Sorry it's taken so long to update! As a reward for waiting so patiently, here's an extra long chapter :)


The previous days' disagreement is mostly forgotten by the time Corinne joins Sirius in his dorm. Neither of them says anything as they begin their usual routine of picking up the book they begun and looking for anything useful. Sirius is the first speak, and it's only after observing that something truly seems to be bothering Corinne. Not that he cares, he thinks to himself, he just doesn't like silence.

"This isn't just about Jenna and Steven. There's something else. You almost look . . . heartbroken," Sirius says, feeling stupid as the words leave his mouth.

"Heartbroken?" Corinne ponders. "I suppose that's about right, isn't it?"

Sirius has no idea what to make of that. "I was right?"

She sighs and leans against one of their trunks. "I don't know why I'm telling you, but I suppose you're the only one I can talk to about this. Jenna isn't speaking to me, Steven would be hurt, there's no way I'm admitting it to Jeremy, and Ben would accidentally let it slip."

"What is it?"

"It's Jeremy."

"Don't tell me you love him," Sirius says. That group doesn't need any more drama than it already has.

"Yes, but not in that way. Jeremy and I, we've always been close. He's like . . . I can't explain it. He isn't exactly a brother, but he's . . . we're just really, really close in a different way, you know? Neither of us have any romantic feelings towards each other, but we're still close," she repeats, "and I'm losing him."

"What do you mean you're losing him? You're still friends, right?"

"Well, before any of this happened, we talked and, in a way, decided that we needed to distance ourselves. He wanted to go out with Alicia and he felt it wouldn't be fair to her for him to be so close to me. And now that all this mess happened, we don't talk at all because he's always with Jenna."

"Oh, and that's why you're heartbroken?" Sirius asks, still not fully understanding.

"Yes. I don't know if heartbroken is the right word, but that's what it feels like. My heart hurts. Every time I think about him, I get this feeling inside and I get sad. I've never been heartbroken, but that's what it feels like, right?"

"I suppose so," Sirius says, "I wouldn't know either. Have you tried talking to him about it?"

"No, we aren't close like that. Okay, it's complicated. We were close, but not affectionate or anything; we never talked openly about how we felt about each other. Ugh, I'm doing a horrible job explaining it, but I don't know how else to do it."

"So you weren't close then?"

"We were. It's like, would you go up to Remus and tell him you love him and you don't want to distance yourself from him?"

"No," he scoffs, "I'm not a poof."

"Exactly-"

"But I would probably tell James- in a different way, obviously- because I'm closer to him than Remus."

"Well it's different because you're both guys. Lily wouldn't exactly care about how close you two are, but Alicia would mind about me and Jeremy."

"Maybe not, I mean, Steven doesn't mind, does he?"

"Well no because we haven't talked since he and I started going out."

"I see."

"Do you really?"

"Yes really. Do you plan on talking to him about it?"

"No, I'm just letting go, but it's hard. It hurts. It'll go away after a while, but it's . . . difficult because I still see him everyday. It's like, being so close and yet so far, type thing, you know?"

"It really sounds like you actually love him."

"Well I don't," she snaps, "unless you actually love Remus."

"Sorry I mentioned it," he mumbles. "Anyway, I'm really sorry about that. It must be horrible."

Sirius isn't sure why he's having this conversation with her to begin with. He doesn't particularly like her, but now that he's seeing her as an actual person with actual feelings his preconceived notions of her seem to be changing. They don't always get along, but they have more in common than they think. Sirius knows what it feels like to lose someone he cares about. To see that person everyday and know it's over, know it'll never be the same again even if by some miracle they would start talking again. He knows that pain.

"It is," Corinne says, looking away and trying to control her voice, "but the worst part is seeing it happen right before my eyes and knowing that there's nothing I can do about it."

OoOoO

"Do you want anything?" Steven asks Sirius and Corinne.

"No thanks."

"Nah."

"Alright, I'll be back." Steven takes off to the Grand Hall, eager to eat something. He skipped lunch to do some research in the library. He had only planned to spend the first half researching, but he found some interesting information. Now, however, his stomach keeps grumbling.

"So I see you're still with the poor bloke," Sirius comments to Corinne once Steven is gone.

"Yes."

"You know, you're only delaying the pain because unless you're planning on marrying him, you're going to have to tell him eventually. And honestly, the longer you wait, the more difficult it'll be."

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Suit yourself," he says. "Have you found anything useful?"

"Not really. I know we need to find some way of controlling time through the sand, but how do we do that?"

