Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or it's characters, names or trademarks. All of those belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brother's studios. Shocker, no?

Olivia

It was storming quite fiercely when we arrived at Hogsmede station. I waved hello to Hagrid, who was calling out above the thunder, "Firs' years! Firs' years come with me!"

I pulled the hood of my cloak up, and hurried to the awaiting line of carriages. The carriage ride was uneventful, except for Adriana abandoning me in the carriage with the quartet of boys. I was thoroughly annoyed with her, and told her so, but she just fluttered her fingers at me, and went in search of Louis.

We were soon joined by a very put-out Lily Evans and her friend Abigail Green. Lily lost not time in informing us that they were only riding with us because we had the first carriage with space, and she wanted to get to the castle early to discuss a mistake in her OWL grades with McGonnagal. Abigail winked at me, jerking her head subtly in James's direction. I smiled, and winked back.

Upon arriving at the castle, we all made a mad dash for the enormous front entry doors. A wave of heat washed over me, and I pushed my hood back. I followed the guys to the Great Hall, where I said, "Well, I'm off. See you around."

"We're you going?" James asked.

Remus poked him. "She's a Ravenclaw, dimwit."

"Only you would say 'dimwit.'" Sirius rolled his eyes. I broke their brewing argument with a chuckle. I lightly punched James on the arm, loosely hugged Remus, patted Peter on the head, ruffled Sirius's hair in a sisterly affectionate way and headed off towards my table, waving cheerfully over my shoulder. I was sure that rumors would be brewing soon. There were too many people who fancied one of the Marauders to let me get away with such

Over the next few days I saw little of the Marauders. I had them all at least once in my classes, and I saw them in the halls often, but the house barrier was a strong one. I would have had to go out of my way to sit with them at meals; not that that would have been a bother, but I didn't want rumors starting about myself and the guys. It would cause everyone too much trouble. So I stayed at my own table. I really hadn't expected the friendship to be eternally bonding for us.

For once, however, I was wrong. One, rainy afternoon in the library, about a week or two

after the term had begun, I was sitting alone at a table in the very back corner of the library. Why was I hiding back here, you might ask? Because it was the only place close to a window and far from anyone annoying. Or anyone who wasn't annoying for that

matter. I was approximately 50 yards from any living human.

Scratch that. I was now one yard away from a living human. "Mind if I sit here?" Sirius inquired politely in his low rumble.

"Of course not." I moved my bag and books to another chair, so he could occupy the one on my right.

"Thanks." He slid into the chair. I returned to my Arithmancy textbook.

"Homework? So early in the year?" Honestly, he needs to learn when a person in trying to get him to shut up.

I nodded in response. I have read several magazine articles (too many hours spent in doctor's waiting rooms) about getting talkative people to shut up. None of their tips had worked so far with Sirius.

"What class?"

"Arithmancy, Potions, Defense Against The Dark Arts, and Herbology." He squinted at me.

"It's strange, I vaguely remember you being in my herbology class. Correct me if I'm wrong, but has herbology ever had homework?"

Flushing slightly, I replied, "The point I'm trying to make, is that I have homework to do, and while I enjoy your company, I would enjoy it much more if it were silent."

I had thought that would be the end of things. But the shuffle of paper told me otherwise. And intricately folded note had appeared on the book I was reading. I carefully unfolded it, and read its contents.

Sirius Black wishes you would accept his invitation to a game of 20 questions.

I shot Black an exasperated glance, but penned back.

Olivia Thornley accepts your invitation and requests that you begin.

Touché Mr. Black.

Sirius Black would like to inquire as to the number of showers Miss Thonrley takes a week.

Olivia Thornley replies that she takes anywhere between six to nine showers a week. She would like in inquire whether Mr. Black wears boxers or briefs.

Sirius Black would like to comment on the originality of Miss Thornley's question, and would like to state that he wears boxers. He would also like to inquire as to Miss Thornley's ethnicity.

The seriousness of the question startled me.

Olivia Thornley replies that she is pure mutt, and that reciting the various countries her background includes would take the aid of an Atlas. She would also like to inquire what Mr. Black's favorite subject is. She would also like to inquire as to why he is speaking in the third person.

Sirius Black informs Miss Thornley that she may only ask one question at a time, but because she asked so nicely, he will reply to both. His favorite subject is Muggle Studies, and he is talking in this manner because he finds it amusing. He would like to inquire as to the day of Miss Thornley's birth.

Olivia Thornley expresses her amusement, and would like to inform Mr. Black that she was born on the third day of May. She would like to inquire as to what Mr. Black's favorite food is.

On and on we went like this, until we had well surpassed twenty questions. The game was very entertaining for me; Sirius's questions could be hilariously silly, mortifyingly embarrassing, or deadly serious, with no apparent pattern.

