yourself to him. It's the same story every time, ask any girl he went out with.' I couldn't help but think of everything and force the pieces together. He didn't ask me out until I was pretty, gave me something he made himself, and then he told me he loved me, and...I slept with him. I thought about how he never said he loved me after that and all I could think was that 'great, now that he's got what he wanted he'll break up with me.' I knew his reputation and thought he changed, I know he has now, but then Brown kept repeating everything I feared and I...I just couldn't take it."

She started to cry and James put an arm around her shoulders waiting for her to continue. She put her head on his shoulder and continued. "I told her to shut up, but she continued to say that he didn't care and that he was going to dump me and go out with her. She said she was going to make sure that this time I didn't get away and that she would finish me off and take Sirius. She then attacked me, but I blocked the spelled and petrified her and tied her up, then levitated her to bring her to the Headmaster's office.

"But when I saw Sirius everything she said came back to me and I just got angry. I know that I shouldn't have believed her, that she was lying, but then I remembered Lily saying that before I came Sirius would just date a girl until they had sex and then dump them and I don't know, it hurt, it hurt bad, to hear Amber say he didn't care. I don't know what I was thinking when I gave him the necklace back, I should have known that he did love me when I saw the hurt in his eyes, but I ignored it because of my anger." She sighed and bowed her head.

James was silent for a minute. "What happened to Brown?"

Isabella shrugged. "I don't know, Dumbledore didn't say what her punishment would be when I left them alone. I hope she gets expelled."

He nodded. "You know it's true that Sirius used to date, do, then dump a girl, but when you came he changed. He was still the same annoying Padfoot, but he didn't go out with any girls. Usually he's been with about ten girls the first month back. But when you came he started to like you and wanted you to like him back. When you started you go out he started to fall for you, the necklace proves it. Sirius said that if the two colors mix then the two people they represent, that the two love each other. If you and Sirius had sex," Isabella blushed. "And he didn't break up with you yet, then he really does love you."

Isabella looked up at James. "Do you think he'll forgive me?"

"Yes." A voice said behind them. Isabella turned and saw Sirius standing there. James stood up.

"Well I think that I'm going to go to my own room and go to bed, night all." He left the common room, leaving Sirius and Isabella alone.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked quietly.

He sat down next to her. "I started to listen when you started to explain."

She threw her arms around him and hid her tear stained face from him. "I'm sorry Sirius." She wispered into his chest.

He ran a hand through her hair. "It's okay." He said soothingly.

She shook her head. "No it's not, I should have never believed her. I should have trusted you." She paused. "You can break up with me if you want."

He took the necklace out of his pocket and put it around her neck. She looked at him and put a hand over the crystal.

"Why would I want to do a stupid thing like that? I understand why you gave it back, and I forgive you. I knew you still loved me when I looked at the crystal, and if you looked at it you'd realize the same thing."

She hugged him. "I don't deserve you."

He hugged her back tightly. "No, it's me that doesn't deserve you. I still don't know why someone as smart and pretty as you chose a prat like me." Isabella laughed and looked up at Sirius.

"I guess it doesn't matter now, because we're stuck with each other. But I couldn't be happier."

Sirius smiled and kissed her. When he pulled back she was smiling also. "I think we should go to bed, we do have class tomorrow." She said.

Sirius nodded and helped her stand.

Isabella started to walk up the girls staircase, but Sirius put his foot on the step, turning it into a slide and causing Isabella fall back into his arms.

"Goodnight." He whispered before kissing her again.

She smiled at him. "Goodnight." She pulled away and ran up the stairs. Sirius smiled to himself and went to his own dormitory. He was glad that the problems were over.

Little did Sirius know, that that problem was just the beginning.

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