Disclaimer: Sadly, still not my sandbox; this is just my sand castle in J. K. Rowling's sandbox.

Chapter Fifteen: True Friends are Like Stars

(You Can't Always See Them But They're Always There)

April

Sirius

"I almost had to deduct points from our cub, Neville, and Luna during my rounds. I would have had to if I wasn't able to slip into the secret passageway by the kitchens before they saw me," Remus states as he enters the bedroom, unbuttoning his dress shirt as he walks.

"You couldn't have just let them slip by with a warning if you'd caught them?" Sirius closes the book he'd been skimming over and places it on the nightstand as he watches his lover get ready for bed.

Remus looks over his shoulder and raises his right eyebrow as though to say: That is not the kind of example I want to set for our cub and you know it.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You and your rules," Sirius grumbles and Remus chuckles. "What were they doing out this late?"

"Since they were down by the kitchens, I'd say they were probably talking to the elves again. You know, working on S.P.E.W. again. Trying to figure out what they can do to protect the elves. The three of them have actually befriended quite a few of the elves and all of the elves love them. Not to mention the fact that Neville and Luna are both just as passionate about S.P.E.W. as our cub. They've really stared to pick up on their work with it again since Easter Break and I'm pretty sure they're starting to pull Draco into their cause. They started out talking to him about it because he was the only person they knew who actually lived with and dealt with house elves privately instead of in a school setting. But I caught him looking over legislation during class the other day without any of the other three around him."

"I'm glad our pups' friends are taking him under his wing, he needs it," Sirius replies, a smile tugging at his lips at the thought of the future activists.

"Luna definitely hasn't given him a choice in the matter of her friendship, she latched onto him like he held all the secrets to her finding her imaginary creatures. Neville was a bit slower but that boy is just as good at reading people as his father was and the moment Draco got him alone to genuinely apologize, Neville forgave him. Because as good at reading people as he is, he is also as forgiving of people as his mother. Ginny is still a bit frosty but she's a protective little thing so that's unsurprising. Once she forgives Draco, she'll protect him just as fiercely as she does the rest of her friends," Remus talks about their pups' friends with nearly the same fondness that he talks about Harry, Hermione, and (surprisingly this early on) Draco.

It doesn't escape Sirius's notice though that Remus doesn't bring up Ron. Honestly, Remus rarely ever brings up Ron and when he does, it's almost never in a nice sort of light. Sirius had a feeling that Remus saw Ron in a similar light that Sirius himself did: in a sadly rat-like light.

Hermione

Hermione pulls her best friend to a stop when she sees a familiar redhead nearly hidden by the burly frame of the famous Bulgarian. Warm chocolate eyes meet emerald green, mischief shining brightly in both sets of eyes.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Harry and Hermione speak in unison, looks of mock scorn on their faces.

The couple pulls away just far enough for Ginny to roll her eyes at her two friends. "Like you two didn't just almost lose Gryffindor points for doing the same exact thing when McGonagall passed your alcove a few minutes ago."

"Touché, my friend," Hermione replies, smiling at her friend before pulling Harry in the direction of the staircase. "We'll leave you to it then," she calls over her shoulder.

Before they can get far a familiar redhead's masculine shout has the duo turning on their heels to sprint back toward Ginny.

When they get there, they stop in their tracks in a mixture of disgust and caution.

Ginny is standing slightly in front of Viktor, her wand raised and a vicious spark in usually warm gaze.

Little black bats are crawling out of Ron's nose and attacking his face as Harry, Hermione, and Viktor stare from Ron to Ginny in shock.

"For the last time, Ronald Bilius, stay OUT of my love life. Actually, just stay out of my life. I am so sick of you micromanaging my time when I have more maturity in my little finger than you have in your entire body. I would never be swayed to do or say something that I didn't mean with my entire being and I know for a fact that you can't say the same thing. Until you can, stay away from me," Ginny's voice is colder than Hermione has ever heard it as she stares down her brother until he breaks away from her gaze, neither agreeing or disagreeing but understanding her warning. "Let's get out of here, guys. I think that's more than enough excitement for tonight."

Hermione follows Ginny and Viktor, gripping Harry's hand softly, as they make their way up the stairs.

"You've got to teach me that hex, Gin. It was badass," Hermione breaks the silence once they're out of Ron's sight in an attempt to lift her friend's spirits.

"I was planning to show it to both you and Lu, I just learned it myself," Ginny replies, grinning at her friend.

"Because you girls really need more hexes in your arsenal." Harry's voice is heavy with sarcasm and their group bursts into laughter as they reach the fat lady's portrait.

Sirius

Sirius trots down the familiar corridors in search of his pup for the first time in far too long, his tongue lolling off to the side as he makes his way to the library. From Remus's window he'd seen Harry and Ginny racing laps around the Quidditch Pitch and Neville and Luna wading through Black Lake with their eyes to the water at their feet so Sirius assumed that Hermione was on her own.

Which is why surprise widened his eyes when he found his favorite little witch at her favorite study table, speaking as animatedly as Madam Pince's strict noise policy would allow with a certain burly Bulgarian and brilliantly blonde Slytherin.

"Snuffles!" Hermione called, her smile widening when Sirius's animagus form caught her eye. "Come on over. It's been a bit, bud."

Sirius wasn't one to turn down an invitation so he trotted over to his pup before plopping down beside her and rubbing his head against her hand.

"We were just discussing the benefits of both Occlumency and Legilimency and whether the time it takes to learn them is worth the benefit. Draco and I both think it is but Viktor is arguing that if you are good enough at potions or enchantments, you don't need to learn them because there are both potions and enchantments that can take their place.

If Sirius were human, his eyebrows would have shot up. It was a beautiful day our and Hermione had managed to find two people, both of which Sirius knew loved Quidditch, who very clearly preferred to stay inside to debate something most grown wizards wouldn't have even been able to pick a side on without literally guessing which side was actually better.