"What a waste of a good boy." snarled Narcissa to Andromeda. It was the first time they had talked in weeks. Things were semi-normal again. Narcissa was ranting, Andromeda was nodding, and the rest of Slytherin were observing. "He's a tricky one. He says he loves you one day, and walks out on you the next." she went on, "And further more, we're not done yet, so none of you are getting any ideas." The Slytherin girls all nodded, concluding silently that it was all but over; for Lucius anyway, wether Narcissa liked it or not. None of them said a word, but they all thought the same thing: He's mine, now. Narcissa, oblivious to the thoughts of every female Slytherin, heck, every female, stormed up the passage to the girls' dormitories to brood until Lucius returned. Outside, Lucius was pulling Leif into a nook, "Please," he started, "Don't go in there." "What on earth are you talking about, Lucius?" Leif asked, "I was just going to go to the dormitories to change for dinner." "Narcissa will be on one of her rampages." he explained. "She's not too happy that I just got up and walked out. If you had gone in there just at that moment, she would have turned on you too." He concluded with a curt nod. Leif was unpreturbed, "Oh, Lucius, I'm not worried about Narcissa. I'm the one who fixes all of this when she's angry at you. She would have dumped you by now, you know, if I hadn't smoothed it all over and told her how lucky she was to have you. In fact, I was actually quite jealous of her, and she didn't even realize what she had." Lucius was stunned, "You.....you did that......all along?" he asked. Leif nodded, "I did. And it wasn't easy you know." "Wow." he amended, "I didn't even realise just how great you are Leif. I only got the exterior, and that was good enough for me, even. I'm starting to think.......well....that I'm not good enought....for you." he looked at her, then cast down his eyes. Leif lifted his chin, "You're more than enough for me." she said gently. She turned away. He caught her. "Thank you, Leif. For being my confidence." He kissed her, then let her go. She walked on up the corridor, stopping only once to llok back at him, his endearing face, and then she turned, whispered a word or two, and was gone.

Peter stalked up the passage to the common room. Things were lousy again. James had beat him at exploding snap, Sirius had been too busy with Alex to pay attention to what he was talking about, Dumbledore had picked on him in class, when he knew he wasn't the least bit interested in Defense against the dark arts, and even Snape had taunted him. Of course it had been all too easy to taunt poor defensless Peter when he was away from his brave Griffindor buddies. He was just another face in the crowd. A shadow behind all of the bravery and valor of his housemates and friends. He finally reached the portrait hole of Gryfindor tower and gave the password. The fat lady swung forward and he slouched into the room. When he was acroos it, he bent and slumped in an armchair, dejected. Half an hour later, the maurauderers all trooped up to the tower laughing. Peter heard them from his place by the fire. Not wanting to endure another loss, he started to the stairs of the dormitories. He was two stairs up when they came in after him. He knew they would call out, and in a last resort to get out of sight, ran. He was not fast enough, though. James saw his cloak hem dissapearing and called, "Hey, Peter, wait up, we're going to play with the snitch!" Peter ignored him and ran all the more faster. "James?" Lily commented, "Do you think ther's something wrong with him?" James nodded, "I better go and see." He started up the stairs after the other boy, his black hair tousled from the rough and tumble in the corridor

Leif sauntered through the Slytherin commons, unconcerned and silent. Narcissa stopped her by roughly pushing her backwards. Leif was stunned "Narcissa, what are you doing?" she asked, expression changing all too quickly. From cool affirmation to wide eyed innocence she played the part. Narcissa eyed her suspiciously, keeping an eye on the others in the room as well, "You know!" she hissed, "Don't you deny it!" Leif knew it all too well. They couldn't keep things in the dark forever. "I don't know what you are talking about." "You scrawny brat!" she screeched, "You filthy half-blood scum..." Leif was amazed that she would stoop to that, but bit back the insults, "Hold your toungue, Black." she said with ferocity. In rage, Narcissa fairly flew up the corridor towards her rooms. "Angry little thing." Leif commented, and several listeners chuckled. The dungeon wall opened and Lucius swept in, blonde hair frozen with snow. "Leif." he adressed her, "May I see you....outside." The Slytherins looked up, glanced at eachother and looked down. Something was going on.....

Lucius took Leif into an out of the way classroom and shut the door. Turning around to her, and looking thouroughly pleased with himself, Lucius kissed her playfully on the nose, picked her up and set her on a desk.

Leif was stunned but quite amused at his antics, and played the part. She grinned quite happily as they kissed some more, sitting on the desk there.

Finally Leif was getting restless.

"So Lucius....did you bring me here to tell me something....or just to kiss....but either one should be fine..." she added cheekily.

Lucius looked at her, "Errr....well...I hadn't planned on kissing so much..but I don't mind either way. I just wanted to tell you........I am finally going to give up on Narcissa. I just don't like her that way anymore. She's fine for a while, but she's.....well......she's not like you."

Leif was suddenly struck very melancholy by what he had said, "So Lucius......well.....did you ever love her? Really love her?"

Lucius looked at Leif, sitting there with her head cocked to the side, lack bangs dangling in her face. He looked again. She was so gorgeous...and without even realising it. He kissed her deeply again. "Does it seem like it?" he whispered, "I don't really know.....just.....just not like you.....never like you."

She shut him up quick.......before it got to cheesy. Not that Lucius was cheesy.....he was....unique. When she had met him, she had expected him to be a pretty-boy, purely from appearance. He looked like he owned the world......but now he owned her world........and that was enough.

Lily was shut up in her room, lonely and desolate. It was a Hogsmead's weekend, but she wasn't really interested. Things could be tough when your ex-boyfriend and yourself share the same social circle. She didn't want to be near her friends....who only wanted to comfort her and pity her...but she didn't want charity. And least of all....she didn't want to see James again.....ever.

Alex entered the room and crossed it to get to Lily's bed where she was hunched against the wall with the curtains drawn. Alex lifted them to reveal Lily's tear stained face peering over one of her pillows. "Oh Lily..." she began, "Come out. It'll do you good. Just come and have a butterbeer with us....just the girls....remember what you used to say....well...up until third year, anyway."

Lily didn't answer, she just sat stoically against the wall staring into space.

Alex continued, "You used to say...'Boys are so stupid, just look at that James Potter, who does he think he is?'"

"And I am still wondering that myself." Lily said faintly, sitting up a little.

Alex laughed and said, "Come out of your cocoon Lily Potter!!!!"

Lily sat bolt upright, "WHAT did you say?!" she demanded, "Don't you EVER call me that."

Alex laughed again, "Oh Lily....go and talk to him...anyone who knows you two knows that it is meant to be....you two I mean. He has made a HUGE mistake and he will realise what he's done. Anyway, you can't deny that you miss him so much; just look at you!"

Lily smiled a little, but she didn't agree, "Are we really that good together?" she asked

"Defenitely" said Alex, "Get out of those pyjamas and get your cloak! We're going wether you like it or not!"