Routine had sunk back into the students faster than they wanted. Soon everyone was piled in homework and the clear skies outside started to fade into memory. But all looked forward to the Hogsmede weekend that was just around the corner. Sirius leafed through his book aimlessly, trying to keep himself looking interested. But as he looked up, he noticed the blond girl again fingering her wand. This time she smiled at him before turning away.

"Hey look who it is…" James pointed at the boy up front. Sirius's eyes flickered at the sight of his brother. A remotely good-looking boy stood up front, ignoring him and talking away with the charms professor. His light eyes gave a roll as he looked upon the face of his brother.

"Yeah… look away you traitor…"

"I say a little public humiliation is in order." James said as he patted his friend on the back.

"No doubt he'd write to mother."

"All the more reason to do it, mate."

Sirius grinned at this, it was another reason to piss off mother, and of course he was going to take up on it. He swung his bag over his shoulder as the four of them walked off into the halls.

Severus felt someone tap him on the shoulder and pull him aside. He breathed out through his nostrils, and wheeled around. "Yeah?" he muttered as he prayed that it wasn't Lucius.

"Really, I thought you'd be happier to see me."

"I am… I am." Severus muttered as he tried to smile at Ivy. Ivy arched a dark brow and grasped his hand.

"Let's take a stroll."

"Don't you have a class?"

"Class… you've got to be kidding me. C'mon."

"I have a class."

"Which one?"

"History…"

"Don't be silly, he won't even know you were gone." Ivy laughed as she pulled him down the hall and they turned a few sharp corners. When all the students have passed by, Ivy led him down the corridors and quickly out on to the grounds. There the lake was making ripples in the autumn breeze while the trees were decorated with many colors.

"Why are we here?"

"Stop being so stupid… carpe diem, seize the day!"

"When you said you were coming back to school. … Stupid me, I thought you came back to go to class."

"Oh shut up, or next time I won't invite you."

"What are you doing?" He gasped as she began to remove her robes.

"Keep your pants on, I have something on underneath." Ivy said as she straightened her blue dress. She frowned at the sight of Severus's face. He seemed to be remembering something very unpleasant after her last words. "What's the matter?" She added as she walked over to him.

"No-nothing." Severus muttered as he swallowed the last memory of his fifth year.

"You sure?" She said as she stuck one foot in the lake's water.

"Yeah… I'm sure."

"Well then," She took a deep breath and dove into the cool lake water. Her smooth blond hair floated around her in the water as she turned to float on her back. "Come on, the water's not cold."

"I don't want to go to class wet…"

"Are you a wizard or not, come on!" Ivy said as she did a mermaid and lifted herself on a rock. Severus sighed deeply and walked into the water as well. The water felt pretty good on the dry summer-autumn day. He swam over to where Ivy was resting on the big rock and smiling at him.

"They cut me off…" Sirius muttered softly, as he took the letter in his hands and ripped it to shreds.

"What do you mean they cut you off?" James asked as he closed his transfiguration book and leaned back in his chair. Remus and Peter too looked up from their homework.

"My mother, she cut me off financially, and she's getting papers to disown me." Sirius said as he through the letter in the fire and watched it burn. James glared at his friend, at a loss of what to say. "It doesn't matter…" Sirius said as he turned back to his work, "She can do whatever the hell she wants, I was never really her son anyway."

"You'll always have a place to stay with me." James said quietly as he looked around at the people who were now staring. He saw Lily's profile from where he sat and she seemed to look on with sympathy as well.

"Selling all my stuff is she? Well that's just fine…" Sirius was muttering under his breath and nearly snapping his quill in half, "Should have been more like my brother… that…"

"Look, forget about it." Remus said in an attempt to cheer him up, "She was probably just blowing off steam."

"No… my mother doesn't blow off steam." Sirius said quietly, "But it's all the same to me, it's all the same to me." He looked down and grew silent. James looked to Remus and Peter and sighed deeply. He had always known that his friend had family problems, but he had never presumed them to be this bad.

When Hogsmede weekend had finally approached, it seemed long overdue. The students crowded the village buying candies, having drinks, and talking away spiritedly.

"I'll get us some drinks." Severus said softly as he looked upon Ivy's pretty face. She smiled back at him and glanced around the tiny café. There were hardly any students around, since most of them crowded in the Three Broomsticks.

"Severus… I want to apologize about the other day." Lucius said quietly as he approached the counter, "You are absolutely right, I shouldn't try and convince you to do something you don't want to."

"Yeah ok." Severus muttered as he waited for the drinks to be made.

"I mean… you have the right to do whatever you want, are you here with her, now?"

"Yeah… yeah I am… and you?"

"With Narcissa, pretty girl… but too quiet."

"Of course." Severus said softly. The bar tender approached holding two glasses of foaming butterbeer.

"Oh wait that's yours." Lucius said as he picked up the glass and set it down again. Severus glared for a moment before walking off with the two glasses.

"Here we are." He said as he sat down once again. Ivy beamed at him as he set the glass before her. She smiled and raised the glass. Before the glass reached her lips she suddenly frowned. "What's wrong?" He asked casually.

"Severus… what do you take me for?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you think I can tell when a drink has been drugged?" She said quietly as she slid a finger into the glass and pulled out a slightly dissolved red tablet, "You know… if you wanted something from me… this is not the way to get it." Her beautiful smile faded and she stood there, a pale blond girl wearing an unreadable expression.

"What? I don't understand… what is that?"

"You tell me… just a half of this and I wouldn't be able to see my own hands…what were you going to do with me after that?" She whispered softly. Her face looked slightly paler and she seemed, if possible, a bit hurt. Ivy was not a virgin and she had not been for a long time. But as she had been with him… she forgot about all the experiences that had taught her all too well how cruel some people were.

"I wasn't going to do anything… I didn't even put that in there."

"… Sure… whatever." Ivy stood up and glared at him sadly, "I really did like you… I thought you liked me more than that."

"You thought I…" Severus began and stopped, finally understanding what she meant. He felt sick to his stomach. "I didn't… I wouldn't do that." He couldn't imagine taking advantage of anyone that way… no matter how much he hated them.

"Then who did?" She whispered quietly. Severus opened his mouth but nothing came out. He felt utterly disgusted and quite ill. Ivy did not say another word and just stared at him. Her eyes flickered for a second and she picked up her cloak and walked off. A glimmer of tears appeared in the corner of her green eyes but she blinked them away quickly and disappeared into the crowd.

"Mother told me to get you to sign these." Regulus Black said as he sat down with paper and quill.

"Did she now…" Sirius said as he glared at the papers before him.

"She never wants you to come back to the house."

"And I don't plan to."

"Maybe if you apologize-."

"And beg and gravel before her? I don't think so." Sirius said as he dipped the quill in ink. Never was he going to see that horrid dreadful house again.

"You haven't exactly been a nice son."

"She hasn't exactly been a nice mother… but there you go."

Regulus stared for a moment at his older brother before picking up the papers again. He had nothing left to say and just walked off towards crowd. Sirius looked down slightly, he supposed his friends were looking for him but he did not really wish to go just yet. Staring into his drink, he had a strong urge to blow it to pieces.

Review pleez