Chapter One: That's What I Call Talent

"Taryn, get back here!"

"No!" she shouted over her shoulder as she ran through the heavy rain falling on Hogwarts grounds.

"Taryn, please stop! You'll catch pneumonia and die and then what will I tell your parents?"

"I don't care!" she shouted back at him. "Tell them anyth—!" She slipped in the mud and fell, landing on her back, laughing her head off.

"Taryn!" he said, sliding to a stop and kneeling beside her. His light brown hair was dripping into his eyes as he helped her sit up.

She stopped laughing for a moment to say, "Looks like I can't even be graceful when I'm outside in my natural element, huh, Remus?" Then she looked down at her mud-spattered clothing and started laughing again. "All right, you win. I'll go back to the castle."

Remus Lupin stood and held his hand out for his cousin. She took hold of it and he hauled her to her feet. They were both soaking wet and covered in mud, but they didn't mind it. They enjoyed being a mess when they walked around the castle. It gave Mr. Filch, the new caretaker, something else to grumble about. As long as they didn't get detention. "C'mon, Taryn," Remus said. "Let's go. Sirius and James said they had an idea on how to spend this wretched night."

"I like the rain, though," she said, wiping her dripping blonde hair from her face. "Sure, it's wet and cold, but honestly, how many witches or wizards can say they can cast spells more easily in the rain? It makes me unique."

"What makes you unique is the fact that you spend time with me even though I am what I am," he replied as they climbed the stairs to the castle. "Not many people would do that, not even relatives."

"Well, you're my little cousin," she said, ruffling his hair. "What else am I supposed to do? I have to look out for you."

"You're only a few months older, Taryn," he reminded her. "Don't get high and mighty. It's not befitting of you."

She smiled, crinkling her nose. "I know," she said. "But it's fun." They stopped at the main staircase. "So, I'll meet you guys in an hour? Room of Requirement or One-Eyed Witch?"

"Room of Requirement, I'm sure," Remus said as she turned and made her way down to the dungeons and her Common Room.

True to her word, an hour later, Taryn silently and sneakily made her way to the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor. She entered the room and looked around. Remus was there already. As were Sirius Black, James Potter, Lily Evans, and Peter Pettigrew. Taryn wished for just once that Peter wouldn't follow James and Sirius everywhere. "Where's Colleen?" she asked, realising her sister, only a year her younger, was unmistakably and undeniably absent. "What, did you forget about her again? You—" she pointed at James, "—go get her."

James smirked, threw his Invisibility Cloak over his shoulders and disappeared from sight. Taryn pulled a small mirror out of her jacket pocket and said, "Colleen."

Her sister's face appeared in the mirror. "What?" she asked.

"James is coming to pick you up," Taryn said. Colleen looked a little confused. "Hello? Wednesday night. Remember?"

"Ah, yes," the younger witch nodded.

Taryn shook her head and pocketed the mirror, muttering, "Silly girl."

Sirius sidled up to Taryn and slipped an arm around her waist. "So, how old is your baby sister about now?" he asked.

"Fifteen," she replied, taking his arm off her waist. "And, Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"Back off."

"Sorry," he said, backing away from her with his hands raised in defence. "Didn't mean to offend. Just asking after your sister."

"I know that," she said, sneering slightly. She walked over to a tall cabin double bed and climbed onto it. "Let her alone, Black." She laid down and sighed, closing her eyes.

Lily walked over and leaned on the side of the bed, hooking her elbows over the wooden side guards. "Why do you always need a bed in here?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her. "Are you really that tired all the time?"

Taryn turned onto her side and said, "Yes, Lil, I am. Besides, I only have it because I can." She turned onto her back and went back to relaxing.

Lily rolled her eyes and looked pointedly at Remus. "She's showing signs of being in Slytherin again, Remus," she said. "Perhaps an intervention is in order?"

He shook his head. "The last time I intervened, I ended up in Hospital for a week with a Latin Complex," he said, shuddering at the memory. The entire week, he could say nothing unless it was in Latin. He still didn't know how she did it. "You do the intervention this time."

"It's just a Cheering Charm, Remus," she said quietly.

"Still," he replied as the door opened and James and Colleen appeared. "You're better at Charmwork, anyway."

Colleen rolled her eyes and pulled out her wand. "Oh, for goodness' sake," she said. "I'll do it." She pointed her wand at her sister and muttered the Charm. Immediately, Taryn's wand was out and pointed at Colleen. A bright beam of indigo light shot at her. Colleen ducked and the spell hit the door behind her. "Honestly, Tar. What was that for?"

"You know I hate Cheering Charms," Taryn muttered. "They make me slightly ill for a few hours." She opened an eye to see if she hit her target. When she saw she hadn't, she muttered, "Drat. I wanted to see someone with a Jekyll & Hyde Complex. That would have been funny to see."

"You just might," James said, tossing his Invisibility Cloak onto a table. "We passed Snivellus in the corridors. He looked like he was looking for someone to rat out or something. We think he followed us here. Don't know how, though."

Taryn settled into her pillows and blankets. "Well, then," she said, smiling a little. The Cheering Charm was taking effect. "That'll be lovely if I got him. Through a door, even. That's what I call talent."

"Stop being such a shrake, Taryn," Sirius said. "I've just had an idea."

"Don't hurt yourself," she muttered. "All right. Let's hear it."

Sirius literally jumped onto the bed and draped himself across Taryn's middle as she tried to recuperate from the day. "If you actually hit Snivellus with that curse," he said, playing with her hair. "You have to accept the next proposal he offers you. And any suggestion of his that you start your tutoring session for the day doesn't count."

Taryn sat up quickly, horror etched in her face. As the others giggled, trying to hide it unsuccessfully, she said, "No! Sirius, you can't be serious! He's—he's—oh, he's horrid! No matter how much I may defend him from your taunting—or try to, at least—I detest him as much as you do!" She shuddered as Sirius sat up next to her. "The only proposal he offers me is one I refuse almost daily. I can't accept it, Sirius. I can't!"

"You can," he said, tapping her on the nose. "And you will."

"I can't, and I won't," she said, pushing him away from her. "You can't make me."

Sirius grinned wickedly. "Yes I can," he said. "I dare you to accept it." He knew she couldn't turn down a dare. No matter how horrible it may be. She couldn't help herself.

Taryn glared at him. "Fine," she said. "But, I'm sure, come breakfast, you'll know exactly why I said I couldn't."

"I'm sure."

……