Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, events and/or places that are recognized as being written and created by J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling owns all the characters and places from the Harry Potter books including the ones used in this story.

Clea swung the bag containing her new dress robes, as she made her way over to the Three Broomsticks, a pub located in Hogsmeade. Lily and she separated at the second robe shop. It was packed to maximum with students, and Lily thought it would be easier if she just slipped in there by herself and bought the first thing she got her hands on. But, Clea knew that Lily really wanted to look by herself so that any nice comment made about James would go unheard.

In the Three Broomsticks, Clea claimed one of the high tables in the back that were meant for two people and pulled out a book she had hidden in her coat pocket. A very young witch, not much older than she was, came over to get her order, and came back moments later with a small butterbeer.

Clea sipped her drink while she flipped through the pages of her book. It was a romance novel about a young witch who falls for a muggle who hates magic. She tried hard but she just couldn't focus on the words in her book. Her eyes kept drifting over to the bag lying next to her on the table, as if it was calling her name. Clea lifted the top of the bag slightly and peered into it. There her new robes lay, shimmering in the faint light that was now cast onto them. Her heart swelled as she looked at them. They are beautiful, she thought. But then she closed the bag in a snap as she thought of what Remus had told her. "You should wear pink, if you go. That's a nice color on you." Clea dropped her head into her book and scrunched her eyes up. That's probably why I really wanted the robes, she thought. Because of Remus.

"Well, this is the meaning of burying yourself in a book, isn't it?" Clea lifted her head up and stared at Sirius's face and the goofy smile spread across it.

"Can I sit?" He didn't bother to wait for Clea's answer and took the empty seat across from her.

"What's in the bag?" Again completely ignoring Clea, Sirius reached for the bag and pulled it towards him, nearly knocking her drink over.

"Go away Sirius," Clea snapped, yanking the bag back. "I've deiced that I hate you," she added, making sure there wasn't a sound of playfulness in her voice.

Sirius looked at her with a look of mock shock. "I don't believe it!" He said, cracking his voice. "My own sister, who I look after and take care of,"—he pretended to start crying—"who I make sure is not bothered and made fun of, who I,"

"Get to the point." Clea said dully with her eyes glued to her book.

"I'm hurt." Sirius said this time sounding like he really was. "What did I do?"

Clea looked at him, looked straight into his lively eyes. "I'm sorry, Sirius," she whispered. "I just....never mind."

She couldn't get herself to tell him why she hated him at the moment. She couldn't get herself to ask him if he told Remus not to think about dating his little sister. She didn't even want to mention Remus's name to him. Her mouth felt really dry all of a sudden. She reached for her drink and downed it in one gulp. Sirius gave her a confused look.

"Where are your boys?" Clea asked, wishing she had drank her butterbeer a little slower; it rushed down her throat so harshly she thought her vocal cords were destroyed.

"They're over there." Sirius pointed to a table in the corner diagonal from where they sat. James and Peter were sitting opposite each other playing some sort of game, while Remus had his face buried in a large book; all Clea could see of him were his bandaged hands.

"Why are Remus's hands always bandaged?" Clea asked Sirius without even thinking; she meant to ask him why he was sitting with her instead of his friends.

"Um," was all Sirius could manage. He hesitated for a moment, looking from Clea to Remus and then down at his own hands. Clea could tell that he was searching for something to say that didn't remotely sound like the truth. She sighed loudly in exasperation and rolled her eyes.

"Where is Remus going in two weeks?" Clea quickly tried to remember if she had some how cursed her tongue to ask whatever it wanted to instead of what Clea planned on asking.

Sirius looked at her. He sank his eyes deep into hers. Neither of them blinked.

"He, um," Sirius said blankly. "He has.....detention,"—Clea's head fell to the side in disbelief, ---"he has taken on so many classes this year, no wait, he is poor, right?" Sirius raised his eyebrows at Clea. She nodded her head slowly. "Well, he has no money. And, Professor McGonagall wanted to arrange a little gift for Dumbledore from the Gryffindor graduates," Sirius paused; Clea waited with narrow eyes for the rest of the quote unquote truth.

"Every graduate had to put in a fee, and Remus had no money," Sirius continued. "McGonagall was therefore forced to cancel the whole thing, and gave Remus detention."

"For being poor?" Clea asked him; she was using every strand of marrow in her bones to stop herself from breaking out in a fit of hysterical laughter.

Sirius stared dumbfounded back at her.

"Why didn't you lend him the money?" Clea asked him again. "We're like the richest family in the wizarding world, how much did this fee possibly cost that you couldn't have paid it for him?"

"Clea," Sirius said in a reassuring voice, while squirming in his seat. "Would I lie to you?"

"Obviously," Clea said, smirking. "Answer me this though?"

Sirius looked over his shoulder, "I'll be right there guys" he screamed over to his friends. None of them looked up or even answered him.

"Remus said that you told him that," Clea swallowed and tried to slow down her stream of words. "He said that you told him to never think about going out with your younger sister. Did you say that? The truth!"

Sirius looked hopelessly at Clea. "No, I never said that. I like Remus. He is a great friend, and a great man. There is no one better for my sister than him, but Clea you have to understand,"

"So he was lying then?" Clea interrupted.

"Clea," Sirius placed his hand on hers'. "Remus wants to please everyone; but there comes a point where pleasing someone can cause a lot of trouble. Remus likes you, a lot. Probably more than James likes Lily; and we all know that's border line obsession,"—Clea couldn't help letting a small laugh loose, which caused Sirius to let out his short bark like laugh also.

Before he could continue, Clea looked at him and smiled. "Thanks Sirius," she stated, returning to her warm, soft voice.

Sirius winked at her and left her to return to his friends. Clea looked back down at her book, but she hardly read a sentence when her eyes instinctively leapt up and narrowed in on Remus; who was staring back at her. She forced a strained smile, and waved at him. He smiled weakly also and cast his eyes back down at his book. Clea sighed loudly and ran her fingers through her hair. I need a drink.