Sorry it took soooooooo long for this update, I've been so buisy for unusual reasons and, of course, the Half Blood Prince came out…

To SilverWolf-Ryuki, thanks for the encouraging reviews! I realize it goes fast, but once we get to year 4 it will slow down considerably and I'll try to be clearer about the time setting.

CHAPTER 8

"EEEW! That actually happened? I thought that was just a rumor!" Peter couldn't believe his ears when James recanted the night he and Sirius found the former professor shrub and filch in professor Hollingsworth's room.

"Nope, no rumor. It actually happened! Three years ago. " James smirked.

THIRD YEAR

"Hey Peter?" a thirteen year old James smiled widely at the mousy boy.

Peter knew what would come next. "Yes, James?"

"It's almost 1:00 in the Mooooooornningggggg!" James said in a sarcastic, singing voice. Peter was right. "I'm sure your mommy wouldn't want you to be up this late. You should go to bed."

Peter looked at his watch, "Oh my goodness! It IS almost 1:00! Oh, and I was going to send mother a letter tonight asking for more syrup for my congestion! Foo! I'll have to do it first thing tomorrow. G'night guys! Mother really doesn't like me being up this late."

James raised his eyebrows and looked at Sirius as Peter rushed his plump body up the staircase in the Gryffindor common room.

"Dear Merlyn, I hate him." James turned to his friends bitterly.

"Well, this is new. Since when did you decide you hated him? Why?" Remus asked.

James looked at Remus with a look of pondering. After a few seconds he answered: "Well, you know in divination class Professor Futuro was telling us about Vibrations?" James looked at the table now. He was trying to remember what happened in class. He remembered the professor walking around the class room explaining that vibrations…

", or Vibes, as they are now called, is moral and spiritual energy that every one gives off It is an energy that no one can hide, it gives off only the pure essence of one's character... Some have a gift of feeling them more than others, but every one has felt them.

'Jessica, now you know what a Vibration is, explain a Vibration you have ever received from someone, now don't think too hard, if you have truly felt a strong vibration, the experience should stick out to you…

' No? Well then, Rachael, what about you?"

James looked around his divination class. He had only been in his third year elective class for two months, but so far, he liked the teacher. He was different from the other teachers he had. So far, his third year has been the best. But then again, he knew himself well enough to know he was jumping to conclusions.

James watched Sirius stare at the girl the professor called on. Although he wouldn't admit it yet, Sirius had his FIRST crush on a girl, James knew it.

"Uh, well, if that's what a vibration is, I feel them all the time. I don't mean to brag, but I feel it a lot. I thought it was normal."

Professor Futuro lit up, "Yes! Yes it is normal, but if you really feel them all the time like you say you do, then you might have psychic abilities! I'm excited to see what you have to say. Go on! Go on! Tell us one vibration that stuck in your mind."

Rachael blushed at the compliment, then she looked around, "alright, I can tell you because there aren't any Slytherin's here."

A small giggle came over some members of the class. "Go on, whom? I promise you this will not leave the classroom." The professor smiled.

"Ok, it was Servious Snape." Rachael said. She seemed to feel uncomfortable with talking about a student.

"Yes, he does give off strong vibrations."

"No, no, it was different. I first felt that he just wasn't nice. But then I bumped into him recently and it was different. I don't know, maybe it was from the contact, but he didn't seem like he first did. He seemed, uh… nice, ok, well maybe not nice, but he didn't seem mean or like a Slytherin. I guess he seemed like there was something more. It didn't seem like he fit the Slytherin stereotype." Rachael finished. She obviously didn't like talking in front of people.

"Good! Very Good! I want to see you after class. Alright, everyone, for homework, I just want you to pay attention to people and their vibrations, find at least ten different people and list them and the vibrations you received from them. Due Thursday!"

"Yes," Remus said. "I didn't think it was very appropriate of him to allow a student talk about another student. But anyways, what?"

