Thanks again for the review. I hope you like the new chapter. Please review and let me know what you think. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks, Mulan.

xxx

Chapter 10

James, Sirius, Lily, Ebony, Remus and Peter left the hospital wing on Sunday morning, the day before term started. They had all heard the Ministry's views about the incident and, as Dumbledore had explained, believed it to be more than a family feud. Though the Minister wouldn't tell them anything specific, she did say that they could indeed be targets of Lord Voldemort. However, the Minister thought this was unlikely and suggested that they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Minister instead thought the fact that the incident had occurred so close to the Ministry, was an attempt by Lord Voldemort to frighten the Ministry with such a display.

The accounts of the six teenagers about the Lestrange's being the ones who had tortured them didn't sit well with the Ministry. It didn't help that no one else had seen them, even Dumbledore, Bellatrix having disapparated as soon as she heard the door open. The Ministry had pulled Bellatrix and Rodolphus in for questioning, but both had provided acceptable alibis. They said they had been dining with the Malfoy's that afternoon and as both families had corroborated this story and had much respect and influence in the Ministry, the charges against them had been dropped, much to the horror of Sirius and the others.

The Daily Prophet had printed an article on the front page about the Dark Mark, but had announced that the person who had conjured it was still at large. The arrests of Bellatrix and Rodolphus and the attacks on Sirius and the others had not even been mentioned.

Lily, who had just finished reading the article out to them in the empty Gryffindor common room, threw the paper aside angrily. Sirius had said nothing all day and stared intently out of the window. James on the other hand, voiced his anger like Lily, much to Sirius' annoyance and Peter' and Remus' amusement.

They were all trying to deal with the after-effects of their ordeal, each moving gingerly and restlessly, wanting to know what was happening outside of Hogwarts.

Their parents, of course, had been informed and had traveled up to see them on the Friday evening. All, that was, except Sirius'. Their parents had all shown great concern for them and had brought up their belongings, Dumbledore thinking it best for them to stay at school rather than go home for the final day. Their parents had left that morning, leaving the six of them to ponder what was to come.

Sirius, finally losing his cool, turned his back on a ranting James and Lily and left the common room. Climbing out of the portrait hole, he headed down the corridor and took the stairs two at a time, finally coming to a halt in the Entrance Hall. He stood breathing heavily as he decided where to go.

The school was exceptionally quiet. Not many students had stayed over Easter, most having gone home to be with their families. Sirius thought about this bitterly, wondering what they were all doing. Whether they were laughing and joking and having fun on the last weekend before school started.

Sirius, bitterness and jealousy welling up inside him, crossed the Entrance Hall at a dash and pushed open the oak front doors. Warm, bright sunlight and a cool, gentle breeze hit him as he ventured out.

He set off at a brisk walk, following a path around the castle as the breeze blew through his thick shoulder-length hair. Slowly his anger and jealousy petered out. Despite himself he smiled, thinking of what Ebony had said and feeling the same release and freedom she had expressed.

He made his was around the grounds, past the unmistakable Whomping Willow and round the lake, where the giant squid glided lazily across its surface. Someone was sitting on the bank on the far side. Sirius didn't realise who it was until he was standing right beside her.

"Hi," he said nervously, looking down at the mass of curls glistening in the sunlight. "I thought you were up in the dormitories."

"No," said Ebony serenely. "I escaped earlier. I needed a break, Lily was driving me mad."

He laughed. "Tell me about it. Her and Prongs are ranting about the Daily Prophet at this very moment and Wormtail, well he's still whimpering."

"He seems to have been affected the worst," she sighed.

"I can't believe he said he'd do anything for them to stop. I mean, he could have got us all killed," said Sirius.

"Your cousin was capable of doing that on her own. She didn't need any encouragement," said Ebony, making him flush. "You shouldn't be so hard on him. You know he isn't as strong as you, Prongs or Moony."

"Yeah, I know but..."

" But what?"

"He shouldn't show a weakness. Especially to my family, they're crazy. They'd eat him alive."

She smirked. "I can imagine that!"

"I know, that's what scares me," he scowled, throwing himself onto the ground beside her and gazing out over the lake watching the giant squid's lazy progress. "I can't believe them. I mean if once wasn't enough or twice! Why do they have to keep trying to kill my friends?"

Ebony shrugged. "I can't answer that Sirius."

"If they keep at it, I'll end up with no one. Either everyone will be dead, or you won't want to talk to me."

"Course we will," she said, ruffling his hair playfully. "Do you honestly think Prongs would stop talking to you? Honestly. Who would help him wreak havoc? You two are joined at the hip!"

