"Where are they?" Hastings asked as she and Odessa waited for the boys on the front lawn.

"Making themselves pretty," Odessa said.

"We could never be as lovely as you," a voice whispered in her ear. Odessa jumped.

"There you are. Where's Gabe?"

Sirius shrugged, "Stopped in the loo. Here he comes."

"Thanks for inviting me along," Gabriel said, joining them.

"No problem, shall we?" Odessa said, starting down the path. "Oh, did I tell you guys what happened yesterday?"

"No," Sirius said, just as Hastings said, "Yes."

"I didn't?" Odessa said, falling into step with Sirius. "O'Reilly was in my classroom. He said he was just watching me, but I don't know. Something's seriously wrong with that man. He kept criticizing me in front of my students. And between classes he spent a lot of time in my store room. I wonder if he's the one stealing the potions. Hi Jade!" Odessa called out as they passed the greenhouse. Professor Greene waved in return. "What do you think?" She asked Sirius.

"Why would he steal your potions? He's perfectly able to make them on his own."

"I know. That's what doesn't make sense. But why is he so insistent about watching me this year? He's got something up his sleeve."

"He probably has a crush on you." Sirius said.

"You think everyone has a crush on me," Odessa said. "It's your answer to everything. Trust me, I'm not that popular." They walked on for a few minutes in silence, falling behind Hastings and Gabriel who were deep in conversation.

"Why?" Odessa said suddenly, "Are you jealous."

"Who me, get jealous. Never." Sirius replied.

Odessa snorted, "Yeah right. Forgive me, I forgot who I was talking to."

"Look, Odessa," Sirius grabbed her hand and stopped her. Odessa's breath caught in her throat. "I never…I never thought you wrote that letter in the first place."

"What? What do you mean you never thought I wrote it? You went ballistic over it." Odessa stared at him in disbelief, trying to ignore the feeling of her hand in his.

"I know I did. It was a gut reaction. The thought of losing you again…I couldn't handle it. I overreacted."

"Just a little," Odessa said sarcastically.

"Are you going to let me say what I'm going to say or are you going to keep interrupting?"

"Sorry." Odessa said quietly.

"The more I thought about it the more I convinced myself that you had written it. It was easy to do since I didn't see you after that. But when I saw you at the ball, well, it was hard. And then you refused to dance with me."

"So you made out with Chantrell."

"You cursed the floor," Sirius shot back.

"You deserved it."

"So you seem to think. But let me continue, please." Sirius took a deep breath, "After that night I wanted you to suffer, just like I had suffered. The prank war was the perfect opportunity. And then, that night you blew up at me, I realized just how much I had hurt you. That it wasn't just me who had been hurt. And the nagging little voice in the back of my head that kept telling me you didn't write the letter kept getting louder. But you wouldn't talk to me. You wouldn't even stay in the same room with me. It was Falcon's idea to send the rose."

"Really?" Odessa asked, surprised.

"Yeah, he's been a great friend through all of this. Anyway, ever since you've started speaking to me again I've been trying to find the right time to say that I'm sorry I ever thought that you wrote that letter. And to say that I do trust you. And…" Sirius grabbed her other hand, "to ask if you would take back a jerk like me?"

Odessa stared at their hands for a minute, trying to blink back her tears before she looked up at him. "Yes," she whispered, still looking down.

"Yes?' Sirius asked. Odessa nodded. Sirius kissed the top of her head and then slowly raised her head so that she was looking at him, tears streaming down her face.

"Is it really that terrible of a thing?" He asked, amused.

Odessa giggled and shook her head. Sirius smiled and slowly bent over and kissed her. His arms went around her and Odessa sank into him for a moment.

"Oi!" They heard someone shout. Breaking apart they looked around, A moment later Hastings appeared around a bend ahead of them. "What're you guys doing? Come on."

Odessa smiled, "Sorry about that. Sirius was…um…showing me this flower…which I think I dropped." With a quick smile at Sirius, they started walking towards Hastings, hand in hand. Noticing this, Hastings have Odessa a quick smile and turned to catch up to Gabriel, who was waiting for her.

The four of them finished shopping for supplies, amidst several students. It was the first Hogsmeade weekend, and they were surrounded by school-age dramas and laughter. They stepped into the Three Broomsticks for bottles of butter beer before heading back to the school. Sirius and Odessa were talking quietly while Hastings and Gabriel were in the middle of a heated debate.

"So, you really think that Bat-Bogey Hex Gum is better than a joke wand that turns into a rubber chicken?" Hastings asked Gabriel.

"I do," said Gabriel. "People start sliming from the mouth… it's amazing stuff. Brilliant, really."

"Come on, though," said Hastings. "You can't deny the joking power of a rubber chicken. It's classic!"

"Oh, please," said Gabriel. "It's a joke of the past. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes went way beyond that elementary stuff."

"I'm only saying that you shouldn't underestimate simplicity. It's effective in all sorts of pranking. Let's ask Odessa's opinion." Hastings looked toward the other two, who were oblivious to everything around them. "I guess not," said Hastings, turning back to Gabriel.

