The Library.

"Raisin. Haven't seen you much these last few days."

I groaned, looking up from the reading of my most recent Defense notes, and into the rather glinty gray eyes of Sirius Black. I had honestly been working on avoiding him. Saturday and Sunday were rather harsh on me and I needed some time to recharge and think about all this excess of information Headmaster Dumbledore laid on me. It has not been working so far!

It is Tuesday afternoon now, between my classes, and I have been trying to do some last minute studying for my exam on Defense. Unfortunately, my solitude is obviously at an end. Black has cornered me. "Hello," I said. "How delightful to see you, Black! How's your mum?" Refusing to move my stuff aside so he could sit down, I actually spread it over the table and surrounding seats, hoping it would serve as discouragement. Black slipped in regardless, and sat on my papers.

"Is it? I would have thought you'd forgotten about me. I missed you, by the way. Missed your voice."

I frowned. "How I could possibly forget your big head is beyond my capabilities to comprehend." I ignored the part about Black missing me and instead focused on being as stern as I could. "Black, as you know, it's always a pleasure, but I really do have to finish studying here, so…" I made a shooing motion with my hands. "If you please, leave."

Black glowered. "It seems a lot is beyond you these days!" he said grumpily. "Why is that? Been a little preoccupied, Raisin? Still sore from Saturday night, are you?"

"No," I said succinctly. "I am not."

"Oh, really?"

I fidgeted, trying to swallow my anger. I had to understand he only wanted to get me riled. "Right, Black. As you can see, I am trying to study for Defense, and I cannot do that if you're here, stinking up The Library. A girl can't get a moment's peace when that happens. So if you could remove yourself, I would be most obliged."

Black only moved closer. "Why should I remove myself? When I like being here so much?"

"As I see it, there are three reasons. Would you like to know what they are?"

Black nodded eagerly. "Oh, please."

"Right. Well, as I see it…Reason Number One: Merlin Save Us From Exam Week is coming up in a few days. That should be reason enough to not want to be bothered. Especially by you. I need to do well."

"Pull the other one!" said Black. "You love it when I bother you!"

"Syrupy!" I chastised. "No, I don't. Actually, I hate being bothered by you."

Black frowned. "Come off it! You know you love me!"

"Well, if you want to believe that then that's fine, but really, I do not."

Shrugging, Black said with annoying confidence, "We'll see. Now, as for the rest of your Number One, it would be true only if it weren't for the fact that you hate studying."

"As your Tutor I find it strange that you think so. Since it is my job to study with you."

Black ignored the absolute logic of this. "What's Reason Number Two?" he said. "Afraid of me already?"

"Pah," I said viciously.

"Pah?"

"Reason Number Two," I continued quickly, "is that contrary to what you think: it is not that I am afraid of you. It is that I do not like you. I am sure you can appreciate not wanting to be around people you don't like. You've seemed to employ this reasoning remarkably well ever since school began."

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Black. "Are you, perhaps…?" Black squinted at me closely, seeming somehow very interested in my answer. "Are you perhaps disappointed that we haven't gotten to talk that much, Raisin?"

"How you could come up with that when I have just told you I dislike you, I don't know. But it's quite ridiculous," I said. "You're being quite ridiculous. I was referring to Severus Snape."

"Snivelly?" Black said, patent disgust written all over his face (Something that happened every time I brought Severus into conversation). "Why would you be thinking about Snivelus?"

"I think about Severus a lot more often than I think about you," I lied.

"Raisin!"

"What?" I said a moment later, a smile lurking around my lips. Black looked scandalized. "It's true! Severus has helped me out a lot with my potion this year. He's a darling boy—."

Black covered his ears with his hands. "Ack! I'm not listening! I'm not listening! Stop talking!"

"He's a darling boy! Absolutely smashing! I love his lips!"

"I don't want to hear another word! Do you hear me? No more, Raisin!"

"Well, that was the point wasn't it?" I said. "For you to want to leave."

"Who said anything about leaving?" asked Black. "I'm not leaving!"

"Oh dear! Well. If you won't leave, Black, at least allow me to tell you Reason Number Three."

Black looked at me suspiciously. "No talk of Snivelly!" he ordered, grabbing onto my left hand and putting it to my chest. I looked down. To this day, I remain flabbergasted and annoyed by Black's audacity when it comes to Matters Of Personal Space. "Swear, or I'll do something you'll regret."

"Somefink I'll weegwet, huh?" I said, in my most baby-ish voice possible, masking my unease. "How awwfo!"

