Disclaimer: The usual thing. J.K.R. is really good at this whole 'creativity' thing and I'm not.
You know, I just realized something---- I haven't responded to any of my lovely reviews! :-) Ready, okay
Highwayman's Lass- My first reviewer! You are so cool.
Invader Iggle- A conscious effort to review this story? That's totally awesome, THANK YOU!
I've suddenly been struck with laziness, so I'm just going to say HUGE thank yous and dead parrots and killer rabbits to everyone else! And now, on with the show!
Chapter 7
Darwin awoke feeling content, glad that she hadn't slept in. The dormitory she shared with Lily, as well as Rosemary Banks, Holly Sullivan and Heather Roberts, the other sixth year Gryffindor girls, was not yet stirring. Darwin had long ago accepted the fact that she was the only Gryffindor girl of her year not named after a flower and felt content in the fact that, at least, she was still named after a notable scientist. Darwin could see that the other four girls slept softly in their beds while warm yellow beams of bright sunshine shone through the opened window curtains, illuminating little motes of dust that floated in the air. This relative peace would soon be broken as the other girls awoke, rushing all about, getting ready for the day, making sure, not that they were on time, but that they looked good.
But for now, all was quiet and Darwin could enjoy the inviting silence of the room. As of yet, she still had not had the time to tell the others of what she had overheard the morning previous, and made a mental note to do so. She hoped they wouldn't feel that she was overreacting, but, knowing her friends, they would. However, she couldn't help feeling that there was an undeniable threat, just waiting to unmask itself, lurking in the school. Something beyond just Malfoy and Snape, something more dangerous. Truly, she had no reason to feel this way. Before the previous morning, anything and everything connected with the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort had existed solely outside of the school. The threat was to the Wizarding community, not Hogwarts. At times, Hogwarts almost seemed to exist on it's own, a safe haven, away from all the grief and pain of the world.
Darwin yawned, stretched and looked around the room as if she has never seen it before. All her dorm mates, including herself, were very messy, save Holly. Clothes were strewn everywhere in little piles, school robes and ties hung from bedposts, and the floor itself was barely visible. That is, except around Holly's bed. The fifth of the room which was hers was spotless and a halo of clean, clear floor surrounded her bed. She was the only one in the dorm who took the time to fold her clothes and put away all her effects. It was a constant point of argument between her, Lily and Darwin, who's beds were located on either side of Holly's, that the belongings and general clutter of Lily and Darwin always seemed to encroach on Holly's immaculate neatness.
Darwin suddenly realized that, since she was up early, she could get into the loo, adjacent to the dorm, before the other girls awoke and made a mad rush to get there first. She rolled out of bed and shuffled over, dragging her feet all the way. She took a quick shower and then went about her normal morning routine. By the time she was finished, the other girls were up and there was a general sense of chaos in the dorm, as there was every morning. Clothes were being tossed across the room, as there was a communal sharing of everything the girls owned, someone was frantically looking for something, someone else was asking if this makeup went with that one and someone else was asking if they looked fat in this skirt. The other girls didn't require as much privacy as Darwin liked and the door to the loo was left open and the other girls all walked casually in and out while they did the various things they always did in the morning.
Darwin sat on her bed, quite removed from the situation. As of late she found that she had quite a lot on her mind. Other than pondering the relative threat posed to Hogwarts by an outside, or inside, danger, there was Remus and Sirius. Remus, for once, was probably the easier to decipher. Not to sound conceited, but she could tell that he had an interest in her. She would always catch him looking at her, giving her little, shy smiles and she was more than happy to return the favour. Not only that, she was incredibly flattered. To her knowledge, and every other girl that Darwin had ever heard consider the issue, she was the first girl that the ever-desirable Remus Lupin had shown a strong interest in. This, as can be expected, had increased Darwin's self-confidence, even though the interest Remus had been showing in her had only been evident in the past few days. Usually, Darwin was not so easily given in to fickle tendencies, but there was something so genuine about Remus that she couldn't resist. Then there was Sirius, her best friend who, up until recent events, had been the person she felt she understood best in the world. Sirius was now prone to giving her sly smiles and flirtatious winks, more so than usual, and with more conviction. He seemed more distant on a personal level, but much closer on a flirtatious one. In short, she couldn't understand him and hoped it was just a phase.
Darwin soon grew tired of watching her friends fret over trivial things as they got ready for the day and decided to make her way down to the common room on her own. As she made her way down, she could feel Hogwarts coming to life around her. As she passed the doors to the other Gryffindor girls' dormitories, it seemed to Darwin that every girl in the school fretted over the same trivial things that her friends did and she momentarily felt like an outsider.
When she reached the common room she found that it was empty except for Peter, who sat in one of the overstuffed chairs closest to the fireplace, dejectedly writing on a scrap piece of paper. She walked over.
"What are you doing?" She asked, not particularly interested but wanting to avoid an awkward silence. She really didn't know Peter all that well. They were really more of acquaintances. They could talk politely about a variety of things, but they never joked around with each other, and Darwin never really felt comfortable around Peter. There was just something about him that made her feel uneasy.
"I'm-er- writing something, for Michelle."He said in a rush, not looking up from the parchment. Michelle Quinn was Peter's girlfriend of nearly two years and Peter had the distinction of being the only Marauder who could maintain a relationship longer than a month, although, Darwin was sure that Remus could too, if he wanted. Michelle was a shy girl who resided in Slytherin House, although she did not seem to blatantly embody any of the qualities which made the House famous, or, in some cases, infamous. From observing the couple at the odd time, Darwin surmised that their relationship lasted because of one thing, which was that they were both quite submissive people and they rarely disagreed and never argued. They seemed happy to agree with one another on almost everything, and when they were together, if one of them was asked a question, they would have to consult the other for the answer. Overall though, Michelle was a sweet girl and even Sirius didn't make jokes about the fact that she was a Slytherin.
"That's sweet." Darwin told, assuming that Peter was making some dismal attempt to write poetry or some such nonsense for his girlfriend. Darwin found that she really wanted to avoid an awkward silence and searched for something else to say. "How are things? I mean, with you and Michelle?" She asked finally.
"Oh, good, same as always. What about you and Remus?" He asked this in a very offhand manner, but for a moment, Darwin was quite taken aback. Up until then, she had never really thought that she and Remus had a "relationship" and the implications of such a thing had never occurred to her before. Relationships, to Darwin, had always seemed a tricky thing. When they became even moderately serious, they became synonymous with the people involved, were the speculation of all those not involved and were often inquired politely about by people who had nothing better to ask. Still, having a significant other in a romantic sense appealed to Darwin, especially as the person in question was Remus.
