AN~ THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED IT- MORE NICE COMMENTS PLEASE!!!! CHEERS!!!!

Sirius walked back to the dormitory in a daze. He had never liked his cousin, but had never thought she was as bad as this. He knew she could be mean, really mean, but he'd never of dreamed she would want to hurt someone, really hurt someone.

"Hey Sirius, what's happened mate?" James and the others looked at him expectantly as Sirius neared the table around which they were sat.

"She hasn't told your dad, has she?" Peter handed Sirius a chocolate frog and waited for an answer.

"What?" Sirius shook himself and blinked hard, dragging the common room and the faces of his friends back into focus. "No, she just- oh it wasn't anything important."

This answer seemed to be good enough for James and Peter. "See, told you so didn't I Remus?" But Remus had fixed Sirius with his searching gaze.

"Yeah, you're right," but he knew that Sirius was lying. And Sirius knew that he knew.

A few days passed, and Sirius grew more and more nervous as the day approached. He barely noticed Remus was getting ill again. He missed out on James hexing Snape in front of Lily, causing her to shout at him. He couldn't concentrate in lessons. Suddenly it was Friday, and he didn't know where the week had gone.

"Tomorrow, Sirius." Bellatrix passed him in the corridor and hissed these words to him. He nodded and felt an acidic bile rise to his throat.

"Black?" Sirius turned to see Professor Dumbledore approaching him. "Could I please have a word?"

Sirius nodded and followed the teacher into his office. Sirius gazed around Dumbledore's room, taking in the interesting books and instruments all around him. When he looked up, he saw Dumbledore was sat at his desk, staring calmly at Sirius, as though waiting for him to speak.

"Er, Professor?" Sirius approached the desk.

"Yes Sirius,"

"Erm I've got a bit of a problem,"

"I know. That much is obvious but the question is what to do?"

"I er- I don't think I've got much choice."

"Nonsense Black, there is always a choice, it is what makes us human."

"How do I know what's the right choice?"

"Alas, that is also one of the defining qualities of us humans, we often do make the wrong decisions. What you need to decide, is what is most important to you? What would you miss most in your life?" Then Dumbledore smiled and began writing on a piece of parchment. Sirius took this as his cue to leave. He went over Dumbledore's words all the way back to Gryffindor Tower, mumbling to himself.

"Talking to yourself, Black?" Severus Snape appeared next to him, carrying a large book.

"Get lost Snivellus," Sirius wasn't in the mood for a fight.

"Watch your mouth Black." Sirius rolled his eyes and kept walking.

"TAREN- AHHH!" Sirius spun around and saw James standing over Snape, his wand out.

"He tried to jinx you from behind," James kicked Snape and joined Sirius. "Lucky I was here, I was trying to sneak into the kitchens!" Sirius smiled, they had discovered the kitchen entrance by accident a few weeks ago. Sirius smiled again, because James had just made him realise something. Made him realise he wasn't going to help Bellatrix. He silently thanked Dumbledore and put his arm around James's shoulder.

"Let's go then!"

The next day, Saturday, Sirius woke up with a thousand butterflies in his stomach. He got dressed slowly and followed the others down to breakfast. He saw Bellatrix across the crowded hall and the butterflies grew angrier.

"What shall we do today then?" James asked through a mouthful of toast.

"Erm, we could go and watch the Quidditch team practise?" Sirius said hopefully.

"Nah," James dismissed this idea with a wave of his hand. "It makes me mad that I can't play when I know I'm better than any of them players."

"How about visiting Remus in the hospital wing?" Peter said nervously.

"No we won't be allowed," James said impatiently. When they left the Great Hall, Sirius noticed that Bellatrix had disappeared. He grimaced as James decided they should go for a wander around the grounds. James led them round the lake and past the Quidditch pitch. Eventually, they approached the one place Sirius had been trying to avoid.

"The Whomping Willow!" James cried, laughing as the tree stretched one of its limbs out towards him and crashed it onto the floor. Sirius saw Bellatrix smile at him and take out her wand as she disappeared round the side of the tree.

"Help me! Please help me!" a girl's voice cried from amongst the boughs.

"Who's that? What's happened?" James approached the tree with caution.

"Oh James, it's me. Lily Evans! I'm trapped behind the branches and I can't get out!"

"Wait there Lily!" James cried, panic in his voice. "I'll go and get someone!"

"No James please help me!"

James took a deep breath and started running towards the tree.

"James!" Sirius ran forwards and grabbed the back of his cloak.

"What the hell are you doing? I've got to help Lily!"

"It's not Lily, James," Sirius pulled James away from the tree. "It's Bella with a voice throwing charm behind the tree."

"What? What are you talking about?" James sounded angry. He pulled himself out of Sirius's fist.

"I was meant to help her. She wanted to get revenge on you. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't let you get hurt." Sirius sniffed as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"So," Sirius turned to see Bellatrix and her sister, Narcissa, with their hands on their hips, glaring at him.

"It looks like you've left me with no choice," she spat and then turned towards the castle.

Sirius fell to the ground and lay on his back, staring up at the sky. He heard James collapse next to him, and Peter on his other side.

"Thanks, Sirius." James said quietly. Nobody else spoke until the sky turned dark and Peter's stomach gave an almighty groan.

That night, James had just drifted off to sleep when he was shaken awake by Sirius who was sat at the end of his bed.

"What?" James groped for his glasses on his bedside table, put them on and looked at his best friend. Sirius was crying. In all the years the boys had known each other, James couldn't remember seeing him cry.

"I nearly did it you know," Sirius sobbed, wiping his nose on his pyjama sleeve. "I nearly helped Bellatrix this afternoon." James opened his mouth to speak but Sirius continued. "I didn't want to hurt you James. I just thought it'd be better than going home. I thought you'd forgive me. I'm sorry."

"Sirius mate, it's Ok. I would have forgiven you."

"I know but then you saved me from Snape's jinx and I knew," Sirius hiccupped loudly and sobbed again. "I knew you wouldn't have to think about it if you were in my shoes. I knew you'd never hurt one of us just to save yourself."

"Look Sirius, don't worry. Your dad might not even make you leave. Just wait and see."

"What if he does though? What if he makes me go home?"

"Whatever happens we'll be friends ok? I promise." James then did something he had never done before. He hugged Sirius.