Now that Sirius was a fifth year, he had entered the dating pool. Before this year he had been known for his pranks and not his looks, now he was known for his looks. Of course he didn't stop pulling pranks. In fact the Marauders would pull off their largest trick ever this year, but no one would know about it. They called this prank the prank of their lifetime. Of all life times. And it was. Sirius thought they should call it , 'Turn into critters so we can have fun with Remus during the full moon.' James , (after he finally stopped laughing,) told Sirius that his idea was a little too conspicuous.
"It was a good idea," thought Sirius as he stepped off of the train, heading towards the carriages pulled by invisible horses that brought them the rest of the way to Hogwarts. It had been such a rainy fall that the ground was covered in mud. As Sirius hopped over a puddle, just to land in another, he startled a horse, causing him to prance about. In all the prancing, the horse stepped on Peter's foot, causing him to scream, and all the horses to go into complete chaos. As the dwarves drivers tried to rescue the horses and students before any trampling began, students ran to get out of the way, screaming, put the horses in even more of a panic.
Ten minutes later, when the coaches were finally back in order, students got into a mad scramble to get into the coaches before anything else happened. The marauders got separated, and so did Lily and Maria. In fact, Sirius climbed into the last carriage only to find Maria there. He jumped out immediately to find another carriage; only three hadn't left yet, and they looked pack to the limit. Sighing he climbed back into the carriage.
"Nice job, Black." Maria smirked.
"Peter's the one who screamed, " muttered Sirius, looking out the window. "Of all carriages in the whole school, I get the one with you in it." He said narrowing his eyes at Maria.
"Like I said, nice job," Maria quirked.
"And like I said, Peter is the one who screamed." Sirius retorted, glaring daggers at her.
"Like I said, Peter is the one who screamed, " Maria mimicked Sirius, pitching her voice high.
"What are you? In first year?" asked Sirius, annoyed by her and her conversation.
"No," said Maria, "Are you?"
"Why would I be in first year?" asked Sirius, not getting where she was going with this conversation.
"Didn't think so, they wouldn't even let you into Hogwarts with the grades you get. What are you? A new sort of House-Elf?" Maria said coldly.
Sirius actually didn't do too badly in school. In fact, he held the highest grade in Astronomy for most of his years at Hogwarts. (He slipped every once in a while when he would answer The Moon, to all answers on tests.) But he knew what she was getting at. At the end of the last year, Professor McDougal, the potions professor, announced in front of the whole school that Sirius had one week to bring his grade above failing. He only had a failing grade because of his idea to add a swelling potion to a shrinking potion and see if it would neutralize. To make a long story short, it didn't, and Professor McDougal amazed the fourth year class by swearing for five minutes straight without repeating himself once.
"My grades aren't that bad. And they don't kick you out because of grades," said Sirius, trying to forget about the last year.
"But they do kick you out for causing havoc before you even reach the school." Maria smirked.
"Peter screamed, not me!" yelled Sirius, extremely annoyed with the girl.
"You can tell yourself whatever you want, it doesn't make any difference to me," said Maria.
"But it was Peter's fault," whined Sirius.
"Now who's acting like a first year?" grinned Maria.
"Screw you," muttered Sirius.
"And that was just so much more mature," Maria watched as his temper skyrocketed. In Sirius' opinion he was enjoying this way to much.
"Bitch," he said through clenched teeth, trying and failing to control his temper.
"I heard that," said Maria, annoyed.
"I said it to your face, genius," retorted Sirius.
"Never mind," said Maria as she climbed out of the carriage.
As Sirius climbed out of the carrige and got his first sight of Hogwarts, he didn't get the sudden rush that he usually got; Maria's fault, he thought. He walked quickly so he could catch up with James on the steps near the front door.
"You'll never guess who I had the pleasure of sharing a carriage with," said Sirius through clenched teeth.
"Let me guess," said Remus, "That wench from the train, Maria."
"How'd you know?" asked Sirius.
"We were in the same carriage as Lily and she said she saw you two get into the same one," answered Remus.
"Not fair," moaned Sirius, "You guys got the good one, and I got stuck with the psychotic bitch."
"I'm not a psychotic bitch," said Maria as she brushed past the boys.
"Strange whenever people mention psychotic bitch, you assume they mean you," quirked Sirius.
"I heard the whole conversation, idiot," said Maria.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you that it isn't nice to eavesdrop?" asked Sirius.
"No, but she did say it's rude to confuse poor innocent horses." Maria said, as Lily came over to drag her away.
"It was Peter!" yelled Sirius, causing several students to look at him strangely.
"Yeah," Lily said to Maria, who had heard the whole conversation, "He's the only one with an attitude problem."
~*~
(A/N I'm skipping the feast and sorting and such. Why? This is the story of Maria and Sirius, (with a few other characters,) so I don't really need to tell about the feast, because everybody knows what happens, the nervous first years get sorted, they eat, they drink, and Professor Dumbledore says something that confuses half of the population, creeps out a quarter, and makes the rest laugh.)
"So wait a minute," Maria said that night, as they were getting ready for bed. "You got to ride in the same carriage as James? What happened? Did you two talk?"
"No, Maria, we didn't talk; we mimed," grinned Lily.
"Well what did you talk about?" asked Maria, to eager to hear Lily's gossip to take note in her sarcasm. "Did he ask you out?"
"No, he didn't ask me out, and besides if he did, I would have said no," answered Lily.
"What? Why? I thought you liked him," said Maria.
"I do like him, but the thing is, every time he asks a girl out, they break up with in a week, right? I know that's partially because he can never remember their names, and partially because he doesn't even know their personalities, and doesn't even care to know them, so unless he knows me and my name, it's hopeless," out of breath after her little speech.
"I get it," Maria said, "Trying the ol' friends first approach? That's a good idea."
"Thanks," said Lily, "I hope it works."
Yup another short chapter Thanks to everybody that reviewed, and please keep reviewing!!!
