Chapter 20

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay and help you study?" Lily asked Erica as she shifted nervously on her feet. They were standing in the Entrance Hall after breakfast that Saturday, waiting for Lily's date to show up. It was a Hogsmeade weekend and she had agreed to go to The Three Broomsticks with Nathanial Archibald, a fifth year Hufflepuff.

"Why are you trying to get out of your date?" Erica asked curiously. "I thought you liked this guy."

"I do," Lily said, glancing around the hall. "I'm just nervous."

Erica rolled her eyes. Like Lily had any reason to be nervous. She was one of the prettiest girls that Erica had ever met, and it seemed like she didn't even realize how beautiful she was. She could tell that the boys in Hogwarts had noticed, though. James was pretty much madly in love with her, although he had thankfully stopped being so blatant about it, and other random boys were constantly asking her out. This was the first time Lily had actually been nervous for a date, though. "Well, if it's horrible, you can always join me in the library," Erica said.

Lily bit her lip. "Don't tempt me. And I swear, if Potter tries to mess this up for me –"

"He won't." Or at least Erica hoped he wouldn't, he had gotten much better lately. She spotted Nathanial's light blonde hair and pointed him out to her friend.

Lily said, "I'll see you at dinner, then." Then she took a deep breath before walking over to him, looking as if she thought she was off to the slaughterhouse.

"Have fun," Erica called after her.

Lily shot her a quick smile before disappearing into the crowd. Erica turned to head back up to the common room, but she hadn't gone more than three steps before running into James and Peter. "She's dating Archibald?" James asked, looking after the redhead in a combination of shock and disgust. "Archibald? Really? I thought she had better taste than that."

"Well, she has managed to stay away from you all these years," Erica pointed out. "You've got to give her credit for that."

Peter sniggered as James scowled. "Is she really going out with him?" he asked.

"Yes," Erica said. "And you better leave her alone in Hogsmeade if you ever want a chance with her."

"Whatever," James grumbled, watching Lily and Nathanial walk out the door.

"I mean it, James," Erica said, trying and failing to sound threatening. "You'll ruin all of the progress you've made."

"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "We're only going into the village to get some more firewhiskey. Our stores are embarrassingly low."

"Alcoholics," Erica joked, shaking her head.

"You drank more than half of it!" James laughed.

Erica shoved him playfully. "See you later," she said before turning and climbing the stairs. She wasn't really looking forward to her Saturday. She had essays to write for Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions, essays that she had been putting off for almost a week now. But with Lily, Jenn and James in Hogsmeade, she really had no other options. Well, unless she felt like wandering around the castle aimlessly, but that didn't sound like much fun. With her luck, she'd probably run right into Snape and she was pretty sure that he hated her almost as much as he hated the Marauders. The castle was pretty deserted, most of the students in or above the third year had opted to go to Hogsmeade on the clear, chilly spring day, so she wasn't that surprised to find the common room almost empty. She grabbed her things from her dormitory before sitting at a table by an open window, across the room from a handful of first and second years.

She was halfway through her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay when the portrait hole opened and Sirius Black crawled back inside. He glanced at her before sitting in an armchair by the fire and she could feel her heart rate picking up. It had been three weeks since she had decided to cut Sirius out of her life completely and it hadn't exactly been easy. She could understand where he was coming from, after all. He had been suspicious of her from the beginning, and right when he was finally starting to trust her, he found out that she actually was a bit of threat. After all, if Voldemort found out about her, he would want to use her knowledge of future events. And she couldn't exactly fault him for being upset with her for doing nothing to stop him, either. She had moments where she was disgusted with herself for her inaction too, but she simply couldn't give up the chance of seeing her family again. Still, her life was so much easier now that she wasn't constantly wondering when the other shoe would drop and he would hate her again. The strangest part, though, was that a small part of her actually felt relieved. Even if they weren't on speaking terms, it was nice having at least one person out there that knew her secret.

She had been staring at him absentmindedly, lost in thought. When he finally looked up, she could feel her cheeks warming as she quickly glanced down at her essay, silently cursing herself. That was the problem with ignoring Sirius Black. He was still one of the best-looking blokes that she had ever seen and her pulse still raced every time she was in the same room as him. When she glanced back up, she noticed that he was looking right at her as he walked across the common room. Her heart jumped up into her throat as she froze in her seat.

"Hey," he said warily. "Is this seat taken?"

She stared at him, unsure of what to do. Sirius had seemed to pick up on the fact that she was ignoring him quickly and stopped trying to talk to her at all. The only few times she had actually been around him was when she unexpectedly ran into James around the castle. Finally, she shook her head and he sat down across from her. She could feel her muscles tightening up, as if her body was unconsciously getting ready to run.

The air between them was thick with tension. Sirius sighed, "Look, I am really sorry about what I said to you the other day."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is this some kind of joke?"