I glanced at the clock, and sat bolt upright. "Crap." I hissed, stuffing all my belongings back into my bag. Sirius looked up from the note he had been scribbling with a raised brow.

"Late for an appointment, Miss Thornley?"

I glanced at the clock again. "You could say that. I'll see you around."

I ruffled his hair as I passed. It was surprisingly soft. I shook my head softly to clear it, as I wove through the maze of bookshelves. As I left the library, I bumped into Adriana. She looked puzzled and slightly relieved. "I looked for you in you're usual practice room, but you weren't there. What kept you?"

Knowing I would be mercilessly teased if I told her the truth, I muttered something about finishing up a potions essay. She seemed to accept that. I hurried through the corridors, Adriana trailing after me, chatting about things that had little or no interest to be whatsoever.

While my feet retraced the well-known path to the empty classroom I used for violin practice, my mind was back in the library with Sirius. His messy scrawl was drifting through my head, and the phrases and words that had dug into my mind remained there, replaying constantly until I arrived at my destination. The room of requirement. I had stumbled upon it as a first year looking for charms class, and had used it frequently, for practice, or when I needed a space to think. I paced back and forth three times, picturing the room I usually practiced in. A door appeared on my left, and I opened it, followed by Adriana.

The room was a homey one. Music stands, chairs, and bookshelves of neatly arranged music books lined the shelves. A grand piano took up one corner, and there a light-haired sixth year sat playing, his long fingers expertly dancing over the ivory keys.

As I unearthed my violin from my bag, and took it out of it's case, I said, "Hey Louis, sorry I'm late."

The pianist turned to look at me, his fingers still moving over the keys, and he smiled. "No problem, 'Liv." His eyes traveled past me to Adriana, who promptly came over to peck him on the lips. I adjusted my bow and strings, trying a few experimental notes and scales while they cooed to each other. Lovebirds. I rolled my eyes, and moved to stand behind Louis, facing the piano, my back to the door. I arranged my music in front of me.

"Ready?" I asked, interrupting their "No, I love you more!" argument.

Louis nodded, and reluctantly turned to the keyboard. We began playing.

Sirius

All the way there I was debating to myself. Wouldn't it look just a bit creepy f you knew exactly where she was? I thought. At least I had an excuse. She had left her essay on the table at the library in her rush, I wanted to return it to her.

So I used the trusty-rusty, Marauder's Map to find her. A bit on the stalker side, but I was using it for practical purposes, right? I was lost in these thoughts, absently moving through the castle to where the map said Olivia was. But suddenly, I was at a dead end. I frowned. The map couldn't be wrong. But according to it, Olivia was in the middle of a wall. I backtracked, looking for a door I might have missed. None. I felt around for secret passages. Nada.

I gave up, and paced the small alcove to the left of where the map said she was. And the map wasn't wrong-was it? I was so lost in these musings that it took me several laps back and forth along the length of the alcove to notice that a door had appeared. When I noticed it, I started. That was odd. I could have sworn that that door hadn't been there before. I shrugged, and went inside.

The first thing that struck me was the music. I sounded soft and sad, the woeful violin drifting weightlessly over the steady rhythm of the piano. It sounded like someone was weeping. So this was where Olivia dashed off to. I shut the door carefully and quietly, so as not to disturb the musicians.

I stared at Olivia. She expertly ran the bow over the strings, her fingers moving over the neck of the instrument, pressing expertly on the strings. Her small body swayed and dipped with the music. One minute, she'd rise up onto her tiptoes, the next, she'd dip down, bent at the knee. Between the spellbinding quality of the music, and watching Olivia play, I hadn't noticed the song winding down. But, suddenly there was silence, and Olivia was talking to the piano player, gesturing to the music every now and then. He just nodded.

Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia spotted me, and jumped. Her hand fluttered to her chest, right where her heart would be. I noticed how slim and elegant her finders were.

"Sirius! You scared me." Her smile became puzzled. "How'd you get in?"

I glanced back at the door, and then back to her. "I really don't know." I rubbed the back of my neck, muttering, "Just when I thought I knew everything about the school…"

She chuckled, and stopped at a cough from the piano player. He looked pointedly between Olivia and me, and for a moment I wondered if he was her boyfriend. She launched into an introduction.

"Sorry, Louis. Sirius, this is Louis, Adriana's boyfriend and the second part of my duet. Louis, this is Sirius, a friend of mine." At the word 'friend' Adriana, sitting at Louis's elbow, on the piano bench, coughed in a rather forced way, as if to say, "yeah, tell yourself he's just a friend." I grinned in a puzzled way, as Olivia shot her and aggravated glance.

