Prelude to a Love Story
Chapter Nine: Bad Days for All! :)

"I don't like the way that portrait's staring at me," complained Sirius Black in regards to the tall painting that sat above the fireplace. The fire itself burned brightly, and James Potter allowed his gaze to rest there, but Sirius felt like complaining. "Look at it. James! Wake up and look at the freaky painting thing. Why doesn't it move? Why is it just staring at me?" Sky Winkkin couldn't believe Sirius was getting all riled up over a picture. He was so stupid sometimes.

"Sirius, you are so stupid sometimes," said Sky, voicing her thoughts. She had already had a good long look at the painting, and decided that it had either been done by a muggle or prior to the invention of magical paint. "Here we are, in McGonagall's office, and all you can think of doing is stare at some painting. Honestly!" Sky looked away from the painting, allowing her eyes to rove once more, until they reached the door. "Oops..." she whispered.

At the sound of that familiar statement, the boys both turned their heads very slowly. Standing at the door was Professor McGonagall, looking most displeased. Standing quite tall with her hair pulled back into a tight bun, as it always was, she looked very stiff and grumpy: pursed lips making obvious her dissatisfaction.

"I must say, Miss Winkkin, that I much prefer him to 'stare at some painting' rather than anything more destructive. Mr Black, be warned, I know what you are capable of." Sirius couldn't help but give a sheepish grin at this: he was rather pleased with his aptitude for naughtiness. The professor only glared the more for his expression. "It is because of your general misbehaviour - and your obvious talent in my field of expertise - that I have called you all to my office," she turned from Sirius then, addressing James and Sky, also.

"I suspect you all know of the fate that has befallen a ravenclaw fifth year, Lily Evans?" the professor asked. Sky and Sirius nodded in reply; James didn't look up from the floor. "Well, it may not be that you know she is still on the Hogwarts Grounds," James looked up at this, a startled glimmer in his eye. Much as he didn't like to admit it, a small fear had been growing within him towards the Sleeping She-Devil. "Yes," continued Professor McGonagall, "We have been keeping her under a sleep-spell in the Hospital Wing. Now, however, she begins to waken and is trying to fight the slumber. It has been decided that Lily Evans will be woken again, and, after serious observation, hopefully returned back to classes." James was visibly rocked, and his staring eyes did nothing to hide his fear.

"I realise that this may upset you," Minerva said, looking at James, "Yet it must be done, and I need your full cooperation.

"It has come to my attention that you two," Professor McGonagall now included Sirius in her gaze, "Are to be having detentions each evening for the next two weeks." Sirius and James didn't look in anyway glum, for they spent most evenings in detention and had become somewhat immune to the dirty and onerous tasks they were forced to perform. "Yes, well, you will now be spending those detentions working with me," at this, all three looked up in surprise, wondering what she meant by the word 'working'. Professor McGonagall was obviously waiting for their response. She stood there, still by the door - she hadn't moved - staring at them like a cat to unsuspecting prey.

Sky nearly laughed when she thought of that, seeing as Professor McGonagall really was a cat, at least in animagi form, and in some ways, they too were her prey. Fortunately, she was able to cover up her laughter by covering her mouth and giving a small cough, which was drowned out anyway as Sirius asked the professor a question, suspicion in his eyes.

"Just what is it that you want us to do?"

Professor McGonagall smiled. "You're going to help me build something boys, and I expect you'll be capable, too, Miss Winkkin. If you don't mind spending your evenings with this bunch?"

"Excuse me, Professor?" asked Sky, sounding quite plaintive, "But do you think Remus Lupin will be able to help, also?"

Once again Sirius drowned out Sky, though this time it was with his own burst of laughter, which he didn't bother trying to cover up with a discreet cough. The look of surprise on Professor McGonagall's face only inspired him to further laughter, and even earned a chuckle from James. The bright, red blush that stained Sky's cheeks, however, cooled them quickly, allowing Professor McGonagall to answer.

"Yes, I'm certain Remus can help - I believe he was in detention, anyway." With that, the professor allowed herself a small chuckle, and watched the children at play before her. Her eyes rested on James, however, who really didn't seem himself. He was... depressed. She smiled as the other two tried to include him in their banter, perhaps all would be well. There was already one student in the school with a serious emotional problem, and Minerva really thought that was quite enough without James joining in the fray.

