Disclaimer: All ideas are based on characters and events belonging to J.K. Rowling.

Calm Before the Storm

Chapter 25: Brothers

Sirius held his hands up in defense. "Whoa. Prongs, calm down."

James pointed his fingers violently in Sirius' direction. "Don't bloody tell me to calm down! You told me she would be different! What the hell were you thinking? That's my baby sister!"

Sirius ran his hand through his hair. He had royally screwed up. He had told James Olivia would be different and she was. He just got ahead of himself. Now, the question was, how was he going to fix it? With not only Olivia but James too…

"We were in Hogsmeade."

It took James maybe five seconds to put two and two together and realize where Sirius had taken Olivia before he lunged forward and his fist connected with the side of Sirius' face. Not expecting it, Sirius hit the ground hard. Remus and Peter were off their beds immediately and grabbed James' shoulders, pushing him back and away from Sirius.

Sirius pulled himself up off the floor and looked at James with both acceptance and anger in his eyes. "Look, I messed up! I realize that ok? No need to smash my face in."

James eyes flared. "Did you shag her?"

Sirius hung his head and ran his hand through his hair again, a nervous gesture. Finally, he looked James in the eyes again. "No."

James visibly relaxed enough for Remus and Peter to determine it was alright to let him go.

With a gesture from Sirius, Remus and Peter grabbed their books to leave the room. Remus patted Sirius' shoulder as he passed. "We'll meet you in Transfiguration."

Once the door closed Sirius took a seat on the edge of his bed, keeping his eyes on James who was still standing in the middle of the room. "Prongs, you know I love you like a brother. You had every right to punch me. I wasn't lying when I said we didn't shag." He paused trying to get his nerve up enough to say what he wanted to say. "But I would be lying if I said I didn't want to." Well, that didn't exactly come out the way he meant for it to.

James slightly tensed again but walked over and sat on his bed, facing Sirius and sighing loudly. "I'm sorry I hit you, but she's my baby sister Pads. I know she's growing up but it's hard to let her go."

Sirius nodded in understanding, glad James hadn't made contact with his face again. "Do you trust me, Prongs?" James nodded, not even having to think about it. "Then trust that I will take care of her. I'll screw up. Hell, I did last night, but trust me to make it better. Trust me with her."

"You're asking for a lot."

"Yea, I know."

Sirius felt like he sat there forever, James staring him in the eyes, while he waited for his answer. Finally, James nodded his head. A silent understanding passed between them.

"Get your ass in the shower. You stink and Transfiguration is in fifteen minutes." Sirius laughed, glad that he and James had reached an understanding. He scooted to the end of his bed and pulled a fresh uniform out along with clean boxers and socks and headed toward the bathroom. "By the way, what happened to your face?"

Sirius paused and turned back. "I don't know. Maybe a fist connected with it."

James gave him a sheepish look. "Yea, sorry about that, but that's not what I meant. The scratch?"

Sirius walked on into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. There was a long scratch down the left side of his face from when Olivia had scratched him. He contemplated what he should tell James. He couldn't tell him exactly what happened without revealing what had happened between Olivia and Lucius and he had promised Olivia he wouldn't do that. Then again, he really didn't want to lie to his best friend. He decided to settle for a half truth, "I upset your sister." James stared at him waiting for an explanation. "Remember Prongs, trust." It took James a few minutes before he nodded and started getting ready for class himself while Sirius went to take his shower.

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Olivia ascended the stairs to the girls' dorm slowly. When she walked through the door she was met with three sets of eyes. Her eyes met Kiley's and she gave her a small reassuring smile before she walked on into the bathroom for a shower. She took her time, trying to wash away all the insecurities and fears she had felt in the last twenty four hours. Once she felt sufficiently clean, she stepped out and wrapped her bath robe around her.

She brushed out her hair before walking back into the dorm room, this time met only with Kiley.

"Where'd the others go?" Their other two dorm mates were now missing and Olivia had a sneaky suspicion that Kiley had ran them off so she could drill her.

"Amanda had to turn in an essay and Emily wanted to go meet her boyfriend before class." Olivia tried to figure out if she was being honest, but decided that it didn't really matter and sat down on her bed facing Kiley. "Ok, so dish. Is Sirius good in bed?" Olivia felt her face turning a bright red as she looked at her hands. "Oh come on. You did shag right?"

