I can't forget. Sirius's words echoed in her mind. Annie fort the urge to scream. The boy was unknowingly tearing her apart.

Standing up, Annie scoured the room, hoping to avoid the boy in question. He wasn't there. Good. Annie grabbed her bag, and hurried from the room.

She needed to let off some steam. Annie stepped out of the building, she wanted to see Hagrid. He was always able to take her mind off of things. Annie ran down the path to his hut.

She knocked on the door. No answer. Annie reached up on her tip-toes, and peered through the window. Four boys were sitting at the boy. The Marauders.

Annie shook her head. Great, just great. Now she couldn't talk to Hagrid, not with him, in there.

Where to go? Annie surveyed her surroundings. Groups of students hovered in the courtyard, first years were having a flying lesson with Professor Hooch, the Quidditch Pitch was empty. Quidditch Pitch!

Annie tore down the path to the Quidditch Pitch.

"Accio broom." She whispered, her hand raised in the hand, ready to catch her broom.

A moment later, she had mounted her broom. Annie kicked off. She rose up in the air, then zoomed forward, loving the feeling of the wind in her hair.

(Flashback)

Annie clutched her father's waist as they rose up in the air. She whimpered, wanting her feet to be safe on the ground.

"Careful!" her mother called from where she was standing, watching on the ground.

"Mummy!" Annie cried as her father moved swiftly through the sky.

"It's okay Annie, you'll be okay." Her mother reassured her. "Your father won't let you fall." She paused, shooting her husband a pointed look. "Will you?"

"Of course not!" Annie's father laughed. "Now, hold on tight Etta." He said, making a sudden movement downwards. Annie screamed.

"Down! Down!" she screamed, tears streaming freely down her face.

"Okay, okay." Annie's father came to a stop, he slowly lowered the broom until his feet were touching the ground. He climbed off the broom, and picked Annie up.

"Annie, you went on a broom!" he cried, swinging her around. "I'm so proud of you!" he grinned, pulling her into his arms.

"More of a Gryffindor than your mother." He said, winking at her mother. Her mother laughed. Annie giggled, tears long forgotten.

"Let's get you inside, shall we?" her mother said, sweeping her daughter out of her husband's arms.

"Come on Annette, bath time."

(End Flashback)

Annie hadn't realized she was crying. They're all gone. They're never coming back. I'm never gonna see them again. Annie leaned to the left, landing quickly. She climbed off, tucked her broom under her arm, and hurried up to the castle.

"Annie?" Annie took a deep breath. Of course, he would show up. She turned to face the boy in question, and his annoying sidekicks.

"What do you want Black?" she asked, not meeting her the boy's eyes.

"We were just at Hagrid's, and we saw you heading back-" he paused.

"Were you flying?" his eyes widened in disbelief.

"So, what if I was?" Annie asked, glaring at him.

"I didn't know you flew!"

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me." Annie retorted. That seemed to stump him.

"Well-yeah, but. . . never mind."

"We were just heading back up to the castle, care to join us?" Remus spoke up, breaking the awkward silence.

"Thanks for the offer Remus, but no." Without waiting for a reply Annie turned and ran back to the castle.

~O~

"Annie?!" Annie didn't answer, not wanting to talk to him.

"Annie! I'm talking to you." he grabbed her arm, and spun her around.

"What do you want Black?" Annie asked.

"So, all of a sudden, its first name basis with my friends, but not me?" he asked. Annie nodded.

"Why?" Black asked. Because they haven't betrayed me. They didn't abandon me. They didn't do anything to me to make me hate them.

"Because I'm on friendly terms with them, not you." Annie replied simply. Black shook his head.

"I want to be friends again-" he was cut off by Annie.

"Black, we've been over this." She interrupted softly. Black hung his head.

"I'm sorry Annie, I really am, and I really want to be friends again." The silence that followed was deadly.

"No." Annie said. She wished with all her heart that she could say yes, but she couldn't let him off that easy. He had hurt her. He had left his mark, he had left a scar. A scar that couldn't be healed.

"I'm sorry." Annie pulled her arm from his grasp, and hurried down the hallway, desperately trying to stop the tears from falling.

He had been her first friend. He had comforted her when her father died. He had stood up for her when she was bullied. He had supported her through everything, except that.

The thing that had put an end to their friendship. Annie couldn't forgive that so easily. It wasn't that simple.

(Flashback)

Annie sat on the swing, tears streaming down her face.

"It's not fair." She sniffed.

"What's not fair?" Annie jumped, falling of the swing.

A boy stood above her, holding his hand out for her to grab. He had shoulder length black hair and stormy gray eyes.

"Nothing." Annie said, taking the boy's hand.

"What's your name?" the boy asked. "I'm Sirius."

"Annette." Annie replied.

"Guess what Annie?" he said.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm a wizard." Annie grinned.

"Mhm, and I'm a troll." She said. Sirius frowned.

"No really." He protested.

"Sirius, wizards aren't real." Annie said, matter-of-factly.

"Yeah they are." Sirius protested. Annie shook her head.

"No, they're not."

"Yes, they are!"

"No, they're not!"

"Yes, they are!"

"No, they're not!"

"Yes, they are!"

"This is stupid." Annie said.

"I'll prove it." Sirius huffed.

"Fine." Annie agreed. Sirius grabbed Annie's hand and pulled her to a bush. "Look." Sirius said, pointing to a gap in the leaves.

A man stood on the other side of the bush. He was holding a stick, standing across from another man, who was also holding a stick.

"Expelliarmus!" the first man cried, pointing his stick at the other man. The other man's stick flew out of his hand.

"Imperio!" he yelled. The second man went stiff, his eyes were distant. "You will go and tell Walburga that Sirius is missing." The first man demanded. The other man hesitated, before turning and heading down the street.
"Sirius!" the first man yelled, looking around.

"I believe you now." Annie whispered, peering at Sirius. Sirius grinned.

"Told you." he paused, looking at the man again. "I have to go," he said. "I can meet you here tomorrow though." He added.

"Okay, bye." Annie said, grinning at the boy.

"Bye Annie." Sirius turned and crept out of the bushes.

"Bye Sirius."

(End Flashback)

Annie hesitated by the door to the Great Hall. She slowly turned and looked back at the boy. He was leaning against the wall, head in his hands. I'm so sorry.