a/n-so, it might've been closer to two weeks, rather than three, but SUCCESS! we are officially updating more than once in the same month for one story. this is like a life-defining moment for us. or something along those lines, because do i need a pen name finds herself lacking the proper descriptive words at the current moment. however, she does hope you enjoy the chapter which is super-long for us. An-Jelly-Ca would just like the chapter to be posted already!

Disclaimer-We are two people not one person.

Chapter Three

"This is so exciting." Remus exclaimed.

"What is?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, what?" James inquired. "Are they finally allowing first years on the Quidditch teams?"

"Mmph." Marlene replied half-asleep.

"Mars…it's time to WAKE UP!" Sirius yelled right in the orange-haired girl's ear causing her to jump and knock over a pitcher of pumpkin juice which spilled all over the table. She glared at Sirius as everyone scrambled to wipe up the spill.

"I ought to have your head for that Sirius Black, you know I am so not a morning person," Marlene said.

"But you wouldn't right? Don't you feel bad for me, seeing as how my parents have practically disowned me?" Sirius asked turning puppy dog eyes on his friend.

"They haven't disowned you." Marlene replied comfortingly.

"…Yet." Sirius muttered.

"Doesn't anyone want to know what is so exciting?" Remus asked.

"What?" Peter replied after a long pause during which, were this conversation taking place outdoors rather than in the Great Hall, you would have been able to hear the crickets chirping. In fact, you could actually hear crickets chirping because Sirius had decided it was amusing to cast a charm on Remus causing a cricket-chirping sound to occur every time the boy talked. Remus, for his part, was trying to be above the childish antics of his friend and had yet to undo the charm (or maybe he just didn't know how, one of the two).

"We're getting our schedules today!" The amber-eyed boy exclaimed. "We're finally going to start learning, there are so many interesting things we are going to get to experience, this is SO exciting."

"Wow, Remy…" James trailed off looking to Sirius for help.

"You're such a nerd."

"Why, thank you, Sirius." Remus replied not looking in the least bit affronted. At this point McGonagall passed by and handed them each their schedules which read as follows:

Monday:

History of Magic

Break

Transfiguration

Lunch

Double Potions with the Slytherins

Dinner

Tuesday:

Herbology with the Hufflepuffs

Break

Charms with the Ravenclaws

Lunch

Double Defense Against the Dark Arts

Dinner

Wednesday:

Potions with the Slytherins

Break

Transfiguration

Lunch

Double Charms with the Ravenclaws

Dinner

Thursday:

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Break

Herbology with the Hufflepuffs

Lunch

Double History of Magic

Dinner

Friday:

Charms with the Ravenclaws

Break

Potions with the Slytherins

Lunch

Double Transfiguration

Dinner

"Hmm…" Sirius said thoughtfully, tapping his chin as he examined the schedule his clearly insane new friend Remus had been so looking forward to receiving. Sirius really didn't understand why, although there did appear to be a few perks to the arrangement of his classes.

"I knew you'd come around eventually." Remus said, clapping a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Isn't this so exciting?"

The hazel-eyed boy sitting at the table with them frowned at his two friends. "Not so much, Remmy." He turned to Sirius. "Why have you deluded Remmy into thinking that the pursuit of knowledge and academic achievement is a good thing?"

"Who cares about those things?" Sirius replied with a wave of his hand. "I like this schedule because we have so many classes with the Slytherins."

"And that's a god thing because…?" James looked quite clueless.

"Because then maybe I can delude my mother into thinking that I really am…oh geez, how did she put it again? Oh, I know—'fraternizing with the right kind of people.' Have I ever mentioned that she's really big on that whole blood purity thing?" Sirius asked his friends.

"Then she'll love me!" James said happily. "I'm pureblood!"

"Except that she thinks your family is a bunch of blood traitors." Sirius replied.

Their conversation was interrupted just then by the arrival of the morning's post. Sirius was just refilling his goblet of pumpkin juice when a mean-looking owl swooped down and dropped a scarlet red letter on Sirius' plate.

"Oh, no, this is so, so not good." Sirius said looking down in horror at the note.

"I recommend taking it and leaving the room before everyone hears." James said helpfully.

Sirius decided to take James' advice on this manner and therefore grabbed hold of the Howler and sprinted out of the hall nearly crashing into a group of second years. He managed to make it to the Entrance Hall before the letter exploded in his hand and his mother's magically amplified voice shrieked, reverberating through the hall, and still clearly audible in the other room.

"FILTH! SHAME OF MY FLESH! HOW DARE YOU BESMIRCH THE SACRED NAME OF THE HOUSE OF BLACK?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR FATHER AND I? WE WILL BE THE SHAME OF ALL PUREBLOODED SOCIETY BECAUSE OF YOU! AND NEXT I SUPPOSE I WILL SEE YOU CAVORTING WITH MUD-BLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS!"

