I'm so sorry it took so long to put out. My computer's been doing some odd things, like restarting for no reason and stuff. Sorry it's a bit shorter, I've being limited to computer time. Please review!

Disclaimer! I own nothing! All credit goes to JK Rowling, I'm just borrowing her characters to terrorize. Oh wait I do own Serenity Hugoi, Allie Anderson, Matt Oliver, any of the professors you don't recognize, and Alliacea Boonucks. Oh and the plot! Go me I at least own that much.

Deplorable Beginnings to Happier Endings

Chapter 3

"Never Knew She Had It In Her"

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Lily, Serenity, Allie, Lyra and Matt all sat under the old magnolia tree by the Black lake discussing the latest gossip. It was during their lunch hour. Well at least Allie and Lyra were, Lily just smiled and laughed on cue. Serenity was very engrossed in a play book that Lily had lent her, it was called "A Mid Summer Nights Dream" by William Shakespeare. She tugged her long sleeves further down as she looked up from the book.

"I 'eard zat yesterday Alliacea (pronounced A-lisa) Boonucks, you know zat Slytherin zat looks like a pig, was caught in ze Astronomy tower with the Ravenclaw Prefect." giggled Lyra shrilly. She too seemed to know what was going on with everyone all the time.

"He's going to have the worst reputation! Honestly, who snogs a Slytherin?" laughed Allie. Matt had his arms wrapped around her waist as she talked. Lily merely sighed quietly while Serenity briefly glanced up from her book.

"Fancy seeing you here" came a soft voice from behind Lily. She turned around and faced none other than James Potter. She eyed him suspiciously as he took a seat between her and Lyra. Sirius sat between Lyra and Serenity, Remus between Serenity and Allie and Peter between Matt and Lily.

"So how are you?" James asked smiling at her.

"Fine..." she replied still not sure on whether to trust him or not.

"Say Lily, do you think that maybe you would like to accompany me to Hogsmeade?" he asked hope glinting in his eyes.

"Your asking me out?" she stated rather bluntly.

"Well I thought we could go-"

"No"

"Wha? Why not Lily?"

"I have my reasons and I didn't know we were on first name basis"

"Oh really what's that because I'd really like to know. I would much rather prefer to call you Lily instead of Evans and you call me James instead of Potter"

"Well Potter" she spat out viciously, "First thing you're an arrogant prat, second thing if you'd think I'd go out with you your off your rocker, and third thing I don't like you the least bit and what makes you think that I want to spend anymore time with you than I already have to!"

For once in his life James looked sincerely hurt. Her words cut deeply into his heart, they burned like the flames of a thousand fires. Putting on a stone visage he stood and said plainly,

"Fine. 7 o'clock in the library for tutoring" James left with out another word. Lily looked around her to find the same disapproving look by all of her friends.

"That was cold Evans" said Sirius narrowing his gaze at her and leaving, Peter hot on his tail. Even Remus who usually said goodbye, just glared at her and left without a word.

"Can you believe them?" Lily said rolling her eyes. No one said a word. They all looked completely dumbstruck. Tension permeated the air around them, it was only cut when Serenity exploded.

"What I can't believe is you! Sure James can be a complete arse but that still doesn't give you the right to go off on him like you just did! You always push people who try to get close to you away, and don't you try and deny it!. . . ." Serenity shouted, slammed the book shut and rose to her feet panting.

Lily's eyes were brimming with tears that threatened to fall.

"You just don't get it do you? You have someone who cares about you and wants to be with you and you treat him like he's the lowest form on the planet! Y-You don't deserve him!" Serenity said tears rolling down her cheeks. She gasped as her hand flew up to cover her mouth. Serenity had realized what she had just said. She looked around wildly before running back to the castle.

Serenity pushed past several people fleeing blindly trying to get away from them, she ran past James, Sirius, Remus and Peter before disappearing down a corridor.

"Bloody hell! I didn't think she had it in her!" remarked Sirius who had heard the whole thing.

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Serenity ran thinking,

"I need a place to think, a place to get away from them all. . . .a place where no one can find me"

She tripped over a stone in the floor and fell to her knees, cursing loudly she slammed her hand into the floor. Tears streamed down her cheeks, all the pent up emotions just built up and burst out.

Serenity sobbed loudly as she looked up, a large, brown, wooden door stood in front of her.

"I never noticed that one there before" she whispered as she turned the handle and went in.

She gasped it was exactly the same as her room back at her house. It was painted baby blue and had her bed with dark blue sheets and her favorite pillow sat on the edge of the bed. The door clicked shut behind her.

Serenity ran to her bed and grabbed her pillow. She curled up on her bed hugging the pillow to her chest as she cried herself to sleep.

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Lily sat on the ground still in shock. She couldn't believe Serenity had actually said that to her. Was she really that mean to him? What was wrong with her?

