-reads reviews-

WOW! Christella is lucky Sirius doesn't have a violent girlfriend. She would've received a lot of permanent scars -bimbo gasp- . So far people have suggestion brutal ways of getting back at her... burning her alive (hey she is a witch after all right?), knocked her daylights out and I'm sure many other vicious comebacks.

As you can already tell, Reine's sort of weak. But in my part II (which I don't think will be posted because I have lost interest in completing it) she's turned out to be quite the Slytherin. She's domineering, stern, authoritarian and a very harsh leader. Maybe power hungry if you will... But that's her later. This is her now!

By the way, can I type the female dog word? The HP boards don't allow that, but is my rating high enough for such swear words? I don't want my post deleted but the characters to need to swear now and then... I mean, its everyday life!

Rum: You're Geography teacher is really scary... Glad mine's a female, but she's going away next year. How will I pass?! –wahhhhh- Anyway, hope you did well in your tests!!

By the way, I'm working on an L&J fic right now. It's set in 7th year, written in Lily's point of view. Not sure if I'll post, probably will though.

Post 68

With a satisfied smirk, she flicked her hair, turned on a heel like how a supermodel would and strutted down the corridor with her disciples. I stared at her retreating back. Yesterday night. She was mad in the dungeons. Sirius was returning. I told him to take the secret passages. Did he?

My eyebrows knitted together as I tried to make sense of what she had said.

"Reine!" She called. "Don't believe her! She's trying to ruin your relationship!"

"W-what if... it's true?" I choked.

"Don't believe her, she always lies, that's what she does... she wants Sirius for herself, don't you see?"

I nodded but my heart hadn't decided.

"We should head for Transfiguration or we'll be late."

I nodded numbly and we walked to the Transfiguration with Tina. It feels different to have someone follow me around. Someone to talk to as I walk with in between lessons. And someone to sit next to in class for a change. But all through Transfiguration, I found my mind drifting away from the subject. I caught myself staring into space as crazy thoughts ran through my head. Professor McGonagall's words sounded like a meaningless blur to me and all I could hear was what was in my mind. She called me sharply several times, snapping me from my reverie, and then testing me with questions I couldn't answer.

Finally the bell rang and we were dismissed.

That afternoon, I knew I just had to talk to Sirius. I had to clear it up or it'll plague my mind forever.

"Hi Sirius," I greeted as I normally would. Though it sounded nervous and distant. He was under the tree as usual with his friends... hanging out... pretending there is nothing to worry or study for... Except for Remus of course, who was engrossed in taking down notes in chart form.

Tina followed behind. She never ever leaves me, it seems. I guess she wasn't used to loneliness.

"Hey," replied Sirius taking my hand and pulling me down onto the ground. "And Ren..." he added slowly.

"It's Tina."

He looked at me quizzically but I waved it away.

"What did you do last night after I went back to the common room?" I asked, squatting down so we were at eye level.

He looked down and fiddled with a weed. "I went back to the Gryffindor common room."

"What did you do before then?"

"I went straight."

"Did you meet Christella along the way?"

"I..." he held the note, to buy time I suppose. "...did actually."

"How was she?"

"Furious."

"Reine, she didn't do it," called Tina.

"What if she was telling the truth, Tina, I have to know."

"You trust Sirius don't you?"

I turned to look at Sirius. Then back at Tina. Then at the ground. "Yes."

"Then, why can't you let this rest?" she begged.

"But-"

"Reine, Christella only said that she kissed him to ruin your relationship. Like she did with all of mine. She has a scheming mind," she said tapping her temples.

"What?" cried Sirius.

"Sirius, I trust you," I told him with sincerity. "And I trust you to tell me... the truth."

"I didn't do anything with her," he replied.

"Okay... I believe you."

"See? I told you," said Tina with satisfaction.

The next day passed by normally. Once again we were by the lake, under the tree, our usual hangout. Tina was there too obviously, doing her Transfiguration revision while James was slacking (Lily had gone to the library with Nikki) and Sirius was snoozing.

