A/N: For those of you already following this story, I've updated the first chapter with a little note from myself, if you're interested. Nothing crucial. I'm realizing I've fallen into the trap of starting a story just before returning to my lovely (and not at all excruciatingly painful) university studies, so updates have slowed. Together, we trek on.

Lyra walked out of McGonagall's Transfiguration class, she felt the most confident she had in years. There had only been one question on the exam that she had been unsure about, but even though she could not recall the specific details of the spell, she had at least recognized its name. On some of the more theory-based questions, she had even run out of space to write her responses.

"That was brilliant, wasn't it?" Lily asked as she, Lyra, and Marlene walked out of the classroom.

Emmeline had run off in the opposite direction for Ancient Runes, while the three other girls had a free period.

"I think I did alright," Marlene said. "I knew, like, half the questions without a doubt, and only a few of the rest were pure guesswork. Nothing like you, Lyra." She sent a teasing glare. "I don't think I heard the scribble of your quill stop the entire time!"

Lyra's cheeks were tinged a light shade of pink. "What can I say? My extra library time has been paying off."

"I'll say," Lily laughed. "Maybe I ought to start joining you."

"No!" Lyra said, perhaps a little too quickly. She did her best to cover it up. "I mean, the best way for me to learn is to teach you afterward. If you start studying with me the first time, I'll never understand it fully, I'm sure."

"I'll keep Lily out of your hair," Marlene piped in. "So long as you start teaching me, too."

Lyra smiled. "It's a deal."

The girls continued walking. They had a some time to kill before their next class, and the wind outside made for a bitter October day. Wandering the castle corridors was the best option they had for unwinding post-exam.

"Oh, Lyra! Did Lily tell you the big news?" Marlene asked.

Lyra gasped. "Who's the father?" She got a smack on the shoulder for that one.

"You cow!" Lily giggled. "And you, Marley! Don't you go exaggerating!"

"I'll be the judge of any exaggeration. Spill," Lyra said.

Lily rolled her eyes and stopped walking. The corridor was deserted, lessons being in session. She swooped down on an alcove under a large window, whose edges were dusted with a foggy film.

"Last night, while you were in the library, I was sitting in the common room doing some light reading – "

"Because Curse-Breaking and Corpses is light reading," Marlene interjected.

"Oh, hush!" Lyra told her. "Go on, Lily."

Lily sighed. "Well, there I was reading when Remus came over to discuss prefect-related things. A few minutes later, Ja – Potter came and sat with us. It was on the same sofa, but the other side. Most of the other seats in front of the fire were taken, so I suppose I can't blame him for that. Anyway, he just sat quietly, not paying any attention to us. Soon though, Remus left to work on Potions homework."

"If this is another one of those 'But he was there' moments, I swear…" Lyra warned.

"It's not!" Lily said. "He didn't say anything at first. I went back to reading for what must have been twenty minutes, and he just sat there. But he didn't so much as glance at me – "

"Only one way she'd know that," Marlene whispered to Lyra.

Lily ignored the interruption and continued. "It was as though he was thinking, which I thought him incapable of. Eventually, when I couldn't stand it any longer, I asked him what was on his mind that had him looking so serious."

"You did what?" Lyra almost shrieked, before remembering that there were likely professors nearby that would not appreciate it. This was entirely new ground for the two of them. Lily had never started a conversation with the boy for any reason other than to tell him to stop staring.

"Curiosity got the better of me." Lily shrugged and began tracing shapes in the stone wall she was leaning against. "He told me that his mother's birthday is coming up, and he hadn't the faintest idea what to get for her. The conversation jumped around a bit. We must have talked for nearly an hour before I realized what I was doing and got out of there."

Lyra was positively beaming, and it was all she could do to contain her excitement. James was starting to grow on Lily, and though she was still adverse to the effect the boy was having on her, she was clearly not immune. Lyra knew it best to make as little a deal out of this development as possible, in hopes of not scaring off Lily – who was still speaking.

"Did you know his father has invented a fair number of well-liked hair potions?"

"Fleamont Potter," Lyra and Marlene said at once.