"Shut it."

I rolled my eyes, then decided belatedly that it might be proactive to do a cursory check of The Library for Madam Pince. The Lovely Book Hag In Question seemed to be patrolling another area, so Black and I were in luck this time, but anything could change. Unlike Black, I didn't want to earn a Detention. I made a resolve to talk quieter. "Reason Number Three," I said turning back, "is this: I need time by myself to get my studying out of the way so I may prepare for our Tutoring Session tonight."

Black chose not to comment on the fact that, barring a real desire to do well on my tests next week, Reason Number Three sounded suspiciously like Reason Number One. "Ah, yes," he said enigmatically. "Tutoring starts up again tonight."

"Indeed. I hope you've had sufficient time to prepare yourself for The Horror? I've written up some quiz questions."

"Have you had time to prepare yourself for The Horror?" Black bantered.

"I've also written up a guideline sheet, yes, Black. But the Real Preparation will come in when you leave and I have time again to concentrate on other matters. So, if you please…" I waved Black away again. When he refused to budge, I added, "You're crushing my papers. I need to hand those in."

"So snarky these days!" Black said with a leer. "So fiery! How it makes me quiver!"

"Ew. Black, stop being silly."

"I wasn't being silly."

"I am not fiery,"I said. "I just have an opinion which I expressed."

Black nodded. "A snarky, fiery opinion!"

"Is this really what you wanted? To come in here and yap at me? To pant like a dog? Don't you have better things to do? Don't you and Potter have some prank to finish up?"

"I do not yap," Black said importantly. "And I don't pant either."

I snorted.

"Pull the othe—."

"I talk in a calm and dignified manner," Black said. "One suited to my Noble Pureblood Heritage. And James and I do indeed have a prank to finish up. Which is why I'm in here now, talking to you. I need your help, Raisin!"

I felt my blood run cold. "No," I said. "No." Good Girl. He has no power over you. Except to make you angry. "I won't do it. Whatever it is."

"Why do you sound so dismal? Don't you want to be recruited? It'll make you popular!"

"Uh, no, I don't want to be recruited!" I said. "What would possibly make you think that I did?"

"But you want to be helpful!" said Black. "I know you do. At least when it comes to improving on my grades. This could do just that, I promise!"

Catching Madam Pince tottering along in my periphery, I dropped my voice down to a whisper. "I am not following you!" I said, confusion mixed with a good amount of paranoia in my voice. "How will helping you out with a prank improve on your grades?"

Black winked at me saucily. "You'll just have to see!"

"Uh, no. No, Black, I won't have to see, because I am not doing it. So why don't you just tell me what the prank is now, and I'll say 'no,' and you can leave, defeated, and we'll both be merry? How 'bout it? Sound like a plan? It sounds like a plan to me."

Black shook his head. "I don't like it." He scooted his seat closer to me, making the wooden posts squeak harshly against the floor. Madam Pince narrowed in on us like a vulture.

"Black!" I warned. "Stop."

"Oh, calm down, little girl," he said patronizingly. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Where's your sense? Got swallowed up by your stupidity, did it?"

"Now, that's not fair!"

"I think what would be most fair in this situation is if you were to leave." I paused. "…And never come back."

"But what about tutori—?"

"Except for Tutoring," I added. "Except for that."

For a long, long moment, Black stared at me. "I don't understand you," he said finally. "But I will."

"Well, alright, Black. That's your prerogative."

The Great Hall.

I think I have Figured Things Out. Dinner is almost over and soon I'll need to be trudging up to McGonagall's classroom. But I think I have Figured Things Out:

I need to treat Black like a Regular Student.

Of course I realize that I have tried to apply this Tactic Of War before with little to no Suitable Results Yielded, but no one has ever been more determined than I to ignore Sirius Black now. Not even Severus Snape; who, it has to be said, wouldn't let Black come near him with a fifty-foot pole if he had his way.

Too bad for Snape that he does not have his way in this matter and is left trying to put off Black's Super Poofter Advances day in and day out, but so is life. I have to deal with Black on a daily basis and I am learning to put up with it! So should Snape, I think.

Facts Of Life aside, I feel for Severus Snape. I really do. If I was in Snape's shoes, I would have long ago forsaken my self-restraint and murdered Black.

I would have happily watched my wand be snapped in two, and I would have happily strolled out of Hogwarts with an Auror escort—never to enter its hallowed halls again.

I would have. I would have.

