Strawberry-Blonde or Fiery Red?

chapter 3

"Hey guys." Niki got down to the common room first, she looked Sirius dead in the eye (this really was a rare occasion) and he nodded. Sure they didn't get along that well, but it didn't mean that they didn't understand each other.

Natalie-Anne followed suite, yet missed the look. James flashed his dazzling smile at her as she took a seat across from him on the couch. There was a moment of tense silence before the portrait whole swung open.

James and Sirius darted up from their places on the couch opposite the girls. "Remus! Dumbledore didn't tell us you were coming." James said over enthusiastically just happy to break the fearful silence. Remus just smiled and greeted him. He then looked over at where the girls where sitting.

He looked at Niki, then too the strawberry-blonde sitting next to her. "I don't believe we have… met?" Remus said in slight awe. Natalie-Anne wasn't by the least bit caught off guard. She expected Remus to be a bit more observant than the rest, he knew all her secrets, and could see what was beyond her looks, legamancy couldn't stop him.

Natalie-Anne decided she best rise and greet the boy. She stood up against him. Her platform sneakers made her appear taller than she truly was. She leveled with him, and they stood eye to eye. He looked deep into hers, and she did everything she could not to betray a thing. "I can't say we have. My name is Natalie-Anne, but by the way, you guys can just call me Nat, or Natalie, I don't mind. Natalie-Anne is rather long I suppose." Yeah this was another bad habit of Natalie's, when at loss for words, she rambled. A lot.

Remus smiled. "Nice to me you Nat, my name is Remus Lupin." Natalie just nodded, smiled, and shook the hand he offered her. "So you new to Hogwarts?" Natalie was caught off guard slightly. She'd think the answer was obvious; then again, this was Remus. Natalie didn't trust herself to speak so instead settled with a nod.

Finally she dared to look into his stormy grey eyes. They were stone, not cold, but they were impossible to read. They were his shield, his where-wolf instincts gave him the ability to not allow anyone to know what was going through the crazy mind he held. Natalie hated it, and wanted him to let her see through it.

She finally took in his appearance. His sandy blonde hair was messy, yet perfect. He had a strong build, but wasn't as strong as Sirius or James. He didn't need to work out like them; his natural blood line gave it to him. His eyes were a dark ocean blue and held mysteries and hardships no regular person could ever bare to imagine. The only thing that had changed about him was that he looked older. She gave a small smile and decided to sit back down; Niki whispered something in her ear.

"Don't fall too fast." Natalie looked at her and saw the smirk come across her lips. Natalie fought the urge to smile. This girl was good at playing games, and Natalie wasn't about to play into her game.

"He's really not my type though." Natalie bit back and watched as the smile diminished from Niki's lips.

"I like this idea. Niki hasn't been challenged since… you know…" James trailed off back into his day dream. Remus and Sirius exchanged a look that clearly said James would be back on cloud 9 for a while, and that they would get down to the bottom of this Natalie-Anne Woloshuk person.

"So Natalie you like what you've seen so far?" Sirius asked in a rather seductive voice. Niki indistinctively rolled her eyes, but did is as to prevent Sirius from seeing, though Natalie was sure that Sirius saw it just as well as she did, because at that moment she saw a small smile play in his eyes. Natalie decided she'd have to bite back and play along. She had to do something now didn't she?

"Well I've seen worse." She said in a faint voice, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear. "Anyway," She said in a louder voice as to make them realize what she was doing. "It isn't too bad; I can't wait for it to get started on this job. Kind of nervous, but hopefully it will be okay." She said putting a little nervousness into her voice.

"It'll be fine; most of these kids won't question you if you're strong, but fun. As long as you keep their attention, and don't just drawl on, especially in History. Merlin I hated that class." Sirius said cheerfully.

"How would you know what had happened in that class? Most of the time you weren't there, and when you were, you were asleep." Remus said in a tone that you would expect from a parent. Sirius glared at him.

"I said I hated that class, you know dam well I knew the material." Sirius retorted.

"Yeah mainly the dark stuff." Remus replied in an undertone. Natalie knew without glancing at Sirius that Remus had struck a nerve.

Sirius rose slowly to his feet and walked in front of Remus. His voice was cold and deadly, but calm as he spoke. "You know I never wanted to know any of it. I didn't choose to come from that family." Sirius said. Natalie looked at Remus for a reaction. All he did was stand up and looked Sirius dead in the eye.

"It's not my fault either." He said in his deadly calm manner, and brushed pass Sirius shoulder and walked out the portrait to who knew where at Hogwarts.

"Relax Sirius." Niki said in a calm soothing voice. Sirius gave her a rather harsh look, and she stood up, and walked over to him, then took his hand and led him up to his dorm.

Natalie new she had to put on the act then. "What was that all about?" She asked James, the only other person in the room. James gave her a funny look.

"Sirius' family isn't exactly the best," James said, his voice was both hesitant, yet ready to spill the world. "He hasn't been to his house in four years. His parents are pretty dark, and Sirius isn't. He was basically disowned." James said, Natalie had to think quickly, she knew this, sure, but she couldn't let him catch on.

"Wow… so are you two really close?" She did her best to sound awe struck. She wouldn't meet his eyes, she knew she couldn't.

"He's like a brother to me." James replied staring at the girl before him. Her appearance took his breath away. He loved the way her strawberry-blonde hair flowed lovingly to above her shoulders. How her cerulean eyes had specs of purple flying through them. He loved how she all her curves were in the right places. Her face was like porcelain, and had no make up on a single surface of it. Her lips were full, and round. He hadn't felt this way in a while, but there was the sad fact that the day she left. He vowed never to love again.

A/N: Okay i got like 1 review for the last chapter :( and i really like this story and would love some feed back... so i hope ii get some more reviews... i should update again by wensday... so please review! I'm going to go start chapter 4 because I don't think i'm gonna get to sleep anytime soon... so REVIEW! and i promise to post soon :)

crazyLily