Noelle perched on the arm of the sofa, chewing on her nails anxiously. Lily paced the common room, every so often glancing at the portrait hole.

"Are you sure you don't know where they went? Lily asked her again.

"For the fifth time Lily. No."

Noelle reached up to her hair and gave it a nervous tug. The new diamond on her finger caught the light. Lily gasped and grabbed her friend's hand.

"So he finally did it?" she asked happily.

Noelle nodded and smiled.

"Well, it's about time. He's been carrying it around with him forever. Congratulations, Noelle!"

Noelle accepted Lily's hug and studied the ring herself.

"You should see what he's done with our flat. He decorated it. Decorated it, Lily."

"I never thought I'd see the day where Sirius Black went all domestic on us," Lily said in disbelief.

There was a noise from the portrait hole, and the boys finally climbed through.

Lily flew over to James and wrapped him in a hug, whispering frantically into his ear. Noelle slid off of the sofa and hurried to Sirius' side. He was green and unsteady on his feet. Noelle looked questioningly over at James.

"He was hit with a curse. The Cruciatus, I think," James said softly.

Noelle's navy eyes opened wider and she grabbed his face. His grey eyes were bloodshot and his face was pale.

"I'm okay, Noelle. Really, I'm fine," he said.

She checked him over thoroughly until she was satisfied that he truly was okay.

"How did it go?" she asked both of them.

"Well, they attacked a Muggle village. Two Muggles, and two members of the Order are dead. They play for blood, and they're not messing around. They're calling themselves Death Eaters, and they dress in long robes, with masks."

"Did you see him? Tom Riddle?" Lily asked.

"I don't think so. I think that this was quite under him. They must have known that we were all in London," James said.

Lily finally pulled away from him. The fury in her eyes was frightening to behold.

"Don't ever send me away from a fight again, James. I want my revenge, just as much as you do."

James' hazel eyes narrowed.

"I'm trying to keep you safe!"

"I've trained just as hard as you! Stop trying to protect me!"

"Excuse me if I don't want to see my fiancée killed! Lily, these people aren't playing around!"

"Oh, so now you're saying that I'm not strong enough to fight them? Get over yourself James!"

Sirius and Noelle watched unbelievingly as their two best friends fought.

"Enough!" Sirius bellowed. "James, she has a point. We can't protect her from this, and she has a right to fight."

"You shouldn't talk, Padfoot. Weren't you just telling me how glad you were that Noelle wasn't there?"

"That's different. Noelle is a liability."

Noelle turned on Sirius.

"A liability? Is that what I am?"

"Only because he knows you're a Seer, love."

"What does that have to do with it? Am I supposed to sit here, twiddling my thumbs and wait for the rest of you to come back?" she hissed. She glared at him and hoisted her shoulders. "I am just as talented and skilled as the rest of you. Lily's right. Don't you dare send us away again."

Lily nodded in satisfaction and took her place next to Noelle. They both folded their arms over their breasts and glared at their fiancés.

"I give up," James said weakly.

"I don't," Sirius declared. "Noelle, can you imagine what Riddle would do to you if he captures you? He'd break into your mind and see every single vision that you've ever had. He'd keep you chained up and locked in a dungeon. He would torture you every single day, just to get information on the Order."

Noelle swallowed thickly and stood her ground.

"It's a chance I'm willing to take."

"Well, it's not one that I am! I'm not going to lose you!"

He turned on his heel and rushed up the stairs that led to his dormitory. Speechless, Noelle watched him go, and then turned to James. He opened his mouth to speak, and then shut it again.

"He's not going to change his mind, Noelle."

"Well, he's going to have to. I'm not backing down. We're all in this together."

James shook his head slowly and his hazel eyes looked dead.

"It's nothing like we thought it was. It's terrible, and horrific and probably the worst thing you could ever imagine. I don't want either of you to come face to face with that."

He turned on his heel and followed Sirius up the stairs, leaving Noelle and Lily staring up at him.

Noelle and Lily went down to breakfast alone the next morning. The boys were nowhere to be seen in the common room, and neither one of them felt like going into the dormitory to find them. As they began to eat their breakfast, Sirius, James and Remus seated themselves at the table.

"I'm really sorry I couldn't be there last night. Being a werewolf is killing my social life," Remus joked.