But since I am female and, we've been over this, straight, I have these pesky things called Hormones to make me question my loyalties and generally cock up my day.

My Hormones are responsible for my crush on Black.

My Hormones are also responsible for why, every time I am in Sirius Black's presence, I cannot seem to stop from imagining what it would feel like to kiss him.

This is Obviously Incredibly Unfair.

I do not want to be attracted to Sirius Black.

He is the worst sort of boy out there. He Ruins Females. He plays with our emotions and he laughs about it, and I Am Realizing Now that he will never grow up. Black will remain a Lost Boy forever. Black may age on the outside, but inside, he will still be just as scared, just as apparently scarred as he was at the age of thirteen.

This I know.

And that is what is so supremely awful, because he is a waste of good wizard flesh, is what he is.

Why can't Black be ugly? Why? It'd be easier to ignore him if he were ugly.

I must calm down, however, because Lucille and Camilla are looking at me intently, trying to see through to my thoughts.

"You can't have them!" I said.

I must be The Bigger Person when it comes to Black. After Dinner, I must needs just suck it up, and get on with it, and tutor that Devil's Spawn into the ground. I must tutor him to the best of my ability, and tutor him so hard and well that no 7th year ever will be so well regarded in the myopic eyes of Ghostly Professor Binns as Sirius Black will be at the end of this term.

Yes. I have decided. I feel much more relaxed now.

Lucille and Camilla noticed this change immediately.

"About damn time!" groused Lucille. "I was beginning to wonder if I had to slap you."

"You should never have to resort to such a base, Muggle way of fighting," I advised. "If you wanted to get my attention, you simply had to ask for it."

Lucille glared at me, and opened her mouth for a harsh retort. Camilla, thinking it wise to intervene, said, "But, Evie, we've been asking for it. We've been trying to tell you all Supper long about Tamara."

Just noticing now that the Girl In Evidence was missing, I said, "Where is she? Why isn't she at Dinner? Doesn't she have to eat?"

"Concerned?" said Lucille. "Your head is gone from your arse now, is it?"

I leaned across The Table. "Why no, Lucille, it's not! And such a shame, too! When everyone knows that it's you I would prefer conversing with and not my arsehole."

"Evie!" Camilla said. "You stop that right now!" I sank down in my seat, feeling ill-mannered and obnoxious. "We've been trying to tell you about Tamara." Noting the question on my face, Camilla added, "Yes, she is at Dinner. No, you can't go to her."

"Why would I want to go to her?"

"That's it!" said Lucille. "You can stop right there!"

"What?"

"For five years you've been Just Barely Putting Up, as you say, with Tammy, and I don't understand why you think you're so perfect as to warrant treating her like scum."

"I don't treat Tammy like scum," I defended, a bit hurt. "Or, I don't mean to. It's unconscious, if it's there. An unconscious treating of scum."

"The most fell deeds are sometimes done with the best of intentions," Lucille informed me. "Just because you may not think you're hurting Tammy's feelings, doesn't mean you aren't."

"Has she said anything to you?" I said. "I didn't know—."

Camilla shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Evie. Lucille's just sore about Remus. He hasn't been feeling well these past couple days. Come to think of it, this illness of his apparently comes and goes quite frequently, doesn't it? I don't think I've ever seen him away from The Hospital Wing for more than a month at a time. That's strange."

"I told you he had syphilis, Lucy."

"Anyway," Lucille said, getting attention off of her boyfriend. "Tammy hasn't said anything to me, Evelyn, you know that. You know how kind-hearted of a person Tammy is. She would never think to realize that you're being mean to her. It simply would never occur to her."

"I know," I said. I looked around The Ravenclaw Table, not seeing any sign of her. "So, where is she? She's sitting next to a boy," I observed, spotting Tamara with The Puffs. "Why is she—why is she sitting next to Featherbutt?" I demanded, already rising from my seat; my body apparently pulled by some Greater Force Than Sense. Tamara greeted my stare with a giant smile. "What?"

"Noticed that finally, did you?" said Lucille smugly. "It's about time! Tammy's been there for all of Dinner, while you've had your head glued to that notebook of yours."

"But why is she sitting with Featherbutt?" I said. "He's freakish. He doesn't date he only masturbates! No woman would want him. His head's shaped like a pear. His body's shaped like a potato. He can't date." I looked at Lucille. "He's a queer, Lucille, and I know this from experience. Why is Tammy sitting with a queer?"

