Dressed in a soft blue gown, she strolled about the gardens in her matching blue heels. Covering her face with the white fan she gently fanned herself. She had only been at the party for a minute before she was swarmed by the Shaklebolt, Avery, and Parkinson families as they were trying to coax her Father into an arranged marriage with their own sons. Luckily she had been able to escape to the refreshment table where she held a small goblet of gillyweed water in her white gloved hands.

"Lady Donoghue," turning to who had called her she wasn't surprised to see it was Lucius Malfoy with his fiancé on his arm "you look lovely today"

Gwen smiled half heartedly "Lucius Malfoy, it's quite nice to see you and your fiancé, Narcissa again"

"It's nice to see you Lady Donoghue," she bowed with a soft smile as she held Lucius' arm

"I'm glad you were able to make it to my family's Garden Party," he frowned, noticing her rather somber mood "what is ailing you, Lady Donoghue? Is it the party?"

Covering her mouth with her fan, she regarded them with caution "No, as I find it to be a rather lovely affair on such a wonderful day nonetheless" she gestured towards their many bushes of roses "It has come to my attention from my Father on recent events that members of the Noble House of Black are in kahoots with your family in trying to deceive me and my family"

Lucius looked shocked, perplexed and a tad disgusted and asked, "What on earth gave you that foolish idea?"

"It's my impression that I wish not to associate my family with those who can't keep their inbreds in check," she paused "especially since your family is looked up to with great honor and respect. I'd find it disheartening to find that your family's reputation to become sullied because of the allegations against not only your family but your beautiful fiancé's as well"

What Bellatrix had done to Sirius filled her with disgust and by bringing up her rather manky behavior to Lucius in passing would coax him into having her stay away from Sirius. If she couldn't protect him from his Mother, then she could at least protect him from Bellatrix and anyone else who'd be daft enough to come near him.

Lucius looked angry but it wasn't directed towards her,"Which member of the House of Black was involved?"

"Bellatrix Black" she could have also thrown Narcissa out there as well but she had learned from studying the sisters that they had a strong bond and she would reveal herself to her fiancé willingly.

"I'm so sorry that this has happened Miss Donoghue," Lucius took her hand and kissed it "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again as I was fully unaware of this event taking place"

"Thank you Lucius," she smiled "I guess when I was told that the families take care of one another that the statement held truth"

"Indeed, as the families keep to their word as it's the honorable thing to do" he promised "If you excuse me, I wish to remedy this situation as soon as possible" with a parting bow, Lucius left with his nervous fiancé and an angry woman trailing behind.

She smiled in her drink "Donoghue one, purebloods zero" she murmured as she went back to her small stroll through the garden as she admired the flowers that the Malfoy's seemed very proud of.

Rightfully so.

A young red headed couple walked up to her, the woman carrying a small boy with a tuft of red hair on her waist in her arms as she wore a yellow sun dress and the man wore a charcoal suit. Gwen waited for them to catch up with her as she smiled up at them.

"It's a pleasure to see you again Arthur and Molly," nodding her head in greeting she turned to the younger member of the Weasley family "and who might this be?"

"Say hi to the pretty lady," Molly coaxed as she nodded her head towards Gwen

"Hi…" was all he said

"His name is William," Arthur answered

Taking the toddler's small hand, she smiled at the rather shy boy "It's really nice to meet you William, my name is Gwen and I believe we will be really good friends"

"Might I spend some time with him?"

"I wouldn't want to impose on you dear, it's a garden part-"

Gwen interrupted her, looking around and seeing that nobody was around her she smiled at them "Between you and me, the party is a bit boring as I'll have a more interesting conversation with a toddler then with any of these people. Plus you need the social interaction more than I do, I imagine taking care of a baby hardly gives you time to do anything else really"

Arthur laughed, "You got that right."

Taking William from Molly, she shooed them off to go enjoy themselves as Gwen walked over to a shaded more open area so William could run about without having to run into somebody on accident. Taking her seat on a bench, she watched him run and chase butterflies to which she thought was very enduring. That was until she had joined the boy by taking his hands and sung a muggle song for only the two of them to hear as she didn't want a pureblood to overhear.

"And they all fall downnnn" she fell onto the ground with the small boy who just laughed as if it was the most silliest thing he'd ever done

"Didn't expect to find you here," quickly regaining her composure she sat up only to see Sirius watching her with a gentle smile "who's the ankle biter?"

