Title: The Key To Marauding

Author: Anoron

Chapter: Choosing My Confessions

Disclaimer: All work taken from Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, and all that from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is owned by Joss Whedon. The Hamlet line is by William Shakespeare and 'Choosing My Confessions', as well as the lyrics preceding this chapter are taken directly from Losing My Religion by REM. Ok?

Rating: R/18

A/N: Losing My Religion, part 2... BTW- thanks reviewers, don't forget to check out my journal, address located on my home page!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Choosing My Confessions

Every whisper

Of every waking hour, I'm

Choosing my confessions

Trying to keep an eye on you

Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool

(a fool)

Oh no I've said too much

I set it up

Consider this...

Consider this the hint of the century

Consider this the slip

That brought me to my knees, failed

What if all these fantasies

Come flailing around

Now I've said too much

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream

That was just a dream

Try, cry, why try?

That was just a dream, just a dream

Just a dream, a dream...


"A galleon says McGonagall's gonna be breaking up the Black family brawl in the Transfiguration room," Remus said sardonically to James and Peter as they dressed on Sunday morning.

"Nah, I bet Padfoot and his mum try to throw each other from the Divination tower window," James replied. "Wormtail?"

"Astronomy tower," Peter waged out of the corner of his mouth. He looked around the dorm. "Where is Padfoot, anyway?"

"He's walking Dawn to the Library. I think he's worried that his family will attack her if they get her alone," James explained.

"I'd be watching out for Malfoy, too," Remus muttered, but before any of his friends could be sure of what they'd heard he'd raised his voice and changed the topic. "Come on then. We'll meet him in the Great Hall."

The three Marauders met their fourth at the Gryffindor table and joined their parents for breakfast. Mrs Potter immediately began plying them with questions the moment she noticed the female Marauder was absent.

"Good morning, dears. Where's Dawn?"

"She's at the Library, Mrs P," Sirius answered. "She, er, didn't see the point in sticking around for the parent-teacher interviews this morning."

"I see," said James' mother, with no small amount of sympathy. "was she feeling better at least this morning? She looked so upset when she ran off last night, I really wish I'd thought to check on her."

For a moment, Sirius couldn't help but stop and consider what sweet, lovely Mrs Potter would think if she had gone to check on Dawn, and found the girl in question quite comfortably set up in his bed in only her underthings. "She's feeling better," he assured the woman. "She and I had a bit of a talk last night."

Both Remus and James had scoffed at the use of the word 'talked', though any commentary they wished to make was restrained by the quick glare Sirius shot over the toast he was buttering.

"And you, dear?" Mrs Potter persisted. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," he lied. How he could be fine when he was only half way through what was shaping up to be the worst weekend of his entire life? And now he had to spend the entire morning with his visibly irritated mother and suck-up of a little brother. Sirius bit back a groan, wishing it was Monday afternoon and the torturous visit was drawing to a close. Much as he liked his friends' parents, this was one weekend he would not be sorry to see the back of.

He was startled by Mr Potter clapping him lightly on the back. "Just try not to say too much," the older man muttered the advice in his ear, his voice low to ensure privacy. "It must be hard, but try to keep your head, and don't take anything your mother says to heart. You're a fine boy, Sirius, remember that."

Sirius just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Dumbledore stood to make some announcements as breakfast drew to a close. "Good morning all. Before we begin another wonderful day together, I'd like your attention for just a few moments. As all you students are aware, your parents were given the opportunity to raise any concerns and suggestions with the staff and I yesterday afternoon, while you were enjoying the chance for relaxation... or recreation," Dumbledore added almost casually, with a knowing smile at a very specific group of Gryffindors. The Marauders grinned broadly while their parents just shook their heads, and down the table Isabel giggled at Lily rolling her eyes.

"It is my duty to inform you that due to the rising threat of Voldemort," –there were several gasps and flinches around the Hall- "rules regarding visits to Hogsmeade village have changed. While Hogsmeade weekends will run as scheduled through the day, it has been decided that Hogsmeade nights will no longer occur. This means every student is to be back at the castle by six o'clock, or they may be suspended from further visits to the village."

A collective groan echoed throughout the Hall, though the Headmaster took the displeasure of his students in stride. "That is my final word on the subject. Now, if any of you are unsure of times for your parent-teacher meetings, there is a schedule posted to the notice board in the Entrance Hall. That is all."