"Good." She replied in the same offhand manner.
It was at that time that Sirius and James bounded into the common room with an energy that seemed almost out of place as it was still fairly early in the morning. They were followed by Remus, who was more reserved but still seemed to have a sunny disposition.
"Darwin!"James shouted. "Long time no see."
"Er....hardly, James."Darwin replied. Within moments, James saw Peter and so ensued a grappling fight between the two to determine wether or not Peter would be able to maintain possession of what he was writing to Michelle.
"Morning."Sirius said and gave Darwin a quick peck on the cheek. She was thankful that he seemed to be acting quite normally this morning, especially since Remus was close by. Sirius soon joined James in his attempts to get whatever it was Peter had been writing.
This left Darwin and Remus to themselves, and Darwin, for one, didn't mind. Remus didn't seem to either. He walked over to her, flashing her a shy, but ever-endearing, smile.
"Did you sleep well?" He asked.
"Like a baby. You?"
"Pretty well. I had a few things on my mind," He paused to look at her for a moment, his eyes reflecting the bright morning light. "But I slept well, none the less."
There was something about Remus that was just electric, and whenever he spoke to her, Darwin always found that his voice sent shivers down her spine.
"So, what is it you have planned for Saturday?" She asked, hopeful that he would reveal something.
"I've already told you, you'll just have to wait and see." Obviously, his lips were sealed.
At that moment, Holly, Heather and Rosemary were walking through the common room, most likely on their way to breakfast. As they passed Remus and Darwin, their eyes flickered first, almost longingly, to Remus, and then, almost in unison, the girls noticed Darwin, and their eyes grew wide. Darwin had not yet told anyone, save Lily, about her and Remus, because of the simple fact that she knew her friends too well. She knew that they would either become immensely jealous, and she might lose their friendship, or that they would constantly badger Darwin to introduce them to Remus and have him spend time with them. Both were undesirable situations, and as she and Remus hadn't even gone out on their first date, which afforded the possibility that things might not work out, she wanted to avoid telling her friends until things were more certain.
As soon as the girls passed Darwin and Remus, they erupted into a fit of suppressed giggles and whispers.
Darwin was quite shocked to see Remus roll his eyes.
"I hate it when girls act like that."
Darwin gave a laugh.
"I've just gained some valuable insight into the enigmatic Remus Lupin— he doesn't like silly girls."
"I've never really thought of it that way, but yes, I suppose you're right." It seemed to Darwin that it might have been one of the first times Remus truly considered what it was that he looked for in the opposite sex.
"And that's way you like me so much. I'm un-silly." She said with sarcastic arrogance.
Remus gave her a slight smile and met her eyes with his.
"Yes, but that's only part of the reason."
Darwin could feel herself beginning to blush under his gaze and it was at that moment that Lily, who had impeccable timing, arrived.
"Aw, are the two love birds being all lovey-dovey?" She cooed. Darwin quickly decided that Lily had good timing, but no tact.
"Bugger off." Was Darwin's reply, Remus only laughed.
"Well look who decides to come down and join us." James, who had given up on trying to get Peter's letter, began. He seemed to find genuine joy in teasing Lily. "We've been waiting and waiting, while you made yourself beautiful....well, tried to, anyway." James gave a rolling laugh and quickly ducked out of the way of Lily's fist.
As the group was now assembled, they made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. On their way there, Darwin finally began to tell the others what she had overheard Snape and Malfoy saying. As could be expected, the reactions of all those present varied greatly. Remus again voiced his opinion, only this time he was joined by Peter, who was also a pureblood, that there was nothing to worry about.
"Like I said before, "Remus began quietly. "I really don't think it's something you need to get worked up about."
"I agree." Peter piped up. "There's always been a really small group of extremists within the Wizarding community, for as long as I can remember."
Darwin considered this for a moment.
"I suppose........but I just can't help thinking....." She trailed off, uncertain of what she was truly afraid of.
By now they had reached the Great Hall, which was buzzing with activity. Bright light was streaming into the Hall, giving everything a warm glow. Some students, who were obviously morning people, were busy loudly chatting about the upcoming day, as well as the random piece of gossip that was making the rounds. To bring balance to the scene, there were also quite a few students who looked as though they had just rolled out of bed and were barely awake. A few looked as though they might still be asleep, with their heads lying on the table in front of them.
Darwin and the others took seats at the Gryffindor table, near the back of the Hall. Presently, Darwin was sitting in between Sirius and Remus and, unexpectedly, she felt rather uncomfortable. There was something wrong between Remus and Sirius, but it was lying just beneath the surface, impossible to decipher or understand. They weren't speaking, although neither projected open dislike or hatred, but none the less, there was a definite tension. She glanced to either side, Sirius was engaged in an animated discussion with James, while Remus was quietly speaking with Lily. Upon closer inspection, Darwin found that Sirius and James were making light of the possible ability of anyone such as Snape or Malfoy being able to pull off a secret ploy to bring harm to anyone in the school. Darwin found it slightly odd that Sirius was not taking this opportunity to again expound his hatred for Snape, but she truly didn't feel like pushing the subject. On her other side, she found that Remus was quietly reassuring Lily, telling her much the same thing he had told Darwin. Darwin had assumed that Lily, being Muggle born, would react the same way she had.
For now though, the issue seemed to have passed, and the morning's conversation was moving to more ordinary things, which inevitably meant Quidditch. Darwin was just in the middle of taking a sip of pumpkin juice when Sirius wrapped his arm around her shoulders, while never breaking his conversation with James. Darwin coughed on the juice in her throat and quickly set her drink down.
Sirius turned to look at her, the ever-charming smile present on his face. Darwin only gave him a baleful look.
"I'm sorry." He whimpered, making puppy dog eyes. "But I just wanted to ask if you were coming to our Quidditch practice this Sunday."
"You know, you could've just asked, you didn't have to try and choke me." Darwin was trying to be angry, but Sirius was just too loveable.
"I wasn't trying to choke you. Why would I do that? So....are you coming?" He pleaded.
"I don't know, I have a lot of work to do----" She began, but James cut in.
"Come on! Remus will be there." He said suggestively.
Sirius said nothing, but the loose grip he had on Darwin's shoulder tightened.
Peter gave a laugh.
