It was dark when Bella finally left the Library. She was alone. Evan had left several hours before for Quidditch practice and Dromeda was off with some of her four-year friends. Bella absentmindedly twirled her wand in circles creating patterns of light which drifted up to the great ceiling like silvery snakes. As she rounded the corner she paused. It was "his" voice. She could barely make out the silhouettes of the two boys standing in the next corridor. They were whispering in hushed tones. Bella immediately stopped fiddling with her wand and strained to hear better.

"Come on mate," she heard Sirius say. "We got to do it".

"It's not going to work" Bella recognized the other voice as James.

"We don't know that. We only know there is a strong possibility it won't work" Sirius said. "Besides" He continued, "everything has been set up for years now. You were fine with it yesterday". "Yeah but I don't much feel like imploding or having my face melt off or something, you know?"

"No it's just cause you finally got Evans to do something other than scowl at you and you don't want to screw up any chance you might get".

Same difference mate. I don't think Lily would be too attracted to me with a melted face".

"Yeah because she's so attracted to you as it is".

"She is. I'm telling you. I can feel it. She wants me she just doesn't know it yet," James insisted.

Sirius laughed a pleasant sound. Bella was surprised by how much she missed hearing that sound. "Yeah I'm sure that's it, James."

"Go ahead laugh away-"

"I will thank you."

"but I would have thought you'd want to keep that pretty face of yours intact for...you know" James broke off. Who did he mean? Bella wondered suddenly feeling jealous though she wasn't quite sure why.

Bella could almost hear Sirius's shrug "it's not like she ever had that much sway over me. We're not even talking anymore."

"See there's the part I don't get. I mean don't get me wrong I'm happy you're not talking to the bitch anymore but you guys used to hang like all the time. Then you decided you liked her and a day later you're not even speaking to one another?"

"Yeah pretty much".

"But why".

"We had kind of a fight"

"So"

"Well she's not exactly the most reasonable person around"

"So you just gave up?"

"Pretty much"

"Padfoot" James sounded exasperated. "But you like her"

"It's not like I haven't tried talking to her. She just doesn't want to have anything to do with me"

"Honestly mate, Lily rejected me for years now-"

"She still is"

"Not for long and not the point. The point is your going to give up after one little fight"

"There are other problems besides the whole fight thing"

"Like?"

"Well the family thing for one oh and the fact she has a boyfriend remember"

"Still think it's a mistake to give up so fast"

"I'm not giving up. Just taking a hint"

"Sure" James sounded unconvinced.

"Can we stop talking about this Prongs?" Sirius said. "How'd we even get on the subject in the first place it has nothing to do with whether or not were doing this thing tomorrow or not."

"Yeah right I'm still not sure about this."

"Come on we promised Moony we would."

"Yeah I know."

"Plus think of how cool it would be if we do it. Come on Prongs your acting more like Remus or Peter than James".

That seemed to jolt James attention because he immediately responded with "Yeah your right. Let's to this."

"Good so it's settled. Tomorrow at the house."

"Yeah and if my face melts off you get to tell what happened at my wedding"

"So now you two are getting married?"

"Yeah didn't I mention it before?"

"Not a word" their voices began to fade down the hall.

"So we have a deal Padfoot"

"Yeah sure Prongs. As long as I get to be best man"

More laughter.

In the shadows Bella finally relaxed. What were they up to? And who was the girl?

Normally the first part of the question would have held greater interest for her but strangely enough tonight each part of the question held equal weight in her mind. Whatever they were doing it was obviously dangerous.

Dangerous and forbidden.

Enough so that the mighty daring James Potter was questioning its merits. Something for Moony. But what and which one of their little friends was Moony. Padfoot and Prongs were obviously nickname Sirius and James had for each other she knew that much. Sirius had told her that ages ago but it hadn't occurred to her that Sirius's other two friends might have a nickname as well.

I'll have to ask Sirius about that tomorrow," she thought before remembering that she wasn't talking to him anymore.

Yes she wasn't talking to her cousin anymore so did that entail that she was the girl James had mentioned? The one Sirius liked? It was possible. They had never mentioned a name. They had, had a fight and ever since she refused to talk to him. but did that mean that Sirius could really like her? It hardly seemed likely and yet Bella could feel her heart speed up at the idea. She changed her course away from the Slytherin common room and aimlessly wandered the halls playing over what she had heard.

"I don't care what he thinks of me" Bells said suddenly to the still empty hall. "It's not like it makes a difference anyway. I don't like him." but the words sounded insincere and more like she was trying to
convince herself than stating a fact even to her own ears.