CHAPTER ONE

The Transfer



Platform 9 3/4 was crowded. Students everywhere carried large suitcases and some even had owls in round cages. Enthusiasm was high as I watched them as they happily bid their parents goodbye, reunite with their friends, and board the Hogwarts Express. The Hogwarts Express was a scarlet red train with the words “Hogwarts Express� printed in large gold letters on the side.



I turned to say goodbye to our family when my mum wrapped me in a large hug, “We’ll miss you, my darlings! Pay attention to your studies and try not to get into too much trouble,� she pulled away and smiled, with mother’s tears streaming down her round face from her plain blue eyes. She then turned to hug Danny and Maggie, my siblings who would be joining me on the Hogwarts Express.



Danny is a stocky boy of fifteen. He’s loud and obnoxious and never shuts up. Maggie, on the other hand, is a quiet, extremely timid girl of twelve and has to be forced to do anything.



I smiled weakly, feeling a little bit nervous. I’m usually not prone to nerves, but starting a new school is a big thing. I then turned to my dad, my best friend, and my male mirror image. My father and I looked exactly alike, besides the fact that I’m a girl. If I was older, I would probably be mistaken for his twin. We have the same chestnut brown hair, same slightly fair skin, and the same large hazel green eyes. “Bye Dad,� I whispered, giving him a hug.



“Amelia, Hogwarts is great. Just don’t go wandering around at night and you’ll be fine,� advised my older sister, Alanna as she shot a look at Dylan and Christian, my two older brothers. Although they were four years apart, both my brothers have a strong knack for breaking the rules. The three of them: Dylan, Alanna, and Christian all graduated with top grades from Hogwarts, but that was before we moved to France.



I hugged all my other family members, twin younger sisters Dana and Erin, and my brother Sam, hugs and boldly strode away, not knowing the slightest bit what to do next. Danny and Maggie followed closely behind, watching my every move. I stopped once to rearrange the way I carried my large trunk, slung my Nimbus 1982 racing broom over my shoulder and we followed a pair of girls onto the train.



“Come on Danny; keep a close eye on Maggie. Try not to get lost,� I instructed as we made our way down the narrow corridor, peering around for an empty compartment. People stared when they saw me, and I didn’t blame them. It isn’t every day that Hogwarts has transfer students.



We found an empty compartment near the end of the train and plopped down in the cushy red seats. While leaning against the large shining window I watched the bustling crowd and became lost in thought. My mind wandered to my family, standing somewhere in the swarm of people. Dylan was already working for the Ministry of Magic, along with my father and Alanna, who was an Auror. Christian will be starting his training to become an Auror as well. And then there was me, Amelia, who would be spending her seventh year of magic education at a completely different school. At least I have Danny and Maggie with me, so I won’t feel quite so alone.



“So, what do you think Hogwarts will be like?� asked Danny as he helped Maggie put her trunk in the racks above the seats.



I shrugged. “I have no idea, Danny. Maggie, why don’t you sit by me,� I motioned for my little sister to come over. Her usually pale face was now chalk white. She shuffled over to the seat by me and sat down. I put my arm around her shaking shoulders and stroked her curly mass of brown hair, “its okay Maggie.�



We sat in silence for several moments. I thought of our old home, France, and the friends I never had. Our family moved there the year before I would have started Hogwarts, and I was so disappointed. Instead of being shipped away on the Hogwarts Express with all my childhood friends, I watched as the Ministry positioned Dad in France. I was then sent to Beauxbatons Academy, the best school for magic in the country. My years at Beauxbatons were lonely. Since my French wasn’t too good, I had a hard time getting along with my classmates, but I did become very skilled at magic and not to mention the best Keeper in the school at Quidditch.



Last year, tragedy struck Beauxbatons. Under the new headmistress, Madame Maxime, a strange magical disease struck the school. Draining students of physical and magical energy, the epidemic swept through the school. It bore down until anyone who had it was wasted away to a powerless corpse. Madame Maxime, with help from the school governors, shut down the school immediately, and placed it under quarantine. No one was allowed to enter or leave, in fear of the disease spreading. Luckily, my parents found a way to convince Madame Maxime to let me, Danny, and Maggie return home safely.