"If I knew the answer to that, we wouldn't be here Johnson. Start reading," he says, tossing her a copy of Testing Time.

Corinne makes herself comfortable on the floor, lying on her stomach and spreading the book open in front of her. Sirius picks up The Mystery of Time and leans comfortably against the headboard on his bed.

After about ten minutes of reading in silence, Sirius looks over at Corinne only to find that she's fallen asleep. It can't be very comfortable- her head is resting on the book open in front of her. Sirius considers replacing the book with a pillow, but he's too comfortable to move. Besides, he thinks, if it were that bad she would wake up. He continues reading in peace, feeling slightly drowsy but forcing himself to keep reading.

When Steven returns he finds Corinne on the floor, still sleeping. "She must have been tired," he mumbles, sitting down next to her and brushing her hair out of her face. He can't help but notice how beautiful she is. He knows that she gets in her moods from time to time, but it isn't as common as it has been these past few days. He understands that losing the other half of their group has taken a toll on her. Now, however, she looks peaceful. Lying there, sound asleep, Steven can't help how his chest swells with emotion for this girl. If it isn't love, he doesn't know what it is.

"Probably," Sirius shrugs indifferently.

"Can you toss me a pillow?"

"Sure, here," Sirius says, handing him the one on his right.

Steven gently tugs the book out from under her head and replaces it with the pillow. She stirs a little but stays asleep.

"You can take her to her dormitory if you want."

"No, it's okay. She can rest while I help you out here."

"Thanks mate."

"No problem," Steven tells him, reading the book Corinne had been using.

OoOoO

It's lucky that the common room is devoid of people today at lunch time because if anyone were inside of Gryffindor Tower, they would wonder why they hear Sirius Black's voice exploding from the seventh year boys' dormitory.

"I'm tired of being locked up here! I see the same five faces everyday and I'm sick of it already!"

"Calm down, Sirius," James warns.

"No, I'm not going to calm down until Steve stops sabotaging our research! If Corinne means so much to you, ask her out again after but we need to figure this out!"

Steven stares out the window, contemplating what Sirius said. "I haven't been sabotaging our research," he says calmly, "but I haven't told you everything I know."

James and Corinne exchange astonished looks. They were sure that Sirius had been on one of his conspiracy theory rants. He's had a few of them since he's been locked up, so having it be true is a shock.

"The cause of our time travel was the sand," he says.

"We could have told you that," Sirius interrupts.

"Shut up Black," Corinne snaps.

Steven continues. "The secret to controlling time is in the container. The jar provided no control, therefore time was unstable when it broke."

"That's why we flashed back and then forward again?"

"This is all speculation, but I strongly believe I'm right. The only thing I could think of is an hourglass, but there are obvious obstacles with that."

"Other than not knowing how to make one?"

"Well yes, I mean, let's say we make an hourglass. How would we go back in time? The only way to do that would be to let it run and then flip it over, but that would take too long."

"We would have to go back in time second by second."

"You can see the problem with that. So we either need to find another type of container that could allow us to control time or find a way to make an hourglass that would allow greater control."

"Okay," James says, rubbing his hands together. "This helps a lot. Now we know exactly what to look for. Steven has class right now and I have Head duties, but I'll come back as soon as I can. Meanwhile, we need you two to try to find whatever you can."

"I need to return these books and get some new ones then," Corinne says.

"Come back as soon as you're done."

"Hey, why don't you bring me some food while you're at it?" Sirius asks her.

"Because I don't like you." She doesn't appreciate how rude he was to Steven seconds earlier.

"Come on Johnson! I don't want to die just when we found out a way to go back!"

"Fine Black, fine," she mutters, stalking out of the room.

She takes about twenty minutes getting books and lunch. By the time she reaches Gryffindor Tower, she's exhausted from carrying a bag full of books and a basket of food. Then she realizes that she has no way to get inside. James isn't waiting outside as he usually does. She throws her head back and growls at the ceiling.

"This is just great. You know what? It doesn't even matter. He's the one who's going to starve," she mutters to herself.

"You talk to yourself much?" Sirius grins. He's making an effort to be friendly since she did take time to get him food.

She turns around and sees him at the portrait door. "You're lucky you came out right now," she glares.

He bites back a retort. She's impossible. Why should he try to be nice when she isn't? "Get in here before someone shows up."

They walk through the empty common room and up the stairs. Corinne sees him muttering to that piece of parchment he and James always carry around and her curiosity gets the best of her. "What's on that parchment?"

