Disclaimer: JK Rowling is an awesome author, and she created the whole HP thingy, not me. I don't own it. Don't sue me. I can't even FIND my coin purse, let alone that freaking paperclip.
[My Note to Evil Cheese of Doom---- what in the world is "Sidhe"? lol]
::AN:: I'd just like to say that I—as a reviewer—am quite known for my LONG reviews. I also try to be super-supportive of everyone I review on (even if, well, they suck). And I'm even gladder that I have yet to receive a 'flame.' Isn't that great? I think if I ever got a flame I would be heartbroken and unable to write (oh hint oh hint).
But I did flame one person. I tried not to come off as flame-y, but I so know I did. And I feel I may have totally crashed that person's chances for an awesome fic (because, as the plot is great, they're writing skills need the tiniest bit of improvement). So, if you could all do me a great big favor? Could you type in the pen name Smrt Cids in your Search thingy for Harry Potter fanfics? And review the ONE story that that person has? And be nice, as that person really needs support. (Especially after my mean review.) Thank you. And I hope you like this chappie! (lol)
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Faylinn creeped down the stairs as quietly as she could, fully aware that each step creaked loudly as her foot touched the old wood. "Faylinn?" She heard Mel's voice. "Are you awake dear? We're all in the kitchen!"
Faylinn rolled her eyes and made her way to the kitchen slowly. "Good morning!" Mel beamed at her as she stopped in the doorway, a look of horror spreading across her face.
"Hey, Faylinn!" James said, looking at her over his freshly polished broom that lay sitting on the table. "We were all wondering when you were going to ever get up."
"Yeah." Remus laughed. "We really thought that only Sirius could sleep in that long, but wow, Faylinn!"
Faylinn blushed furiously when she saw who was sitting in between James and Remus. "No, she's been up for awhile." Sirius said with a smirk. "I saw her heading of the bathroom." The three boys laughed, each looking at each other as if they had suddenly gotten some inside-joke.
"What's your favorite food, dear?" Mel asked, not even noticing that the boys were laughing and slapping their hands on the table, making a mess.
"Um." Faylinn said lamely. "Bacon?"
"Right." Mel said, turning away, now facing a large stove that Faylinn couldn't remember being there the day before. "Have a seat." She said over her shoulder. "It'll just be a minute."
"Your favorite food is bacon?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow at her as she sat down across from him and the other two boys.
"Oh, you're one to talk, Padfoot." James laughed. "You practically forced my mom to make bacon for breakfast every day since the beginning of holiday."
Faylinn stared at her hands in her lap as the boys laughed and joked about school and Quidditch. She let out a long sigh when Mel set a plate full of bacon in front of her. "Thanks, Mel!" She exclaimed, taking a bite right away.
When there was no more bacon on her plate, she leaned back in her seat and looked up at the boys. They were all staring at her in fascination.
"What?" She asked wearily.
"Padfoot told us what happened this morning." James spoke first.
"And last night." Remus chimed in, grinning.
Faylinn froze. She stared at the two boys dumbly, unable to make her gaze land on Sirius. "What are you talking about?" She asked, hoping that maybe Sirius had told them something different.
"It's so funny." James laughed.
"I'm going to write an owl to Lily." Faylinn mumbled, standing up and walking out of the kitchen.
"Wait! Faylinn!" She heard Sirius call after her, but she didn't stop walking.
When she reached the foot of the stairs, she felt him grab her arm and turn her around abruptly. "It's nothing." He said breathlessly, and she could tell he had run to catch up to her.
"What's nothing?" She asked with a pained expression.
His eyes widened. "Oh, not that that's nothing." He rolled his eyes when she just stared at him blankly. "I had to tell them something." He whispered, pulling her closer so that no one would hear, even though they were alone.
"You had to?" She asked, looking at the floor, embarrassed.
"Well, yeah." He said. "They wanted to know what we talked about in your room last night. So I told them that I told you a joke to make you feel better."
"You lied?" She asked brightly, looking up at him.
"Well, yeah." He said, as if that had been obvious all along.
"What about this morning?" She asked.
"Same thing." He answered. "Except a different joke."
"Why do they think it's so funny then?" She asked, becoming a little more worried.
He chuckled. "Those are some funny jokes I told you."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are they really?"
He nodded and opened his mouth to speak, then shook his head. "I'll tell them to you later or something. Time for Quidditch." He said.