"So, uh… Is there any reason why you're here? I mean, not that you'd need one, but I thought that maybe you'd-"

I smacked my head with my palm. "Now I'm senile as well as thick." I rummaged in my bag for her essay. "Here you are." I said, passing her the scroll. She moved her bow to the hand that held her violin, and peered at the scroll.

"Oh, thank you so much! I'm so scatterbrained." She tucked the scroll in her bag, before returning her gaze to me. "Would you like to stay and listen?" She gestured to the piano with her violin hand.

I shook my head. "No, no, I must be getting back. I have some herbology homework I need to wrap up." With a wink, I left the room.

Olivia

"'Liv, you are a shameless flirt."

"Go snog Louis and leave me alone."

"'Liv, you like the school player."

"Adriana, you need to cut down on the butterbeer."

"Sirius and Olivia. Has a nice ring to it."

I glared at her. "That is almost as bad as third year when you kept trying out your crushes' last names."

She made a face. "I'm glad I didn't go for Frank. Adriana Fletcher is much better then Adriana Longbottom."

"I'll agree to that." Louis appeared, sliding into the chair next to Adriana. "Why? Are we engaged?"

Louis was beginning to scare me. Most guys his age freaked out at the word 'love', much more so at 'marriage.' But Louis almost seemed hopeful.

"Just a few more years, Lou." Crooned Adriana. I made a disgusted face into my macaroni, as the couple began alternately kissing and cooing their ridiculously airheaded pet names.

Just as they had gotten to "peeky poke" The doors to the great hall opened, revealing the

Marauders. They were rather damp, but looked very pleased with themselves.

"Well, as entertaining as it is to listen to your little exchange here, I'd rather go and finish up my Arithmancy. Later."

Adriana simply waved; she and Louis were involved in a rather revolting game of tonsil hockey.

I found my legs carrying me to the Gryffindor table. I sat down next to Remus, who smiled at me. "Hey." I said, acutely aware of how many pairs of female eyes were regarding me with a mixture of suspicion, envy, and hate.

"Hullo, Oh-Livia" James stretched out the syllables in my name.

"Might I inquire as to the cause of your apparent sogginess?"

Peter and Remus had the decency to look guilty. James, however, looked quite proud as he spoke. "Well, I was messing around with some dungbombs, right? Just poking a few spells at them, just to see what would happen. Well, I made them water proof!" He beamed. Remus took over.

"He put them in the fifth floor boy's lavatory. And then a friend of ours-" Sirius snorted."-walked in, and used that particular loo."

Peter broke in here, giggling. "So it was like Snape farted and made the toilet blow up!"

"Stop giggling, Captain Obvious, before you wet yourself." Sirius's comment only made the giggles increase.

"Quite convenient. Snivellous got pranked, and we didn't even set it up especially." James kicked his feet up on the tabled, leaning his chair back on its two rear legs. McGonagal chose that moment to walk by, and push his chair onto all fours.

"Six legs on the ground at all times, Potter."

"But the chair only had four legs!" He called after her, and I rolled my eyes.

"You do realize what this is going to do to your 'new image' for Lily, don't you?" Sirius seemed to be amused as he spoke.

James frowned. "Oh yeah. Forgot about that." He was suddenly sober. I turned to Remus for an explanation."

"James is creating a 'new image' so that Evans'll go out with him. I must say, he's failing rather fantastically."

"Dammit. Being good is so hard." He whined. I patted his back.

"Cheer up, James. Lily'll come round. Someday." He shot me a 'gee thanks' look.

"You know," Sirius said, looking at me as though he were truly seeing me for the first time. "You're the first girl I've been able to talk about my pranks with, who doesn't either blow me off, run around shrieking that I'm a terrible felon, or tried to change me from my 'moody, bad-boy' image."

Remus chuckled. "Is there a boyfriend I should be afraid of?" He joked. James gasped.

"Moony just hit on a girl! He does have testosterone!" he beamed.

"I was only kidding. No need to announce it, Prongs." He gave me an apologetic glance.

Changing the subject, I asked, "What's with the nicknames?"

Peter choked, Moony paled, and James glanced about worriedly. Only Sirius remained impassive. As he thumped Peter on the back, he explained, "The names refer to our favorite animals. Wormtail here likes rats. Prongs has a thing for stags. I myself prefer dogs. Big ones." He added. He paused for the briefest of moments before continuing, "And Remus is a wolf-lover."

The other three visibly relaxed, as I accepted this information. Deep in my mind, however, I knew there was more to it then that. Who names their friends after their favorite animals? No, I was going to look in to this, when it occurred to me. But for now, I let the subject go, leaving it to mull over on a rainy afternoon.

Author's Note: My pride with my story ends here. I'm afraid that this chapter, while it has it's good moments, is a bit rambling and pointless and ugh. Now is the time when I would appreciate a review or two. –wince- I've become one of them. But anyways, Please and thank you to any and all reviewers.