A/N-this is the final chapter that will be posted before I go on vacation. Please enjoy, read and review and I'll try and post another one as soon as I return in two weeks. Thanks guys!
Snuffles2984- so far, you are my most faithful reviewer. Thank you so much for your continued support, it's really keeping me going!
Star of the Muses- Sorry about the cliffy, but I couldn't help myself, lol. Don't worry though, this chapter is completely cliffhanger-free. Enjoy! (.
Lynn-Dumbledore- thanks for your review; it's always good to see a new person submitting comments. I hope you like this chapter and continue to read. (.
Disclaimer- why do I have to keep saying this? If I say it five extra times, does that mean I don't have to write disclaimers for the next five chapters? You Nazis! I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. There we go............
CHAPTER SIX
A Few Good Surprises
James looked as though she had just slapped him across the face.
"Look," began Sirius, her piercing stare turning its focus to him. He shifted uncomfortably. Did she ever blink? "Look, um- we know that you saw us, uh, transform yesterday, and- we just sort of hoped that you, uh... wouldn't tell anyone."
"Oh, well, o' course. I had expected that you four'd be kissin' my arse about now, so I decided to skip the preamble," she said. Her manner of speaking was proud and very forward. Before she could resume her speech, however, Peter interrupted and said in a cowardly, slightly high-pitched voice:
"We'll do anything you tell us."
The girl made a rude gesture at him and laughed outwardly. Peter looked horrified.
"Don't be thick," she said. "I'm not blackmailin' you. I just wanted to tell you all not to worry."
Very abruptly and very suddenly, she stopped speaking, turned, went over to the other side of the pub near the entrance and they lost her in the numerable crowd.
"Not to worry?" said James blankly. "What's that supposed to mean? She never said anything about us being animagi! Is she trying to tell us something?"
"She told us not to worry," said Sirius, smirking at the stressed look on his best friend's face.
"Yeah, but what was she talking about? What if she meant she was gonna tell?" Said Peter anxiously.
"She was bluffing," said James, making a valiant effort to recover his cool.
"What do you think, Moony?" Sirius asked Remus, who appeared to have been lost in thought.
"I don't think she'll say anything. What has she got to gain by telling anyone? If you ask me, I'd say she's just getting a bit of pleasure in the looks on all of our faces," said Remus nonchalantly.
James gaped at him. "Well, that gives me another reason not to like her, she's so-"
But for the second time in the past ten minutes, James ceased talking due to the fact that a girl had approached the table. This time, however, the girl was not nameless. It was Lily Evans. James ruffled his hair absentmindedly.
"Evans, "he said in his most mature voice. She ignored him.
"Alright Remus? Peter. Sirius," she nodded at everyone save for James in turn. Sirius laughed out loud at the affronted look on James's face.
"Can we help you, Lily?" Asked Remus politely.
"Well, I just came over to tell you something," she paused and looked behind her. She looked a bit uncomfortable.
"I KNEW IT!" Shouted James suddenly, pounding his fist so that the contents of his mug splashed all over the oak table. "You've fallen completely head over heels in love with me. Is that it, Evans?"
Lily looked too disgusted for words.
"Anyway, Remus, I wanted to sort of give you a heads up about that girl who was just over here. She's in my ancient runes class, and she's very... strange," said Lily.
"How do you mean?" Prompted Lupin.
"Well, for one thing, she knows most of the runes already, and I think she knew them before she came here. This makes me think she's not entirely human."
"What, have you got a problem with part-humans?" Said Sirius bluntly. Remus shot him a look of warning, but he pretended not to see it.
"No, no, of course not, but..."
"Yes?" Asked Sirius.
"I was only coming over here to warn you just to keep your distance from her," said Lily uneasily.
"Is that why she hasn't got any friends, then?" Sirius raised his voice. He was getting angry now.
"Sirius, calm down," whispered Remus.
"No! What right do you have to go scaring off people from talking to her? What's she done to you/ I think it's disgusting, what you're doing to her. You're the most snobbish little prick I've ever-"
"Hey!" James had risen to his feet. By now there were a few people in the vicinity looking on as the argument progressed into a row. "Don't go off on Evans just because she doesn't like your weird little girlfriend!"
"I don't need you to defend me, Potter. I won't bother in the future. I'm leaving." Lily stormed off.
"Bitch!" Sirius called to Lily's exiting back.