"James, I don't think embarrassing her will get her to show up."
James looked indignant.
"That wasn't embarrassing–"
"Then why don't you ask Lily to come?" Peter shot back. For once it seemed as though he had gotten the better of James.
James made a strangled noise and then cleared his throat.
"Lils? Come to the practice? Please? Oh, and bring Darwin along too."
Lily blushed and then mumbled "Sure, okay, fine."
When the conversation had moved to another topic, Darwin turned around, almost timidly, to look at Remus. She gave him a little smile, which he returned, and she looked from Sirius' hand on her shoulder to Remus almost apologetically. Thankfully, Remus seemed to understand.
Soon, breakfast was over and the day rolled on, everyone being content in the routines of normal life.
****************************
The rest of the week flew by in a flash and before Darwin knew it, it was half past seven on Saturday night and she still wasn't ready for her date with Remus, although it wasn't for lack of trying. Most of the time, Darwin considered makeup and hair to be trivial things, but on this particular occasion, they seemed to be of almost monumental importance. For once in her life, she wished she knew more about makeup, clothes and hair, what looked good, what didn't, etc., etc. She was nervous, more nervous then she would've expected. She really felt a pressing need to look good and impress Remus, although he hardly seemed like a person that needed to be impressed, but the more she tried, the worse things got. Her makeup was smudged and messy, her hair kept falling out place, and every outfit she tried on just didn't look right. She looked at her reflection in Heather's full-length mirror and felt sick to her stomach. Of course, it was just her luck that all her dorm mates weren't around, although in Lily's case, it didn't really matter as she was just as useless as Darwin was when it came to cosmetics.
As cosmetics weren't a large part of her life, she had never taken the time to learn any spells that might make her current task easier, so she was stuck doing everything the Muggle way. Presently, she was valiantly attempting to make her hair look presentable, but the process wasn't being helped by the way her arms were getting achy and sore by having them raised above her head for so long.
Soon, she got so frustrated that she was beginning to seriously consider just calling the whole thing off, when there was a slight knock at the door.
"Come in." She called, agitated.
She hoped that it would someone, preferably Rosemary, who would be able to help her out of her current predicament, but instead, she got Sirius.
He glided across the dorm, glancing around with slight interest. For some reason, he didn't look at all out of place here, like he knew this type of surrounding all too well.
"Remus is beginning to get worried." Sirius began and he seemed, somehow, detached from what he was saying. "He's starting to think that you don't love him anymore." He finished with a little more sarcasm than Darwin would've liked, and in her current state, she was more irritable than normal.
"Sirius." She snapped. "Could you drop it please?"
Sirius jumped slightly, quickly taking his eyes from a bra lying on the ground to face her.
"What's wrong?" He asked and he seemed to truly notice her for the first time.
"Nothing."
A pause, wherein she told herself not to get upset, but it didn't work.
"Oh, everything is wrong. I look awful and I'm as nervous as hell." As she spoke, surprisingly, her throat began to constrict and her eyes began to prick with tears. She plopped down on the nearest bed and gave a deep sigh.
"You never look awful." She heard Sirius say, but it didn't seem as though he were talking to her. He came and sat down next to her on the bed.
"Don't get upset. I'll help you get ready." He said brightly.
Darwin was skeptical and showed it by raising an eyebrow.
"Really. I will. I know more about girls and the stuff they do than most girls do." He tried helpfully.
Darwin was dubious, but at the same time, she was profoundly grateful for the trust she and Sirius shared which allowed her to avoid feeling embarrassed in this situation.
"I suppose it's worth a shot. I'll be right back." She called as she left to go wash her face. When she came back, she saw Sirius sitting on her bed, pawing through her makeup. At any other time, it was a sight which would have made her laugh hysterically, seeing as how Sirius always projected a such manly image.
"This," He began, referring to a golden eyeshadow. "Will compliment the colour of your eyes and this," He said, referring to some blush. "Will give you a nice healthy glow."
In spite of herself, Darwin began to laugh.
"I can't believe that Sirius I'm-such-a-tough-guy Black just said that to me." She was beginning to feel better already.
"Oh come off it. It's alright for every bloke to get in tough with his feminine side once in awhile."
"Yes, but using phrases like 'healthy glow' is just odd."
"Look, do you want my help or not.?" He threatened playfully.
"Alright, alright." She said as she came to sit down on the bed, opposite Sirius.
"Okay, close your eyes." He told her. She complied and a moment later, she felt one of Sirius' hands cup her chin and tilt her head slightly upward. He had long, powerful fingers which covered the whole length of her jaw bone and his hands were, thankfully, very warm. She could feel him gently applying the makeup to her eyes, and she got the distinct impression that he had leaned his face close to hers because she could feel a few slight, warm breaths against her face. For reasons she did not know, this made her slightly uneasy.
"Done." He said proudly. "Now for the blush."
He applied this very quickly, in only a few strokes. Then he moved on to lipstick, which he applied with very enduring concentration. When he was finished, she was told to press her lips together to "make them look even". As she did this, Sirius' eyes were transfixed on her lips. The entire time, Darwin had to fight to suppress a smile.
"Now for your hair." He gave her a cheeky grin and scooted across the bed so that he was sitting behind her. With practiced ease he loosed her hair from the messy bun that Darwin had put it in. He began to run his fingers through her hair, presumably to rid it of tangles. It was at that moment that Darwin realized that she had a very sensitive scalp. The feeling of Sirius' fingers running through her hair, gently tugging on it, was almost intoxicating. It created a tingling, pleasant sensation that could only be created by someone other than herself. Darwin had the suspicion that Sirius knew exactly what he was doing.
He continued this for a few moments, with Darwin concentrating solely on the feeling his fingers were creating, until he abruptly stopped. Darwin nearly protested, but caught herself before she said anything. Sirius rested his head on her shoulder, his mouth next to her ear.
"Why not just leave it down?" He questioned. His voice was low, and soft, and the close proximity of his mouth to her ear made his voice sound deeper than usual. "It looks so nice this way." As he spoke, his breath tickled the hair surrounding her ear, which sent a slight shiver through her.
"Sure," She managed to say. "That's fine. But what am I going to wear?" As soon as she finished saying the words, she regretted them. Sirius' face swung into view. He cocked an eyebrow.
"Why not just go naked?" He all but purred. He was joking, she knew, but there was something in the way his eyes shone that made her feel slightly uneasy, but sent a shiver down her spine at the same time.
