Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter franchise. Any recognizable characters/locations/magic-thingies from the series belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. Author's Note: With everything I've been dealing with lately, the last chapter was delayed longer than I would have liked. To make up for it here's the next chapter! Thanks to all of the patient people who continue to read/review/follow this story! Also, my wonderful betas deserve a round of applause for all of their help and advice! I hope you like the chapter!

Evelyn stood outside on Christmas Eve, or rather early Christmas morning as it was well past midnight. It was snowing and the flakes clung to her dark hair, dampening it. She was shivering and her teeth chattered, having been outside for too long in nothing but her dressing gown and slippers. Common sense told her to go inside and seek the warmth that her bed offered. However, she didn't want to be the first to say goodnight. Sirius had called her name earlier, scaring the wits out of Luther who had been lying on top of the mirror he'd leant her.

They'd been speaking for over an hour now and it really was time to part ways. She was to be up in a few short hours to greet the day with her sister and Mr. Gray. Speaking of whom, Mr. Gray still hadn't mentioned her Sirius to her. Maureen had still not told him much to Evelyn's delight, though she was curious what was keeping her silent. Whatever it was, was greatly appreciated.

"Why are your lips blue?" he asked her. Looking at the mirror she could see his face was pulled into a frown.

"I'm cold."

His eyes widened in shock. "Are you... Please tell me you're not outside!"

She gave him a look, as if he were the ridiculous one. "Of course, I am!" she said. "I could not have answered your call, had I stayed inside. Mr. Gray would surely have heard us."

He sighed and shook his head at her foolishness. "Get inside before you freeze, will you?"

"I can handle the cold, Sirius."

"I mean it! Go," he ordered. "I'd like you to be defrosted by the next time I see you."

She allowed a small smile to appear on her face. She smiled a lot more often these days and the notion that he was partly responsible for it, made him smile too.

"I must bid you goodnight then," she said, regretfully.

"Sweet dreams, luv." He blew her a kiss and waited. "You're supposed to catch it."

She rolled her eyes at his nonsense.

"Come on," he prodded. "I can't kiss you properly, so catch it."

Sighing, she raised her hand so that it would be visible to him in his mirror and pretended to catch the airborne kiss. "There. Are you happy now?"

He smiled and nodded, his hair falling in his eyes. "Unbelievably."

"Goodnight," she whispered. "And Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas!"

She snuck back inside the house, as quietly as she possibly could. She stripped herself of her nightgown, kicked off her slippers, and slipped between the sheets of her bed. She pulled the covers up to her chin and waited for the warmth to surround her. Luther, who had been waiting for her to return from her meeting with Sirius, leaped up onto the bed. She could see the disapproval all over his little face.

"Don't ruin this for me, Luther," she whispered. "I'm very happy."

He sighed and curled up behind her.

"Happy..." Maureen's voice echoed in their room. Evelyn strained her eyes to see her through the dark. She was sitting up in bed with her arms crossed over her chest. "But at whose expense?"

Evelyn said nothing, wanting to ignore her. She would not let Maureen ruin this for her either. Evelyn had every intention of enjoying what little time she had left with Sirius. "Happy Christmas, Maureen."

"You're being extraordinarily selfish, Evelyn. But it's Christmas, so consider this my gift to you: I will give you one last chance to end things with that boy before I am forced to tell father."

Evelyn burrowed down into her pillow, trying not to let the threat get to her. She knew her time with Sirius was limited, but she was not ready for it to finish just yet. If that made her selfish, then so be it. After years of catering to her sister, didn't she deserve to be the littlest bit selfish? Maureen would have to be the one to end this relationship because if Evelyn was to let go of Sirius it would be through clawing, grasping fingers.

Three weeks later

Having returned to Hogwarts, Evelyn continued as she had before the break. She spent time with her friends and with Sirius, especially. Knowing that they were on borrowed time, she allowed for him to take certain liberties. She let Sirius hold her hand in public, no longer caring if it was indecent. When they were alone and kissing, she let his hands wander over her clothed body so long as they did not linger anywhere too long. These were small and by no means salacious steps but Sirius appreciated them all the same. He knew she was making the effort to relax at his touch, to trust him. But still... his sweetheart was a prude. In a way, it was almost adorable.

