Arabella didn't know how it had happened, maybe it was when those kids had sped by on their bikes and Sirius had pulled her out of the way, but Sirius was holding her hand. And not loosely, like Joshua had done during any displays of affection. It was a strong grip as if he couldn't bear to let her go. Sirius stared at Arabella as she chattered 19 to a dozen. Everything she said fascinated Sirius. Her every movement caught his eye. She rushed towards a small cart crammed with what Lily would have described as "knick-knacks." Sirius loped after her, enjoyably.

"Oh Sirius look," squealed Arabella, pointing out a fine silver chain with a small heart shaped diamond hanging off the end of it. "Isn't it sweet?" Sirius grinned and nodded. "Probably costs a bomb though," Arabella estimated.

"I dunno," said Sirius. "Ask how much it is."

"Nah," said Arabella, walking towards a shoe shop.

"Sorry," Sirius said, trying to attract the attention of the lady running the cart. She looked briefly in his direction. "How much is this?" he asked.

"I give it to you for two pounds," the lady said, in a heavy Spanish accent. Sirius nodded as the lady beamed and wrapped it up in a layer of blue tissue.

"Bella," called Sirius. Arabella spun around and waved to Sirius her dark curls bouncing. "Here." Sirius handed her the small package.

"Oh," said Bella, breathlessly. "Help me tie it." Sirius tied it for her and she beamed at him.

"Are you hungry?" Sirius asked her. Arabella thought about it.

"Yea now that I think about it."

"Come on so," Sirius said, almost briskly, walking away. Arabella ran after him and wrapped her slender arm around his waist. She smiled sweetly up at him as he put his arm around her shoulder.

"Hi Leah," Remus said softly, to his e-girlfriend.

"Hi," Leah replied, walking away from Remus.

"Leah come back. We have to talk." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him.

"Let go of me," insisted Leah, pulling out of his grip. "I don't want to hear what you have to say." She started to cry softly.

"Leah," Remus said, helplessly. He put his arm awkwardly around the girl. She kept crying. "I'm so sorry about what happened," Remus started. "I didn't mean for it to happen." Leah just cried harder. "Believe me if I had the chance I'd turn back time in a flash. But the truth in the matter is that I still like you." Leah looked up, tears shining in her clear eyes. "And much as I wish I didn't I like Melanie just a tiny bit more," he continued. Leah stared at him, eyes bright with unshed tears.

"You complete bastard," she said, eventually. "How dare you even come near me and tell me that you like that bimbo more than me. Well I've got something to say to you, Lupin," she said, viciously. "If you ever, EVER come near me again I'll personally sure that there'll be no mini Lupin's running around. Is that clear?" she finished, in a whisper. She ran off before Remus even had the chance to nod.

Lily and James looked at each other in wide-eyed shock.

"I can't believe he actually did it," Lily said, in disbelief, sinking into a sitting position, against the wall of a cabin behind which Lily and James had been spying on the once perfect couple. James just nodded absently. Lily continued, not even noticing that James wasn't giving his full attention. "I mean they were mad about each other and everyone thought they were perfect for each other."

"Yea," James said, absently.

"Which reminds me, I'd better go see how Leah is." Lily stood up and slipped away.

Leah was pacing the cabin, furiously, by the time Lily had arrived.

"How dare he?" she demanded the minute Lily walked in. Lily thought it best to remain silent. "I mean he chose Her over me. How could he do that? After everything we went through. I supported him when his mother had a heart coronary, when his dad had a nervous breakdown. Jesus I even stayed with him when he admitted he was a werewolf. And what does he do? He goes and dumps me. For Her," Leah said spitefully.

"Leah," Lily interrupted. "Don't you think you're being a bit unfair? I mean the guy didn't plan for it to happen."

"No Lily," Leah said, crossly, whipping her head around. "I don't think I'm being even a teeny weenie bit unfair."

"But . . ." Lily protested.

"He. Dumped. Me. For. Her." Leah said, through clenched teeth. "Don't you get it Lily?" she almost cried. "I loved him." Lily didn't say a word. "And I still do," added Leah, regretfully.

"No way!" exclaimed Arabella, eyes gleaming.

"Yes way," Sirius said, his mouth forming a crazy grin.

"Sirius Black," Arabella said, catching the grin. "I don't believe a word you're saying," she said, beginning to laugh. Sirius laughed with her before pulling her in close to him, arms looped around her waist. Arabella looked up at him, the laughter gone. Their eyes (ice blue and coco brown) were linked. Sirius leaned down and Arabella's eyes slipped shut, without her even noticing. A group of giggling foreigners past by them and knocked into them, pushing them apart. The moment was lost and Arabella and Sirius made their way back to the camp, so as to be in by 9.

"So what does this dance thing start at?" Arabella whispered to Lily, in their "teaching History of magic" class the next day. No one in the entire class seemed to be listening to the teacher, who was just as old and boring as Professor Binns. In fact they could have been brothers.

"Half eight, I think," Lily answered, not bothering to lower her voice.

"Ms, Evans, please stop talking," the teacher said, feebly. "And get rid of that gum," he added as she snapped it loudly. Lily sighed and swallowed her gum.

"This dance thing" was actually a dance being held in the local community hall and everyone was planning on going.

Lily doodled as the teacher warbled on and on. And on. By the time the class was over Lily's sheet of paper was covered in scribbles and little drawings but no teaching notes.

"Are you going to go?" Arabella asked Lily, catching up with her after class.

"To the dance? I dunno," Lily said slowly. "I might stay here with Leah. She's really down lately. The whole Remus thing obviously."

"I'm going," Leah interrupted, sidling up next to them.

"Oh," said Lily.

"Oh," echoed Arabella.

"That's great," they burbled in unison. Leah raised an eyebrow at them and laughed before shouting over to Gracie to "wait for her two seconds while I run back for my notebook."

"She's covering," Lily said immediately when Leah ran off. She watched her friend. "There's no way she's over Remus. She loves him," she told Arabella in a low voice.

"Wow," Arabella said, almost open-mouthedly.

"I know," Lily continued, nodding. "She told me yesterday."

"God the poor girl," Arabella said. Lily nodded. "I mean I definitely didn't love Joshua and I'm just barely over him. It's possible that if I see him I could hit him and then break into tears right there and then." She shrugged.

"And is Sirius helping you get over Joshua?" Lily asked mischievously. Arabella grinned slyly

"Maybe," she answered, casually.

"Maybe what?" Sirius asked, coming up behind them. Arabella exchanged a glance with Lily and giggled nervously.

"Nothing," she said. "So did you hear about this dance on tonight?" she asked, discreetly changing the subject.