Surprises

Lily stood in the middle of the classroom. What they had just seen, what they'd just experienced had left many unanswered questions. Why was Charlotte's mother so cruel to her when she had always appeared like every other loving mother? Who were the people posing as Charlotte's parents on all the summer vacations? Who was Charlotte's real father? Why had Charlotte never told them about the friendship she had with Sirius? Why did Charlotte sleep with Sirius? Why was Sophie so angry about it? All of these questions were coming to her all at once.

Charlotte was still on the floor crying and muttering words that Lily couldn't recognise. She went over to her and knelt down beside her curled up frame. Lily put her arm around her and pulled Charlotte up. She brushed the hair out of her face and spoke gently. "Charlie, are you ok?"

"I…I didn't want you to see that," she said.

"How did it happen?"

"I don't know…well I guess I do. We were just really drunk, I never meant for it to happen, I don't even like him that way."

"Yeah, not to be rude, but has that ever stopped you before?"

"Well no, but I've been friends with him since I can't remember. I wouldn't sleep with you or Sophie so why would it be any different with him. We were best friends until we came to Hogwarts," Charlotte said. She had stopped crying now but was red in the face.

"Ok, but why didn't you try to stop it from happening?"

"I don't know. I was just upset and he was comforting me, probably too much, but all the same comforting me."

"And does he remember any of it?"

"Yeah, we decided not to talk about it, we both knew it was a mistake. Believe me, if I could take it back I would."

"I know, I know," Lily said as she hugged her. "I think its time to go to bed."

"Yeah, I've had enough," Charlotte said getting to her feet.

"Come on, I'll take you back to the dormitory," Lily said moving towards the door. She picked up the two bottles of alcohol they had left there before and helped Charlotte back to Gryffindor Tower.

Sophie walled down the corridors in a huff. Swinging the small flask in her hand, she stormed all the way back to Gryffindor Tower as fast as she could. Horrible thoughts were running through her mind and images of the memories she had witnessed were flashing in front of her eyes.

How could Charlotte sleep with Sirius? Of all the people that were at the party, she slept with Sirius, the one guy that Sophie liked? Ok, so nobody knew that Sophie liked Sirius but that wasn't the point. The point was that Charlotte had had ever guy she ever wanted and Sophie had never once slept with anyone just for the sake of it; it just wasn't right!

She said the password sternly when she reached the portrait hole and strode up the stairs to the boys dormitories. She burst into the Mauraders' dormitory and started looking for Sirius' bed. When she found her target, Sophie strode over and flung her bottle of vodka at the sleeping form of Sirius Black. He woke with a start and looked around trying to spot the perpetrator. When his eyes finally adjusted to the light, he saw Sophie standing before him, hands on her hips. "Hey babe, what's up?"

"What's up? What's up? I'll tell you what's up," she said angrily. "Why did you sleep with Charlotte?"

"What?" he said in amazement, sitting up.

"You heard me," she said.

"Ok, let's go for a walk."

"I don't want to go for a walk; I want you to tell me why you slept with Charlotte."

"Alright, I'll explain, but can we not do this here?" he said, pointing to Remus and Peter who were sleeping.

"Fine," Sophie said exiting the dormitory. She waited downstairs in the Common Room for Sirius who was changing. When he emerged, he led Sophie out of Gryffindor Tower and out into the school grounds.

"So, it's a lovely night tonight isn't it?" Sirius said looking up at the stars.

"Don't make small talk with me; tell me why you slept with Charlotte," Sophie demanded.

"How did you find out?"

"I saw it."

"What? You saw it, how is that possible?"

"I saw the memory of it."

"But how?"

"Does it really matter? Just tell me why you did it."

"I didn't mean to, I wasn't in control when it happened. If you saw the memory of it like you say you did then did you not see how drunk we were? I was off my face, so was Charlotte. She was upset and I wanted to comfort her."

"Good load more than comforting is what you did."

"I know, it was a mistake, it should never have happened," he said sitting down at the edge of the lake. Sophie sat down next to him.

"Why didn't you tell me about it?" she asked.

"Because it's in the past, I didn't think it was important. It happened two years ago Sophie, long before we got together."

