Hey! Thanks for the reviews! Yes, It literally pains me to have Sirius behave like a total bastard but he wont be like that forever. Infact, after this chapter he basically slows the bitchiness down. Anyways, you'll see in future chapters what im going to do with dear old Sirius!


Chapter 13 - Secrets come out.

James and Rachel returned with everyone else from term break. Rachel was half looking forward to returning to Hogwarts. She couldn't wait to see her friends and for some reason a week without seeing Sirius had gone to her head. She had a sudden urge to see him, even if he hated her. Then there were classes, homework and most of the girls in Hogwarts hating her that made her want to stay at the Potter mansion for the rest of her life.

Rachel and James were making there way up to the castle. The carriages weren't there so the students had to walk up. When the pair had left the Potter mansion it had been beautiful weather. The sun was shinning and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. Now, as the siblings walked up to the castle in their summer style clothing, they struggled to stay on there two feet. The wind was blowing strong and it was snowing lightly. Snowing. Rachel thought. The last time it was snowing I was with Sirius, his arm around me we were friends.

"Something the matter?" James asked seeing the heartbreaking look on Rachel's face.

Rachel tried to smile. "Last time it snowed I was with Sirius, we were friends."

James looked at her sadly, not top sure what to say. "Well, when it snows next time you can say to everyone 'last time it snowed I was with my brother'." James said wrapping his arms around her.

Rachel smiled. "Thanks." Was all she managed to say.

Rachel left James to find the marauders. She wanted to find Lily, Riley and Ashley to catch up on everything she had missed out on. She climbed the stairs leading up to her dormitory with her suitcase in tow. She passed a group of girls who where heading down. The group of girls gave Rachel filthy looks and stormed off whispering frantically to each other. Rachel ignored them like Sirius used to ignore her. James told her to be headstrong and not let anyone get to her, including Sirius. Rachel said she would try, a bit uncertain about not letting Sirius's comments getting to her.

She arrived at the door of her dorm and pushed it open. Lily, Riley and Ashley were sprawled out on each bed talking.

"Rach!" They all screamed together as Rachel carried her trunk into her dorm.

"About time!" Riley said rushing up to give her friend a hug. "Wait a minute," She said letting go of Rachel and examining her more closely. "You've got smaller!" She said happily.

Lily and Ashley rushed over to give Rachel a friendly hug and examine her.

"Wow," Lily said excitedly. "I guess it's working!"

Rachel smiled.

"Yeah and the black top makes you look great!" Ashley said.

"Yeah but it's not really noticeable," Rachel said. "If I hadn't told you guys then you wouldn't have noticed right?"

"Probably not," Riley said truthfully "But at least the whole school isn't going to notice!"

Rachel smiled. "Thank god for that!" she said. "So what have I missed?" Rachel asked sitting herself down on her bed.

Riley, Lily and Ashley sat down too. "Well we've tried talking to Black," Riley began. "In fact, that's all we've done."

Lily smiled. "We tried talking to him sensibly and he wouldn't cooperate so then we started yelling."

Rachel tried to smile. She didn't know how much use it would be, but it still gave her a hint of satisfaction. She hoped something had sunk into Sirius's messed up mind.

"How have you been?" Ashley asked.

Rachel sighed. "James did well keeping me distracted. We flew broomsticks inside," Lily, Riley and Ashley laughed. "We got insanely drunk," Lily, muttered typical. "And we had a nice time. But there was always that little spot in my head where all my troubles lay. I couldn't really totally forget about Sirius and this place."

"Can't blame ya," Riley said. "So you want to help me finish my astronomy work?" She asked with a smirk.

Rachel smirked. "So typical!"

Lily awoke to the normal sounds of thumping footsteps like elephant hooves and dribbles of water from the shower tap. James had returned. Lily wished she could wake up to silence and doze in bed for hours like every other girl in Hogwarts, but since she was headgirl with responsibilities, not to mention she lived with the nosiest man in Hogwarts things were different.

