Hi everyone, I know I haven't updated for ages but I was trying to rewrite almost the entire shadows series because I thought it was dreadful. But then I realised that I'd be better off finishing at least another year because it wasn't fair to leave you all hanging...so I'm going to try to rewrite the beginning on the side while carrying on third year...

Anyway, here is a update! I hope you enjoy it, though I doubt it was worth the wait...sorry

"Don't you think packing your trunk is a little extreme?" Marlene asked Lizzy quietly, trying not to wake Millie and Charlotte.

Lizzy jumped, dropping her copy of A History of Magic "Shit Marley don't do that!"

Marlene gestured at their sleeping dormates "Keep it down, anyway you don't really think Dumbledore's going to expel you do you?"

Lizzy's tone was forcefully bright "Either he will or he won't, but there's no harm in being prepared. Besides" her face darkened "Sirius's family is very influential..."

"So is yours" Marlene said, not commenting on the use of Sirius's name instead of Regulus's. "Dumbledore won't expel you"

Lizzy shrugged "Well either way I'm in serious shit because he will have owled my parents. My Mum's going to kill me for duelling whatever Dumbledore decides to do"

There was a pause while Marlene glanced at the other two to check they were still asleep "Listen Lizzy, about yesterday..."

"Don't worry about it" Lizzy said quickly "I'd have snapped way before you did...And you're not a loser by the way. You're probably the best friend I've ever had."

Marlene smiled disbelievingly "What about the twins?"

"They're family" Lizzy said dismissively "If we weren't related they'd drive me mad like James and Sirius with their third rate comedy routine all the time"

Marlene giggled "I think they're funny...funnier than Prongs and...I mean James and Sirius"

Lizzy rolled her eyes "What is with those stupid nicknames?"

"Black isn't at the Slytherin table" Fabien informed the third years "Maybe you seriously injured him? Like put him in St Mungos or you might even have killed him if Madam Kingsley didn't..."

"Yes thank you!" Charlotte silenced him with a violent stamp on his foot and a hissed "You are so tactless!"

However Lizzy apart from a slight clenching of her fists around her cutlery, Lizzy showed no sign she had heard her cousin "Weather's miserable isn't it?"

Edgar glanced up at the stormy sky "Very, why has everyone got cards?"

"Valentine's Day" Charlotte said, raising her eyebrows at how pale Gideon went "I'm sure that some people remembered though, didn't they?"

Lizzy watched with amusement as Millie glared at Gideon before Edgar nudged her and muttered "Distract Millie"

Lizzy coughed loudly "Hey Millie what'd you think of Winters's black bra and white robes combo" As the group turned to look up at the staff table Edgar managed to slip Gideon a card and badly wrapped gift.

Gideon glanced at the lumpy thing and muttered "You know the presentation on this" he saw the glares that Edgar and Lizzy were throwing him "Is brilliant, I really owe you one mate"

"You owe me two sickles and one knut" Edgar said dryly as Gideon tapped Millie on the shoulder

"Well I was going to make it a surprise but as you obviously don't trust me" he handed over the present and card "Happy Valentine's Day"

"I do trust you" Millie insisted, ripping the paper off a pair of broomstick tail clippers "Thanks!"

Lizzy leaned towards Edgar with raised eyebrows "They cost two sickles?"

Edgar shrugged "I'm saving his ass, that's got to be worth something"

Lizzy smiled as Charlotte cooed over the card "Doesn't he get a thank you kiss?"

Millie and Gideon blushed simultaneously as Fabien grinned "Yeah, come to think of it I don't think I've ever seen you two have a proper snog and you've been going out for two months!"

"How would you know what one looks like?" Gideon snapped at his twin but the others looked mildly amused.

"Come on Mills" Lizzy said with a laugh "Do we have to drag you behind the greenhouses or something?"

Millie awkwardly bumped her lips against her boyfriend's cheek "There! You all happy now?"

"That's not a kiss" Charlotte said knowingly, walking a few people down the Hufflepuff table before greeting her boyfriend with a movie style kiss. She broke it off after a few seconds, turning away from the bemused Newt and shouting back "That is a kiss!"

Gideon smirked unkindly at Fabien, who had gone very quiet "Yes it certainly was"

"So am I getting expelled then?" Lizzy asked brightly as she followed Professor McGonagall towards the headmaster's office.

"You should take this seriously Miss Potter" Professor McGonagall said firmly "Mr Black was in the Hospital Wing all night in excruciating pain"

Lizzy stiffened slightly "Has he told you why I was mad at him?"

Professor McGonagall's frown softened slightly "Miss McKinnon has informed us about what was going on but your reaction was entirely out of order"

Lizzy almost shrugged "So do you think I'm going to be expelled?"

Professor McGonagall sighed "No, I for one don't think you should be...but you are in very serious trouble"

Lizzy walked in silence, before asking the question she was actually worried about "Did Professor Dumbledore owl my parents?"

Professor McGonagall nodded "They should be arriving in about ten minutes; Professor Dumbledore wants to talk to you and Mr Black alone first"

Lizzy groaned inwardly but eyed the gargoyle outside the Headmaster's office stoically "After you Professor"

"Bonfire toffee" Professor McGonagall said climbing onto the moving staircase, Lizzy a few steps behind.

Professor Dumbledore was sat behind his large desk and Lizzy sat down, carefully trying to avoid catching Regulus's eyes. Professor McGonagall moved to stand next to a fidgeting Professor Slughorn "Mr Black and Miss Potter's parents should be here soon"

"Thank you Minerva" Professor Dumbledore turned to examine Lizzy and Regulus with his piercing blue eyes "Well I suppose you two do make a change from the usual Black and Potter I have in here"

Lizzy squirmed uncomfortably but Regulus spoke sullenly "You wanted to talk to us before our parents arrived?"