James leaned in close, "I thought about it and realized I got a vibration from Peter." James' eyes squinted and his brow crumpled in such a way that he looked serious and thoughtful. "I've always got a vibration off of him. It is kind of weird. He seems… uh…"

"Slimy?" Sirius added in.

"Yes! Slimy. And.."

"Deceitful?"

"Yeah, you feel it too?" James looked at Sirius who was leaning back in his chair so it was on one leg.

"Yup."

"But anyways, I just don't like him. He seems like the kind of person-"

"The kinds of person you know you shouldn't be around because you know something bad will some of it." Sirius said quickly.

"Yeah," James blinked and turned to Sirius, "Will you quit that? Damn! Let me finish a sentence!"

"Sorry." Sirius smiled.

"Anyways, I've always felt like there's something wrong about him. I don't know," James slumped in his chair, "maybe it's just me."

"No, it's not," Remus placed his had on the table and sighed. "I feel it too. But maybe we're wrong. Maybe he's a good person, I think we'll just have to wait and see."

"I know."

"Soooooo!" James smiled widely at Sirius. Remus had gone to bed and all that was left was an energetic James and unusually quiet Sirius.

"So, what?" Sirius looked at James.

"Where did you disappear off to after Divination today?" James leaned in and nudged his friend suggestively "I herd some of the girls talking about how cute you are!"

"Liar." Sirius glared at James. He really didn't believe James, but he knew that deep ion his mind he wanted it to be true, and was praying James was right.

And the young James Potter was right. Over the course of the summer vacation, Sirius Black had undergone a transformation from an awkward, pimply, not-quite-teenager; into a tall, undeniably handsome, thirteen year old. His acne had disappeared, hair grew out, he himself grew another three or four inches; and most importantly, his facial features changed dramatically. Finally, his nose fit his face, lips an adequate size and eyes proportionate. And even though his left ear still pointed unusually, his face was undoubtedly his most noticed feature.

"Alright James, tell me! What did they say?" Regardless of the fact Sirius was interested, he still managed to obtain a sleek sarcastic ness which would one day soon, be his most annoying trait that somehow would drive women mad.

James couldn't resist a chance to bribe his way to the information he wanted, so he paused, smirked, and finally said: "I'll tell you once you tell me what you did during lunch today."

Sirius should have suspected this to happen, "No." He tried to resist the urge to know what those girls said. He even surprised himself at how much this little fact meant to him. He finally sighed after staring at James for a matter of minuets; he knew James wouldn't budge. "Fine…"

Sirius Black had come down the staircase leading to the divination classroom. He had decided long before this moment what he would try to do next.

Over the course of the year so far, he began to notice that cute Irish girl with the hazel eyes. According to Remus her name was Rachael Grieving and had, to his surprise, been in the same house and same year as he had been; the entire time he had been at Hogwarts!

He himself had never noticed her until this year; but at this point it didn't matter, she had never made an effort to contact him at all anyways. Why he had noticed her now was a mystery to him, but she and her friend Vivian Davidson had any of the third year Gryffindor boys talking. Just the other day he, John Setting, Tristan McCabe, and Luke Anderson had been talking about them.

Sirius' thoughts were interrupted by a hard sounding tap through the door leading to the staircase. He reckoned he knew who it was and realized it was, indeed, Rachael Grieving.

Alright, this is it, calm! Calm! Sirius thought to himself. He looked upon her surprised face and desperately wanted to say something but all he could manage was a smile.

"Oh, Hello. Um, Sirius Black, right?" Rachael pointed at him in a friendly manner and gave him a warm smile.

Sirius realized the appropriate thing to do was to answer back, he wanted to say something smooth, or humorous, but again, all he could manage was a mediocre, "Yup, that's me!"

"Well, Sirius Black, What are you doing here?" Rachael cocked her head to the side.