"I think that might embarrass Remus, not to mention me, a little too much." She replied.
Sirius shrugged.
"Suit yourself."
He rolled off the bed and sauntered over to her closet. He began to leaf through the clothes hanging there while Darwin waited patiently. She prayed Remus wouldn't be angry with her for making him wait so long.
Eventually, after much indecision and a few laughs, Sirius had found something he liked. He had chosen a long black skirt and----no, not that, anything but that.
"Sirius, I am not wearing that sweater." She told him flatly.
"Why not? It's nice."
She had bought the item in question on impulse while on a shopping trip in London during the summer. It was a pale pink sweater, with a high neck that all but screamed "prude", and it left little to the imagination as it was two sizes too small.
"Sirius, I hate that thing. I don't even know why I brought it here." She nearly whined.
"Come on, it's nice and it doesn't show any skin, so you won't be giving Remus the wrong impression." He pleaded. Once again, his over-protectiveness was more enduring than irritating and Darwin soon gave in.
"Fine." She relented.
He gave her a bright smile and tossed the clothes over to her. He turned his back so that she could change with relative privacy.
At any other time, this would have been a common, comfortable occurrence, but Sirius' actions of late were having an odd effect on Darwin. She felt odd changing with him in the room, but dared not say anything. Soon though, she decided there was nothing for it, as Remus was waiting downstairs, and she began to undress.
"So, what are you two doing tonight?" Sirius asked, as comfortable as ever.
"I'm not sure." She began, but paused as she pulled her shirt over her head. "He hasn't told me yet." She removed the skirt she had been wearing and it soon lay in a pile on the floor.
"You'll probably like whatever it is he has planned. Remus is just fun like that." Sirius didn't seem particularly interested in the conversation and was probably only maintaining it out of boredom. For Darwin, it prevented the situation from becoming awkward. Darwin slipped into the black skirt Sirius had picked out and deftly pulled the zipper up in the back.
"I hope so." She replied.
"So what do you think of Remus? Is he the one?" Sirius asked, some of his prior sarcasm returning.
"I don't know. I don't really know him. Yet." She felt a little vindictive, adding that last word, but she felt that Sirius had it coming. She pulled the pink sweater over her head and then into place and immediately, it felt as though her chest had been encased in a corset. "Okay, I'm done. You can turn around."
As Sirius turned, he had a rather distant look on his face, which flickered to momentary surprise when he saw Darwin.
"It's really tight----I mean, it's really nice." It was one of the few times that Darwin saw Sirius flustered.
"Thanks."
She walked carefully over to the full-length mirror, to give herself a final inspection. She had to admit, Sirius did know his stuff. Her makeup, hair and outfit really work well together, and even though the sweater looked as though it had been painted on, the flowing skirt compensated for it. She fixed a few out of place strands of hair and was just about to go when Sirius came up behind her and leaned his head on her shoulder, his firm chest pressing into her back.
"You look really good." He told her, their eyes meeting via their reflection in the mirror. His eyes flickered hungrily from her face to her body and Darwin could feel her cheeks start to burn.
"Well, have fun." He said simply. He turned his head, and gave her the traditional peck on the cheek, however, this time, it was different. His lips paused on her skin, then relaxed. He kissed her cheek again, and as he did so, he watched her out of the corner of his eye, presumably for a reaction. When she did not protest, he kissed her cheek again and again and then started to trail slow, gentle kisses down the side of her face.
To say the least, Darwin was shocked, so shocked that she couldn't react. All she could do was mindlessly stare at their reflection in the mirror. He continued kissing her, but now his lips had made their way to her jawbone. His lips were soft and warm and they held an expertise that was enticing and which awakened the dormant curiosity that Darwin had held for some time concerning all sexual things.
The sexual tension which had existed between Sirius and Darwin, which Darwin had refused to acknowledge until this point, was back with a vengeance. As Sirius' lips made their way to the top of her neck, his kisses becoming more forceful, he wrapped his arms tightly about her waist. As she stared at their reflection in the mirror, in spite of herself, she found herself wondering about things, things that she was too embarrassed to talk about out loud and things that were a great mystery to her. She found herself wondering about sex and everything that went with, and most surprisingly of all, she found herself wondering about not only what sex was like, but what sex would be like with Sirius.
She was brought out of her reverie by Sirius, tightening his grip about her waist, and running one hand smoothly up her side, getting dangerously close to her breasts, a land where no man had gone before. His lips, and she was sure of it, his tongue were moving quickly now and he was soon nibbling and licking at her ear. He muttered her name and her knees literally felt weak. He began running his fingers through her hair and she knew she had never felt so good.
Overall though, Darwin felt somehow removed from the situation. This was not her best friend since childhood, this was someone else. He was someone else and so was she. He was the desirable playboy who wanted nothing more than to get into a girl's panties, a bastion of sexual knowledge and desire, and she was the popular, beautiful girl that Sirius never seemed to have a problem attracting and then using. She was mesmerized and intrigued by the sight before her and she felt utterly powerless to stop it.
Sirius' lips had made another journey down her neck, and they were now again at her ear.
"Darwin, I want–" He began, but then there was a knock at the door. With that knock, reality came crashing back. Sirius stepped soundlessly away from her, as though nothing had happened. He was back to being her childhood friend and she was no longer the desirable popular girl. Remus was waiting downstairs in the common room and someone was at the door.
"Come in!" Darwin called.
James poked his head around and the corner and looked rather surprised to find Sirius there.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Getting in touch with my feminine side." Sirius replied with a smirk.
"I thought about trying that once, but then I knew everyone would think I was gay."
Sirius gave a laugh and with that he shuffled out of the room with a backward glance.
"Er, Darwin?" James prodded. "You okay?"
Darwin's face was red and her breathing a little hurried.
"Yeah, fine."
"You know, Remus is sweating bullets down there."
"Oh, sorry, I'm coming now."
She hurried out of the room, already planning her apology to Remus.
A/N: I'm really glad everyone liked the background on Sirius and Darwin, as well as the Monty Python thing. Yes, so, Sirius finally got some play, but you wanna know what I'm waiting for? Remus to get some nookie! That's going to be fun to write cause he's going to be all befuddled and such. Ooops, have I said too much? Probably not. Again, thank you ever so much for the lovely reviews and I'm sorry this chapter took so long.If you're interested in seeing my *cough*crapp*cough* cartoon versions of Sirius, Darwin and Remus, just go into my profile and follow the link to my homepage. I'd post the URL here, but FF.net won't let me*tear*. Until next, toodles.:-)
You know, I just realized something---- I haven't responded to any of my lovely reviews! :-) Ready, okay
Highwayman's Lass- My first reviewer! You are so cool.
