Ok, this chapter is longer than my other ones. It's sorta eventful, sorta not. I dunno, depends on how you look at it, I guess. This is mainly about Linda. Probably because she's my favorite character, with her stubborness and curiousity (hard to love but quick to be heartbroken). I just think she rocks. Is it weird to like your own characters this much? Anywho, I'll have more up next week as usual. And my upcoming chapters are I think going tobe much more interesting. Atleast in myopinion. But what do I know, I still watch Saved by the Bell.

Love ya lots, you sexy things. Feeney.

Recap:

Sirius smiled attractively. She noticed that when he smiled, so did his dark eyes. What an odd thing to notice, Linda thought.

"Well, the company was one of the best I've had in a long time," he replied, "so thank you."

"Linda," a voice interrupted their bonding moment. Linda inwardly cursed whoever it was. "Hello. We need to talk. Now."

Linda's back was to him, as she faced Sirius. But she saw Sirius's face change to something unexplainable. She turned around to face whoever it was.

"You."

"Could I talk to you for a minute?"

Linda racked her brain, but could not for the life of her fathom what Regulus Black would want to talk to her about. They hardly ever spoke, even if he was her best friend's boyfriend. And she didn't really make a secret of the fact that she didn't trust him too much, being a Slytherin and all.

And there was that whole well-known fact that Sirius—who was, it seemed, a very good judge of character—didn't trust him, or like him, which also definitely worked against the Slytherin.

"Sod off," Sirius pitched at Reg. Linda could just feel him tense behind her.

Reg shook his head ever-so-slightly. "I came here for a reason, and I'm not leaving until I talk to her," Reg was adament and, to Linda, it didn't look like he was leaving anytime soon, no matter how many threats Sirius delt. Didn't mean Sirius wasn't going to try.

"Reg," Linda finally said to him, still trying to think if she even wanted to talk to him. The night was going so well, she was having so much fun. Why couldn't it be left at that? "Could this wait until tomorrow?"

"No, it really can't." Maybe it was the sincerity of his voice, or the desperation in his eyes. Either way, Linda got curious.

"Alright, Reg," she consented, even though a part of her wanted to just 'Too bad' and go on to bed. But with Linda, her curiousity always got the best of her, and always would.

But Reg sort of stayed quiet, seemingly debating whether or not it was worth it anymore to talk.

"Well," Sirius urged. He was sorta leaning back, his arms folded across his chest expectantly. "Talk."

"It's private," said Reg, eyes hidden somehow.

Sirius didn't budge. Like hell he was going to leave another one of his friends alone with him.

The other tried again. "I'd like to talk to her alone."

Sirius, behind gritted teeth and dark eyes, replied, "The bleedin' hell you do."

"Sirius." Linda stopped and turned around to face him, lowering her voice. "It's alright. What's he going to do, put me under his arm and carry me to Hell and back?" She smiled at him, an attempt to ease the tension. "C'mon. Lighten up. Go on in, I'll meet you in the Common Room."

After Sirius had left them—and he did so very reluctantly—Linda faced Reg. "So, er..." Alright, she wanted Sirius back. "What's going on?"

Now that she was looking right at him without having to worry about Sirius jumping on him (and, she inwardly admitted, she never really looked Reg in the eye as it was, so she never had a chance to note his details), she couldn't help but notice how...well, tired he looked. Usually, he looked put together, neat and slick. Every part about him usually looked as it should be, every hair in its place.

Now he seemed worn, like he was hiding how much he wanted to lie down. Or fall.

"A-are you alright?" she asked tentatively, rubbing the back of her neck.

Reg stopped picking at the edging of his sweater and slowly straightened. "Something important is going to...it's going to be big." He stepped away suddenly and checked down the hall, Linda followed his eye. They were just a hall and a left turn from the Great Hall. Though there was no one around, Reg still touched her elbow, motioning her further down the corridor. "I-I'm in...well, a trouble of sorts, to er..to put it lightly."

Linda had never heard him sound so...flustered or stutter-y. It's like he was not only having trouble standing, but trouble stringing together a sentence.