But the voice I wanted to block myself from hearing forever woke him with a jolt.

"Hi Sirius," Christella waved as she battered her eyelashes. "I was wondering if we could have another night like the night before."

"What do you mean?" I snapped, glaring at her.

"I told you Reine... we made out in the dungeons after you had gone."

"What the-?" shouted Sirius. "Stop making up lies Christella."

"But Sirius," she paused her eyebrows raised. "You and I both know these aren't lies."

"Are they Sirius?" I turned towards him.

"Nothing happened," he said glaring at Christella.

"How could you say that?" simpered Christella. "If you need a witness, Reine dearest, you could ask the Slytherins who were walking back into the common room themselves."

"Is what she's saying true, Sirius?" I asked my voice cracking, my eyebrows furrowed.

His shoulders sagged.

"Of course it is," replied Christella for him.

From the look on Sirius' face, I knew he had lied all along. He had the look of resigned fate... of regret. Anger build up inside of me. Sirius had feelings for her once before, what's to say he didn't now.

"If you had loved her all along, you could've just broken up with me instead of making out with her in secret!" I snapped.

I glared at him with the amount of ferocity that I, myself could not fathom.

"I can't trust you anymore!" I screamed.

"Reine..." he called in a slow voice that urged me to calm down.

"You told me nothing happened and I trusted you. I believed you!"

"It was an accident."

"Oh it was no accident, darling," crooned Christella taking a step towards Sirius. "Don't you remember?"

"She forced herself on me!" Shouted Sirius.

"SIRIUS!" I screamed at the top of my voice and he fell silent. "The point is not if she started it! It's because YOU continued it. And you lied to me!"

"I only said it because I didn't want our relationship to end," he reasoned taking my hand.

I looked at it but I didn't pull it away. "Well it just did."

I tugged my arm out of his grasp and got to my feet, heaving with anger. With an acidic look at Christella's haughty face, I turned on my heel and dashed away, a migraine pounding in my head. I heard Tina call my name and I knew she was running after me. Like she always does. And I knew one other person was running after me.

I stopped at the edge of the lake. I collapsed with a sigh onto the ground, tears springing to my eyes, my hands clutching my aching head. Pain pulsated hard through my temples but it wasn't painful enough to block out my thoughts.

"Reine!" Called Tina. "Reine... are you okay?"

She crouched next to me and hugged me warmly, tapping my back.

"Christella's a life-ruiner..." she said. "But don't let her get to you."

I nodded.

"There's someone out there better for you," she said as we pulled away.

"I don't know..."

"You deserve better... Come on, now..."

"No..." I mumbled though I wasn't exactly sure what it really meant.

"The one who really loves you will never, ever make you cry, Reine."

There was a rustle of grass and I saw Sirius standing near us. He was looking at me and I was looking at him. He had heard everything we said. That's why he didn't approach. Probably he wasn't the one for me. There is a better man in the world, waiting for me, who will never make me cry.

I blinked, letting the tear that had been lingering at the bottoms of my eyes, trickle down my cheek. Painfully, I tore my eyes away from his and turned to the lake.

What Tina had said had struck a chord in me. How many times had I cried because of Sirius?

Too many.

Probably it was best this way. My heart would probably rest safer in another's hands. Someone who's loyal and faithful, someone not Sirius Black.

Days past, and weeks past. Life seemed to get dreary without Sirius around, but my grades improved and I could concentrate on my work longer than I ever could. Teachers stopped saying I needed to buck up. And I found a friend I thought I never could in Tina, who was still suffering under Christella's wrath.

Even her sister Ren found it hard to talk to her, especially under Christella's superior glare. No one ever betrayed Christella and stayed happy. No one.

Sirius hadn't stopped trying to get me back. But I wasn't going to go back. My heart has changed. No longer will I let myself be like a toy, something he can play with and throw aside when he doesn't find it fun anymore. I wasn't going to let him play me again, only to hurt me later.