Chapter 6

Freezing January slowly merged into frosty February. Things had settled down for a few weeks before the build up to the next round of Quidditch matches started.

The next visit to Hogsmeade fell on Valentine's day. The day broke warm and sunny, the snow having melted away with winter was now replaced with the first fragrances of spring.

Lily and Ebony headed down to the village alone, Lily was still annoyed by James' comments some weeks before.

"Why do you let him get to you so much," sighed Ebony, who was getting sick of listening to Lily ranting on about James. "I bet he hasn't given it a second thought!"

"I don't," replied Lily huffily.

Ebony rolled her eyes, "Sure you don't! That's why you never shut up about him! Why don't you just ask him out and be done with it?"

"What...I don't...like him," she stuttered in shock.

"Yeah right!" Ebony laughed.

"I don't," Lily protested.

"Then why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

Lily looked stumped by the question, not knowing what to say. "Well...what about you and Sirius?"

"What about me and Sirius? We're just mates!"

Lily rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious!"

Lily raised her eyebrow to her friend's annoyance.

"Nothing's going on Lily, okay!" she said truthfully.

"Ahh, but that doesn't mean you don't want there to be something going on."

Ebony scowled. It was no use arguing with her. Ebony didn't know what she wanted herself, so she fell silent and they carried on walking, lost in thought until they reached Hogsmeade. There, they ambled around the shops for a few hours before heading to The Three Broomsticks for a drink.

They bumped into James, Sirius, Remus and Peter who were sitting in a secluded corner of the pub.

"Hi," said James, jumping up out of his seat at the sight of them and smiling at Lily.

Ebony rolled her eyes and pushed passed them and sat down on a stool between Sirius and Remus, the latter of whom was pushing something into his pocket that Ebony couldn't quite make out.

"Can I get you something," James continued, not taking his eyes off Lily, who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Yeah, a Butterbeer would be nice," said Ebony loudly, distracting James long enough for Lily to take a seat.

Remus smiled, shaking his head slightly as James headed for the bar. Ebony laughed.

"What's so funny," said Lily frowning.

"Oh nothing," said Ebony lightly, smiling at Remus, who was biting down on his bottom lip trying not to grin.

Lily opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word James caught her attention as he came back carrying six Butterbeers and started handing them round to everyone.

"Thanks," Lily mumbled, glancing down at the table, her hair hiding her face.

There was a stiff silence before Sirius spoke.

"So you done anything nice," he said, in a strained and uncomfortable voice.

"Not really," Ebony replied. "Just browsed around the shops. What about you?"

James and Sirius looked at each other conspiratorially.

"On second thoughts, I don't want to know," Ebony grinned.

An hour later they all left The Three Broomsticks. Ebony shivered slightly as a cool wind whipped up the street. Remus and Peter excused themselves and headed back up to the school. The Marauder's Map, which they'd been discussing in the pub before they had been interrupted by Lily and Ebony, protruded out of Remus' pocket. The others headed for Honeydukes where they bought some sweets and James, talking animatedly to Lily, who caught Ebony's eye and smiled shyly.

Ebony sighed as James led Lily out of the store and up a side street to Madam Puddifoot's cramped tea shop.

"You reckon he's finally got the message," grinned Sirius, who wandered out Honeyduke's with Ebony.

"I doubt it," said Ebony. "I reckon Lily suggested it."

Sirius smiled. "You're probably right. He's as intelligent as a Dungbomb when it comes to girls."

Ebony smiled at him. "I had noticed."

"So what do you want to do?" said Sirius awkwardly.

"I don't know," Ebony replied, shivering slightly in the wind.

"Well I'd suggest Madam Puddifoot's but it's already taken," he laughed.

"Do you want to go for a walk then, I need to warm up," said Ebony, smiling shyly.

"Yeah, okay."

They headed back down the street, passing The Three Broomsticks, and headed out of the village. As soon as they had reached the edge of Hogsmeade, Ebony set off at a run.

"What are you doing," Sirius called after her.

"Warming up," Ebony shouted back, feeling the wind blow through her hair, breathing it in as she ran.

"Hold on!" Sirius called, as he ran to catch up with her, laughing as she danced around grinning broadly at him. "What's wrong with you," he gasped, slightly out of breath.

"Don't you feel alive!" Ebony cried. "Don't you feel free."

Sirius shrugged. "I don't know. Never thought about it really."

Ebony scowled. "What's the point in being alive if you don't feel it," she said lightly, the wind still blowing through her hair as she continued to dance around.

Sirius thought for a moment.

"Come on," she said grinning, and grabbing his hand, pulling him into a run. "Can't you feel it in your soul?"

Sirius laughed. "You're crazy!"

"Yeah, but I'm right," she said, stopping and smiling, his hand still clutched in hers. "Don't you feel better now?"

Sirius, despite himself, grinned.

"See I told you!"

Ebony set off at a run again, turning into the path which led up to the Shrieking Shack. She stopped abruptly, Sirius almost crashing into the back of her, when she saw who was ahead.
Heading towards them was Regulus and several other Slytherins Sirius didn't know or care to know.

"Oh look who it is," said Regulus sardonically, looking from Ebony to Sirius. "Out on a date Mudblood!"

The smile vanished from both of their faces.

"What do you want?" growled Sirius, his hand twitching next to his jeans pocket where his wand sat.

"Now that's a nice way to speak to your brother," a burly Slytherin said. Sirius noted he was a seventh year and was capable and legally allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts.

