Chapter III

Misunderstood

Sirius Black

"Remus!" yelled Sirius as he ran after Remus. "Wait up Mate." Sirius yelled again and Remus stopped to wait for Sirius as he zigzagged through the crowd.

"What's up Padfoot?" Remus asked when Sirius finally caught up.

"What if I'd ask you if I could throw a Filibuster Firework in the Slytherin common room?" Sirius asked.

"I would tell you that would be a mistake." Remus answered and Sirius nodded.

"Remus?"

"Yeah?"

"I made a mistake." Sirius said with a small smile playing at his lips.

"For Pete's sake Sirius! Can you manage to stay out of trouble for at least a day?" Remus said as he pushed Sirius playfully. Sirius grinned in response.

"You should've seen it though. It was my best moment. There I was, just minding my own business as I walked back from getting yelled at by Drake. I saw a couple of 2nd years whisper the password to get through the portrait so I lit a couple of Filibusters and threw them through the open portrait. It caused quite an uproar." Sirius explained as the two of them walked to their own common room.

"Jesus Sirius, are you looking to get yourself killed. The Slytherins will know it was you and they'll get you back for it." Remus said with concern.

"I'm not afraid Remus." Sirius stated.

"Sirius Black, please come to McGonagall's office" A monotone voice rang through the school.

"You're playing with fire Mate." Sirius heard Remus say before he turned to make his way to McGonagall's.

"Playing with fire…pff…what does he know anyways?" Sirius thought to himself.

"You can't tell me what to do you filthy mudblood." A familiar voice interrupted Sirius' thoughts. Sirius rounded the corner and saw his brother and a couple of goons standing up to Lily Evans who looked slightly frightened.

"Hey Regulus." Sirius said in a fake sugary tone.

"Well if it isn't the king of all blood traitors! My very own brother! Sirius Black." Regulus yelled for the whole world to know as his goons chuckled but Sirius heard the hint of fear in his voice. Sirius decided to ignore his little brother's comments as he took Lily's arm and led her in the opposite direction.

"Helping out the mudblood Sirius? Mum would be so proud." Regulus said sarcastically and Sirius stopped in mid-step. He turned around and watched as the two goons stepped in front of his little brother and raised their wands. Sirius chuckled as he fingered his own wand in his back pocket and walked closer. The two goons gave out feeble spells but Sirius easily blocked them. "Crashius." Sirius whispered as he pulled his wand out causing the two goons to bump heads and fall unconscious. Sirius walked towards his cowering brother and punched him right in the nose. Regulus curled up into a ball and waited for his older brother to do his worst but something else caught Sirius' attention. Six Slytherins in total blocking every single way out for Sirius. One of them held Lily who was struggling desperately to loosen his grip.

"Let her go." Sirius said.

"Throw your wand over here and I'll think about it." Rabastan Lestrange said and laughed as he watched Sirius think furiously.

"Give my wand away? That's the stupidest thing a wizard could do. 6 to 1…maybe I should've listened to Remus. Oh well…how hard can they beat me." Sirius thought and to Lily's relief, threw his wand to Rabastan.

"Get up Regulus." Rabastan said and Regulus got up letting his nose bleed freely. Rabastan gave Lily to Regulus and gestured for the other Slytherins to close in on Sirius. Sirius put his fist in the air and waited for the first hit. Rabastan kicked Sirius in the shin but he barely flinched. Afterwards, the Slytherins kicked and punched every part of Sirius that wasn't being protected by his own fists. Sirius, being a good fighter, stood up to them until he could no longer stand. After Sirius had fallen, the Slytherins ran leaving Lily with Sirius' wand. Lily rushed over to help Sirius get up and gasped when she saw his face.

"That bad?'' Sirius joked and Lily chuckled weekly. "Well if you'll excuse me, I still have to get to McGonagall's office." Sirius said as he mocked tipping his hat and walked away.

"You're late Mr. Black" McGonagall said when she heard her office door open.

"Sorry Professor, I ran into some difficulties." Sirius said as he sat down in front of McGonagall's desk. McGonagall looked up and was surprised to see Sirius beaten so badly.

"You look like you ran into an iron fist." McGonagall said and Sirius laughed.

"Yeah well…Let's just say, I've already been punished for what this meeting is about." Sirius said.

"You'll be earning a double punishment then. You'll be serving detention everyday this week. Scrubbing every portrait on every floor. I don't care when you do it as long as every portrait is cleaned by the end of this week. No magic…well you know the drill. I'll see you in Transfiguration tomorrow." McGonagall said before retuning to her book.

