A/N: This chapter is just supposed to be a filler chapter, so that's why it's so short. I wanted to describe why Hogwarts is a more suitable place for Sirius. I also wanted to put a bit more of Casey into the story, so hopefully no one forgot who she is.

Cammie's P.O.V.

I've learned two things in the past two days. One, sleeping on a train is uncomfortable, especially when you lean your head against the window and it rattles so much you get a headache. Two, sleeping on a plane is uncomfortable as well.

When my parents received me from the airport and brought me to the car after hugging me and telling me how much I was missed, I crashed in the backseat. Of course, Abby complained, saying that I took up too much room sprawled across like that. I told her to stuff it.

She didn't know what it meant.

I don't know what time it was when I got home, but I crawled up to my bedroom and fell asleep on my nice, warm, cozy bed. When I woke up, it was three AM. Not exactly the time I wanted to wake up at. So I tried falling back asleep.

It didn't really work. Well, of course it didn't work. I was jet-lagged, and there was an eight hour time difference. I didn't even know what day of the week it was. It's sort of hard to keep track of time flying from one country to the next.

I turned my light on and looked around at my room. It was the same as I had left it, with posters of my favorite Muggle musicians hung on my wall, my guitar case leaning against my wall with my acoustic guitar inside of it, my bookcase stuffed to the brim with all the books I've read, my desk as organized and unused as I've left it. I can't even remember the last time I used it.

My luggage was also in my room. I probably stared at it for a good ten minutes before deciding to get up and take out my school supplies. Three AM is as good a time as any to start homework for the holidays.

By eight AM, I was finished with all the homework I had been assigned, and I could hear my mom cooking in the kitchen. Probably chocolate chip pancakes, from the smell of it. It was tradition. Every time I came back, she made them as my welcome-home breakfast. I just doubt I've ever slept as much as that when I've come back. It's not every time I come back that I stayed up the entire night previously taking care of my drunken best friend.

I realized that I was still in the same disgusting sweats I had worn on the train and the plane. I happily changed out of them, deciding to deal with my nasty hair and body later.

I made my way downstairs, and my mom came over and gave me a huge hug when she saw me.

"Oh, Cammie, I've missed you so much!" she said. "And you were so dead when we picked you up, I didn't even get a chance to ask you how the semester was."

"The semester was fine," I said.

My mom broke the hug and sniffed me. "Why do you smell like vomit?"

Because my drunk friend was throwing up all night and I was taking care of him. "Oh, I got a bit sick on the train," I lied.

"Aww," she said. "That's not fun."

"No, not really."

"Well, no offense but, Cammie, you really smell. Take a shower and then come downstairs, and you're pancakes will be ready, I promise."

I nodded and ran upstairs to take a shower. It was nice and relaxing, ceasing the tensed muscles in my neck and back. When I was finished, I brushed my hair through and put on my same clean pajamas and walked downstairs. Abby was up, and Casey was there.

"Cammie!" she yelled, running towards me and giving me a huge hug.

"Casey!" I said, hugging her back. "Merlin, I've missed you!"

"Stop with the cheesy British accent," Abby said grumpily. She had obviously just woken up.

"Not my fault I go to a school in Britain," I said in a very prominent British accent just to annoy her.

I sat down at the table next to Casey, and my mom put the pancakes next to me. "So, tell me everything."

I laughed. "You pretty much know everything, I've written you over two dozen letters."

"Letters don't express everything. And besides, you have so many friends now, it's hard to keep up. Tell me about everyone."

And I started, talking about Sirius first and explaining the Marauders, how I was friends with all of them, and then I got to talking about Frank, and Alice turned up in the conversation, which got me talking about Lily, which also turned into me discussing Lily's friends Natalie and Clara.

We finally left the house and started walking down to the beach. Merlin, how I've missed the beach.

"Tell me about Tristan," Casey finally begged. "You have to. You're letters are so vague. How did you meet?"

"I was at the Quidditch pitch…"

She listened intently and the story lasted until after we reached the park. She was enjoying this.

"So, is he just like that? Really sweet and charming and cute?"

"He's everything I've ever wanted," I said, answering her question. I laid down on the sand and smiled. "He always compliments me about everything. And he's constantly trying to help me with his homework. He's just…great."

"But that's it?" said Casey. "He's just that?"

"Well, what more is he supposed to be?"

Casey shrugged. "I don't know. Just wondering. So, what happened at Hogwarts that made you sleep all day yesterday?"