"Why shouldn't she sit with Featherhead?" Lucille said. "They're neighbors. Their estates border each other. Come to think of it, all three of your parents' estates border each other. So don't give me that song and dance about Tammy not knowing him. And to make a further point, Tammy's a perfectly good girl. Any boy would be lucky to have her, especially Featherhead."

"I know that," I said. "I know all of that. Merlin knows I wish I didn't, but I do. I am asking you why she is sitting next to a boy who will devour all of her goodness. He is obviously the rankest pedophile. Tammy is two years younger than him. They have no business!"

"Maybe she likes him?" suggested Lucille in impatience. "Maybe he likes her? Maybe they want to date each other?"

"B-but…" My brain started to shut down. "Featherhead's a poof," was all I could come up with. "Hair styled like a girl's bush."

Camilla broke down into giggles.

"Apparently not!" Lucille snapped. "And sit back down, won't you? Your Black is looking over."

Immediately, I sank into my seat again. "He's not my Black," I said. "When did this happen? When? I turn my back for one second and the world goes arse over tit."

Camilla shrugged. "He's nice to her," she said in explanation.

"So are House-Elves."

The Entrance Hall.

"Raisin!"

"Black," I said, for once preoccupied with something aside from him.

What made Featherbutt think that he could corrupt my friends?

I would really like to know.

I mean, this was preposterous. All throughout Dinner, Tammy had been sitting next to Annoying Anthony Featherhead and I was just supposed to accept it and move on? Accept her condescension towards a boy was so dim and uncreative he gave definitions straight from the book when called upon by our professors? The boy who has followed me around Hogwarts for five years and change, sniffing my hair? The boy who used to sneak into my garden in the middle of the night to levitate bugs through my window? The boy who had the audacity to come back from Holiday looking attractive? No.

No.

I Refuse.

"What are you doing?" I asked Black in a panic, finally noting that he had a hold on my arm and was dragging me towards an alcove. "What is this?"

"I need to talk to you alone!" said Black, and my brain once again threatened to shut down; this time from mortification. Thank Merlin there weren't very many people here, MFRG included, otherwise I would probably have turned stone-cold-nuts. Black gave a sour look to the only witnesses in attendance, a group of midget hovering Hufflepuff girls, encouraging them to leave. "Go!" Black ordered. "Scatter! It's past your bed time anyway, babies!"

"Black!" I admonished, trying to move away. "They're second years. They're not babies."

Black shrugged. "As good as!

The girls gasped in outrage, showing me that not even Black's patrician good looks could save him from sneers when he was being an arsehole.

"I see you've made more enemies. Torn away more illusions." I nodded to the now scattering group of girls. "How busy your day has been. Couldn't get your fill of me in The Library? Had to come for more, did you?"

Black swung me into a wall.

"Merlin!"

"Have you ever been kissed, Raisin?" Black said curiously, in the tone of voice I would expect a professor might use when he or she was about to broach upon a new topic of interest: Completely Academic. "Tell the truth now."

"Get off me, you great nasty lummox!" I gurgled, unable to breathe properly with Black's irritating weight cutting into my chest. "This is unacceptable. Do you know what that word means? Get off."

Black pulled back his teeth in a snarl, and glared at me. "What is unacceptable," he said, "is that you just do not seem to get it! I have tried everything I can think of." Here, Black emphasized his point by slamming a palm against the stone by my ear. I jumped. "Everything!"

"Black, you seem a bit frazzled. Perhaps Madam Pomfrey has something she could give you."

"Shut it!" Black ordered. "No more talking when I am talking, Raisin."

"Otherwise, there will be consequences?" I mocked.

Black nodded with conviction. "Yes!"

"That's lovely!" I said, already disregarding his directions. "I am so happy you've finally grown some bollocks and decided to—."

Black slapped his other palm against the wall, now completely boxing me in to his disgusting-ness. "Enough! Enough of that!" Discretely, I attempted a reach for my wand. See what the plonky tosser thought of pushing me around when he had his ears turned into his feet, his lips turned into his arse. I almost couldn't reach it, because of how my arms were pinned against Black's chest, but gradually, gradually I was making some progress. "Please!" Black said. "Please, just shut up."

"I love it when you talk dirty!" I breathed. "Makes me go all hot."

"Raisin—."

"Make me!" I dared.

Black did. He kissed me.

Having succeeded in finally getting a firm hold on my wand, I pointed it at the devil, and shot out some blue sparks. "You awful boy!" I cried.

Black tore his head away, and leapt. "Oi!"