"Yes Mam." Sirius said before getting up and heading for the door.

"Oh and Sirius? Please take care of yourself or you'll end up dead before you turn 18." McGonagall said before Sirius could open the door and leave. Sirius grinned as he continued on his way.

Remus Lupin

Remus yawned as he tried to focus on McGonagall's lecture. He still hasn't recovered from full moon a couple of days ago. A twinge of guilt went through him as he saw the gash across Sirius' face when he turned to throw a piece of paper across the room where James sat. Remus also knew that James had a humongous bruise that covered a part of his back. Remus chuckled as he watched James throw the paper towards the front of the class and back at Sirius but McGonagall caught it mid-air with a spell.

"All right class. We are going to play a game. I will hand all of you a sheet of 50 questions to answer before the end of the class. You'll be in groups of 4 but you also can receive help from your peers if they chose to give it to you. I will tell you the prize once I declare a winner. Does everyone understand?" McGonagall asked.

"What's the catch?" Sirius asked in response and McGonagall smiled.

"No textbooks, Mr. Black. Every answer will come from everything I taught you. Accio books!" McGonagall said and everyone's books and notes flew in the air and piled themselves neatly on her desk.

"You may begin." McGonagall said as a piece of paper appeared in front of everyone. Remus, Peter and James moved to Sirius' desk with their papers.

"Alright Mate. I know this information is in your head somewhere. Now let it out." James said to Sirius. Sirius grinned and picked up his quill. Remus read the questions and Sirius wrote the answers. This was definitely Sirius' game. He somehow remembers the most important things without even realizing.

Lily watched from where her group was working and groaned when she saw how well the Marauders were doing. She had enough and decided to go get some answers.

"Hi guys." Lily said flirtatiously and Remus gave her a funny look.

"How are you guys doing?" She asked in her sexiest voice as she gently touched James. She cringed when she saw Peter looking at her but she winked at him anyway. Remus watched as James tried his very hardest to keep his cool under Lily's touch but was clearly failing. Sirius rolled his eyes at Lily's attempt of flirting.

"Look boys…my friends and I are having some trouble with some of the questions on the sheet and we were wondering if you could help us out?" Lily asked with a sexy tone and look. James handed her the paper but Sirius swiped it.

"What's with the slutty voice Lils? It better not be because you want our answers. You should really know better than that." Sirius said earning a glare from Lily.

"Now if you don't mind, we still have a couple of questions to answer." Sirius added and Lily turned and left.

"Sirius…" Remus said with a warning.

"What! I hate it when girls think they can walk all over us." Sirius said. "James stop drooling."

Lily Evans

Lily ate as she watched Nancy and James flirt together. She groaned when she saw Nancy use her classic flirty move on James. High pitched laugh, hand on James' chest and a little push causing them to have a little play fight. Lily cringed and picked up her book before she gagged.

"Well I need to get ready before practice." James announced and left followed by Nancy. Remus and Peter left seconds later to get some books from the library but Sirius stayed to finish his sandwich.

"It bothers you, doesn't it Lils?" Sirius asked between mouthfuls and Lily lowered her book.

"What are you talking about Sirius?" Lily asked and Sirius grinned.

"I see the way you look at him. In fact it reminds me of the way he used to look at you." Sirius said and smiled sadly when he saw that Lily lowered her eyes.

"He still likes you…but you turned him down so many times…I guess Nancy is what I like to call an ego booster." Sirius said.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Lily said with a smile playing at her lips.

"I made you smile, didn't I?" Sirius teased and Lily giggled.

"Well I better go…James will flip if I'm late for practice again. Oh and Lils…he's doing it to bug you" Sirius said before walking away.

"Sirius?" Lily yelled and he turned around. "How do you know?"

"He's my best friend." Sirius shrugged before leaving the Great Hall.

Lily sighed and picked up her book for the second time. She couldn't keep her mind on the book so she went to clear her mind outside. She sat near the lake and thought about what she should do about her feelings towards James Potter. All of a sudden it began to pour and Lily could only smile. "Perfect…" she muttered under her breath and got up from where she was sitting. She saw the Gryffindor quidditch team with the exception of James enter the entrance hall.

"Well it's now or never." Lily told herself as she made her way towards the quidditch pitch. She immediately located James who was busy locking up the broom shed.

