A/N: In this chapter, tensions grow between Bellatrix and Sirius, Alice deals with rumors going around school, Lily reassures Severus of their friendship and James and Peter sneak out of their dorms for the first time. Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Rumors and Rules

"'You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.'
He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.
'I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,' he said coolly."
~Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Narcissa had hoped to escape some of the vehement hatred around her own household when she came to school. She thought that maybe children her age wouldn't be so angry about muggleborns and Hufflepuffs and the like. In fact, many Slytherins weren't. They stayed quiet and studied and gave no inclination of hating anyone.

But he ones who did, the ones eager to spit out the words of their parents, were loud and proud. And the older students especially seemed eager to guide the younger along their path.

Narcissa found friendship with some quieter Slytherins in her year. Like Severus Snape, a half blood boy who had a knack for potions. He was more interested in classes than getting into arguments. But Narcissa found herself missing her friends on the train too. Particularly Stella.

Bellatrix would be furious if she ever caught wind of Stella's blood status. But Narcissa hoped that she wouldn't care enough to investigate. She was older. What should she care about first years?

Narcissa found Stella in the library. Her cousin, Sirius, sat across from her, bouncing in his seat a bit with characteristic restlessness.

"Just help me through them. You don't have to give me the answers or anything," he was saying.

"But that's what you want." Stella looked up at him. "You think you can eventually weasel the answer out of me. But it won't work."

Sirius sighed dramatically and flopped against the table. He turned his head to the side and spotted Narcissa. "See how cruel she is ,Narcissa?"

"Cruel?" Narcissa asked. "I think she just wants you to do work for yourself."

"Of course, you would take her side." Sirius crossed his arms. "I'm fine with spells but I'm so bad with the written work. I'm not a fast writer." He huffed. "And the letters get mixed up sometimes."

"I know its hard, but you should still try yourself." Stella closed her book. "When the first grades come back, if you've done poorly, then maybe I'll help. But you might not be as bad as you think."

"I'm pretty sure I'm worse," Sirius said. He glanced at Narcissa. "How are you doing in class?"

"Alright." Narcissa shrugged. "People are… nice to me." That wasn't a lie. Everyone was nice to Narcissa, partially because of her family name and partially because of her intimidating older sister. "I like charms. You?"

"I don't really like any of my classes yet. But Defense Against the Dark Arts is fun. Hey," Sirius leaned forward. "Is it true what Alice Fortesue did the other day? Told off a Slytherin boy in Defense Against the Dark Arts. It's going all around the school."

"Its true," Narcissa said quietly, running a hand through her hair. That was possibly one of the tensest classes she had ever had. And it was her first one.

"Awesome. Remind me to give her a pat on the back later," Sirius grinned.

"A few weeks in Gryffindor and you've already started siding with muggleborns and Hufflepuffs?" a familiar voice called. Narcissa scrunched down in her seat a bit and Sirius bristled as Bellatrix came around the corner. "You're already the family disappointment. You don't need to help yourself along."

"Maybe I just want to distance myself from the family as much as possible, Bella." Sirius sneered.

"You're a bit dim that way. Most wizards would kill to be part of our family." Bellatrix grinned, cocking her head to the side a bit. "But you're the strange one, aren't you?"

"The only one I'd ever call strange is you," Sirius said, standing. "You've always been odd. Or psychotic is more like it."

"Don't talk to her like that." Narcissa circled around the table to stand between them. Bellatrix was being mean but she was still her sister. Sirius wasn't allowed to call her names. "Come on, let's not fight."

"Psychotic, huh?" Bellatrix smirked. "At least my family wants me. Your family? Good luck going back to them after this year. I'll bet they'll throw you out on the streets because no one will ever want you."

Sirius started to go for his wand but at that moment Stella slammed her book shut so hard the sound echoed across the room.

"We're in a library," she said calmly, looking up at them. "This isn't the time or place. Unless you want the librarian to come over here."

"And who are you?" Bellatrix sneered.

Oh no, thought Narcissa. She'll find out about her blood status. And then…

"Stella Reed," Stella answered without missing a beat.

"I don't know that name," Bellatrix said.

"It's my father's name. I'm a half blood," Stella said. Narcissa blinked. She knew it was a lie but… it was a good one.

"Then do you know who I am, halfblood?" Bellatrix asked.

"I do," Stella said. "But I don't really care. I'm trying to study. Do I need get the librarian?"

Bellatrix studied her for a long time and Stella held her gaze. Finally, with a huff, Bellatrix turned to go. "I don't have time for this." She glanced at Narcissa. "Don't stay too long with this filth Cissy."

"Right." Narcissa murmured, heat rising to her face.

When Bellatrix had gone, Sirius turned to Stella. "Bloody hell, how did you do that?"

"Do what?" Stella asked.

"Stand up to Bella like that. And you didn't even look scared." Sirius said.

"Didn't I?" Stella looked down at her hands. Narcissa saw them shaking like crazy for the first time. "Because I was." She looked up at Narcissa. "I… don't think I like your sister very much."

Narcissa tugged on a blonde curl. "She can be… hard to get along with." She sighed. "So… why did you lie?"

"Your sister wouldn't want you to be hanging around my kind, would she?" Stella went back to her book. "I figured it was for the best."

"Thank you," Narcissa said. "But I think she still hates you now."

Stella just shrugged. Then she was back to reading.

She really was a strange girl. The kind that took time to get to know. If Narcissa had her way, she would stay friends with Stella.

But when it came to Bellatrix, Narcissa so very rarely got her way.

Alice had received more than one stare since the incident in class. And more than one jeer from the Slytherin first years. It made her quite self-conscious. She never liked to have the spotlight and that hadn't been her intention when she stood up to the boy. And yet she suddenly had this attention. And not the good kind.