"Wait, what day is today?"

"Tuesday."

"Oh. Wow. Well, Sirius, Tristan, and I snuck into Hogsmeade and went to this little illegal bar we know. The bartender gives everyone drinks."

"Wow, who would've thought," said Casey. "Cammie is now an alcoholic."

I laughed. "I'm not even close to becoming an alcoholic. But anyways, Sirius decided to get really wasted for some reason, and the bartender wouldn't sober him up with the spell that he usually would use. So I was up all night taking care of him and helping his vomit make it into the toilet."

"Ew," said Casey. "I can't believe he would just get wasted like that."

"Yeah, and he was all over this girl, too," I said. "It was so weird. Like she was completely humping him. And he was making out with her but like licking her face instead of kissing her lips. It was nasty."

"And you didn't stop him earlier?"

"Well, I was dancing with Tristan. I was having a good time."

Sirius P.O.V.

Why anyone enjoyed the Christmas holidays, I'll never know. I understand getting presents and stuff, but being home is just as annoying as it comes.

Mostly because my parents are being incredibly rude to me, my brother's an annoying prick who won't leave me alone and keeps rubbing in my face that he's the favorite child, and I'm barely allowed out. It's as if I've been grounded for nothing. They have absolutely nothing to ground me for. Yeah, so I've gotten a few detentions. It's not as if the school sends them notices every time I receive one.

There's nothing to do at my house, though. Literally, nothing. I'm not allowed to touch anything in the kitchen, even though I'd like to give a try to cooking. I don't have any musical instrument to play and, even if I did, I doubt I would be allowed to make such loud noise in my house. All the books that are on my bookshelf I've read over and over again since my parents have refused to buy me new books besides the school required ones since first year.

The reason I'm not allowed to do anything now is because, well, I'm a Gryffindor and they're all filthy Slytherins.

The worst part about the solitude? I've already finished my homework. I'm literally dying of boredom.

It's easy to see why Muggles can keep themselves so happy. They have their TV's, their video games…for the first time in my life, I want to give a try to being a Muggle.

Bored out of my mind, I took out a piece of parchment and a feather pen.

Dear Cammie,

Hope you're having a better time in California than I am in England. Next year, I'm not even going to bother going home for the Christmas holidays, I'm just going to stay at the school.

There's also so much snow here! I don't think we've ever had this huge of a snowfall. People have to come and clean it out of our streets. Well, that's the Muggles, and no one can really see our house, so whatever. I've probably told you all about that, too.

How's the snow over in California? Has the ocean frozen over yet?

Wait…does it snow down in Malibu? I wouldn't know, I've never been anywhere outside of the country.

I don't know if my owl will be able to reach you before Christmas, so I'm attaching the present I got you. It's a long journey to another country. You were the one to tell me that even planes can't do it all that fast. I'm pretty sure my owl can, though. He's super speedy!

Can't wait to get back to Hogwarts. See you in a couple of weeks,

Sincerely, Sirius.

Wow. The ending to that just sounded weird. And cheesy. And I'm actually giving thought to it. I am bored out of my mind.

Cammie's P.O.V.

It was four in the morning on Christmas day when I heard a tapping on my window. Surprised, I got out of bed sleepily to see Sirius's owl with a letter attached to its leg, along with a package.

I opened my window quickly and let the owl in, which flew right over to my unused desk and sat there, waiting for me to come over and retrieve the letter. I walked over and unattached the envelope and the package, and then opened my owl's cage for it, to which it flew in and started drinking and eating.

It didn't take too long for me to read Sirius's letter. I had sent him one, too, and perhaps mine had already reached him. Hopefully, he'll like my present. I sent a present and letter to Tristan, too, and Lily and Alice and James and Remus and Peter. Yes, even Peter, too. I can't leave out one Marauder.

I then looked at the little package. It looked as though it had been opened and then wrapped up again. I wasn't too surprised. The Dark Lord or whatever he was called was getting even bigger now. I was safe in California, though. He hasn't reached the States yet.

I started tearing at the Christmas wrapping, white with little green Christmas trees all over it, and a mixed pattern of jingle bells as well. Opening it, I found another charm for my bracelet. On the charm was a tiny, shaggy dog. It was meant to represent Sirius. I laughed at the cuteness of it, and then quickly attached it to my bracelet.

