Summary: Sometimes life was sweet, but with a bitter ending. Sometimes it was the opposite. Just like butterbeer.

Full Summary: James Potter was in his prime. He was Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor, he had become Animagus to help Remus, and his group of friends were at their height in their pranking career. Now all he had left was to woo the girl. Lily Evans. But of course, James doesn't do things halfway, and all he needed was someone to help him. Now who fit's the role? Only, Olivia Grey. Of course, Slytherin's aren't always the most helpful type, and Sirius Black knows so. Could she be hiding any ulterior motives?

Author's Note: I highly doubt that you think I own Harry Potter, but just let me clarify. I don't.

Embre's POV

Potions with the Slytherins on this particular Monday was one marauder short of a disaster. Notice that I said one marauder short, because James had been missing classes ever since Friday last week. No one touched on the reason why, but Olivia had told me.

Euphemia Potter had died of dragon pox. She had passed last Friday at St. Mungo's Hospital. Olivia didn't pry much deeper than that, and if she did, she didn't tell anyone. Remus has been taking James his missing homework so that he doesn't fall behind right before OW.L.'s, but everyone knows Potter either struggles to do it or doesn't even bother. No one blames him. He usually sits in the corner of the common room or in an empty classroom. He always has a piece of parchment by his side, and Olivia told me they were unfinished letters to his sister, among others.

But back to the present. Potions with Slytherins is the worst. Not to mention that it's a double period! You'd think that with James missing and Sirius withdrawn, things would be quieter than usual. Well, think again. Not even halfway through the period, Severus Snape started to mutter under his breath about 'incompetent Potter and his useless family'. Apparently, Peter was on one today because he turned around and punched Snape right in the face. It quickly became an all out fight, and when Professor Slughorn came back from his Potions closet he awarded the whole class with detention. The only one safe from his wrath was Lily and everyone else in his precious Slug Club.

Then, as if things weren't bad enough, he decided to have us finish our potion's in pairs. He paired me with Snape, and while I got a perfect score (something rare in Potions), my dislike towards Snape only grew. I mean, I gave him a chance! Lily must like him for a reason, but it's just… he's just… no. There's no other way to put it. My parents always told me to give people chances. but there are some people that you just… you can't.

Everything about Snape was dark and pessimistic. He was nothing at all like Lily or anyone I hang out with. He was just so tragic and brooding. He didn't want to be saved, either. Or at least he made no attempt to convey such emotions. He refused to speak to me. The only words that were exchanged had to do with me not cutting the ginger root fine enough. We were the first pair to finish the potion, Olivia and Apolline Corner finishing a few minutes after. Severus continued to ignore me during this time, opting to scribble in some book and mutter under his breath. All I can say is that I tried. I really did.

When the bell rang for us to leave, Snape was the first out the door. Lily was racing after him, like usual. Olivia left with Florence Taylor, pulling up her sock as she went. I stayed a bit longer, waiting for everyone to pass before getting up. The only one still in the classroom was Sirius, and we shared a look before Andrew pulled me out the door.

…
Olivia's POV

It's official. After this year, this very long, excruciating year, I am no longer taking Transfiguration. Sue me. Fight me. Do what you will- do your worst. Nothing - and I mean nothing - can make me continue to study something like Transfiguration. It's interesting - I'll give it that - but it's not interesting enough to make me suffer. Nothing is that interesting. Especially not something like Transfiguration.

I sighed and smacked my head on my Transfiguration book. "Why me?"

Amos, who was 'helping me study', laughed. "Drama Queen." I lifted my head up and raised an eyebrow. He laughed some more and turned the page of my book a couple times. "Maybe if you were on the right page, Transfiguration wouldn't be so difficult."

"Maybe if I had a study partner that helped me, I'd understand Transfiguration better."

"Maybe if you'd give it a chance, I could help you." I groaned. Amos always wins our bicker battles, doesn't he? He always had some sort of answer to my sarcastic comments. It made sense that we're close friends. If fact, Amos had been my first friend at Hogwarts. Of course, we had been friends before then, but I still think of him as the first. Jianyu is second, and only this year has our friend group expanded tenfold.

"Hey, Amos, Mary at 8 o'clock." Amos looked up and propped his book up so that it effectively covered his face. Then he turned a lovely shade of red, much to his chagrin. That's right. Amos Diggory has a crush on Mary MacDonald. There had been a time when it was so debilitating he couldn't even look her in the eye, but with my coaching, he's gotten better at hiding it.

