A/n: Hey everybody! I got this chapter out pretty soon didn't I? But then school's out too so….anyway, I'll try to get the next chapter out ASAP, which shouldn't take too long considering I have nothing else to do put sit and think about what to type…

Disclaimer: these things are soo annoying, but here it goes….J.K. ROWLING IS THE GENIUS BEHIND ALL OF THE HARRY POTTER STUFF THAT IS SO AWESOME, THE ONLY THINGS I OWN ARE THE PLOT AND WELL GWYNNE BUT REALLY SHE'S VERY CAPABLE OF HERSELF…there, now that that's done, go on and read the story!

To say the least, that was not what Lily had expected to hear. Sirius Black and Gwynne Smith were complete antitheses of each other.

            And yet, it seemed to fit perfectly…

            Which is why Lily did her best to avoid Remus for the next few days. Unfortunately he realized this.

            "Lily."

            She jumped slightly. She hadn't expected to be seeing anyone in the library on a Saturday morning at five a.m., least of all Remus Lupin. She had been working on a Defense Against the Dark Arts research paper and had hoped it would keep her there all day, thus successfully avoiding Remus for one more day. Regrettably luck didn't seem to be with her. She was actually in the worst possible position to be confronted by him; stuck in a corner of the library early in the morning with no one to distract them. Exactly what she had hoped to avoid. Oh well…

            "Oh, hello Remus. You scared me there; you really shouldn't sneak up on people like that, especially so early in the morning. What brings you here this early anyways? I'm working on the research paper; you know trying to get a head start on it and all. What's your topic? Mine's the reliability of the Ministry of Magic, a rather forward topic according to Professor Ming, but good all the same…" she was cut off from her rambling by Remus's abrupt statement.

            "She doesn't like me, does she?"

            Lily hesitated before answering.

            "Well she likes you, but just as a friend ya know? I'm so sorry Remus; I know you really liked her…"

            "It's all right. It's not as if I loved her or something…" he said. Really he did look a little hurt, but nothing time couldn't cure, but then, what couldn't time cure? Even the severest heartache could be lessened with time…I think…

            "I'm glad you got me to try and find out if she liked you before you asked her out, because I think she might have said yes, and your whole relationship would have been ruined because she is in love with somebody else. Somebody whose name I will not disclose before you ask, because she is my friend, even if it took something like this to get to know her, and, well you know all about secrets, right? As a Marauder who wouldn't?"

            "Yeah, I get it, Lils. Speaking of which let's not mention this to the guys, you know how Sirius can be," Remus asked. Tortuous was the thought that flashed through Lily's mind.

            "Of course, I would never have thought of it. I know Sirius only too well and James too for that matter," Lily agreed.

            "I guess I'll be seeing you at breakfast?" he asked.

            "Uh…sure, when is that, like two more hours?"

            "Around that, see you then."

!

            The next matter of business for Lily, besides her paper and other bits of homework, was how in the world to get Sirius to notice Gwynne, and when for it to happen. It couldn't be too soon, because not even Remus is that forgiving, but then she didn't want to have to make Gwynne wait another year for her unrequited love. So, so confusing…

            And then it occurred to her that perhaps trying to force them together would be totally the wrong approach. Only bad things happened when people tried to play match-maker, because it was too much the position of God.

            And when it came to that, maybe they would meet all by themselves and fall in love, just as fate had planned it.

            But then, what if fate hadn't planned it?

            Absolutely confusering.

!

            "You've seemed distant, Lils, what's been on your mind?" James asked. It was around five or so on that same day. Lily and James were at the Quidditch pitch in the stands to have one of their weekly/daily/wheneverly chats. They were, after all, best friends. At least, best friends from the opposite sex. They had discovered over the years that sometimes it was easier to spill things out to each other than to their best friends of the same gender.

            "Just too many love'ms," she said in a rather muffled way because she had placed her head in her hands at the same moment.

            "Love'ms?"

            "Love matters…and also, way too much school work," she added lifting her head up, because she really didn't want to get into a discussion of the heart with James for more than obvious reasons. James was not to be so easily deviated however.

            "What kind of love matters, or love'ms as you say?" he questioned in his annoyingly nosy way, and somehow at that moment Lily found it an adorable quality.

            "Oh, you know, girl stuff. Jackie likes so-and-so, Gwynne is in love with such-and-such, that kind of thing," Lily said nonchalantly, lying over so slightly.

            "What about you, Lily? No new Lover Boy?" he asked jokingly. He always called her boyfriends, Lover Boy, no matter who they were. Of course she had had very few, so many of the boys in their year were just so immature. Then again, the one she was crushing on now was possibly the king of that category.

            "Not really," Lily said, and then she realized she had made a pretty big mistake. How could I say 'not really'? That's like yelling 'YEAH I HAVE A HUGE CRUSH ON SOMEONE', especially to someone as inquisitive as James.

            "Not really? Does that mean we have a little crush on our hands?" he asked smiling wildly. A smile that made all his features look even better, Lily noted.

            "Not on our hands, on my hands, and you are not going to know who it is," Lily said stubbornly crossing her hands over her chest.