I got back into my bed, charm bracelet on my wrist, locket on my neck, and started to drift back into sleep when another tap on my window awoke me yet again. And then another tap. And another. I got up to see three more owls outside my window.

Not so confused this time, I let them into my room, and the smallest one of them, which I could tell was Alice's, hooted happily, to which I shushed hurriedly. The three of them landed on my desk, letters and parcels included. I started with Alice's owl, since it seemed to have the most pent up energy.

Hey Cammie!

Just thought I'd send you a Christmas present. Who knows when it'll get there? You're in California, for Merlin's sakes! That's, like, all the way across the ocean, and then all the way across the U.S. Seriously, it's far. I hope my owl's okay. Be sure to give her a lot of food and water. Oh, and attention, as well.

Anyways. Back to the point…

Happy Christmas!

And, well, since I sent this to you like one day into break, well, there isn't much new stuff to say. So, yeah. I'll just wish you a happy Christmas. Can't wait to see you back at school!

Love ya, Alice.

I smiled and then took her present to open it. Inside was a nice, and I mean really nice, purse. Although clumsy and stupid at points, Alice had a great sense of fashion, and her parents, well, they weren't poor. It made me feel ashamed for the simple t-shirt I had gotten her for Christmas.

The next one was from Lily. The letter was simple, just Lily. All it said was, Hi Cammie! Merry Christmas! Hope you're having fun back in California. Can't wait to talk to you back at school. Yeah. Not much to say here, it's only a day into break. Have a good one! Lily.

The present was a book she thought I would like, the biography of one of the world's greatest Keepers. Though she wasn't a Quidditch fan, Lily, like me, had an aptitude for reading books. We both know the genre the other likes, or what kind of books would be appropriate for anyone. Obviously, this book was definitely appropriate for me.

The next one was James's owl, although it was from both James and Remus. Obviously, four owls are enough to send over the Atlantic.

The owl was carrying one letter and one present.

Hey Cammie!

We figured that there were probably going to be a lot of owls coming your way, so Remus and I decided to send you just one present with my owl. So, yeah. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

We hope you have a good one. Obviously, it won't be as good, since we're not there but, of course, you'll have a good time anyways.

See you back at school! James and Remus.

And the present was so perfect that I could just tell it was from the both of them. It was classical in a way that represented Remus, and sporty in a way that represented James. It was another charm for my bracelet, one of a broomstick. It was cute, and I attached it to my bracelet right away.

I looked towards my window, hoping that perhaps another person, my boyfriend, Tristan, might have sent me a Christmas present as well. But as I looked out, as far as I could see, I saw no other owl in sight. A little crestfallen, I put some newspapers on the floor so the owls had a place to poop, since there was no more room in the tiny owl cage, and put out some more food and water for them.

I slowly crawled back into my bed and stared at the ceiling, hoping that I would fall asleep sooner or later. Hoping that Tristan actually remembered I was his girlfriend over winter break. Hoping that when we got back to Hogwarts, he would still be calling me hot and beautiful and still hugging me and touching me in some way.

But why was I hoping for this all of a sudden? It used to come naturally, the feeling of being adored by him. Why do I feel as if I have to earn it now?

Sirius's P.O.V.

Christmas. I remember celebrating it as a kid, with all of my family over. Bellatrix and Narcissa would always try to put some spell on me while I would run away. Usually, I would keep by Andromeda, but she was disowned once she graduated, which was my third year. Starting my fourth year, Narcissa started to bring Lucius Malfoy over, whom she was obsessed with, but back then they weren't dating. They're both seventh years now, and inseparable as a couple.

Regulus is hanging onto Bellatrix this year. It's as if she has complete control over him, and he's willing to let it be that way. Bellatrix is walking along the hallways of my house as if she owns the place.

Me? I'm hiding out in my room. Cammie, along with sending me a very nice Christmas present, which was a framed picture of the two of us having a water fight in the lake, she sent over some books, both wizard and Muggle. Today, I'm reading the Muggle one, and I'm surprised to find that it's actually very interesting.

Crap, I sound like Moony.

But it really is a good book, and I need all the entertainment I can get. I've got a total of ten books from her, and I've got another week to read them all. I've got a feeling I'll read them all and have time left over.

"Aww, are you reading?" I heard a drawl from the doorway and turned to find Narcissa.

"How old do you think I am, five?" I asked, rolling my eyes. I spotted Lucius with her.