"And you?"

"Hey, if I was going to stop being your friend because of your family, I would have stopped after Christmas! I must have a death wish," she grinned reassuringly. "Or I'm turning into a cat with nine lives, because they haven't succeeded in killing me yet!"

"But don't you care about what my family think?"

"No, not particularly. I like you, I'm friends with you, not your family. You don't believe what they believe, if you did, it would be different. For one thing you wouldn't be friends with me in the first place," she said, standing up and walking over to the lake barefoot. Her shoes were left lying abandoned on the grass a short distance from Sirius. "Anyway, your family makes life a little more interesting," she grinned evilly, paddling in the shallow water.

Sirius struggled to his feet, kicking off his shoes and feeling the soft ground squish beneath his toes. He joined her, grinning, and said "You can say that again!"

"Your family certainly makes life interesting. Again," she laughed.

He kicked water at her playfully, soaking the bottom of her trousers.

"Hey," she grinned kicking water back at him, soaking him up to the knees and running along the shore away from him before he could retaliate.

"You've done it now," he laughed, pulling out his wand, drawing up a wave of water and sending it after her. It crashed over her waist.

"Ahh," she squealed. "It's freezing!" Sirius continued to laugh, not noticing Ebony muttering the same incantation he had used under her breath, sending a wall of water, from behind him, crashing over his head, soaking him from head to foot.

"Bloody hell!" he shouted in shock, as he stood open-mouthed, looking like a drowned rat. Ebony had to admit though, that he looked like a rather cute drowned rat, his sleek black hair having fallen across his face and neck, his clothing clinging to his slim frame.

"I've told you before," she laughed, "Don't mess with me, I'm Lily's partner in Charms, and she's the best in the school. Sirius, still standing on the bank, ankle deep in water, laughed.

Ebony threw herself down on the bank, and bit down on her bottom lip trying not to smile, as he squelched back up it and sat down beside her, groaning as he pulled off his jumper and T-shirt.

"A bit brave aren't you?" she smirked, "Baring all. It's not exactly warm!" As she said this, she noticed the goose pimples running along his tanned arms and across his chest.

He grinned, "Well it's your fault, you shouldn't have soaked me!"

"Don't start things if you're not prepared for the consequences," she laughed. "Come here," she instructed. She swept his hair off his face and began to wring it out.

"Oww!" he said, as she rubbed his hair between her hands.

"Stop your moaning, wimp!" she retorted with a smile. "There," she said, after several minutes. "It'll stop dripping water down your back now and soaking into your trousers." She smiled at him, watching the sunlight twinkle in his soft grey eyes and glisten on his wet torso.

She looked away embarrassed, staring out over the lake as she wrung out the bottoms of her trousers. She let her hair tumble over her shoulders, shielding him from view.

Sirius watched her intently for a while as the sun warmed him up. His mind was blank, lost for something to say. The breeze blew, bringing the goose pimples back out in force and making him shiver slightly.

Ebony, noticing this out of the corner of her eye, pulled off her jumper and said, "Here," holding it out to him.

"Are you sure?" he said nervously.

"Yes. At least I have a dry T-shirt to wear." She burst out laughing as he pulled on her jumper.

"It's a tad small," he laughed, flushing with embarrassment.

"Yeah," Ebony agreed. The jumper, she noticed, only reached half way down his wrists and the body showed his mid-riff. "Oh well, you'll just have to start a new fashion trend," she said, trying hard not to laugh.

He made to pull it off, saying, "I look stupid!"

"Oh don't Sirius!" laughed Ebony. "You'll freeze and you don't look that stupid. It's kind of cute."

He flushed even redder. Ebony's cheeks went pink as she looked down intently at the grass she was pulling at. Sirius looked from her to her jumper. "You're small aren't you," he laughed.

"Hey, just because I'm not a six foot strapping lad, doesn't mean I'm small. Five foot seven is quite tall for a girl. Anyway it's a good job I didn't wear one of my fitted jumpers. That would have been fun!"

He smirked, his hair drying wavy in the sunshine, and looked over at the lake. The sun danced on its surface, making it look as if it were on fire, in the middle of which, swam the giant squid. He looked back at Ebony, who was also looking out over the lake. Her hair danced in the breeze as she closed her eyes and breathed it in, absorbing the spring fragrances. She opened her eyes to find him gazing at her. She smiled as she continued to pull at the grass absentmindedly.

"You've got something in your hair," she said, noticing a Ladybird crawling through it by his ear. She watched as he shook his head, but it didn't fall out. "Here," she said, leaning towards him. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath tickling her neck as she gently untangled the Ladybird and moved back to show him.

