Black Five
"What do you think?"
The first thing Raine saw that morning was a bright pink halter top that Sara had thrust into her face in order to awaken her. She blinked several times, mentally backing away from the piece of clothing.
"It's nice," Raine mumbled as she tried to grasp the significance of the whole thing.
"Just nice?" pouted Sara. "It won't be good enough for Sirius then." She stomped away, throwing the now-considered-vile garment at the bottom of her trunk, slumped against one post of her bed, and sighed audibly.
"What has that got to do with Black?" growled Raine.
"The Hogsmeade trip is coming up this weekend, and when he asks me I want to look my best," replied Sara. "I wonder if Dippit will let me go this weekend."
"Probably not," Raine said sarcastically,"since you'll be going with the rest of us in a fortnight! And why would you want to go anyway?"
"Because it's my chance to impress Sirius, and he will definitely fall for me if I have the right clothes," Sara pointed out condescendingly, as if Raine was a child.
"You make him sound so superficial" said Raine. Like you're turning into. "Why don't you take Sirius shopping with you when you get asked out. I'm sure he will be happy to stare about in the ladies' changing rooms. If not at you, then at someone else.
"Raine, that's a brilliant idea! You're the best!" Sara jumped up from her position and wrapped Raine in a huge hug before disappearing down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Relived to have time for herself, Raine indulged by taking a long shower. The new Sara had gone through the whole week constantly flirting with Sirius Black, and it didn't look as if she planned on stopping soon. Not that it bothered Raine much, but she wished that they could have a conversation in which Sirius was not the main topic morning, noon and night. Finally dressed and with her bag packed, Raine left the dormitory in a higher state of mind; she almost skipped down the stairs as if to prove that she was no longer annoyed.
The hallways were deserted as Raine walked in a pensive mood to breakfast. Before entering the Great Hall she nearly bumped someone coming out - Severus Snape. Recognising him Raine said "Morning."
Shocked out of his attention on the Marauders, Snape turned to the view the person who had been polite to him. "Jenkins," he nodded in return, "Off to be sunk into the stupidity of Black's teaching, I suppose."
"Well, it would have been you, Severus, but you can't seem to scrap high marks in transfiguration and I do so want to pass," said Raine amicably.
"Touché," Snape grimaced. "It seem Gryffindor hasn't wasted your sharp tongue. I'm glad of it, Raine."
"Well, thank you for the compliment, Severus," Raine said with a smile.
With a nod, Snape floated down he corridor and out of sight. Probably heading to Potions, mused Raine. She smiled again. Nice to see he's still alive and well, especially after all the attention of the Marauders. Snape had been a family friend in the past, and seeing him still wandering around alone gave a boost to Raine. She wasn't alone completely then.
In her daydream, Raine failed to notice the strange looks she was getting from the Marauders, as they had witnessed someone genuinely smiling at Snape making someone smile, of their own accord. As she sat down, the Marauders stared at one another as if they had been slapped over the head by the giant squid, then ran over by a hippogriff
"Did...did I just witness Snape...Snivels being nice to another human," asked James, incredulous.
"Please don't confirm it," begged Sirius. "Let me live on in ignorance."
"And not just any human, but Padfoot's special pupil," voiced Peter teasingly.
"Raine couldn't have anything to say to Snivels," pronounced Black. "Could she?" He looked for support from his friends, but they were all still in a daze.
"They could be...acquaintances," suggested Remus.
James gagged, "That's just...just..."
"Wrong!" finished Sirius. "I'm going to find out though." Munching down his piece of toast and guzzling the remaining tea in his cup, Padfoot set off to where Raine and Sara were sitting, determined to seek the truth behind the 'Snape encounter'.
Reaching the further end of the table, Sirius slipped in beside Sara, who had been secretly watching his movements all breakfast. He greeted the both of them with his flashing smile and pushed dark strands of hair back from his forehead to note Sara and Raine's expressions. It was quite obvious that Sara was trying to hit on him, which was actually working rather well. There seemed to be a different glow about her, bringing out her beauty, and Sirius liked to have a pretty face to admire in the morning.