***//\\//\\***

"So, tell me again. What exactly am I doing here?" asked Remus, fed up with spending his fifth night in a row doing nothing but transfiguration. Or more like at attempting transfiguration. He had thought himself quite good at the subject until he had been dragged along to this detention. At least he got some sort of satisfaction from cleaning trophies.

"Why, Remus, my good chap, I believe that you are tying to turn that block of wood into a bed," replied Sirius, managing to give in answer anything but what Remus wanted to hear.

"I can see that, you fool! And trying is certainly right, for I'm definitely not succeeding."

Seeing her ... friend's distress, Sky stepped in, running a hand down his back in a comforting gesture. Remus visibly lost tension, and James, who was watching them from over in a far corner of the room, wondered how they managed to click so well.

"Calm down, Remus," Sky soothed him, "You're trying too hard, that's all. Forget about the bed for a minute-."

"Why? That's all you two seem to need!" shouted Sirius across the room. Professor McGonagall had left the room for a few moments to grab some more blocks of wood - had she been in there, Sirius wouldn't have been near so daring. But his goal was achieved, as Sky and Remus both jumped about five metres away from one another, their faces a brilliant crimson.

The sound of a massive crack on the other side of the room tore Remus and Sky from their embarrassment, and drew Sirius' gaze from his entertainment. Obviously James had gotten sick of trying to make a chest of draws from a single piece of unhelpful wood. Especially when you considered the fact that the small block of wood was stuck partway in the glorious white wall.

"Oh, James! How could you?" Sirius cried in a silly high voice, running to the wall and beginning to hug it. As he muttered something about the "poor, unfortunate wall," James grabbed another block and promptly turned it into an elephant.

Pressed against the walls in the hope of keeping out of a rather surprised elephant's way, four students watched in horror as their supervisor wandered in.

The room a shambles of blocks of wood and dints in the previously perfectly white walls, Minerva promptly dropped the wood she was carrying and stared in horror at what stood before her.

The elephant stared back.

The staring contest went on for another five minutes before Sirius' pleas of "Professor, Professor?" finally drew Minerva's gaze away. Allowing the fact that there was an elephant in the room to register in her mind. The glare she turned on the students made them all wince, and Sirius immediately stopped his piteous creel.

"Can I trust you students to do ANYTHING without turning it into an absurd joke?" professor McGonagall questioned furiously. Had James, Sky, Remus and Sirius not already been shoved up against the wall, then they would have taken a further step backwards. "I gave you an extreme amount of freedom within these detentions, thinking that if you already had freedom then you'd be less keen to strive for it through rule breaking!" Her voice lost her furious edge however as she gave a loud and despairing sigh. Rather than glaring at the students, she actually looked at them as she asked: "Okay, who transfigured the elephant?"

Sky looked over at James, who was looking at the wall. Sirius was looking at his professor with that manic gleam of mischief in his eye, as though refusing to tell a secret. Remus was trying to watch Sky, without being too obvious about it. Her skin, usually pale, had a slight flush from being yelled at. Her pale blonde hair was tied up in a bun, perhaps to keep it away from her eyes. Remus liked it that way, though, because he thought that she had the most beautiful eyes. A light, crystal blue that reminded him of frothing water... Remus hadn't even heard Professor McGonagall's question.

The lack of answers prompted a look of incredulous disbelief to cross Minerva's face. It seemed that everyone had forgotten the elephant, who stood there falling asleep.

"What, the elephant just appeared of its own volition, did it? I can see it now," McGonagall continued, a look of extreme sarcasm on her face, "On moment you're all standing there, beinmg the perfect angels that I know you AREN'T! And then the next - an elephant is standing there. You had absolutely nothing to do with it, did you." Sirius was smiling at her story, as though wanting to make a comment. When she had finished, he did.

"Yep," answered Sirius, leaning against the wall in a relaxed position of slouchiness, "That's about the way of it. Of course, you may have left out a few extra details in there - such as the frustration of nothing and James doing some karate moves involving a block of wood..." All of their eyes drifted over to the block that stuck partway through the wall, with James being the exception - he preferred to remain concentrating on the very interesting floor. It was white.

Professor McGonagall was flustered. There was mess everywhere; all her blocks had fallen to the floor; there was a block partway through the wall; and an elephant standing before her, asleep.