He shook his head. "I was an arse, okay? I shouldn't have gone off on you like that." An uncomfortable silence fell over the table. Sirius cleared his throat and said, "Right, well, I just wanted to say that. You can go back to ignoring me now."

He was halfway out of his chair when Erica said, "Wait." She knew she might end up regretting this but she couldn't stop herself. Besides, if she could at least be civil with Sirius, things with James wouldn't be so awkward. He sat back down, looking at her warily. It was almost as if he thought she was going to tear his head off. She nodded to the book in his hand, which looked ancient. "What are you working on?"

"Secret Marauder business," he answered.

"Looks exciting," she said sarcastically.

He sighed. "Not really, but it will lead to more exciting things."

"I don't think I want to know," she said. She turned back to her essay as he opened the book and began reading. It wasn't long before she felt his eyes on her face, though. "What?"

"Can I just ask you one thing?" he asked. She nodded, although she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear his questions. It's not like she could tell him anything about the future. "The whole Voldemort thing –"

"Really?" she groaned. It hadn't even ten minutes and she was already regretting forgiving him.

"Don't go!" he protested as she started throwing her things into her bag. "I'm don't want to start a fight, I'm trying to understand."

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" she hissed, rolling up her essay.

"Erica," he said, grabbing her hand to stop her. It felt like an electric shock going through her body but she couldn't make herself pull away. "I can tell that it's eating you up. I just can't figure out why you won't do anything when it's hurting you too."

She sighed as she sat back in her chair. She couldn't tell if she was walking into some kind of trap, but the lure of actually being able to tell the absolute, complete truth to someone for the first time in over six months was too strong. "Let's go for a walk," she said, eyeing the group of girls on the other side of the common room watching them intently.

She ran her things back up to her room and then left with Sirius. Once they were a safe distance from the common room, she said, "I just lost my mum, Sirius. I can't handle losing the rest of my family too. Everything I told you in that broom cupboard was true, they were completely falling apart but I still miss them every day."

"So your mum really was attacked?" he asked. She shot him a dark look and he held his hands up. "I'm just trying to figure out the truth."

Erica sighed. She couldn't really fault him for doubting the story she'd given him before. "Yeah. July 12, 1997, also known as the worst day of my life."

"And the rest of your family?"

"They were still alive when I left," she said. "But what was I supposed to say? They're in 1997. And if I do this, I will never be able to go back to them."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because the future I'm from will cease to exist," she explained.

Sirius frowned. "You couldn't see them now?"

"And what am I going to do, waltz into their flat and announce that I'm the daughter they haven't even had yet, visiting from twenty some-odd years in the future?" she asked. "I'm sure that would go over well." She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "I know it's selfish. I know it, and I feel terrible about it, but I can't give up on seeing them again. Not yet."'

"Don't you ever think that maybe this was supposed to happen?" Sirius asked. "Maybe you were sent back in time to stop things before they got too bad?"

Erica sighed. "But what if I do change things and it just gets worse? It can go both ways, you know."

Sirius was silent as he stared ahead, lost in thought. Eventually he nodded and said, "Okay."

"Do you understand now?" she asked.

"I get it," he answered. "I might not agree but I get it." Erica sighed. It seemed like this would have to be one of those things that they agreed to disagree on and she wasn't sure if that would go over well. Sirius looked at her strangely then. "You haven't been born yet?"

Erica let out a loud laugh. "I was born in 1981."

He started laughing as well. "That means you're what, negative five right now?" Erica nodded. They were out on the grounds by then and Sirius lead her to a beech tree by the lake. Once they were both seated underneath it, he asked, "So what's it like being in the past?"

"Really fucking strange," she laughed, so glad that she finally had someone that she could actually talk to this about. Well, someone that wasn't Dumbledore, anyways. "Especially when I run into people I've met before, like Professor Dumbledore. He looks exactly the same too."

"Have you met any of us before?" Sirius inquired. Erica bit her lip and he sighed. "I'm not asking for a life story! I'm just wondering if you knew any of us in the future."

"Fine," she said. "I knew Remus, kind of. We weren't friends, obviously, since I was twelve and he was an adult but…" Sirius laughed. "Where is Remus, anyways?" she asked. "Did he go into Hogsmeade too?"

"No," Sirius said, scratching the back of his neck. "He's in the hospital wing."

"Is he okay?" she asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, he'll be fine in a couple days," Sirius said dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

Erica knew that there had been a full moon the night before. She knew it probably wasn't a good idea, but the curiosity was starting to kill her. "Is he already a werewolf?" she whispered.

Sirius's eyes were wide in alarm. "How –"

Erica cut him off. "It's kind of common knowledge in the future," she explained. Then she shook her head. "Poor Remus." Sirius was looking at her strangely, as if she was some kind of bomb that was bound to go off at any second. "Don't worry, I'm not going to say anything."