She kept walking, either because she chose to ignore the comment or because she didn't hear it. She was moving very quickly to her original booth, where a few of her friends sat, waiting. As he watched her leave The Three Broomsticks with the group, the background noise had gone from silence to hissing whispers.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sirius heard a voice say, "Incarcerous!"
Sirius was too quick for his attacker. On instinct, he pulled out his wand and yelled, "Protego!" in the direction of the incoming spell. It hit James, and he was thrown back on his seat by the force of the blocking spell. Red sparks from Remus's wand flew into the air.
"That's enough!" He bellowed. "Pay for your drinks. Let's go."
Lupin took both of his two friends by the shoulder and escorted them out of the pub. Peter trailed behind and eyes followed the four of them all the way out the door. They turned into an alleyway. Both Sirius and James were fuming. Remus looked livid, and Peter looked scared.
"Now," began Remus calmly. "Would either of you mind telling me why that was necessary?"
"I didn't do anything! All I did was block him from jinxing me!" Said Sirius indignantly, pointing at James.
"You called Evans a...a..."
"A bitch?" snorted Sirius.
"Hey! You'd better stop it!"
"You provoked him, Sirius," said Lupin softly.
And what are you going to do? Turn us in, eh, Prefect?" Snarled Sirius defensively.
"No." Lupin's voice remained calm, but he still looked hurt.
Immediately, Sirius began to feel guilty. He knew Remus was only trying to help. It was James he was really upset with. Sure, he had called Lily Evans, God forbid, a bitch, but she had deserved it. What right did that girl have to keep the other one, no matter how strange, from making friends? It was infuriating. And Sirius was never one to just sit and endure it when someone did or said something he didn't like. He exhaled, blowing the dark hair out of his gray eyes.
"I'm sorry, James," he said stiffly.
"Well, as long as you never say anything about Evans again-"
"- I won't -"
"- Can you guarantee that?"
"Why don't you shake on it? Suggested Peter warily. Remus laughed.
Reluctantly, the two friends shook hand without making any eye contact.
"Shall we carry on, then?" Asked Remus, evidently pleased that the disagreement had at least subsided.
For the remainder of the afternoon, the Marauders spent their time browsing in Zonko's Joke Shop, Honeydukes, and the Quidditch supply store. As the tension between Sirius and James gradually eased, they found it easier to recount the memories of their first moonlight romp with Remus, the mysterious room that Sirius had spent the night in, and Quidditch, among other things.
When they had returned to the castle, Sirius took his three friends to the location of the room, as promised. When they finally reached the spot, however, the room was nowhere in site. There was no hint that it had ever even appeared. Completely taken aback by this, Sirius was lost for words.
"Maybe you dreamed it, mate," said James quietly, looking mildly concerned.
Sirius had said nothing, but merely shrugged and led the way back down the corridor, shaking his head.
As time passed, the four friends became less and less paranoid about whether or not the girl would tell their secret, figuring that if she were to say something, she would have said it by now. They continued joining Remus every full moon, and Sirius found himself becoming more and more fascinated with the strange girl, bumping into her "accidentally" in the hallways and stealing glances at her in the Gryffindor common room. He actually became quite skilled at thinking of perfectly legitimate reasons to catch a quick glance or talk to her briefly without her or any of his friends forming any suspicions.
He didn't know why he was so secretive about the fact that he was fond of her. Maybe it was because he knew that James wouldn't like it, and he didn't want to loose his best friend. Maybe it was because she wouldn't like it; no matter how much Sirius thought of her, he knew she didn't care in the least about him. Whatever the reason, Sirius kept his secret all the way through to the Christmas holidays.
Up until before the break, Sirius had been planning on spending a full two and a half weeks at his parent's house. He had been dreading the prospect of staying there. Sirius's parents lived in London, and were the most prejudiced pureblooded family he knew. His returns home for holidays were always the same: he would be greeted with cold and formal "hellos" from his father and mother, and would spend the entire time listening to them gloat over his idiot little brother, Regulus, who was eleven and had been sorted into Slytherin at the beginning of that year. He would never hear the end of it. The subject of Sirius being sorted into Gryffindor had always been a source of great tension between him and his parents. He was the only Gryffindor to have ever been born into The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
A week before term ended, Sirius's gloomy mood at the idea of returning once more to London for Christmas lifted and delivered to him in the form of a large tawny owl over breakfast one morning. Enclosed in the envelope was a short letter written in his mother's wavy script.
