Year 2: Chapter 33

The month ended and June showed its face, it was the last month of the school year and for the second years it couldn't come sooner. Amanda and Billy had been secretly dating for near two weeks when it came to a sudden end.

The reason was easy to tell the age difference had shown its head and Amanda had stood up for herself thus ending any chance of a continued relationship. But while hers had ended Ginny's was blossoming, it was easy to tell she was very happy.

The atmosphere in the girls dorm had reached an awkward stage and no one knew why well except for Lily and Amanda with their shared secret. It was putting strain on the other's relationship because Lily was now watching Amanda like a hawk while the others didn't understand.

Most shocking of all though was the drastic extreme that Amanda had gone to to keep away from Sirius. It was something that she hadn't even done at the beginning of the year when she had sought him out to attack.

It was common now for her to leave a room every time that he entered. It was driving the girls batty they could be in the middle of a conversation and she'd just up and leave.

It was finally the last day of the school year and everyone was excited to be leaving. The results had been posted and once again Lily had topped the year. To the girls annoyance though James had again come a close second with Sirius third.

This annoyed Amanda as she had been in third place the year prior and had now dropped one place behind Sirius. Ginny's name was right below her own followed by Remus and then Branwen. Alice had fallen down to tenth while Peter was down to thirty.

Amanda noticed however that Severus had improved his results coming in eighth straight behind Branwen. The girls sat in the common room together on the sofas chatting and just relaxing before being separated for the summer.

"Girls you've all got to come and stay with me this summer, it's my parents thirtieth wedding anniversary and Molly is organising a surprise party for them."

Branwen smiled at Ginny.

"Send me an owl with the date and Lily and I will be there. Tad sent a note saying that she's staying with me again this summer."

"We're coming back to Wales. Oh Mae'n hapus"

All the girls looked at Lily wide eyed and she smiled at them.

"I said it right didn't I?"

"Oes! Da iawn!"

Alice looked at the two girls.

"What did you just say?"

Branwen laughed and looked at them.

"Lily said Mae'n hapus. That means I'm happy. Oes is yes and Da iawn is well loosely translated it means well done."

The girls all smiled.

"Branwen you'll have to teach me some Welsh."

"Alright Ginny, I'll help you when we come to stay."

Ginny looked at the other two girls.

"Alice, Mand are you going to come as well."

"I will no problems, I'll just have to ask my dad but he'll let me."

Ginny smiled at Alice and turned to look at Amanda

"I don't think I can come, you know with my dad and all."

"I hate him!"

They all turned to look at Lily who blushed red and Amanda laughed. At that moment somebody tapped Amanda on the shoulder. She turned and met eyes with Sirius.

"Mand can we talk."

"I'm busy, go talk to the boys."

"But I want to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to listen to you moan, go find the boys."

"But –"

"But nothing Sirius. I don't want to speak to you. Leave me alone!"

She saw the hurt in his eyes but he still didn't move he just looked at her.

"Why are you being like this Mand?"

"Like What Sirius? Like you! Hurts don't it when your friend tells you to go find someone else. Well I did I found Lily, showed her the bruises that Lucius gave me. Told her the story since you didn't want to hear. And you think I'll sit and listen to you."

She was on her feet heading out of the room when she heard him

"What bruises?"

Amanda gasped as she looked at him, she hadn't meant to say that. Oh well she couldn't take it back now.

"The one's I got when Lucius beat me up. That was why I came to talk to you, I wanted to ask you about the reason behind it, ask you if you agreed with Lucius' take. But it doesn't matter anymore. Just stay away from me; I don't want to speak to you again. Ever!"

Sirius watched her go and turned to Lily. All the girls were looking at her and it must have been news to the rest of them as well.

"Lily, I know you hate me and I don't blame you, but I care about Amanda, more than I probably should. How bad was she?"

"You mean is she. Her eye was bad, really bad but that's healed her stomach is still black though. He kicked her hard. She's using a concealment charm on herself to stop people seeing. But you know what Sirius. She's more emotionally hurt because of you. You say you care about her but you let her suffer."

"I was trying to help Remus, he needed my help, I thought he needed it more."

"You were wrong. Maybe Remus did need your help, but Amanda needed you more, and you know why. Because apparently you understand her family and their ways. Did you know that this isn't the first time she's used the concealment charm Sirius?"

"Of course I did. I'm the one who taught her it! Don't you try to teach me about her family life okay Lily because no Mudblood like you will understand it."

He clamped his hand to his mouth he'd said that word, the word that Andromeda had explained the meaning of to him, how it wasn't the common way to refer to somebody of muggle heritage how it was offensive and he'd just used it.

The tears in her eyes gave away how much that had hurt her and she was gone after Amanda up the girls stairs in seconds, followed by the others. Sirius just sat on the floor shaking with anger, he'd really messed up this time.