The students fell into the rhythm of school and classes, each developing a personal pattern and routine. The marauders played their daily tricks, as was to be expected. James began his nightly patrol with Lily, religiously trained for the upcoming quidditch games, and fulfilled his marauder duties. Peter tried to test out some of the boys' advice on girls, sadly with not much progress-but hey the year was just starting they told him. Remus stayed unobtrusive as usual, occasional dates, with many nights in the library. Sirius went on a Sirius usually did. Many wondered how he managed to get homework done, let alone study. He always seemed to be playing a prank, flirting, out on a date, or unfound-which was always the most worrisome.
A few weeks into the semester, things seemed to be running smoothly. But such things only seem to last for so long…
Sirius was to be found out in the courtyard talking to Katherine, or Kate as she insisted on being called but few seemed to think she looked like a Kate. She sat a stone bench; Sirius sat below her on the grass, looking up at her with a special look and smile that made her feel as if she was the only one around. She blushed furiously.
"But my dear Kate," his silky voice wove its magic, "our Alec here would so truly love to talk to you, but it seems is a tad shy. And I know that you wouldn't let something as pesky as bashfulness stand between you, him and the chance at a fair and lovely relationship."
She paused. She had never thought of Alec that way, and now couldn't possibly see why not. He was definitely cute, and a decent wizard after all. Thanks to Sirius, it all made sense! "Siri, you're so very right!" Missing the wince he made at her nickname for him, she jumped up, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and went to find Alec.
He rubbed his ear. Kate was a sweet girl, and he had done Alec a favor, but that didn't stop her voice from hitting octaves that were reserved for the birds. He walked along the outside halls that surrounded the yard, checking to see if an opportunity would present its self. He spotted a girl he would fancy a few words with. He walked quietly over to where she sat on the grass back against another stone bench, faced away from the mainstream of traffic. Blocking the sunlight deliberately, he waited. She turned around to see the reason for the interruption.
"Yes?" She asked looking up at him with a polite blink of her eyes, setting the book down.
"Can't a guy wreak a lady's sun with no questions asked?" he warmly teased. "My apologies over my lack to find anything else to say, for all I truly desired was to wish you good day."
"Well, I do suppose it is." Ava said, looking around at the blue sky, closing her eyes when she moved from his shadow to feel the setting sun on her face. She stood up to face him, her book tucked under her arm. "I have found worse shade than you, so the day isn't as wasted as it could be."
"Your words are harsh," Sirius smiled, playing along with her. "But no matter, I will still accompany you back to the common room. That is, if it is you destination?"
"Hmm, I think I'm head off to the library instead."
"I would be more than happy to make sure you get there." He flashed a brilliant smile at her.
"I think I can find my own way there." Ava sent her own sparkling smile back at him.
"Have it your way," he nodded with a wicked grin, "but if you get lost, I'll forgive you in the morning."
"Try not to lose sleep over it than, luv." She laughed as they turned to go separate ways.
Sirius didn't go straight to the common room, no need to now. He milled around the castle, making mental notes, planning pranks, and bantering with Peeves. After some time, he came across Julia, Erin, Janie heading back to the common room, and he took his cue. He wasn't about to be caught out after curfew with Peeves running around with an unusually rabid temper. Occasionally an early night was good, or so Peter would say. Besides, a full moon was coming up, and they would have to synchronize actions soon.
Sirius made courteous good byes to the girls and wandered over to find the boys at the table, James getting ready to leave to find Lily. As he sat down, he sent James a suspicious look. "Eager are we?"
"It's not everyday that you come across a beautiful lady walking alone at night," James smiled wickedly. "Never knowing what will jump out at her." He stopped and considered what he had said. "Oh wait, unless you're me, than it happened quite frequently than."
"And unless it's Lily, who doesn't need your help." Remus ragged on him.
"And could probably take you on, slam you to the ground, and make you call uncle all in one swift move." Sirius supplied with a smile.
"Lily is quite a handful" Peter considered.
"Nothing I can't handle," James radiated confidence, sending them all a self-assured look. Lily walked up from behind James, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"I doubt that lover boy. C'mon the watch awaits." He grinned and followed happily.
Sirius considered this. There was a time when Lily had been, or had appeared to be absolutely disgusted with James. Albeit it an act, but a good act. James was slowing getting through to her. True that they weren't quite dating yet, but give it a few more weeks, maybe months if James messed up, and they would be. James wouldn't mess up though, or at least Sirius hoped not. He groaned at the thought of James starting from scratch with Lily, all the none stop chatter about her, Sirius wouldn't be able to take it, he wasn't as tolerant as Remus.
James walked up to the opening out and stood to the side with an arm out indicating Lily to go first. She gave him a disapproving glare. Before she had a chance to go through, students avoiding curfew wandered in. Lily quickly said something to James and he went through with out her.