Professor Dumbledore turned to Regulus "Well Mr Black I was unaware of how much you had both told your parents about your relationship?"

Lizzy and Regulus spoke simultaneously "Nothing" They turned to look at each other and Lizzy felt a stab of guilt when she saw the dark circles under his eyes. Professor Dumbledore nodded calmly

"I thought as much." Professor Slughorn suddenly yelped and leapt away from the ornate fireplace as a flash of green fire illuminated the Potters as they emerged from the fireplace.

Mrs Potter brushed soot off her robes before walking over to Professor Dumbledore and shaking his hand formally "Good Morning Professor, I think you've only met my husband previously, I'm Dorea Potter"

Mr Potter stood behind his daughter, giving her shoulder a supportive squeeze "Nice to see you again Albus, how are the threstrals? Hagrid managed to calm them down again I hope"

Mrs Potter was appalled at his lack of formality "Charlus! This is serious..."

"Please take a seat Charlie and...Mrs Potter" Professor Dumbledore nodded to them both, his eyes twinkling.

Lizzy grinned at her Dad as her mother went pink and muttered something about Dorea being fine. A few awkward seconds passed before Regulus looked up, relieved to see his own parents appearing out of the fire. "Dumbledore" Mr Black said stiffly, he and his wife taking a seat behind their own son.

Professor Dumbledore nodded at the Black's before gesturing at Mr Potter to sit down "I assume you both know why you're here?"

Lizzy was unsure who he was talking to but Mrs Black spoke first "Our son was attacked by this...girl"

"Most witnesses agree that it was more of a fight Mrs Black" Professor Dumbledore said smoothly.

"Didn't sound like much of a fight" Mr Potter said proudly, wincing at the vicious nudge his wife gave him "Hmm anyway; yes we know why we're here Albus"

"Good, good" Dumbledore turned his eyes on Lizzy who stared at his desk "Miss Potter I have spoken with Miss McKinnon and thought I understand that you wanted to defend your friend but your behavior was completely unacceptable. And when I spoke fully with Miss McKinnon I found that Mr Black was by no means the chief culprit..."

Lizzy's heart leapt silently before her head squashed it back down. She looked at the desk and repeated the apology she had rehearsed in her head all morning "Yes Professor Dumbledore I realize now that my interpretation of Mr Black's character was completely wrong and I therefore apologize for singling him out from his classmates and I assure you that it will never ever happen again"

Regulus's face fell before hardening "Look Potter..." he began angrily.

Mr Black silenced his youngest with a look "Now now Regulus, an apology from a Potter, even an insincere one, is still such a rare thing that it should be treasured."

Mr Potter started to stand up but Mrs Potter pulled him back down "Charlus please..."

Professor Dumbledore stared at Lizzy but she tried to keep her face as blank as possible and eventually he nodded "Well if Mr Black accepts your apology...then we has only to decide on your punishment Miss Potter, Minerva?"

Professor McGonagall spoke slowly "I think that a month of detentions should suffice..."

Mr and Mrs Black nodded curtly; Mrs Black looking coldly over at Lizzy "I suppose expulsion would be a little over the top, but then again seeing how her brother's turned out are you sure you wouldn't rather cut your losses Headmaster?"

Maybe it was her imagination but Lizzy could have sworn Professor Dumbledore's eyes turned harder "Quite sure Mrs Black, thank you to you and your husband for coming in"

Professor McGonagall coughed as Regulus's parents stood up "Black, Potter you two come with me"

Mrs Potter pulled her daughter into a hug "Fighting? You are so grounded all summer"

Lizzy grimaced then gave her Dad a quick hug as he whispered "I'll talk to your Mum about the grounding thing, if anything I'm bloody proud of you sticking up for your friend like that like a true Gryffindor"

Lizzy grinned at him "Thanks Dad, see you both in the summer"

She followed Professor McGonagall and Regulus out off the office, trying very hard to avoid Regulus's eye.

"Sorry I'm late" Lizzy told Professor Winter's politely while Regulus just sat down sullenly next to Crouch.

"Is it true then?" Karen Yale asked curiously as Lizzy pulled out her quill and books.

Lizzy was quite glad that Karen had stopped treating her like a complete bitch after a few painfully one sided conversations but still was wary of gossip "Is what true?"

"That you tried to kill Black" Karen said, completely unabashed.

"No it isn't" Lizzy snapped "I hexed him and he fell through a window in the library...it was a bloody accident"

"Yes it certainly was" Karen said dryly "If the amount of blood replenishing potion Slughorn was replacing this morning is any guide."

Lizzy clenched her hand on the table "Yes well...he deserved it"

"Well as long as you say so Potter" Karen said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "I heard that you attacked him because you were jealous of his new girlfriend"

"Well you heard wrong" snapped Lizzy "Not that it's any off your business anyway. If you must know he was bullying one of my friends."

"No" Karen said slowly "His friends were bullying McKinnon, he just didn't bother to stop them because he doesn't really care about you anymore. Either that or you turned him from a darkish boy into a muggle hating physcopath?"

"You're hilarious Karen" Lizzy said coldly "Have you considered this may be why you have no friends?"

It was a cheap hit, Lizzy thought guiltily, as Karen turned away but she...It wasn't really her fault that Regulus had stopped trying to be open minded...was it?