Chapter Two

"Wow, Padfoot. I don't think you've ever chased a girl before," James said in awe as they climbed the ladder to Divination.

"I know. I'm surprised to," Sirius replied when he, James, and Peter had emerged into the airy tower. Remus had chosen to take Arithmancy instead, saying that Divination was a waste of time. Sirius threw his bag next to a pouf and sat down. He knew this class was a waste of time, however, it was also extremely easy. So, enough said. "There's just something about her; something different. I just can't put my finger on it." He groaned and dropped his head onto the table. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"It's called 'love', mate," James said, smiling at his friend's antics.

"I kind of fancy her friend Abby," Peter mumbled, blushing a little.

"Tough luck there, Wormtail," Sirius said, raising his head to look at his friend. "You know Remus has had a crush on her since first year."

"Yeah..." Peter said sadly.

"What about that girl in Hufflepuff? What's her name...?" James said, frowning in concentration.

"Samantha Abbot?" Peter said, a small smile creeping onto his face.

"Yeah, that's her! She seems to like you a lot, mate. Why don't you go for her?"

"Don't worry, Wormtail. We'll help you out. I hear her brother's kind of protective, so I'll show you how to bypass him," Sirius said, clapping Peter on the shoulder.

"He's been acting really strange lately. Haven't you noticed? He's never given me this much attention before, let alone ever complemented me on anything," Chelsea said as she and Abby were sitting in Arithmancy. Chelsea hadn't wanted to take the class (being completely worthless when it came to numbers and such), but Abby had begged her to, saying that she already had one class alone with Remus and she couldn't take another one. Abby had liked Remus since early in her second year, when he rescued her kitten from the oak by the lake. Ever since that day she had been very shy around him and only talked if he started the conversation. And ever since that day, she was afraid to be alone with him, for fear of saying or doing something stupid.

Abby was about to reply, when Remus walked into the room and came over when he saw them.

"Hey guys," he said, smiling as he sat down next to Abby.

"Hey Remus," they said together. Chelsea leaned onto the table and looked at Remus. "Hey Remus, what's up with Sirius? He's been acting really strange lately."

"Like how?" Remus asked, trying to hide a small smile.

"Well, he's been...nice. I mean, nicer than can be expected from him. He actually paid me a complement earlier. Well, something like a complement, I suppose."

"Hmm. That does sound awfully strange," Remus said, grinning.

Chelsea furrowed her brow. "What's so funny?"

But before Remus could answer, the professor started the class. Chelsea leaned back into her chair, a little annoyed. What the heck was going on? She hated to be left in the dark. She stole a glance at Abby and saw her laughing silently at something Remus had just said. Chelsea smiled. They made such a cute couple. And it was obvious that Remus liked her. He found any chance to talk with her or walk with her. Chelsea tried to tell Abby that she should ask him out, but her usually brave friend would just shake her head and say that he wasn't interested in a girl like her.

'She can be so dense sometimes,' Chelsea thought as she accepted the paper hovering before her that the professor had just passed out.

An hour and a half (not to mention many whacks in the head from falling asleep in a maniac's class) later, the three boys headed to their last class of the day: James and Sirius to Care of Magical Creatures, Peter to Muggle Studies (with his good friend Samantha..). As James and Sirius were walking down to the forest, Chelsea and Akemi Misaki came running past them.

"I am so going to kill you, Chelsea!"

"What did I do?" Chelsea yelled, a grin on her face.

The answer never came, as Akemi had caught up to the chaser and tackled her to the ground. Much laughing ensued as the two girls pretended to murder each other. This happened just about every day. Chelsea would do something to Akemi, which would set off the sixteen-year-old Asian, and then a chase seen would commence. The two girls had grown up together, and were like sisters (as opposed to Abby, who was considered a sister to Chelsea, even though she actually wasn't). As James and Sirius caught up to the two girls, they found them both lying on the ground laughing hysterically.

"I can't believe you did that," Akemi was saying, her face covered with her hands, but laughter still in her voice.

"I could not pass up a chance like that, and you know it," Chelsea said, trying to control her laughter. "You should have seen his face!"

"I think I was too busy staring at you in shock," the Asian girl said, sitting up and giving Chelsea a slight kick in the leg. "That dye won't come out for weeks."

"I think I'll call him 'Bluebell'," the chaser replied, also sitting up.

"What did you do now, Dugan?" Sirius asked, holding out his hand for her for the second time that day.

"She dyed Lucius Malfoy's skin blue, is what she did," Akemi said, accepting James's hand.

"You did? Go Dugan!" James and Sirius said together, both tackling her with hugs. "We've taught you so well," Sirius added, wiping away a fake tear.

"Yeah well, the little git deserved it. He was trying to start something with Akemi," Chelsea said as they all resumed the walk towards the forest. "He was," and here she looked to her left and then to the right, "trying to ask her out."

Sirius and James both gasped in mock shock. "No!"

"He's not that bad looking..." Akemi muttered, glaring slightly at Chelsea. Her glare, though, turned into a smile when she saw the chaser's grin. "Now he'll never ask me out. And worse, I have to put up with his infernal complaining for God knows how long!"

"Sucks to be in Slytherin, don't it Misaki?" James said, dodging Akemi's punch.

"Watch it, Potter," Akemi said.

"Oh, I did you a favor, Aki," Chelsea said as they all sat down on the grass and waited for the professor to arrive. "That guy's a total jerk. You can find someone much better."

"Yeah..."

"Alright, class, please take out your textbooks and open to page two hundred and fourteen," Professor Tyrnell said as she walked towards them, Hagrid the gamekeeper in tow. As the students scurried to do as they were told, Hagrid went into the forest and emerged a minute later, leading something on a rope.

Chelsea looked up and saw the most gorgeous animal she'd ever seen. A beautiful white unicorn was on the other end of the rope that Hagrid was holding. "Oh my God..." she said, voicing her awe as the other students were now doing. Hagrid led the animal over to a tree and tied the rope around it.

"We will be learning about this beautiful being today," Tyrnell said, waving her hand in the direction of the unicorn. "But before we actually make contact with it," and here she eyed all the cooing girls, "we must first learn about it."

"That was the coolest class ever!" Akemi exclaimed as they all headed back up to the castle for dinner.

"Yeah, I wish we could've -," but before Chelsea could finish, her foot caught on an uplifted root and she fell forward. She prepared herself for a hard fall, but was surprised when it didn't come. Instead, she felt strong arms around her, catching her and lowering her gently to the ground. Chelsea looked up and saw Sirius staring down at her, concern in his eyes.

"Oh God, Chels are you alright?" Akemi asked kneeling down next to her friend.

Chelsea merely nodded, still looking into Sirius's eyes. They were so blue. 'I've never seen that shade of blue before...'

"Your such a klutz, Dugan," Sirius said quietly, smiling slightly.

"Thanks," Chelsea replied sarcastically. She let Sirius help her up and accepted her bag and glasses from him. After checking that her second pair of eyes were alright, she folded them up and put them back into the case. "Let's got eat. I'm starving."