Olivia shook her head slowly. "No, not exactly?"

Kiley scrunched her brow. "Not exactly? What does that even mean?"

Olivia sighed. "We were about to."

Kiley was sitting on the edge of her bed, waiting for her to continue but it didn't seem to be coming. "Ok, and…?"

"I don't know, Kiles. I just kind of freaked out. I remembered everything that happened with Lucius and it all seemed so real, and I just…don't know. I couldn't."

Kiley placed her hand on top of Olivia's sympathetically. "How did Sirius take it?"

"Better than most would have." Olivia stood and started gathering a fresh uniform. "He was very understanding about it."

A small smile crept its way onto her face, one that Kiley noticed causing her to smile also. "You better hurry. We have Care of Magical Creatures soon."

Olivia hurried and changed clothes, drying her hair with a simple spell before grabbing her bag and walking down the multiple stair cases, out the front door, and on down to their Care of Magical Creatures class.

Unfortunately, the fifth year Gryffindors had Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins. They were all gathered around, waiting for their professor when a hand found its way onto Olivia's shoulder, causing her to jump and jerk around finding herself face to face with a burly, overly bulky Slytherin that she only knew by Moose.

He put his hands on her shoulders, bending down so he was eye level with her. "How're you doing, love?"

Olivia tried to brush his hands off her. "What're you talking about? I'm not your love."

"Oh, but you are." He placed his mouth next to her ear. "We all know what you did to Lucius and just want you to know, you will pay."

She pulled away, disgusted, as soon as he released her and looked around at their fellow students. Everyone seemed to be ready for a fight but she was fairly certain nobody had been able to hear what had been said. What had happened between her and Lucius was the last thing she wanted the whole school knowing. Wanting to argue but not wanting to get very audible, she decided that a violent whisper would be best. "What I did to him? You're off your very tiny rocker!"

He went for his wand but a body appeared in the tiny space between them. "Don't touch her Moose." Olivia found herself staring at the back of a familiar shaggy black head. Wasn't Sirius supposed to be in Transfiguration though? Then it hit her violently. This wasn't Sirius, it was Regulus. They were so incredibly similar. Regulus Black was standing up for her though? Why?

"What's it to you Black? It's none of your business."

"But you see Moose, that's where you're wrong. As it happens to be, Miss Potter is my Potions' partner and I don't plan on working all year by myself in Slughorn's class." He glanced back at Olivia briefly. "As horrible as she may be."

Regulus and Moose seemed to have a stare off for several seconds before Moose walked off to join the other Slytherins leaving Regulus standing with Olivia. She wasn't exactly sure what to say to him but he spared her the thought as he walked off without a word or even another look.

Olivia watched him walk off and jumped when Kiley's hand met her arm. "Sorry. What was all that about?"

"I have no idea, Kiles, but I don't believe that it's over."

Though she loved the class, it seemed to drag by as Olivia found herself constantly glancing at Regulus trying to discover what his true intentions were in taking up for her. Her spying wrought zero results however as they were released from class with a two foot essay due the next week.

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Author's Note: Sorry it's kind of short. I'll try and make up for it the next chapter. As always, though, review and let me know what you think. Throw some opinions and ideas at me and let me know how you think it's going. :)

javalon14 – Ultra special thanks for posting my one hundredth review! I hope this finds you in need of a break. :P

prettyinpunk66 – Hope you went and got your hot chocolate. Lol Yea, Sirius is seriously going to have to work for this one and it'll take a little while, and I couldn't let him murder him, I love him too much. :)

ForeverTeamEdward13 – Thanks, I'm glad you like it!

beba78 – Teehee. Yea, I hope you like it!

QueenOfTheDiamondDogs – I feel honored that you put your homework aside for me. :) Glad that you're loving it and hope you like this chapter!

talyag – Yes, yes. James always notices. Lol

HGromanticsap – Glad you like it and keep reviewing!

hazellily – I'm glad that you like it, I'm trying to make it a little different. Please keep reviewing!

DarkFireAngel00 – lol, I'm very glad you love it! Never fear, Lucius will get what's coming to him in due time, he has not been forgotten! (maniacal laugh)

.girl – So glad, please keep reviewing!