"This is William Weasley" standing, she watched as the toddler hid behind her leg as he eyed Sirius with a pouty face "William, this is my best mate Sirius Black, he's a very good friend of mine"

"He's a small tike," he noted as he crouched down and offered his hand to him "it's nice to meet you William"

The toddler looked at Gwen for reassurance to which she nodded yes, the boy walked from behind her and over to Sirius. He shook Sirius' hand as he then dragged him to chase butterflies with him, to which he complied as he didn't want to upset the young Weasley boy.

She watched as Sirius played with the young child as he wore a bright smile. Last night's events played in her mind as it had broken her heart to see Sirius in a vulnerable state. No longer were his eyes red, brimming with tears, nor was his nose stuffy and red. Any evidence of last night had washed away as a new day had come.

She was grateful.

"Thank you for keeping me company today," Gwen whispered to the toddler who was on the verge of falling asleep "I do hope that we can spend more time together in the future"

"Thank you so much for looking after him," Molly whispered not wanting to rouse William or rather Bill

"It was a pleasure," smiling she said her farewells to the Weasleys before walking back to where she had left Sirius as he was talking with his little brother Regulus who was still rather bashful around her to which she found it to be quite adorable

"You're rather good with children," he noted once he had stopped roughhousing with his little brother

She shrugged with a smile "I always wanted a younger sibling, my mother couldn't have anymore children because she had caught an illness that prevented her from having children which brought my parents both sorrow" Sirius gestured for his own brother to leave to which he obeyed

"Does your Father ever plan on remarrying?"

She shook her head "I don't think so," Sirius looked at her to see that her head was somewhere else "You should've seen them together, they were so in love with one another and you could feel it by just being in the same room with one another. I desire to find that love myself so I can experience that ardent feeling of love and devotion to someone special, don't you ever wish for that Sirius?"

Turning her head slightly towards him, she saw that he was staring at her with a look of admiration. Confused, she furrowed her eyebrows at him wondering why he was looking at her like that.

"You're the most amazing person I will ever know" he whispered causing Gwen to flush in embarrassment at his deep words of affection "you have the power to sway me as you please"

"My dear Sirius you mustn't say that aloud otherwise somebody could overhear you"

He chuckled, "rightfully so"

It had been a week since the Malfoy Garden Party, Gwen had been dropped off at the Evans' household since her Father had been called to work. Her time was mostly spent with Lily and Sev as they spent their days eating ice cream, running in the fields and reading. She played the occasional prank on Petunia but they were harmless as they were all muggle pranks. Gwen respected Petunia's views about magic but that didn't mean she had to like the atrocious names she called the three of them.

"Gwen!" Lily shrieked as she looked over at the young girl who was chasing her with a water gun.

The young Ravenclaw had discovered the plastic muggle toy last summer when her Father had bought her some for leaving her for a month. Severus watched both girls run about in the large field from a safe distance as he had climbed up a tree, not wanting to become soaked with water. He had learned the hard way last year when she had jumped from behind a bush and squirted him head to toe with water.

"Lily just stay still and take your punishment in full!" Gwen shouted back as she continued chasing the Gryffindor who had woken her up at six in the morning just to show her a new potion she had mastered.

"I said I was sorry!"

"Sorry isn't good enough until you're walking home with wet socks!"

"You knew what would happen Lily if you were to wake up the sleeping dragon" Severus called out as he leaned his back against the tree with an amused smile smirk

"Sev!" Gwen stopped momentarily to look up at Severus as she began to pout "You don't mean that do you?"

"Of course I don't" She beamed happily before she turned back to chasing Lily who was able to put some distance between the two of them

"I totally meant it" He mumbled as he closed his eyes making himself comfortable in the large tree knowing that it would be a while before Gwen either gave up or got her way. Sev had his bets on the latter as her fierce determination and resolve always shined when a challenge arose.

"Gwen!" Peering over to both girls he watched a smiling Gwen and a drowned Lily who left out a frustrated huff. With a huff Lily began pouting at the fact that she now had to walk home in wet socks.

"My reign is endless!" Cheering Gwen danced around the field as she had finally got her revenge on her ginger haired friend.

"Your reign is an amusing one indeed" Severus snickered as he looked down at Gwen before he turned to Lily who glared at him half-heartedly before she moved to wring out her hair.

"Thank you Sev!" Gwen laughed as she dropped the water gun and began running around the large field after kicking off her shoes

"Why didn't you help me?"

"And have her turn on me with that water gun of hers? I thought you were smart to not wake up the dragon so early in the morning" Severus scoffed as he watched Gwen trip over her own foot and tumble towards the ground with a pained groan "Never did I think that you would do something so dangerous without thinking first"

Severus teased the redhead, who continued pouting before an idea popped into her head. Grabbing the water gun, she sprayed him before he could jump down from the branch.