"Good luck mate," Remus murmured as Sirius separated himself from his friends. They watched his back straighten and his shoulders set as he stalked off to join his mother and Regulus, before Remus turned to his own parents. "Where are we first?"

His mother scanned a leaf of parchment. "Potions."

"Oh good," Remus replied pleasantly. "I'm curious to know what the Professor who spends nearly every lesson in the potions store thinks of my work."

As it turned out for Remus, there wasn't a single Professor who had a bad thing to say of him or his work. He appreciated the praise and recognition, but with each new glowing report, accompanied by the proud beams of his parents, the werewolf felt the colour in his cheeks deepen just a little more.

By the time his family reached his Arithmancy class, Remus' face was brick red. One look at Lily's blushing face, with just a tiny gleam of pride and satisfaction in those emerald eyes as the Evans family stepped in behind the Lupins told Remus she'd been through much the same routine as he. The Gryffindor Prefects sidled over to one another as the Professor began gushing over them to their parents.

"I didn't think being an 'O' student would be so painful," Lily whispered confidentially.

"If I have to listen to one more 'Remus is a talented student, a delight to teach and a wonderful choice for Prefect', I may just vomit. Or skive off a few classes," he muttered.

Lily snorted. "Trade that 'Remus' for a 'Lily' and I know just what you mean. Without the skiving, of course."

"Of course."

It was then that the pair noticed the five adults in the room looking at them with great pride and hastily mustered their politest, most innocent smiles. When the spotlight was lifted from them, Lily shot a look at Remus and sighed.

"I wonder how the others are holding up."

James was trying to keep a straight face, he really was. But with the extensive list of his crimes and misdemeanours laid out by his Professors, it was all just too funny. At least he thought so, though his parents hadn't been quite so amused. But James was reliving all his greatest pranks and moments of the year thus far through his teachers' reports and had narrowed his 'favourites' list down to a top three.

Now he just needed to decide what his greatest in-class achievement was- Charming all the books in Flitwick's class to serenade Lily Evans for an entire lesson (except for that one book that kept bursting into flame), creating a natural swamp habitat for Hinkypunks in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, or engorging Professor Kettleburn's entire Flobberworm collection to see how big they'd get before exploding. Even his father had had trouble concealing his grin when Professor Kettleburn mentioned that last offence of James'.

He stepped into the Divination tower behind his parents, half expecting Damus to present them with the bill for the crystal ball he'd shattered. Instead, the Professor gave them a pitying look and ushered James' parents into two of her most comfortable seats. James rolled his eyes and began searching for another crystal ball to play with. Anything but the untimely early death spiel. He was just glad he'd warned his mother beforehand, he didn't want her to be upset by the news that according to the Divination Professor, her only child wasn't going to see out his twenties. Damus stared silently at the Potters, as if working up the courage to speak.

"Well what is it, Professor? Whatever James has done, you can't possibly shock us," Mr Potter joked.

The Divination teacher smiled feebly. "Well... young Mr Potter is no Seer, but his class work is usually satisfactory. His Dream Journal, however, contains some disturbing omens..."

"Here it comes," James muttered.

Mrs Potter glazed blandly at the black-clad woman. "Oh? And just what disturbing omens has my son been recording in his little Journal?"

Professor Damus handed Mrs Potter James' thin, sparsely used Dream Journal and she began flipping through the leaves of parchment. "These are mostly dreams about food!" she exclaimed. "Merlin, I was expecting the Grim or some such awful vision!"

A shuddering gasp escaped the Professor, her eyes filled with tears. "Cheeseburgers, the sign of an early death. I'm sorry to be the bearer of such ill news... but I am a Seer, I consider my burden a responsibility to warn those affected of the unhappy future awaiting them," she sighed.

Mr Potter exchanged a glance with James. James shrugged. "How about Dawn? How is she in your class?" Mr Potter said loudly, changing the subject.

Damus seemed to revive instantly. "Dawn is a talent, she shows real potential as a Seer."

Mrs Potter smiled in a sickeningly sweet fashion. "And is her life also to be marked by some great misfortune?"

James sniggered. That last remark of his mother's wasn't exactly helping him in his quest to keep a straight face. His sniggers threatened to become out-and-out laughter when the Professor heaved another troubled sigh. "Miss Summers is indeed stained by death, though I find she bears it cheerfully enough, for the most part. Why so concerned with the girl?" Damus asked curiously.