Ava, who had just come in with Dena, sat down at a table and open up a big book. Lily came over and stood over her shoulder while Ava pointed out a passage. Lily silently read then looked up to talk with the two girls. They quickly discussed the issue of the project, Lily taking a step closer toward the passage out with every word until she was finally gone. Dena laughed and patted Ava on the back and went up to her dormitory. Ava yawned and stretched as she rose from her chair.
She wandered over to the fire and sat down in front of it, ignoring the chairs that sat before it. To her side, in chairs, sat others talking but she simply sat contemplating the fire. It seemed odd that a fire be needed this time of the year, but she overlooked it. Castles were drafty, why take such a wonderful thing for granted. She gazed silently into it.
After some time she shook herself out of her trance, and stood up. She looked around the room to see a few people still up. It was late, but not horribly late, so she drifted over to the stairs and up to her dormitory.
"Ay," Remus said snapping his fingers in front of Sirius' face. Sirius looked at him blankly. "Ready to call it a night? Or do you want to lose yourself in that fire more?"
Sirius shook his head as if trying to wake up, blinking his eyes. "Apparently I was already out of it."
"Dreaming up groundbreaking mischief no doubt." Peter mused.
"No doubt." Sirius grinned.
After a good day of cursing and hexing Snape, setting up dates for the coming weekend, and general chaos afoot, the marauders settled in for the night in comfortably worn chairs in front of the fire. Slowly, fall was creeping by and the winds would get stronger and colder. Outside, a storm was just starting to beat against the windows and create a general sleepiness amongst the students.
The marauders had kicked some underclassmen out of the prime seats. Lily seeing this walked over to give them a piece of her mind. James smiled as his plan went accordingly. "Yes, Evans?"
Her arms were folded. "Potter, what have I told you about this tyranny over the innocents?"
"Yes, yes," James nodded with mock-realization, "I do recall something now."
"Black," Lily said with her eyebrow raised accusingly at his snicker.
"I'm sorry to say Evans that you fell for our discreet little plan."
"Oh?"
"James here just wanted to get your attention. And by gosh," Sirius snapped his fingers, "it seems to have worked."
"So it has," Lily tsked, a small smile growing on her lips. She uncrossed her arms and set her hands on her hips. "At least I know you've grown out of hexing them without cause. Now you just chase them around like my cat after a mouse."
"Mrow," James looked up at her with sparkling eyes, a smile playing on him.
"Lil, what was that leaf again?" Ava called across the room, working on their project. "The renrae or the trewyn?"
Lily sighed. This project grew worse as they waded through it. Each stage of the assignment seemed even more complex than the last. She eyed the marauders; they didn't seem to be having as much problems as her group was. James shrugged, as he seemed to know what she was saying. "Trouble?"
"Between me and Altair," she said jerking her head in the direction of Ava, "we can't figure this thing out. Keep getting stuck the more we wade through. And Dena isn't too much help, just runs around after Jonas like a chick with its head cut off."
Sirius chuckled quietly at the irony of Ava's last name. He hadn't bothered to find out, but here it surprised him-or maybe the fact that it didn't, amused him. He stood up. "We've moved on to the third stage already. The blasted leaf is actually the vranicus. She needs a nudge in the right direction, eh?" he walked over to where she sat quietly cursing the book, flipping through the pages several times.
"Evans!" she barked trying to get Lily's attention, noticing her inattentiveness to the problem at hand. "Bloody book. Should just toss you into that fire. After I chuck it off her head…" she grumbled as Sirius walked up to her, unaware. "What bloody leaf now?" She still ran through the book.
"It's actually the vranicus." Sirius smiled as she looked up surprised at her visitor. Her head tilt to the side in question of the leaf. He assured her. "Really, it is. Would I lie to you?"
"You might," she eyed him before writing down the answer and tossing the book to the side to pick up another one. "But I have no urge to argue over the point. Especially since I don't care any longer." She sighed as she set the book away from after deciding not to check the answer. Sirius sat down across from her.
"Altair," Sirius tested the words on his lips. "I like that."
"You would, Sirius." She laughed. Twisting her hair up, she picked up a pencil and ran it through her hair to hold it up. A lock of her chocolate colored mane fell out in front of her eyes. Irritated she looked somewhat cross-eyed at it and blew at it furiously. It fell off to the side, out of the line of her vision.
Sirius couldn't help but chuckle at the cute way she fussed around. She didn't seem like the strictly clean and neat sort, but everybody had things that bugged them. She actually seemed to be frustrated over the situation of her work than anything else. She looked around and sent a glare towards the door, Dena nowhere in sight. "Deserted huh?"
"Apparently left to fend for myself." Ava mumbled. "Lily seems to be happy enough where she is."
Sirius looked behind him to see Lily had taken his seat and was still talking with James. He had said he was going to ask her to the next Hogsmeade weekend. But Sirius doubted it would in front of Remus and Peter. But as if he had heard him, Remus stood up to leave. He walked over to the bookshelf, passing Sirius as he walked by, giving him a wink. He went upstairs.
"Am I missing something? I mean," Ava asked him, "I've heard James and Lily have some thing going on but…"
Sirius looked back at her, nodding. "Oh yeah. It's been building for years, but finally something is going to happen-hopefully if Peter gets his arse outta the way." Sirius seethed the last little bit out in a hiss.