"Are you sure you're alright? Want me to go get—"

"Listen, Linda. I-I need a favor from you, and it's—"

"Regulus," drawled a voice, dripping with slime. Severus Snape came out of nowhere and said, "I just—Oh." He had made a point here of noticing Linda. "Well, I'm not interrupting anything important," he scanned Linda's person (she fought the urge to blush and also the urge to slap him) and turned back to Regulus. "Or am I?"

Linda saw Reg stiffen. "J-Just...um," he subtly cleared his throat, and crispened his voice. "Just wondering what I should get Amelia for Christmas. Ran into Linda and thought she could help." Judging on how fast and dramatically his expression had changed when Snape showed up, Linda was willing to bet that Reg had not come to her to ask advice on shopping.

"Hm. How cozy," Snape smirked. Getting to the point, he went on. "Malfoy said he wanted to discuss something. With you. Said you'd know what he meant."

Reg, with his tightened fists and strong jaw, looked like he was ready to wring his mate's neck. Like he couldn't have come at a worse time. And had never looked more like Sirius. "Severus, give me like, five minutes—"

"He sounded urgent," Snape persisted, not letting up. Or giving Reg a choice. "Perhaps you should come with me now."

Regulus looked at Linda desperately. "Um...We can talk about this later?"

Linda nodded. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about it later, but damn that crazy curiousity.

"Right." Regulus began to turn away, but over his shoulder said, "Right. I-I'll talk to you sometime this week, then. Um, Night." With his head down, he walked with Snape, probably to the Slytherin Tower. She noticed that he walked almost...calculatingly. Like he meant every step. Was he in pain? Trying to move carefully so as to limit the hurt?

"I do think that's the most I've spoken to him...ever," Linda muttered to herself. She turned and headed to her own Gryffindor Tower.

-----

Turning his attention away from the fireplace, Sirius immediately looked up towards the entrance when Linda walked in. She saw that he was the only one in the Common Room (She supposed it was rather late). His sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, and his leather jacket was now on the arm of the couch. "So," he said tightly, "what did his highness want? Learn anything interesting?"

Linda shifted her weight from one leg to the other. She shook her head, "Nothing much." Sirius raised his eyebrows disbelievingly. She knew she couldn't get by with just that. "Right. Ok, he just wanted advice on what to get Mel for Christmas," Linda explained, remembering Reg's own excuse to Severus.

-----

The next time Reg would try to talk to Linda would be the next morning. Before classes, during the fifteen minute break after breakfast.

-----

During breakfast.

"Morning," Linda and Sirius greeted the rest of the group as they joined the table together. They had just been going over their History of Magic homework together (meaning Sirius copied Linda's).

They sat beside each other and next to Peter, and Linda noticed that across from them, Amelia sat between Lily and James (Remus was still MIA). Lily was looking at her food, James was looking at Lily, and Amelia was looking at Linda, her eyes pleading for help. Had to be tough being between the exes.

"So," Amelia said, obviously wanting desperately to lighten the 6-inch thick tension between The Exes. "Linda, you came in pretty late last night. Studying?"

Linda began to say No, but was afraid of explaining about the cute old couple Sirius had shown her. And that was a secret between the two. But she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that Sirius winked at her. Holding back a smile, she just nodded her head, confirming that she was in the library. Sirius and Linda held back private smiles all throughout breakfast, to the annoyance of their friends, who just didn't get it.

Later, during breakfast, right in the middle of Linda, Sirius, Amelia, and Peter discussing what they were going to get their families for Christmas, James dropped his fork, stood up and muttered, "I'm going to class."

"But we've still got twenty minutes—" Sirius started to say. But James just left, not caring, with his bag slung over his slumped shoulders.

Lily swallowed maybe her second bite of food all morning and, shaking her head, (which was still looking down) announced, "I'm going, too." So without another word, she gathered her books under an arm and exited without meeting anyone's eye.

Once she had gone, Amelia looked like she had just let out a huge breath, easing into comfort.

"This may seem horribly insensitive," Amelia started, pulling her hair back from her face, "but I am so glad they're gone. Broke my heart to watch him watch her, and her ignore him. And whenever I tried to make group conversation, Lily kicked me under the table. If anything could forget my broken heart, it's my broken leg."

"What are your plans," Peter asked the group while stuffing his mouth with a helping of bacon, "for Winter holiday?"

"Going home," Linda answered, happier at the mere thought of seeing her parents.