Faylinn nodded, then looked up at him after a few moments had passed and he still hadn't moved. It was that very moment that she became fully aware that his hand was still holding onto her arm, and she was a mere few inches away from him. A flash of what she had seen in the bathroom that morning suddenly appeared in her mind and she blushed furiously, closing her eyes tightly to force the image away, which only made it worse.
"Are you okay?" She heard him ask.
She backed away, wriggling out of his grasp. "Fine." She muttered. "I'm gonna-" She stuttered. "Yeah." And with that she ran the rest of the way up the stairs and disappeared around a corner down the hall.
Sirius sighed and turned to make his way back to the kitchen, when James and Remus both suddenly turned around the corner from the living room. He took a step back, completely startled.
"How long have you been standing there?" Sirius demanded to know.
"Long enough." Remus said with a grin.
James smirked. "My, Sirius, what a bad liar you are."
Sirius shook his head. "I didn't! I-"
"We could tell you were lying about everything." Remus filled in, interrupting the stunned boy before him. "It was just a matter of finding out what really happened…"
James nodded. "And now we figure, what the heck! You lied to us!"
"For a girl!" Remus finished.
"You guys…" Sirius started, unsure of what to say.
"No, no." James said, stepping forward and ushering his friend towards the front door. "You're going to tell us. And then maybe we won't torture you horrendously for thinking you couldn't trust us."
"Right." Remus agreed as he followed them out the door.
"Um… okay." Sirius said weakly, unable to argue with his friends.
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Dear journal/diary,
My stomach feels about to explode.
And not because I had too much bacon.
I'm going crazy! I can't stand being the only girl here-- besides Mel, who I only see around mealtime!
And now I feel even more horrible as I've realized that I didn't even know that Remus lived with only his mother.
And that I've been here about a day and a half and I haven't done ANYTHING that can be counted as spending time with my friend!
If it weren't for that Sirius Black!
Oh, he makes me so mad!
At least he didn't tell James and Remus…
But wait! Why did he feel the need to lie to them?! Is he ASHAMED?!
Ugh, if he is than I feel that I am more so. Not so much about the bathroom incident, as that was CLEARLY pure accident, but about… yeah.
This is horrible.
I just wish he and James would go home so it can all go back to normal.
But I want him to stay, too, you know? Ugh.
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"Oh, hello Faylinn, dear." Mel sounded from a nearby table, a few books and pieces of parchment scattered in front of her.
Faylinn paused in the doorway. "Oh, I didn't mean to bother you." She protested, backing away. "You're probably working, so I'll just-"
"That I am." The older woman said with a smile. "But I really could use a break. Sit down, dear. You look so fidgety you're making me nervous, which, I assure you, is not an easy thing to do."
Faylinn sat down at the small desk-table next to Remus's mother. "I'm sorry." She flushed. "It's just-" She began, then stopped. "I mean, um… How have you been? What are you working on? Do you need any help?"
"I'm quite alright, dear. A bit tired at most but that's to be expected at my age." She smirked. "I'm working on the legal bits of my will, actually. So, no, I don't much need your help."
Faylinn stammered. "You're- you're will?"
"Yes, dear." Mel smiled. "I don't plan on leaving this world anytime soon, mind you, but one can never be too careful, especially in times like these."
"You mean about You-know-who." Faylinn said in a hushed voice.
"His name is Voldemort, sweetie." She laughed. "Imagine if we called anyone who posed the least of a threat 'You-know-who' and 'He-who-must-not-be-named?' Well, there would be much confusion in our tiny little world, wouldn't there be?"
Faylinn shrugged. "But no one calls him that. It's bad luck, you know."
"I doubt, darling, that with your blood, you have much problem with luck." Mel elaborated, pulling her small reading glasses off her face and setting them onto the table carefully.
Faylinn tensed. "How much do you know about me?"
"Not much, dear. Just more than some, I presume."
"But you know things that I don't even know!" Faylinn exclaimed, leaning forward.
Mel sighed, still smiling all the same. "I know few things of the sort, Faylinn. What I've already told you is pretty much all that I know."
"But…" Faylinn whispered. "You know my father."
"Of course I do!" Mel laughed. "I can't think of many people my age who don't! Your father was quite the popular one, back in my day." She smirked, seeming lost in thought. "I knew him only half as well as your mother, though." She paused. "Such a pity she can't be with us today."
