Disclaimer: Own Roz...I suppose

A/n: WOW! I'm back...after THE longest writers block in recorded history. I feel like a poophead for not updating like I should. But, here is the long awaited chapter 6. Just realize, it was many months in the making...and if it's not good, tell me, and I'll try to get back into the groove of things. Also, I have three stories on under the s/n Sexysuitcase. If you want to read those, feel free wink wink

Chapter 7: Midnight Snack

Four bags, all different in color, were dropped to the floor as soon as Rosalyn returned back into her warm, cozy bedroom. The moment she reached the steps, she was racing through the house to get away from the four boys. Sure, she had begged for their company the previous day, but after a few hours they grew more and more bothersome. It was as if every glance James had given her etched its way into her skin, tattooing his eyes into her mind. He was a better brother than Remus was, who after the incident in the allyway, never glanced back at poor Roz.

She walked to her bedroom door and twisted the small lock in her fingers, satisfied as the tumblers clicked. Quickly, she stripped of her clothes and pulled on a pair of dry socks, relieving her feet of their cold, soggy coffin. Roz kicked her boots under the bed and pulled an oversized sweater over her head along with her pajama pants. They were her favorite, and though the knees were becoming thread bare, she couldn't stand to part with them.

Roz grabbed the shopping bags and dumped them out on the surface of her twin sized bed. The comforter was twisted and jumbled with the pink sheet. She smiled and drug her legs up on the bed in a sitting position. How many times had her mother scolded her about not making the bed? It had to be around 100 times a day.

The girl shuffled through the random things she bought herself, before picking up a shimmering, raven broach she had bought her mother. The wings were tipped an opal white, while the rest of the bird was dark and brooding as the night itself. The only bit of color were the blue jewels for the eyes, probably fake gemstones. But, they signified the blue of the Ravenclaw anyway.

"She probably won't even glance at it." Roz muttered, shoving the piece of jewelry into a white box, along with tissue paper, and some soft, cottony material. She tossed it into one white bag before pulling her father's gift toward her. It was a simple, brown leather datebook. His initials were engraved into the silvery button clasp. "There, he can date his precious son's transformations." Her words were bitter, and Roz brushed off her foul mood on her nearing her period.

Even though it wasn't due until January 2nd.

As she put the datebook into a large box, a knock on her door sounded. "Rozzie, dear?" Her mother's sweet, almost too sweet, muffled voice sounded. Rosalyn narrowed her eyes and put the bag of presents on the other side of her bed. "Yes?"

"Dinner's almost ready. I was just wondering if you were hungry, or if you stopped in London. How was your day?"

Roz took a glance at the mirror and sneered at her reflection. She couldn't keep down any food after her mother's performance just now. Sure, the woman sounded sincere, but what she wanted to know is if Remus had a good time. "It was ok. Remus was an arsehole and it was a misfortune that he didn't get hit by a muggle car. Maybe if he did, the world would be rid of at least one halfbreed."

She heard gasp from her mother from the other side of the door. It made her smile despite the punishment she was sure she'd recieve. The door knob twisted from the other side and her mother knocked her knuckles harder on the surface. "Rosalyn Annalise Lupin, you open this door right now!"

It was funny, Rosalyn mused, how sweet her mother's voice could be one second, and how scary it could be the next. All because Roz said something bad about the poor mutt. Sighing heavily, Roz unlocked the door and opened it wide. Her mother's flushed face met her, making the teenager looked down at the floor. Sure, she could usually get away with insulting her brother, but the look on her mother's face now made her regret her words.

"How many times do we have to tell you that Remus is going through hardships and---"

"Apparently, you have to remind me every day! You have eyes, Mum! Look at your daughter and not your son for once! Look at your son from my point of view!" Roz didn't meant to shout as loud as she did, but the anger boiled beneath her skin until she could contain it no longer. Her grip on the door was white as she shook with fear, anxiety, and anger. Green eyes were blazing with fresh tears that threatened to spill.

The door down the hallway had opened, and out of the corner of her eye, Roz spotted Remus and his friends. Just knowing they were there, knowing he had to poke his muzzle where it didn't belong, made her seeth more.

The older woman pursed her lips and turned to face her son. "Remus, this doesn't concern you. Get back in your room." Before Roz could even crack a smile of victory, her mother pushed her deeper into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. "Rosalyn, we've never asked for this to happen to Remus. We never wanted him to suffer all year round, and we never wanted you to have to suffer either. But, never...ever raise your voice to me again. If you're angry with your brother, you know you can talk to your father and I about it."

"Why? So you can take his side in the end anyway?"

"That's enough! Now, I've never had to punish you for being selfish, or for being a brat, but if that's what you insist on being..." The woman trailed off, pursing her lips as Roz averted her eyes. She focused on her vanity, trying to block out the look of disappointment that was etched into her mother's every feature. "You will stay up here for the rest of the night. If I hear one more sarcastic remark, one more curse word to come out of your mouth, I'll not let you go back to school." With nothing more to say, she left the room and let the door click softly behind her.

Roz stood where she was, letting the tears trickle down her cheeks as her bedroom filled with silence. The lump in her throat made her chest ache for a deep breath and she opened her mouth to take in a gasp full of air. She fell back on her bed and curled up beside the bags of presents, crying herself to sleep...

