*NOTE: Sorry for the late post! I was studying for my law exam, but I should post 1 more chapter before I leave for holidays (2.5 weeks).

Chapter 29: Tension

"WHAT THE HELL?!" James hollered at Sirius once he pushed him out. Sirius snickered and shrugged his shoulders.

"What's the big deal, mate?"

"The big DEAL is that you've made friends with the enemy?! And without telling me?!" James couldn't wrap his head around this new friendship.

"Jimbo, she's alright! Plus that trick on Whitney was pretty damn funny," Sirius nodded to himself. James still couldn't believe this. His best friend was not acting normal.

"Sirius, you've made friends with Isabella Clarke. Do you not realize how BOGUS that sounds?!" James tried to get Sirius to understand.

"James, it's not like we're best friends, but she's not bad. Just try to get to know her," Sirius tried to reason.

"Ugh fine, I admit what she did to Whitney…is something along the lines what we would do BUT that doesn't mean I'm going to love her!" James exclaimed.

"Who said anything about loving?" Sirius looked confused. James sighed.

"Sirius, I don't feel right about her sitting with us, and you being friends with her. She's a bad influence," James tried again.

"And we're not?" Sirius raised his eyebrow. "James, we're the pranksters of the school- we're masterminds of breaking the rules. You're telling me that she's a bad influence to us?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that-"

"James, you don't have to like her. But just stop being snide towards her. We…we've agreed for good terms," Sirius scratched his head and looked down.

"…Oh yeah. What was this so-called talk about?" James was now interested in this.

"Well…we just…ya know…we just kinda agreed that we would stop emotionally and physically abusing each other. There's no point doing it to each other when we can-I CAN do the same to others," Sirius stammered. James narrowed his eyes.

"Why?"

"Why…we agreed on that?"

"Mhm."

"Uhh okay…well we just had detention and I dunno, I just didn't feel like fighting with her," Sirius shrugged. James narrowed his eyes.

"Okay so you had detention with her- why should that mere event change your opinion of her so quick?" James was determined to get the right answer out of Sirius.

"…Well…we went to the kitchens afterwards…" Sirius looked away. James took off his glasses and stepped back.

"Sorry, WHAT? You never told me this bit, Pads?" James looked confused, but also because he couldn't see. He put his glasses back on and flared his nose at Sirius.

"We didn't do anything in the kitchens! We just…had a food fight…and that's when we made up!" Sirius explained himself.

"Sirius, in the beautiful years that I've known you- you've never done this…with a CHICK…or with anyone else for that matter," James crossed his arms.

"James, it's not anything you'd think, alright? We're just on the same page," Sirius reassured James.

"Sirius, I don't think-" James was cut off.

"Boyfriend troubles?" Isabella asked with a smirk, coming out of the Great Hall. Sirius snickered while James narrowed his eyes.

"Fuck off Clarke, this is a private conversation," James coldly said. Isabella just shrugged and turned around to walk away.

"Unnecessary James," Sirius shook his head and walked back into the Great Hall. James breathed out heavily and turned in Isabella's direction.

"OI, CLARKE!" James called as he fast-walked to Isabella. Isabella sighed and turned around.

"What is it, Potter?" She asked with no interest.

"Why the hell are you and Sirius all chummy with each other now?" James crossed his arms.

"Oh wow, I didn't know he classified us as chummy," Isabella smirked.

"Stay away from Sirius," James warned.

"Alright, and not Remus?" Isabella pouted. James was about to lose it.

"Stay away from ALL OF US!" He yelled.

"Potter, it's not my fault your friends are starting to like me now," she shrugged.

"They're not starting to like you, fool," James spat.

"I wouldn't call it that," Isabella smiled.

"What the hell is your problem, Clarke?" He gritted his teeth.

"Nothing. Nothing's my problem, and that's what you have to understand," Isabella dropped the bitchy emotions from her face and walked away. James let her words cloud his head for a moment before storming back into the Great Hall. Isabella also let her words cloud her head as she walked back to the common room. She walked up to her room to collect her History of Magic books.

Friday, one more day until freedom, she thought in her head. She walked out of the dorm and bumped into Lily on the way out.

"Oh SHIT Evans, you scared me!" Isabella almost dropped all her books. Lily looked almost as surprised as she did.

"OHmygod Isabella! Didn't see you there," Lily abruptly paused herself. "How are you going?" She asked, being polite. Isabella cocked an eyebrow and rolled her eyes.

"I'm going wonderful Evans, thank you very much," she sarcastically replied. Lily narrowed her eyes.

"I'm just being polite, Isabella."

"I know, and I'm just messing with you. Plus you'll be glad to know I had a tiff with your boyfriend."

"Who's my boyfriend?"

"Potter."

"Isabella, that's the most offensive thing you could ever say to me."

"Alright, not your boyfriend…your lover," Isabella winked at Lily. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Well Isabella, I'm glad to see that…well not glad because I want you to have friends…but glad that you see Potter's true colors," Lily smiled at Isabella. Isabella stared at Lily for a second.

Asking her to hang out is still rough, she thought.

"Yeah, I guess. Anyway I'm going to run to class- catch you later!" Isabella started to walk away.

"Isabella, wait! Listen, I feel like I should get to know you better, cause you really don't seem that bad," Lily fumbled with her fingers.

"Wow, thanks Evans," Isabella sarcastically replied.

"Hahah I didn't mean it like that, I think you're a good person. I would like to hang out with you sometime," Lily proposed. Isabella cracked a small smile.

"Alright Evans, it's a date." Isabella left Lily in the doorway and made her way to the common room. She returned to her natural facial expression of glaring at everyone. She continued making her way to History of Magic, scaring the first years out of her way.

"OI CLARKE!" Someone called her name. Isabella stopped, sighed, and assumed she knew who it was.

"What is it, Black?" She called back, not turning around.

"Wow, love my voice so much that you can recognize it, huh?" Regulus sneered, catching up to Isabella.

"Wait what the-? I thought you were Sirius?" Isabella confusedly looked around.

"Uhh no, last time I checked, I'm not my pathetic excuse for a brother. Now, I want to have another session," Regulus got straight to the point. Isabella raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"I'm a little busy at the moment," she replied, and started walking away.

"You know that I'll bash Sirius up for you, right?" He called after her. Isabella stopped walking.

"I don't really need that at the moment," she replied back to him.

"Ahhhh, you and my brother have found a mutual interest, have you?" Regulus smirked. Isabella whipped around.

"No! Why does everyone think…ugh whatever," She rolled her eyes. Regulus just stood there and continued smirking at her. She had to admit; he looked damn sexy just standing there.

"Look, I'll have another session with you but I don't want anything in return," Isabella let herself fall for Sirius' brother. Regulus winked at her and eyed her up and down.

"Come to the common room at 8 tonight," he said before stalking off. Isabella smirked at his back before realizing she forgot her parchment.

"SHIT," she exclaimed and turned around to walk back. She arrived back at the common room and hurried inside to her dorm. She paused when she reached the steps as she saw the most peculiar sight: Sirius waiting at the bottom of the stairs.