a/n: thanks to all my reviewers. I really love all of you! Once again, to Caramel Boost for the corrections. I know check all of my compositions because of that.

Sorry for the long wait (if it is really long). Sorry if James is not yet here because he's not supposed to be here. But more Raven-Green Apple in the next chapters!

If the next chapter is very very very not so soon, try to be patient. As I said, I will have a busy year.

CHAPTER 22: WHITE SMOKE

"You mean she is…?" Jeanne nervously asked, pointing at Aphrodite, who was smiling as she took a heart-shaped cookie. Actually, all of the cookies were heart-shaped.

Lily and Danicia nodded. "One of us."

Aphrodite's eyebrow twitched. "Little girl, if you just know that I am not really one of your kind. I'm not even human in any aspect!" she thought.

"We're really happy to know that but we're so sorry. I will not sing with him," Jeanne said.

"What?" Lily, Danicia, and Christopher said at the same time.

Aphrodite put her cup down and she sighed, showing her most pitiful face. "Jeanne, dear, that is very easy to say."

"You can just accept him. He can song solo in your party," Jeanne said. "But I will never sing with that freak again."

"Why not?" the goddess asked calmly.

"I don't want to!" she said. "What if they laugh at me? What if they don't like me singing in front of them?"

Christopher stood up. "They'll like you! You just believe that they won't!" he argued.

"Shut up!" the girl replied, covering her ears.

"Stop fighting," Aphrodite said, standing up. "Don't you know love birds die when they see others fighting?" she asked. "And unfortunately, I have a thousand love birds," she added as she pulled a string, revealing thousands of chirping love birds behind a large red curtain.

"She has…"

"A thousand love birds," Danicia continued, nodding slowly as she looked at all those different colored birds with awe.

"I can't believe it! Why do you want me to sing with you?" Jeanne said through gritted teeth after sitting down.

Christopher answered her question with a question. "And I can't believe you. Why don't you want to sing with me?"

Aphrodite sighed. She refilled her cup and took a small bite from her cookie. "Jeanne, dear," she said, putting up a sad face. "I really wanted you to sing for this party."

"Why do you want us to sing when you still haven't heard us?" the girl replied, curious.

"Well… well…" Aphrodite started, looking at her chirping birds. "Well… Mrs. Tails told me that you have a wonderful voice!" She nodded at the others. "Yes, that's it!"

"So, if you sing for Madam Aimes, she will know if you are really fit for her persistence," Eros said, closing the door after him. "Come on, sing for us!" he said, forcing the two to stand up.

Aphrodite closed the curtain where her birds were kept and magically, their chirping faded. "Good idea. Now sing for us," she said, smiling sweetly that Lily could see roses around the goddess.

Jeanne looked at Christopher with narrowed eyes. "Alright. Just this once," she said.

"Moments of love

Close beside you in the warmth of the light

All through the night

It's just you and me

Making music in the beat of our hearts

Lost in the stars

Moments of love

(Moments of love)

Bringing us closer…"

While they were singing, Lily saw cute swirls going around them. Aphrodite seemed like she was also seeing the swirls; she was looking all around with a smile.

"Dani, hold my hand," Lily said, knowing that this was also one of her special "gifts".

When Danicia held her hand, she smiled and looked around in awe. The two were not only producing swirls but also a glowing light.

Aphrodite leaned down to Lily's ear; she was more than six feet tall. "See? They're one of the greatest," she said. "The Gods will be overjoyed once they hear them."

"I really think so, Aphrodite," Lily replied.

"And day after day

You fill my life

With moments… of love…"

"Bravo!" Aphrodite said, directing her applause to Christopher. She saw that Jeanne looked deflated. For what reason, she did not know. She just the goddess of love and she was not blessed with the power to see through thoughts. "And bravissima," she added, applauding for Jeanne.

Aphrodite sat down and opened her fur-lined purse. "You two," she said while looking for something inside the bag, "are perfect. Here," she said, handing to them a key.

"What is this key for?" Jeanne asked, taking it.

"A vault in Gringgotts," Aphrodite said, not looking at them. She was rearranging the contents of her purse.

"A Gringgotts key," Jeanne said slowly, examining the key. After seconds, she realized the matter. "What?" she blurted out. "What for?"

"My desperation to have you in the party," Aphrodite said as though it was the simplest question in the world.

"A whole vault? Just for us to sing?"

"Well, actually, that's not just one vault. That key is a special key for," Aphrodite started to count with her fingers, "ten vaults."

"Ten vaults?" the others chorused.

Aphrodite nodded. "First class singers deserve high pay," she said in a businesslike tone.

The two was loss for words. "I'll be expecting you two in the party. The day before you return to Hogwarts, that's the date," she said.