"No worries, Remus. We were both sent away from the battle," Lily said innocently.

James gritted his teeth and kept eating his eggs.

"Hogsmeade today. Anyone interested?" Sirius said, trying to change the subject.

"No. I'm going to Paris to see my father," Noelle stated.

"Why?" Sirius asked in surprise.

Noelle held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers. The diamond threw prisms of light across the table.

"Don't you think I should tell my father I'm engaged?"

"You can tell him, but he won't be happy," Sirius grumbled.

"Oh, stop it Sirius. He's gotten much more lenient since Mother died. He'll be thrilled," Noelle lied.

"Yeah, sure. Cause a disowned, nameless rebel is exactly who he wanted his only daughter to marry," Sirius said teasingly.

His grin was infectious and Noelle laughed. She tossed her napkin at him.

"I don't care what he says, I just think he should know."

"You're the boss," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

Noelle dusted herself off in the courtyard of her home in Paris. There was a flurry of activity bustling around her, and she wasn't even noticed. She hurried into the side door of her home and turned left to go to her father's study. Just before she entered, she slid her engagement ring off of her finger and stuck it into her pocket. She knocked rapidly and pushed open the door. Her father was standing at his desk, dictating directions to a piece of parchment. He jumped when he saw his daughter in the doorway.

"Noelle! What are you doing here?" he asked as he tried to hide the papers on his desk.

"I figured I would come say hello. What's going on?" she asked.

"I was planning a graduation party," he said bashfully.

"Oh, Papa! You don't have to do that!"

"I know I don't, but it's not every day that your only child graduates from school. I figured that we need some cause for celebration."

"Celebration would be nice," Noelle said, her eyes dark.

"I heard about James' parents. I'm sorry," her father said.

"Lily's, too."

"No! But, aren't they Muggles?"

"Yes. Since we've joined the Order, her parents have been at risk."

Her father stood slowly.

"What Order?"

"The Order of the Phoenix. We've taken up the fight against Tom Riddle. He's the one, or his followers at least, that killed Lily and James' parents."

"Noelle, how could you be so foolish? Did you not think of how your involvement could affect my position?"

Noelle turned slightly pale and looked at her hands.

"Apparently not," he sighed.

"I'm ready for this, Papa. We've all been training, and we are prepared to do whatever we must to stop him?"

"At what price, Noelle?"

Noelle lifted her chin and stared at her father.

"Whatever price is necessary."

Her father sat heavily in his chair.

"You are of age, and I can't tell you what to do. But for God's sake, Noelle. This isn't a game!"

"Don't you think I know how serious this is? The Potters and the Evans are dead! So are Severus' parents! We're not playing around at this!"

"Black got you into this, didn't he? That lying little bastard, he promised me that he would keep you safe."

Noelle swallowed roughly and took her usual seat in front of her father's desk.

"It's funny you should say that," she said nervously. She slid her ring back on her finger. "I have something to tell you."

"Oh?"

Noelle steeled herself and removed her hand from her pocket.

"Sirius has asked me to marry him. And I've said yes."

Her father's eyes bulged from his head.

"You must be joking."

She held her left hand up and the large diamond caught the sunlight that was streaming in from the floor to ceiling windows. He stood, absolutely shocked at what his daughter had told him.

"You will not marry him."

"Oh, yes I will. I love him, and he loves me."

"Love. It's a foolish notion."

"You didn't love Maman? That's not true, I know you did."

"Oui, I loved your mother. But marriage is not about love. I chose your mother because she was a powerful witch, with extremely good bloodlines. I knew that our union would be a successful one."

"And Sirius and I will also have a successful marriage. Papa, he is an extremely talented wizard, and he too comes from a powerful family."

"His family is aligned with Dark wizards, Noelle. I will not have my daughter marry into that family."

"He's been disowned; blasted off of the family tree. He's not like them."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? He has no name, no family, he has nothing! What kind of life can he give you?"

Noelle rose from her seat, her head pounding.

"He can give me the life that I want. I will marry him, Papa, with your blessings or without."

Her father sighed and ran his hands through his dark hair.

"Have you told him that you cannot have children? How does he feel about that?"

Noelle paled and twisted her hands.

"No, I haven't. But I will."

"Will he still want to marry you then? What kind of wizard will be fine with having no offspring?"

