A.N.—The fates have conspired to keep me from posting this chapter…first writer's block, then school, the my internet was down for a week. (sigh) Oh well, it's up now. Enjoy!

Chapter Six

They were all excited when September came, even Sirius. After not seeing each other all summer, they couldn't wait to get together again. Besides that, the Marauders and Lily were in their seventh year (James and Lily had been named Head Boy and Girl, to the surprise of no one), and Ally's sister, Celina, was coming to Hogwarts for the first time.

Sirius was making his way through the Hogwarts Express, looking for his friends, when he bumped into Remus, who was coming the other way.

"There you are." Remus said. "Ally and her sister are three compartments down on the left. Have you seen James, Lily, or Peter?"

"Nope. Want me to help you look for 'em?"

"Nah, you go get settled. I'll find them."

Just as Sirius was about to open the compartment door, it was opened for him. A skinny girl of about eleven stood in the doorway, regarding him with green eyes that looked like they had seen far too much for someone so young. She had the same delicate bone structure as Alexandra, but, maybe because she was so thin, her features seemed sharp rather than graceful.

"Which one are you?" she asked.

He smiled slightly. "I'm Sirius. You must be Celina."

"Oh—you're the one she talks about all the time."

Ally walked to the door and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Cel, if I knew you were going to interrogate all my friends before letting them in, I would have made you find your own compartment."

Celina made a face at her and ducked back to her seat. "The other one was cuter."

"I'll forgive the foolishness of that statement because you're so young." Turning to Sirius, Ally gave him a quick, discreet kiss. Sirius couldn't help noticing that even when they kissed, Celina watched them intently.

"'The other one?'" he asked. "You mean Remus?" Celina blushed and wouldn't answer.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So what do you think of her?" Sirius asked as he sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Celina?" Lily replied. "She seems like a nice kid."

"I don't know...to be honest, she kinda gave me the creeps. You know, the way she's always watching you no matter what you're doing?"

James nodded. "I know what you mean, but give her a break. If you never had a mother and your father was murdered when you were ten, you'd be creepy too."

"It's more than that." Remus said quietly. "She, well...she knows too much. If she wasn't so small, I'd never guess she was eleven. She's seen and knows things a kid her age just shouldn't. Her father's death is part of it, yes, but something tells me that's not the only thing."

Peter called everyone's attention back to the Sorting Ceremony. "Hey guys, Cel's about to get Sorted."

"Merlin, Celina."

A slight murmur filled the room. As the descendents of the most famous wizard ever, Ally and Cel both had quite a bit of notoriety. Calmly, as if she couldn't hear the whispers swelling around her, Celina walked to the front of the hall and sat on the stool. The Sorting Hat sat silently on her head longer than it had for any other student that night—almost as if it was debating where to put this unusual girl. Finally, it voiced its decision.

"SLYTHERIN!"

A.N.—DUM DUM DUUUUM!!!

Sorry, this was supposed to be longer but I couldn't resist ending it right there. I know. I'm evil. Mwa ha ha!

Oh, and you're not delusional, I did start with Alexandra as a fourth year and everyone else as a fifth year, but I decided to bump them all up a year.

Next chapter will be up quicker than this one was, I promise!