A/N So here's the next chapter, even though my review numbers are actually going down... it really isn't that hard! And what's up with the people favoriting my story/me and not reviewing? I spend all this time writing for you, you could do that little thing for me. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

By the way, this one isn't violent. And it's a kind of random mix of stuff.

Mac had quidditch practice that night, but she decided to stop by the Room of Requirement first. She had already done her homework, except for potions, which she was putting off until Sev could help her. And she wanted to see if that dog was still there. It was cute and fuzzy, and she could be nice to it, which was weird for her. After all, the only person she had to be nice to was Sev, and they were both Slytherins, and therefore not interested in showing off their friendship. They both knew they cared, and that was plenty. But with so little love in her life, it made her happy to be able to see something that she could love without hiding it. And it wasn't dangerous, to love a dog, it was simple. So she didn't have to wait or feel nervous like she did when placing her trust in another person.

So she was very glad when she stepped into the room, same one as the night before, although thankfully the bloodstains had been cleaned up, and the dog was lying on the black couch, its furry tail wagging energetically and its head flopped down over the arm of the sofa. She grinned, inexplicably happy that the dog was there. She threw herself down on the coach next to it and scratched its head as its tongue lolled out. She didn't know that Sirius was panting because, having seen her on the Marauder's Map approaching the Room of Requirement, he had run all the way there to be there before she was.

"Hello, puppy," she crooned, resting her forehead against the dog's soft fur, which seemed to her surprisingly well kept for a homeless dog. "How was your day? Mine was better than yesterday, because no one cut my skin into little ribbons."

The dog was looking at Mac expectantly, head cocked to one side, so she continued, "All because I stopped those idiots from hexing a first year. I still haven't told Sev about it. I don't think I will: he'll throw a nut. And he's spent years getting on the other Slytherins' good sides, so I wouldn't want him to throw it away for me. He gets enough trouble from the Marauders. They are so full of themselves. They haven't left him alone since they noticed in first year, but he's never done anything to them."

So not true, thought Sirius, he's hexed us plenty of times.

"He only ever starts anything because he knows they will anyways, so might as well get it over with. Because, after all, it's four against one, what chance has he got?"

Hmm, hadn't thought of that. And we did start the original feud, I suppose. But what's it matter now? He dismissed the thought.

"Hmm. You need a name, doggy. You seem like you live around here somewhere, so I'll probably see you again, and I need something to call you."

Oh, no, thought Sirius. Girls picking out nicknames are never good. He knew from past girlfriends. However, he apparently wasn't that good at differentiating types of girls, because Mac was not the type to ever call him something like "Snookums" or "Sweetie Pie." She thought people who said things like that were sort of frightening.

"How about Snuffles?"

The dog just stared at her. She would have been vaguely creeped out if it had responded: even with her lack of experience with animals, she would have known that wasn't normal. Which was why Sirius hadn't done anything, although he honestly didn't object too strenuously.

"Okay, no objection, I like it. Anyways, I have to go to quidditch. It's my first practice, I'm the new beater," Mac smiled, then stopped with her hand resting on the doorknob. That was new information to Sirius, who was one of the Gryffindor beaters.

Mac gave one final comment as she reached the door. "I feel a little crazy for talking to a dog, but it's nice to talk and not be judged or afraid of being blackmailed. Bye, Snuffles."

With that she left, and Sirius turned back into himself, feeling slightly guilty. He wasn't really sure why he was there, but he had been looking at the Marauder's Map, and had seen Mac heading towards the room, and had run there to get there first without really thinking about it. For some reason, it had just seemed like a good idea at the time. He hadn't known that she played quidditch: he had thought Slytherin didn't let girls onto its team. He also hadn't realized that she, or any of the Slytherins, ever thought about how backstabbing their house was. He headed slowly out of the room, thinking about how weird everything suddenly was.

________________________________________________________________________
At the quidditch pitch, Mac was thinking about how good everything suddenly was. She leapt onto her broom, pushing off the ground quickly, loving the feeling of the wind whipping her hair about her head. She did a few turns, racing around the stadium. It made her forget her problems; all her worries were just swept away behind her, left on the ground.

Therefore, it was only regretfully that she landed a few minutes later as Malfoy called for practice to start. They were playing a scrimmage, and she was overjoyed when she managed to knock Lestrange off his broom. Served him right, after what he'd done to that poor first year. And what he had let Bellatrix do to her. Too bad that Malfoy levitated him before he hit the grass. It would have been fun, Mac thought, to see Lestrange go splat on the ground. Another team member had to walk Lestrange to the hospital then, so the scrimmage was stopped as there weren't enough players, and Malfoy ordered the team to run drills.

By the fact that no one yelled at her at the end of practice, Mac knew she had done a good job. It wasn't like any of them would ever compliment her, so neutral was about the best she could hope for.