They still tended to avoid important discussions, including the one about sex. This was mostly due to Evelyn's reluctance. It was as if she didn't want to look towards the future, for fear of what she would find. It made him feel rather unsure of her feelings for him. Deep down, beneath all that bravado, she reduced him to an insecure little boy. In his entire life, no one had ever made him feel that way. He had always been sure of himself.

That is until recently.

Since their return to school, he had done something that had stirred the cauldron—so to speak. His friends weren't speaking to him and, by Dumbledore's decree, he was to serve detention every evening for three months. He was also banned from Hogsmeade, which is why he was sitting all alone in an empty corridor on a Saturday afternoon. All things considered, Dumbledore had been fairly lenient with him. So he didn't bother using one of the secret passage ways that would have led him there. He didn't want to wander around a busy Hogsmeade village anyway—he was in too foul a mood to be around people right now.

Evelyn didn't seem to care one way or another. She appeared suddenly and curled up beside him on the stone floor, tugging down her navy blue skirt as she did. When he didn't look at her, she leaned closer and started leaving little kisses along his jaw. He still refused to look at her. He couldn't. If he did, she would know what he'd done. She'd be disgusted.

She continued sprinkling little kisses, quite liking the way his unshaven skin felt against her lips. She started whispering in between pecks, coaxing him to look at her. He continued to resist and eventually she grew tired of waiting.

"Sirius," she said, sternly. "Don't ignore me."

He looked down at their now entwined fingers. Her hand was so soft. He wondered where else she was soft. If her thighs would be as pale and smooth as he imagined them to be. He was not in the mood for talking but he knew better than to ask anything else from her. She was not one to be rushed.

"I'd like to be alone," he murmured. "No offence, luv."

Her left hand came to rest on his right arm. She lightly traced her fingernails along the material of his shirt.

"Very well," she said, quietly. "I'll stay and make sure no one bothers you."

A tiny smirk made its way on to his face. "You know what I meant."

"Yes, but I'm choosing to disregard it. We can be alone together."

He sighed and let his broad shoulders sag. He was tired and aggravated. At her, at this school, at his friends, and at himself most of all. "Please, Evelyn, I'm not in the best of moods."

"Oh yes, that's rather obvious." Her left hand fell away from his arm, resting in her lap. "Do you wish to talk about what's troubling you?"

"No," he said, bluntly.

"Why not?"

"I just don't want to."

"Well, I'm not going to stop pestering you until you tell me," she announced, firmly. "I can be just as stubborn as you are, Sirius."

"I'm not talking about it!"

"We'll see. Might I remind you that I have spent fifteen years caring for one of the most obstinate girls there ever was. Your petulance is nothing compared to Maureen."

He snorted. "And we all know how well you handle her," he snipped.

Her expression turned stony and he was immediately sorry. He brought their joined hands up to his mouth and he kissed the back of her hand by way of apology.

"That was rather harsh," she observed.

He nodded, still unable to meet her gaze directly. "I've been hearing a lot of that lately," he muttered. "I'm sorry, luv."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Are you sincerely?"

He turned his head and kissed her widow's peak. "Yes."

"Then you owe me an explanation. What has put you in such an irritable state?"

"Evelyn..."

"Tell me," she urged. "Whatever it is, it cannot be so very bad."

He banged his head against the wall he was propped up against. He crossed his legs at his ankles and balled up his right hand in a fist. "It can. Trust me, it can."

"Let me be the judge of that."

He looked down at her. "I don't come off looking so well in this particular story."

She snorted. "I've yet to hear one where you did."

"This is different." His tone was serious. "I've really fucked up."

"I shall not condemn you. You have my word. Please, my darling."

She had taken to calling him that since returning after the Christmas holiday. It seemed like such a formal term of endearment, but it rolled off her tongue with such ease. It pleased him to no end that she so readily was able to refer to him as such. Also, it was never "darling" but always "my darling". He liked being called hers almost as much as he liked calling her his.