"I didn't know you liked to read," said Lucius, coming over to me to try to snatch the book out of my hands. I yanked it away before he could touch it. "Oh, grow up, I just want to see the book."

"You wouldn't know it, anyways," I said. "You probably hate to read."

Lucius shrugged. "True," he said.

It was Narcissa that ended up grabbing the book. "Sirius, this isn't even a normal book!" she exclaimed. "It's written by Muggles."

I tried to shrug nonchalantly. I don't care too much anymore what they say to me, but having them know and tell the entire family, well, it's not exactly good. For all I know, I could be locked up in my room without an escape. And accidental magic isn't a good thing. It's not a good thing at all.

"You're reading a Muggle book?" said Lucius, shaking his head and laughing. "You really are the family disgrace!"

I clenched my hands into fists. "Can I have the book back?"

"No way!" said Narcissa. "No, I'm showing this to your mum!"

I could feel my blood running cold through my veins. I just about froze, and was a second late when Narcissa ran out of the room with the book in her hands, me chasing after her.

"Come on, Narcissa!" I yelled after her. "It's mine!"

But I was just standing there, witnessing her showing the book to my mum. A tremble went down my spine, even though I knew my mother would never beat me. No, she could do things a hundred times worse. Lock me in my room. Take away some eating privileges. Not let me write to my friends, the only people that can keep me sane while locked up in this madhouse…

Or maybe I could be blowing this out of proportion.

Or maybe I'm not being as creative as she is now. After all, everyone in my family except for me and Andromeda hates Muggles and Mudbloods. I'm screwed right now.

Cammie's P.O.V.

"No, but seriously, Geoff was being so stupid," Casey was saying she was sitting on my bed. "I mean, he wrote on my jeans in sharpie. Everyone knows that permanent marker is permanent! Otherwise, it wouldn't be called permanent marker."

I laughed. "You know, I could get the permanent marker out easily. There's a spell you use—"

"But there's no magic outside of Hogwarts unless you're seventeen," Casey cited. "You know how much hell that gives me, right? I can't even see your magic until the winter break of your last year!"

"Hey, it's not something I can control," I said. "Rules are rules."

"And this is a rule you can't break?"

"Hey, I break a lot of rules now," I said. "I don't care a lot of the time anymore. It's just that, if I break this, I get in trouble with the Ministry of Magic, and I could get expelled. And I just started enjoying this different world, I don't want to get kicked out of it."

It's weird to think that at the beginning of the year I didn't care if I was kicked out of it.

"Fine!" Casey grumbled, falling to the floor off my bed. I laughed at her, and she sat there while I continued packing. I was leaving tomorrow.

"The permanent marker incident reminds me of a detention I had with Sirius, though," I said, laughing. "We had an ink fight."

"Yeah, yeah, you've told me," said Casey. "Have you ever noticed that all of your stories involve Sirius in some way?"

I thought that over. "No, not all of them. I have a bunch with just me, Alice, and Lily."

"Yeah, but most of them are about Sirius and Tristan," said Casey. "And Tristan, by the way, hasn't even talked to you all of winter break."

I tried to ignore the minor detail that had been ruining my week and a half vacation. "Yeah, well, it's hard to, sometimes. We live in two different countries."

"He's Muggleborn, he has a phone."

"It costs a lot to call."

Just then, an owl tapped on my window. I let it in and recognized it as Tristan's. "See?" I said to Casey. "He didn't forget about me."

"That's Tristan's owl?" said Casey.

"Mmhmm," I said, smiling triumphantly to myself. A package and a letter were tied to the owl's foot, and I untied both, then opened my owl's cage for Tristan's owl. I opened the letter.

Hey, babe. Merry Christmas! I miss you so much, you have no idea. I can't wait to see you back at school. I hope you like the present I got you. See you soon, Tristan.

I smiled. He did remember me. And he misses me.

"That's way shorter than Sirius's letter," Casey commented.

"Do you have to compare?" I asked, sticking my tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes at my childishness.

"Well, open his present!" Casey said. "I want to see what he got you."

I took the small package and opened it. Inside was a simple box of chocolates. I opened it, and inside they were melted.

My heart dropped a tiny bit. "Well, it's the thought that counts," I said.

"A box of chocolates, Cam?" said Casey. "First off, he's way late and doesn't admit it. Second, he sends you a box of chocolates for Christmas. Shouldn't your boyfriend want to send you something more personal?"

"We haven't been together that long," I said. "Don't blame him."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said.