Chapter 9

(Author note: Thanks to my wonderful reviewers, Sokorra Lewis and DimTwilight)

It was just before Christmas, and Roseline and Sirius still weren't speaking. Nobody but Remus knew the exact details of what had happened, and he hadn't told anyone, knowing full well that Roseline and Sirius would kill him if he did.

Professor McGonagall had come round to take the names of the people staying at Hogwarts for the holiday. Lily, James and Peter were going home but Remus and Sirius were both staying, as was (to Sirius' disgust) Roseline.

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It was the first day of the holidays. Gryffindor tower was almost empty, apart from the three fifth years, two second years and a seventh year. Remus and Sirius were sitting by the fire, playing wizard chess.

"Squash him! Come on, squash him you weakling, he's only a pawn!" said Sirius frustrated, bouncing up and down in his seat. Just then Roseline entered the room. Without looking at either of the boys, she darted across to the portrait hole, picked up a book off the floor and returned with it to her dormitory. Sirius watched her as she went.

"Why don't you talk to her?" Remus asked.

"Talk to her?" Sirius growled. "She called me a Death Eater. I wouldn't talk to her if you paid me. I'll give her Death Eater, that bitch....." he was off again, ranting on in undertone. Leaving Sirius to stew, Remus went up to their dormitory. James had let Sirius borrow his invisibility cloak over the holidays. Rooting in Sirius' trunk, Remus found what he was looking for. He covered himself with the cloak, and picked up his broomstick. A minute later, he was standing outside the girls' dormitory.

He knocked on the door and turned the handle. The room was empty apart from Roseline, who was lying on her bed, reading, and twirling her wand in her fingers. Cennia was also staying for the holidays, but she was nowhere to be seen. Roseline looked up when she heard the knock on the door. "Oh, hi Remus." She marked her page and put the book down, looking at him enquiringly.

"I need to talk to you about Sirius."

Her face darkened.

"What about him?"

"Look Roseline. Neither you nor Sirius noticed me, but I was there when you had that big fight a while ago."

Roseline looked surprised, but still angry. "You saw it?"

"Yep," Remus nodded. "I saw and heard enough to figure out what had happened. And, looking at it from the outside, I could see that you both had valid points. Each of you was right to feel annoyed at how you were being treated, and both of you needed to consider the other's feeling more than you were doing. Now-"Remus held up a hand, because Roseline looked furious. "-Sirius is just as much at fault as you are. I'm blaming both of you. However, I wouldn't usually get involved in a situation like this, mainly because I have too much experience of Sirius' temper. But I think it's about time this stopped. You two were friends before, whatever about anything more than that. And while neither of you will admit it, I'm pretty sure you miss each other's company." Remus glanced at Roseline. Her angry expression was gone, to be replaced by one of thoughtful sadness. "I know Sirius said some horrible things," Remus continued. "But I jus think you should think about what you're doing before you cut him off completely."

Roseline glared at Remus. "It's all very well for you to come up here, telling me to forgive and forget. Well, I'm not the one being stupid here. Sirius is an asshole. You can preach all you like, but I won't go crawling back to him, begging for redemption. It's about time he saw that not everybody thinks he's wonderful."

For a minute there was silence. Then Remus spoke again. "What do you know about Sirius' family life?" Roseline shrugged. "Not much. What's that got to do with it?" "Everything," said Remus, and for the first time, he looked angry. "If you had any idea of what life is like for him, you wouldn't have called him the son of a Death Eater." Roseline snorted. "Why? From what I hear, it's true." "It is true. But it is only a very small part of the truth. Have you ever wondered why Sirius stays at Hogwarts every holiday? Ever wondered why he never talks about his family?" Roseline yawned, and Remus felt his temper rising. "Did you even know he has a brother here at Hogwarts?" he hissed.

This last piece of information startled her. "What?"

"His brother, Regulus, is in Hogwarts. He's a third year, in Slytherin. He and Sirius never talk. They hate each other. Sirius' entire family hate him. He is the first Black to ever be anything other than a Slytherin. You see, the Blacks are an ancient pureblood family. They're all for the purification of the wizarding race, and getting rid of all the muggle- borns. Sirius' parents aren't Death Eaters, but they support Voldemort all right. In their eyes, Sirius is a disgrace. Sirius hates the Dark Arts. He hates his family. Let's just say that when you called him the son of a Death Eater, you said the one thing that Sirius can't forgive. Insults he can take. He can forgive. But not that." And with that Remus picked up the cloak and broom, and disappeared down the stairs.

Roseline rolled over and stared at the ceiling. Underneath her anger, she could now feel another emotion. Guilt.