A/N: REVISED 7/10/2013

It seemed that the friendship between Ron and Hermione was temporarily over. The two were more furious with one another than Kirsten had ever seen. Hermione would constantly talk shit about Ron to Kirsten, and most of the time Kirsten found herself laughing so hard she cried. She was sure that Ron talked about Hermione more than Hermione did about him though. The amount of times she's heard him so far.

She had to play mediator more times than most between the two and Harry the same. Kirsten even witnessed Hermione going off on Harry when he had the audacity to tell her that Crookshanks ate Scabbers. She even found herself pulling Hermione out of the common room on more than one occasion for Ron's safety.

Out of the whole ordeal the only people who found Scabbers getting eaten slightly funny — beside herself — were Fred and George.

Kirsten breathed out a sigh of relief when she found an empty classroom. She sat down in one of the many desks and heaved out a great sigh. Neither Hermione or Cedric were with her or meet up with her any time soon.

Her hands moved to her bag and she pulled out her mother's journal. Looking at the leather bound journal, Kirsten fingered the binding. It didn't take long for her to open the journal somewhere in the middle.

November 26, 1975

If Sirius and James try to curse Severus one more time, then... ugh! I threatened them and even played pranks on them — with Peeves help, of course — for Severus. Can they not get it through their thick skulls that Severus is my friend? They had the nerve to bully him in front of me, again. How many times have I told them to stop. And Severus too. He would keep egging them on with their constant nagging and throwing curses their way. Maybe I shouldn't tell Lily what happened. As much as I love her, I do not want to hear her go off on James again. He is my friend too.

Either way, I expect better from James and Severus.

Sirius...? Not so much.

Speaking of Sirius...

He. Is. Driving. Me. Mad.

He's been acting very unusual so far this year. More strange than before, actually. In other words: why the hell was he spying on me when I was on a date with Amos Diggory earlier in the year and my date with Ludo Bagman just last weekend.

James was being very elusive about Sirius' behavior when I asked him. So I cornered dear old Remus who stayed as passive as possible during my questioning. He just had a smile on his face when he talked with me. How could he not tell me anything? We've been friends since we were five! I'll just have to find Peter then. He'll more than likely tell me what's going on with Sirius.

He may be best friends with James, Remus, and Sirius, but I can make him squeal. I have done it before.

Funny now that I think of it. How convincing he could be towards James, Lupin, and Sirius after he would tell me the pranks they were planning whenever they would leave me out.

Oh, hell. Sirius is making his way over to me.

Alicia Stephens

Kirsten's mouth was open in pure shock as her mind was racing a mile a minute.

Remus?

Severus?

Peter?

She understood that her mother was good friends with Harry's parents and Sirius... but those three? Her mind was spinning. Lupin told her that he was friends with her mother, but they were friends since they were little children. Maybe that was the reason he bought her gifts on Christmas and her birthday.

But Severus as in Severus Snape?

"Carlisle, what are you doing here?"

Speak of the devil.

The cold voice echoed in the room, and Kirsten whirled around in her seat. Her grey eyes connected with Snape. She stood up from her seat, the journal in lying on the desk. It wasn't long for the Potions professor to reach where she was sitting, and he made for the journal.

She didn't stop him. Only stared at him incredulously.

"Might I remind you that —"

But he didn't finish his sentence as his eyes roamed the entry that she just read. For the first time in her stay at Hogwarts, Kirsten saw Snape's eyes widen.

"My mom was friends with you?"

She couldn't help it. But who could really?

Her mother was good friends with the man that's been constantly trying to make her life in Hogwarts miserable.

It was the oddest moment Kirsten had ever experienced with the man. As they stared at one another, she could swear that she saw something other than malice flash in his eyes. Something different. Something familiar. A look that Lupin threw her way constantly when she was with him. But in the seconds she witnessed the look, he recovered from his shock. She saw the way the warmth in his eyes left as they kept to their staring contest.

It wasn't long till she found herself once again alone in the classroom with her mother's journal in hand.

She didn't know how long she stayed like standing.

Her mind was a whirlwind once again.

Her mother knew Lupin and Snape.

She glanced down at the open journal in her hands, and she traced a finger over the page.

Peter.

Her eyes reread the part about Peter, and she concluded that Peter was in fact Peter Pettigrew.

He may be best friends with James, Remus, and Sirius, but I can make him squeal. I have done it before.

Funny now that I think of it. How convincing he could be towards James, Lupin, and Sirius after he would tell me the pranks they were planning whenever they would leave me out.

She tilted her head. Something didn't settle right with her about that.

But that didn't bother her as much as what just occurred with Snape.

"What is going on?" she muttered in confusion.

"Talking to yourself again, Carlisle?" a voice said, breaking her from her thoughts. She looked up to find a certain blond Slytherin leaning against the classroom door frame.

