A/N: Here's the next chapter! The disclaimer is still the same and I hope you enjoy this chapter. To all my reviewers you guys are awesome! Please let me know what you think.

Chapter 6: Words of Wisdom.

He couldn't remember how much time had passed since he tried to kiss Ada, but Sirius had given up on cleaning. As much as she seemed to be succeeding in forgetting, it was much harder for him. Despite knowing Ada for years, Sirius began to notice some new things, the way she bit her lower lip in concentration, even when it was just cleaning, the way she had laughed and joked with him just moments before, her long black hair, how little he still knew or understood about her. Not only that but she was beautiful.

So what was the problem then? If it were any other girl he would've just kissed her right then and there. The challenge would have been fun. But this was a friend. A friend who just happened to be in love with someone else. Why was he loosing his cool then? It was probably that stupid conversation he and his friends had about meeting the right girl…what a laugh! As if there is such a thing!

"I see your getting friendly with Maynard and Evans." Changing the subject would be the best action to take right now. He can pretend that awkward moment never happened. Ada stopped cleaning, observing around her she noticed that she was almost done with her side of the work while Sirius had pretty much done nothing.

"Yes they're great girls. You should get back to work though."

"So when are you going to stop lying to them?"

"About what?" Ada asked, grabbing another vial.

"About your parents."

The vial fell towards the ground, crashing into many pieces. Out of all the subjects he had to bring up…this was the one, he had to choose. Ada knelt on the floor, attempting to pick up the broken pieces, Sirius helping her. He felt a bit guilty about mentioning a subject that was obviously hurting his friend but it was something that Sirius had on his mind for a while. Sometimes being a friend means telling them the truth, no matter how harsh it was.

"Why should I? They don't need to know that! Besides, what's wrong with keeping secrets Sirius? Everyone has them."

"I don't understand you sometimes. It's like there's a wall between you and everyone else! Why don't you stop closing yourself off for once!" He replied, frustrated with Ada's answer. Ever since they've known each other it's always been like this. Ada would let you be her friend up until a point and then she won't trust you with anything else. He knew so little about her, about her past.

"Oh and you don't do the same thing? Admit it. You can't trust anyone that isn't one of your three friends! What makes you that different from me?" She retorted. How dare he! Sure she never told a soul about what happened to her parents but that was her business alone and no one else's. And to top it off, Sirius has never said anything about his family either. Who is he to talk?

"There is a difference between you and I and that's what I don't understand! You know enough about my family to see why I don't talk about them but you? I don't get it! Your father was a hero and you're still ashamed of him!"

Ada turned her back towards Sirius; she couldn't let him see the effect his words had on her.

"He was a hero alright. A hero who went on some useless crusade and got himself killed! He never gave a damn about my brother and me! He never thought about the consequences his words had! He and my mother are dead and Alex and I are in an orphanage! I am not ashamed! I'm angry!"

"You're lucky."

"YOU THINK I'M LUCKY! ARE YOU MENTAL!" She yelled. No mater how horrible his family was, he had a home at the very least. As far as Ada was concerned, Sirius was an ungrateful brat!

But it only took a matter of seconds for her to see why he had said that. She had never seen him look so lost. He had gone back towards his corner of the room and started cleaning although it seemed more along the lines of him taking his anger out on the object he was supposed to clean. Maybe Ada was the one being ungrateful after all.

"You haven't met my family. I'd take the orphanage gladly over them." He finally muttered.

"They must be horrible if you prefer being an orphan." Ada replied sympathetically.

"Your father loved you and your brother enough to fight a war. To fight for a better world where you could be happy. My parents don't a give damn about me, I'm just an embarrassment to them."

Wow. What could Ada say to that? What sort of comfort could she offer to someone who'd never known the love of a family? She'd never seen things the way he had pointed them out to her and for once in her life, Ada stopped feeling cheated in life.

"You don't need anyone to tell you who you are or what are. You are what you are." She said softly, reciting one of her favorite quotes.

Sirius looked up from his task, puzzled. Did she just offer him advice? "Did you come up with those words of wisdom all by yourself?"

