Chapter 2

Feeling the nauseating pull of floo travel was truly something one simply cannot get used to. As I arrived at a discarded fireplace within Diagon Alley, I was in an awkward half sitting position. It's safe to say I haven't mastered the whole tuck-in-your-elbows-and-stand-straight thing.

Sirius reached out a hand and helped me up. "You know, I'm sure we could see to riding you in on a broom like all the other kids who can't use the floo yet" He grinned. I swatted at his arm. His toned Beater's arm.

Anyway…

"Now Bella, make sure you purchase a new Potions book. And don't misplace this one this year!"

"Yes mum" I droned.

Mumbling something about my tone, mum promptly left with James' mother, no doubt to some coffee shoppe.

"Alright, let's get ice cream!" I said immediately after they left. James ruffled my hair.

"Always the same" Sirius said with a smile, "alright hold my hand dear" he joked.

Inside Florean Fortescue's Ice cream parlour, we sat at a table happily licking our sugary treats, when I heard someone clear their throat above me. Looking up I saw Gilderoy Lockhart, a pompous 7th year student who, for some reason, was smiling down at me.

"Hi" I said politely, giving him a quizzical stare.

"Hello Bella, how are your holidays going? Mine are amazing, Father took me on a trip to Alaska, you simply must hear what I did to a hideous ghoul we came across in a particular cave. Safe to say He's never coming back anytime soon" He guffawed. Unsure how to react, I look across to the boys. James wore an equally dumbfounded expression as me, whereas Sirius seems to be chewing his jaw and staring hard at Lockhart's face.

"-It really was quiet the adventure, but not nearly equal in comparison to what happened to me by the Amazon River last summer holidays. Say, why don't you accompany me around the Alley for a while and I'll fill you in on everything? You lads don't mind eh?" He said without even looking at the guys.

"We most certainly do mind. We have things to buy. Come one guys we've wasted enough time, almost half the day is gone" Sirius then pulled me out of my chair and dragged me out of the shop, tailed by a protesting James and leaving a bewildered Lockhart behind.

"Wow time flies eh Sirius? Almost half the day is gone and it's only 10 in the morning!" James said with a knowing smile on his face. He was silenced by a withering stare by Sirius.

"That was random" I said thoughtfully after a few moments. "I don't think we've ever had a conversation exceeding five words before.

Sirius gritted his teeth. "He's a knob."

"BELLA!" I spun around to the form of my best friend, Lily Evans sprinting through the crowd towards me.

"LILY!" We embraced and began immediately engaging in the niceties usually exchanged when two friends have been united after a good few weeks.

"Where's my enthusiastic greeting Evans?" James sauntered over. "And a hug like that couldn't hurt either" He said with a cocky smirk. I internally rolled my eyes. Here we go. Time to magically become a nervous twat and have a cry later.

Sure enough, after a few choice phrases by Lily, we left James to mope to Sirius and headed to Flourish and Blotts.

After purchasing my potions book, I filled Lily in on what happened with Lockhart at the ice cream parlour.

"Bells! He's so obviously interested! And he's just broken up with Mindy Brookworth as well!"

"So?" I turned to her incredulously. "Are you suggesting I get together with that pumpkin?"

"Hmm...No" She said thoughtfully. "He's a bit of a pompous idiot. And how will you ever end up happily with Sirius if you go with Lockhart?"

"Oh God Lily, stop." I interjected. Lily was under the demented impression that Sirius and I were made for each other. Once she started explaining her theory however, I quickly learnt the quickest way to shut her up was to mention something about her and James.

"You know James was right, I wouldn't have hurt to give him a little hug. I mean you haven't seen each other in weeks!"

"Oh sod off."

The rest of the holidays passed by without much excitement. Many more quidditch tournaments and muffin consuming occurred, letters between me and Lily which James would try and steal, and finally we've arrived at the morning of the first day of school. The anticipation was soon converted into frustration as we all rushed about the house getting our things together. About a half hour later, we piled onto two family broomsticks while James' Dad and mine took our luggage by Ministry transport.

After waving goodbye to our parents, the train set off and we settled into a compartment with Remus and Peter. Idle chatter occurred about our holiday activities when suddenly a hurricane blew into our compartment. Oh sorry, I meant Abigail Florence. Also known as Abigail never-shuts-up Florence, also known as Abigail makes-you-want-to-kill-yourself Florence, also known as Annoying Abigail, also known as Nonsense Florence. Oh, and also known as Sirius' current flame.