Lily blanched. "How did you both know that?"

"I've been known to use Sleekeazy's s Hair Potion from time to time," Lyra told her with a shrug.

"We weren't all born with naturally perfect hair, Lils," Marlene agreed.

"I'd advise against you using it, anyway," Lyra added. "Supposed to produce mixed responses in redheads." She grinned when Lily's mouth opened, apparently offended. "I'm serious!"

There came a tutting sound from behind Lyra. She saw Lily's eyes narrow and arms cross. At the same time, Marlene only turned her head slightly and scoffed. Confused, Lyra whirled around.

A few yards away stood Sirius, a nervous looking Peter at his side. Lyra bit back a hiss. Couldn't she go anywhere without his sauntering up and complicating it? She backed up until her shoulder blades were just grazing the wall beside Lily, who was not yet standing.

"You should know," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "that it pains me to say this. It really does, but I mustn't ignore my obligation." He took several steps forward, hands in pockets. "I think you will find that I, in fact, am the 'Sirius' one here."

"If I cast the Killing Curse in front of a mirror," Marlene said, sidestepping Sirius and looking back over her shoulder at Lyra and Lily, "reckon I can get it to bounce back at me?"

"Wouldn't need the curse, love. Might well catch sight of your own reflection and waste away unable to tear your eyes from the reflection," Sirius said to her.

"Oh, so he's clever!" She up a hand in front of her mouth, feigning astonishment. "Who knew he could put that tongue to another use?"

Lyra looked past where the two of them were bickering. Peter still stood where Sirius had left him. His eyes were wide and his hands fidgeted. She wondered why he followed James and Sirius around like he did when he seemed so uncomfortable with everything they got up to. She looked back at Lily, glad that she had friends whose company she enjoyed, and who genuinely appreciated hers in return.

Lily set her shoulders and moved toward Sirius, grabbing Marlene and pulling the girl so that she was now separated from Sirius by Lily's body.

"If you'll excuse us, Black, we were just on our way. I suggest you be on yours." She spoke if a quiet voice, but it was laced with ice.

Sirius looked as though he wanted to say something spiteful, but he clenched his jaw and stared down at her instead. With a huff he brushed past her and toward Lyra. She was leaning against the cool stone wall, and he moved until he was standing directly in front of her, his arm extended so that his hand clutched at the stone directly beside her head.

"Hello," he breathed.

"I will slap you," she warned.

He chuckled, but made no attempt to move. "Done alright in McGonagall's this morning?"

"Would you be quiet?" she murmured.

He studied her face for a moment before the smoky pools settled on her own eyes. She watched as they flicked back and forth. It made her blink. When he spoke, it was such a low murmur that she had to lean forward to decipher the words.

"Fancy a celebratory – gah!"

Lily had pulled at the crook of his elbow to knock him off balance while Marlene had pushed from the other side. He only stumbled on one step before regaining his balance.

"We'll be on our way," Lily told him.

She grabbed Lyra's hand and tugged her away and down the hall. Only three sets of feet could be heard clattering down the corridor, which meant that the girls were not behind pursued. As they rounded the first corner, a light-hearted, barking laugh could be heard echoing off the walls behind them.

They reached the common room quickly, likely due to the tendency for the pace of angry women to exceed that of level-headed ones when exiting a scene. And all three girls were fuming.

"He just thinks he has something to prove because I wouldn't sleep with him!" Marlene growled as she threw herself onto her bed.

"The nerve!" said Lily, pacing the room. "Never thought the day would come I'd find someone more inconsiderate than James Potter!"

"Hm," Lyra said, agreeing with them both. She couldn't very well complain that he'd almost given away the fact that she'd been lying to them for weeks.

"I need to go for a walk," Lily said. "I'll see you in Defence, okay?" She was out the door before either girl had time to respond.

Lyra went to sit on her beg and hugged her pillow. She had been reckless lately, and really, she would have deserved it had she been found out. Apart from her little escapade with Sirius the night before, she had spoken to him in corridors and occasionally in class. Well, he had spoken to her. As much as she tried to ignore the boys at all times apart from Thursday nights in the library, she couldn't seem to shake him. She was certain Emmeline had noticed it, though she was too preoccupied with her class marks to care. Had Lily not had so many run-ins with James as of late, Lyra was convinced she would suspect something.