It was Sunday morning and Lily, along with most other 7th years had homework to catch up on before term break was over. Lily slowly got out of bed, took a warm shower and headed down stairs to catch up on some work.

When she arrived, James was already seated on one of the sofas by the warm fire. He was writing an essay of some sort when Lily arrived.

"You, James Potter," Lily said sitting down on another sofa near the fire. "Are the nosiest most disturbing person ever!"

James looked up from his work with raised eyebrows. "Yes, Rach constantly nags me about my loudness in the mornings," He said with a huge grin. "Anyway what are your plans for the day?"

Lily looked up. "Homework I suppose." She said already knowing where this conversation was leading.

"How would you like to spend the day with me?" James asked putting on his most charming smile.

"No."

"Why?"

"We've had this conversation before Potter." Lily said beginning to get fed up.

"But no girl ever says no to me!"

"I'm not your typical girl!"

James raised his eyebrows and said nothing.

Lily carried on talking "For the last time no!" Lily said standing up. "Go find one of your fan girls to spend the day with!" She yelled. Picking up her things, Lily stormed out of her common room, not being able to stand the sight of James any longer.

James blinked a couple of times, not too sure what to think. The only thing he knew is something had just sunk into him, but he didn't know what.

"That man has nerve!" Lily said finally. She had been complaining about James to her friends straight for at least half an hour in the great hall over lunch.

"Lily," Riley said yawning. Lily had woken her to complain about James. "Just go out with him!"

"But I hate him!"

"He's not that bad." Ashley said fairly.

"Rach what do you think?" Riley asked.

Rachel didn't reply. Riley looked over at her and sighed. She had her eyes fixed on Sirius. "Hello?" Riley asked waving a hand in front of Rachel.

Rachel snapped out of her daydream. "Oh sorry. Yeah what?" She asked not paying much attention to him at all.

"That doesn't matter," Lily said eager to stop her ranting about James. "Have you tried talking to him again?"

Rachel shook her head. "As if he would listen. He's ignored me since I got back."

"How can you still like him?" Riley asked.

Rachel looked up. "I dunno," she said truthfully. She didn't know how she could have such deep feelings for someone after they had hurt her so much. "It's just how I feel."

"It must be hard." Ashley said.

"How are things with you and Bret anyway?" Rachel asked.

Ashley picked this as her que to complain. "Im getting sick of him!" she said simply.

Riley snorted. "Does he talk about his precious plants too much?"

"Oh haha," Ashley replied sarcastically. "Not really anyway. He just bores me."

"Are you going to break up with him?" Lily asked.

Ashley shrugged. "I dunno."

"Have you got someone else in mind?" Rachel asked interested.

Ashley opened her mouth to speak but closed it when she saw the marauders heading in their direction.

"Shit, shit, shit." Rachel hissed, as they got closer.

"Shut up and be casual." Riley said hitting her in the arm to snap her friend out of it.

"Hay Rach!" James yelled as he approached.

Rachel sighed as James and the rest of the marauders, including Sirius, much to Rachel's surprise stopped.

"Hay James, Remus, Pete," she said normally. "Sirius." She muttered a bit more quietly.

Sirius stayed quiet as Remus and Peter muttered hello to the girls. So much for my plan of trying to be normal. Rachel thought uselessly.

There was complete silence until Riley decided to break it. "Gotten over yourself yet Black?"

Sirius looked up, he looked tired, not in the kind of mood to argue. He kept silent.

"Oh ignoring me now are you?" Riley asked, determined to piss Sirius off.

"Leave it Riley." Rachel warned.

"Padfoot lets go." Moony said dragging Sirius out of he great hall with an apologetic look on his face. James and Peter followed.

Rachel turned around to her plate of food. She had lost her appetite to eat. She hated seeing Sirius looking so miserable. She looked down. As soon as she did, she heard loud thud. She looked up quickly to see Sirius shaking Remus off him and grabbing his wand out of his pocket. He quickly aimed it at Rachel, Lily, Riley and Ashley and yelled 'Mentesium'.