"I'm not in the mood," she grumbled. She stared down at the journal before closing it shut. Looking up she found Malfoy observing her with narrowed eyes.

"You're a bit touchy. You and Potter have a fight?" he commented, his tone mocking. Kirsten raised both her eyebrows at his question.

"As a matter of fact we did. Now can you leave?"

The gleeful and malicious look in his eyes caused her to roll her own.

"Father sent news that the hippogriff has practically been sentenced," he told her.

"Can you give it up?" Kirsten asked exasperated, strapping her bag over her shoulder. "Hagrid told everyone not to insult Buckbeak."

"I didn't hear anything that oaf said, Carlisle," Malfoy replied. "I couldn't understand any of the words coming out of his mouth."

"And I won't be able to understand anything coming out of yours if you don't shut the hell up."

A thought struck her as she looked at the blond boy in front of her and she couldn't help the sly smile that pulled at her lips.

He somehow knew about Sirius and Harry's history. He revealed that much during her first ever Potions lesson. But he didn't know about hers. That was certain.

Stepping in front the Slytherin, Kirsten left only an inch of space away from Malfoy. The smile on her face faltered slightly when she looked up at him. It was a little unnerving for Kirsten to get so close to his face. She could practically feel his breath on her face, and she could feel the heat rise in her body.

But she ignored it all as she looked him dead in the eye.

"I guess you should know who my father is," she whispered. "He is the first man to escape a high security cell in Azkaban."

And with the last word, Kirsten walked off leaving Malfoy gaping at her.

Kirsten's eyes swept the Great Hall as she looked at everyone around her. George sat down next to her and Hermione on the other side.

An owl landed next to Hermione, who grabbed the Daily Prophet from the owl's leg. The witch made sure to put a Knut in before the owl took off. Kirsten's eyes landed on the cover of the paper to find the ever familiar face of Sirius Black on it.

"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" a cold voice drawled. Kirsten took her eyes off the paper to land on the owner of the voice. Both Crabbe and Goyle stood on either side.

"Yeah, reckon so," Harry said casually.

"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" Malfoy said, his eyes glittering maliciously. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute—in case you get too near a dementor."

Crabbe and Goyle sniggered at that insult.

"Then it's a damn shame you've never been close to catching the snitch," Kirsten retorted for the green eyed boy. The Gryffindor team, that happened to surround Kirsten and Hermione, laughed loudly. Malfoy's pale eyes met hers in an instant.

The black haired witch tilted her head as she kept her eyes locked on his.

"I told you what you needed to know," she said, referring to the day before. And she knew he caught on with that when his eyes narrowed, causing a smile to grace her lips.

The Slytherin stalked away from them, but not before looking back at her. Not a trace of a smirk on his lips.

"What the bloody hell was that?"

Kirsten broke her gaze from the Slytherin to find her fellow Gryffindors staring at her in confusion and curiosity.

"Just a little understanding between us, Ron," she answered nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders.

The third year resumed eating her breakfast and the confused stares turned into laughter as chatter grew around her.

Only one pair of emerald green eyes stayed focused on her the duration of breakfast.

The Quidditch match turned out to be very amusing for Kirsten. Harry didn't have to know it, but he made her day. She didn't know if she could laugh any harder at the sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Flint being reprimanded by Madam Hooch after Harry sent his patronus their way. The fools tried to impersonate dementors.

Not only did she get a great laugh, but Gryffindor won the match. And a party happened to be in full swing in Gryffindor Tower due to the big win.

"How did you do that?"

Angelina's squeal caused Kirsten to jump slightly in George's grasp around her shoulders.

"With some help from the Marauders: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," George muttered to Kirsten. Her grey eyes met the redheads and she stared curiously.

A thought ran through her head. A wild thought actually. Her mother mentioned in her journal that Sirius Black, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin were friends.

Padfoot?

The man told her a name. A nickname. If Sirius was Padfoot, then that meant the other three were the Moony, Wormtail, and Prongs.

That meant they were the Marauders.

"Kirsten?"

She locked eyes with George. Kirsten didn't miss the look of concern flash through and felt touched by his concern. The Weasley twins had extended an offer to her as an operative to several of their pranks over the past few months, telling her it was the best stress reliever that could be offered.

Of course, she didn't object.

But her mind at the moment was too fixated on the new revelation at hand.

The identity of the marauders.

Kirsten didn't want to be badgered at the moment, and certainly did not want to be a downer to their festivities. So she grinned at him and pressed her lips to his cheek.

The shade of red that George's ears took didn't pass her. But she dismissed it as embarrassment when she caught several other Gryffindors looking her way with raised eyebrows, including Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell.

Kirsten rolled her eyes and her grin widened. She took this as her time to leave in search of her bushy haired friend. The black haired witch pushed her way through a small crowd of students and spotted Hermione, bending over all sorts of books and trying to get her work done.