"Oh, Lyra, I'm sorry! I've been totally focusing on me," Marlene brought her out of her silent speculation. "We need to figure out what you're gonna do!"

Lyra's eyebrows pushed together. "About what?"

"About Black! Now that he seems to have settled on you as his new play thing – "

"Where on Merlin's good earth did you come up with a notion like that?"

Marlene rolled her eyes. "Come on, I know how he thinks. Once he decides what girl he wants, he's got a pretty straightforward strategy. Chat her up in the corridors – no, don't try to deny that – and completely invade all personal space. What else would you call what he did to you just now?"

Lyra stood up and threw her pillow down onto her bed. Marlene was being ridiculous. He was merely being friendly. If she knew about the tutoring sessions with James, she would be able to see that.

"It's not like he flirts with me!" She backtracked. "Well, at least not anymore than he flirts with everyone else… Even McGonagall's on the receiving end from time to time."

"I'll pretend that's true. But there's one trick he only pulls out when he really wants to impress one of his birds."

Lyra placed her hands on her hips.

"Remember the night he took you down to the kitchens?"

"That was an apology for his acting like a complete prat!"

"And I'm a hippogriff," Marlene said. "Look, I'll lay off it. It's no skin off my back who he drools over, and you're smart enough to stay away from him." She picked a textbook out of her bag and began flipping through the pages. "Just don't say I didn't warn you. All guys like that want it to get up your robes."

Lyra followed suit and worked on a Charms essay until it was time to leave for Defence. She had a difficult time keeping her eyes focused on the paper as she thought about what Marlene had said. The other girl had gone with Sirius for just over two weeks, so she was bound to know something about him.

Shortly later, Lyra arrived in class to find that Lily was there, and she looked a lot calmer than she had before. They were a few minutes early, and the only other students in the room were of an assorted variety of the non-Gryffindor houses.

Lyra sat next to her, while Marlene occupied a seat in the row behind.

"Feeling better?" Lyra asked. "I didn't know Black could get so under your skin."

"I'm fine," Lily assured her. "If I'm being honest, I was more put off by the thought of Potter."

When Lyra only looked at her in confusion, Lily looked around at the surrounding desks. There was a Ravenclaw on her other side, but the curly-haired boy was paying no attention, his nose buried in a book while he scribbled notes onto a piece of parchment. Lyra wondered how he could do that without looking up. Lily looked back toward her friend and leaned in.

"I think… I think I don't hate Potter," she muttered. "It's just that I was so furious at the way Black was acting, and it reminded me so much of him, but he wasn't even there! When is he not there when I'm being harassed? And then I tried to remember the last time he was there for a similar incident. He hasn't done anything that bad since sixth year, and even then it was sporadic… The last month or so he hasn't done anything and – and…"

"Lily Evans," Lyra said.

"What?"

"Is that what had you so bothered? That he's growing up? It's okay. There's nothing wrong with being friends – friendly," she amended, for Lily had glared. "I'm just saying that it's alright to give him a chance now that he's starting to deserve one."

"Give him a chance," Lily repeated slowly.

Lyra smiled to herself as the classroom began to fill. Lily never admitted to anything she had not thought quite a lot about. This could very well be the beginning of a trek across unchartered waters.

Class passed without incident, and even Sirius had the brains to stay away from the Gryffindor girls as the class broke into partners for mock-duels. Lyra noticed Lily cast a few cursory glance at James, and on the occasion that he saw her looking, he sent a small smile her way before turning back to cast a shield charm. Lily only looked down, her cheeks a distinct shade of pink.

Saturday morning, Lyra and the other Gryffindor girls found themselves in the Great Hall discussing the day's plan over a leisurely breakfast. It was a Hogsmeade Weekend – a fact which had completely escaped Lyra's notice with all of the extra study time she had been putting in to prepare the previous day's Transfiguration exam.