Peter finally got up and wandered around before coming towards Sirius and Ava. Not wanting to watch James, or to talk to Peter, Sirius turned back to Ava to find her deep chocolate eyes on him. He lost himself in them for a minute. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I didn't say anything." She gave him a strange look. "But I will, if I need to."
"No, usually I'm not at a loss for words," he uncharacteristically flushed slightly. Embarrassed, he tried to think of a new topic to change to, "I suppose you've never been to Hogsmeade before?"
"Um, well, no." She strung out the words, thinking it was obvious she hadn't been before, her being a transfer and all. "But I'm fairly excited. It being completely wizarding and all."
"It'd be my pleasure to show you around." He gave her his best smile-which was truly hard for anyone to resist.
"Thanks," She said slowly," but I think I'll need pass on that offer."
Disappointed Sirius' face fell slightly. He didn't understand what was going on. She seemed to like him. The signs were there, weren'tthey? "Maybe another time then, eh? A rain check?"
Her face fell from its bare expression. "I'm not sure about that." She averted her eyes. He stood up and walked around to her side, standing above her, but looking down concerned. She turned and looked up at him.
"I don't understand. Did I say something wrong? Do something wrong?"
"No, I…" she trailed off, unsure of herself.
"You what? You don't like me? I find that hard to believe. If I was that horrible of a person you wouldn't have talk to me as much as you have." Sirius panted working himself up. In the back of his mind, he noted that the rest of the background noise had stopped; once again everyone seemed concentrated on the two of them.
"I do like to talk to you," she said simply. Her mind was reeling and quite unsure of what to say. "But…" She gestured her hands helplessly.
"But what? How could there be anything to think about? It's not hard, simple in fact." His voice was getting cross now. "Why do you have to be so wretched different from every damned girl on the planet?"
"I thought you liked that?" she questioned him, growing offended, and pushing herself up from her seat. He took a step back. "Obviously if I was any other girl you would have gone through and been finished with me by now."
"I am not a womanizer. Contrary to what everyone has probably already told you about me by now."
"And I am not like other girls as you so ungraciously put it," her voice severe, "so that means you can't expect the same shite to work on me. Or to whip me around like some prize in a dog and pony show."
She was right he told himself. She certainly wasn't like the others. He had lacked to change his game plan. That was the whole problem he was starting to figure out, she wasn't a game that need a plan. She didn't play games. Maybe she had flirt with him on occasion but she hadn't thrown herself at him, nor had she played aloof and hard to catch. She had simply been who she was. And that, that is what he liked about her. What a mess he had made of things.
"You just need to give me a chance." His eyes almost begged her.
"Maybe all I need-or want from you- is friendship." Her eyes were intense. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted from him, but she knew she didn't want to be pressured.
She was wearing him down. He liked her. He knew it. She liked him, he thought. It should have been simple. It always was. Or at least up until now.
"Your like a rose," he said with a worn exasperation, "lovely and sweet. But you have thorns. Accursed bloody thorns." he gestured passionately, his fingers several inches apart. "I get that stabbing, bleeding feel when I try to get close to you."
"Your like a rose too," she said quietly, but with a defensive tone. That had hurt her what he said. "But your thorns are notches from all the girls you've had and been with."
He couldn't believe this. He had tried to be nice to this girl. He had flirted, teased, complimented. Nothing seemed to work. He was getting fed up, and tired at that. Every time he thought he might be getting somewhere with her, she gave him the cold shoulder. "At least I feel." He said with a harsh scowl, the bitterness in his voice unmistakable.
Ava didn't say anything. She stared at him for a second, her brows quivered uncontrollably and the blood rushing around in her body and head. She didn't know what to say. She looked away from him, her eyes downcast. She couldn't think straight. Silently and quickly, without any more eye contact, she walked past him up to the dormitories.
Sirius was quiet as well. His heart fell. Not thinking quite too straightly either, he hadn't meant for things to come out that way. But as is the way with anger, it just comes out. He looked around the common room to see every one no longer blatantly staring at him, but avoiding his eyes. He gave a glance at James and Lily to find them staring at him still, their eyes wide. With a sigh he turned and went into his dormitory.
:Wow that was a long chapter, (but hey it-the chapter- is named after the title) but so worth it. Oh FYI, Altair is the Alpha star in the Aquila (eagle) constellation, and as many of you know Sirius is the Alpha star in the Canis Major (the greater dog) constellation, so that was just a bit of fun. I hope you all aren't too unhappy at the bumps along the road, but we can't have things happening too fast can we? Drama and all that.
Thank you to all those who have reviewed:
Padfootz-luvr: You're so faithful! I'm glad you like it!
Nicole Black: Marauders are so much fun! I'm trying to pace myself and take it steady, its hard though :grins:
Annoriel: Thanks for reading. Sometimes it's hard to know if readers like what's happening, I'm pleased you do!