"Alright," stated Professor McGonagall, cooling down somewhat. "Sirius, turn this elephant into a bed - and I'll have no grey, baggy skin for blankets! - while Remus can try and help me retrieve my wooden blocks. I expect you know the repairo spell, Sky?" Sky nodded, numbly, "Good, because when that elephant's what it needs to be, I want you to fix the wall." Giving James an evil glare, she continued, "James will help." As she concluded, her voice grew fiercer and stronger, as though she were speaking to a bunch of very slow, thick two year-olds. "Now, after that I want you to all leave the room quietly and without doing ANYTHING but putting one foot in front of the other. Is that simple enough?"

Four heads nodded simultaneously. It seemed that with the Professor there, they could do no wrong, for within seconds a bed (without grey, baggy skin for blankets) was in the corner; all the wooden blocks had been gathered; and the wall looked good as new. Sirius was sorely tempted to do something as he walked from the room, but, aside from running into a wall, there was very little he could do that didn't disobey the professor's very clear instructions. As Sirius wasn't interested in hurting himself, and none of the other children were near as creative, the group exited the room without any further mishaps.

Shutting the door behind them, Minerva sighed heavily. It seemed that this was finally the end of what had been a very long day, and perhaps an even longer evening. Walking over to the bed, she sunk down onto it - and was reasonably surprised to discover just how comfortable it was.

... Perhaps too comfortable. For soon Minerva was lying back in the pillows, her eyes shut in slumber.

Snuggling into the blankets, with a warm fire shifting her still deeper into sleep, she didn't notice as the long, grey trunk curled up beside her. The white, skin-tight, elephant opened one eye and...

Winked.

***//\\//\\***

Sky looked at Sirius' face and instantly took three steps backwards. He had that secretive smile and mischievous eye expression on his face again. She immediately suspected something, and began feeling herself all over frantically, searching for the extra limb that she just knew had to be growing out of her somewhere. Finding nothing amiss, she immediately began searching her friends, the corridor...

"Are you alright, Sky?" asked Remus, frowning, as he watched Sky first run her hands all over herself, and then turn to all the walls and stare at them intensely.

"Hmm-mm..." replied Sky, mumbling some sort of answer while her gaze, and obviously attention, was still locked on the wall.

"It's yellow," stated Remus, puzzled.

"Huh?" Sky turned at this, trying to figure out just what Remus was talking about.

"Yellow," continued Remus, looking stupid. "The wall, it's yellow." He emphasised all this by pointing. Sirius cracked up laughing, making Sky turn to him grumpily.

"What is it?" she asked, finally asking outright. Remus didn't understand, again, and kept up his confused look of puzzlement.

Sirius was delighted, and laughed even harder as Sky continued to pester him.

"Do you really want to know?" asked Sirius, his grin so broad that it was a wonder he could even speak.

Sky nodded, yes.

"You really, really want to know?"

Sky nodded again, though she began to get quite frustrated - she knew where this was headed.

"You mean, you really, really, REALLY want to know?"

Sky nearly screamed in irritation. Remus felt left out. James wasn't saying anything.

"Really, really?"

"YES!" screamed Sky, "Really, really, really, REALLY!!"

But Sky's scream was drowned out by another.

"SIRIUS BLACK! COME HEAR RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"

"Sorry, mates, gotta scamp!"

Sirius ran down the hall, turning soon after.

Remus just continued looking surprised, left out and generally confused. "I wonder what that was all about," he questioned.

Sky looked at him, eye-brows raised.

"Do you really, really want to know?"

***//\\//\\***

Professor Minerva McGonagall looked up from where she lay, entwined in a living, breathing elephant. Her shock was soon replaced with a loud, demanding scream:

"SIRIUS BLACK! COME HERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"

Irritated, the professor chastised herself severely for letting that - that mongrel of a - child transfigure the bed. She should have expected him to do something like this. Creative as it was... and she really did need to give him full marks on the job, there weren't many fifth years - let alone seventh years! - Who could transfigure an elephant into a new creation so well. She wondered whether there was some sort of charm-work involved, though she knew from Professor Flitwick that Sirius wasn't the best charms student... or even anywhere near the top...

Suddenly it sunk into Minerva that she had been lying on the bed wrapped up in elephant for close to twenty minutes. If Sirius hadn't come yet, then it was unlikely that he would. Mentally cursing the student for his damn urges and the way he creatively fulfilled them, Minerva set about trying to persuade the elephant that she wanted to be let go.