The next thing Rachel knew she was dressed in a big yellow chicken costume. Many students from other houses laughed at Rachel's odd appearance. Rachel thought it was anything but funny. She opened and closed her mouth several times before grabbing Lily's wand and getting up yelling at the top of her voice.

"BLACK!" she screamed, all the pity she felt for Sirius leaving her for the time being. Without even thinking Rachel ran to catch up with the marauders. Sirius turned around at the sound of footsteps behind him.

Rachel, without any hesitation pointed Lily's wand at Sirius and yelled 'Mentesium.'

James, Remus, Peter and Rachel laughed as Sirius was transformed into a chicken look-alike also. If someone had told Rachel that the first words Sirius was going to say to her after she returned from holiday was 'Mentesium.' She would have told them where to go.

Sirius looked livid. As if he could have torn Rachel's head off right there and then. Rachel didn't care so much, he was angry with her anyway, and besides, good girls don't make history.

"WHAT YOU DO THIS FOR?" Rachel yelled furiously, not giving Sirius a chance to fight back.

"I could ask you the same question you stupid girl!" Sirius yelled back just as angry.

James and the other marauders had decided to say nothing.

"Stupid girl?" Rachel screamed in disbelief. "You only say that because im the only girl who can stand up to you, I don't bow down to you Black!"

Sirius's angry face changed to a neutral look in a matter of seconds. He knew deep down she was right, Riley was right, although he would never, ever admit it.

"Great, now im stuck like this for a whole week." Sirius moaned.

"A WEEK?" Rachel screamed.

Sirius ignored her. "Get out of my way." He said to the marauders, who moved aside for Sirius to storm past in his chicken suit.

James sighed and looked at his sister covered in yellow feathers with a beak for a nose. "You ok?"

Rachel nodded. "I'll be fine. Go after Sirius and make sure he's not planning to kill me."

James nodded. "You guys coming?" he asked Peter and Remus.

Peter nodded and began to follow James. Remus stayed where he was. "I'll stay here." He said a bit uncertain.

"Suit yourself." James said already halfway up the stairs.

"What's up?" Rachel asked Remus who wasn't being himself.

"I was wondering if we could talk," Remus said. "There's something I've got to tell you, and I think there's something your going to tell me."

"Uh ok."

"Great, let's go for a walk."

Rachel looked down at herself in the chicken outfit; she would like to avoid everyone more so than ever. "Uh where?"

Remus noticed her unease. "Somewhere outside, no one will be outside on a day like today."

Rachel nodded and Remus summoned some warm gear from his dorm. He handed Rachel a pair of gloves and scarf. She noticed that they were Sirius's.

"Don't worry he wont notice." Remus said as Rachel wrapped Sirius's scarf around her neck.

Remus and Rachel walked outside into the grounds. It had stopped snowing from the night before but there was still snow on the ground. The sun was trying to escape from behind the light layers of cloud.

"I'm sorry for dragging you away like this but I need someone to talk to. You were the only person I could think of who would understand." Remus said as they began to walk around the frozen lake, making footprints in the snow as they walked.

"It's ok," Rachel said truthfully. "So what is it?"

"Ashley." Remus said simply.

Rachel tried to hide her smile. "What about her?" She asked pretending to be oblivious to what Remus was talking about. However, she knew exactly where this conversation was leading.

"I think I love her."

"AH HA!" Rachel screamed, catching Remus off guard. "I knew it! I knew it!" She said happily for the first time in days.

"You did?" Remus asked confused.

"Mate, your feelings for her stick out like a sore thumb," Rachel said happily. "She just hasn't noticed. Typical Ash."

"Rach, I really like her. I have for ages! What do I do?" Remus asked half concerned

"That's simple," Rachel said. Remus's face lit up. "Tell her."

Remus's smile vanished into a frown. "She's taken remember."

"Remmy do you think she's fully satisfied with Mr. Obsessed with Herbology?" Rachel asked. "No offcourse not, she was even complaining about him today."

"I dunno."

"I'll help you, don't worry, you guys will be together soon!"

