Chapter 13

An Honest Talk

Raine hadn't stop crying since she arrived under the large oak tree which was situated near the Great Lake. She guessed it had been an hour or so, because the sun was about to set. Tears began to roll down her cheeks again as she buried her head in her knees. What had she done?

-

Sara had raged on and on about the code of friendship and honesty and that Raine was nothing but a slag. Fine, Raine accepted that she hadn't been totally faithful on the Sirius subject and asked for forgiveness. She tried to explain that it just happened, and that she herself didn't quite know what was happening.

Sara brought up instances claiming she had proof that Raine was stealing Sirius away from her – saying that the tutoring lessons were really snogging sessions, that Raine only tried on the dress to seduce him, and always, always occupying Sirius' attention when Sara tried to hold a conversation with him.

Raine of course denied this all, but nothing was getting through to the enraged Sara, who continued pacing up and down, raising her voice and attracting the attention of everyone who passed by.

Raine felt that she was being held against her will. She wished Sirius would come and tell the whole truth. If he really was going out with Sara, then why had he been leading Raine on? Was he that cruel? In her heart, Raine didn't think so, but having her best friend slap her did bring some doubt.

Just when Raine thought the situation couldn't get any worse, Sara closed the space between them and whispered, "to think that I was a friend to you when your whole family became death eaters. I saw your brother at the Winter Ball boasting about his murders. Your father must be proud of him…what's the saying - like father like son."

After she had uttered those words Raine lost control. Whipping out her wand from her sleeve Raine hexed her friend, sending her soaring through the gathering crowd of onlookers and hitting the wall before falling to the floor.

Sara was knocked unconscious. The students moved away from Raine, unsure as to what to do when an girl gave her best friend one hell of a curse.

Lily Evans, however, had witnessed the whole thing and knew exactly what to do. She walked slowly and steadily towards Raine as if she were approaching a frightened animal. Raine began to shake visible as her brain started to realise what she had done. The anger had built up from the accusations of her wanton conduct, but the tip of the balance had been the comment on her father.

Sara didn't know her past history. How can she judge what her father was! No one knew.

"Raine?" asked Lily. "Raine are you ok? Can you hear me?" Lily was near enough Raine to see in Raine's eyes that she wasn't alright. From the spell she cast on Sara, whatever the other had whispered had touched a nerve.

"I'm…I'm sorry," mumbled Raine. "I…I …I don't know what came over me."

"Do you want to talk about it?" ventured Lily. "I know that Sirius can really mess with girls minds. I mean, I'm dating his best friend. I probably know him better than most."

"It's nothing to do with Sirius," said Raine quietly. "I mean, not really. I know that your Head Girl, Lily, but can you punish me later…I need...I need to get away from the staring and just cry."

"Raine," pleaded Lily. "Please, if there's something I can do…let me"

"Can you make sure that Sara is ok, and that I haven't hurt her much?"

"Um…sure." Lily was at a loss as how to give comfort to Raine, or even try to communicate to her. It seemed to Lily that Raine was pretty good at shielding her past - just like a very tall, dark and handsome rascal she knew.

Without waiting anymore, Raine shuffled out the school entrance down to the lake for peace and quiet. No one would follow her - they were all scared of her now. Had she really turned into her family? Was it genetic that she was going to follow in her dad and brother's footsteps?

She wasn't as blind as many people believed her to be. It had only taken three letters from her brother for Raine to have her fears confirmed. Theo was a death eater. And from the way he gloated and his arrogant phrasing, it was clear to Raine that he was good at what he did.

Now she cried. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she sat on the damp ground and lowered her head to muffle the sounds of anguish. She didn't want anyone to see her like this.

Sirius was definitely going to lock the next person who stopped him up in the nearest broom cupboard. He was half an hour late to meet Raine, and he was nervous as hell with worry to think that someone might inform Sara before he could explain his actions to Raine.

Not that Sara would notice the outside world when she thinks that she's got me! Even inside his head that sounded very arrogant, though it was true. He just couldn't mess up his chance with Raine. Deep down inside he knew that even though she would forgive him, he never would.

Being nervous all day about having to talk her gave Sirius a lot of time to think about the differences between Raine and the other girls he had had.