            "Oh, but I will, whether you tell me or not!" he claimed.

            "Sure, you just keep telling yourself that," she said absently patting his head.

            "I will."

            "So do you have any knew conquests?" she asked deciding turning the tables would be a good idea.

            "Don't I always?" he asked, a question that rather made her heart sink.

            "That you do."

            "Well, actually this one isn't technically mine…yet. I still have to win her over," he explained.

            "Go on, who is she?" Lily asked, wondering if she really wanted to know the answer to that question, but then if she didn't want to know who James really liked, why had she asked the question…oh yeah, to give him a stab of his own medicine.

            "Do you really believe after your stubbornness I'll agree to tell who I like?" he asked her. And now he has to throw my own medical concoction back at me?

            "A girl can hope can't she?" she teased.

            "Yes, but she can dream as well," he replied.

            "Alright then, since neither of us will tell who we like, I think a topic change is in order," she decreed.

            "Really? Because I thought a 'Guess-Who-Each-Other-Likes' game was in order," James pondered. Lily thought awhile before she answered.

            "Alright, but on three conditions."

            "Go on."

            "One, only three hints about who the person is. Two, if you find out who I like you can't tell anyone and vice versa. Three, after we play we can count constellations," she said. The last one was something they always had done together since they were children, and it was usually how they ended up ending their conversations, considering constellations only come out when the sun goes down.

            "I have no objections, you start."

Lily sighed.

            "Very well. Ok, hint one: he's amazing."

            "No fair Lily, that's an opinion! The hints have to be facts."

            "But it is a fact!"

            "Fine, fine. Go on."

            "Ok, he is in our year."

            "And our house?"

            "I'm not telling you that, listen to the last hint: he's completely oblivious that I like him."

            "Ugh, that doesn't give me much to guess with. I'd have to guess every guy in our year."

            "I know. It's your turn."

            "Ok. She's beautiful."

            "That could be a lot of people…"

            "Well a lot of people could be amazing too…"

            "Point taken, continue."

            "She knows I like her, and the last clue, she's not like any other girl I've ever met."

            "James! That's no fair, I didn't say anything like that!" Lily whined.

            "Ah…too bad, I did," he smiled in his oh-so-annoying way.

            In retaliation she stuck her tongue out at him.

            "Way to be mature, Lils. So do you know who she is?" he asked. Lily looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

            "How am I supposed to know? You didn't even say what year she's in," Lily sighed and added, "The only good thing you gave me was that she knows you like her." Of course this ruled Lily herself completely out, much to her disappointment, but really she had never expected him to like her, so it wasn't so terribly bad. Never mind, it was just as bad.

            "Well, fine, I'll give you that one, she's in our year."

            "Ok. Did you figure out mine?"

            "No," he said, "But I will. If you can count on nothing else, I will find out!" Then he added his evil laugh.

            "Shut-up! We've got some star gazing to do. See, the sun has set, and the moon is out, let's hop to it!"

            "That sounded incredibly cheesy."

            "Oh well, what can you do?"

!

            Gwynne sighed and looked up from one of the chairs in the common room. She had practically disappeared in its depths she was so small. Lily was off talking with James, and Jackie was finishing up her homework in the library. With both of her newly acquired friends busy she decided to turn to something that had always been there for her before: reading.

            Gwynne was what you could call an avid reader. She read pretty much anything she could get her hands on. Some how they could all carry her away. Even really boring books, like 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi, because when she read them it was like she was an expert on the topic doing a little light reading to refresh her memory. And of course with fictional books she was whisked away immediately. She especially like books that twisted words; books that had puns and metaphors and similes at every turn, like The Phantom Toll Booth. That book had all sorts of word play. Currently she held in her possession an old copy of George Orwell's Animal Farm a very intriguing farm yard 'fairy tale'. Getting lost in her reading, she discovered a long time ago, was so much better than being caught in her reality.

            It was around five when she sat down to begin reading, now, as she checked her watch, she was surprised to find that it was almost eleven thirty. Deciding she had better go back to the dorm, she began to get out of the deep chair. Unfortunately she found she was stuck.

            "Damn."

            Except it wasn't she who had made the comment. Looking around the room she noted that there was one more person in there besides herself…

            Sirius Black.

            Sirius Black, without his friends. Sirius Black without any girls hanging around. Sirius Black sitting at a table doing…could it be? This was surely a sight to behold! Sirius Black actually doing his homework?

            She could tell it was true by the way he was staring at the page and tapping on the table. From years of observation Gwynne Smith could assure anyone that that was the way he looked when he was concentrating on school work. A seldom occurring act.

            "After placing eye of newt and toe of frog comes which ingredient? How the hell am I supposed to know. Does that professor think I'm listening during his class? Who would?" All this Sirius was asking himself rather loudly.

            "Wool of bat and tongue of dog," Gwynne was surprised to find that she had answered the question.

            Sirius nearly jumped out of his skin. He had no idea there was anyone else in the common room, but then how was he supposed to see the tiny girl enveloped by the seat?