"Thanks Rach." Remus replied a bit unsure of how much Rachel could actually do.

"That's what mates are for!" Rachel said happily. She hoped somehow she could get Remus and Ash together. "But why didn't you ask James or Sirius or Peter for their help?"

Remus smiled. "I know your secret."

Rachel was tempted to ask "what one?" but refrained herself. "You do?" She asked unsure.

"Yeah, I can tell. Maybe not in the chicken outfit! But you look great Rach!"

Rachel blushed. "Shit," Was all she said.

Remus smiled. "Don't you dare tell anyone!" Rachel said as he kept on smirking.

"Course not."

"How long you known?"

"Well you make things pretty obvious when all you eat at mealtimes is vegetables and lean meats. Plus I could tell when you got back from term break." Remus said feeling proud of his own brilliance.

"Does James know?"

Remus shook his head.

"So is there a reason why?" Remus asked. "I mean why you're doing it?"

Rachel thought. Well he knows this much I suppose. "Yeah."

Remus smiled. "Anything to do with a guy?"

Rachel looked down at the ground. "Possibly."

"Does he feel the same way?"

Rachel shook her head quickly. "He basically hates me."

"Who?"

"Why does everyone ask who?" Rachel asked trying to change the subject.

"Who?" Remus repeated, obviously not giving up.

"You don't know him." Rachel lied.

"Oh really?" Remus said. "Last time I checked I knew who Sirius was."

Rachel covered her feathery hand over her mouth quickly and blushed. She looked over at Remus. "How long have you known?" Rachel asked in utter disbelief.

"Too long!" Remus said still happy. "The way you look at him gives it away. But it wasn't until recent events that brought it to light."

Rachel glared. Remus carried on talking. "He doesn't hate you Rach."

Rachel raised her eyebrows. "He put me into a chicken costume for a week!"

"He's mad," Remus replied. "He could never hate you."

"You didn't hear the things he said to me." Rachel said sadly.

"You didn't hear how much he talked about you when you were friends."

Rachel stopped walking. "What did he say?"

"He said you were the only girl who he could talk openly to about anything. He said you're the only girl who makes him laugh so much he pisses his pants. He said you're the one who lights up his day when no one else can. Despite all the horrible things he says about your appearance he likes what's inside. And he hasn't realised yet, that you're the only one for him."

Rachel was on the verge of crying. The way Remus had said that made her want to ball her eyes out. She only wished Sirius was the one telling her that. "Then why is he a total jerk around me?"

"If it was any other girl who he was mad with he would have ignored them completely. I suppose this is Sirius's way of saying your worth getting mad and upset about."

"That doesn't make sense." Rachel said confused.

"This is Sirius's mind were talking about!" Remus laughed.

Rachel laughed. "Fair point!"

Remus and Rachel circled around the lake a few more times. Rachel felt stupid walking in a chicken outfit. The white snow made the yellow stand out more so than ever. She swore she was people looking out from the windows at her. Rachel was tempted to yell out to them to get a life.

It was 2 pm when Rachel agreed to go inside. She wondered how Sirius had taken to being dressed in a chicken costume for a week.

Rachel and Remus climbed the last case of stairs heading to the Gryffindor common room. Remus muttered the password (sugarlumps) to the fat lady and she swung open.

Remus half dragged Rachel who was muttering furiously into the common room. It was packed as usual. It felt like every single Gryffindor student was there, not brave enough to go outside. Rachel muttered furiously in her bright yellow costume about this as Remus dragged her inside.

"Nice outfit!" A 5th year girl yelled.

Rachel pulled a sarcastic smile. "Lovely isn't it?" Rachel said as sarcastic as she possibly could. "So lovely im forced to wear it for a week!"

Remus left Rachel to see her friends and headed off to the other end of the common room where the marauders were sitting. Sirius was seated in a red sofa looking pissed, getting attention for the wrong reasons. Haha! Rachel though pleasantly to herself. Now you know what it's like for everyone to glare at you because you look hideous!

