Disclaimer: As usual I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters. I just play around with them ;)

Author's note: Thanks again for the reviews. Sorry it took me so long to update, but I had to study for my exams (growls)


Diagon Alley

"What? Who?" I sat up straight blinking my eyes furiously to get rid of the sleep. "Who is it?"

"It's your mother, dear. Are you coming down for breakfast?"

"Breakfast?" I parroted stupidly. Then I remembered Sirius and slightly panicking I looked to my side. The bed was empty. I sighed in relief.

Wait a minute. It wasn't just a dream, was it?

I looked under the sheets. I was naked, the sheets were very creased, and there was a distinct musky scent around me.

Definitely not a dream.

"Yes dear, breakfast. It's almost ten. You've been sleeping forever."

"Sleeping? Yes. Yes, I was sleeping."

"Are you all right? You sound a bit odd."

"I'm fine, Mother, I'll be down in a minute." I jumped from the bed, dashed into my bathroom and turned on the shower.

Ten minutes and a thorough re-living of the night before later I turned the shower off again. After I got dressed and dried my hair I went down for breakfast.


Many, many miles from London

"Padfoot, where the hell have you been?" Remus looked disapprovingly at his best friend with whom he was staying this holiday. Sirius had just strolled into his apartment with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Out," was the short answer.

"Yes, that I managed to comprehend all by myself."

"What excellent deduction skills you do have, Moony."

"What is her name, Padfoot?"

"Who says I've been with a girl?" Sirius asked indignantly, but he couldn't control his grin.

Remus snorted, but looked amused. "Why don't you take a shower and fix yourself up? We're supposed to meet James and Peter today, remember?"

"Shit, I forgot." Sirius looked at his friend. "Don't give me that look, Moony, you would have forgotten too if you had been where I was."

Remus laughed and said, "Spare me and save your story for when James and Peter are with us. I don't think I can bear hearing the details of your love life twice in one day."

An hour later the Marauders met at James's place.

"You're late," James said to Remus and Sirius.

Remus pointed towards Sirius, who still hadn't been able to wipe the smile of his face. "Ask him."

"Okay, Padfoot, what is her name?" James sighed.

"Whose name?" Peter asked. He had just entered the room. "Not a new victim, Padfoot?"

"What is it with you guys? You all think I sleep with a different girl every night!" Looking at the ironic faces of his friends, he said, "So maybe there's a grain of truth in there, but anyway, I can't tell her name, it would cause some difficulties if people found out."

"It's that girl you saved from Crast, isn't it?"

Sirius nodded. "You're being awfully perceptive today, Moony. All I can say it has been one of my greatest victories so far."

The other Marauders laughed. "Does she know that you feel this way about her? Or do we have to face yet another drama back at Hogwarts?" Peter asked warily.

Sirius grinned. "Trust me, you don't. She thinks I'm a annoying, arrogant bastard and good for nothing but…" His grin widened again when he thought about last night.

"Sounds like the perfect girl to me," James grinned.

"Don't let Lily hear that, Prongs, or she might want to get back to cursing you into oblivion," Remus said. "And things were going so well."

James looked a bit disconcerted and Sirius laughed.

Peter frowned. "If she doesn't like you, Padfoot, why did she let you spend the night?"

Sirius conjured up a very confident smirk. "Because, my dear Wormtail, no one can resist Padfoot's charms."

James snorted. "Yeah right, more like they can't resist the size of your -- Mum!" James jolted up straight.

"What would your friends like to drink, James? You really don't have any manners."

Stuttering slightly he said they would leave any minute and would eat in the city.

"Fine, dear. And Sirius, don't listen to my son, I'm sure girls are interested in your personality too."

James and Sirius both got scarlet red, which sent Remus and Peter almost into hysterics.

"Have fun, boys." Mrs. Potter closed the door again.

"Oh, man, I can't believe she heard that," Sirius groaned, embarrassed.

"I can't believe she said that," James added, even more embarrassed.

Remus and Peter were still howling with laughter.

"Bugger off, you two. Come on, Padfoot, we can Apparate to my grandparents' house in London."

After greeting James's grandparents the Marauders went to Diagon Alley. Their first stop was at Quality Quidditch Supplies.

As usual Sirius and James got into an argument with a few fellow Hogwarts students about which was the best broom. After they had reached a compromise Sirius bought a repairing kit for his broom. As a Gryffindor Beater his broom got damaged quite often.

They went to Florian's for lunch and questioned Sirius some more about his night with the unknown girl.

Suddenly Remus's attention was diverted. Two pretty girls walked past the window. One had chocolate brown hair and the other girl's hair was a deep dark shade of red. Remus's eyes locked on the girl with the brown hair.

At that moment the girls turned to look inside and James's hand immediately went to his hair. The other girl was Lily Evans.

"Look, Moony, it's your favourite." Zarah Williams was a seventh-year Gryffindor and Remus had had a thing for her since the end of fifth year.

The girls giggled and walked inside. James stood up and invited them to come and sit with him.

Sirius cleared his throat.

"And with my friends, of course," James added, unabashed.