"So Sirius, what's going to happen at the next Quidditch game?" quizzed Sara, shuffling closer to Black on the bench.
"Well, with our demented Captain over there," he pointed at James, who was having a heated discuss with Lily, "and yours truly as Chaser, the opponents will never score a point in our goals," replied Sirius smoothly.
"That's because your large ego would be blocking the way," muttered Raine from behind a Charms book that she was reading. "And it's possible the other team will get the Snitch, since you will occupied waving at your adoring fans on the sidelines."
"Oh, I can't wait for the match," cooed Sara while batting her eyelashes. "I think Quidditch is the best thing invented!"
"But you only came to that conclusion this morning, when you decided it would win you a date with Mr Popular, who might just allow you to sit on his lap," mumbled Raine, still thinking no one could hear her.
Sara was too absorbed with losing herself in Sirius's dark eyes to even know if she was still on planet earth, however Sirius heard Raine's soft speech from the other side of the table.
"What did you say, Raine?" asked Black.
Raine's head shot up like a startled deer. He heard me! Oh no, he heard me! What's he going to do? Hopefully nothing embarrassing. Oh for goodness sake, he is a MARAUDER, of course it's going to be embarrassing! "Nothing," squeaked Raine, using the book as a shield for any attack that might come.
"But you have been muttering for the last five minutes," stated Black.
"Have I?" said Raine in a high pitch.
"Yes."
Sirius' attention had moved from the flirting Sara to an almost petrified Raine. Her face drained of any colour, eyes focussing on everything but him (which he had to admit slightly annoyed him) and she moved further away from the table, as if ready to run from something. "What did Snape do to you," said Black bluntly.
Raine brought a confused look to meet Sirius' direct gaze. "Snape? Nothing." They stared at one another, each trying to gauge what the other was thinking. He didn't hear what I was saying! Thank Merlin! But what made him think of Snape. Who cares! I'm not going to be laughed at!
Relief flooded to Raine's face, bringing a small smile to her lips. It makes all the difference, thought Sirius, just seeing her happy. She looks even pretty.Was Snape the cause of it? She can't have a thing for him! Please Merlin, no!
Sara broke his reverie with a forceful tug on his shirt. Sirius noted that, though Sara was displaying a dazzling smile and an impish twinkle in her eyes, it was evident that she was mad. She turned and quickly glared at Raine, who was oblivious at the death threat. Black cringed at the thought of Sara being jealous of her best friend for conversing with him. Girls really do stab each other in the back. This was definitely going to be a problem for Black.
"She just doesn't like Quidditch. She was probably commenting on how the Gryffindor team is pathetic," said Sara in a spiteful tone, bringing Raine crashing down to earth at hearing the comment.
"What's wrong with that?" questioned a defensive Raine. "I can not like something without having everyone's approval."
"So I'm pathetic," joked Sirius trying to break the tension looming over them.
"You certainly are," said Raine humouring him. "Pathetic, but a nice pathetic."
"Can't have it both ways," stated Sirius. "Either I am, or am not."
"Then..." Raine scratched her chin as if deep in thought. "You are...pathetic." She smiled at Black for a second before Sara dragged the conversation back to Christmas, asking how he was spending it.
Raine zoned out again and into her own holiday plans. This year she would be spending Christmas at Hogwarts. Her mother had insisted on it, since He Who Must Not be Named was preying on wizarding families. Raine was doing it for her mum. Dad had died at the hands of Death Eaters, so if it helped to ease her mum's mind then Raine would comply. But it was going to be a lonely holiday without Sara.
Thank you to allwho have read it. Glad to see so many not wanting to rip my head off at my description of Sirius. I would like to thank my lovelybeat reader for all her hard work waves to her through net and please review and give any ideas if you wish. I am so glad I made Sirius drink tea; it is a British institution in itself! I am trying to read all your fan fics and may I say they are of a high quality damn it you making me look bad!