Sirius didn't want her to know he was actually waiting for her, so he did the next thing he could think of, lie. "I was… reading."

"Reading? You don't really sound like the person who would want read voluntarily. I really wouldn't be surprised if you were setting up timed dung bombs or something." Rachael sent Sirius a smile and tone of voice that she could tailor at will to give the desired effect on whomever she wants.

Sirius normally would have been insulted by her comment, being who he is, but her tone and look downplayed the possible insult. "Well, my main purpose of the day isn't always pulling pranks on people… it is most of the time," he smirked, "but not all the time." Good job! That should warm her up to you! Sirius congratulated himself when he realized Rachael found this humorous. "So, just out of curiosity, what were you doing up there?"

Rachael's smile turned to a blush, "well, Professor Futuro wanted me to stay after so he could talk to me about 'developing my psychic abilities'" she said the last bit with a slight sarcasm.

"Really?" Sirius was, at the moment, developing a skill that would impress women for the rest of his days: looking and sounding interested.

"Yeah, he said he sensed psychic abilities in me or something like that. So he wants to see me after classes three times a week to get extra training. It takes a lot of time though, but he said it's worth it. If I keep it up, I could be a very good psychic by the time I graduate, so he says." Rachael looked down at the stone floor.

"You don't sound so sure." Sirius tried to make eye contact with her in a down and around motion.

Rachael looked in his eyes again, "I'm not."

"Why?" Sirius said calmly, "The professor said that you would have to be having those psychic moments, or what ever they're called, your entire life. I just seems odd that you wouldn't be sure about this of all things."

Rachael smiled, "Yeah, I guess it would seem odd. But I've never thought of whatever it is I feel to be psychic moments, as you called them."

Sirius sat down on a nearby bench, Rachael followed. Sirius finally asked, "Does anyone else in your family have this…,uh,…?"

Rachael laughed, "Oh, no, of course not. Well, that is as far as they have told me." She turned her head to stare at the floor, smiling fondly, "I never thought of my brothers or father to have any psychic ablates. Huh, if they knew about this, they would probably try to make me predict the store's future prophet or something."

"You haven't told them?" Sirius watched Rachael shake her head. He cocked his head to the left and asked, "What store?"

Rachael smiled, "I'm surprised you don't know, my parents own Grieving's Magical Animal Shop."

"OH!" Sirius remembered the name, "of course, your name is Grieving, the store name is Grieving, I got it. I remember once I wanted to buy an owl there."

"Why didn't you? It's not like you couldn't afford it." Rachel was intrigued.

"I couldn't, my mother wouldn't let me. She said 'decent wizards don't buy things from the grieving family' Dear Merlyn my mother's stupid. My father doesn't think ill of you though, he said he use to work with, and I think he would be your brother, at the Ministry of Magic. He told me the man was always kind to him, no matter what my father said to him." Sirius realized Rachael felt insulted.

"I never knew the Blacks thought of us like that. But it makes sense, I think." Rachael's voice changed, her voice not took on the tone of a cold, monotones manner.

"I'm sorry," Sirius said quickly, "I never realized you didn't know. I didn't realize you would be insulted. I'm sorry." He said again.

Rachael smiled warmly again, but it didn't seem real, it seemed to be painted over the cold feeling Sirius felt before. "It's not your fault. You didn't know. It's alright, besides, who doesn't the black family have a grudge against?"

Sirius snorted, "Yeah, I know. My mother has this tapestry in her study-thing. It has all our relatives on it and everything, its actually pretty cool if you don't think of who's on it. But anyways, every family member she thinks is a traitor, she burns off the tapestry, and by now half have been burned off! And she keeps a list of what families are 'un-pure' or 'blood traitors'; the list is pages long!"

"You're kidding!" Rachael didn't believe him, by now her face warmed up again and she seemed to be normal.

"Nope!" Sirius laughed, "A Raging fat woman, that's my mom! And my family doesn't have any lack of those!"