"Nothing," he says.

"I'm not stupid, Black, I know there's something on it."

"Maybe you are stupid, Johnson, because it's blank, see?" he says, waving it in her face.

She drops her bag once they reach the room and hands him the basket. "It could be hidden," she tells him.

"Here, knock yourself out." He tosses the map at her, confident that she will find nothing on it.

Corinne takes the parchment and examines it closely. It's true that it is blank, but there has to be a reason that they would always carry this around. Besides, she saw James using it in detention. She just doesn't know how.

"Specialis Revelio," she mutters, tapping it with her wand. Nothing happens. She taps it three times and says aparecium, but still nothing happens. She remembers the Revealer Jenna has, but it probably wouldn't reveal anything either. Besides, she and Jenna aren't on speaking terms. She hands it back to Sirius, still not willing to admit that it's simply a blank piece of parchment.

"Satisfied?" he asks her while opening the basket of food.

"No."

"Ah well. If you tap it with your wand and say your name, it'll insult you, but you probably don't want to do that."

"No, I don't."

"Hey, you know I don't eat this much, right?" he says, seeing all the food inside.

"Some of it is for me."

"Oh," he laughs, "right. So do you want to eat or research first?"

"Eat. I'm starving," she says, all contempt in her voice gone.

Sirius is dumbfounded. Her mood swings are hard to keep up with. "Er, okay then."

He conjures two plates and they serve themselves food. He decides to try a conversation with her. He just doesn't know what to say.

Luckily, she speaks first. "If someone had told me I'd be spending hours alone with you this year, I would have laughed at them."

"Same here. We've never gotten along."

"Never."

"Have you hated me since first year?"

"No," she says, avoiding his eyes. If he ever knew that she fancied him back then, she'd never live it down. "I started hating you when you became an insufferable, arrogant, git."

"Ah, that explains a lot. Did you know the only problem I have with you is that you have a problem with me?"

"So you hate me too?"

"Not hate, just dislike. But you're rather nice to talk to when you aren't biting my head off."

She laughs and the sound of it shocks Sirius. He's never heard her so much as chuckle before. He rather likes it. "You laughed."

"I know I'm always snapping at you, but you don't seem to understand how much I dislike you. I suppose I see a change now, but I really hated how you picked on everyone weaker than you."

"I didn't pick on weak people, Johnson, I picked on anyone who bothered me or got in my way."

"Oh, that's so much better."

Surprisingly enough, they spend an enjoyable hour together talking and laughing, their research forgotten until James walks in and gets them back on task. Corinne finds that Sirius isn't anything like she thought he was. As a matter of fact, she finds she rather enjoys his company.

OoOoO

"Bugger off," she says, unable to help the smile on her face, "you did not."

Sirius notices that she's being rather quiet today. He reckons she's brooding again about Jeremy, but doesn't make a comment about it. It's best to simply try to make her laugh rather than bring up the sensitive topic. "It does sound unbelievable doesn't it? But it's true. If you only knew half of the things we get up to . . ."

"I probably don't want to know."

"It's nothing bad, well, I mean, it's nothing like hexing people for fun. That isn't all we do, you know."

"Scott said he saw you four on the grounds the other night. What were you up to?"

"You talk to that poof?"

"He isn't a poof, and yes I talk to him."

"Never liked him, personally. As for you question, well, what weren't we up to?"

Corinne takes one look at his cheeky grin and knows that she won't get a straight answer from him. "Never mind, we're supposed to be working here."

"So what do you do for fun?" he asks her suddenly.

"For fun? I don't know, I have fun whenever I'm with my friends."

"So you lot just sit in the common room doing your homework and have fun?" he asks incredulously.

"Well, yes. I mean, just being around each other is fun, but we do other stuff too. One of our favorite games is midnight tag."

"Midnight tag?"

"Yeah," she smiles. "It's regular tag, but it's harder because we have to make sure not to get caught."

"What's tag?"

"C'mon, you have to know what that is."

"I'm a pureblood Corinne, I don't know all of these muggle terms."

"It's a children's game. You have a group of people and one person is 'it'. Everyone else has to make sure not to get caught by the person who is 'it'. If the 'it' person 'tags' someone then that person is the new 'it' person. Get it?"

"As confusing as your explanation was, yes, I do believe I have the gist of it. But how does the person who is 'it' 'tag' someone?"

"Oh, well in the muggle game you just touch them, but we changed the rules to make it harder. The 'it' person just has to hex whoever they see. We only allow the leg-locker curse, but I've played with other people where anything goes."