Sirius turned full right. "And you'll be at the Potters' Christmas party, right?" Apparently it was the social event of every winter season, and she just had to be there. When Linda confirmed that she was going, Sirius smiled and wrapped a friendly arm around her shoulders. "Fantastic. You can be my date." He announced, and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

Sirius didn't remove his arm.

"I can't wait til the holiday," Amelia sounded excited, "I've nearly studied for exams to the bone..." she went on. But soon, Linda felt a shiver down her spine as Sirius absentmindedly twirled her hair around his fingers. Unsure, she tried to stay still.

It seemed she was the only one who noticed. The others went on with their conversation as usual.

"...and if I have to open one more book, I just might cast it into the fire," Amelia finished. When they finished breakfast, and the Great Hall began to empty, the four Gryffindors rose to go to class.

Sirius's arm was still around her.

As they made their way closer to the entrance, Linda saw someone. Waiting for her. "Oh," she feinted. "I'm so stupid, I forgot my textbook at the Tower."

With a shrug, Sirius chivalrously offered to get it himself. "We've still got fifteen minutes before class anyway."

"No!" Linda knew she was too quick to stop him. "I'll get it. Really, it's fine. I'll meet you guys in class."

----

She faced Reg. They had found one of the only empty classrooms this morning so they can talk. Regulus had insisted on privacy.

He looked only slightly stronger today. He'd fixed his hair to be perfect again, and stood a little bit straighter. "Sorry about this. Randomly showing up and all. It's been hard finding a good time, when I'm sure everyone else is occupied."

Linda nodded like she understood, but really had no idea what he was talking about. "Sure it is."

Soon, it was obvious Reg didn't want to waste anytime. "Listen, like I told you yesterday. Something big is going to happen. I'm not sure when, or where, but it'll be soon. Do you understand?"

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Linda thought. Be kind, rewind and freeze. "Of course I don't."

"Just know that I'm in...trouble." He stopped speaking and in wide strides, walked to the class door, looked outside to make sure the coast was clear. He closed the door, satisfied. "Sorry. It's just that everytime I've tried to talk to you, we've gotten interrupted."

Linda tilted her head. "Every time? But it was just that one time, last night, that you've ever tried..."

Reg stayed quiet, hands folded behind him.

How did her life get so complicated?

She took three steps forward, thought better of it, and took four steps back. "It wasn't just that one time," she wanted to know, searching his face, "Was it?"

Maybe it was him. That night. Following her, scaring her senseless. But it couldn't be him. Why?

Reg leaned against the wall, dark grey eyes never looking at Linda. "I never meant to scare you," he stated simply. "That night in the Shack. I didn't even plan...I saw you walking towards it, and thought it the perfect opportunity. So I followed you in thinking, once noone could see us, I could talk to you."

Only eight steps from the door. "Why so secretive?" she challenged.

"Noone can...." He ran a hand through his oh-so-neat black hair. "It's dangerous. I mean, I can't even believe I've come to you myself. What could you do? Nothing really..." Reg paused, probably realizing he wasn't making sense.

"What's going on?"

"Alright," Reg said impatiently, more at himself than Linda. He wanted to get straight to the point, no more beating around the bush. "Before I go, I need to you, all of you, to kn—"

"Before you go where?" Seven steps to the door.

Reg waved his hand to dismiss her question. "Amelia mentioned to me once that Lily used to get sick, right before something bad happened. Like that raid on the school during the Halloween feast."

She couldn't think of a time when she had been more confused, but answered him anyway. "Yes. She got headaches or something. Sometimes passed out, it was so painful. What does that have to do with anything?"

Reg finally looked at her. And he looked dead-pan serious. "I know why. What it means."

That's when Linda decided not to go to class. Not to go anywhere for now. Reg went on. He told her everything. What Lily Evans's "condition" meant, why she had it, what that meant for the rest of them.

When he seemed he was finished, Linda swallowed the knot in her throat. "So what the hell do you want me to do about it?"

"Tell Lily...to ignore it. Ignore all of it. If she feels a spell coming on, to fight it."

"She'll ask why," Linda pointed out.

"Make something up. You have to, because the more she's aware of him, the—"

Linda put two and two together. "The more he's aware of her." She was terrified just thinking about it. She didn't even understand it all, not really. Butthe safest thing for all of them was for Him not to be aware of Lily, or any of them. "Why did you tell me all this, Regulus?" she asked, whisper-soft.