Rachael and Sirius laughed for a few minuets, making comments and telling stories about their families. When finally Rachael stopped and smiled at Sirius, "You know, you're not like any black I've ever met. I mean, no offense, but every one I knew expected you to be in Slytherin like your family. But you're so different, why?"

Sirius stopped laughing also, he blushed at the comment just given to him, and he thought, why? After a moment of silence he finally said, "I think it's because I always watched my mother and how she treated people. I never liked it, maybe it's because I thought she was a maniac, or maybe I'm just naturally not like them." He shrugged.

And just as Rachael began to say something, the sound signifying the end of lunch sounded.

"What's your other elective class?" Rachael asked.

Oh what fun Sirius had talking to her, he would love to do it again, "Care of Magical Creatures, you?"

Rachael lit up, her incredible hazel eyes glowing with excitement, Sirius noted how much he would love seeing that look. "Me too! My Father made me take it. So I guess I'll see you there!"

Sirius smiled, "I guess I'll see you there also. I'll walk down with you if you want."

"Actually, I have to get my book first. But it will only take a few minuets. We have what? Twenty, thirty minuets before class? I'll meet you in the great hall." Rachael said as she gathered her books.

"Alright. See you then!" Sirius said happily as they departed.

"Okay! I told you! Are you happy?" Sirius raised his eyebrows.

James smiled stupidly at him, "Oh yeah! Damn, I wish Lilly would be so willing to talk to me like that."

"She won't because she hates you." Sirius said with a blunt kindness.

"She may change her mind, only time will tell my friend! Only time will tell!" James hoped.

"Yeah, and I'll be head boy." Sirius said sarcastically, "Now tell me what you heard!"

"Ok, ok, keep your pants on. I'll tell you."

James walked from his dormitory with his care of magical creatures book in hand only to hear girls giggling under the staircase.

"You didn't! Rachael! Oooh! Tell me! Tell me! What is he like?"

"Well,"

"Come now! Tell tell!

"Ok, he's a lot sweeter than you'd think. That's the main thing. And he's funny! Ooh! I had fun with him at lunch!"

"I have fun just looking at him! He is sooooo good looking now. Unlike last year."

"And with a name like that! Wow, he's the kind of man I'd want!"

"Sirius Black… dreamy!"

"Ladies, ladies, please! Its not like that, I don't like him for his looks or anything."

"So you like him?"

"I never said that!"

"Yes you did!"

"Ok, yeah, I like him a lot. And YES he is fabulous looking."

"I can't believe you're all goggling over such a jerk!"

"Lilly! You have never talked to him. He's not like that!"

"He's just as bad as his friend, James."

"Yes Lilly, we know you hate him. Hunny, get over yourself."

"Fine, but I still think you shouldn't judge him by his looks."

"Yeah, because I didn't think he'd be that sweet!"

"You two would make a good couple."

"You think?"

"Maybe not Viv. It might look like a good look crash."

"What's that?"

"It's when two people who are too good looking go out and it looks weird."

"Me? Too good looking? Merlyn! What are you talking about! My eyes are too wide apart and I have a pointy nose, AND I'm a fat cow!"

"What ever Rach."

"But still, he's sooooo good looking!"

"I don't believe you!" Sirius said.

James held up his right hand, "I kid you not! I swear! It happened!"

"Wow,"

"I know, Lilly hates me!"

"Shut up. They think I'm good looking, huh?" Sirius' eyes began to wander in fascination.

"Yeah, now let's go to bed before our eyes fall out. I'm tired!" James headed up stairs.

Sirius remained a while longer, exploring the possibilities of him POSSIBLY going out with Rachael. Once he got to know her better, he would. Definitely. And did anyone see the way she caught that escaped furry thing in Care of Magical Creatures? That was amazing! She just pounced on it!

He let his mind wander being caught up in fascination of this cute Irish girl with the hazel eyes.