The Adventure of a Marauder
by imafeckingstarr

Summary: Melissa Lopez is an average girl, with average grades and an average life. That is, until a replica of Tom Riddle's Diary in the London Harry Potter exhibit transports her back in time with no way of returning to her original time – not that she minds. Melissa has the chance to change the future, but will it be for the better?

A/N: Let's just say... I really hope you like this chapter – there should be cute bits and romance bits and a lot of Mel/Sirius time, just saying.

Is It a Date?

"How're you feeling Mel?" Lily stormed into my room, scaring me a little, dropping my book onto the floor.

"Uh, I'm good Lily, what's wrong? Where's the fire?" I asked, picking up Jane Eyre. Lily walked over to the windowsill, where I was sitting, and sat next to me.

"There's no fire Mel, you haven't left your room all morning and the boys were worried,"

"By boys, do you mean Sirius? Well you can tell him, and everyone else, that I'm fine. I'm eating properly, if that's what you're asking because you hardly see me at breakfast. Charlus and Dorea will tell you, I ate breakfast with them this morning,"

"Mel that's not the point, you came here for a nice Christmas, and all you've done is sit up in the room the Potters' have given you and read. If you've left the room it's for meals, and even then you don't speak to anyone unless spoken too, or if it's Sirius and you just ignore him. Mel, sweetie, he's trying, really hard, to patch things up, and you don't want to know,"

I fingered the edges of the book, my eyes staring at the cover. She was right, I was ignoring everyone. I've been so mad at Sirius that I've taken it out on everyone else. Lily took the book from my hands and placed it on my bedside table, "Come on, the boys have set up a picnic for lunch, please, for the love of Merlin, don't leave me on my own with James, I don't think I'd be able to control my actions."

"Okay," I laughed, I couldn't turn down the offer of a picnic, "and I suppose... I'll give Sirius the benefit of the doubt,"

"That's the spirit Mel," Lily grinned, shoving me playfully.

We left my room (which, by the way, was massive, I don't think I've ever seen a bedroom so big, and that's saying something considering how big Claire's room was back home), and Lily got me talking about the Phantom of the Opera, which was her new obsession. We talked about favourite songs from said musical and characters, I told her that my favourite song was, quite clearly, Phantom of the Opera, and I loved Erik. Lily said that she liked Raoul, and I pretended to gag.

"Oh come on Mel, he's not that bad,"

"He's no Erik," I pointed out, "Full of mystery and enigma and plain hotness,"

Lily snorted, "Raoul's good looking,"

"If he's so good looking, why does Christine Daae want Erik more?"

"Because Erik's manipulated her through song form?"

I glowered at her, and Lily grinned, "Sorry Mel, it's how I see it,"

"Yeah well, I don't like Raoul," I huffed. Lily shrugged, replying with "opinions vary".

"Mel, you're here!" James exclaimed as Lily and I entered the living room.

"Well I didn't go home," I commented dryly and Lily nudged me in the ribs, really, really hard. "I mean, yeah, I was tired of being an anti-social arsehole,"

James smirked at Lily and mouthed a 'thank you' to her when he thought I wasn't looking. They – and I'm presuming that it was the boys with the occasional bit of help from Lily – had moved the table to the far wall of the room, moved all the chairs into the kitchen and laid a patchwork quilt on the floor. There was an array of dishes, with all sorts of sandwiches and cakes and chocolates. It looked pretty good. I sat nearest the door, and Lily sat next to me, with Remus on my other side, Sirius sitting across from me and James sitting next to Sirius.

We ate egg mayonnaise sandwiches and little fudge slices, chatting and laughing away, drinking butterbeer as we did. I hated to admit it, but I was having fun, and the worst thing about it, Sirius was the reason why I was having fun.

"...so we ran, from the lake to the Common Room, butt naked. It was all James' fault," Sirius laughed.

"My fault? Mate, you lost the bet, it wasn't my fault you suck at Wizard's Chess,"

"I do not suck at Wizard's Chess, you clearly cheated!"

Lily and I continued to giggle, I laughed so much, I managed to slop butterbeer down me, "Shoot," I muttered.

"Here, Mel, have my shirt," Sirius offered as he began to tug at the hems of his shirt.

"No it's okay, I'll just change it, I'll be back down,"

I stood up and left the room quickly, with Sirius, strangely, at my heels, "Um, Mel? I just uh, wanted to apologise about my anger. My issues with my brother are, well, my issues. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that, especially in front of everyone in the Common Room,"

"No, it's fine Sirius, I understand. You don't like your brother, I totally get it, I should have just listened to you instead of going behind your back,"

"If you want to be friends with my brother, that's fine with me, really, Mel. I want to make it up to you," He grinned at me. "Will you go ice-skating with me? James won't go, Remus can't skate and Lily doesn't trust me. Merlin knows why,"

"Ice-skating?" I asked, I loved ice-skating, though I'm not very good at it, "In Godrics Hollow?"

"No, no, not in Godrics Hollow, there's a small muggle village fifteen minutes from here, and they've recently opened up an ice-skating rink. Please Mel, I really want to make it up to you, will you go with me?"

How could I refuse with those smouldering puppy eyes?

"Uh sure, why not, it sounds like fun,"

Sirius beamed, "Great! I'll meet you in the living room at half six, okay?"

And he skipped back to the picnic to enjoy the rest of the food whilst it was still there – after all, James kept exclaiming that he was a "growing boy" and needed all the food he could get. I rushed up the stairs and entered my room, rummaging through my clothes to throw on a quick shirt. I wasn't until I changed into my favourite black Beatles shirt did my plans for this evening sink in.

"Holy mother of Merlin," I whispered, "am I going on a date with Sirius Black?"

Next chapter there will be lots and lots of fluff between our hero and heroine (would you really call Sirius an hero? Hm...); after all, they're going on a "date". Well, a kind of date - a friendship evening? Or do you think it will blossom into something much more? You'll have to wait and see! Until then, dearest readers!

Read and review!

muchlove,
imafeckingstarr xxx