Sirius:
Unfortunately, you will have to make plans to stay at school over the course of the holidays. As your brother, Regulus, has been sorted into Slytherin House, he and I and Mr. Black's presence has been requested at the Lestrange mansion over Christmas. I'm sure you'll understand.
Yours sincerely,
Aramenia Black
Sirius let out a whoop of joy when he had read the letter. An immense feeling of relief swept over him. He wouldn't have to see his family again until that summer.
"Yes! I don't have to stay at my parent's house after all! I'm going to stay here!" Sirius could hardly suppress his glee.
"That's great, Sirius!" Smiled Remus.
"Yeah, it is, but I'm afraid you're going to be all alone, mate. I can't take you with me this Christmas. My parents and I are going off to France, or something like that..." said James half-heartedly.
"I don't care!" Laughed Sirius, "As long as I don't have to go to London, I couldn't be happier!" He was grinning form ear to ear.
Just then, Professor McGonnagal, the transfiguration teacher, approached the table clutching the list of who would be staying and who would be leaving Hogwarts for the Holidays
"Potter, what about you? Will you be leaving the school for Christmas?" She asked briskly.
"Yes, Professor," said James.
"Lupin?"
"I'm leaving, Professor."
"Pettigrew?"
"I'm staying," said Peter, his mouth full of bacon. Sirius fought the urge to groan. Two weeks straight with Peter Pettigrew was going to be no walk in the park. Professor McGonnagal made some note on her role of parchment.
"And Mr. Black?"
"I'm staying."
"Right- I'll be seeing you and Mr. Pettigrew at the Christmas feast, then? Anyway, how about you, Mr.-" she began moving off toward the end of the Gryffindor table, but Sirius caught her by the sleeve of her robe, struck by a sudden thought.
"Wait, Professor..."
"Yes, Black, what is it?" She said irritably, smoothing out her robe where Sirius had ruffled it.
"I just wondered who else is staying behind this year?"
"Just in Gryffindor?"
"Yes."
"Well, all I've got so far is you, Peter, and Fay Farthing."
She moved off. Sirius said nothing, but was almost one hundred percent sure that Fay Farthing was the name of the girl who had haunted his thoughts for the past four autumn months.
A/N-Sorry guys, I know I leave a lot of these things, but please READ AND REVIEW! And I will be sure to post the next chapter in two weeks. Thank you all, I love you guys so much! TTFN............
Snuffles2984- so far, you are my most faithful reviewer. Thank you so much for your continued support, it's really keeping me going!
Star of the Muses- Sorry about the cliffy, but I couldn't help myself, lol. Don't worry though, this chapter is completely cliffhanger-free. Enjoy! (.
Lynn-Dumbledore- thanks for your review; it's always good to see a new person submitting comments. I hope you like this chapter and continue to read. (.
Disclaimer- why do I have to keep saying this? If I say it five extra times, does that mean I don't have to write disclaimers for the next five chapters? You Nazis! I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. There we go............
CHAPTER SIX
A Few Good Surprises
James looked as though she had just slapped him across the face.
"Look," began Sirius, her piercing stare turning its focus to him. He shifted uncomfortably. Did she ever blink? "Look, um- we know that you saw us, uh, transform yesterday, and- we just sort of hoped that you, uh... wouldn't tell anyone."
"Oh, well, o' course. I had expected that you four'd be kissin' my arse about now, so I decided to skip the preamble," she said. Her manner of speaking was proud and very forward. Before she could resume her speech, however, Peter interrupted and said in a cowardly, slightly high-pitched voice:
"We'll do anything you tell us."
The girl made a rude gesture at him and laughed outwardly. Peter looked horrified.
"Don't be thick," she said. "I'm not blackmailin' you. I just wanted to tell you all not to worry."
Very abruptly and very suddenly, she stopped speaking, turned, went over to the other side of the pub near the entrance and they lost her in the numerable crowd.
"Not to worry?" said James blankly. "What's that supposed to mean? She never said anything about us being animagi! Is she trying to tell us something?"
"She told us not to worry," said Sirius, smirking at the stressed look on his best friend's face.
"Yeah, but what was she talking about? What if she meant she was gonna tell?" Said Peter anxiously.
"She was bluffing," said James, making a valiant effort to recover his cool.
"What do you think, Moony?" Sirius asked Remus, who appeared to have been lost in thought.
"I don't think she'll say anything. What has she got to gain by telling anyone? If you ask me, I'd say she's just getting a bit of pleasure in the looks on all of our faces," said Remus nonchalantly.