"You were saying Sev?" Lily smirked as she watched Severus let out a loud groan as he jumped down from the tree and immediately grimaced as he realized he also had wet socks

"I'll get you Lily and it'll be good" He promised

"You both have wet socks!" Sev and Lily exchanged looks with one another, smiling they turned back to Gwen who grew wide eyed and took off running with both of them chasing her

"Get back here Gwen!"

"No!"

"I love this book," Gwen sighed wistfully as she closed the book and hugged it to her chest "Elisabeth is a very intelligent and fierce women so it only makes sense that somebody like Mr. Darcy would fall in love with her"

"Pride and Prejudice again?" Lily smiled

"What can I say? It's a classic," she glanced up at the sky "plus I'm a hopeless romantic"

Gwen and Lily had just left the muggle bookstore as they were making their way back to the Evan's household. The sky was painted with pinks and oranges with little to no clouds in the sky, it had been a bright and sunny summer so far.

"Hopeless indeed," Lily snickered "Will you be taking the book back with us once we go back to Hogwarts for the new term?"

"Of course," she giggled "I will not leave a genius like Jane Austen behind to collect dust on my bookshelf"

"I do wish that Sev could have joined us on our outing today" Lily smiled as they had walked in the house with their bags in hand

Gwen nodded, "I'm just happy to see that he has made friends with people in his house, as well as you"

"Agreed," she paused "when will you be leaving tomorrow again?"

They began climbing up the stairs "I'll be leaving in the morning, I still have some packing to do as I will be staying at the Potter's more from now on"

Lily grumbled "I can't believe you're leaving already"

"I've been here for a week already"

Entering her bedroom with Lily behind her, she immediately set her bags down on her desk as Lily flopped onto her bed. To say her room was a bit of a mess was an understatement as she had started packing the day before. She had two large black trunks, they had the initials G. A in silver as they were both halfway packed with clothes, she had used the Capacious extremis charm on her trunks so that way she didn't have to carry so many trunks back and forth. She had Olivia to thank her for teaching her that charm.

"Have you heard from your father?"

Gwen shook her head as she grabbed clothes off of her hangers, folded them and placed them into her trunk. Moving over to her record player, she put in a Rolling Stones record and went back to the packing as Lily laid on her bed and read one of the muggle books she had bought from the small bookstore they had frequented over the last month.

A couple of hours later, she had finished packing and had gotten ready for bed as she now sat on her bed petting her cat felix. She had missed him of course. He had stayed with Irene while she was away at Hogwarts so he wouldn't be so lonely.

Stepping off the train with both her large trunks, she had worn her blue coat and matching blue hat. Navigating her way through the crowds of people, she had stepped out of the busy station and found the cab that was already waiting for her. With a smile, she gave the driver the address to the Potter household as she sat in the backseat of the muggle transportation.

"You must be exhausted from traveling! I'm sorry we were unable to pick you up at the station as we had matters to attend to at the Ministry" Euphemia Potter hugged the small girl before pulling away as she helped her take off her coat, gloves and hat. James rushed in wearing a jumper and trousers, his hair tousled. He smiled brightly as he pulled her towards him in a huge hug.

"Don't be, I always enjoyed taking muggle transportation"

"Gwen!"

"James!" They pulled away, "How are you?"

"I'm wonderful, thanks for asking"

"James will help you bring your trunks to your bedroom as I will begin to make lunch for the both of you" Picking up one of her trunks, they both began climbing up the stairs and down the hall where she walked into her bedroom

"How was your stay with the Evans?" He asked setting her trunk down on her bed

The room was the perfect size, as it wasn't too big or too small. The walls were a pale pink color with white carpet, there was a full sized bed with a silver comforter. There was a closet, a white dresser, a vanity, and white bookshelves. Setting her trunk down on the end of the bed, she continued looking around the room.

"It was amazing," She remarked as she opened up the small pet carrier and let Felix out who began running around the room "Lily was upset that I was leaving her for the last half of the summer"

"Did I steal you from the infamous Evans?" Gwen rolled her eyes at his teasing tone

"You wish, you toad"

James pointed towards the door that was behind the door they had walked through "I must warn you Gweny that it takes me a while in the bathroom now as it takes a long time for me to get this beautiful face ready in the mornings"

"Please James, wasn't it you who said that you're just dripping with good looks?" she teased as she leaned against the end of bed

James ran a hand through his hair as he walked towards her bedroom door, "Yes but beauty doesn't last forever my dear friend" He chuckled "I'll let you unpack and then we can catch up once your done"

"Thanks James," He smiled and left closing the door behind him

Gwen and James were sitting on the back porch, eating sandwiches and drinking pop. Dressed in muggle clothing, they sat in silence as the sun shone down on them brightly and high in the sky. Gwen had spent the last few hours telling James stories of what she had done while she was at the Evans household. He listened with rapt attention before he told her things that he had done with the boys when they came to visit. Which was every other day, it turns out.

