Disclaimer- Harry Potter is no more mine than the computer I'm writing on.

Authoress' Note- Hi! I must make this very quick because I need to study for English! Cheers! E.D.J.

Thanks!

MagicFairyDuster- Most cool name. Yes Sirius and Monica rock my socks!

La Conquistadora- Thanks!

roguechick-Glad you like the story!

Padfoot Gone Girl- Sorry about your evil computer!

Amelia Blibson- You are my newest favorite reviewer because you reviewed every chapter! Thanks! Glad you like the story!

Ch. 15- A New Member

"Gavin is soooo great!" gushed Monica for what was possibly the fifteenth time after she'd gotten back from her date.

"WE KNOW!" shouted Hestia, Emmeline, and Lily throwing pillows at her.

"So what'd you think of him?" asked Monica eagerly bouncing up and down on the couch where the four girls were gathered.

"Well he's...nice," stated Hestia.

She nudged Lily who nodded and added, "He's quite good-looking too."

"He's...interesting," said Hestia.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, you two! He's bloody eccentric is what he is!" screamed Emmeline.

"What do you mean?" asked Monica, frowning.

"He scares me is what I mean!" said Emmeline angrily. "You'd be better off with Sirius Black than with him!"

Emmeline gasped and covered her mouth, but it was too late.

"BLACK?!!" shrieked Monica, her face turning a brilliant scarlet. "You think I should date BLACK?"

"Monica, that's not what she meant..." began Lily.

"It is too what I meant!" said Emmeline fiercely. "He's completely head over heels in love with you and you won't even give him the time of day, despite the fact that you, Monica Almira Longbottom, fancy him too!"

"I can't believe this," said Monica, her voice low and dangerous. "I can't believe that my best friend thinks I fancy that lowlife, arrogant jerk!"

"And I can't believe that my best friend refuses to see what's right in front of her eyes," stated Emmeline before storming into her bedroom and slamming the door.

Emmeline threw herself furiously onto her bed, still fuming. What in the name of...anything was wrong with Monica? Why was she so blind to something that was so plain and clear to Emmeline's own eyes? She pounded her pillow in frustration.

Emmeline had tried to deny the whole thing ever since Sirius Black had started "making eyes" at Monica at the beginning of fifth year. It wasn't hard to believe that he merely wanted her as a trophy, something he couldn't have or catch. But after the Potters' dinner party, Emmeline knew they had a connection. Sirius was Monica's equal in every way and quite frankly, the only person who had a chance at arguing against her. She knew that Sirius' face lit up when Monica spoke to him and watched it fall slightly at the biting insults that followed. Emmeline had noticed how Monica had actually maintained a pleasant conversation with Sirius for most of the evening. And comforting Sirius? If what Monica always said was true, she wouldn't have touched Black with a twenty-foot pole, let alone her hand. But that evening, she'd voided her own statement. Monica didn't hate Sirius; she couldn't hate him. Emmeline had seen the look on Monica's face the moment Sirius had put his head on her shoulder, a look of surprise and amusement, but not anger. She'd seen the struggle and horrified realization behind Monica's eyes, causing her to push him away again out of fear. Monica was so afraid of all her feelings. Also, Emmeline knew her friend would never go out with some random guy, but Monica was set on proving to herself that she did not fancy Sirius Black and going out with another guy was the way to do it.

Emmeline smiled wanly. The board was laid. The pieces were out. Moves had already begun to be played. Jealousy. Insults. Denial. Now all she had to do was help Sirius get rid of the king.

Monica gaped at her two remaining friends as Emmeline stormed in to her room. "Can you believe her?!" she demanded, an angry glint in her eye as she glared at them.

"Er..." began Lily.

"You agree with her don't you?" Monica spat.

"Not exactly," Lily stuttered, though she knew perfectly well Monica's wand was thrown someone amidst the clutter in her room.

"Not exactly?" repeated Monica, raising an eyebrow theatrically. "Lily, I have no patience for sidestepping answers at the moment."

"We agree with Emmeline about Gavin!" Hestia burst out. "We don't like him! We think he's completely mad and he's just scary!"

Lily looked utterly horrified at what Hestia had just done and quickly covered her eyes, unable to look at Monica.

"Gavin?" Monica said softly. "You have a problem with Gavin?"

Lily and Hestia nodded.

"Why?" She eyed her friends suspiciously.