James gaped at him. "Well, that gives me another reason not to like her, she's so-"
But for the second time in the past ten minutes, James ceased talking due to the fact that a girl had approached the table. This time, however, the girl was not nameless. It was Lily Evans. James ruffled his hair absentmindedly.
"Evans, "he said in his most mature voice. She ignored him.
"Alright Remus? Peter. Sirius," she nodded at everyone save for James in turn. Sirius laughed out loud at the affronted look on James's face.
"Can we help you, Lily?" Asked Remus politely.
"Well, I just came over to tell you something," she paused and looked behind her. She looked a bit uncomfortable.
"I KNEW IT!" Shouted James suddenly, pounding his fist so that the contents of his mug splashed all over the oak table. "You've fallen completely head over heels in love with me. Is that it, Evans?"
Lily looked too disgusted for words.
"Anyway, Remus, I wanted to sort of give you a heads up about that girl who was just over here. She's in my ancient runes class, and she's very... strange," said Lily.
"How do you mean?" Prompted Lupin.
"Well, for one thing, she knows most of the runes already, and I think she knew them before she came here. This makes me think she's not entirely human."
"What, have you got a problem with part-humans?" Said Sirius bluntly. Remus shot him a look of warning, but he pretended not to see it.
"No, no, of course not, but..."
"Yes?" Asked Sirius.
"I was only coming over here to warn you just to keep your distance from her," said Lily uneasily.
"Is that why she hasn't got any friends, then?" Sirius raised his voice. He was getting angry now.
"Sirius, calm down," whispered Remus.
"No! What right do you have to go scaring off people from talking to her? What's she done to you/ I think it's disgusting, what you're doing to her. You're the most snobbish little prick I've ever-"
"Hey!" James had risen to his feet. By now there were a few people in the vicinity looking on as the argument progressed into a row. "Don't go off on Evans just because she doesn't like your weird little girlfriend!"
"I don't need you to defend me, Potter. I won't bother in the future. I'm leaving." Lily stormed off.
"Bitch!" Sirius called to Lily's exiting back.
She kept walking, either because she chose to ignore the comment or because she didn't hear it. She was moving very quickly to her original booth, where a few of her friends sat, waiting. As he watched her leave The Three Broomsticks with the group, the background noise had gone from silence to hissing whispers.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sirius heard a voice say, "Incarcerous!"
Sirius was too quick for his attacker. On instinct, he pulled out his wand and yelled, "Protego!" in the direction of the incoming spell. It hit James, and he was thrown back on his seat by the force of the blocking spell. Red sparks from Remus's wand flew into the air.
"That's enough!" He bellowed. "Pay for your drinks. Let's go."
Lupin took both of his two friends by the shoulder and escorted them out of the pub. Peter trailed behind and eyes followed the four of them all the way out the door. They turned into an alleyway. Both Sirius and James were fuming. Remus looked livid, and Peter looked scared.
"Now," began Remus calmly. "Would either of you mind telling me why that was necessary?"
"I didn't do anything! All I did was block him from jinxing me!" Said Sirius indignantly, pointing at James.
"You called Evans a...a..."
"A bitch?" snorted Sirius.
"Hey! You'd better stop it!"
"You provoked him, Sirius," said Lupin softly.
And what are you going to do? Turn us in, eh, Prefect?" Snarled Sirius defensively.
"No." Lupin's voice remained calm, but he still looked hurt.
Immediately, Sirius began to feel guilty. He knew Remus was only trying to help. It was James he was really upset with. Sure, he had called Lily Evans, God forbid, a bitch, but she had deserved it. What right did that girl have to keep the other one, no matter how strange, from making friends? It was infuriating. And Sirius was never one to just sit and endure it when someone did or said something he didn't like. He exhaled, blowing the dark hair out of his gray eyes.
"I'm sorry, James," he said stiffly.
"Well, as long as you never say anything about Evans again-"
"- I won't -"
"- Can you guarantee that?"
"Why don't you shake on it? Suggested Peter warily. Remus laughed.
Reluctantly, the two friends shook hand without making any eye contact.
"Shall we carry on, then?" Asked Remus, evidently pleased that the disagreement had at least subsided.
For the remainder of the afternoon, the Marauders spent their time browsing in Zonko's Joke Shop, Honeydukes, and the Quidditch supply store. As the tension between Sirius and James gradually eased, they found it easier to recount the memories of their first moonlight romp with Remus, the mysterious room that Sirius had spent the night in, and Quidditch, among other things.