Faylinn shifted in her seat. "What was she like?"
"Mischievous." Mel chuckled. "Very… carefree and troublesome, actually. But very kind. I supposed it was in her nature, you know. To be so devious but so innocent as well." She laughed a bit more. "That detention I told you about? That's when I first met her. She was quite taken with your father, I might add. She practically worshipped the very ground he walked on."
Faylinn frowned. "Was it that annoying?"
Mel grinned. "Oh quite the contrary! I thought it very romantic! As did Keelty, of course." She appeared a bit more serious then, though still smiling. "I suppose I should have told some one what your parents were up to. But I fear if I had, I wouldn't have the pleasure of sitting here today with the cutest little child." She finished with a small ruffle of the hair on top of Faylinn's head.
Faylinn smirked. "You should've told some one, yeah. But I don't think it would've made a difference. All the fairies in the forest that knew her told me that my mother wouldn't listen to anyone and neither would my father. They didn't like him much, you know."
"Of course not. Very prejudiced, fairies are." Mel smiled warmly. "Hopefully they accepted you with open arms, though?"
Faylinn nodded, smiling. "Sure, I guess. They seemed quite glad to hand me over to Dumbledore, though."
"It was for the best, I think." Mel sighed. "You seem to have made quite the group of friends. Remus was never one for hanging out with girls, you know. And I'm almost sure that Peter never has been. James and Sirius, on the other hand; I should only laugh quietly and keep my mouth shut when I think of what you children must be up to at Hogwarts. Those boys can't get out of trouble to save their lives, and you! Well, if you're anything like you're mother—or father, for that matter! Ha!" She smirked. "And I've heard that you're good friends with the infamous Lily Evans."
"You know Lily?"
"Correction; I know of Lily Evans. What with James going on about her all the time." She smiled. "Winter holidays aren't so bad, but you should see the poor boy in the summer! Lily this and Evans that! He's quite in love with that girl, I think. Even if, from what I've learned from Remus and Sirius, she hates him indefinitely."
Faylinn grinned. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure."
Mel chuckled. "Say no more, Faylinn, for I fear I may not be able to hold my tongue quite so well in the presence of our beloved little James, and what horror it would be to spoil all the fun I expect will surely come in time."
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"Spill, Padfoot."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's nothing, you guys." He paused. "How did you figure it out, anyway? I'm not that bad of a liar!"
"Yes you are." Remus chuckled.
"So I am…" Sirius said, pretending to stare off into the distance wistfully.
"Come off it, Padfoot!" James ordered. "Tell us what it is that went on with you and Faylinn." He grinned. "It was something good wasn't it?" He stopped then. "Did you do anything?
"Did you hurt her?!" Remus hissed.
James's eyes widened. "Sirius! I swear! I don't care how good of friends we are! If you-"
"Calm down, would you!" Sirius exclaimed. "It's not like I did anything wrong!"
"Anything wrong, huh, Sirius?" Remus cocked an eyebrow. "So what is it you did then?"
"That's none of your business!" Sirius protested indignantly.
James scowled. "None of our business? NONE OF OUR BUSINESS?! Are you insane, Sirius?! We're your FRIENDS!"
"Just TELL US!" Remus persisted.
Sirius groaned loudly, covering his face with his hands. Remus and James exchanged a look. "I was so right before." James said proudly. "You fancy Faylinn!" He said in a singsong voice.
"I do not!" Sirius grumbled.
"Yes you do." Remus laughed.
"I'll prove that I don't!" Sirius said. "You just wait."
"You said that before." James smirked.
"And you didn't do a thing." Remus added.
"Well, just wait, would you!" Sirius shouted.
"Have a fit…" James mumbled to Remus, who chuckled quietly.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "You just wait." He murmured to himself. "You guys just wait."
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::AN:: Yes, what he said. "You just wait." (lol) And I am SO sorry that it's taken me forever to update! (Really, really, sorry! I've been busy!) Ooh but I did see The Stepford Wives!! Ignore anything bad you may hear! That movie is so freaking hilarious it's not even funny (well, actually it is… very funny, actually…)! lol
Review! Please! (I have 40 as of right now… I am like, so happy! lol) And thanks ahead of time!!
The next chapter is done, but I want at least 10 reviews (more will be, of course, greatly appreciated) for this chapter before I post the next. lol