When she arrived back at the Slytherin common room that night, tired and sweaty but happy, she sat down next to Sev on "their" couch in the corner. They always sat there because less people noticed them that way. He didn't even glance up as she threw herself down next to him. He knew her so well that he could recognize her footsteps, her way of falling into a seat.

"Hey, Mac," he said. He hadn't talked to her since breakfast the day before, which was odd, although he had passed her in the halls a few times. They had somehow missed each other in all of their meals. "I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been? You were supposed to meet me last night."

"I was in the Room of Requirement. I fell asleep, didn't wake up until this morning. Sorry," she replied. It was strange how well she could lie to him, her best friend. She really was a Slytherin. And that thought was not necessarily a pleasant one.

And he obviously bought it. "Oh. You still need help with the Potions essay?"

"Yep. How the bloody hell do you make those mixed antidote things?"

He laughed at her disgruntled look. "It's really not that difficult."

She snorted at that. Of course it was easy for Severus Snape, potions genius. But she didn't say that. Instead, she listened to his explanation and by the end of the night she did understand it. As usual, she was grateful for his help and, as usual, she didn't comment. That was just the way it was between them, and neither would ever change it.

The next day, Sev decided to skip breakfast to work on a History of Magic essay he had been putting off. If Mac actually took History of Magic, she would have delayed doing the homework, too. That class was excruciatingly boring. But she didn't feel like going to breakfast and sitting all alone, which also invited the other Slytherins to torture her. Even the younger ones did, only in groups, so that she couldn't hurt them.

Instead, she went down to the kitchens to get something to eat. She wandered down the halls to the picture of the bowl of fruit, then extended her pointer finger and tickled the pear. It giggled and turned into a doorknob, which Mac quickly turned, pulling the door towards herself. Stepping through the space, she was suddenly surrounded by bustling house elves and the smells of breakfast being prepared.

She waved over to Twinkles, her favorite house elf, who raised her small arm and waved frantically back, big ears flapping up and down. She immediately ran over as Mac sat and asked what she wanted. "Just some toast with peanut butter and a cup of coffee, thanks."

Mac propped her feet up on the chair across from her. She would never be so disrespectful as to put her feet on the table, not after how much work the elves put into keeping their kitchen nice. After all, they were the only ones in the school who were unconditionally friendly and nice to her. Twinkles quickly returned, balancing a plate stacked with toast on top of her head with one hand, the other hand holding a steaming blue ceramic mug.

Mac took the dishes and thanked the elf again. Twinkles large, blue eyes sparkled as she bowed again and made her way back over to one of the many stoves. Mac began eating her toast. She loved peanut butter. She loved coffee, too, she thought, as she took a sip. The Hogwarts house elves always made it just right.

Just then, a commotion started over at the door. It looked like the house elves were practically attacking whoever had just come in. "Can I help you?" "No, me!" "I make the best breakfast!" "I'll take your order!"

Mac stared. It seemed a little out of character for the elves to be so pushy: these people must be really good customers. But then the elves fell away and four boys emerged into the kitchen.

Mac rolled her eyes. This was not what she needed right now. The Marauders started walking over towards the table, laughing and joking around. Of course they ate enough to make the house elves that excited and competitive. They hadn't noticed Mac sitting there yet. She just sat there and waited.

Black pulled out a chair. It just happened to be the chair that Mac's feet were presently occupying. "There are feet on my chair."

All four of the boys looked up to see Mac sitting in the corner, one arm thrown loosely over the back of her chair, sneering slightly. They all stared at her. "What are you doing here?"

She quirked an eyebrow at Potter. "I'm allowed to be in here just like everyone else."

He persisted, looking slightly confused. "Yes, but why would you want to be in here? You're a Slytherin, don't you think that house elves are beneath you?"

She snorted at him. "Stereotypical much?"

He apparently couldn't think of anything to say to that, so he sat down, as did Lupin and Pettigrew. Black shoved Mac's feet off of the chair and then sat down. Mac rolled her eyes. "Déjà vu. Why can't you people ever find your own space, you idiots?"

They shrugged. Apparently they weren't morning people, and didn't want a fight before they had eaten. Mac shrugged too, because she wasn't leaving until she was done eating. She took another bite of her toast. Lupin stared at her. "You eat peanut butter with breakfast?"

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?" she replied petulantly. He shook his head quickly, obviously still avoiding a fight. Black looked up from where he had been scratching at the table with his nail. "I like peanut butter."

Everyone stared at him, wondering how he thought that that was relevant and why anyone should care. Mac looked around her and realized that she was agreeing with three of the Marauders. That was just too weird. He looked like he was going to steal a piece of toast off of her plate, but then realized what a horrible idea that was. How could he feel that comfortable around her? Mac wondered.

She had to get out of here! She suddenly pushed out her chair. Getting along with the Marauders was unacceptable. They hadn't even insulted her once! She felt like she should say goodbye, but that would be strange. They weren't friends, or even friendly acquaintances. They were enemies.

So she simply put her plate in the sink and left the kitchen without a word.