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Danielle walked determinedly across the hall to the sitting room in search of a book she had her last time at the manor. Mrs. Weasley had the children working considerably since then cleaning and she doubted it would still be where she remembered. Sifting through one of the untouched piles of books, she was disappointed to not find the tome. Moving to the other side of the room, she quickly scanned the shelves of books there, hoping to find the object of her quest. When that too resulted in nothing, she uttered a small curse under her breath but, unfortunately, the curse came out in Mermish and her simple oath soon filled the entire floor with ear-splitting shrieks.
Sirius, who had stepped in the room moments earlier, clapped his hands over his ears. "Keep your blessed voice down, woman! If you wake up that banshee again, I'm putting you in charge of containing her. And believe me, she's hard to get settled behind those drapes. I still don't see why you had to get out of bed. Do you want to faint again? You're too stubborn for your own good!"
Blinking rapidly, Danielle was surprised at the almost babbling state Sirius was in. It was as if he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. She waved off the thoughts, though, and shot back, "Yeah well, that's a trait common to the people of this house too."
"So you're calling me a stubborn hooligan. How nice of you."
Pausing briefly, she let his sarcasm soak into her soul. He found fault in everything she said. "Forget it," she muttered, returning to her search.
Sirius realized he had stepped too far and kicked himself, yet again. "Dani, I—."
"Magic-Elle!" Bill's voice bombed as he entered the room, slapping Sirius' shoulder as he passed. "Even in Mermish, I'd recognize your voice anywhere."
"Billy! It's been entirely too long! Come give your favorite babysitter a hug."
He complied easily and quickly scooped her in his arms. "What? No kiss?"
They laughed whole-heartedly at the memory, Dani's ears turning a cute shade of pink.
"Care to enlighten the rest of us," Charlie asked as he came in and flopped down on the lumpy sofa on the right side of the room.
Sirius was thanking his stars that Charlie had asked it and not him.
Bill turned to the other two men, his arm resting comfortably around Danielle's shoulders. "When I was a teenager--."
"Bill don't!"
"When I was a teenager and Mum and Dad were still asking Magic-Elle here to baby-sit you brats, I got it in my brain one night that the older--."
"Much older."
"--gorgeous babysitter would be my first kiss. Poor Elle here never saw it coming."
Charlie guffawed for quite a few moments before asking, "What happened?"
Danielle giggled and stated, "I think I said something like maybe if you were older, and scruffier, and could apparate without splinching yourself, then we'd see. It was enough to make him laugh and we forgot about it. But it's been a great ongoing joke."
Sirius narrowed his eyes and licked his lips. "My, my. But then, he's not the only one, is he?" It was barely audible to his own ears.
March 20, 1977
James eyed his friend suspiciously over his bowl of cereal. "You sent her a note?"
"Yeah," Sirius smiled, watching her across the room. She was sitting with a cluster of fellow sixth years who were laughing at something she had just said. Her hair pleated in two loose braids, she seemed content and as if she owned the world. Sirius continued, "By owl. I asked her to meet me in the astronomy tower at midnight."
"My, my. I venture not for homework," Remus supplied, closing his book and placing it beside his plate.
"It's her best subject. I'm using tutoring as a ploy to get her there."
"Not that she really needs that."
"No. But if the professors catch us up there, we'll have an excuse. Tomorrow is her birthday. What better way to start celebrating than with me? And I got her this," he said, pulling out a small box and showing its contents to his friends.
"That's nice, Sirius."
"Do you think she'll like it?"
"Love it," Remus corrected. He stopped his comments when a fourth year came running to them at full force.
"Sirius! James! Remus! Peter got into something in Greenhouse 7 that he shouldn't've. If he goes to the nurse, he'll get detention for sure! You've got to come!"
James sighed, "That boy's going to be the death of me yet."
Danielle watched as Sirius and the others dashed from the Great Hall, no doubt in search of the other Marauder that was always in trouble of some kind. The fluttering of feathers overhead announced the arrival of the post and Dani was all too eager to see if any early birthday presents would come to give the Marauders any more thoughts.
"Scourgify!" Sirius yelled again, determined to wipe out the last of the evidence that Peter had done anything wrong. It had taken the greater part of the morning, but the four had finally turned Greenhouse 7 back to its original state.