Marlene wanted to shop for some new robes, Emmeline planned to look over the new additions at her favourite bookshop, and Lily would be stocking up on Honeyduke's treats. Lyra wasn't partial to any shop in particular.

"I've made the mistake of shopping with you, Marley, and it's never happening again," Lyra said. "My arms were sore for days after all of the things you filed into them!"

Marlene rolled her eyes and grinned. "Well, any one of you would only slow me down."

"And no one is invited to come me smile," Emmeline said, no trace of a joke in her voice. "I need to read plenty of excerpts before I settle on anything, and I shan't be distracted."

The three other girls exchanged amused glances. Sometimes Lyra wondered if Emmeline only tolerated them most of the time.

"I guess that leaves you with me," Lily said with a grin. "And we can all meet at noon in the Three Broomsticks?"

Everyone agreed enthusiastically, and soon they were on their way.

Lyra and Lily spent their time perusing the shelves of Honeydukes. Chocolate frogs were a must for the dorm, and Lily never returned from Hogsmeade without a hearty supply of Sugar Quills. Still, there was only so much time one could spend in a sweets shop. Lyra grabbed a handful of Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties before heading to the counter pay and exiting the building.

They stopped in Zonko's and browsed the shelves. Even after three years of going to Hogsmeade, the joke shop never failed to surprise Lyra with the ingenuity of its products. Neither she nor Lily were much of a prankster, but perusing the joke never failed as a fun way to pass the time.

It was still ten minutes until the designated meeting time, but the two girls decided it best to head to the pub and secure a table before the lunch rush got too heavy. When they got inside, it was a welcome warm compared to the bitter wind outside. They had been right to come in early, as there were still a few tables open. Most were taken by other Hogwarts students, and after spotting James and Sirius in the corner, the girls settled for the open table closest to the door.

They sat chit-chatting while sharing a Chocolate Frog, which was accompanied by another Albus Dumbledore collectable card, before Lyra walked to the bar to retrieve drinks for herself, Lily, and their soon-to-arrive roommates. She placed her order with the barmaid, Rosmerta, and leaned her elbows on the bar top to wait for the striking woman to fill four mugs with Butterbeer.

The bar was buzzing with chatter, the lights dim, and the bell over the door chimed occasionally as more people entered to escape the cold October air.

"Need any help with those?" an all too familiar voice said from just behind her shoulder.

Lyra whirled around, which she regretted instantly. Sirius' face was much closer than she had been expecting as he leaned down toward her. Thinking of her conversation with Marlene in their dorm the day before, she sighed.

"What d'you want?"

Sirius straightened up and placed his hands in his trouser pockets. He studied her for a moment, and Lyra stared back at him.

"You're not still upset about yesterday?"

"Why would I be upset? You only acted like a like an antagonistic git for no purpose other than to use our annoyance to fuel your ego." The words were harsh, but Lyra couldn't bring herself to put any force behind them.

Rosmerta placed the Butterbeers on the bar, with a quick "There you are, dear." Before Lyra could even turn back around, Sirius had placed a few coins beside the drinks.

"It's on me," he said to Lyra. "Keep the change," he added with a wink in Rosmerta's direction.

Lyra made to push herself away from the counter (as she had been leaning against it), but when her hands grasped the edge of the surface, Sirius' right hand covered hers, preventing her from moving.

"What've I really done?" he asked.

"If you don't let me go, Lily will just come over here herself," she warned.

He didn't move. "She's preoccupied at the moment."

Lyra leaned to the side so she could see behind his tall frame, and she saw that he was right. James was standing beside the table where Lily was waiting, and they looked to be in the middle of a conversation. Lyra rolled her eyes at the irony. Of course this was one of the rare occasions that Lily was choosing to interact with him alone. Lyra looked back at Sirius.

"I'm not going to tell you what's wrong," she said, "so you may as well let it be."

His face was closer to hers again, and she had a hard time thinking of evidence to prove Marlene's theory wrong. She attempted pull away, glaring down at his hand and silently cursing whatever muscles in his arm kept it there so easily.

"Lyra. Look at me."