"He what?!" Walburga Black screamed from the sitting room

She dropped her tea, as it shattered this spilling tea all over the antique carpet. Kreacher, the house elf of the Noble House of Black, stood next to his Mistress as she was distressed. Regulus was working on his studies in his bedroom upstairs before he winced at how loud his mother was.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!"

Dropping his quill, Regulus crept from his room and slowly made his way downstairs just in time to see his Mother run out of the drawing room and into the hallway. The mangy looking elf followed behind her as he watched quietly. She watched as Sirius slammed the door open, it banged against the wallpapered walls as he rode on a muggle contraption through the halls and into their kitchen.

"YOU DISAPPOINTMENT!" Walburga bellowed as she chased after him with her wand "Take that muggle garbage out of my home!"

Wanting a closer look, an anxious and frightened Regulus quickly followed down the stairs. Kreacher saw the young Master and turned away as he followed after his mistress and the insults that she was shouting at the eldest son.

"Merlin's beard!" Nostrils flaring, she waved her wand at him with a sneer "I swear Sirius, if you keep acting like this then you'll become an outcast to the families!"

Sirius hopped off the board as he scoffed "I'd rather be a blood traitor then be an ignorant fool!"

Walburga saw red.

"Crucio!"

Sirius collapsed onto the floor, his entire body was under attack from the spell his Mother had used on him. It felt like all of his nerves were being ripped apart over and over again. As if his body was going to explode. He didn't even know if he was screaming or not because all he could hear was white noise.

"You ought to know your place Sirius!" Hissing at him, she lowered her wand with a huff "You're the heir of the Noble House of Black! You come from a long line of powerful and intelligent wizards, you're destined for greatness!"

Sirius refused to cry in front of his Mother, he slowly struggled to get to his feet. His mother's speech was being droned out as he could care less about what she had to say. Biting his tongue, he took a deep breath in his attempt to ignore his aching body.

"...What do you have to say for yourself! The Dark Lord is beginning to recruit death eaters! How are you to become one when you act out like this!"

"The day I become a death eater is the day I'll have died" stomping over to him, she grabbed his face and dug her sharp nails into his cheeks. Bringing her face closer to him she glowered.

"I wish I had never given birth to you,"

Sirius stared blankly back at her, "the feeling is mutual"

Letting go of his face not caring she drew blood, she slapped him across the face. With a huff, she stomped away leaving him in the quiet kitchen all alone. Kreacher followed behind her, praising her actions to put the boy in his place. Regulus meekly scrambled inside as he looked up to his older brother.

"How are you feeling?"

Sirius shrugged, "listen to me Reg, don't ever become a death eater. Don't listen to our parents. Do what you want to do, join the house you want, and please for the love of everything good in this world please be yourself and not what others want you to be." he left the kitchen as he grabbed his coat

"Sirius…" Regulus almost started crying "I'm sorry that I'm not strong like you" he mumbled knowing that his brother wouldn't hear his small confession

Currently, Gwen and James were outside in the backyard enjoying a game of wits on the freshly cut lawn. They drank pop and ate sandwiches together that Euphoria had made for them. The other boys had departed for their own homes to get ready for the new term as well.

"I've won again Jamie," she smiled

James grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest "You're too good Gwen,"

She smirked "Maybe so or maybe you're just not as clever as you think"

"I don't want to play anymore," James helped her off the ground

"What do you suggest we do then?"

"We could watch those muggle shows on the Telly about the rabbit and the duck playing tricks on one another"

"That sounds like a grand idea,"

Returning inside the Potter household, they shed their shoes and hung them back in the mud room before they made their way towards the living room where they settled onto the couch and began watching the muggle show.

They had only been watching the telly for a little over an hour when large green flames appeared in the fireplace, as the green flames died down to reveal a wounded Sirius.

"Blimey mate, what happened to you?!" James jumped up from the couch and rushed over to Sirius. He stumbled out of the fireplace, with a black eye and a busted lip as blood trailed down his chin. His usual silver eyes were glazed over slightly as he almost tripped if it weren't for James to help him stand.

"Sirius…?" His expression matched the solemn but glazed eyes that slowly slid towards Gwen's curious ones "are you alright?"