Invader Iggle- A conscious effort to review this story? That's totally awesome, THANK YOU!
I've suddenly been struck with laziness, so I'm just going to say HUGE thank yous and dead parrots and killer rabbits to everyone else! And now, on with the show!
Chapter 7
Darwin awoke feeling content, glad that she hadn't slept in. The dormitory she shared with Lily, as well as Rosemary Banks, Holly Sullivan and Heather Roberts, the other sixth year Gryffindor girls, was not yet stirring. Darwin had long ago accepted the fact that she was the only Gryffindor girl of her year not named after a flower and felt content in the fact that, at least, she was still named after a notable scientist. Darwin could see that the other four girls slept softly in their beds while warm yellow beams of bright sunshine shone through the opened window curtains, illuminating little motes of dust that floated in the air. This relative peace would soon be broken as the other girls awoke, rushing all about, getting ready for the day, making sure, not that they were on time, but that they looked good.
But for now, all was quiet and Darwin could enjoy the inviting silence of the room. As of yet, she still had not had the time to tell the others of what she had overheard the morning previous, and made a mental note to do so. She hoped they wouldn't feel that she was overreacting, but, knowing her friends, they would. However, she couldn't help feeling that there was an undeniable threat, just waiting to unmask itself, lurking in the school. Something beyond just Malfoy and Snape, something more dangerous. Truly, she had no reason to feel this way. Before the previous morning, anything and everything connected with the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort had existed solely outside of the school. The threat was to the Wizarding community, not Hogwarts. At times, Hogwarts almost seemed to exist on it's own, a safe haven, away from all the grief and pain of the world.
Darwin yawned, stretched and looked around the room as if she has never seen it before. All her dorm mates, including herself, were very messy, save Holly. Clothes were strewn everywhere in little piles, school robes and ties hung from bedposts, and the floor itself was barely visible. That is, except around Holly's bed. The fifth of the room which was hers was spotless and a halo of clean, clear floor surrounded her bed. She was the only one in the dorm who took the time to fold her clothes and put away all her effects. It was a constant point of argument between her, Lily and Darwin, who's beds were located on either side of Holly's, that the belongings and general clutter of Lily and Darwin always seemed to encroach on Holly's immaculate neatness.
Darwin suddenly realized that, since she was up early, she could get into the loo, adjacent to the dorm, before the other girls awoke and made a mad rush to get there first. She rolled out of bed and shuffled over, dragging her feet all the way. She took a quick shower and then went about her normal morning routine. By the time she was finished, the other girls were up and there was a general sense of chaos in the dorm, as there was every morning. Clothes were being tossed across the room, as there was a communal sharing of everything the girls owned, someone was frantically looking for something, someone else was asking if this makeup went with that one and someone else was asking if they looked fat in this skirt. The other girls didn't require as much privacy as Darwin liked and the door to the loo was left open and the other girls all walked casually in and out while they did the various things they always did in the morning.
Darwin sat on her bed, quite removed from the situation. As of late she found that she had quite a lot on her mind. Other than pondering the relative threat posed to Hogwarts by an outside, or inside, danger, there was Remus and Sirius. Remus, for once, was probably the easier to decipher. Not to sound conceited, but she could tell that he had an interest in her. She would always catch him looking at her, giving her little, shy smiles and she was more than happy to return the favour. Not only that, she was incredibly flattered. To her knowledge, and every other girl that Darwin had ever heard consider the issue, she was the first girl that the ever-desirable Remus Lupin had shown a strong interest in. This, as can be expected, had increased Darwin's self-confidence, even though the interest Remus had been showing in her had only been evident in the past few days. Usually, Darwin was not so easily given in to fickle tendencies, but there was something so genuine about Remus that she couldn't resist. Then there was Sirius, her best friend who, up until recent events, had been the person she felt she understood best in the world. Sirius was now prone to giving her sly smiles and flirtatious winks, more so than usual, and with more conviction. He seemed more distant on a personal level, but much closer on a flirtatious one. In short, she couldn't understand him and hoped it was just a phase.
Darwin soon grew tired of watching her friends fret over trivial things as they got ready for the day and decided to make her way down to the common room on her own. As she made her way down, she could feel Hogwarts coming to life around her. As she passed the doors to the other Gryffindor girls' dormitories, it seemed to Darwin that every girl in the school fretted over the same trivial things that her friends did and she momentarily felt like an outsider.
When she reached the common room she found that it was empty except for Peter, who sat in one of the overstuffed chairs closest to the fireplace, dejectedly writing on a scrap piece of paper. She walked over.
"What are you doing?" She asked, not particularly interested but wanting to avoid an awkward silence. She really didn't know Peter all that well. They were really more of acquaintances. They could talk politely about a variety of things, but they never joked around with each other, and Darwin never really felt comfortable around Peter. There was just something about him that made her feel uneasy.
"I'm-er- writing something, for Michelle."He said in a rush, not looking up from the parchment. Michelle Quinn was Peter's girlfriend of nearly two years and Peter had the distinction of being the only Marauder who could maintain a relationship longer than a month, although, Darwin was sure that Remus could too, if he wanted. Michelle was a shy girl who resided in Slytherin House, although she did not seem to blatantly embody any of the qualities which made the House famous, or, in some cases, infamous. From observing the couple at the odd time, Darwin surmised that their relationship lasted because of one thing, which was that they were both quite submissive people and they rarely disagreed and never argued. They seemed happy to agree with one another on almost everything, and when they were together, if one of them was asked a question, they would have to consult the other for the answer. Overall though, Michelle was a sweet girl and even Sirius didn't make jokes about the fact that she was a Slytherin.
"That's sweet." Darwin told, assuming that Peter was making some dismal attempt to write poetry or some such nonsense for his girlfriend. Darwin found that she really wanted to avoid an awkward silence and searched for something else to say. "How are things? I mean, with you and Michelle?" She asked finally.
"Oh, good, same as always. What about you and Remus?" He asked this in a very offhand manner, but for a moment, Darwin was quite taken aback. Up until then, she had never really thought that she and Remus had a "relationship" and the implications of such a thing had never occurred to her before. Relationships, to Darwin, had always seemed a tricky thing. When they became even moderately serious, they became synonymous with the people involved, were the speculation of all those not involved and were often inquired politely about by people who had nothing better to ask. Still, having a significant other in a romantic sense appealed to Darwin, especially as the person in question was Remus.
