Thank you for all the reviews! Every single one puts a giant stupid grin on my face!

I just want to apologise is any Aussie slang had made its way into this story unknowingly.

Looks like we're getting back into actual school, interesting. And some well missed Marauders mischief making since there's been too many serious (hehe) chapters lately!

"We are the reckless,

We are the wild youth

Chasing visions of our futures

One day we'll reveal the truth

That one will die before he gets there."

–Daughter 'Youth'

Chapter Forty-Sevens:

Too soon school over took me and I was left without much time to ponder the mysterious mirror, once I did try to go back to the room out of pure curiosity, only to find it empty. Dumbledore hadn't been kidding.

I wasn't exactly sure what Dumbledore had meant, but then again, whoever was? He'd made it quite clear he knew what I'd done; did he know of the others?

Of course he did. Who else saved me? Who else covered for me?

But still… he did nothing but send me to bed with a kind goodnight.

"I am absolutely terrified,"

"Yes, I suppose you should be," he chuckled, but there was gravity in his blue eyes.

There was silence for a moment before I spoke again, "I think you're very correct, about bravery and fearlessness not being the same and all,"

He smiled at me warmly, "Good, I always found that teenagers are more mature and capable than adults gave them credit for. Old enough to make their own decisions, old enough to pay the prices,"

I looked up at the elderly man who's I'd idolised more the majority of my life, "I couldn't agree more, Professor,"

"But I suppose you should be getting back to bed," he clapped me on the shoulder, "Sleep well, Miss O'Conner,"

"'Night, Professor,"

Nodding, I scuttled out the door and back into my bed, falling into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Shaking my head, I wrapped my Gryffindor scarf around my neck and attempted to flatten my wild hair that was the colour of a ripe cherry. I guess I could morph away the frizz, but some days I like pretending that I can't do that in an effort to still remain half-normal. Not everybody always has a perfect hair day, so I don't think I really have the right to either. Metamorphmagus or not.

Still, all that aside, the weight of the work I had stacked in my arms was enough to turn my mood sour as I descended the stairs down into the Common Room. It wasn't an ideal way to spend my Saturday morning, but none the less, I pushed through.

Settling down in my usual nook, I tacked each piece of work in order of due date, starting with what was due last week. In amongst the madness I hadn't noticed the school year beginning to trickly to an end with N.E.W.T's approaching and myself entirely unprepared. Especially given the amount of class I'd missed.

As time ticked along and I immersed myself in start charts and nonverbal spells, the other student's began to wake and shuffle downstairs, fully rested.

"You're up early, Riley," James grinned with yawn.

"I have lots to catch up on. You wouldn't have the Charms notes from the days I missed would you? I'm trying to catch up…" I spoke seriously.

He thought for a second, "Yeah, I think I've got them, I'll give 'em to you later. Have you eaten yet?"

I shook my head, "Nope,"

He sighed, "C'mon Vix, eat and then I'll help you,"

Prongs grabbed the hood of my hoodie and tugged me out of my chair, "Alright, alright I'm coming. Why are you so annoying?"

He grinned with a nonchalant shrug, "It's a gift. Now let's go wake up the others before breakfast ends and we all miss it,"

The bespeckled boy dragged me up the stairs and into their dormitory. He raised a finger to his lips in a 'shhhhh' sign and walked to where Remus was sleeping soundly. I stood above Sirius with a smirk on my face (and I definitely didn't notice that he was shirtless and wearing boxers) and at once the both of us raised our wands and yelled 'aguamenti' and watched as jet of cool water spurted out of our wands and splashed on to our friends.

"What the fuck?!" Sirius screamed, jumping up and kicking away his sheets as if he'd been attacked as James and I dissolved into laughter.

Remus on the other hand was much calmer, an unamused scowl written across his face as his hair dripped, "Why am I even friends with any of you? Sometimes I truly wonder…"

I grinned mischievously, "Oh, you love us Moony, don't deny it,"

I could see his lips twitching into a smile as he tried to keep his glower until suddenly he raised his wand and James and I found ourselves entirely drenched also.

Sirius smirked, "That's much better,"

James shrugged it off, "C'mon, let's go have breakfast," he spoke.

Remus cocked and eyebrow, "We're all drenched…"

I laughed, "We've been covered in worse and still gone to eat, so let's go. Just chuck on a hoodie of something,"

He sighed and the two boys rolled out of bed, and soon we all were walking towards the Great Hall, leaving a trail of dripping water in our wake.

Sitting down where we usually sat a puddle began to pool at our feet, ignoring the bemused stares of those around us.

"Don't you just love the feeling of soggy socks," Sirius chuckled as he took a bite of sausage rolled up in buttered toast.