"Rach!" Lily screamed pretending to look surprised to see her, when she really saw her as soon as she entered the common room, the yellow stood out too much.

Rachel smiled.

"God, Sirius was pissed when you put that outfit on him!" Riley said happily. "Good on ya!" Riley said looking up and down at Rachel in the ridiculous suit.

"I bet he was." Rachel muttered wishing she was there for the after affects.

"Where have you been all afternoon?" Ashley asked.

Rachel smiled. "I talked to Remus. Which reminds me, I have to talk to you tonight."

Ashley raised her eyebrows.

"Cant," Riley said. "We have our detention form Mcgonagall." Riley said suddenly.

"Shit." Rachel said miserably. "What are we doing?"

Riley sighed. "Only the worst! Cleaning bedpans with Phomphry!"

"Just what I need. Grind under my fingernails that you cant get out for days to match this thing." She said waving her feather-covered arm.

The girls laughed. "At least you will be with Sirius." Lily muttered.

"He hates me." Rachel said ignoring what Remus told her. She doubted Sirius said those nice things about her. That was just Remus trying to make her feel better.

"Not forever he won't," Lily said sympathetically. "You guys had a too strong bond."

Rachel sighed. "You sound exactly like Remus."

Riley had told Rachel at 6:00pm they were supposed to be at the hospital wing. Rachel hadn't got a chance to talk to Ashley alone. She was going to tell Ashley straight that Remus liked her. There was nothing else for it. She would have to do it tomorrow first thing because typically Phomphry will keep Riley, Sirius and herself in until every singe bedpan is spotless.

At 5:45 Rachel and Riley headed out of the Gryffindor common room. Riley wore her oldest clothing so she wouldn't get anything dirty. Rachel and Sirius couldn't even put anything on top of their absurd chicken outfit. The spell wouldn't let them. So they would get there bright yellow costumes filthy and be forced to wear it for the entire week.

"Have you seen Sirius?" Rachel asked while her and Riley was walking down the corridors.

"Not since before dinner," Riley said. "It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't turn up."

Rachel laughed as they opened the hospital wing door.

"Woops, spoke to soon," Riley muttered as she saw Sirius and Madam Phomphry standing waiting for them.

"Evening ladies." Madam Phomphry greeted them kindly.

"Evening." Rachel and Riley muttered.

Rachel quickly looked over at Sirius who was sitting on a hospital bed. He looked almost worse than her in the bright yellow suit. She tried not to laugh like she normally would. Sirius caught her steering and Rachel quickly turned to face madam Phomphry who was talking about how much bedpans they would be cleaning.

Madam Phomphry spent the first 15 minutes ranting about they had to be careful with the bedpans before Rachel, Sirius and Riley got to do anything. Finally, they began cleaning the huge stack of bedpans.

There was dead silence. For once Riley and Rachel didn't have anything to say. As for Sirius, who normally enjoyed detentions looked as if he would like to get out here as soon as possible.

They continued to work in silence. This, to Rachel was the worst detention ever. She almost wished Sirius would begin tormenting her, or Riley would start yelling. It would be better than the horrible tension and awkwardness in the room. All the other detentions Rachel had been in to her was fun. Her, Sirius, James and Riley often got them together. The four of them would laugh and joke around, Rachel didn't mind doing the filthy jobs. But this, this was a whole new detention experience. Never had she felt so awkward.

Finally after what seemed like days Sirius, Riley and Rachel were let off. Sirius dashed out of the hospital wing as fast as he could. He was out of sight when Riley and Rachel came out of the hospital wing.

"What was his problem?" Riley asked. "I bet he hasn't gone that long without talking before."

"I dunno," Rachel said truthfully. "I hope he's ok."

Riley glared. "How can you hope he's ok? If I was you I would hope he's suffering."

Rachel sighed. "I know," she muttered. "I know."

Yes, something is up with Sirius… but it takes him a while to realise what exactly is going on! Ha, typical boy!

Next chapter – Rachel helps Remus out and James has something important to tell Lily.