"You've known this whole time?" Sirius asked. "And it doesn't bother you at all?"

"Why would it bother me?" Erica asked in confusion.

Sirius shrugged, trying to hold in a smile as he said, "You should tell Remus that you know. And that it doesn't bother you."

"Okay," Erica said, turning to look back out at the lake.

"Is that how you knew Snape?" Sirius asked. Erica nodded, not really trusting herself to say anything about the future Death Eater. Sirius watched her, trying to read the expression on her face. "He's a Death Eater, isn't he?"

"You know I can't tell you," she replied, trying to keep her expression blank.

He scowled, taking that as a confirmation. "Figures." He sat in silence after that, watching some first years try to skip rocks on the other side of the lake and working up the nerve to ask his next question. "What about Regulus Black? Was he a Death Eater too?"

"I've never heard of him," she said. "Is that your brother?"

He nodded. He scowled at the lake for a few minutes before turning to her and saying, "One last question."

"What?" she asked warily.

"Will you tell me who wins the next few Quidditch Cups? I know this guy that always gives me great odds –"

Erica laughed and shoved him playfully. "I am not helping you make sporting bets!"

"Why not?" he grinned. "Think of all the galleons we could make!"

They stayed by the lake for hours, talking and laughing as he tried to get Quidditch scores out of her. Erica was ashamed to admit that she had actually told him some. She couldn't deny how happy she was to be like this with him again. And it was such a relief having someone that she could finally talk to about all of this, someone that she could tell the truth to. She knew Sirius would never tell anyone her secret, he was incredibly loyal and would never dream of betraying a friend, which she hoped she was again. By the time they went back inside, dinner was being served and everyone was back from Hogsmeade. Peter and James were sitting near the door but Lily and Jenn were at the opposite end of the Gryffindor table. She said goodbye to Sirius and hurried over to her friends, ignoring the grin on James's face.

"Hey," Erica said as she down next to Jenn. "How was Hogsmeade?"

"Boring," Jenn said. She had gone into Hogsmeade with her friend, Nancy Martell, a sixth year from Hufflepuff. "We ran into Nancy's boyfriend after only an hour and she ditched me for him."

"I thought they were fighting?" Lily asked.

"Not anymore, apparently," Jenn sighed. "Anyways, I ended up coming back early and working on Potions."

"Sounds exciting," Erica said sarcastically. Then she turned to Lily and asked, "How was your date?"

Lily blushed as she grinned. "It was great!" she gushed. "He was so sweet, and funny, and he didn't even try to take me to Madam Puddifoot's."

Erica smiled, happy that her friend had had a good time. "Are you going to see him again?" Jenn inquired.

"Yes," Lily said. "We're going to meet up in the library tomorrow."

"A date in the library?" Jenn asked, bewildered.

Erica laughed. "It can't surprise you! It was only a matter of time before Lily found someone as nutty as she is."

"I am not crazy!" Lily said indignantly. "We just both have a lot of homework to do and we want to see each other so, this was the best option."

Jenn shook her head. "I don't understand how you're not in Ravenclaw," she joked.

"Well, actually, the sorting hat contemplated putting me in Ravenclaw but ultimately it decided that I belonged in Gryffindor," Lily said, grinning.

"That's not surprising," Erica remarked.

Lily rolled her eyes before asking, "So what did you do today? Did you finish your essays?"

"Well, I finished one of them," Erica said, smiling sheepishly. "I wasn't able to work on my Potions one." She sighed dramatically. "It looks like you'll just have to help me with it."

Lily narrowed her eyes at her friend. "How convenient," she said, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"So what else did you do?" Jenn asked curiously. "It couldn't have taken you all day to write one essay."

Lily snorted. "You've obviously never seen her do her schoolwork before."

"Hey!" Erica said, trying to sound offended. The effect was ruined by her laughter, though. "Actually, I was hanging out with Sirius."

Both girls looked at her in shock. "Sirius?" Jenn asked, raising an eyebrow. "Sirius Black?"

"He's the only Sirius that I know," Erica said, trying not to roll her eyes at her friends. She really didn't think it was that much of a surprise. She had never been very good at holding grudges. In fact, she was surprised that she had lasted as long as she had.

"So you're, what? Friends with him again?" Lily looked disgusted at the idea. Erica nodded and she continued, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Erica asked, perplexed.

"Well, he's a bit of a prat," Jenn pointed out. "Especially to you."

"I think a lot of that was because he felt threatened, you know? He's a pretty guarded person, and he's protective of his friends. Then I showed up and he had no idea who I was and I kind of just inserted myself into his group of friends," she said. "But we're past that now. I hope." Plus, she seemed to have a very difficult time staying away from him, although she didn't want to tell her friends that.

"I think those emotions are way too complex for Sirius Black," Jenn said.