"Only fair that someone should take an interest," Mrs Potter said softly. She flipped James' Dream Journal closed and dropped it on the table. "Excuse us, we're due in Minerva McGonagall's room in a moment."

The Potters made their way down to the Transfiguration room, passing Sirius and his family, who were just leaving their meeting with Professor McGonagall. Sirius was staring determinedly at his shoes as he walked along behind his mother and Regulus, James swatted his back supportively as the boys crossed paths.

"McGonagall says your discipline needs improving, boy," Mrs Black said shortly as the trio headed towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts room. Regulus was smirking. His disciplinary record was near-prefect.

"She also said my Transfiguration work itself is flawless," Sirius pointed out. Regulus' smirk dimmed.

"Yes," his mother interrupted grudgingly. "Though if I get one hint that... that girl you insist on seeing is jeopardising your OWLs..."

Sirius looked up, scowling. A moment later, he schooled his features to a calmer state, masking the rage bubbling up within him.

"You're just carrying on with her to spite me, aren't you?" Mrs Black snarled.

"No. I also like the way she looks when she's sleeping in nothing but one of my old shirts and her knickers," Sirius returned blandly. He had to fight from keeping the massive grin that was threatening to break out over his face at bay as his mother and brother stopped short, their draws dropping open at the implications of Sirius' words. Let them think what they would.

"Boy, you take pleasure in bringing shame upon our noble name! What my fathers would say if they could see what you're doing to us all!"

The rest of the morning was even less pleasant than usual for Sirius, he concentrated on trying to follow Mr Potter's advice and tune his mother's rants and snarls out. He just thanked Merlin that Potions so often went unsupervised that the Professor couldn't report all the times he and Bellatrix had locked horns in that dungeon classroom. It also didn't hurt that his cousin's pureblood pride wouldn't allow her to admit he'd caught her off guard with that 'scourgify', either.

Sirius was grinding his teeth in anger as he listened to all of young Professor Sinistra's praise for his outstanding knowledge in Astronomy falling on his mother's deaf ears. For a moment he toyed with the idea of trying to shove his mother off the Astronomy tower, but dismissed the notion almost as quickly as it had come. Wasn't his style. There were witnesses. When the meeting with the Astronomy Professor, the last of a very long morning, drew to a close, Sirius took to the stairs without so much as a farewell to his family. He jogged straight to the Library, hoping Dawn was at least near where he'd left her.

He made his way to the table she'd been sitting at. Her bag and all her belongings were scattered around the place, but there was no trace of Dawn herself. Sirius muttered a swear word, his eyes darting around the nearby shelves of books but finding no other signs of life.

"They couldn't have... They wouldn't dare..." he told himself, though his heart had begun to race with all the wild, equally troubling possibilities of the fate that could have befallen Dawn. Without even thinking about it, Sirius drew his wand from his back pocket and took a few steps forward. If someone had got their dirty hands on Dawn, hopefully they'd left a trail so he could track the bastards down and hurt them. A lot.

Sirius was so intent on the path before him that he completely missed the soft footfalls stalking him from behind, gaining on him with each step. A hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder, and Sirius jumped about a foot into the air in shock. With a growl, he whipped about and roughly seized his attacker... whose oceanic eyes grew wide in alarm.

"Dawn! You startled me," Sirius said lamely, releasing his grip on Dawn's arm.

She arched an eyebrow, fighting off a pout as she rubbed some feeling back into the arm. "Paranoid much?"

He dropped his gaze to the floor, abashed. "Sorry. I thought you were somebody else." After a moment's pause, he glanced up hopefully. "Want me to kiss it better?"

With a roll of her eyes, belied by the little smile, Dawn held out her arm and waited patiently for Sirius to be satisfied his lips had completely repaired any damage he might've done. Finally, he looked up and gave her his puppy-eyes look, the one look he knew very well she couldn't resist. But then who could? "All better?"

Dawn smiled. "All better."


"Well, that was officially a nightmare," Remus announced as the four boys plus Dawn lounged around the Marauders' dorm after lunch.

"You're telling me," Sirius muttered darkly and Dawn gave him a swift hug.