It was clear that looks weren't what fist attracted Sirius, but now her face haunted his dreams. Her face was always completely honest, and he could never manipulate her in ways he done with other girls.

"Well, Black, it seems that I underestimated you." The voice of his enemy drifted to his ears.

"What do you want Snape?" Sirius growled. "I don't have for you I'm meeting…"

"Raine?" Snape supplied. "You seem to doing a marvellous job at being her friend,"he said quite sarcastically. "For instance you just ruined her life with your stunt this morning."

"I've done nothing of the kind!" bit back Sirius. "Raine knows how I feel."

"I'm sure," sneered Snape, "Especially when her best friend slapped her and called her many things…bitch being most frequently used."

Sirius groaned in frustration at his stupidity. Snape moved closer. "I didn't allow you to overhear Theo's plans by accident, Black," he said, spitting out the name as if it was poison, "but Raine is like a sister to me, and she will need help. I thought you of all people would understand pure-blood family thinking. Try to help her instead of thinking of yourself."

"I am," said Sirius.

"Well, great job so far."

"Look, Snivellus, I'm going to be there and protect her from whatever comes," stated Black. "I won't let anything, or anyone, hurt her."

"She's already has been hurt."

Sirius mouth gaped open in surprise. When? How? Why?

At this Snape took his cue and walked back to the Sytherin common room to finish off his Potions homework. There was nothing else he could do now.

Sirius had to started to work out what the hell in happening with his life. First of all, it seemed that he needed to do a lot of pleading with Raine for her to understand the situation. Secondly he would have very strong words with Sara about hurting Raine in any way. Thirdly was the only thing he couldn't figure out - why was Snape trying to hint to Sirius to be careful with Raine. What was so secret about her life?

Lost in thought, Black subconsciously moved towards the entrance of the school where he had planned to meet Raine. Then it hit him. He remembered the first time he went in search of Raine after she mouthed him off. Sara had let it slip that Raine's dad had died, and that the whole family had changed their name. That was weird, but not life threatening.

However the bustle of people at the entrance hall did not allow Sirius the luxury of thoroughly continuing his train of thought.

"Sirius," shouted Lily over the din of the other voices, "thank Merlin you're here…at last! And this will be the only time that I am ever grateful for your presence."

"What happened?" said Sirius, wondering at the attention and glances that he was getting from everyone.

"Raine and Sara had some sort of screaming match, Raine hexed Sara with a nasty spell, and then left to be by herself, but she's really upset about something and I don't know what to do. She says it had nothing to do with you, but Sara told her about your kiss at the Ball and…."

"Slow down Lily…breathe," said Sirius.

"Please talk to her," begged Lily. "She seemed so lost and it won't help when Sara gets out of the hospital wing and continues her evil gossiping."

"She cursed Sara that bad?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Where is she?"

"Outside, possibly by the lake"

"Thank you," said Black and he hurried out, hoping to find a way to be forgiven.

Seeing Raine so dejected brought a funny feeling to Sirius' stomach. At that moment, he would have fought single-handedly against Voldemort himself instead of seeing Raine so lost.

"I was there you know," she whispered.

He hadn't thought she had noticed his presence; he had been ever so quiet so as not to startle her. All he could think of was sitting down beside her and gathering her limp frame into a hug, and so he did.

"We were talking about him not being able to stay for Christmas again in his office… Mum was away out for milk or something. It kind of tradition, begging for him to stay since I was little but…but…that year it was different. Mum and Dad were drifting. Dad was always busy at work, with strange hours. It was Christmas Eve and…and…"

"Shhh, Raine," murmured Sirius." I'm here."

"We didn't have time to hide, but Dad through me under his desk…hiding me…he came and…and...murdered him. I saw the light in his eyes go out as he hit the ground. He Who Must Not Be Named killed my father."

"Raine." Sirius couldn't say anymore. He wrapped his arms tighter around her waist pulling her close as if she would melt into him. He ran his hand down her back to give comfort as she cried silently into his shirt.

Is this is what Snape meant? I wouldn't have guessed.

"And the worst thing of all…is that…is that my brother is a death eater. Ironic, huh?"

"Nothing's going to hurt you," promised Sirius, "because I'm going to be there."

"Really," she said sarcastically. "With Sara or me?"