"What's this all about?" asked Sirius.

"Bat-Bogey or Rubber Chicken?" asked Gabriel.

"Canary Crème," said Sirius. "No contest."

"Philistine," said Hastings, "You have no idea what you're talking about."

Odessa joined the conversation. "What's this about, anyway?"

"Well," said Hastings. "I confiscated tons of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes merchandize this week. In fact, I took away more this week than I normally take in a year."

"Halloween's only a week away," Odessa pointed out. "And, it's on a Friday this year. They're probably excited about the school dance…and the possibility to embarrass one another in such a public place."

"I can't believe they get to have a dance," said Gabriel. "When I was here, that never would have happened."

"Speaking of which," said Hastings. "You had to be here when we were. Why did we never meet before?"

"I was four years ahead of you, and a Ravenclaw. I was kind of snobby back then."

"I remember you," said Odessa. "You had your own entourage. There was nothing you could do that would get you in trouble. Us underlings didn't dare talk to you."

"Oh," said Gabe, turning a little red. "I wasn't that bad, was I?"

"You were a ruddy prat," said Sirius. "You'd hang out with me all summer, be my best friend, then all but ignore me at school. Thoughts on your studies, or your friends. You didn't even engage in a little mischief from time to time. What was your problem?"

"Hung around the wrong crowd, I guess," said Gabe with a smile. "Is there hope for me now that I've started to hang around you hoodlums?"

"A little," said Hastings.

"So," said Odessa, "are you guys going to the dance?"

"Of course," said Sirius, "I have to chaperone. Otherwise, I'd have asked you to go with me."

Odessa smiled brilliantly and turned to Hastings, "What about you two?"

"Most likely," said Gabe. "Someone'll probably hurt themselves trying to bust a move…" Hastings nearly spit out her butter beer as she laughed, and hastily wiped her chin. Everyone else laughed at her.

"Hastings," said Odessa, between peals of laughter. "Are you going?"

"Can't," said Hastings. "Professor Greene is harvesting Blood Lilies. They only bloom on Halloween night. She asked me to go with her. I guess she wants the protection of the, uh… resident Kick Ass Witch." The four of them cracked up.

"Sorry you have to do that," said Gabe. "Would've been fun. Tell you what… if things look a little slow, I'll come down and help."

Hastings's heart jumped at hearing him say this, maybe he did like her. "Well, I would be much obliged, Mr. Lupin," she said cheesily.

As they walked back, Odessa grabbed Hastings's arm and pulled her back to talk in semi-private. "I would be much obliged, Mr. Lupin? Laying it on a little thick, aren't we?"

"Oh, be quiet," said Hastings. "It's not like you two weren't nauseating to watch all throughout lunch. 'Oh, Sirius! You're the man of my dreams! I want to kiss you and marry you and have all your little Potter babies, and—'" Odessa punched her hard in the arm, and Hastings shut up.

"Don't even pretend you're not smitten with him," said Odessa.

"He's a friend," said Hastings. "He's funny, and he's not a bore, like what's-his-name."

"Forgotten Falcon so soon?" asked Odessa.

"Yes, thank goodness," said Hastings. "I'm not going to deny that there's a certain… attractive quality about Gabe—"

"Attractive, nothing," said Odessa, "You just want to jump his—"

"But," Hastings interrupted, "I'm done with medi-wizards… no matter how charming they are, and how nicely their eyes glow in the right light, and how cute their… assets are."
"Assets?" asked Odessa, smiling slyly, "Nice term for it. Too bad you won't be at the ball, looking all cute for him in pink dress robes…"

"I wouldn't wear pink if my life depended on it," said Hastings. "Maybe a nice, sleek black dress with a side slit… but never pink."

"I'm willing to bet Lupin loves pink," said Odessa. "Didn't his mother have pink hair all the time?"

"Great, I wear pink and I remind him of his mother. That'll do the trick, Ode. I can see it now…"

"Just a suggestion."

"Why are you on me about this, anyway?" asked Hastings. "Going out with him would ruin things… I get bored too easily, you know that."

"You really have to get over that if you ever expect to be happily married," said Odessa.

"Who said anything about being married? I just want a nice bit of man-candy…"

"Are you two coming?" called Gabe, who was far up the street, talking to Sirius. He turned around and walked backward as he asked them.

"On our way," Hastings called back.

"Just don't want you to get lost," he called back, and winked, flashing them his best smile.

"Mmm-mmm," said Odessa. "Looks like that shouldn't be allowed. A pity you don't just claim him here and now"

"Come on," said Hastings. "He's not my type."

"Yeah, perpetual bedroom eyes, long hair, bad-boy disposition… you're absolutely right. Who'd want a guy like that?" Odessa replied sarcastically.

Hastings stared at Odessa for a moment, unsure of what to say. "Let's just catch up before your lover boy starts wondering if you've left him for me, okay?"

"Well, okay," said Odessa, sounding pathetic, "But my heart belongs to you, you know…"

"Who loves ya, babe?" joked Hastings. The two girls jogged to catch up with the men, and they walked together back to Hogwarts.