The Slytherins were standing directly in front of them. Ebony tried to push passed them, but was grabbed by one of them.

"No you don't," said the seventh year.

"Let her go!" snapped Sirius.

"Why? What are you going to do?" the seventh year mocked, raising his eyebrow.

Sirius realised he was totally outnumbered. The seventh year was a good five inches taller than him and a hell of a lot wider.

Ebony wriggled against the vice-like grip which was clamped around him arm.

"Now, now," the seventh year said, smirking at her. Regulus laughed from behind. "That's not very nice."

"Let me go!" she muttered through gritted teeth.

"No, I don't think so," retorted the seventh year.

"Fine!" scowled Ebony. "If you won't let me go, I'll have to make you."

The seventh year looked taken aback, then opened his mouth to retort. Before anyone knew what was happening though, Ebony had stamped on the foot of the Slytherin that was holding her, had thrust her fist upwards breaking his nose with a sickening crunch and had kicked him between the legs.

The Slytherin yelled out in pain, letting go of her arm, and fell to the floor, tears visible in his eyes. Ebony grabbed a handful of Sirius' T-shirt and dragged him backwards down the path breaking into a run as they rounded the corner, leaving the others yelling out behind them.

Ebony didn't let go of Sirius until they were standing back outside The Three Broomsticks. There, she let go of him and leant against the wall gulping down mouthfuls of air. Sirius stared at her shocked.

"What..."

"Muggle self defense," she gasped.

"What...what did you do to him!"

"Oh," she smiled. " I stamped on his foot, severely bruised his pride, if you know what I mean, and broke his nose."

Sirius stared at her in shock.

"Well it's not like I didn't give him the chance!" she hastily replied.

Sirius' however was smiling and looked impressed. "Let me buy you a drink," said, ushering Ebony into The Three Broomsticks.

As they walked back up to the school an hour or so later, Sirius and Ebony were still laughing heartily about the events that had happened earlier that day. What with James' shameless flirting tactics and the successful use of Muggle self-defense, the conversation hadn't been stilted in the slightest. Sirius, who had felt awkward when James had left him alone with Ebony, hadn't realised how much fun he'd had.

As they climbed the stairs to the Gryffindor tower, Ebony pulled off the hat Sirius had given her as they'd left The Three Broomsticks, and handed it back to him.

They had been sitting in the common room for over an hour when James burst in laughing maniacally, Lily close behind him. He threw himself into a dilapidated armchair next to Sirius' and closed his eyes grinning.

"Your brother's absolutely furious," he said looking at Sirius. "What did you do to him, and more importantly what did you do to his mate."

"Hey, don't look at me," sighed Sirius holding up his hands. "It was Ebony."

"What...you...you're joking. What did you do to them?"

Ebony looked embarrassment. "Well they tried to provoke us and they wouldn't let us go so I stamped on the foot of the guy who was holding me, I thrust my fist up breaking his nose and kicked him between the legs."

"But how?" James marveled.

"Well I went to Muggle self-defense classes when I was younger."

"Bloody hell!" said James impressed.

Lily looked at her disapprovingly.

"I had no choice Lily. It was that or use magic and get expelled."

"I hope they don't tell anyone," said Lily warily.

"Nah," said James. "Wouldn't do much for their image would it, being beaten up by a girl and without the use of a wand."

Lily shrugged and looked out the window.

Ebony scowled at her, "What's wrong with you, wasn't your date all that great?" she said angrily and stormed off towards the girl's dormitories angry and upset at her friend's cold reaction.

There was an awkward silence in which no one spoke. Sirius stared into the fire for a while, before heading up to the boy's dormitories, where he found Remus sitting alone on the windowsill staring up at the darkening sky.

Sirius walked over to him. Remus made room for him and they both sat in a comfortable silence looking out into space.

"You okay?" said Remus finally.

"Yeah," said Sirius, looking up at the moon. In a couple of days the four marauders would again be prowling the grounds as three Animagi and a Werewolf.

"What's happening between James and Lily then?" Remus continued.

"Oh I don't know. Not much by the looks of things. James seemed more entertained by the fact that Ebony beat up one of Regulus' mates."

"What-"

"Oh it's a long story," said Sirius, looking out over the lake and smiling.

"What about you and Ebony?" asked Remus.

"Not much, we're just friends I guess!" he said, smiling as his stomach did a somersault.

"You and James are quite a pair," said Remus, rolling his eyes. "Both hot headed, stubborn and both hopelessly lost when it comes to women. Why don't you just ask her out, though please use a different tactic to James!" he begged mockingly.

Sirius nudged him playfully.

"It's the Quidditch tournament next weekend," said Remus suddenly.

"Oh yeah, that should be fun!" Sirius retorted sardonically.

"Your parents coming then," Remus pressed.

"Don't know, don't care!" said Sirius, climbing down off the windowsill and throwing himself onto his bed and staring up at the ceiling.

Though Sirius would never admit it, the prospect of the next Quidditch match bothered him greatly. The possibility of coming face to face with his parents again filled him with dread. He didn't even know whether they were coming, but he could feel a weight like lead settling on his chest as he lay thinking.

Remus, who was still sitting on the windowsill watched him thoroughly. He knew his friend was unhappy, he could feel it like the apprehension of the full moon the next day. But if Sirius wouldn't talk to anyone, there was nothing he could do.