After half an hour, Minerva was thoroughly exhausted, and she had come to the conclusion that obviously struggling, wriggling, cursing, screaming, yelling and nearly crying weren't going to free her from this thing. Much to her disgust, the pocket in which she kept her wand was currently being lain on, and in her position was inaccessible. Gentle cajoling she had attempted, though she wasn't really the type to put up with her own voice making those sounds for very long. In fact, she couldn't really stand any cooing noises at all. She liked things obvious and sure - straight to the point. Divination had always rubbed her the wring way, as it was almost entirely focussed on those things that weren't sure, that twisted around the point and doubled back, until the point itself was none at all...

Footsteps, echoing off the walls and swirling around her like a promise, worked, as someone's restless hands would have, shaking her from reverie.

"Wait!" she shouted, trying to keep her tone authoritative and let no despair trickle in. "Wait for me!"

--- --- ---

Severus Snape stepped quickly along the hall, trying to wipe as much of the muck out of his hair as he could before he reached the Slytherin common room. He had been returning from the library when they struck, those damn Marauders. Now he was covered in green goo, greasing up his previously perfect hair. Severus took great pride in his hair, and adored its shininess. An icky bright green, however, really hadn't been his idea of improving it. He could already hear the taunts and laughter he would receive for being attacked, once again...

"Wait!" came a faint cry. Severus turned to the noise, wondering what it could be. Again it came, closer this time: "Wait for me!"

Stepping closer to the rusty old armour, Severus forgot about his hair for a moment as he put his ear closer, hoping to catch a sound...

... And fell right through.

Obviously the statue of armour was just an illusion, perhaps meant to hide something. And as Severus shook his head from the daze, he realised just what that was.

--- --- ---

"Severus?" asked Professor McGonagall. She sounded partly surprised, partly irritated. She wondered if he could even get her out of this mess. Minerva didn't notice his hair.

"Professor McGonagall!" exclaimed Severus, looking exceedingly surprised. "Whatever has happened?" For some reason, Severus was blind to the white, skin-tight elephant wriggling an ear at him languorously. In truth, Severus wasn't even really concentrating on his professor - the room seemed much more interesting, if perhaps a little too clean for his liking.

"Sirius," responded Minerva dourly, as though dark things were to come. The mention of that hated name drew back Severus' attention, and he stared in wonder at the teacher, trying to figure out just what was wrong. He was partly embarrassed to be standing in the same room as his professor while she was apparently in bed.

For fear of embarrassing her, Severus tried not to look directly at her as he asked:

"Sirius? Whatever has he done this time?" Self-consciously, Severus ran a hand through his hair, covering his fingers and palm in the gacky green substance. He, too, had been attacked, though it had been Remus and James, for once not Sirius.

Noticing the student's gaze wandering from her, Professor McGonagall tried to regain it once more by wriggling at her tight bonds. Stupid students and the bright white of this room were really starting to get on her nerves.

"He's tied me to the bed with an elephant," replied Minerva, somewhat calmly, though Severus had a difficult time looking so at ease.

"An- an e-eleph-ph-phant?" he questioned tremulously, his voice stuttering over words. Frustrated, the Professor snapped at him:

"Yes! Of course an elephant. Must I repeat everything I..."

Minerva McGonagall dropped off suddenly. Not that her audience would have noticed. Severus Snape had gone running out of the room screaming at her clarification on the word 'elephant'.

"Oh, honestly!" Minerva sighed to herself. Trust him to be afraid of elephants.

***//\\//\\***

It was a much dishevelled and grimly determined professor who exited the room somewhat later that evening - or early that morning, however you want to look at it. She had been stuck in there for ages before she was able to trick the bed thing into thinking she had some peanuts near by. Stupid thing. The professor was thoroughly annoyed, wanting to kick at everything. Minerva would have taken five hundred points off in a flash had she but been tempted with the slightest mistake. As it was, she was more than willing to drag that Sirius Black out of bed and give him the longest, most horrible, grotty, difficult detention she could think of. Yet no way would that calm her rage.

She had passed tiredness long ago. She was wide awake now, her rage burning within her - a flame of pure unsatisfied frustration. Yes, someone would pay for this. Dearly.

Too busy concentrating on her anger, Minerva didn't notice the step as she put her foot onto it. And sunk right through.

The cry of pure fury and frustration that rent the air was more fearsome than anything previously heard in Hogwarts.

Professor McGonagall sat there fuming. She was not having a good day.

A/N - Gosh, nobody's happy... Oh well, on with the story!

***//\\//\\***

tap tap tap

Petal Evans looked up at the window, wondering what that sound could be. Seeing the array of white and brown feathers, she presumed it an owl and went over to unlatch the shutters. Stepping back quickly as the bird hurtled towards her, she sighed, wondering if she could ever possibly grow used to the idea of receiving mail by owl.