He smiled at her as she looked down at it and watched it fly away towards the Forbidden Forest. She glanced back up at him and smiled shyly, her eyes meeting his, as she brushed a stray curl out of her face. Sirius watched as the sun danced in her eyes and the breeze blew through her hair blowing the stray curl back down.

He leant forward, his fingers delicately touching her smooth skin. His eyes staying fixed on hers, as he leant closer and his lips brushed against her own. Ebony's heart was pounding as she felt his hand touch and slide down her arm. She could feel the goose pimples on his skin soften and become smooth beneath her hand, which rested on his waist, his muscles relaxing.

Slowly they pulled away from each other, opening their eyes. Sirius wrapped his arm around the small of her back as he sat beside her and gazed at her delicate features. She smiled at him and watched the giant squid swimming in the lake beside them. Her hands rested beside her, one of which was still tugging gently at the grass. His hand rested comfortably on her hip as they sat silently together watching the squid make its way around the lake, the sun slowly beginning to dry them off.

Ebony threw herself backwards, lying flat on her back, and looked up at the cloudless blue sky, feeling the breeze flutter over her body and the sun shining on her bare skin. Silence filled the air, the school grounds were empty and the only sound to be heard was the breeze rustling the leaves of the trees. She sat up hot, and struggled to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked lazily.

"For a walk," she said, picking up her shoes and walking back down the bank to the lake's edge, where she let the cool water break over her warm feet, feeling an instant relief.

"Wait up," he called, as he made a grab for his shoes and wet clothes. "Just promise not to soak me this time!"

"I promise," she laughed, looking back at him. He was still wearing her jumper, standing made it look even smaller and him even funnier. The arms barely passed his elbows and the body revealed half of his stomach.

Sirius walked over to her and slinked his arm around her waist, his feet ankle deep in water. They made their way back around the lake towards the castle, Ebony biting her lip all the while, trying not to laugh.

"Good job you've got the figure to wear that jumper," she laughed, unable to contain herself any longer.

He grinned, "Well I try my best," he said in good humour." Though I think I'll take it off now before Prongs sees, otherwise I'll never live it down.

He tugged at the jumper and handed it back to Ebony, who tied it round her waist. He then turned and walked back up to the school half naked.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head as he grabbed her round the waist and pulled her towards him. He gave her a playful kiss on the cheek as they made their way across the lawns and up the steps to the Entrance Hall.

They made their way up the marble staircase and up to the Gryffindor common room to get changed before dinner as both of them were still soaked through.

The corridors were cool after the warmth of the sun and Ebony again felt Sirius' skin cover with goose pimples as they made their way along the Fat Lady's corridor. The portrait raised an eyebrow at his half naked form before Ebony gave her the password and she swung forwards to reveal the portrait hole. Climbing through it, they found James, Lily, Remus and Peter right where Sirius had left them.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You're not still arguing about that article are you," he said sarcastically. "If you are, I'm off again."

James looked up at him scowling before raising an eyebrow at Sirius. "Explain!" he laughed eyeing Ebony, who was fully clothed but was walking barefoot.

"She soaked me," he said smiling, before heading towards the boy's dormitories and vanishing from sight.

"He started it!" Ebony muttered, as the others looked at her curiously, then headed for the girl's dormitories to get changed.

The others laughed and rolled their eyes as she pulled the door to the dormitories closed behind her.

"Come on," said Remus, walking into the dormitory and looked expectantly at Sirius ten minutes later. "It's dinner time. We're all waiting for you. Will you get a move on!"

"Yeah yeah yeah," Sirius muttered, as he pulled on a T-shirt and walked over to the door. "I'm ready, keep your hair on!"

Remus looked at him curiously as they walked down the dormitory staircase. "What?" said Sirius. Remus grinned, but didn't reply. "What?" Sirius repeated.

"Nothing," smiled Remus.

Sirius nudged him, making him bang into the wall. "Tell!" he said.

"You're the one who should be telling," Remus grinned.

"Ehh!"

"So..."

"What?"

"What happened?" said Remus, rolling his eyes and punching him in the arm playfully.

"What do you mean?"

"Dear Lord!" Remus cried. "You and Ebony."

"Oh."

"Duh," said Remus sarcastically. "So..."

"I don't know."

"You don't know," Remus mimicked. "Well what happened?"

Sirius shifted uncomfortably. "Come on, we're going to be late," he said, trying to change the subject. Remus rolled his eyes and pushed open the door to the common room, where James, Lily, Ebony and Peter stood waiting.

Sirius steered away from Remus towards the portrait hole, the others following quietly.