"And you play in the entire castle?"

"Yeah, that's why we don't do it very often. It takes hours to finish a game."

"We have to play that once we get out of this mess," Sirius says excitedly. "We can do Gryffindor against Ravenclaw!"

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not stupid. That parchment you always have is not blank, and you can somehow see whoever you're looking for or something."

"We won't cheat. We'll play fair. This game sounds too good to pass up. You Ravenclaws aren't as perfect as you try to act," he grins.

"Not really, no."

"Johnson, Johnson, Johnson, you really had me fooled."

OoOoO

"I mean, really Moony, I don't understand why she still defends him," Corinne hears James saying from the stairwell.

"She doesn't defend him-"

"Right, she only tells me shut up when I say anything about him. Like he never says anything about us, the slimy- oh, hi Corinne," James says, seeing her when he opens the door.

"Hi James, Remus," Corinne yawns.

"Hi Corinne, you look tired," Remus tells her. James walks over to Sirius and tells him what Lily did.

"Oh, I know, I feel like I've been reading for days."

"Have you found anything?"

"Nothing we don't already know. Where's Peter?"

"McGonagall made him stay back. He isn't doing to well in Transfiguration at the moment."

"Not to be mean, but I always wondered how he made it into her NEWT class."

"We help him with his work but we've been busy with the research so we haven't had much time to help him this past week or so."

"Ah, it all makes sense now. How was Ancient Runes?"

"It was interesting. It's getting difficult but still very interesting."

"I'm sure you have no trouble with it. You're a genius, after all."

"You're one to talk, Ravenclaw," he laughs.

"Oi, if you two are done flirting over there, we have work to do," Sirius scowls.

"Don't get your knickers in a bunch," Remus says just as Corinne exclaims "We weren't flirting!"

"I know what flirting looks and sounds like, and you two were definitely flirting," Sirius tells them.

Remus chucks a pillow at him. "It's called teasing, Sirius, and do I sense some jealousy?"

"Keep dreaming, old man," Sirius says, chucking the pillow back at him.

Corinne rolls her eyes. "Oi, if you two are done flirting over there, we have work to do," she says, repeating Sirius's words to him.

"It's not the same thing," he argues. "I'm a man."

"That's up for debate," she smirks.

"Well love, we can settle this for once and for all in a matter of seconds. All I'd have to do is pull down my-"

"No one here wants to see that, Sirius. Let's get to work."

"Sirius!" James bursts into the dorm with Corinne and Steven close behind.

He tries not to get his hopes up, but he can't help it. Why else would they all run up here looking out of breath and excited?

"Mate, we found it!" James yells.

"Found what?" Sirius asks, getting to his feet.

"Here." Corinne thrusts a newspaper into his hands. "I was reading the invention section of the Prophet and I came across this."

Sirius unfolds it and skims through the article. It doesn't go into details, but it mentions that they use a miniature hourglass that twists in the middle.

"All we have to do is make it twist!" Corinne says excitedly.

Sirius is frozen in shock. After searching for so long, they found it. "We can make this easily."

"I know. That's why we're all skipping classes. The faster we get this done, the better."

"We'll conjure an hourglass and take it apart-"

"We don't know what size we need. We'll probably want to make a twenty-four hourglass, so it would have to be larger."

"We'll figure that out later. We'll use a small one to figure out how to make it twist in the middle."

"We don't have to figure anything out. Kevin from Hufflepuff is great at making things like this. He'll make one for us in a flash."

"Gillins doesn't like anyone, he won't do it," James tells Corinne. The other two boys nod in agreement.

"That's not necessarily true. I happen to know that he fancies me. I can get him to do it."

Sirius holds back his snort. It was hard enough to believe that Bran loves her. Hearing that another bloke fancies her is hard to believe. She's decent to talk to at times, but as an object of affection . . . that's a different story altogether.

"No," Steven says defensively.

"No what?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"No you won't have him do anything for you. Then he'll try to make a move on you."

"You can't tell me I can and can't do Steven. I'll be back," she says, leaving the room.

James claps Steven on the back. "Don't worry mate, Lily is the same way with me."

"Right. Well I reckon we should start measuring how much sand we'll need."

"How do we do that?"

"D'you reckon we'll have enough?"

"We'll figure that out and I don't know. If we don't have enough for twenty-four hours, we'll measure out enough for twelve hours."

"Let's get to work then."


So there's a little Sirius and Corinne bonding time, sort of . . . hope you like this chapter :)