The revelation of the marauders was pushed to the back of her mind as she neared her friend.

She didn't bother to ask her if she was okay when the two witches shared a look. Just by looking at her, Kirsten could tell that the weight Hermione carried was taking its toll on her. She knew the witch was strong, but the fact that her two best friends were not talking to her made it even worse.

Speak of one and they shall come.

Of course, Harry decided to show up at that very moment. Kirsten narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. She tried avoiding him as much as possible. Obviously that was impossible due to them sharing mutual friends and living in such close proximity.

"Did you not even come to the match?"

"Of course I did," Hermione answered, her eyes glued to the work before her. Kirsten noted the strange high-pitched voice and inwardly winced. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday."

It was an odd moment indeed when Harry and Kirsten shared a look of concern for the witch. As if they were happily still friends and nothing problematic happened between them.

"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Harry said, chancing a glance over his shoulder at Ron.

"I can't, Harry. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" Hermione replied. Her voice took on a note of hysteria and Kirsten frowned at the state her friend was in.

Hermione had constantly badgered her since that Hogsmeade trip if she was all right, obviously concerned for her health. The bags under Kirsten's eyes may have taken up a more permanent residence, showing how off she was. But looking at Hermione, Kirsten couldn't help but shake her head.

"Anyway…" She glanced over at Ron also. "He doesn't want me to join."

"If Scabbers hadn't just been eaten, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them—" Ron said loudly as if right on cue. Hermione burst into tears. It didn't take long for the bushy haired witch to disappear up the staircase to the girls' dormitories.

"Really Ron?" she asked exasperatedly. The redhead gave her a questioning look but she rolled her eyes at his insensitivity, and followed Hermione upstairs.

Hours passed until Kirsten went back to the common room, mother's journal in hand, when she spotted her head of house standing before the partying Gryffindors. McGonagall didn't stay after she demanded everyone get to bed. It didn't take long for the celebrating Gryffindors to head up to their beds.

Kirsten thought the coast was clear until she realized that a certain wizard decided to linger. She met his gaze.

"Is she okay?" Harry asked, clearly concerned for Hermione.

She nodded her head in response. "She'll be fine."

The air between them was awkward as ever. Kirsten had been careful not to have a full conversation especially after what happened in Lupin's office. She had a feeling that he wanted to talk to her, but she did what she did best at the moment.

Avoided him like the plague.

"Good match," she told him.

He nodded his head in thanks, and she saw a hint of a smile on his lips. He opened his mouth but closed it shut as if he were about to say something.

"Good night, Kirsten," he said.

To Kirsten it felt like ages until he disappeared up the staircase to the boys' dormitories. She moved to the couch and pulled her feet up, balancing her mother's journal on the arm.

It took her nearly two hours of skimming to find the familiar names of the marauder's in the journal, her eyes drooping every so often in exhaustion. Silently promising herself that she would fall asleep as soon as she read this entry.

November 17, 1975

I cannot believe what I just witnessed. I cannot believe that James, Sirius, and Peter could even pull this off. Well, maybe I can believe James and Sirius...but really?

I knew something was off when they weren't in their rooms at night during the times of Remus' transformation. Like I would even believe Sirius when he told me they were planning a prank. Without Remus? And telling me on top of that?

Not a chance.

The matter stands that I just saw Peter shrink down into a rat. A rat. I had to blink a couple of times to make sure that I wasn't seeing things. And low and behold, James transformed into a large stag and Sirius into a giant dog.

Wait a minute...

That explains why they go by the damn nicknames. Prongs definitely suits James and Padfoot describes Sirius to the tee. I already realized earlier in the year why they kept calling Remus Moony. I guess Peter's is the only one that doesn't make sense. Hell, I feel for him. Who would want to be called Wormtail?

Maybe it is an advantage that they don't know that I know about Remus' problem. But then again, how could they even assume I don't know? Do I need to remind them that Remus is my oldest friend and we've known each other before even attending Hogwarts?

But hell, after seeing that?

They have a lot of explaining to do.

Alicia Stephens

Kirsten blinked back at the entry in surprise and her tired mind was furious whirlwind, trying to process what she read.

The three were at animagi. She knew that Sirius was an illegal animagus, but Harry's dad and Peter Pettigrew?

Only a few seconds passed when the sound of the portrait hole swung open. Kirsten frowned, staring in the direction. From what she remembered everybody went upstairs. And she didn't remember anyone going out...

"Holy shit."

Those words slipped out of her mouth as the portrait hole swung to a close. Her eyes were wide, staring at the man before her. His grey eyes were just as wide as hers, a deer caught in the headlights.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Kirsten's mouth dropped open.

Did he seriously just ask her that?