"I got into a fight" Was all he said, shrugging off his coat he dropped it on the floor as he plopped himself onto the couch between the two of them

"Are you sure you're alright mate?" James skepticism could be heard as he eyed his friend watching the muggle show with half interest

"Perfectly," he flashed him a reassuring grin hoping James would let the matter drop

"James can you get me a wet towelette and bandages?" Both boys had momentarily forgotten about the girl as they snapped their heads toward her

"Yeah sure"

With James gone, Gwen sat closer to Sirius. She knew that Sirius wouldn't say anything more on the topic of what had really happened to him so she didn't broach it. She trusted that when he was ready to talk about it, then he would reach out to her when the time came. Plus she didn't have to guess to figure out what could have happened, especially with recent events with Bellatrix and his Mother.

Instead, she stared at Sirius hoping he'd meet her gaze. To her misfortune he succeeded as she blamed it on his stubbornness. She had a trick up her sleeve though. Leaning over she gave his uninjured cheek a soft lingering kiss. His lips twitched into a small grin as his hand found hers and brought it into his lap, lacing his fingers with hers he finally relaxed.

"I'm here," was all she said not realizing that those three words had a lifted weight off of him that he hadn't realized that he had

"James!" Gwen shrieked as she chased James down the stairs

Euphemia and Fleamont Potter exchanged amused glances with one another as they sat in the sitting room, she was learning to knit and he was reading the newspaper. Soon a young James ran in the living room with a soaking wet Gwen on his heels, her wet hair sticking to her face and her pajamas clinging to her body.

Shaking their heads, they went back to their own activities. Gwen had only been staying for a week and James made it his personal mission to treat the young girl like a little sister. By irritating her as much as possible as he had pranked her the morning before by putting a frog in the bathroom when she was showering, she had of course reacted by screaming at the top of her lungs. Today he had woken her up by pouring a bucket of ice cold water on her.

"Get back here James" Gwen huffed as she rolled her eyes at the young gryffindor boy, "I'll get you back for this, not today and not tomorrow but I'll get you"

James started laughing, huffing Gwen turned on her heel and marched back upstairs to change out of her wet pajamas. She heard a knock at the door but continued making her way up the stairs to her bedroom to change. An hour later she had changed into a simply dark blue dress with a jean jacket. She found the house to be oddly quiet as she wondered where James had gone as he was never this quiet.

"James is in the backyard on his broom," She walked into the kitchen to see Euphemia making her way around the kitchen preparing snacks and drinks "are you hungry dear? I made you a bigger snack since you missed breakfast"

"That sounds lovely, thank you" Gwen was still getting used to living with the Potter's as she wondered what it would have been like if she had grown up with James like her Mother had wanted before she died almost three years ago. "I can carry that out since you prepared it,"

"That would be very helpful as I have to go out and run some errands for a few hours" Wiping her hands on her apron she finished putting everything on the large tray and handed it to her "I should be back around the late afternoon just in time to prepare dinner"

"Is there anything else I can help you do?"

"You've done enough, now go eat and enjoy this beautiful day" Smiling Gwen took the tray and walked towards the back door, she closed the door with her foot as she walked down the steps and towards the large tree where a white table and white chairs sat. Setting the tray down, she looked around the huge land of perfectly cut grass.

The one thing she loved about living at the Potter's was the fact that they owned a couple of acres on land in the countryside of London. That way James could ride on his broom and practice quidditch without worrying about muggles seeing him. She enjoyed the peace and quiet of being away from other people.

"GWEN!"

She spoke too soon.

Turning she saw that the whole band of troublemakers were there as they wrestled in the grass accumulating grass stains all over them and their clothes. Laughing, she just smiled at her group of friends.

"Hello boys," immediately they untangled themselves and stood all grinning from ear to ear "what have you done?"

Narrowing her eyes, she began to backtrack towards the house as she didn't trust the mischievous smirks they wore. Just like on her birthday, she was determined to turn around and run away from them before it was to be too late.

"Sweet sweet Gwen...you wound me so to think that I'd ever do anything so cruel" James spoke in a faux posh tone

She snorted, "you're a terrible liar James and it shows. What are you planning? I wish to not be involved in such trivial matters"

"Trivial matters?!" James snorted "ha! The great James doesn't deal in trivial matters dear little sister"

Rolling her eyes, she allowed James to prattle on about how great he was as Peter agreed. Sirius and Remus just snickered as they listened to James' achievements. Gwen watched as Felix bounded over to them with one of their wands in his mouth.

"That's my wand!" Peter hollered

He began to chase the cat around the entire yard causing the boys to laugh as they watched the hefty Peter run after a small nimble cat.