"Thank you," Christopher said. "We will think about this."

"You don't need to think. You've already agreed," the goddess said with a smile. "You will understand, surely."

After the door was closed, Aphrodite turned to her son. "Eros, dear, have you done it?"

"Yes, my dear mother," the boy replied. With a pop, he resumed his original form.

"Done what?" Danicia asked curiously.

"Ah, we just have to restrain Helena for a month or so before she gets her dose of true love," the golden goddess said.

"So, you've found her match. Don't tell me I have to give them a hand again," Lily said sarcastically.

"No. No need," Eros said. "I've got it covered."

"Thank goodness," Lily said, taking a cookie.

"All you have to do is to rest. Tomorrow, you have a heist," Aphrodite said.

"Heist? No way," Danicia said disbelievingly.

"You have to recover the Dianca host Helena sent to Matthew before it's too late," Eros explained. "Even though Helena has her eyes on Vladimir already, the effect of the potion will not wear off. That could be dangerous."

"I hate this," Lily said.

"It's your fault, Lily," Eros said in a singsong voice. "You shouldn't have hit me in the first place."

"Don't ever remind me of that incident again," Lily said before she opened the door and stepped out of the balcony of illusions.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Sirius! Sirius, wait!" Auriga shouted, hopping after Sirius fast-paced walking.

"Auriga, please leave me alone. Just this once, okay?" Sirius said.

Auriga pouted. "But we're engaged! I can't just leave you!"

"Who said we're engaged?" Sirius asked her. "Ah, maybe it's my mother. Then marry my mother instead!" he shouted at her. He started to sprint away.

"Sirius, Sirius, wait!" Auriga cried out, tailing him.

Sirius mounted on his broom and flew. "I've had it!"

Auriga sighed when Sirius became a dot in the sky. "What am I going to do?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"It's so boring!" Kristanna complained. She kicked the pillows off her bed. "Why do I have to be left alone every holiday? I'm sick of it." She threw a

Her tantrum was interrupted by an owl by the window. It was knocking the glass with its beak. Kristanna opened the window and let the owl in. "What do we have here?" she said. She saw that the owl was carrying a white rose with a chain. At the end of the chain was a rolled-up piece of parchment.

"Thank you," she told the owl before letting it fly away again.

The girl looked at the rose. "It's not Valentine's Day," she said. She giggled when she read "To Kristanna", but she frowned when she read the whole note.

Kristanna,

I know I have lots of mistakes in the past but I hope you believe me that I love you.

Please give me another chance. If you still feel anything for me… anything… just go to the Quidditch pitch this afternoon. Please.

I'll wait for you there.

Sirius

"What is he up to?" Kristanna asked. She placed the rose in an empty vase on her bedside cabinet and lied down on her bed, looking at the window. Later on, she started to read a book.

The sky started to darken. Automatically, the lights of the room started to light up in accordance with the weather outside. The rain started to pour.

Kristanna looked at the window again. This time, she approached the window and touched the glass. She sighed.

"Don't look at me like that!" she suddenly shouted, looking at the rose on the vase. "You're making me guilty! That Sirius Black will never wait for me. He'll never wait for me, especially when it's raining like this."

She looked at the rose as though it has eyes. "I'm going down. I think I'll find someone whom I could play chess with," she said slowly.

When she closed the door of her dormitory room, Kristanna was confused by the continuous interval of loud thumps followed by loud laughs. She took a peek on the event.

"Pettigrew?" she whispered to herself disbelievingly. He was trying to climb the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories, only to find himself sliding down. The others in the common room were laughing.

"Stop it, all of you," Kristanna said, immediately silencing everyone in the room. She went down from the stairs and helped Peter up. "Pettigrew, what are you trying to do?" she asked. "You've already seen the effect if you try to climb up our dormitories!"

"Kristanna, I was trying to look for you," Peter panted, arranging his hair and robes.

"Why?"

"You see, Kristanna, Sirius is waiting for you in the Quidditch pitch," he explained.

"It's raining!" the girl replied.

"And he's still there," Peter said. "Give him a chance, Kristanna. I know that he's really sincere. Sirius Black, one of the leaders of the Marauders, will never let himself get soaked in the rain if it's not for a special person."

"Why, Pettigrew…" Kristanna looked below. Everyone was silent. "I know," she suddenly said. "Wait for me here, Peter," she said. She ran up to her dormitories, took a coat and umbrella, and sped towards the door. However, before she opened the door, she saw the rose once again. She went to her bedside and touched its petals. She smiled. Without another word, she took the rose and carried everything down.

"Peter, where exactly in the Quidditch pitch?" Kristanna asked as the two of them ran through the rain.