"No John Lennon said it. He's one of my heroes and a true poet." She loved John Lennon; To Ada, he was a man who was unafraid to express his opinions and fight for what he thought was right. "There was this one song that my father loved…he used to sing it to me all the time…she added, her tone of voice changing. Ada didn't know why she was telling Sirius all about this, or why she had even remembered this memory in the first place.

"Good choice. We should have a chat about muggle music sometime." Somehow, the vision of Sirius Black blasting muggle music just to make his mother scream wasn't that hard to believe. "I happen to know quite a bit about it."

"I'd love that. You're a good person Sirius don't let anyone ever tell you differently."

"Thank you." He was sincerely flattered by what Ada had said. Not many people had told him that throughout his life besides his friends.

"Don't go getting soft on me now Black."

"Never." He laughed, throwing his rag straight at her face.

"You're going to pay for that!"

They were both surprised at how quickly their relationship has turned back to normal after both an awkward moment and an argument like that. Ada even helped Sirius finish his side of room, even though he had slacked off most of night. Soon after it was time to head off to bed and both of them walked back, laughing at a story of Sirius and James' last detention.

"Well, here's where I have to leave. I had fun." Ada turned towards the staircase ready to jump into bed but Sirius grabbed Ada's arm, pulling her closer to him.

"Don't close yourself from them; they have a right to know what happened." He said kissing her softly on the cheek "Goodnight Ada."

"Goodnight." Ada watched him leave towards his room, jumping two steps at the time. She put on hand on her cheek, where Sirius had just kissed her. Trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach once more, she made her upstairs where Lily was waiting for her.

"How was detention?"

"The usual." Ada shrugged, she sat on her bed, ready to fall asleep when she glanced at the only picture she had on her desk, the last picture her family had taken together. She carefully traced the image, trying to remember long forgotten memories; her father, strong and compassionate, her mother, beautiful and kind. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, Ada couldn't forget the last thing Sirius had said just minutes before. Why did he have to be right! She hated when he was right!

"Lily, do you think you could wake Claire up and meet me downstairs? I have to tell the both of you something."

"Sure Ada. I'll meet you downstairs."

Sirius made his way into room ready to jump into bed. What the hell compelled him to kiss her? Even if it was on the cheek! Well, if he was quiet enough he could just jump into bed and avoid explaining things to James, Remus and Peter.

'Hey! What took you so long!"

"I got held up. How was detention with Snivelly?" He asked, getting ready for bed, hopefully James wouldn't notice something was wrong and he could forget about what he just did.

"Don't even ask!"

"And that's the whole thing. I'm sorry that I lied to the both of you about everything." Ada finished her story, waiting for both of her friend's reactions. Surprisingly they weren't angry at all.

After wiping her tears, Lily hugged her friend tightly, overcome with emotion over her story. Ada was surprised at Lily's display of affection for her and couldn't help but wonder why?

Claire also hugged her but not before letting her in on a little secret first…

"We were wondering when you were going to tell us."

"What?" Maybe she didn't hear them correctly. Did they already know?

"What Claire means to say is that we already knew that you were an orphan we just didn't know the circumstances."

"You knew? The both of you?" Ada asked in disbelief.

"Yes we did. We also knew that you'd come around and tell us when you were ready." Claire smiled, she looked genuinely glad to have it all out in the open.

"How did you know?"

"My father is the editor for the Daily Prophet. I figured I'd pay attention to what's in the papers every once in a while and I came across a story that mentioned your parents." Still shocked, she had to admit that she was beat at her game by Claire Maynard of all people!

"And it's alright. We're your family now, anything you need you have us to turn to alright?"

"Thanks Lily" Ada replied; Now she was the one overcome with emotion. Her friends had come through for her once more, and she loved them even more for it. She hugged both of her friends tightly but her thoughts drifted to her other friend, the one who had made all of this possible.

"Thank you Sirius." She thought to herself, while idly wondering if he was thinking about her too. Not that she'd ever tell him.

Next Chapter: A plan begins to unfold and take shape. Alex and Ada get one step ahead in their quest for revenge but it's not as easy for Ada as she thinks. Please Review