"Good." She replied in the same offhand manner.
It was at that time that Sirius and James bounded into the common room with an energy that seemed almost out of place as it was still fairly early in the morning. They were followed by Remus, who was more reserved but still seemed to have a sunny disposition.
"Darwin!"James shouted. "Long time no see."
"Er....hardly, James."Darwin replied. Within moments, James saw Peter and so ensued a grappling fight between the two to determine wether or not Peter would be able to maintain possession of what he was writing to Michelle.
"Morning."Sirius said and gave Darwin a quick peck on the cheek. She was thankful that he seemed to be acting quite normally this morning, especially since Remus was close by. Sirius soon joined James in his attempts to get whatever it was Peter had been writing.
This left Darwin and Remus to themselves, and Darwin, for one, didn't mind. Remus didn't seem to either. He walked over to her, flashing her a shy, but ever-endearing, smile.
"Did you sleep well?" He asked.
"Like a baby. You?"
"Pretty well. I had a few things on my mind," He paused to look at her for a moment, his eyes reflecting the bright morning light. "But I slept well, none the less."
There was something about Remus that was just electric, and whenever he spoke to her, Darwin always found that his voice sent shivers down her spine.
"So, what is it you have planned for Saturday?" She asked, hopeful that he would reveal something.
"I've already told you, you'll just have to wait and see." Obviously, his lips were sealed.
At that moment, Holly, Heather and Rosemary were walking through the common room, most likely on their way to breakfast. As they passed Remus and Darwin, their eyes flickered first, almost longingly, to Remus, and then, almost in unison, the girls noticed Darwin, and their eyes grew wide. Darwin had not yet told anyone, save Lily, about her and Remus, because of the simple fact that she knew her friends too well. She knew that they would either become immensely jealous, and she might lose their friendship, or that they would constantly badger Darwin to introduce them to Remus and have him spend time with them. Both were undesirable situations, and as she and Remus hadn't even gone out on their first date, which afforded the possibility that things might not work out, she wanted to avoid telling her friends until things were more certain.
As soon as the girls passed Darwin and Remus, they erupted into a fit of suppressed giggles and whispers.
Darwin was quite shocked to see Remus roll his eyes.
"I hate it when girls act like that."
Darwin gave a laugh.
"I've just gained some valuable insight into the enigmatic Remus Lupin— he doesn't like silly girls."
"I've never really thought of it that way, but yes, I suppose you're right." It seemed to Darwin that it might have been one of the first times Remus truly considered what it was that he looked for in the opposite sex.
"And that's way you like me so much. I'm un-silly." She said with sarcastic arrogance.
Remus gave her a slight smile and met her eyes with his.
"Yes, but that's only part of the reason."
Darwin could feel herself beginning to blush under his gaze and it was at that moment that Lily, who had impeccable timing, arrived.
"Aw, are the two love birds being all lovey-dovey?" She cooed. Darwin quickly decided that Lily had good timing, but no tact.
"Bugger off." Was Darwin's reply, Remus only laughed.
"Well look who decides to come down and join us." James, who had given up on trying to get Peter's letter, began. He seemed to find genuine joy in teasing Lily. "We've been waiting and waiting, while you made yourself beautiful....well, tried to, anyway." James gave a rolling laugh and quickly ducked out of the way of Lily's fist.
As the group was now assembled, they made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. On their way there, Darwin finally began to tell the others what she had overheard Snape and Malfoy saying. As could be expected, the reactions of all those present varied greatly. Remus again voiced his opinion, only this time he was joined by Peter, who was also a pureblood, that there was nothing to worry about.
"Like I said before, "Remus began quietly. "I really don't think it's something you need to get worked up about."
"I agree." Peter piped up. "There's always been a really small group of extremists within the Wizarding community, for as long as I can remember."
Darwin considered this for a moment.
"I suppose........but I just can't help thinking....." She trailed off, uncertain of what she was truly afraid of.
By now they had reached the Great Hall, which was buzzing with activity. Bright light was streaming into the Hall, giving everything a warm glow. Some students, who were obviously morning people, were busy loudly chatting about the upcoming day, as well as the random piece of gossip that was making the rounds. To bring balance to the scene, there were also quite a few students who looked as though they had just rolled out of bed and were barely awake. A few looked as though they might still be asleep, with their heads lying on the table in front of them.
Darwin and the others took seats at the Gryffindor table, near the back of the Hall. Presently, Darwin was sitting in between Sirius and Remus and, unexpectedly, she felt rather uncomfortable. There was something wrong between Remus and Sirius, but it was lying just beneath the surface, impossible to decipher or understand. They weren't speaking, although neither projected open dislike or hatred, but none the less, there was a definite tension. She glanced to either side, Sirius was engaged in an animated discussion with James, while Remus was quietly speaking with Lily. Upon closer inspection, Darwin found that Sirius and James were making light of the possible ability of anyone such as Snape or Malfoy being able to pull off a secret ploy to bring harm to anyone in the school. Darwin found it slightly odd that Sirius was not taking this opportunity to again expound his hatred for Snape, but she truly didn't feel like pushing the subject. On her other side, she found that Remus was quietly reassuring Lily, telling her much the same thing he had told Darwin. Darwin had assumed that Lily, being Muggle born, would react the same way she had.
For now though, the issue seemed to have passed, and the morning's conversation was moving to more ordinary things, which inevitably meant Quidditch. Darwin was just in the middle of taking a sip of pumpkin juice when Sirius wrapped his arm around her shoulders, while never breaking his conversation with James. Darwin coughed on the juice in her throat and quickly set her drink down.
Sirius turned to look at her, the ever-charming smile present on his face. Darwin only gave him a baleful look.
"I'm sorry." He whimpered, making puppy dog eyes. "But I just wanted to ask if you were coming to our Quidditch practice this Sunday."
"You know, you could've just asked, you didn't have to try and choke me." Darwin was trying to be angry, but Sirius was just too loveable.
"I wasn't trying to choke you. Why would I do that? So....are you coming?" He pleaded.
"I don't know, I have a lot of work to do----" She began, but James cut in.
"Come on! Remus will be there." He said suggestively.
Sirius said nothing, but the loose grip he had on Darwin's shoulder tightened.
Peter gave a laugh.
"James, I don't think embarrassing her will get her to show up."
James looked indignant.