James shrugged. "I actually had fun. Remember that old Flobberworm collection of Kettleburn's?" Everybody sniggered at the memory of all the students picking clumps of Flobberworm goo out of their hair.

"I didn't think it was so bad," Peter piped up. "At least my progress report wasn't half as bad as I thought it'd be."

"Progress report?" Dawn frowned.

Peter tossed a roll of parchment in Dawn's direction. It went too high, sailing right over her head, but Sirius reached up and caught it to hand to Dawn. She unrolled it and began to read.

Peter has been making excellent progress in Transfiguration

Peter has been making excellent progress in Defence Against the Dark Arts

Peter has been making excellent progress in Potions

Peter has been making excellent progress in Care of Magical Creatures

Peter has been making excellent progress in Ancient Runes

Peter has been making excellent progress in Charms

Peter has been making excellent progress in Astronomy

Dawn read the seven almost identical reports with raised eyebrows. It was not unlike a student writing 'have a nice summer' in someone's yearbook- this was the teachers' kiss of death, what they wrote when they had absolutely nothing to say.

Dawn forced a smile. "That's awesome, Peter," she told him as she tossed the parchment back, her little white lie justified by the pleased grin that broke out on the chubby face.

"All the OWL and NEWT students got progress reports," James announced, unearthing two rolls of parchment and handing one to Dawn. "Including you."

Remus grimaced. "I think I'll burn mine before Mum tries to frame it."

"I'm keeping mine for documentary evidence of all those pranks we've pulled so far," James grinned.

"I'm keeping mine just to spite my dear old Mum. She'd probably want to use it for toilet paper," Sirius contributed, leaning in to read Dawn's report over her shoulder. "Don't show that to Moony's Mum," he advised when they'd both finished reading it. "She'll probably want to frame it, too."

"Shut up, Padfoot," Remus grumbled.

"Oi- it's the last night with all the parents tonight," James interrupted before any arguments or wrestling matches could ensue. "With them all leaving just after lunch tomorrow, tonight's dinner is their last major meal here... don't you think we should make it memorable for them?" he grinned evilly.

"A prank, Prongs?" Sirius asked, immediately intrigued.

James only smirked.

After an afternoon of hard work and planning, the five wandered into the Great Hall for dinner with the rest of the students and parents looking completely innocent. The meal got underway seemingly without a hitch, Dawn chattered easily away with Mrs Lupin and Mrs Pettigrew, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Remus kept discretely looking at his watch. Finally, the werewolf gave a slight cough, and the others knew it was showtime.

At first nobody noticed anything out of the ordinary. Dawn was dying to look, but James caught her eye and shook his head slightly. If she drew attention to the water slowly trickling into the Great Hall now, she'd as good as give them away. Remus had found a particular silencing charm that kept anyone from focusing on the steady trickling noises, they were all almost ankle-deep in water before people started to notice they were getting wet. There was some panicked yelling out, which Sirius and James joined in just for fun.

"The castle's flooding!"

Dumbledore rose to his feet. "If everybody would please remain calm!" the Headmaster commanded as water began lapping at people's calves.

Instantly, the entire Hall settled and the Marauders all set about pretending not to notice the multitude of accusing stares trained on them. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick all set about finding the mysterious 'leak' the Hall had sprung, just near the front doors. It was a fairly strong spell they'd cast, so it took a few minutes for Dumbledore, who looked truly delighted at the challenge, to figure out how to counteract the damage.

Mr Potter was finding it incredibly difficult to contain his grin. "Well I'm glad that's been taken care of."

Dawn had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing out loud. As soon as one leak was closed, another would spring open in its stead. There were almost thirty of them around the place, in fact, and the Professors were barely half way through by the time the water had risen level with the benches they were supposed to be seated on. Most people had long ago given up on sitting and were now standing on the benches, some looking thoroughly annoyed and some, like the Headmaster, eagerly anticipating where the next little stream would spring from. A couple of water fights had broken out, Remus glanced at his watch and stopped splashing Isabel just long enough to cough twice.

The magical barrier James had placed on the doors prevented all the water from flooding out when they suddenly swung open of their own accord. Dozens of ducks, all decorated in fluoro pink and yellow feathers for the occasion, swooped into the Great Hall and began gliding serenely around the makeshift lake. With a flourish, Dumbledore at last sealed the final leak and the water level evened out at table-height. Most of the plates were floating around like little life-rafts, the ducks were pecking happily at the remains of peoples' dinner while the students and parents who chose not to go for an impromptu swim stood on the House tables and watched.