Sirius winced looking at the howler in horror as he listened to his Mother's voice echo through the hall. He was fairly certain everyone could hear her words.

"THERE HAS NEVER, EVER BEEN A BLACK IN GRYFFINDOR, THAT SORT OF BEHAVIOR IS WORTHY OF DISINHERITANCE, I AM DISGUSTED WITH YOU! YOU ARE THE HEIR TO THE MAIN BRANCH OF THE BLACK FAMILY AND YET YOU DARE TAINT OUR FAMILY NAME, THE NAME OF THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS WITH YOUR GRIFFINDOR FILTH. YOUR FATHER AND I ARE NOT PLEASED, SIRIUS, NOT AT ALL, AND DON'T THINK WE SHALL BE FORGETTING THIS, YOU SHALL NOT GET OFF SCOT FREE FOR YOUR ACTIONS. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT POOR REGULUS WILL NOT BE INFLUENCED BY YOUR DISGRACEFUL BEHAVIOR! I HOPE THAT YOU WILL AT LEAST HAVE THE COMMON SENSE OF BLACK DECENCY AND PRIDE TO STAY AWAY FROM THE MEMBERS OF YOUR DISGRACEFUL HOUSE, I EXPECT TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SPENDING YOUR TIME WITH MEMBERS OF THE MOST NOBLE AND PURE HOUSE OF SLYTHERIN, AND DO NOT THINK I WILL NOT KNOW, AS YOU CANNOT BE TRUSTED I HAVE ASKED YOUR COUSINS TO REPORT ON YOUR BEHAVIOUR TO ME, SO DON'T YOU DARE STEP ONE MORE TOE OUT OF LINE, OR ELSE YOU WILL REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAYS."

And, with that final cheerful bit of advice the Howler exploded into flames, which Sirius calmly put out with his wand tip. He paused a few seconds to collect himself before heading back into the Great Hall.

"So, Mother's a bit angry." Sirius ventured with a weak smile to his friends.

"A bit?" James asked.

"Yes, a bit, if she were really, really mad she would have shown up at the school and pulled me out, either to transfer me to Durmstrang or return me to home-schooling with Regulus." Sirius replied glancing around the room and noticing all the people staring at him with either shock or curiosity.

Marlene roused herself from her semi-asleep state long enough to glare around the room at everyone daring to gawp at her friend and promptly yelled out "Nothing to see here!" as well as "Take a picture it will last longer," causing most of the students to turn away from their group. She then promptly returned to her peaceful slumber.

"You know," Remus began, over the loud chirping of the crickets, "It could be seen as rather fortunate for you that we've received our schedules today, Sirius."

It was as he did this that he realized the unfortunate addition to the charm Sirius had created: the crickets got louder as he got louder. However unfortunate the side effect might be, though, Remus knew he would get past it…one day…perhaps very far in the future, but nevertheless, one day.

The expression upon Sirius' face clearly told Remus that the dark-haired boy failed to see the benefit to receiving one's class schedule on the same day that one's mother happened to threaten something along the lines of disinheritance.

"We have a bunch of classes with the Slytherins." Remus reminded Sirius. "You said you'd be able to fraternize with them, like your mother wants you to, remember?"

From the look that was now on Sirius' face, Remus could see that Sirius did, in fact, remember that short conversation they'd had about Slytherins and schedules a mere five minutes previously. However, Remus could also see on Sirius' face something that, as a very responsible, studious, and rule-abiding person, he really wished would just go away and never return.

Sirius smiled, albeit a bit evilly. "I've just had the best idea ever."

"An idea?" James said excitedly. "How about walls to match the ceiling?"

"I was thinking more long-term than that." Sirius said.

"Dumbledore did say he wasn't going to change the ceiling back." James pointed out.

"I suppose he did." Sirius said with a nod of agreeance. "However, my idea is one that will cause ultimate destruction through the best means possible."

"Ultimate destruction?" Remus asked uncertainly, sounding very much as if he didn't like the sound of that, which he didn't.

"There's a rather large passageway behind the mirror on the fourth floor." Sirius continued, ignoring Remus. "That creepy caretaker guy doesn't know about it, so it's safe. Meet me there tonight at eight o'clock."

"How on earth do you already know about a secret passageway?" James demanded. "We haven't even been here for a full twenty four hours yet!"

"Just be there." Sirius told his four friends. One by one they all nodded—Remus looking as if he knew he'd regret it later—except for Marlene, who had slept through the entire conversation.