When they had returned to the castle, Sirius took his three friends to the location of the room, as promised. When they finally reached the spot, however, the room was nowhere in site. There was no hint that it had ever even appeared. Completely taken aback by this, Sirius was lost for words.
"Maybe you dreamed it, mate," said James quietly, looking mildly concerned.
Sirius had said nothing, but merely shrugged and led the way back down the corridor, shaking his head.
As time passed, the four friends became less and less paranoid about whether or not the girl would tell their secret, figuring that if she were to say something, she would have said it by now. They continued joining Remus every full moon, and Sirius found himself becoming more and more fascinated with the strange girl, bumping into her "accidentally" in the hallways and stealing glances at her in the Gryffindor common room. He actually became quite skilled at thinking of perfectly legitimate reasons to catch a quick glance or talk to her briefly without her or any of his friends forming any suspicions.
He didn't know why he was so secretive about the fact that he was fond of her. Maybe it was because he knew that James wouldn't like it, and he didn't want to loose his best friend. Maybe it was because she wouldn't like it; no matter how much Sirius thought of her, he knew she didn't care in the least about him. Whatever the reason, Sirius kept his secret all the way through to the Christmas holidays.
Up until before the break, Sirius had been planning on spending a full two and a half weeks at his parent's house. He had been dreading the prospect of staying there. Sirius's parents lived in London, and were the most prejudiced pureblooded family he knew. His returns home for holidays were always the same: he would be greeted with cold and formal "hellos" from his father and mother, and would spend the entire time listening to them gloat over his idiot little brother, Regulus, who was eleven and had been sorted into Slytherin at the beginning of that year. He would never hear the end of it. The subject of Sirius being sorted into Gryffindor had always been a source of great tension between him and his parents. He was the only Gryffindor to have ever been born into The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
A week before term ended, Sirius's gloomy mood at the idea of returning once more to London for Christmas lifted and delivered to him in the form of a large tawny owl over breakfast one morning. Enclosed in the envelope was a short letter written in his mother's wavy script.
Sirius:
Unfortunately, you will have to make plans to stay at school over the course of the holidays. As your brother, Regulus, has been sorted into Slytherin House, he and I and Mr. Black's presence has been requested at the Lestrange mansion over Christmas. I'm sure you'll understand.
Yours sincerely,
Aramenia Black
Sirius let out a whoop of joy when he had read the letter. An immense feeling of relief swept over him. He wouldn't have to see his family again until that summer.
"Yes! I don't have to stay at my parent's house after all! I'm going to stay here!" Sirius could hardly suppress his glee.
"That's great, Sirius!" Smiled Remus.
"Yeah, it is, but I'm afraid you're going to be all alone, mate. I can't take you with me this Christmas. My parents and I are going off to France, or something like that..." said James half-heartedly.
"I don't care!" Laughed Sirius, "As long as I don't have to go to London, I couldn't be happier!" He was grinning form ear to ear.
Just then, Professor McGonnagal, the transfiguration teacher, approached the table clutching the list of who would be staying and who would be leaving Hogwarts for the Holidays
"Potter, what about you? Will you be leaving the school for Christmas?" She asked briskly.
"Yes, Professor," said James.
"Lupin?"
"I'm leaving, Professor."
"Pettigrew?"
"I'm staying," said Peter, his mouth full of bacon. Sirius fought the urge to groan. Two weeks straight with Peter Pettigrew was going to be no walk in the park. Professor McGonnagal made some note on her role of parchment.
"And Mr. Black?"
"I'm staying."
"Right- I'll be seeing you and Mr. Pettigrew at the Christmas feast, then? Anyway, how about you, Mr.-" she began moving off toward the end of the Gryffindor table, but Sirius caught her by the sleeve of her robe, struck by a sudden thought.
"Wait, Professor..."
"Yes, Black, what is it?" She said irritably, smoothing out her robe where Sirius had ruffled it.
"I just wondered who else is staying behind this year?"
"Just in Gryffindor?"
"Yes."
"Well, all I've got so far is you, Peter, and Fay Farthing."
She moved off. Sirius said nothing, but was almost one hundred percent sure that Fay Farthing was the name of the girl who had haunted his thoughts for the past four autumn months.
A/N-Sorry guys, I know I leave a lot of these things, but please READ AND REVIEW! And I will be sure to post the next chapter in two weeks. Thank you all, I love you guys so much! TTFN............