"I don't know," Lily admitted. "I just wanted to shove 'the most wonderfully pointy eating utensil known as a fork' down his throat after he spent thirty minutes complimenting a snail."

"Actually, I realized it when that crab clawed him," said Hestia thoughtfully. "What kind of person enjoys pain anyway? The mad kind."

They looked up and the sound of a door slamming. Monica was gone.

"Oh no," whispered Hestia. "Oh no."

Sirius stumbled into the Potter house around 1:00 a.m., his face grim. When he reached the sitting room he shared with his friends, he saw that they were waiting for him.

"So... how was your date with Ambre?" asked James with a smug grin as he glanced at the time.

"S'good," said Sirius with a shrug.

"You're not telling us something," said Remus immediately, barely glancing up from his and Peter's game of Gobstones. "What happened?"

"Two words. Longbottom and Crazy." Sirius sighed and slumped into a chair.

"Actually that's three words," Peter quipped up. Sirius glared evilly at him, but exactly at that moment Peter was squirted with nasty smelling liquid from the Gobstones; hence, Sirius' thirst for revenge on Peter was sated.

"Alright why were Longbottom and Gavin a problem? Didn't they have a date tonight? Unless they were... no..." Remus' eyes widened. "They weren't...they weren't...."

"There?" Sirius supplied helpfully. "Of course they were. It's just my blasted luck too."

"Sorry mate," said James, patting him on the back. "What'd you do?"

"Gaped like an idiot and then she got the hell out of there with that git," Sirius grumbled. "Then I rushed through dinner with Ambre and spied on them for three, immensely boring hours."

"You idiot," breathed Remus. "Why in the name of Merlin would you do that?! You're a stalker now?!"

"No..."

"Then why the hell did you think you needed to go spy on Monica and her date?!!!" Remus' face was livid now at his friend's utter stupidity.

"I don't know!" Sirius said, burying his head in his hands. "It's completely crazy and she would curse me into oblivion if she found out, but I can't stand the fact that she's dating that...that...git."

"You already used that insult, Padfoot," said Peter, which earned him an angry glare from Sirius and a Silencing Charm from James.

James paced the room. "So you ate dinner, spied on her, then where were you for the other two hours? We saw Longbottom come home at eleven!"

Sirius shrugged. "Just walking." Then he sighed loudly. "Prongs, I can't stay here anymore. It hurts too much and I can't stand it. I'm going to go back to Grimmauld Place for the rest of the holiday."

"No!" said James immediately, knowing what would be awaiting Sirius back at his home.

"Why not?" said Sirius skeptically. "There's nothing I can do, James. She hates me and I'm sick of it."

"Well..." said James, thinking fast. "Would you rather be stuck home miserable with Regulus or would you rather be miserable with your friends?"

"But she'll..."

"Padfoot, aren't you capable of handling a girl?" interrupted Remus. "Are you going to let Monica get the best of you and send you running home with your tail between your legs? Are you going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she got to you? If you leave, Monica wins."

Silence, but Remus' grin grew wider as he saw the angry, calculating look on Sirius' face, that he only got when his pride was hurt.

"I'll stay," Sirius sat down on the couch and crossed his arms. "But I won't like it."

"That's alright," said James quickly. "As long as you stay."

"You know..." said Remus thoughtfully. "We really need a girl's perspective if you're set on fighting Gavin for Monica."

"Vance," said Sirius immediately.

His friends' eyebrows shot up skeptically.

"What?" said Sirius innocently. "Evans wouldn't come near James if we paid her and Jones is too neutral. Besides Vance thinks I'm perfect for Longb... Monica."

Eyebrows went even higher.

"Are you sure that's what she said?" asked James. "This from the same girl who's barely said two words to anyone in five years?"

"She talks!" said Sirius defensively. "Vance is practically Remus, but a girl! Quiet and observant!"

"Bad mental image..." muttered Remus.

James still looked skeptical, but only said, "Let's talk to her in the morning."

Emmeline woke early and ate breakfast alone. She was determined to avoid her friends because Monica would surely start screaming at her again and Emmeline just couldn't take that again.

She stepped outside, quietly shutting the door behind her. She wasn't sure where she'd go, but was certain that she had to get out of the house. As she walked past the Potters', Emmeline heard someone shout her name.

"VANCE!"

The person seemed very unconcerned about the early hour or that most people were still sleeping, particularly since they were shouting.

Emmeline looked up and saw Sirius Black with his head stuck out an upstairs window. "What, Black?" she asked uncertainly.