Now, he looked as tired and burnt as he had last night. "I don't know. Because someone needs to warn Evans before it's too late, if it isn't already. I knew I couldn't tell her straight off because it'll dumb-shock her, and if it didn't, then she'd ask way too many questions—considering her entire life is about to flip—questions I'm not prepared to answer."

Linda still didn't know how she got the short straw. "You could've told Mel."

Reg just shook his head. "If I told Amelia, it would break my heart." After taking a few breaths to steady himself he went on, "And the only other ones close enough to her to tell are bloody Sirius—who I don't trust with a broomstick, let alone this—and Potter and Lupin...they wouldn't even believe me if I did tell them."

"So why should I believe you?"

"You could always wait to find out," he shot back. "But by then it'll be too late. Then you'll wish you had listened." When she didn't answer this, he went on. "Tell them only what they need to know. You can fill in the blanks after I'm—" he tried to smile weakly. "You'll know when."

----

She went to her dorm, and didn't want to leave for the rest of the day. Linda couldn't believe how complicated life could get in mere moments. In the last twelve hours, Linda had a great time with Sirius, had a miserable time with his brother, liked it when he twirled her hair, now held a secret for Reg, was somehow Sirius's date for James's Christmas party, just to name a few. She buried her face in her hands and pulled the covers over her head.. How had she gotten where she was?

HoLLeR:

Kaitlyn—you rawk my socks. Honestly, you rule. And yes, of course 'orgasms' will always be our inside joke. LoL.

Lacey—don't make the fish suffer because of someone else! HAVE WE LEARNED NOTHING FROM THE STORY OF DENNIS?! Want revenge? Key their car like a normal person! ::Hugs:: Love you anyway. Mwa.

Keeks—Hah. Old maids. I like to think of us as more a group o' bachelorettes. Heck yeah dawg. And I'll get on making a real-life Sirius Black. Just for you. ::Winks::

Sam—Aw, doll! Of COURSE you get cookies! This is L2B, where your dreams come true. Or at least, you get some cookies. LoL. I might be mean, but never cruel. ::Offers milk::

Paddy—Wow. Checking daily for updates. I'm absolutely floored. That's it, I'm sending a truckload of brownies over. Nothing says it better than 10 grams of fat. LoL.

Kelly—your head will explode? Hm, I wanna see this. ::Gets popcorn:: Just kidding! Y'know I love ya. And I want a Sirius for X-mas, too! I'll get you one if you get me one, eh?

Amanda--dodges projectiles Sadly, I do NOT watch the O.C. I'm too busy watching the WB, bro. And I don't like Mischa Barton, so I never got into that show. Don't hate me? And I wanna read your new story! OH, and on Word (doublespaced) this chapter is ELEVEN (count 'em, eleven!) pages without the shoutouts. I'm growing!

Laurel—Happy birthday to your mom (last week, sorry it's late!). Thanks for the icecream, woot woot! You have a prediction about where this story is headed? I-M me online at ahem605 on AIM. I wanna hear this.

Lyr942—Aw, thanks so much, that means a lot to me! Can you find the link to the pic you saw, I'd love to see it. ::Drools:: Ooh, Sirius.

Pia—Well, I guess this chapter answered your question. LoL.

Kirsten—thanks! Yeah, ok, lemme explain why I took the pics of the trees. They were UPCLOSE pics so that I could cut them up to be a border around like an "Autumnish" page of my scrap book. See? I'M NOT WEIRD. I was justified. ::Slaps self:: ...Or I'm weird.

Vick—Oooh! Cookies to snack on. ::Munching sounds come from closet:: I'll be out in a minute! ::Grabs cold glass o' milk::

Kelli—LoL, I'll take that bribe. Congrats again on the move. Hey you think that's weird? My friend moved DOWN THE SAME BLOCK. She just moved six houses down. LoL. And YOU. Be "open" to the unorthodox path that I might take with some of the couples in this story. Who knows, you might end up liking it. ::wink::

Emeraldxeyes—if you say so! I post every week, so don't worry if you think you're slow to catch up. I procrastinate to write, so it works out!

You guys RoCk. Keep on "Hollering back". Woot, woot.