He just broke into Gryffindor Tower.

Sirius Black was in Gryffindor Tower.

"How did you get in?" she asked, tilting her head. He waved his hand around and she caught sight of a piece of parchment.

"Some boy wrote down this week's passwords," he replied.

Neville.

But why was he in Gryffindor Tower? Who was here that he wanted to get a hold of if it wasn't her or Harry?

"Who is it?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

Kirsten just stared at him.

"Azkaban hasn't driven me mad —"

He stopped abruptly raised a finger in silence. Her eyes were narrowed considerably as dozens of ideas flashed in her mind. A small twisted smile made way on her face.

"Are you telling me that Peter Pettigrew is disguising himself as a student?" she asked him. The man shook his head in response and pulled out what seemed to be an old issue of the Daily Prophet. He neared Kirsten and she stood up next to him to examine the paper.

There in a magical moving picture was Ron and his family in a desert background, waving and smiling at her.

"He's the rat."

Her eyes shifted to see Scabbers on Ron's shoulder.

Oh my God.

Kirsten looked at Sirius to see her staring at him. Things were finally falling into place.

"All that was found of him was a finger," she whispered to him. "But why are you after him? Weren't you James and Lily's secret keeper?"

The two Blacks shared a look. Kirsten studied his grey eyes and facial features. The look he was sending her answered her question.

"He was their secret keeper," she said quietly, looking down in thought. So much was finally making sense to her at the moment.

Looking up, Kirsten found herself alone in the common room.

Where did he go?

The common room was silent and she couldn't hear a sound all throughout Gryffindor Tower, not even a creak of the floorboards. Kirsten frowned at the lack of noise and settled back into the edge of the couch exhausted beyond belief. Laying her head down against the arm, she frowned.

Was she just imagining things?

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!"

Kirsten Black rolled over at the sound and found herself crashing against something. Her head was in total pain at the collision and she could feel a liquid sliding down the side of her face. She bit her lip back from shouting in pain.

Whoever the hell was yelling was going to be sorry that they were.

"PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME HOLDING A KNIFE!"

"Kirsten!"

"Sirius Black killed Kia! There's blood all over her face!"

Kirsten felt two pair of hands handling her body. She swatted her hands away in protest and turned her body over onto her stomach. Cracking her eyes open, she was met with the familiar rug of the Gryffindor common room.

What the hell was she doing here in the first place?

Her head was pounding and she closed her eyes as she pushed herself off of the floor, only to hear Ron shouting again.

"If you don't shut the hell up, Ron —"

"Carlisle! Make her lie down at once, Potter, Miss Granger!" an authoritative voice commanded.

Kirsten opened her eyes to see chocolate brown and emerald green staring back at her. Her eyes shifted quickly to see the decorative table she hit her head against only moments ago before meeting their concerned gazes. Harry and Hermione helped her up onto the couch and she sat down.

It was then that she noticed how crowded it was in Gryffindor tower common room. Every single Gryffindor was downstairs, staring at Ron and McGonagall.

"I'M NOT KIDDING PROFESSOR! IT WAS SIRIUS BLACK!" Ron said loudly.

"What was Sirius Black?" Kirsten asked alarmed, realizing that Ron's been yelling her father's name.

"He was in the dormitory, over Ron's bed with a knife," Hermione whispered, her eyes wide with fright.

Kirsten couldn't help her mouth dropping open in shock. So that whole conversation did happen. She didn't imagine it.

That meant...

"Scabbers," she whispered.

She didn't realize that Hermione and Harry could hear her, garnering looks of confusion. Kirsten just shook her head.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley. Carlisle, did you see Black while you were here?" the Transfigurations professor asked sternly.

The black haired witch didn't know what to do. She could easily lie, but then that would bring consequences if anyone figured out the truth.

"I was reading when I fell asleep. If he came in, he didn't harm me," she told the older witch. "I fell against the table when Ron started yelling."

"Ask him," Ron stated, pointing a shaky finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask if he saw—"

Professor McGonagall glared suspiciously at Ron before pushing the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room was silent. But Kirsten already knew what Sir Cadogan's would say.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady," Sir Cadogan said, causing everyone in the room to look stunned.

"You—you did?" McGonagall said, her voice quivering with something akin to anger. "But—but the password!"

"He had 'em!" Sir Cadogan told her proudly. "Had the week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the Gryffindor students, her face was as white as chalk.

"Which person," she started, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

Utter silence filled the common room and Neville raised his hand into the air.

Kirsten tore her eyes away from Neville as her thoughts constantly whirled around.

With what she thought would be an uneventful night turned out to be the most eventful. The most thought-provoking. A pang in her chest felt out for her father. She always knew something was awfully strange about his behavior and the story that came along with his imprisonment. And now she knew why.

Sirius Black was innocent all along.