"That wasn't embarrassing–"
"Then why don't you ask Lily to come?" Peter shot back. For once it seemed as though he had gotten the better of James.
James made a strangled noise and then cleared his throat.
"Lils? Come to the practice? Please? Oh, and bring Darwin along too."
Lily blushed and then mumbled "Sure, okay, fine."
When the conversation had moved to another topic, Darwin turned around, almost timidly, to look at Remus. She gave him a little smile, which he returned, and she looked from Sirius' hand on her shoulder to Remus almost apologetically. Thankfully, Remus seemed to understand.
Soon, breakfast was over and the day rolled on, everyone being content in the routines of normal life.
****************************
The rest of the week flew by in a flash and before Darwin knew it, it was half past seven on Saturday night and she still wasn't ready for her date with Remus, although it wasn't for lack of trying. Most of the time, Darwin considered makeup and hair to be trivial things, but on this particular occasion, they seemed to be of almost monumental importance. For once in her life, she wished she knew more about makeup, clothes and hair, what looked good, what didn't, etc., etc. She was nervous, more nervous then she would've expected. She really felt a pressing need to look good and impress Remus, although he hardly seemed like a person that needed to be impressed, but the more she tried, the worse things got. Her makeup was smudged and messy, her hair kept falling out place, and every outfit she tried on just didn't look right. She looked at her reflection in Heather's full-length mirror and felt sick to her stomach. Of course, it was just her luck that all her dorm mates weren't around, although in Lily's case, it didn't really matter as she was just as useless as Darwin was when it came to cosmetics.
As cosmetics weren't a large part of her life, she had never taken the time to learn any spells that might make her current task easier, so she was stuck doing everything the Muggle way. Presently, she was valiantly attempting to make her hair look presentable, but the process wasn't being helped by the way her arms were getting achy and sore by having them raised above her head for so long.
Soon, she got so frustrated that she was beginning to seriously consider just calling the whole thing off, when there was a slight knock at the door.
"Come in." She called, agitated.
She hoped that it would someone, preferably Rosemary, who would be able to help her out of her current predicament, but instead, she got Sirius.
He glided across the dorm, glancing around with slight interest. For some reason, he didn't look at all out of place here, like he knew this type of surrounding all too well.
"Remus is beginning to get worried." Sirius began and he seemed, somehow, detached from what he was saying. "He's starting to think that you don't love him anymore." He finished with a little more sarcasm than Darwin would've liked, and in her current state, she was more irritable than normal.
"Sirius." She snapped. "Could you drop it please?"
Sirius jumped slightly, quickly taking his eyes from a bra lying on the ground to face her.
"What's wrong?" He asked and he seemed to truly notice her for the first time.
"Nothing."
A pause, wherein she told herself not to get upset, but it didn't work.
"Oh, everything is wrong. I look awful and I'm as nervous as hell." As she spoke, surprisingly, her throat began to constrict and her eyes began to prick with tears. She plopped down on the nearest bed and gave a deep sigh.
"You never look awful." She heard Sirius say, but it didn't seem as though he were talking to her. He came and sat down next to her on the bed.
"Don't get upset. I'll help you get ready." He said brightly.
Darwin was skeptical and showed it by raising an eyebrow.
"Really. I will. I know more about girls and the stuff they do than most girls do." He tried helpfully.
Darwin was dubious, but at the same time, she was profoundly grateful for the trust she and Sirius shared which allowed her to avoid feeling embarrassed in this situation.
"I suppose it's worth a shot. I'll be right back." She called as she left to go wash her face. When she came back, she saw Sirius sitting on her bed, pawing through her makeup. At any other time, it was a sight which would have made her laugh hysterically, seeing as how Sirius always projected a such manly image.
"This," He began, referring to a golden eyeshadow. "Will compliment the colour of your eyes and this," He said, referring to some blush. "Will give you a nice healthy glow."
In spite of herself, Darwin began to laugh.
"I can't believe that Sirius I'm-such-a-tough-guy Black just said that to me." She was beginning to feel better already.
"Oh come off it. It's alright for every bloke to get in tough with his feminine side once in awhile."
"Yes, but using phrases like 'healthy glow' is just odd."
"Look, do you want my help or not.?" He threatened playfully.
"Alright, alright." She said as she came to sit down on the bed, opposite Sirius.
"Okay, close your eyes." He told her. She complied and a moment later, she felt one of Sirius' hands cup her chin and tilt her head slightly upward. He had long, powerful fingers which covered the whole length of her jaw bone and his hands were, thankfully, very warm. She could feel him gently applying the makeup to her eyes, and she got the distinct impression that he had leaned his face close to hers because she could feel a few slight, warm breaths against her face. For reasons she did not know, this made her slightly uneasy.
"Done." He said proudly. "Now for the blush."
He applied this very quickly, in only a few strokes. Then he moved on to lipstick, which he applied with very enduring concentration. When he was finished, she was told to press her lips together to "make them look even". As she did this, Sirius' eyes were transfixed on her lips. The entire time, Darwin had to fight to suppress a smile.
"Now for your hair." He gave her a cheeky grin and scooted across the bed so that he was sitting behind her. With practiced ease he loosed her hair from the messy bun that Darwin had put it in. He began to run his fingers through her hair, presumably to rid it of tangles. It was at that moment that Darwin realized that she had a very sensitive scalp. The feeling of Sirius' fingers running through her hair, gently tugging on it, was almost intoxicating. It created a tingling, pleasant sensation that could only be created by someone other than herself. Darwin had the suspicion that Sirius knew exactly what he was doing.
He continued this for a few moments, with Darwin concentrating solely on the feeling his fingers were creating, until he abruptly stopped. Darwin nearly protested, but caught herself before she said anything. Sirius rested his head on her shoulder, his mouth next to her ear.
"Why not just leave it down?" He questioned. His voice was low, and soft, and the close proximity of his mouth to her ear made his voice sound deeper than usual. "It looks so nice this way." As he spoke, his breath tickled the hair surrounding her ear, which sent a slight shiver through her.
"Sure," She managed to say. "That's fine. But what am I going to wear?" As soon as she finished saying the words, she regretted them. Sirius' face swung into view. He cocked an eyebrow.
"Why not just go naked?" He all but purred. He was joking, she knew, but there was something in the way his eyes shone that made her feel slightly uneasy, but sent a shiver down her spine at the same time.
"I think that might embarrass Remus, not to mention me, a little too much." She replied.