One day, after a particularly biting insult from one boy, Alice left the great hall in near tears. She stopped when she heard her name.

"Hey, Alice!"

She turned to see one of the boys from the train running up to her. Frank Longbottom. Yes that was his name.

"What do you want?" she mumbled, wiping away her tears quickly.

"I just want to let you know… everyone in Gryffindor thinks you did a good thing. Everyone has been talking about how amazing you were," he said.

"It doesn't feel amazing." Alice said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I didn't want this attention."

"I know," Frank replied. "But it's for a good thing. Don't let those nutters tell you otherwise. And I think you're great." He clapped her on the shoulder.

Alice smiled a little. "Thank you… I just wish… someone else stronger had done it instead."

"That's the thing, Alice." Frank said. "You're the one who did it. So that makes you the strong one." He nodded toward the Great Hall. "Want to finish eating?"

She nodded. "Yes… yes I think I would."

Severus was out on the courtyard when Lily found him. He almost didn't expect to see her. Since she was sorted into Gryffindor and h was sorted to Slytherin, friendship seemed suddenly impossible. But there she stood, a breathless smile on her face.

"I'm sorry we haven't talked since class began. I've just been so busy trying to learn everything. It was all so new." She brushed her red hair from her face. "But I missed you."

"You did?" Severus blinked, looking up at her. "Really?"

"Of course, silly. You're my friend." She dropped down beside him. "I'm sorry we're not in the same house but… that doesn't mean we can't still be friends."

"Of course it doesn't," Severus said quickly. "I just thought… maybe with your new friends…"

"That I'd stop wanting to be friends with you?" Lily shook her head. "Oh, Sev, why would you think that?"

Severus just shrugged.

"Well don't think that again. Never think it." Lily pulled out her books. "Want to study potions? I hear you're good at it."

Severus' face lit up. "Yeah, I am. There was this one potion…"

In only a minute, his day—no his year—had gotten so much better. He really had thought he would lose Lily. But he hadn't. She was still here.

That made Hogwarts seem a little brighter.

"Its against the rules!" Peter squeaked. "Its dangerous."

"What's so dangerous about a bunch of empty halls anyway?" James replied. "Besides Peter, rules are meant to be broken—as long as you don't get caught."

"But we will get caught."

"Only if you keep running your trap."

It had taken James ages to convince Peter to sneak out of the dormitories with him that night. And now that they finally were, the nervous boy was having second thoughts. Honestly, he probably wasn't the best to have as an assistant rule breaker. For Gryffindor, he sure was jumpy. But, though James didn't want to admit it, he wanted company for her first round of the empty corridors of Hogwarts. Who knew what kind of secrets this place held? They could be dangerous, and James wanted someone else with him if that was true. They didn't know that many spells yet, after all.

"Sorry," Peter whispered. "Sorry I've just… I've never done this sort of thing before."

"Not to worry, Peter." James clapped him on the back. "I am the master of this sort of thing."

Sneaking out of the common room was easy. Once out in the halls, Peter became a lot more nervous. James tried to distract him with jokes, which mostly worked. But it still took quite a bit of time before Peter actually settled.

The corridors had a mysterious feel to them. James knew there had to be loads of secret passages and exciting dangers in this place. He planned on finding them all before he left this place. He didn't care how many detentions he had to suffer through to find them.

"See Peter? No one to catch us out here," James said. "This castle is so big. And Filch can't be everywhere at once. We'll be fine."

"Ooooh," a voice came from down the hall at that moment and Peter almost fell over from fright. "Icky students out of bed. Got ideas inside their heads. Caught ya, caught ya at your game. I'm the best a Peeve's the name." A ghost materialized from the shadows, cackling.

It wasn't a very good rhyme in James' opinion. He crossed his arms. "So, you work for Filch?"

"Filchy, Filchy? Nooo," Peeves shook his head. "No love for Filchy."

"Then you shouldn't turn us in," Peter squeaked.

"No love for you either," Peeves pointed out.

"Yeah, but we're new and we want to cause trouble to annoy Filch," James puffed out his chest. "So we have a common enemy, you know? So let us go. What do you say?"

"I say…" Peeves grinned wickedly. "Let's see how fast you can run." Then he let out a loud wail. "STUDENTS OUT OF BED!"

"Oh no," Peter moaned.

James cursed and grabbed Peter's wrist. "Let's get out of here."

They took off down the hall as fast as they could. At every opportunity, James took a sharp turn. He had no idea where they were going but it was something. As long as they got away from Filch he didn't care.

He didn't expect, of course, to smack into someone else.

"Bloody hell!"

There was a series of curses as James, Peter and the third mysterious boy tumbled to the ground. James rolled over and looked up to see Sirius Black pushing himself to his knees.

"Why is it we always meet by running into each other?" the boy muttered, shaking his head.

"No idea. That was my fault." James grinned. "You snuck out too?"

"Of course. Wanted to explore the castle." Sirius stood to his feet. "And you, you're Peter right?"

Peter nodded.

"Glad to know we have similar interests," James hopped up holding out his hand. "It means that next time we can join forces."

"Next time?" Peter's voice jumped a few octaves.

"Sure thing." Sirius shook James' hand. "Partners in crime?"

"Partners." James said.

They might have sat there, basking in the glow of their new affiliation. But then they heard the 'meow' of Mrs. Norris and they took off down the hall once again. They didn't stop laughing until long after they reached the Gryffindor common room again.

This was the beginning of something great.

A/N: Just more establishing of relationships and tensions. That's what the first ten chapters mostly focuses on. The first year and becoming friends. We're halfway through the first year now! Hooray!

As always I appreciate feedback and favorites and alerts. Hope you have a good week!