"He was flying when I last saw him," Peter replied, trying to catch up with the long-legged woman.

"Okay," Kristanna replied, running as fast as she can.

On one of the windows of the castle, however, the spy was watching. A black smoke beside her started to form Erida's figure.

"She's going to Sirius. Go talk to Auriga," she ordered.

The spy nodded. She ran towards the dungeons in hope that she would find Auriga. Luckily for her, she found the girl looking at a series of gothic paintings.

"Oh, hello, Auriga," the spy said.

The brat ignored her. "You know, I saw Black in the Quidditch pitch and Spencer going to there too. Do you think they would meet each other?" she asked innocently.

Auriga raised an eyebrow before running.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sirius flew through the rain that was blurring his eyesight.

"Padfoot, you can stop flying now," Remus shouted from the stands. "You will get sick!"

"I will not go down until I see Kristanna!" Sirius replied, flying and doing life-risking turns.

"You're crazy!" Remus shouted back. "Oh, Wormtail, where are you now?" he muttered.

"Moony! Moony!" he heard a shout from below. He saw Peter and Kristanna running towards the stands.

"Up here, Peter!" he shouted, waving a hand.

"They're up there, Kristanna," Peter said.

"Let's go," Kristanna said, running faster than ever. "Sirius, you stubborn guy, why are you doing this?" she thought, tears forming on her eyes. But she held them back. She didn't want to cry.

"Kristanna, I'm so happy that you're here. Sirius said…" Remus started to explain but he was blocked when Kristanna let go of her umbrella and shouted.

"SIRIUS, YOU PIGHEAD!" Kristanna shouted. Sirius's head turned. "Why are you doing this?" she shouted more, her tears freely falling and blending with the rain. "Do you think this will make me think otherwise? You are so stupid, then!"

"Moony, Moony, look!" Peter called out fearfully, catching Remus' attention.

Remus looked down and saw Auriga running towards the pitch. "We have to stop her," he said. He waved his hand and immediately, smoke filled the exterior of the Quidditch pitch. "That should hold her back," he said with a smile.

"You are a genius, Moony," Peter said with glittering eyes.

Remus sighed. "I'm not as great as the two. But that should suffice, right?"

"Right," Peter replied.

"Sirius, come back here!" Kristanna shouted. "You'll get sick! It's dangerous to fly with this rain!"

"I will not go down until you tell me that you love me!" Sirius shouted, going in circles.

Kristanna's eyes widened. "What? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You don't want to admit that you love me?" Sirius threatened, removing his hands from the broom. "I'll jump from this broom!"
Kristanna looked at him with fear. "No! Don't do that, Sirius!"

"Then tell me what I need to hear," he replied, his head now upside down. "I know that you still love me. Please, Kristanna," he pleaded.

"What are you saying?" Kristanna replied, shouting.

"You don't want to say you love me?" Sirius said in a threatening voice. "Goodbye, Kristanna Spencer. I hope you'll remember what happened to the person who loves you so much." After that statement, he let go of his broom. Remus and Peter ran towards the edge of the stand, shouting.

Sirius disappeared from their view as he fell through a white mist that hid the bottom of the Quidditch pitch. The three of them ran as quickly as they can and they blindly searched the grounds.

"Sirius! Sirius, where are you?" Kristanna shouted, trying to grasp for something. She fell to the ground and started to call, trying to feel if he was lying there. She stopped when she felt a broomstick beneath her. She moved a little more, and she felt someone under her hands.

The mist slowly disappeared. "Sirius, Sirius, wake up!" she said, slapping him lightly.

"Kris," Sirius coughed, lifting his hand. "You worried for me."

"I… I…" Kristanna started. The romantic scene was interrupted when Kristanna punched Sirius. "You!" she shouted.

"What did I do?" he asked, wiping the trickle of blood from his mouth.

"You threatened me!" she said in disgust. "I can't believe I fell for that! I pro…" she was blocked when Sirius kissed her.

"That's the Kristanna I know," he said. He kissed her again and this time, Kristanna kissed him back. Slowly, Sirius took the rose from her hand.

Argua looked down from them from a cloud. She smiled in contentment. "Nothing beats the rain for romance," she said. "I should better go back to Mt. Olympus or Aphrodite will scold me," she said. She sang a few notes to make the rain stop. Her wings sprouted from her back and she flew away, producing a rainbow as her trail.

"I knew it, you really love me," Sirius said. He held out the rose. He was shocked when a red rose appeared from nowhere.

Remus waved at them. "Thanks, dude," Sirius said, waving back. "Kristanna, I promise that we will be together, forever," he said, giving the roses of unity to Kristanna.

"I promise that I will never leave you, Sirius, no matter what," she replied with a smile.