Obviously in no hurry, the owl stood awkwardly on the bench, pecking down at the scraps of meat Petal had been slicing. The letter was left on the floor, where the owl had carelessly left it on its dash for the food. Clearly addressed to her and her husband, Gregory Evans, Petal went to retrieve her knife off the bench for aid in unsealing the thick envelope.

For the first time, she noticed that the owl was still in her house, and snacking on the dinner she had been preparing, at that! Waving her hand at the creature, she muttered the usual "Shoo!" and stepped back in outraged shock as the bird actually leaped towards her, as though in attack!

Stepping away quickly, Petal decided suddenly that she didn't really need the meat, she supposed, and that rather than to salvage what was left (which was becoming less and less by the second) she would just calmly leave the room.

Turning, Petal ran from the feral creature, and after stepping through the door, slammed it shut behind her.

Looking down to the letter grasped by white knuckles, Petal soon forgot about owls and knives as she hurriedly ripped the outer parchment to shreds, burning off some of her nervous energy in the process. She hadn't really considered just what the letter might contain until then, but the Hogwarts crest upon the seal had suddenly reminded her.

Petal's pulse increased rapidly, and she fumbled with the letter in her shaking fingers before finally unfolding it. Quickly scanning it with eyes already blurred, she froze when she saw the name "Lily". For an instant her heart actually stopped beating. And then began again, pumping exceptionally fast this time.

Scanning through the letter again, heavy parchment softened by sweaty fingertips, she finally felt herself strong enough to read it properly. Though sat in a chair first.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Evans,

I am pleased to inform you that your daughter has been receiving the best medical attention possible. A suitable procedure is under way, and we expect Lily Evans to be completely healed before the summer break. More letters will be sent to you regarding her process at a later date, and you will most definitely be informed the moment we are to have any major break-throughs.

We once again wish to remind you that your daughter is in the very best of care, and if at all you feel the need to visit her you are quite welcome to ask for instructions as to reaching the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Thankyou for your patience and aide,

Prof. M. McGonagall

Looking up from the thick parchment she clutched so desperately, Petal Evans could think only of her youngest daughter, Lily Evans. Lily with her red hair, her quiet manner and soft voice... Petal smiled in reminiscence and at the hope filling her veins. For so long now she had worried and wept over her child's emotional breakdown, so long that it came as a massive relief to finally know for certain that Lily would recover.

Suddenly recalling that someone else might possibly be interested in the letter, Petal Evans called across the room, nearly running to the study in her haste to spread the good news.

"Greg! Greg? Quick!"

Her voice breathy and gasping from her previous lack of air, it was a wonder that Gegory Evans heard her through the thick door. Yet hear her he did, and came running nearly as fast on hearing the excitement in her voice.

"What? What is it, honey?" Gregory opened the door with a low bang, pushing it outwards into the hall. "Honey? Where are you?"

On exiting the study, Greg couldn't see Petal anywhere, it seemed as though she had been screaming outside his door one instant and then, poof, gone the next. Looking up the hall either way, Gregory stepped away from his door, closing it gently behind, to award himself a better view. A soft moan led his gaze downwards.

"Hon?"

Petal looked up at him, holding a piece of paper to her nose, which bled profusely.

"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry, I didn't see you!" Greg lowered himself to her position of sitting on the floor. "Are you alright, I'm terribly sorry..."

Petal just looked up at her husband, trying to ignore the feeling of movement in her nose. She knew he hadn't meant it, but thought his apologies awfully sweet and sat listening to them for long moments, until the letter once again reclaimed importance in her mind. Realising she held the important piece of parchment to her bloody nose, Petal quickly pulled it away, not noticing, or caring about, the blood that continued to dribble down her face.

"Hon, should you really do that?" asked Gregory Evans, concerned. "I think you may still be bleeding a little."

Irritated now, Petal distractedly pushed away his fussing hands as she began exclaiming over the letter.

"Get off me, you silly fool... It's the letter. The letter!"

Realising that he really wasn't understanding her excited garble, Petal tried to slow her voice down and speak seriously.

"The letter. It arrived today. About Lily!" Gregory caught on pretty quick, almost ripping the blood stained letter from her grasp in his sudden desire to read it. Managing to decipher through the mess of sweat and red, Greg soon became as ecstatic as his wife.

Sitting together on the floor, Greg and Petal ignored the gory mess of blood as they pulled one another into a tight embrace.