Lily looked at her friend warily. "I hope so, too," she said. "Because I will hex him into next year if he hurts you again."

Sirius was on the way back to the common room, after visiting Remus in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had kicked him out, claiming that Remus needed rest, but Sirius knew it was because she would be bringing him to the Whomping Willow soon. Once Remus was safely inside the Shrieking Shack, the rest of the marauders would sneak out of the castle and join him in their animagi forms.

There was still time, though, so Sirius was wandering the hallways, lost in thought. He was so glad that he had finally taken James's advice and apologized to Erica. Of course, he could do without James gloating about how great his idea was. And now James was back to insisting that Sirius fancied her. The worst part was that Sirius was beginning to think that James was right, although he would never let James know that. There was something about that girl that kept drawing him in, even when he tried to resist it. He had only known her for six months and yet he felt closer to her than he did to any of the other girls he had actually dated. It was stupid, though. He knew that she wasn't looking to date anyone, after all. What would be the point, when she was planning on going back to 1997 as soon as she could?

He wasn't paying much attention to where he was going and he bumped into someone's shoulder without even realizing that there were other people in the hallway. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Watch where you're going, Black," Snape sneered.

Sirius whipped around, quickly pulling his wand out of his pocket. He scowled at the greasy-haired Slytherin, who had also drawn his wand. "What are you lurking around here for, Snivellus? Are you trying to find some shampoo?"

Before Severus could answer, Regulus Black turned the corner. "Are you sure it's in this hallway, Snape? I could have sworn…" he trailed off as he noticed the two of them standing there with their wands pointed at each other. Sirius felt his stomach drop. Not only was this a very bad situation to find himself in, being cornered by two Slytherins in an empty hallway, but he'd taken great care to avoid his brother this year, not wanting to be reminded of his family. He silently cast Expelliarmus and jabbed his wand at them. Severus tried to cast a shielding spell but Sirius had been too quick for them, both of their wands landing in his outstretched hand. Regulus frowned, "What are you doing here, blood traitor?"

"It's funny, Regulus," Sirius retorted. "Your mouth is moving but all I can hear is our dear mother."

"And what's wrong with that?" Regulus asked.

"Never could think for yourself, could you?" Sirius asked, the bitterness creeping into his voice. He had tried to help his little brother in the beginning, wanting him to see that their parents' way of doing things was wrong. Regulus had actually believed him, or at least Sirius thought he had, right up until Sirius left for Hogwarts. Once Regulus was alone with Walburga, their mother, she sunk her claws into him and he started sprouting the same pureblood crap as the rest of the Blacks. When Regulus had been sorted into Slytherin the next year, he been completely lost to Sirius's cause, no matter how hard Sirius tried. "You're just following this greasy-haired weasel around now, aren't you?"

"Were you just visiting your boyfriend in the hospital wing?" Snape sneered. "I find it very strange that Madam Pomfrey makes him stay in there all day while she takes him out for walks at sunset."

Sirius tried to control his reaction to that, although he didn't think that he succeeded. Snape had been unusually obsessed with Remus's absences for a few years now but Sirius hadn't realized that he moved on to stalking his friend. "What are you talking about?" Sirius asked, trying to look bewildered.

"I've seen him out there," Snape said. "Tell me, what illness does he have that requires nightly visits to the Whomping Willow?"

It was like something inside Sirius snapped. He had had enough of this greasy-haired slimeball following around his friends, trying his best to get them in trouble. "Get out of here, Regulus," he growled.

"No!" Regulus said indignantly. "You've got my wand!"

Sirius took both of their wands and chucked them out the open window.

"Hey!" Regulus yelled.

Snape sighed in annoyance. "Go look for the wands, Regulus."

Regulus shot him an angry look before storming off down the hall. Seeing that his younger brother was doing Snape's bidding only seemed to make Sirius angrier. "You're stalking Remus now?" Sirius asked. "I'll have to make sure he knows that you care so much."

Snape frowned. "I'm going to find out what he's up to, Black. And when I do, I'm going to make sure that you and your little friends all get expelled for it."

"You want to know what Remus is doing down there?" Sirius asked, his hands balled up into fists. "Why don't you go down to the Whomping Willow and see? There's a knot in one of the roots that freezes the tree if you press on it. Then you can slip inside a hole in the roots near there to a tunnel that will lead you right to Remus."

Snape narrowed his eyes in suspicion before walking past Sirius, making sure to bump his shoulder as he passed. Sirius watched him go with a smile on his face, glad that Snape was finally going to get what was coming to him for being such a nosey git.

A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to post this chapter :\ I hit a bit of writer's block and I've been really busy this summer. I'll try not to take so long next time! Let me know what you think! And thanks to GlidingOne for reviewing the last chapter and everyone that's been adding it to their favorites and alerts :)