            "Sorry if I scared you, but would you mind helping me? I'm stuck, and this position is really uncomfortable," she said quietly.

            "Oh sure." He hurried over to where she was.

            She was very much stuck, in a very uncomfortable looking position. He reached down and took hold under her arms, and swiftly lifted her out of the seat.

            "Thanks."

            "No problem." They stood there awkwardly for a moment.

            "Having trouble with your homework? Potions, right?" she asked, wondering where this sudden talking spree came from, especially since she was talking to Sirius, a guy she had had a crush on since first year. True she had never spoken to him before, she had always been too nervous. It was way easier, she decided, to talk to him alone than with all his friends.

            "Yeah, actually. You wouldn't happen to be able to help me, would you?"

            And that is how Gwynne Smith and Sirius Black met…and how they were found by Lily and James when they rushed into the common room at some obscenely late hour.

!

            "Well, James, I suppose we had better go on back to the dorms. It'll be hell trying to get past Filch and Mrs. Norris," Lily said getting up. They had been lying on their backs side by side on the field.

            "Oh how you underestimate me," James sighed as he stood.

            "You mean you brought the cloak?" she asked.

            "Yes, and the map. What kind of marauder do you think I am?" he asked her arrogantly.

            "The best kind, now let's go, I'm really tired," she insisted.

            "Patience is a virtue, Lily. Here get under the cloak," he said slipping it around her.

            "How you guys pull pranks off under this thing I will never understand, it's just so hard to move under here."

            "It takes practice, but we've been doing it for so long I guess we just don't ever notice anymore."

            While they were talking they had been walking towards the castle. It was a rather long walk to the front doors, but they were going at a brisk pace. Now they had come to the front door and were slipping in. They silently crept along, very aware that one wrong move could create noise and that would bring Filch running. Now they had passed the Great Hall, now they were going through a secret passage. James continuously kept an eye on the map to make sure they wouldn't run into anyone. Now the library was far behind them, pretty soon they would come to the Fat Lady's portrait. Once they came to the corridor she was at the end of, James put the map away, and, as quietly as possible, they continued.

 It was because of their so practiced stealth that they were able to hear the slight murmuring coming from an opened classroom near the common room. They would have continued had they not heard Lily's name mentioned.

            "That Lily Evans makes me just want to scream and hurl at the same time," a strangely familiar voice whispered harshly.

            "I know, she is totally the perfect target for this," another voice added..

            "She's close with all of them, and that's the best thing that could have happened…" a new voice pointed out.

            "So what are we going to do about her?"

            "Oh, I think I have the perfect thing…"

            But before Lily and James could figure out exactly what the voices were planning or who the voices were for that matter, they heard a slight 'mrow' and knew Mrs. Norris was nearby, so they quickly headed to the Fat Lady, whispered the password, and stumbled into the common room.

            To find Sirius and Gwynne talking together, a sight neither had been prepared to see.

            "Hey guys," Sirius said after a moment of shocked silence.

            "You won't believe what we just heard," James said.

            "What is it?" Gwynne asked, hopping off the couch she and Sirius had been sitting on and hurrying over to Lily, who was looking extremely pale.

            After relaying the conversation James and Lily sat down on the couch with Sirius, Gwynne sitting again beside Lily.

            "But who was it?" Sirius asked.

            "We don't know, but it sounded familiar. And strangely, it was hard to tell whether the voices were male or female because of all the whispering," Lily said.

            Just then, the portrait hole opened once again and in stepped Jackie.

            "Hey peeps, what's going on? Some party no one informed me of I suppose," Jackie kidded coming over to her friends.

            "Someone's plotting against Lily," Sirius bluntly informed her. Jackie dropped into the chair behind her.

            "What?"

            So for the second time they explained what happened.

            "And we don't know who it was, or even if they were boys or girls because of all the whispering," James concluded.

            "Well you know who it sounds like," Jackie said. Gwynne nodded, and Lily seemed to know who Jackie was going to say.

            "Of course we do, but are they really that mean?" Lily asked.

            "Who knows?" Jackie said.

            "Who are you talking about?" James asked.

            "Dur, Katy and her gang of course," Jackie said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

            "Ohhh…." Sirius said.

            "Everyone knows they have a strong disdain for Lily and Jackie because they're such good friends with you guys, and Katy and them are like, your fan club," Gwynne pointed out. Lily and Jackie were slightly taken aback by her openness but continued just the same.

            "But still, I don't think they'd really take a grudge this far," Lily said.

            "Well, there is one way we could find out," James said.

            "Oh?"

            "You could just go up and check their beds."

            Jackie was up in a moment hurrying to the girls' dorm. About ten minutes later she came back down, slightly flushed from running.

            "Well?"

            "Three of them were there, but guess who was missing. I'll give you a hint: it starts with a 'K' and ends with an 'aty'."

A/n: Well, there we go, a very interesting little plot thingy I just thought of!!! I'm so proud of myself! Not only for that, but for getting this thing typed so soon! It took two days!!! A record for me a believe, especially considering I hadn't really planned for this chappie at all! Well please review, and I believe I'll do thank yous next chapter!!

BF