"Oh, honey - this is marvellous!"

***//\\//\\***

"Ugh, isn't it just awful?"

Petunia twirled the phone cord around her fingers as she listened to her boyfriend's reply. She and Vernon had been together a whole two months now. She even had the ring to prove it.

"There was mum and dad, lying in a puddle of blood, crying over some girl who's probably mad as an old goat."

Petunia could recall the picture almost too vividly. She had stepped into the room and almost screamed. Neither had been moving at the time of her entrance, and, much as she disliked to admit it, Petunia really did care for her parents. And even her sister, though that was really deep inside.

"Yes, she is my sister. But that doesn't mean I have to like her!"

Petunia was quite adamant on that point, and clutched the cord even tighter.

"You and your sister are just more suited, I suppose..."

Although she had never met Marge Dursley, the way that Vernon was continually going on about her made Petunia feel that she must be one of the grandest women.

"I know that Marge would never go insane, Vernon darling. It's all this stupid witchy business, honestly" - and now Petunia's voice became mocking - "Each holiday she comes home saying that she can do this and that, yet never shows me any of it!-

"No, of course I don't really want to see it, Verny dearest,-

Petunia laughed into the phone, a high, cruel snigger - Vernon thought it the most lovely sound on the earth - "Oh, I wouldn't be surprised, Vernon, I wouldn't be surprised... To think, one day she looked in the mirror and - click - she suddenly realised that it was all a lie!" Petunia seemed quite happy at the prospect. "No wonder she's not all there!"

Petunia Evans continued to laugh, imagining all sorts of funny faces her stupid sanity-lacking sister would pull.

*** Lia, I realise that all of that last paragraph or two was completely awful - please, please, PLEASE try to fix it. I rest all my faith in you as the best beta reader this side of the galaxy. Thankyou lots and lots ~~ Pauline (and now it's on to Sirius... and a really yucky detention) ***

***//\\//\\***

An incessant mutter, like that of a crazed yabby, could be heard coming from the coldest room in the castle. Stone walls echoed the noise around, until the rumble of words was completely indistinguishable.

Not that Sirius was really making a whole lot of sense in the first place. But then, after two hours in a freezing dungeon, being forced to clean a dirty floor with no magic - only a toothbrush - and having little else for distraction except for the sound of your own voice, you couldn't really expect him to be in a much better state.

"Grib, grob, dribble and drabble. Tail's rat and rat's tail..."

And so on. To more accurately rephrase that: Sirius wasn't making any sense at all.

"To the dungeons! Now! Spotless floors... Your own toothbrush..." Professor McGonagall's voice echoed in his head. Rather like his echoed of the floors and walls. Minerva really hadn't been too happy when she had finally come for him that morning. Her hair was mussed and her eyes evil. McGonagall's face had been furious enough to drag him out of bed quicker than anything else may have, startling Sirius into falling out in his haste.

He expected that James would tease him about Batman pyjamas for many more years...

It seemed that no light at all permeated to these levels. Sirius had only had enough time to throw some robes over himself and grab a toothbrush before he was dragged by his ear down to the lowest levels.

Looking at the massive expanse of cold, grey flag stones and the small patch of shiny ones, Sirius wondered if he could ever possibly clean them all. Looking at the small brush in his hand, he wondered if it would hold out, for already its bristles were sticking at odd angles and stained a dirty brown in colour.

Dipping the toothbrish back into the small bucket of soapy water, Sirius couldn't help but give a small smile.

And wonder just how loud James would complain.

A/N

There we have it, another chapter done at long last. It seems the only person currently reading this is Ariqua... Oh well.

I give massive thanks to my fabulous beta-reader, Ariqua, who has really been helping me out lately. If not for her, then this chapter would still be only part way done. Big round of applause for Ari!!

Sorry if this chapter is rather choppy in style - I have been working on it at different intervals, rather in the large block that I normally would. Only one chapter to go (I hope!) and that will either include be the epilogue, or the epilogue will come after. I want this to be the last proper chapter - I really really want to start Lily Love - but, unfortunately, there are still some loose ends that I really need to tie up.

Not much else to say! Thankyou again, Ari, and anyone else who decides to read and review this. If you want to read an edited version of Lily's Revenge, I am currently in the process of re-posting. When I get the chance, I'll go through the entire thing. I still want to do a full, proper re-write, though that will take a long time and a lot of effort, so I'd probably be better off without.

Thankyou, all.

-wildcat-