"Ah," Dumbledore observed. "I think that's done it."

Sensing their indoor adventure was going to be short-lived, the ducks all took to the air, their garishly coloured wings spreading as they flew from the Great Hall just as suddenly as they'd arrived. Both Dumbledore and Flitwick took up their posts on either side of the doors to administer drying charms as people exited.

"Potter! Black! Lupin! Pettigrew! Summers!" an angry voice screamed, and all of a sudden Professor McGonagall was bearing down on them, looking murderous.

The guilty party quickly adopted their most innocent stares, straining to hold them under the glare of the stern Professor, who refused to give the luxury of looking away. Peter broke first. He let out the tiniest squeak of a giggle, but it was enough to set Dawn off, too. In a matter of seconds the other three boys had succumbed to their amusement, James held his hands up in surrender.

"Right, Professor. Well done. You caught us good and proper."

"Potter, right now I'd like to throttle you good and proper," McGonagall thundered. "Five points each from Gryffindor for your immature behaviour, and the five of you will not leave this Hall until it has been perfectly cleaned!"

The teens all shared a self-satisfied look and whipped out their wands. Considering they'd planned ahead, and Sirius had taught them a spell which would erase all their damage in an instant (even the duck droppings, Dawn had to be assured), they'd got off pretty lightly. Or so they thought.

"The muggle way," McGonagall snapped, confiscating all their wands. Five jaws dropped indignantly.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Sirius demanded. The Professor waved her wand, conjuring a handful of mops and buckets and they all groaned.

"But that'll take all night," Peter whined.

"Perhaps you should've considered that before you flooded out the evening meal!"


"So what time did those three sneak down and cheat you all out of detention last night?" Mrs Potter asked Dawn, nodding over the table at the senior Messrs Potter, Lupin and Pettigrew.

"About one thirty this morning," Dawn admitted, stifling a yawn as she sat down for the final lunch with her friends' parents. "I fell asleep just now in Divination. Stupid incense fumes," she added sheepishly.

Remus clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Couldn't even wait for History of Magic like the rest of us."

"I'm passing it off as research for my Dream Journal," Dawn shrugged easily. Sirius' hand was resting lightly on her back, tracing up and down her spine every now and then, Dawn all of a sudden felt it tense against the back of her robes and looked up. Regulus was standing over them, staring coolly down his nose at the Gryffindors.

"Mother wants a word," he said shortly. Without even waiting to see if his older brother was following, Regulus turned and walked straight out the doors of the Great Hall.

Sirius sighed. Not particularly hurrying himself, he drained the rest of his pumpkin juice and helped himself to a generous bite of Dawn's sandwich, some weird combination of peanut butter, ham, and Merlin only knew what all that other stuff was, before slowly standing up. Mr Potter made to rise as well, but Sirius shook his head slightly.

"I'll be back," he said, wandering out to the Entrance Hall to see just what his mother wanted to yell at him about this time.

It felt strangely like a standoff Sirius had once seen in an old muggle Western, with some muggle actor named John Wayne, as he crossed the floor with measured steps until he met with his mother in the middle of the Entrance Hall.

"Mother," he greeted tensely.

"Sirius," she returned, her tone no more relaxed than his. By her side stood Regulus, a smirk of anticipation marked on his pale face. Mrs Black locked gazes with her eldest son and Sirius accepted the challenge, the staring contest of identical eyes lasting for several seconds. Finally, Mrs Black arched an eyebrow and got down to business.

"I'm only going to tell you this once, so listen carefully. You're not to continue to see that disgusting girl, you will break off all contact with her immediately."

Sirius almost laughed. This was her great plan- to order him to break up with Dawn? She didn't actually expect that to work, did she? "Er, mother? I'm only going to tell you this once, so listen carefully," he mimicked, staring the woman down. "Voldemort himself couldn't convince me to break up with Dawn. And you've certainly got no chance in hell of making me do it, so don't even try."

Mrs Black's eyes narrowed. "I'll not tolerate this shame to my noble family, boy," she hissed. "Are you really willing to risk the inheritance of our family estate over a ridiculous case of puppy love with some dirty little American Mudblood? If I didn't disown you over this, you can be sure your father wouldn't hesitate. Consider carefully, boy," she warned.