"Hey Potter." Lily yelled and James turned around and grinned causing Lily's heart to skip a beat.

"What brings you here Miss Head Girl?" James said flirtatiously and Lily could only giggle.

"So how are things with Nancy?" Lily asked but immediately regretted it and mentally kicked herself for being so obviously jealous. James gave her a funny look as if he saw right through her.

"Did you really come here to ask me that?" James asked curiously.

"Well no but I…" Lily began but was cut off when James grabbed her by the waist and kissed her passionately under the pouring rain.

James Potter

James sat outside at the foot of a tree wit his best friend, Sirius Black. Sirius was busy copying Remus' notes and didn't talk much but James didn't mind. He felt comfortable in their silence and on the bright side; it gave him time to think about Lily. It has been a week since their first kiss and they have been recently labeled as a couple. James smiled; he had everything he could ever want: Great girlfriend, awesome best friends, good grades, captain of the quidditch team and Head Boy. Some would say he was on top of the world. Nothing could dampen his spirits, or so he thought. He saw Lily come out of Hogwarts and walk right up to where he and Sirius were sitting. James stood to give her a hug but she brushed right passed him and stopped at Sirius' feet with her hands on her hips. "Uh oh!" James thought as he braced himself for the worst.

"You are unbelievable!" Lily yelled and Sirius looked up to find a very angry Lily standing inches away from him. He looked up at her questioningly. "Oh don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. Lindsay Brendan has been in the restroom for an hour crying her eyes out because you called her a whore after she asked you out." Lily yelled some more earning a couple of stares from curious onlookers.

"Have you ever heard of hearing both sides of the story before choosing sides?" Sirius asked calmly.

"Fine. What is your story then Sirius?" Lily asked impatiently.

"Well, that's easy…she's a whore…the end." Sirius said and Lily attempted to slap him but was stopped by James.

"Sirius you're not helping your case." James said while holding Lily back.

"Lils, maybe you should go ask Lindsay why she wanted to go out with me before you judge me." Sirius said before getting up and walking away.

"Fine. Come James…I'll go ask her. I'm sure she has a good reason." Lily said as she walked off followed by a reluctant James. Once they got to the restroom. Lily entered while James stayed put. "I can't believe Sirius sometimes. He's not having a great month. I swear messing with the wrong people will get him killed one day." James thought.

A couple of minutes later, Lily appeared with a surprised expression.

"Well…" James probed.

"She said she just wanted a good time. I thought that she was innocent enough until she added: if you know what I mean." Lily said disgusted.

"Oh yeah." James said.

"You don't sound surprised." Lily answered.

"Let's just say this isn't the first time a girl have attempted to take advantage of Sirius. You see most people just see Sirius as a good-looking prankster who likes to have fun but he's so much more." James explained and Lily snorted.

"What?" James asked, annoyed.

"I'm sorry James but I don't see how Sirius is so much more. There's nothing beyond his arrogance." Lily said.

"Fine." James said before turning and making his way outside again. Lily followed him and grabbed his hand.

"What do you see?" Lily asked and James smiled.

"Did you know that Sirius and I were enemies before Hogwarts?" James asked and Lily shook her head. "Well we were…I hated him because he was a Black and my father had once explained to me that some families didn't accept anyone but purebloods and I knew right away that the Blacks were that type of family. When we met again at Hogwarts, he immediately threatened me. I was convinced he asked the hat to put him in Gryffindor. My jealousy rose when I realized he was a lot smarter than I was and maybe even a better flyer. I didn't want him to become popular so I turned the Gryffindors against him. It was a pretty tough month for him but he did not back down and tell. He took our hazing like a man. It wasn't until I was cornered by Lucius Malfoy and a couple of other Slytherins that I realized how much of a Gryffindor Sirius really was. He took on three 6th years with nothing but hit fists to save my butt. We became friends after that episode and he began to trust me. He told me he was the first Black to ever be sorted into Gryffindor and he would pay for it once he returned home. He was "the mistake" in the Black household and he suffered for it. When he went back home, he ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks. He said it was a flying accident but I knew…For years Sirius stood up to his parents and did many things against their wishes. After our fifth year, he ran away from home. I only found out a week later when his mother came looking for him at my house. I found him…downtown London…bleeding to death from a stomach wound. I brought him home and my parents took him in as their own." James said and a tear fell from Lily's eyes and rolled down her cheek.

"He really had it that bad?" Lily asked quietly.

"He was a prisoner in his own home. All because he was different." James answered sadly.