It was sometime later when she woke up to the sound of a voice whispering her name. A hand was on her hip, rocking her gently while her name was repeated once more. Rosalyn opened an eye, swollen from crying, and looked up at the face of Sirius Black. He was smiling softly, only one corner of his lips lifted. "What time is it?" Roz asked, sitting up before rubbing her eyes. Tears were still collected on her eyelashes, which she whiped away quickly.

Sirius set a tray of food down on the bed and looked behind him at the clock. "A bit after 11. Me and James snuck to the kitchen for your food after Remus fell asleep."

Roz smiled and pulled the tray of food closer to her. It was mostly fruit and sweets, with a tall glass of milk toward the side. She picked up a napkin wrapped around a brownie, some sugar cookies, and a chocolate chip cookie. Beside that were some grapes and a banana, with white fruit dip. "It's mostly finger food...Is this what you had for dinner?"

Sirius shook his head and raked a finger through his dark hair. "That had to be re-heated...and we didn't want to wake your parents. Finger food was all we could find."

"S'ok." Roz said, her mouth full of cookies and milk. She stuffed a grape into her mouth before peeling the banana. Her hand lifted to her mouth, and just before the fruit could reach her lips, Sirius grabbed her wrist. "Slow down. You're going to get choked if you don't take it easy." He smiled and picked up a grape before popping it into his mouth. Roz smiled and watched as he did so, studying his tan lips, surrounded by dark stubble.

She reached up and scratched his fuzzy chin lightly with her fingernail. "You need to shave."

"Why? Don't like a hairy man?" Sirius grinned and picked up a handful of grapes, stealing one of her sugar cookies as he did so. He ate the quickly as the girl across from him ducked her head, trying to hide her rosy cheeks. Sirius couldn't help but grin more as she did so. It wasn't like Roz to get so quiet. Not without retorting sarcastically first.

"Cat got your tongue?" Sirius said, biting off the cookie.

"No. I was just thinking."

"About hairy men?" The boy winked at Roz and got a playful smack on the shoulder.

"Hairy men remind me of neanderthals. I like someone more...clean and crisp. Like a gentleman." Roz sat up straighter and grinned, thinking of all the boys she's ever liked. Mostly Quidditch players, who were far from clean, crisp gentlemen. Her smile faded slightly, making Sirius tilt his head to the side. He had a hard time reading her thoughts, as if her eyes betrayed her emotions.

Except when she was angry. He saw that emotion too many times.

"So, Rosie, what do you like to do when you're not making Remus boil with anger?" His tone was light, and she could tell he didn't have an alterior motive for being in her room, though she suspected as much. Roz looked around her room and shrugged. "I used to like ballet...before I went to Hogwarts. But, ever since my first year...I usually do school work, and bother my brother."

"Ballet? Seriously? Do you still do it?"

Roz shook her head and ate another bite of banana. She washed it down with a sip of milk before speaking. "Grandmama was a ballerina when she was young. But, an accident made her stop. Then she got married, had mum and I guess never thought about ballet again until I was born. She used to dress me up in her old tu-tus, parading me around the house as if I were starring in Swan Lake." Roz smiled, thinking back to her days before all the drama Remus caused. She didn't have to worry about who got more attention, which child was better. It was after her 9th birthday when she truly new what sibling rivalry was.

Tears prickled her eyes and Roz quickly looked down at her almost empty tray of food. She wished she could just go back to being five years old, back to practically living with her Grandmama, and being the little ballerina she used to be. Roz sniffed in spite of herself and looked toward the door, trying to will the tears away. "Are you ok?" Sirius asked, moving to catch Roz's gave with his. She stared at him before shaking her head.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing...It's just I miss my grandmother. I basically lived at her house until I was 9. When...I just miss her. Alot." Roz whiped her glistening cheeks with her palm before downing the last sip of milk from her glass. Sirius took the tray and set it aside before scooting closer to the girl. "Well, you'll get to see her Christmas eve, won't you? Remus practically begged us to join. I don't think Peter will be able to...or James. I'm not helping at all...You'll see her in a few more days..and hey, maybe you can do some ballet for us!" His grey eyes lit up at the mention of her dancing, but Roz shook her head.

"I haven't since I was 11. I have no slippers, no outfit. No bar, no floor to dance in. And beside that, I never said I was any good."

"I'm sure you are. I've hardly ever seen you do anything, aside from eat in the great hall, or pass me by in the hallway at school. And I've been Remus' mate for...what seven years? I'd like to see more of you." Roz felt her stomach tighten as he spoke. She could feel her cheeks light up with a blush, and her fingers began to pick and toy with the sheets below her. It was a twin feeling to what she felt in London when he touched her skin under her shirt and jacket. It was a feeling that she wanted to feel again, and it was something that had her deeply frightened.

Before she could even respond to what he said, Sirius yawned and stood. "I better take the tray back downstairs. James was eating a midnight snack when I decided to bring you some food...He's probably passed out on the table with food sticking in his nose. Goodnight, Rosie."

Sirius leaned down and pecked a small kiss to her forehead before walking out the door and shutting it behind him. Roz stared at the door for a long moment before standing to turn her light off. She crawled back into bed and stared at the cieling, her lips never dropping the small smile they held.

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