With a deep breath to steady his rage at the insults to both Dawn and their relationship, and taking a moment to push away the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Sirius carefully composed his face into a smirk.

"Well she is a great kisser," he deadpanned, then braced himself for the storm he knew he'd just brought upon himself.

Dawn, meanwhile, picked absently at the remains of her peanut butter, ham, gherkin and asparagus sandwich, waiting nervously for Sirius to return. Lunch passed them by almost without her realising it, and suddenly Dumbledore was telling the students to farewell their parents and go to class. The parents would be leaving in carriages when the students had cleared the Great Hall. The Lupins and Pettigrews smiled and exchanged polite goodbyes with her, Mr Potter kissed her forehead warmly before his wife drew Dawn into a motherly embrace.

"It's been a pleasure, dear," she whispered. "If you need anything at all, you owl me right away. You promise?"

Dawn nodded, smiling. "I promise Mrs Potter. Thank you."

The four teens went to move off to class, but Mr Potter held James back. "A word, son?"

James waved his friends off. "You guys go on. I'll catch up."

Remus, Dawn and Peter left the Great Hall, but once they stepped into the Entrance Hall, they found themselves in the thick of a crowd of students, all jostling to get a clear view of some spectacle in the middle of the Hall. Dawn shot a quick worried glance to Remus and Peter as they recognised the unmistakeable screeching of Mrs Black. Remus' face was grim as the three of them pushed through to the front row of spectators of the domestic dispute.

"Why can't you just be more like Regulus? I have half a mind to blast you right off the family tapestry!"

Sirius glared up at his mother, on the verge of opening his mouth and daring her to, but he remained stonily silent while Mrs Black ranted on and on.

"You're a disgrace! I'm ashamed of you, boy, no respect for your own family at all! Ungrateful blood-traitor! You'll be nothing! You are nothing!"

Dawn broke. Terrified as she was of Mrs Black, she couldn't take the evil woman's words a second longer. Sirius was shaking. Most only saw the anger in the young Gryffindor, but Dawn, like his fellow Marauders, knew him too well to miss the obvious hurt emanating from Sirius. If this nonsense went on any longer, Sirius would start to believe his mother despite everything. And Dawn would sooner die then let that happen. She strode forwards and took Sirius' face in her hands, forcing his focus from his mother and her hurtful words to her and her loving support.

"She's wrong. Don't listen, it's not true," Dawn whispered feverishly, willing him to believe her. "Just don't listen baby."

Sirius' eyes widened a little in shock. She'd just called him a pet name out here, in public, surrounded by scores of onlookers. Merlin, she usually couldn't even say 'Padfoot' without getting all giggly. Dawn had stretched up to press her forehead to his and Sirius steadied her with his hands on her hips.

"You'll never be nothing, you're already everything to me," she breathed and brushed her lips against his.

There was nothing for it but to kiss her back. So Sirius did. He wrapped his arms tighter around Dawn, drawing comfort from her gentle, loving kisses. Remus and Peter exchanged glances, eyebrows raised, waiting patiently for the now-purple-with-rage Mrs Black to explode. They did not have to wait long.

"Ungrateful filth! Shameful scum!" she shrieked. "If you've really sunk so low you deserve your Mudblood bitch!"

Sirius rounded on his mother, for the first time looking angry enough to strike her. "What did you just call her, you old hag?" he growled.

"Watch it, blood-traitor," Regulus spat, joining in the chaos for the first time. Until that point he had been content just to stand off to one side and watch the show.

"Shut up, little brother. Go back to the dungeon you slithered out of."

"You watch your mouth, boy!"

"My name isn't 'boy', it's Sirius," Sirius snapped. "Y'know, as in the Dog star... Canis Major... ringing any bells here? Think my own mother would at least remember my name!"

"What's going on here? Is everything ok, Sirius?" a new voice broke through, its owner coming to stand beside the quaking boy and his deathly pale girlfriend. Mr Potter placed a calming hand on Sirius' shoulder.

"Everything's just fine," Sirius seethed, his sarcastic voice muffled slightly through his clenched teeth.