Sirius shrugged.
"Suit yourself."
He rolled off the bed and sauntered over to her closet. He began to leaf through the clothes hanging there while Darwin waited patiently. She prayed Remus wouldn't be angry with her for making him wait so long.
Eventually, after much indecision and a few laughs, Sirius had found something he liked. He had chosen a long black skirt and----no, not that, anything but that.
"Sirius, I am not wearing that sweater." She told him flatly.
"Why not? It's nice."
She had bought the item in question on impulse while on a shopping trip in London during the summer. It was a pale pink sweater, with a high neck that all but screamed "prude", and it left little to the imagination as it was two sizes too small.
"Sirius, I hate that thing. I don't even know why I brought it here." She nearly whined.
"Come on, it's nice and it doesn't show any skin, so you won't be giving Remus the wrong impression." He pleaded. Once again, his over-protectiveness was more enduring than irritating and Darwin soon gave in.
"Fine." She relented.
He gave her a bright smile and tossed the clothes over to her. He turned his back so that she could change with relative privacy.
At any other time, this would have been a common, comfortable occurrence, but Sirius' actions of late were having an odd effect on Darwin. She felt odd changing with him in the room, but dared not say anything. Soon though, she decided there was nothing for it, as Remus was waiting downstairs, and she began to undress.
"So, what are you two doing tonight?" Sirius asked, as comfortable as ever.
"I'm not sure." She began, but paused as she pulled her shirt over her head. "He hasn't told me yet." She removed the skirt she had been wearing and it soon lay in a pile on the floor.
"You'll probably like whatever it is he has planned. Remus is just fun like that." Sirius didn't seem particularly interested in the conversation and was probably only maintaining it out of boredom. For Darwin, it prevented the situation from becoming awkward. Darwin slipped into the black skirt Sirius had picked out and deftly pulled the zipper up in the back.
"I hope so." She replied.
"So what do you think of Remus? Is he the one?" Sirius asked, some of his prior sarcasm returning.
"I don't know. I don't really know him. Yet." She felt a little vindictive, adding that last word, but she felt that Sirius had it coming. She pulled the pink sweater over her head and then into place and immediately, it felt as though her chest had been encased in a corset. "Okay, I'm done. You can turn around."
As Sirius turned, he had a rather distant look on his face, which flickered to momentary surprise when he saw Darwin.
"It's really tight----I mean, it's really nice." It was one of the few times that Darwin saw Sirius flustered.
"Thanks."
She walked carefully over to the full-length mirror, to give herself a final inspection. She had to admit, Sirius did know his stuff. Her makeup, hair and outfit really work well together, and even though the sweater looked as though it had been painted on, the flowing skirt compensated for it. She fixed a few out of place strands of hair and was just about to go when Sirius came up behind her and leaned his head on her shoulder, his firm chest pressing into her back.
"You look really good." He told her, their eyes meeting via their reflection in the mirror. His eyes flickered hungrily from her face to her body and Darwin could feel her cheeks start to burn.
"Well, have fun." He said simply. He turned his head, and gave her the traditional peck on the cheek, however, this time, it was different. His lips paused on her skin, then relaxed. He kissed her cheek again, and as he did so, he watched her out of the corner of his eye, presumably for a reaction. When she did not protest, he kissed her cheek again and again and then started to trail slow, gentle kisses down the side of her face.
To say the least, Darwin was shocked, so shocked that she couldn't react. All she could do was mindlessly stare at their reflection in the mirror. He continued kissing her, but now his lips had made their way to her jawbone. His lips were soft and warm and they held an expertise that was enticing and which awakened the dormant curiosity that Darwin had held for some time concerning all sexual things.
The sexual tension which had existed between Sirius and Darwin, which Darwin had refused to acknowledge until this point, was back with a vengeance. As Sirius' lips made their way to the top of her neck, his kisses becoming more forceful, he wrapped his arms tightly about her waist. As she stared at their reflection in the mirror, in spite of herself, she found herself wondering about things, things that she was too embarrassed to talk about out loud and things that were a great mystery to her. She found herself wondering about sex and everything that went with, and most surprisingly of all, she found herself wondering about not only what sex was like, but what sex would be like with Sirius.
She was brought out of her reverie by Sirius, tightening his grip about her waist, and running one hand smoothly up her side, getting dangerously close to her breasts, a land where no man had gone before. His lips, and she was sure of it, his tongue were moving quickly now and he was soon nibbling and licking at her ear. He muttered her name and her knees literally felt weak. He began running his fingers through her hair and she knew she had never felt so good.
Overall though, Darwin felt somehow removed from the situation. This was not her best friend since childhood, this was someone else. He was someone else and so was she. He was the desirable playboy who wanted nothing more than to get into a girl's panties, a bastion of sexual knowledge and desire, and she was the popular, beautiful girl that Sirius never seemed to have a problem attracting and then using. She was mesmerized and intrigued by the sight before her and she felt utterly powerless to stop it.
Sirius' lips had made another journey down her neck, and they were now again at her ear.
"Darwin, I want–" He began, but then there was a knock at the door. With that knock, reality came crashing back. Sirius stepped soundlessly away from her, as though nothing had happened. He was back to being her childhood friend and she was no longer the desirable popular girl. Remus was waiting downstairs in the common room and someone was at the door.
"Come in!" Darwin called.
James poked his head around and the corner and looked rather surprised to find Sirius there.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Getting in touch with my feminine side." Sirius replied with a smirk.
"I thought about trying that once, but then I knew everyone would think I was gay."
Sirius gave a laugh and with that he shuffled out of the room with a backward glance.
"Er, Darwin?" James prodded. "You okay?"
Darwin's face was red and her breathing a little hurried.
"Yeah, fine."
"You know, Remus is sweating bullets down there."
"Oh, sorry, I'm coming now."
She hurried out of the room, already planning her apology to Remus.
A/N: I'm really glad everyone liked the background on Sirius and Darwin, as well as the Monty Python thing. Yes, so, Sirius finally got some play, but you wanna know what I'm waiting for? Remus to get some nookie! That's going to be fun to write cause he's going to be all befuddled and such. Ooops, have I said too much? Probably not. Again, thank you ever so much for the lovely reviews and I'm sorry this chapter took so long.If you're interested in seeing my *cough*crapp*cough* cartoon versions of Sirius, Darwin and Remus, just go into my profile and follow the link to my homepage. I'd post the URL here, but FF.net won't let me*tear*. Until next, toodles.:-)