Noelle went even paler and her body began to shake. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"So I take it that you are not giving your blessing. I won't bother to send an invitation."

She turned on her heel and walked to the door.

"You needn't bother with the party. I won't even show up," Noelle seethed. "But do let me know if you change your mind."

At the door, with a final glare at her father, she exited the study, leaving her father sputtering behind her.

Noelle stormed through the streets of the 8th arrondissement, not noticing the strange looks she was getting due to her school robes. Her head spun and she had no idea where to go. Nicky, she thought. I'll go to Nicky. Ducking into an alleyway, she Apparted to Berlin.

Nicky's foreboding home loomed in front of her. She climbed the massive marble stairs and knocked on the thick oak door. A tall dark man answered and glared at her.

"I'm looking for Madame Bauer. Is she home?" Noelle asked.

"Who are you?" he asked in thickly accented English.

"I am Noelle Lemieux, her friend."

"Wait here," he grumbled, slamming the door in her face.

Within minutes, the door was flung open and her best friend stood in front of her. In a flurry of bright crimson robes, Nicky threw herself at Noelle and hugged her tightly.

"What are you doing here? Oh, it's so good to see you!"

Noelle laughed and returned the hug.

"I was in Paris, and thought I would come say hi. You look wonderful!"

Nicky beamed and took her by the arm.

"Let's go to the garden, and we can talk," she said, throwing a glare over her shoulder at the butler who was staring at them.

Once they were on the grounds, Nicky sighed in exasperation.

"I really hate that man, but Freidrich won't hear any of it. He's been with the family since before Freidrich was born."

"Oh, I think he's quite charming," Noelle said teasingly.

"So, what's new?"

"Nothing much, except I am the future Mrs. Sirius Black," Noelle said, flashing her left hand at Nicky.

"He finally asked you! Oh, thank God, he was driving Remus nuts!"

"Did everyone know except me?" Noelle asked in jest.

The two old friends walled companionably through the beautiful garden.

"Have you told your father yet?" Nicky inquired.

"Oui, that's where I just came from. He was not happy, and refuses to give his blessing."

"Are you really surprised about that, Noelle?" Nicky asked with her eyebrows raised.

"No," Noelle admitted.

"So what will you do?"

"I will marry Sirius, and my father will have nothing to do with us. I love Sirius, and I can't live without him."

"Good girl," Nicky said approvingly.

"How is Freidrich?" Noelle asked.

"About the same as always. He wants to have a baby," she said in a low voice.

Noelle's blonde eyebrows shot up.

"And how do you feel about that?"

"I'm certainly not ready, but I can't very well tell him why." She paused and wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

"I miss Remus. I miss our talks. But, you were right. I actually get along with Freidrich now."

Nicky stopped suddenly and smacked her hand to her forehead.

"Oh! Did you hear? Antoine was married last weekend."

"What? Our friend Antoine? Olivier's brother Antoine?"

'Oui, the very same. Apparently, Lisette is pregnant, and it was all very hush-hush."

"Pregnant? But she's barely sixteen!"

"Easier to explain away a young marriage than an illegitimate baby."

"Oh, Lord. How was the wedding?"

"Very small, but beautiful just the same."

"Did you see Olivier?" Noelle asked in a small voice.

"Of course. He was Antoine's best man."

Noelle hesitated before she asked.

"How does he look?"

Nicky glanced at her sideways.

"Honestly? He looks awful. He's lost a lot of weight, and he's got no color in his cheeks."

Noelle looked at the ground.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Noelle, it's not your fault. You two grew apart. He'll get over it."

"I know. But I don't want him to be miserable."

Noelle nodded and dabbed at the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes. Quickly, Nicky changed the subject.

"Did I tell you who Dietrich is dating?"

Noelle shook her head.

"Bridgette."

"You're joking."

'I wish I was. You're not the one who has to put up with her at family dinners now."

Noelle laughed.

"She's ghastly. How does anyone put up with her?"

"No idea," Nicky agreed.

Noelle looked at her watch and groaned.

"I have to head back," she said regretfully.

She hugged Nicky tightly and turned the corner to Apparate.

"I'll say hi to Remus for you," Noelle stage whispered with a wink.

With Nicky's embarrassed laughter echoing in her ears, Noelle turned and disappeared.