"Dawn?" Mr Potter turned to the girl, who could barely manage a dumb nod, scarcely able to believe the scene that was playing out right before her eyes. Even through her disbelief, Dawn still had the instinct to take a hold of Sirius' hand and squeeze it supportively. Sirius calmed the tiniest bit under Dawn's influence, though his eyes still flashed dangerously.

"You kids sure? What's all this fuss about?" Mr Potter persisted.

"Mind your own business, Potter," Mrs Black snapped. "This does not concern you."

Mr Potter glared at Mrs Black, but remained calm and collected. "Actually, both Sirius and Dawn concern me quite a bit," he informed the woman before him.

"Just like all Potters with your meddling ways, forcing your beliefs onto other Wizards' children, corrupting them. Associating with Mudblood trash," Mrs Black sneered, gesturing towards Sirius and Dawn in turn.

"Don't call her that!" Sirius and James roared together. Mr Potter shot his son a look that plainly told him to keep his mouth shut and stay out of it.

"I think we should all just calm down," he suggested pointedly, a steely edge creeping into his voice.

"I agree," a raspier, but infinitely more forceful voice chimed in. Dumbledore stepped out of the ring of spectators and into the fray. "Everybody will please proceed to their next lesson," he ordered, his tone leaving about as much room for argument as McGonagall's usually did.

Dawn and Sirius shared a look and tried to scuttle off with the rest of the students, but Dumbledore halted them with a quick word. "Except for you two. Sirius, Dawn, I'd like a word with you both. Please wait for me in my office."

With a sympathetic look from their friends, who were all departing for History of Magic in the opposite direction, Sirius and Dawn headed slowly for the Headmaster's office. Sirius muttered the password and the gargoyles sprang aside. He pulled Dawn onto the moving staircase and they made their way into Dumbledore's office.

Restlessly, still full of pent up anger, Sirius paced up and down the round room, fiddling with the multitude of gadgets the Headmaster had on display. Dawn winced inwardly, just waiting for her hot-tempered boyfriend to succeed in breaking something, but did not dare nag at him. He had enough to deal with at the moment without adding a nagging girlfriend into the mix, and Dawn figured her little performance had done enough damage to his home life for one day. She squeezed her eyes closed, straining to remember how her day had got so crazy, wondering if she really was in trouble with Dumbledore, if she'd gone and got Sirius in trouble along with her, wanting to ask him if he was blaming her as well...

A warm weight fell on Dawn's knee. She jumped, eyes springing open in surprise. A moment later, the startled expression was replaced with a smile.

"Hey Fawkes," she trailed her fingers over the silky feathers. The red and gold phoenix began to trill out a gentle tune, Dawn felt a great weight lifting off her almost immediately, and on the other side of the office Sirius' agitated movements calmed. With a sigh, he came over and sat beside Dawn, looping one arm around her shoulders and allowing his free hand to lightly pet the phoenix.

That was how Dumbledore found them several minutes later when, having at last seen the parents off (and vowing never to invite them back again as long as a Black was in his school), he stepped back into his office. Fawkes finished his little song and fluttered back to his perch, the two teens on the couch straightened and tried not to look too comfortable together.

"Are you both all right?"

Dawn blinked at the concerned tones in the old Wizard's voice. Ok, so they weren't in trouble then. Good sign. She nodded slightly. "I guess."

"Sirius?"

He shrugged moodily. "Five by five."

"I beg your pardon, Mr Black?" Dumbledore returned, looking a little confused and thoroughly amused by the statement. "What does that mean?"

He shrugged again, though this time it was a lighter gesture. "Don't know, Professor. But the Kitten seems to like using it."

Dawn rolled her eyes and bit back the giggle she felt trying to bubble out of her. She couldn't be quite sure, but it looked as if Dumbledore had tossed her a swift wink. Then he settled in a chair before them, looking grave.

"It is hard for one to find a positive aspect in any kind of conflict, especially when we find ourselves standing against those so close to the heart and home," he lectured gently, his blue gaze boring into Sirius'. "And it is often difficult to know when the ones we are expected to follow lead down the wrong paths. I am proud, Sirius, to see you've distinguished between when and when not to blindly follow old traditions, and it heartens me to know that you do not walk alone," he concluded, extending his look of pride now to include Dawn. Sirius nodded in understanding, fighting to swallow the lump in his throat, and Dawn offered a bittersweet little smile.