Lily sat next to James and Zarah next to Remus, a slightly pink tinge on her cheeks.

This is an interesting new development, Sirius thought with raised eyebrows and he leaned back in his chair to observe any further progress.

His thoughts, however, wandered off and he was mulling over possibilities to see Niamh again. The fact that she didn't like to give in to him and fought him and seriously doubted his charming personality was entirely new to him. Although her arrogance and derisive manners pissed him off, they were also the reason he wanted her. She was a challenge. He'd dated girls since his third year. The opportunity had always been there, and he felt that there was no reason not to seize it. Until he had more important things to be concerned with, of course, such as his friends, and pranks, angering his maniac family, and hexing those Slytherin Death Eaters in the making. Which was why he should probably just hex Niamh Carden instead of snog her, but he was fairly certain she wasn't a Death Eater. More importantly, his love life was becoming boring. He felt it was time for a new approach.

"Hey Padfoot! Earth to Padfoot!"

"What?" He cast an angry look.

"Do you want another drink?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, thanks."

Peter got up and walked to the counter. Sirius stared out the window again. Suddenly he jerked up. Two people had stopped in front of Florian's to talk to a third person they had just run into.

"Well, if it isn't the Slytherin Ice Queen," James scoffed. "Who is the guy with her?"

"That's her brother. His name is Rowan. Graduated Hogwarts last year," Sirius said, still looking at the two.

Whereas Niamh's hair was a mix of red and copper curls, the man's hair was going more towards blond. They both had the same dark blue eyes. Niamh's face was a delicate copy of that of her brother. He towered almost a feet over the girl – Sirius knew he could easily look that guy in the eye – although her air made it seem she was the same size as her brother.

They were talking to a girl with raven hair. Sirius knew her name was Lana. They had kissed in third year. She was an incurable flirt and was in possession of a reputation even worse than his. Quite the achievement, he judged. She was always hanging out with Niamh and his cousin Narcissa, along with the rest of the Slytherin gang of course.

The girls were talking animatedly to each other and showing each other what they had been shopping for. The young wizard shook his head in slight exasperation and said something, which caused Lana to focus her attention on him. She immediately turned her tricks on him and within seconds he just stood there grinning stupidly. Niamh looked at her brother and rolled her eyes.

Sirius chuckled.

"What are you laughing at, Padfoot?" Remus asked absently, his eyes still on Zarah.

"Just marvelling at the impeccable seduction skills of Lana Langdon."

"Sirius, how come you seem so familiar with them?" Zarah asked curiously. "You're not exactly known for your friendliness towards Slytherin."

He turned his attention to the dark-headed girl and flashed a charming smile. "Well, Zarah, before I joined these depraved, immoral, and corrupted perverts," Sirius laughed at the protests of his friends, " I was actually born and raised into a well-bred family. Of course, there was no hope for me from the beginning," he winked, "but anyway, my family and theirs are well acquainted."

"He is quite handsome," Lily said to her friend, who nodded, leaving James and Remus look rather offended.

"Well, if you're into the whole watch-me-being-a-pureblood-with-a-stick-shoved-up-my-arse thing," James said grudgingly.

"Jealous?" Lily asked in a sweet voice. James glared at her. Lily giggled and said she needed to use the ladies' room. Zarah immediately got up and followed her friend across the lunch room.

Remus cast his hands in the air in despair. "What is it with girls and going to the bathroom simultaneously? It's like some sort of secret password. One of them says the magic word and they all run to the loo."

They all laughed, except Peter, who had missed the whole thing and was now putting the drinks on the table.

"What, you scared the girls away already?" he teased James and Remus. They immediately protested and started to discuss the nutty habits of the female population.

Sirius wasn't paying attention. His muscles had tightened when he saw Niamh, Rowan, and Lana enter Florian's. Rowan moved to the counter to ask for a table and Niamh and Lana kept on chatting while they waited. Niamh laughed at something Lana said and her eyes skimmed the lunch room until they rested on the Marauder's group. She stiffened and remained frozen for a few seconds. Then she blinked and put up a bored face. She looked a little flushed.

Remus, who had followed his friend's stare, was the only one who noticed her behaviour. Then he looked at Sirius's face. The rather greedy expression on it confirmed his suspicions.

"Oh my God, Padfoot, tell me you didn't," he groaned. But he knew Sirius wouldn't. He remembered Niamh dancing with Marcus Crast and Sirius's remark about a great victory certainly applied to this girl.

"Did what?" James asked, oblivious to what had been going on. He looked over his shoulder to follow Remus and Sirius's stare and after a few seconds he came to the only logical conclusion.

"You slept with Lana?" he asked incredulously. Then he started to look puzzled. "Why would that be a great victory? I mean, I heard she's even slept with teachers, so certainly she wouldn't refuse you."

"Although I must remember to thank you for your high opinion of me – I wasn't completely sure whether I was more popular with girls than teachers are, but now I am, thank you. However, I'm afraid I must deny sleeping with Lana," Sirius said.