"No," she said, but then lifted her gaze despite her intentions.

This time his nose was mere inches from hers, and she flinched away. At that he seemed to find reason to pause his previous train of thought.

"Since when do you shy away from me?" he asked, leaning back. "What happened to the girl who punched me awake when she woke up in my bed?"

Lyra's teeth clenched. She wished he wouldn't say things like that so publicly. Not to mention, she hadn't punched him.

"That was before," she mumbled.

"Before what?" When she didn't respond, he repositioned his head to meet her averted gaze. "Before what?"

She didn't want to tell him. It wasn't as though he had no clue what he was doing. Even now, he stood occupying almost all of her personal space, and he may as well have been holding her hand. She may not have understood each of his intentions, but she knew Marlene was inexplicably correct about one thing she had said: Lyra was not stupid enough to fall prey to his game.

Her eyebrows lowered as she looked at him. "Before Marlene told me that the only reason you talk to me is because you have ulterior motives," she snapped.

His eyes widened for the briefest of moments. "Merlin," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. The hand that was holding Lyra's down slackened, and she took advantage of that to free herself and cross her arms. "How'd she figure it out?"

"Probably wasn't too hard given how you did the same thing to her."

"Sorry?" he asked.

"What, someone's used a memory charm on you and you've suddenly forgotten toying with Marlene for a fortnight?"

She straightened her back and held her head a bit higher. She thought she had finally learned a lesson that had been seventeen years in the making. There was no use in avoiding what was happening around her in favour of comfort, and this was a situation that required her to stand her ground.

"Is that what you think?" Half a chuckle escaped his mouth. "Lyra, I'm not trying to get you in bed… Well, given our history, I should rephrase. I'm have no interest in shagging you."

He looked amused, his usual air of confidence settling around him like a heavy, velvet cloak and finished off with a crown atop his head. Lyra looked at him for less than a second, but the smug set of his lips brought heat rushing to her cheeks.

"I need to get back to Lily," she mumbled, turning to grab the all but forgotten Butterbeers on the countertop.

"Wait!" he said, twirling her back around. "Don't take that the wrong way. Please. I only meant that's not the reason I've been spending time with you."

She glared at him. "What's the reason, then?"

"Who says I need a reason?"

"You just did!" she insisted. "But alright, I'll move on to the next question. Why won't you let me go back to my table?"

"Lily's got company enough. Stay and talk to me."

"So you can stand here insulting me until so much time has passed that simply to pass the time until my return, Lily will have gone ahead and agreed to marry Ja – "

She stopped herself, distracted as the cogs inside her mind turned. Lily had only just begun speaking to James on a semi-regular basis, yet this was the only time Lyra had been in the vicinity to see it. Every other time she had only heard an account from Lily at a later time. Lyra had always seemed to be in the wrong place. She was in the library while Lily and James were in the common room. She was in the corridor while Lily and James were entering a classroom together. She was in the kitchens. She was in the Great Hall. She was at the bar. What was the common factor in all of these scenarios? Who was it?

She took a deep breath and felt her eyes begin to sting. Blinking back the tears, she stepped closer to Sirius. They were chest to chest, and she raised herself to her full high (which was still a head shorter than him). She looked into his eyes.

"You're the decoy," she whispered slowly, not trusting her voice. "It's your job to keep me away from Lily so that James can slide in and take advantage of my absence. As if I'm some obstacle. As if I'm some – some inconvenience that needs to be dealt with in order to get to someone worthy of attention! Worthy of kindness!"

"Lyra – " Sirius tried to reason.

"No!" she said, her voice loud enough that the few patrons nearest the couple turned to look. "No, I've had enough. Have it your way. I won't be a nuisance today."

She shoved past him, eyes downcast as the tears threatened to overflow. She went as fast as she could without breaking into a run, and when she got outside, the brisk autumn air greeted her. She rushed in the direction of the castle and refused to look back, even when she heard Lily call after her.

A/N: Honestly, let me know if you're liking it so far. Nothing's set in stone and I can't imagine continuing on for a bored audience. Have a happy week. xx S