"Now, I think you are both long overdue for your History of Magic lesson. And remember: my door is always open," Dumbledore reminded them pointedly.

"Don't you mean your gargoyles are always moveable?" Sirius pointed out, accepting the note to excuse their tardiness. Dawn and Sirius headed out the door together.

"Oh Miss Summers?" Dumbledore called, and Dawn paused in the doorway to cast a questioning glance back at the Professor. His face was completely straight, but his eyes had never been more alight with mirth. "Do try to keep the public displays of affection to a minimum."

Dawn's whole face flushed dark red, her mouth opened as if she knew she needed to respond but had absolutely no idea what to say. Dumbledore's objective had been fulfilled though; Sirius was grinning as he left the Headmaster's office.


Professor Binns didn't even notice Dawn and Sirius' late arrival in his class, nor did any of the sleeping students stir. Completely unnoticed, the pair slid into the last two vacant seats on either side of James and took out quills and parchment. That was about as far as Dawn got to doing any actual work in History of Magic, she laid her head on her hand and stared absently out the window. The weather outside mirrored her mood exactly- it was bleak and grey. Remus had promised the other day that the first snow would fall soon. Dawn was a little heartened by the thought. She'd only ever seen snow once before... a few Christmases ago.

Feeling a little better, Dawn shifted to glance around James, who had a tiny sliver of drool hanging from the corner of his mouth, to chance a look at Sirius. He was diligently taking notes from the background noise that was Professor Binns' monotone. Dawn bit her lip, fretting. A Marauder paying attention in History of Magic was one of the signs of the apocalypse. It was number four on the informal list they'd drawn up the other day, in fact.

Sirius didn't even seem to realise he was being studied. His gaze remained lowered, fixed on the parchment, his shoulders were slumped and his expression heartbreakingly forlorn. Dawn watched him for ten full minutes, racking her brains to come up with a way to take that loneliness away from Sirius... something to make him feel a little loved. Finally, inspiration struck and Dawn snatched up her quill to scribble out a short message.

"Scriptio displacus."

Sirius' quill paused mid-air, a stray drop of ink splattering down onto the parchment. Words had just appeared in the middle of his page, in Dawn's swirly, girlish handwriting.

'Doubt thou the stars are fire.

Doubt that the sun doth move.

Doubt truth to be a liar.

But never doubt I love.'

He had to read it twice through to be sure he'd understood, then a genuine smile broke out on Sirius' face. Who cared if his family were a bunch of prejudiced gits who, by all indications, could not bring themselves to love him anymore? He had Dawn to love him, and she was far more extraordinary than anything the noble house of Black had to offer. He sent Dawn a look of deepest gratitude, she simply smiled and nodded her understanding. Sirius scribbled a note of his own.

'That's really beautiful, Kitten. Did you make it up?'

'No- just borrowed it from Shakespeare. Glad you liked.'

'Shakespeare? That muggle writer? I think I quite like that guy, then.'

'Me too. And just so you know- you know all those times I told you not to diss your Mom?'

Sirius cocked an eyebrow. 'Yeah...?

Dawn's look was laced with unamused irony. 'I take it all back. I was wrong, you were right. She IS an evil cow.'

Sirius laughed out loud. James snorted and jerked awake. He glared at Sirius for daring to disturb him, but Sirius was so busy grinning wolfishly at Dawn, who was smiling back like the lost little lamb being willingly led to the slaughter. Shrugging, James laid his head on his table, not realising he was falling back to sleep in a puddle of his own drool. With a little grin, Sirius continued the conversation in notes.

'Did you realise that back there in front of everyone, you called me baby?'

He quite enjoyed watching the smattering of colour washing over her face as Dawn sputtered over the sentence she'd just read. A minute later, her reply appeared to Sirius.

'Oops. Just kinda slipped out I guess. Sorry.'

'Don't be sorry, Kitten. It was sorta cute. Besides, "Sirius Black, you gorgeous, sexy Love-God, you" is a bit of a mouthful.'

Dawn snorted with laughter. 'You're so weird.'

'So you don't think you'll be adopting that one, then?' Sirius pouted.

Dawn countered his pout with a deadpan stare. 'No. No I don't.'

The pout deepened. 'What if I'm a very good boy?'

The deadpan stare broke, Dawn let out a giggle that almost woke James again.

'We'll see.'


End chapter... now where do we go from here?