"Let's not be trying that little experiment again, shall we?" James demanded, tucking his wand safely back in his robes. "I wouldn't want to report myself to the Head Boy."
"James, that's you."
"Oh right. That's an enjoyable fact, isn't it?"
Sirius smirked, "If we're done dealing with this, I've got a woman to woo."
"Yeah, well, if you woo her anymore, she's likely to find all your faults."
"Never," Sirius yelled over his shoulder as he ran from the greenhouse. He didn't know exactly where she'd be but she was definitely one thing he didn't mind searching for and, knowing her as he did, he easily narrowed the places to a handful, the lake being the first location.
A smile broke across his lips when he saw her form settled near the shore of the lake, a book thrown across her lap. As he neared, he watched as she raked her knuckles across her cheeks and then rubbed them on her robes, something he'd only ever seen her do when she was crying. It made his heart ache to think she was upset. He started to run faster.
As he got closer, he noticed a second figure that had been hidden behind a tree. It was none other than Snivellus. If he had made Danielle cry, Sirius was going to hang Snape up by the toes in the middle of the Great Hall.
But then Sirius' heart stopped faster than his feet could and he found himself tumbling to his knees.
Dani had kissed Snape. Had really and truly placed her lips on his.
Closing his eyes slowly and opening them again, he swallowed hard against the ache in his throat. Surely he was dreaming; what he saw really hadn't happened. But then, she embraced him, wrapping her arms around Snape's neck, looking as if she'd never let him go.
Sirius angrily ran his palms up and down his robes over his thighs trying to decide what to do. He almost bit through his lips trying to keep himself from cursing the reviled Slytherin. And if she thought he was going to give her the satisfaction of running to her demanding answers, she was sorely mistaken! It wasn't just any boy she was cheating on him with. It was Snivellus.
Obviously, she didn't feel for Sirius as he did for her. It was just a game to her.
No matter. He could have any woman he wanted. And he was going to prove that to be true.
Present
"What was that Sirius?" Danielle asked, ducking out from under Bill's arm and going to the closed bureau by the windows. She found success with the second drawer, pulling out the large tome and tucking it in the crook of her arm.
"Er—wha--?" Sirius stumbled, surprised at how much she reminded him of her old school self.
"Didn't you say something?"
He shook his head innocently and offered a half grin. "I guess you found the book?"
Lifting it slightly in her arms, she responded, "Yes. I think it will have the answers I need."
She left the room in four quick strides, leaving the men to talk amongst themselves, not that Sirius was in any mood for talking. He noticed how she still smelled of green apples and sweet pea blossoms. Listening as she descended the steps, he hoped she didn't fall again.
"Sirius?"
Shaking his head clear of painful memories, Sirius looked at Charlie.
"You're a million miles away mate. Care to explain?"
"Ah, just remembering my Hogwarts days."
"Oh? I bet you have some pretty impressive stories to tell. Have any dying to be told?"
Sirius chuckled, "Maybe some other time. I better go see if Danielle's getting into any trouble."
Plunking down the basement steps, Sirius realized too late he was coming in on a heated argument between Danielle and Dumbledore.
"…I really don't think it's a good idea!"
"Ah, but he is best qualified for the task."
"So? I don't want to go with him!"
"With who?" Sirius asked, not afraid to be nosy.
"I've asked Danielle to complete a task for me. And I was hoping that you would escort her."
"I—well, erm--."
"See?" she exclaimed, grateful as Bill and Charlie joined them. "Bill! Bill would be perfect for it."
Dumbledore tilted his head down, looking over his spectacles, giving the eldest Weasley a look that said he better not get involved.
"Sorry Elle, I've got a date tonight."
"With who?"
"Girl that just started at the bank Fleur Delacour."
Danielle groaned in frustration, throwing hers arms in the air. "Fine! I'll go with him. But let it be on your head if we kill each other before we get our job done!" She turned on her heel and stormed up the steps, letting each of them know her frustration.
Sirius felt the others' eyes on him. Turning to them, he quipped, "Well, this'll be a fun trip."
As always thanks to my reviewers and my beta. And thanks to all that are reading and not posting. Maybe this chapter will inspire you to leave a review!