Still staring at the girls James muttered, "But what's going on then?" Suddenly his eyes widened in shock. "Carden! You slept with Carden?" he hissed, jerking his head back to face his friend.

"The female specimen, yes." Sirius added, just to be safe.

Peter choked on his drink. "Why would you do that?" he hissed. "She's scary."

James's expression turned into an impressed one. "Wow, Padfoot, that is, without question, a great achievement. I am proud of you."

Remus slapped his hand to his forehead. "You two are impossible. Padfoot, you do realize that this girl's family is full of Death Eaters and that she was destined to be one or marry one even before she was born?"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Moony. After all, she ditched Lucius Malfoy. There must be some sense in her. Besides, that is not the point, I only shagged her, I didn't propose."

"Just be careful her family doesn't find out. Torture would be one of the least painful things they would do to you."

"Moony, come on. You're talking to Padfoot here!"

"Exactly."


Across the dining room

Oh Merlin, oh Merlin!

I didn't expect to see the man I had shagged the previous night sitting only a couple of feet away the next morning, looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

Then I noticed Remus Lupin's stare. I quickly put on an uninterested face.

Bugger! Not quick enough I realized when I saw Lupin look at Black's face and back at mine. His eyes grew wide and he whispered something to Sirius.

Potter started to interfere as well. He looked over his shoulder at me – I was staring at some non-existent point in the wall – and looked confused. He looked back at his friends said something and looked at me again. His eyes became the size of saucers and quickly he turned back to talk to Sirius, who replied.

Lana noticed the Marauders too and said, "Well, look at that."

Yeah, look at that.

"Er… Lana?"

"Yes?"

"I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" She looked me curiously in the eye.

"I did something."

Her eyes narrowed slightly at my flustered face; then she looked back at the Marauders. Sirius was still staring at me with that look, which Lana apparently could read a lot better than I could. She looked at me again and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you mean you did someone?"

"Lana!" I hissed though clenched jaws. "Not so loud!" I stared pointedly at my brother's back.

"It's Black, isn't it?" Lana chuckled. "Didn't I tell you? How was he?"

"Not here. Let's go to the loo." I tapped Rowan on his shoulder. "We're going to the toilet. Be right back."

On our way there we walked past Lily Evans and Zarah Williams. I was so distracted I even said them hello, at which they looked at me strangely.

Stupid cow! Are you trying to let everybody know what happened?

I was beginning to feel a bit paranoid. I checked all the doors in the bathroom. Fortunately nobody was there.

"So?" Lana repeated. "How was he?"

I couldn't help but grin. "It was amazing. I think I'm still tingling."

Lana giggled.

"But Lana, you can't tell anyone. Not even Narcissa. Especially not Narcissa. I need you to swear it. If anyone found out, my family would too and I really don't want that kind of dragon dung hitting the fan, all right?"

"All right, I'll swear it on my wand." She got it out and performed a standard vow. "There, now I can't tell anyone, even if I wanted to."

I smiled. "Thanks."

"On to the more interesting stuff. Are you going to do it again?"

I thought for a moment. "I don't know. It wouldn't be such a good idea, I think. No, it was just a one-night-stand."

I looked at Lana, who seemed a bit disappointed.

"Tell me, did you and Devon…?" The smirk on my friend's face told me all I needed to know.

We giggled, but were cut off when two women entered the restroom.

"I'll fill you in on the New Year's party," she whispered.

We left the restroom and sat down with Rowan, who had got a table. I looked around only to find the Marauders gone.

Probably best.

An hour later we said goodbye to Lana and I dragged my brother to Flourish and Blott's. I absolutely loved books and wanted to look around for a while.

Rowan groaned. "You and your books. I'm amazed you still have time to breathe."

"Piss off."

"Language, little sister. I'll wait outside."

"Fine," I said and walked into the shop.

Heaven!

Books were piled up to the ceiling everywhere, in all sorts of colours and sizes. Old books, new books, tiny books, large books, spell books, history books. I inhaled. Parchment and ink. There was always a special smell in this shop, like a library. I loved it. I picked up a book and opened it. Within seconds I was completely taken up in book-browsing.

"Nice rack."

I nearly dropped the book I was holding and looked up in a pair of amused grey eyes.

I raised a haughty eyebrow. "I assume you're talking about the book racks?"

"Absolutely not."

I rolled my eyes.

He leaned over to me. "What are you reading?" The nearness of his body immediately made my knees wobbly.

You're in the middle of Flourish and Blott's! People can see you.

That brought me to my senses and I stepped away from him. "Not here," I hissed.

He looked around the shop, grabbed my arm and pulled me behind an enormous pile of books. Checking if no one saw us, he kissed me thoroughly for a couple of seconds and then let go, grinning.

I protested, but he just kissed me again.

"You can't expect me to do nothing if you look like that," he said a little while later, eyeing me lustfully. I grinned softly and let a hand run over his stomach and lower and lower. He began to breathe heavily and I smirked maliciously.

"Poor Mr. Black. Looks like you've got a little problem." Still rubbing him softly I said, "Correction, this is not a little problem anymore, I believe."

I turned around and left him there, cursing me in a low voice.