"Why am I thinking like this? None of it's true...right?" she thought as she hugged her knees to her chest as she stared out at the lake.

Her friends were long gone. They has left at least 10 minutes ago to find Serenity.

"James! Sirius! Remus!" called out Allie the Marauders minus Peter stopped and turned.

"'Ave you seen Serenity?" asked Lyra running a hand over her face.

"No we haven't she ran off after she...fought with Lily" replied Remus.

James didn't speak he was suddenly very fascinated with his right hand. He wore a neutral look but his eyes told a different story.

"I'm worried about her, she never acts like this. What if she does something rash" replied Allie slumping into Matt, burying her face in her hands. Lyra too looked very worried.

"We've searched everywhere for 'er, we must find 'er" she said gently rubbing tiny circles into her temples. Remus tried to soothe her worries by talking to her. James still didn't speak.

Sirius on the other hand looked quite worried, last year he had accidently discovered just why Serenity wore long sleeves and arms warmers. He had been setting up a prank in the girls dormitories when he thought they were all at dinner. Allie, Lyra and Lily never knew what had happened last year. The images passed through his head quickly. The shine of the silver blade, the red of the blood dripping down her wrist and falling from her fingers, the tears falling from her beautiful sad blue eyes. He shuddered at the memory.

"James, give me the map" he said seriously. (A/N please don't kill me! There was no pun intended.)

"What's wrong Padfoot?" James asked pulling the map out of his back pocket and handing to Sirius.

"Nothing I just need to find something" Sirius muttered. James didn't look completely convinced. Sirius ducked into the boys lavatories and unfolded the map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" he whispered tapping the parchment once with his wand. The once blank parchment was suddenly filled with details of the castle and every person in it. On the cover it said, 'Moony, Wormail, Padfoot and Prongs proudly present the Marauder's Map.' Sirius took a deep breath before searching for Serenity, finally after what seemed like hours he found her. She was in the Room of Requirement and not moving at all.

He swore under his breath as he began to panic.

"What if she's done something?. . . I need to find her. . ." he thought as he ran through the halls. Suddenly he skidded to a stop where the Room of Requirement should have been but there was no door. He ran past it three times, thinking

"I have to find her and see if she's alright just please let me find her!" A large, brown, wooden door stood in front of him. He ran up to it and opened it slowly. His hands were shaking as he walked up to the bed where Serenity lay. Sirius was relived to see that she was sleeping and clutching a pillow. He sighed softly and sunk down to the floor beside her bed. He stared at her, her eyes looked red and puffy, her cheeks had tear stains running down them. Sirius's gaze dropped to her lips; they were parted slightly and slow deep breaths fell from them.

Suddenly she stirred and opened her eyes. Serenity screamed in surprise and fell backwards off the bed.

"Black! What the sodding hell are you doing here!" she shouted from the floor.

"Tsk tsk quite the mouth you have Ms. Hugoi" he said smirking.

"Shut it. What are you doing here. How did you find me?" she questioned not moving.

"I was worried about you. You ran off crying and no one could find you, so I got worried" Sirius stated softly. He extended his hand to help her up. Serenity smiled genuinely and took his hand, she stood and then sat back down on the bed.

"What did you do to your hand. . . and your knee?" he said noticing the scrape on her knees, and cut on her hand.

"I just tripped that's all. . ." she muttered turning away from him. Sirius got up and returned with a medical kit. (It is the Room Of Requirement so I felt I didn't have to explain how he got it)

"Let me see your hand" he said reaching for it. Serenity hesitated.

"I promise I'm not going to hurt you I just want to have a look at it" Sirius replied reaching once more. This time she tentatively gave it to him. He pushed her sleeve up a bit, careful not to show her wrist. He couldn't let her know her knew her secret.

"So how did you find me exactly?" she asked raising an eyebrow. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Can you keep a secret?" Sirius asked in return.

"Yeah but why are you answering my question with another question?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"This is the Marauders Map, we created it and it shows everyone in the castle of every minute of everyday" he said pulling out a bundle of parchment. She just stared at him with a dazed look.

"This is us, see? Sirius Black and Serenity Hugoi" Sirius replied pointing to them on the map.

"This is amazing. . . oh. . .so this is how you've been sneaking about after hours" Serenity stated.

"You caught me!" he said feigning shock. She couldn't help it, she actually laughed at his joke.

"So you do think I'm funny!" Sirius pointed out loudly.

"Don't get used to it Black." Serenity said with a roll of her eyes.

"You mean used to having you all alone?" he said arrogantly. She lightly smacked his arm with her free hand,

"No. Me laughing at your horrible jokes"

The two were silent for a short while. Nothing had to be said. Somehow there was an understanding between the two. Serenity knew that he was only there because he was worried about her. Sirius shattered the silence with a soft sigh, brushing the hair out of his eyes he spoke,

"So. . er shall we get back to everyone?"

"Yeah, and thanks Black" she said following him out the door.