"Look, guys, a rainbow!" Peter interrupted, pointing to the sky.

The couple held hands as they looked at the rainbow. Kristanna sneezed. "I think we have to go to the Hospital Wing," Sirius said. Peter gave her the coat he was carrying.

"Thank you for the help," Kristanna said gratefully. "I thought the Marauders were only there for the pranks."

Remus winked. "We're more than that," he said.

"See you later, guys," Sirius said with a smile as he mounted on the broom, Kristanna behind him. He kicked off and they were gone.

"I am very happy for our friend," Peter said with a sigh.

"Me too," Remus said, looking at the dot in the sky that was the couple.

Outside the Quidditch pitch, Auriga gave up on trying to break through the barrier Remus made. As she looked up, she saw Sirius and Kristanna riding a broomstick.

"I guess I'm hopeless," Auriga said sadly, leaning on the wall.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Aphrodite was watering the crystals of love in her garden. However, as she touched the dying crystal of Sirius and Kristanna, she was surprised by a blinding ray of light. When the light diminished, the goddess observed that the crystal was again pure and clear, without any cracks. "Ooh," she said, touching it. "Already mended?"

"Yes, dear goddess," a voice behind her replied.

"Argua, dear," Aphrodite said in a motherly tone, "I told you that it's dangerous for you to wander outside."

"But Psyche is so boring," the nymph said, observing other crystals.

"But still…"

"Aphrodite, look!" Argua said, looking at one crystal. "This is a very unique crystal. It's not really pure white. It's colorful! It's…"

"Beautiful," Aphrodite said, leaning to the crystal and touching it a little. "It's special."

"Really? Who owns this crystal?" Argua asked curiously.

"I won't tell you yet. That would ruin the surprise!" Aphrodite said childishly, taking her sprayer and spraying the other crystals.

Argua pouted. "Why won't you tell me? I'm the Nymph of Love!"

"That's exactly why! You can't resist spreading love to the world. I am a sadist. I love to let them suffer first before finding true love," she finished with hand movements as though she was in a declamation.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The host of the Dianca was found inside Matthew's bedside cabinet," Eros said, showing Matthew's face from an overhead projector.

Lily nodded. "Then how are we supposed to get it? We're not in Hogwarts until the end of the Easter holidays," she said.

"I'll zap you there!" Eros said smartly, showing on the overhead projector a comic strip of Lily and Danicia disappearing with a pop and reappearing inside a dormitory room.

Danicia raised an eyebrow and raised her hand. "Excuse me; we all know that you cannot apparate of disapparate within the Hogwarts grounds."

"Sheesh, human magic defenses," the god said boastfully, waving his hand. "I can easily go through that, my dear accomplices."

"Then, when we're there?"

"I don't exactly know where to find the Dianca or what host it resides in," he said, putting the stick he was holding down. "But there is one way to detect and to destroy the potion."

He pressed a button and the overhead projector showed a new picture. It was a picture of a weird flower that shaped like a vase. "Reimor," he said. "It's a magical flower that is inexplicably full of nectar. I mean, you can continuously pour nectar out of it and it will never exhaust."

"I've never encountered this flower before," Danicia said.

"How about you, Lily? Care to tell some information?" Eros said in the same way a teacher does.

"I think I used the nectar of that flower before," the potion-making expert said. "Wait, I think we used it when we made those Detecting potions that act like Sneakoscopes!"

"The same way, "Eros said. "If you placed just a drop of it on an evil thing, it will produce black smoke."

"Great, can we try it on Snape?" Danicia asked. "In that way, we could see if he's really evil." She darkened her tone in the last word.

"Dani!" Lily reminded. "Do we have to get the flower?" she asked Eros.

"Just a little trip to the Forbidden Forest will do," the god said happily. "And the nectar as pure can only work until forty-eight hours after it was picked."

"Nectar as pure?"

"Lily, what you used in your potion class was surely added with preservatives to retain its effect," Eros explained. "That thing can only detect a simple prank or a simple lie, not really evil in category…"

"Like the Marauders," Danicia whispered.

"… The Reimor that is impure cannot detect something that is as evil as the Dianca," Eros continued. "That's why you need to pick the freshest."

"Oh, great, another rendezvous inside the Forbidden Forest," Lily said, hitting her forehead.

"You should be more adventurous, Lily," Eros said. "Or your match will be bored with you," he added in a whisper.

"Excuse me?" Lily asked, thinking that his mutters were directed towards her.

"Huh? Did I say something?" the god asked her innocently. "Don't worry, Argua will help you in your way," he added to change the topic.

a/n: I forgot. Please support "Letters from Iwo Jima" and buy the original DVD. That's all.

Aside from that, reviews are greatly appreciated. Correct me if I have mistakes.