It was that endearment that made him crumble. He divulged the entire story to her, even parts he knew he was not supposed to share. He told her of Snape's spying. How Snape was the one suspected of poisoning Maureen. How he had only been trying to teach Snivellus a lesson when he told him about the tunnel under the Whomping Willow that led to the Shrieking Shack. How he had used Remus' lycanthropy in his plot. How he had concealed his plans from his friends and how it had gotten out of hand. How James had saved Snape just in time. How James wouldn't speak to him now. How Remus still doesn't know. The whole awful truth. She let him speak without interruption and only when he was finished, did she say anything.

"You and your friends are animagi?" she asked with a blank expression.

"Yes."

"You're that dog that I ran into last winter."

Sirius nodded.

"I should have known. Those eyes were so familiar."

He gave her an expectant look. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"I guess I'm surprised you're not going off about Remus being a werewolf."

She sighed. "I've actually known that for quite some time."

"Did he tell you?" he asked, stunned.

She shook her head. "No, I deduced it myself." She let him marvel at this news for moment. "I don't care about his condition," she added. "But I think it best we don't inform him that I know. He's very private and I don't wish to upset him."

He nodded. "When I tell him everything, I think you knowing will be the least of his concerns."

"Snape's been sworn to secrecy, I take it?"

Sirius nodded and then banged his head against the wall again. As much as he hated Snivellus, he hadn't intended to actually put him in harm's way. He'd been trying to get revenge on Evelyn's behalf, but moreover, he'd been trying to give him a scare so that's he'd stop snooping around. He'd wanted to protect Remus' secret. Well, that certainly backfired!

As sorry as he was for the way things had almost turned out, he would not apologize for his intentions. Besides, it wasn't as if he'd forced Snape to go to the Shrieking shack on the night of the full moon.

"How have you been punished?"

"Three months' detention and I'm banned from Hogsmeade."

"I knew that," she said. "I didn't want to go without you, so I stayed behind."

He squeezed her hand gently in thanks, glad that she had ignored his earlier request to be alone.

"I've tried to apologize but James won't even look at me. How can I say I'm sorry if he won't listen?" He rolled his eyes. "He's changed."

"He's growing up," she said. "And at some point you'll have to, too."

He rolled his eyes again and gave a noncommittal shrug.

"I mean it, Sirius!"

"If you're going to continue to lecture me, I'm going to go find someone else to be alone with."

"Who would that be exactly?" she snapped. "Who will you turn to when you've completely isolated yourself for the sake of ridiculous antics?"

He hung his head, shamefaced.

Evelyn took a deep breath before she continued. "Anyway, I don't believe James is the one who you should be apologizing to. You used Remus' condition to someone's disadvantage. He deserves an apology."

Sirius nodded. "I know."

"After you ask Remus for his forgiveness, you should then express your gratitude to James for intervening. What you did was unforgivably foolish," she said, seriously. "And I could strike you for being so thoughtless."

He looked up at her, the corners of his mouth turning up ever so slightly.

"This is no light matter, Sirius," Evelyn scolded. "You almost killed someone and you would've made Remus your accomplice. Had something horrible taken place, he would have to live with the guilt for the rest of his life."

"Do you think he'll forgive me?"

She shrugged. "I will not make you any promises that he will but, from what I know of his disposition, I do believe that in time he could...if you are truly repentant."

"I am."

"Did you apologize to Snape? It was his life that was put in danger, after all."

His eyes turned cold. "In Dumbledore's office. I know I did a bad thing but it's not as though he didn't have it coming. He was the one that tried to poison your sister."

"He doesn't deserve to die, Sirius." Evelyn turned and looked ahead, no longer able to meet his gaze. She swallowed thickly before attempting to speak again. "And there's no way to be certain that it was him."

"I feel pretty damn certain."

"Why didn't you tell me? I think, of all people, I had the right to know." Her nails bit into the back of his hand, painfully.

He leaned in to kiss her temple, trying to calm her, but she pulled away. "I didn't want you to do something that you'd regret," he said. "I'm the stupid one, remember?"

She was silent for a while, debating her feelings regarding Snape. If he was truly the one to poison Maureen, then in her eyes, he did deserve to be taught a lesson. Though he had concealed it from her, Sirius had spared her any guilt she might have felt for exacting her own revenge. For undoubtedly, she would have become overwhelmed by anger and a thirst for vengeance. It was a complicated situation but one thing was clear: Sirius had been thinking of her.