"Worst Kiss Ever!" I said, wiping Black's saliva off my mouth with the hand I wasn't using to hold up my wand. I Ignored The Tinglies, as they weren't important.

Across from me, Black was in the process of patting down his robes to prevent the sparks from catching fire on the wool. He had his wand out from under a sleeve and aimed at me a second later. We stood in a face-off, eyeing each other warily.

"You didn't have to do that!" Black said, two twin spots of rage now forming on his cheeks. "I would have stopped if you had asked!"

"What made you think that I wanted to be kissed?" I demanded.

Black shrugged. "Please! You've been begging for it all month!"

"You're delusional."

"You're a coward."

I brushed Black's comment off like the insipid thing it was. "Better a coward than an idiot," I said.

Black's wand sparked threateningly. He started forward. "You—!"

"I am going to The Transfiguration Room!" I interrupted quickly, lest he decide to tackle me again. "You're welcome to come along once you've calmed down a bit. Hopefully," I added, "you won't come at all, and McGonagall will give you detention, but you do have an exam on Thursday so you maybe you should."

"Don't you dare turn your back on me!" Black warned, seeing me about to do just that. "Raisin, We are not done here yet!"

"What, Black? We're going to have a duel? Here in The Hall with the possibility of people coming to look on? How voyeuristic of you!"

Black glanced around the empty Hall, not seeming nervous at all. "I don't see anyone here, Raisin," Black said. "Too afraid to stay and see what happens? Too afraid to be alone with me? Too afraid you'll like it? You're being a coward!"

"So you say," I said. "But I didn't ask for you to kiss me." I looked him over cursory-like. "I assume, with the way your trousers are tenting out you enjoyed squishing me into the wall, but I can assure you, my response was the opposite."

Black quickly inspected himself, cursed, then looked back up at me. "Hey!" Black said. "Hey!"

In the interim, I had of course started running away.

"S-see you in f-five!" I called, panting a bit. "I h-hope your b-balls g-go blue!"

Transfiguration Classroom.

"Professor McGonagall!" I said in surprise, entering The Classroom and noting her presence. "What—?"

The Professor nodded at me in greeting. "What am I doing here, Miss Ransom? The Headmaster thought it would be prudent to take up supervision of these sessions again. This way Mr. Black's…" McGonagall paused, apparently searching for the right word, "behavior may be curbed. I agree with him."

"Why, thank you, ma'am!" I said, very sincerely, delighted with this news. Supervision right now would be excellent. This was exactly what I needed; to have my Hell transformed into a Haven. I felt a pleasant warmth suffuse its way through my bloodstream. Hearing Black trying to sneak up behind me, I turned around "Did you hear?" I said with a happy, possibly annoying grin that only grew larger at seeing Black's irritated look. "Professor McGonag—."

"Yes," said Black. "I know."

"We're to be supervised again!" I continued unnecessarily. "Isn't it wonderful, Black? Thank the professor!"

Black's eyebrows furrowed obstinately. "Why should I?"

"Mr. Black!" called McGonagall. "Please come up here for a moment!"

Black turned her. "Yes, Minnie!"

"Mr. Black!" Professor McGonagall said angrily. "Desist these foolish and ill-mannered nicknames immediately! You will refer to me as, 'ma'am,' or 'Professor McGonagall,' or just 'Professor' from now on, do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Black responded.

"Good." Professor McGonagall gestured with her hand. "Now come up here."

Black went up to the professor's desk in the mien of a rebellious whipping boy about to be punished by his master. McGonagall commenced to giving Black what appeared to be, to my ever-increasing-self-consequence, a rather Stern Talking To. I cheered. The glow I had felt upon seeing the Professor upon my entrance sitting so correctly and upright at her desk increased tenfold.

"Thank you, Merlin," I whispered. "Thank you."

I am not mature enough yet to not feel excited wrongdoers are reprimanded; perhaps it's something internally wrong with me. I am also not sure if I am going to tattle on Black again and tell the Professors about his attempted molestation this evening; so any small chastisement Black can get right now is akin to music to my ears.

However, Black apparently is getting madder by the day, so perhaps it would be advisable to bring in outside help again? Perhaps. I realize that outside help in the form of Headmaster Dumbledore and Professors McGonagall and Flitwick (not to mention my parents) did not seem to stop Black from misbehaving earlier, but at least for the moment I am saved from Black pushing himself on me.

Sirius Black thought he could spend two uninterrupted hours with me in a locked classroom like he's done with all his other females?

Ha!

Think again, puny child. I am smarter than that.