Chapter 12

The next week passed by uneventfully. Rodger and I agreed to to go to Hogsmeade that Saturday which I was actually quite excited about. I missed the last Hogsmeade weekend so it was my first visit since returning to Hogwarts.

Lily and I were sitting under the beech tree one afternoon, soaking up the cool breeze by the lake.

"So what are you and Rodger planning to do this Saturday?" She asked conversationally. She had been rather polite about the whole ordeal with Rodger, not the in the excited flap that I expected her to be in.

"Just Hogsmeade. I'm guessing we'll just be doing normal things all day. I just hope he doesn't take me to Madame Pudifoot's. I don't think I could deal with that again." I had only been in that dreaded tea store once. But the time I did, I nearly vomited from all the pink and kittens.

"That would be a deal breaker wouldn't it" she laughed. "Can I ask you something and you can't get mad?"

My scarf had flown a few feet away and I was just reaching for it when I stopped to straighten up and look at her "of course! Shoot."

"Well, do you honestly just think of Sirius as a friend? Because I think he really likes you"

"Of course he does, we're friends, I like him too." Yep I was playing dumb. She just rolled her eyes and stared at me.

"You should have seen the way he was looked at you that day in the hospital wing when you agreed to go on a date with Rodg."

"I did." I drew my knees to my chest and rested my head on them. Staring out towards the lake, I hoped I was giving Lily the body language that said I didn't want to talk about it and she should drop it. No such luck.

"Look, I just think maybe you should think things through once again."

"Lils," I turned to face her, "you know me, I wouldn't go out with a guy if I didn't like him. I'm not playing around. It's been confusing lately but now it's clearer than ever that me and Sirius are just friends. That's all. And it's good that way, there's no complication."

She sighed, "alright, as long as you're sure."

I smiled at her, "I am."

"Knight to E5. Check mate." Remus grinned.

"You always win! How do you do it!?" I demanded, defeated for the 6th time in a row

"Skills, Bells."

"Alright you two nerds and everyone else, listen up. It's my birthday next week so what is everyone planning on doing for me?" I looked up to see a very brat-looking Sirius standing on the couch. He was looking around the room expectantly.

"Mourning the day you were born." Muttered James as he went back to his sleeping position across the large red couch. Sirius pegged the largest cushion at his head, landing him right in the face. "HEY!"

That got me thinking. What was I going to get him for his birthday? Ugh! Boys are so difficult. Maybe I could get him something while I'm at Hogsmeade with Rodger.

"Bells!" I looked up suddenly as Remus waved a hand in front of my face. "7th time lucky?"

I was walking along the corridors, humming to myself, I was in a good mood as I had just paid a visit to the kitchens and now my pockets were full of pumpkin pasties and I cheerfully greeted all the paintings as I made my way to Charms.

Some movement outside caught my attention and as I stared out through the window I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, I collided with someone and my books and parchment ended up scattered across the floor.

"Watch where you're going blood traitor." A cold voice sneered. I looked up. Regulus.

Without uttering a single word, I bent down to gather my belongings and stuff them into my bag. The last thing I needed was to spoil my good mood with a confrontation with Sirius' little brother.

So you can imagine my surprise when, after a moment, he hesitantly bent down and began to pick up my quills and hand them to me.

"Thank you" I said bewildered. He didn't meet my eyes, just rushed off in the opposite direction.

I pondered this strange exchange all the way to class, and continued to think about it until about half the class was over.

"Ah Mr Black and Mr Potter. You've decided to join us at last." Professor Flitwick said in a rather exasperated manner.

"Sorry sir, we made it as fast as we can, but we missed breakfast this morning, and you know how it is, you turn rather sluggish when you miss the most important meal of the day!" James grinned as he swaggered over and sat in front of me with a wink. Sirius followed suit and took a seat next to him. They both ignored the professor's mutterings of "but the both of you were at breakfast this morning, I swear it!"

A rise in the volume of chatter informed me that the professor had stepped out of the classroom for a moment, presumable on some task to collect some equipment or props. I put my head down on the desk and was about to doze off when I felt a something soft placed on my head. I lifted my head to see someone had put my scarf on my head. I looked straight up to see Sirius grinning at me.

"My scarf! But I left it down at the lake earlier today, when I was with Lily!"

"Yes, and I've quite obviously retrieved it for you." He said mockingly, but not unkindly. "It was halfway up the beech tree when James and I saw it, he had to give me a boost to reach it. Almost dropped me a few times. So as you can see, I risked my life for this scarf and now you owe me the debt of my life, how are you planning on repaying me darling?" He leaned in and gave me a smirk.

Ignoring all of the last part of him speech, I looked up "That's what I saw outside the window! I don't owe you much because I bumped into your brother Regulus while I was watching you two up that tree!" I said it good-naturedly but his face immediately became serious the moment I mentioned Regulus.

"Did he do anything? Say anything to you?" He said, his face a stoic mask.

"Uh, no actually he helped me pick up my think funnily enough." I said, momentarily caught off guard by his change in tone. I consciously left out the part where Regulus had called me a blood traitor.

"Good." We descended into a silence and I was still quite surprised at his coldness.

"How did you know the scarf was mine? I don't have my name on it." I asked, hoping to break the tension. It seemed to do the trick as his shoulders relaxed and his face softened.

"Because of this part where a chunk has been taken off here" he said, holding up the scarf, "because of James' cat."

James turned around with lightening speed "Perkins is innocent, he would never do such a foul thing as chew a scarf, I've brought him up better than that." Sirius and I rolled our eyes.

And he didn't stop defending his cat through the rest of class.

More reviews means more updates guy! Review, review, review!

- Sugar