I nodded scooping up eggs on my fork, "Oh yes it's delightful,"

Remus sighed at his friends, head hung, "You know there's a perfectly good drying spell we could use…"

James clapped him on the back, mouth full, "Man-up Moony. If you don't at least have one breakfast where you're soaked to the bone with water, what is the point of boarding school?"

"Exactly," Sirius agreed.

"… Fine," he spoke grudgingly, "But onto important business, has Dumbledore done anything since you found the mirror?"

I shook my head, "Nothing. I don't even know if he's told the order. The conversation was all very cryptic and such,"

Sirius snorted, "I'll say… I guess we'll find out tomorrow night."

"Just saying, but I reckon we should all be there tomorrow in case something serious happens," James spoke gravely.

I nodded, "I'll tell Lily,"

He looked at me, "Can't I? Please?"

"Um, okay…" I sighed with an malicious smile, "Any excuse to talk to her, eh Potter?"

"Shudup Vixen," he murmured with a blush.

Remus rolled his eyes, "Okay, James' failed love life aside, I really want to begin training in case there's a mission or something. DADA class is good, but we need something a bit more… advanced. I've been doing some research in the Restricted Section of the Library–"

"–Ooo, Moony breaking rules–"

He continued on, ignoring Sirius' childish taunts, "–and I want to maybe start tonight,"

James shook his head, "Can't. Quidditch training."

"And I've got a shit ton of homework," I added in.

Remus sighed, "Fine, first thing Sunday morning then,"

We finished breakfast, wiping up the remainder of egg off my plate with the crust of the toast. James being the first to leave as he sought out Lily to tell her about the updates (and probably attempt flirtation also).

Stalling my departure from the Great Hall knowing that all the awaited me in the common room was a stack of homework and several hours of gruelling boredom.

Still, I left eventually, trailing after Remus and Sirius who were debating whether The Beatles or The Jungle Giants were better, both agreeing that each band was brilliant but equally different.

There were too many thoughts on my mind however to intervene with my opinion. How would I pass these exams? I've hardly paid any sort of attention to my studies since way before Christmas.

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, I sat down and began working through my Astronomy essay that had been due three days ago. Thank Godric, the Professor liked me.

I grew frustrated with the noise levels in the Common Room and a group of third years were all lounging around and chatting. I could see a number of other elder student growing angry, one seventh year boy going so far as to tell them to shut their traps. It worked for a while until it grew again and many of the studying students began migrating to the library – myself included.

It was around one in the afternoon when Sirius came across me hidden in a secret nook in the library where everything was still and quiet.

"Hey Riley," he smiled warmly and I looked up in slight shock.

"Oh, hey Padfoot," I returned the smile as he slid into the chair beside me. Eyeing the textbooks his arms I sighed, "You too, huh?"

"There's a Care of Magical Creatures essay due Monday, I was gonna do it tomorrow, but something tells me Moony won't have that," he grinned sheepishly, "Toffee?"

He opened his pocket to reveal a hidden packet of caramel toffees, I reached in and plucked one out, popping it into my mouth, "No eating in the library, Mr Black," I joked.

The teenager rolled his silver eyes, "Anyway, James said you were missing some notes…"

I nodded with a slight frown, "Yeah, I've been avoiding the work I need them for so far but after I complete my Divination assignment, I'm gonna have to hunt him down,"

"Don't bother; he's devising new Quidditch forms for later. I think I have mine…" Sirius ransacked his bag which was full of a load of rubbish including the Marauders Map ('huh, so that's how he found me') and a very unorderly collection of notes which he pulled out.

Flicking through them, he pulled out the ones I'd missed written in his sloppy slanted hand writing, "Here you go," he handed them over.

"Thanks," I grinned and began copying everything I'd missed.

As we worked I tried to ignore the close proximity to which we were within. Every time we brushed arms I'd feel warmth rush to my cheeks, which was quite often given I was left handed and he was right. If we were smart we'd have swapped sides, but neither of us mention how we kept clashing because deep down the both of us liked it.

No, we continued with sidelong glances and small smiles until I turned to him, asking plainly, "Do you have any spare ink?"

Sirius looked at me, grey eyes light and silvery with a small smirk in his face, he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine, tasting like caramel toffee. At first my mind went into shock, but within a few beats of my racing heart I melted into the kiss. His hand came to rest at the nape of my neck, gently pulling me closer as my fingers slithered through his dark hair, tugging slightly.

And that white noise in my head dulled because in that second nothing was real outside of us.

Lips breaking apart, but still pressed together he whispered, "Fucking finally,"

I grinned, breathing heavily, "I know right?"

Then our lips met again, and everything seemed to dissolve around me, because I existed and so did he, and his chest was pressed against mine, and for that beautiful fleeting moment, I felt the simply infinite pleasure of love.

ABOUT BLOODY TIME, I KNOW RIGHT.

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(sorry for how short this chapter is)