"WE NEED YOUR ADVICE ABOUT LONGBOTTOM!" Sirius shouted down.

"YOU COULD START BY USING HER REAL NAME!" Emmeline bellowed back, annoyed.

"Will you please just come and help us?" begged Sirius. "We're desperate."

"Fine," said Emmeline flatly. "I'll do it."

Sirius let out a whoop of joy and consequently smacked his head against the top of the window. He let out a loud yelp of pain and Emmeline suppressed a grin. Remus pushed Sirius back inside where he could whine about how his head hurt and then stuck his own head outside. "I'll be down in a minute to let you in since Padfoot's currently indisposed and the other two have already slept through all this shouting!"

Emmeline laughed as he pulled his head back inside and shut the window. Moments later, the door opened and Remus ushered her inside.

"So..." said Remus as he led her upstairs. "Padfoot tells us that you think he's perfect for Monica." He stopped halfway up and arched an eyebrow at her quizzically.

"I knew that'd come back to haunt me," moaned Emmeline, covering her face.

"So is it true?" he asked.

Emmeline's face colored. She mumbled something incoherent and pushed past him hurrying up the stairs.

Remus was too fast for her. He darted up and blocked her path. "Is it true?" he repeated, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Or else we may be here for awhile."

"Well not in those exact words."

"Then what did you say?" Remus demanded, a hint of a smile on his face.

"'I really think you'd be perfect for her, Sirius'!" groaned Emmeline. "I'm sure he's quite conceited about it, no doubt."

"He's immensely pleased," said Remus starting upward again and Emmeline followed. "It got him over his little run-in with Monica."

"What run-in?" asked Emmeline, her eyes widening.

"Last night, Sirius and his date ran into her and Gavin at a restaurant?" said Remus. "Didn't she tell you?"

"No," said Emmeline flatly. "She was too busy gushing over her evening with Mr. Pain is Wonderful."

Remus chuckled. "His a bit over the edge isn't he?"

"A bit?" said Emmeline. "You'd think he's eaten about fifty Levitating Sherbet Balls!"

They continued a running list of Gavin's very annoying quirks and by the time Remus opened the door to the Marauders' sitting room they were laughing hysterically and Emmeline was leaning against him for support.

"Well, well..." said Sirius smugly as they entered with Emmeline practically hanging off of Remus. "I'd expected you two to hurry on up, but I see you were occupied."

"Oh don't insinuate anything, Black," said Emmeline, rolling her eyes as she removed her arm from Remus' shoulder. "We were laughing."

"Laughing, snogging, there's not much difference is there, eh Moony?" said Sirius grinning at his friend.

"Padfoot, you are completely and utterly mad," mumbled Remus, his ears quite red. "We weren't doing anything."

"Right..."

Remus muttered something that ended in "prat" and went to drag Peter and James out of bed for this most interesting of meetings.

He soon returned with the two very tired looking boys in tow.

"Padfoot, why are you awake?" muttered James, rubbing his eyes. "You're never up early."

Sirius shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. Did you bring the stuff?"

James, Peter, and Remus nodded solemnly and Peter held up a small bag.

"What 'stuff'?" said Emmeline suddenly afraid. "You aren't going to use me as a test subject for some prank of yours, are you? If that's what it is, I may have to get Lily and Monica to come to this little 'meeting' to curse your arses."

Sirius and James' faces when slightly pale, but Remus shook his head and said, "No, the stuff is for you initiation."

"My initiation?"

"You're going to become an honorary Marauder!" said Sirius excitedly. "Temporarily of course. We aren't looking for full-time members at the moment."

"Alright..."

Peter handed the bag solemnly to James and he pulled out a small colorfully wrapped object. "You must eat the Cockroach Cluster."

All four of the Marauders shuddered collectively as Emmeline took the sweet from James with raised eyebrows.

"All I have to do is eat this?" asked Emmeline.

"Unless you would prefer to dance around while waving a rubber chicken," said Remus.

Emmeline snorted loudly. "Sirius did that, didn't he?"

"Of course!" said Sirius indignantly. "It was more interesting."

"I'll opt for the Cockroach Cluster," said Emmeline, popping the sweet into her mouth and grimacing slightly as she swallowed.

"She is a Marauder!" shouted Sirius, lighting a Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Firework with a match and letting it loose inside the room in celebration.

Always knew the Marauders were a little odd. -grins- Review! E.D.J.