"Two years ago?" she said.

"Yes, two years ago at one of our friend's birthday parties. We moved on from it Sophie, both of us. It didn't mean a thing to either of us."

"But if you want to be with her-"

"Sophie," Sirius said taking her hands and looking into her eyes. "I've been dating you, not her. I love you, not Charlotte, you," he said before taking her in his arms and kissing away all her doubts.

After several moments, Sirius pulled back. "Do I have to translate that for you?"

"I'm going to take that as an 'I'm sorry'."

"Correct."

"Can you guess what this means then?" Sophie said before pulling Sirius' head to her and kissed him gently.

"Is that an 'I forgive you'?"

"Yes," Sophie said lying down and gazing up at the stars.

"By the way, you're a much better kisser," Sirius said looking down at her, trying to get back on Sophie's good side.

"Come on, up the stairs," Lily said pulling Charlotte up.

"She's never going to talk to me again."

"Don't be silly, she was just angry. When she calms down and you explain to her it'll all be fine," Lily said trying to convince Charlotte of something she herself wasn't to sure about.

"No, I've stuffed it this time, I couldn't keep my fucking pants on and now I've lost one of my best friends."

"It was a mistake; she knows that, she just needs some time to calm down."

"Whatever you say."

Sophie and Lily sat in the Great Hall at breakfast the next morning eating their food quietly. Lily munched her toast while reading the Daily Prophet. Sophie was finishing some of the homework she had left til the last minute; History of Magic was quite dull and she always left it til last.

Peter, Remus and Sirius came down the table towards them. Peter was humming a tune loudly and skipping down the row.

"Shut up, for God's sake it's only 8:30," Sophie snapped at him.

"Well, sorry," Peter said giving her a dirty look and sitting down on the other side of the table as far away from Sophie as possible.

"Good morning Lily, Sophie," Remus said sitting down and pulling a discarded newspaper towards him.

"It isn't really," Sophie said, dipping her quill into the ink and starting on the fifth paragraph of her essay.

"Good morning Remus," Lily said pouring some more orange juice into her goblet.

Further down the table, a first year boy had a small ball in his hand and was pretending to throw it at his friends, saying "think fast" and laughing when they flinched.

"Why do insolent little brats have to ruin everything?" Sophie said opening her textbook and flipping through.

"Because they like to piss you off, it's the only thing their good at," James said.

"That's right, they're no good at magic yet so they have to do something," Sirius added.

"Think fast," the first year squealed.

"God, he sounds like a fucking pig," Sophie grumbled.

"Do you really have to use the word 'fucking'?" Lily asked.

"Well, when I'm angry yes."

"It really isn't necessary," Lily said folding the newspaper up and setting it down next to a plate of sausages.

"Think fast," the first year squeaked.

"Well, I don't know what else to say to express my anger."

"Think fast."

"Why don't you just say 'I'm angry'?"

"Because nobody says that, besides it isn't strong enough."

"Think fast."

"Right, I've had enough of that," Sophie said slamming her text book shut and picking it up. "Think fast," she yelled throwing the text book at the first year. It hit him squarely in the face.

"ARGH, MUMMY," the boy screamed clutching his face.

"Oh no!" cried a first year girl.

"Shit, Sophie why'd you have to do that?" Lily said getting up and walking over to the crying first year. "It's ok, move your hands away so I can see your face," she said trying to pull the hands away from the boy's nose. There was blood all over his face and dripping down onto the table.

"I think his nose is broken," Lily said to no one in particular.

"Cool," said two of the boy's friends.

"James, will you help me take him to the hospital wing?" Lily said trying to lift him off the seat.

The Mauraders were all laughing their heads off, except Peter who was still angry about Sophie telling him to shut up.

"James, please," Lily pleaded.

"Alright, alright," he said rising to help her.

"Why are you so bitchy this morning?" Remus asked.

"Do you have a problem with it?" she said turning to him with a look in her eyes saying 'go on, I dare you to have a go at me'.

"No, no, just wondering."

"Well don't," she said shutting her books and rolling up the parchment. She packed her book bag.