Of course, the whole school knows Mary has a crush on Amos - Diggory included - but he's too chicken to make the first move. Or at least, that's what Jianyu thinks. I know that Amos has the guts to do it, he just doesn't because he's unsure. Almost afraid, but not quite. It's not the rejection that scares him (Lord knows Mary would rather die than reject him), but commitment. Amos likes to run away from his problems, girls included. He doesn't make a move because he knows what happens next. I understand why, but I'd never tell a soul.

That doesn't stop me from being a typical friend and shoving him into situations with Mary. Amos, however, has gotten used to this and is a master at keeping their relationship purely platonic. "See you later, lover boy."

I left Amos to his own devices, silently urging Mary to go in for the kill. They have chemistry and whatever else is needed for a success, the only thing holding them back is fear. Mary has to get over her fear of rejection, and Amos has to get over his fear of commitment. You see, it's quite simple, but neither of those things is going to happen if Amos has someone to coddle him.

Nah, better push him off the deep end. He'll figure it out, he just needs that initial push.

On my way out of the library, I passed Andrew, Jianyu, and Vanessa. They were huddled in a corner, whispering excitedly. Jianyu winked at me and I rolled my eyes. He was always planning something, wasn't he? Well, at least someone is having a good time. Everyone seemed to be going through a rough patch. James' mother had died, there had been mysterious disappearances all over the country, and even Remus seemed to be having a bad couple weeks. It was like everyone was on edge, holding their breath for what was going to come.

I saw James sleeping at a table and slipped a roll of parchment next to him. So what if it was the assigned essay from Potions? James wasn't going to get it done, everyone knew that. His grades didn't need to suffer because of his personal struggles. Besides, James is my friend. I won't let him struggle alone. What's an extra essay, anyway?

...
Embre's POV

1:53 a.m. It's 1:53 a.m. and I can't sleep. It's not one of those times when you're so stressed you can't sleep, and it's not one of those times where you're too worried to sleep either. It was something completely different. I'm not sure how to explain it exactly. It's one of those mixes between 'the-night-before-Christmas' and 'too-exhausted-to-sleep'. It's an odd feeling.

I sat in bed for a moment, trying to coax myself to sleep, but nothing seemed to work. I'm not worried about O.W.L.'s or anything like that, I just can't sleep. Maybe I'm awake in someone else's dream. You can't sleep when you're awake in someone else's dream, or at least that's what my mom told me.

I sat up with a sigh. I'm not going to fall asleep. At least not right now. Maybe a change of scenery would work. I slipped out of bed and with great skill, managed to slip on a pair of jeans and boots. I grabbed a cloak off of my four-poster and headed down the steps, barely daring to breathe until I was out of Gryffindor Tower. I escaped the Fat Lady's usual questions and from there I was only a few staircases away from the entirety of the castle.

There's something comforting about being alone in a castle. The walls are definitely different from home, but it's comforting all the same. I pointed my wand at the ground to not disturb any of the paintings, and I took different turns around the castle, not really caring where I ended up. I'd find my way back to the tower later. For now, getting lost is what I need.

It's funny how you find corridors to disappear in when you're alone.

I think I found my way to the Divination Tower. Each tower was laid out a bit different, and the Divination Tower lacks the openness that the Astronomy Tower has. But I could be in the East Tower, it just seemed more reasonable that I was by the Divination classroom. I leaned up against the railing on the Tower, feeling the bite of the January wind on my cheeks. It was nice here, quiet. Quiet enough for a nice little nap…

My eyes snapped open. Someone was behind me and probably had been the whole time. They let out a cough and I turned around slowly, my curiosity killing me slowly.

The silhouette was familiar, even though they were curled up into a ball, something other than laughter making it rock. I didn't say a word, just sat next to them. Grey eyes met mine, filled to the brim with tears. I nodded in understanding and some of the tears overflowed, spilling onto flawless cheeks.

Sirius' POV

The stars were reflected in her eyes. They were clearly displayed on the blue backdrop of her iris. I had never seen such eyes, such blue eyes. How had I never noticed her eyes before? They had flecks of green in them. It was like looking at the world and cosmos at once. There wasn't pity in the eyes, not even sadness. Just acceptance. Acceptance of me, of the world, of everything. I saw myself reflected in those eyes, but I was happy. I was complete.

And her eyes shone like the stars.