"While I do not approve of your methods or of your concealment, I suppose I can appreciate your concern for my conscience." She let go of his hand then stood up, brushing down her skirt and scowling at him. "However, I warn you that should you keep such pertinent information from me again, I will little choice but to hex you."

He looked up at her, nursing his sore hand. She was frowning, clearly not happy with him. But she had stayed and hadn't let go of his hand once. He finally admitted to himself what he had known for a quite some time. He wasn't ready to tell her, but he felt it acutely in that moment.

She gave him a hand in getting up off the floor.

"No more wallowing," she said, firmly. "You need to talk to you friends. It's time to take responsibility, Sirius."

"Responsibility? What's that?" he joked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"There you are," she said, rolling her eyes. She started walking away, expecting him to follow, which he did. "I was worried I'd have to wade through more of that self-pity before I found you."

He knew what he had to do, he had always known but hearing her say it out loud, was motivating. Now was not the time to be sitting on his arse, doing nothing. It was time to make amends and get his friends back.

Now that she'd seen it, Lily found it almost impossible not to gape like a moron.

She was in her Potions lesson, examining dangerous potions. Amongst them was a small vial of Amortentia. The scent of the potion was said to be different to everyone because it smells of what a person finds attractive. Professor Slughorn had allowed for the class to pass the vial around, and inspect it closely. Snape had turned around in his seat and handed it to her, the sleeve of his robe rising slightly as he stretched, revealing his forearm. Taking the vial from him, she had looked at his pasty skin closer and realized what was tattooed there. Her jaw dropped.

As did the vial she'd been holding, spilling the contents all over herself.

"Shit," she muttered, looking at her stained robes.

"Everything alright, Lily?" Professor Slughorn asked.

"I'm fine, Professor," she replied, politely. "But I've spilt the potion all down my front. I'm so sorry!"

"Not at all!" He waved away her apology. "I have another vial in my office, I'll just pop in and get it. Oh, and don't worry. The potion is only effective if ingested."

She forced a smile but had only been half listening, her focus lying elsewhere.

Severus bore the dark mark. She didn't want to believe it, but she had seen for herself. He had told her of his plans to become a Death Eater, but now that he actually was one...she felt sick. She avoided looking at him, afraid he'd catch her gaping at his arm. Should she report him? Probably. Yet, Lily wasn't sure she could. Despite the awful things he had done and would no doubt do in the future, she couldn't expose him. She had loved this boy once, long ago. He'd been her best friend. She knew it was naïve but she couldn't help but nurse that small flicker of hope for him that dwelled deep inside her. Maybe he would come to his senses. Either way, she would be monitoring him more closely from now on.

She was holding her robes away from her, to keep the potion from seeping down to her blouse. From the corner of her eye she saw someone offering her a napkin. She accepted it gratefully and started dabbing her now cinnamon smelling robes.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem."

She looked to her left, realizing who the person was that had been kind enough to summon a napkin for her. Potter smiled at her and she found herself smiling back, shyly.

Lately, Lily had found herself warming to Potter. He seemed to have matured over the past few months, and she found him far less annoying. She was now able to tolerate his presence and even make polite chitchat with him occasionally. He was still looking at her fixedly through his glasses. Had his eyes always been hazel? She would have sworn they were brown, although this was the first time that she had really stopped to look. Lily reached up and smoothed down her tresses, suddenly feeling insecure with how carefully he was watching her. His own dark hair was its usual mess, sticking up at the back. She wondered if it would stay down if she...

She threw the napkin back at him and looked down at her desk. "Bollocks." When did that happen?

Recently, I received my first flame... on Christmas! What a Grinch! It took me aback, at first. I don't shy away from criticism, because it's how I get better. However, this person wasn't able to articulate their reasoning for disliking it. They seemed more interested in bashing me and the story. It also seemed to me that they've missed the point of Evelyn entirely. If that person would like to explain their opinion further, I invite them to do so. But until then, I'm going to simply respond by quoting Cyril Connolly. "Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." I'm proud of this story, I've worked hard on it, and that's really what matters. If anyone else happens to like it, that's just icing on the cake :)

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that you'll have a happy New Year! See you in 2014! (Drink responsibly!)