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked.

"I've got to go and finish this stupid essay today and I can't do that around these lunatics," she said nodding towards the rest of the first years laughing.

Before lunch, Lily went to the girls' dormitory in Gryffindor tower to try and get Charlotte to leave her bed.

"No, I am not going out. She will see me," she said stubbornly.

"Come on, just come for lunch."

"No, no, no," Charlotte said shaking her head.

"You can't hide in here forever."

"Well, I lasted a week before, who says I can't do it for longer this time?"

"You are being ridiculous."

"No, I am being sensible. If I went out there she'd rip me to shreds."

"You have to talk to her about this, otherwise-"

"Otherwise what?"

"I don't know, but if you leave this it's going to get worse."

"I'll see how I feel after lunch, ok," she said.

"Alright."

Sophie and Lily sat under a large tree in the school grounds. Sophie had finally finished her History of Magic essay and they had decided to spend some time by the lake. Charlotte strode over to the two of them. Lily was shocked to see her out of her dormitory.

"What do you want?" Sophie asked picking up a twig and snapping it in between her fingers.

"I want to talk about this."

"What's there to talk about? You slept with Sirius."

"It was a mistake, I never meant for it to happen, I'm sorry," Charlotte said.

"Ok."

"Believe me, I would take it back if I could. I was drunk; I didn't know what I was doing."

"It's ok," Sophie said.

"What?"

"Yes, its ok, I forgive you and I understand."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"I really am sorry."

"I know, let's just forget about it."

"Ok, but before we do can I just ask one question?"

"Yes."

"Why were you angry about it?"

"Because…because…because I love him."

"You love him?" Lily said. Both her own and Charlotte's jaws had dropped.

"He's my boyfriend."

"He's you're boyfriend?" Charlotte said in amazement.

"Yes, are you guys just going to repeat everything I say?"

"No, but jeez, you sure know how to shock people."

"I guess I should explain then," Sophie said.

"Yeah, that would be good," Lily said closing her mouth.

"Alright. Sit down Charlotte," she said. "Ok, Sirius and I have been secretly dating for the past month and a bit. That is why I was angry about you sleeping with him; I didn't know it was two years ago, I thought it was more recently."

"I should have told you guys about it before," Charlotte said looking down. "But I was ashamed and I didn't think it was important."

"Hey, we all make mistakes," Lily said.

"I think I've made a hundred more than you guys though."

"That's probably true, but you can stop making mistakes from now on," Sophie said.

"I'm going to try. Wait you and Sirius. How did I not know about this?"

"We decided to keep it a secret because we didn't know how serious it was. I mean its Sirius Black we're talking about; how long do his flings usually last!"

"Good point," Charlotte said. "But he obviously likes you a lot, for it to last this long. You're not just giving him sex are you?"

"No, God no. I've only slept with him twice."

"Are you sure?" she asked raising her eyebrow.

"Ok, maybe more."

"I knew it."

"But I think he does like me, not just for that. He told me he loved me last night, does he say that often?"

"In my experience of his relationships no, so I'm guessing he does like you."

"Oh good, I wouldn't want to be wasting my time."

"You know what they say; if the sex is good-"

"Oh please, come on guys," Lily said.

"What, our sex lives are worth sharing," Charlotte said cheekily. Gwen Landers, resident Hufflepuff gossip queen, came out from behind the tree with a look of utter surprise and shock on her face.

"What were you doing there?" Sophie snapped.

"Nothing," she said before running away. It wasn't hard to guess where she would be going.

"Oh shit!"

A/N: YAY, two chapters in one day, you've got to be proud of me! Nic is. that was random. did you like the think fast thing? thats based on a real life event; it was hilarious.

if it wasn't clear to you (because i know that it isn't always clear how things are meant to be understood) Gwen Landers the hufflepuff is a gossip queen and she was running away from lily, charlotte and sophie to go and tell her friends about what she'd justheard (she was listening to most of the conversation) and start some rumours which just so happen to be true. are they rumours then if they're true? sorry that was a personal thought but feel free to tell me in your reviews.

ok, please review if you want. i hope you like this chapter

anie