We then moved back to England, where we settled down in the suburbs of London. After writing a letter to Professor Dumbledore, we were granted permission to transfer to Hogwarts.



Danny plopped into the seat across from me, once again bringing me from my thoughts. “Do you reckon Christian was joking about the Giant Squid?�



“G-giant S-s-squid?� Maggie’s voice shook, “there’s a Giant Squid?�



“Don’t worry, Maggie. I’m sure there isn’t a Giant Squid,� I assured her, hoping I was right.



“Actually, there is a giant squid,� said a voice from the doorway. I looked up to see a boy standing there. He looked about my age and was tall and extremely handsome. His jet black hair streamed elegantly into his midnight blue eyes and he was grinning.



“Excuse me?� I asked, glaring at him.



“There is a giant squid,� he repeated, “but it won’t hurt you. It lives in the lake. Now, you three must be some of the transfers. I’m Sirius Black, pleasure to meet you all.� He stuck out his hand.



I shook it. “Amelia Jordan,� A sort of shock went through me when we touched. I did my best to shake the feeling, but I could tell that this Sirius boy felt it too. “This is Danny and Maggie. Yes, we’re transfers. What do you mean by ‘some of the transfers’? Is there more than just us?� I questioned.



“Yeah, they’re all in the last compartment of the train,� Sirius said.



“Really? Amelia, can I go see if there’s anyone we know?� Danny requested as he bolted up from his seat. Unlike me, Danny had lots of friends at Beauxbatons.



“That’s fine Danny. Maggie, you can go too if you want,� I said, hoping to get a moment alone with my thoughts. I didn’t want to see any of my old classmates.



“Ok, I’ll go,� Maggie burst, her face brightening a bit. Danny sped from the compartment, with Maggie’s curls bouncing behind him.



“Transfers, huh? I suppose there’s an explanation behind all of them, right?� Sirius asked, trying to make a conversation. I then realized that we were alone.



“Yeah, there is. I suppose Dumbledore will tell you all about us, though. I really don’t want to go into details right now.� I thought of my classmates ashen faces as one by one, were carried into the nurse’s wing after collapsing in the hallways. I thought of the few that had died. Dad told me that Beauxbatons would be closing this year, but it never occurred to me that students would transfer to Hogwarts, well, students besides us.



“Oh come on,� Sirius prompted, sitting in the seat across from me, “You can’t just leave me hanging! A pretty girl like you shows up with a bunch of mysterious transfers, I’ve got to know the story behind it all!� Sirius grinned, “Please?�



I rolled my eyes, but smiled none the less, “Oh, alright!� I’m not sure what won me over, the pretty girl comment, or how cute he looked with that puppy dog look on his face. Maybe it’s a combination of both. “There was a magical disease…� I launched into the big long story. By the time I was done, the train was speeding through the suburbs of London.



“Wow,� Sirius said when it was over, “that’s some tale. You’ll definitely gain some popularity at Hogwarts while telling that one.� He looked out the window. We were leaving the city and speeding along grassy fields. “Oh God! I need to get back to my own compartment!� He stood up, and I rose from my seat as well. “Well, Amelia. It’s been a pleasure meeting you.� We shook hands again, and he disappeared down the narrow corridor.



I sat back down, alone for the first time in a long time. I don’t know how much time had passed, but I was once again brought back to the real world by a voice from the doorway, “Excuse me, but is anyone else sitting here? All the other compartments are full.�



I looked up. Three girls stood in filed into my compartment. I smiled, “No, go right ahead. It’s only me in here.�



The first girl smiled at me, showing a perfectly straight row of teeth. She was very tall. Her pale brown hair pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head and her azure eyes were the color of the ocean, “Thanks,� she said, entering the compartment. Her two companions followed and they all sat down across from me, “I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Leah Erickson,� the tall girl introduced herself; “I don’t believe we’ve met. Are you in seventh year?�



I nodded my head, “Yeah.�



“So are we!� exclaimed one of the girls. She was the shortest of the three; with bright blue eyes and sun bleached brown hair that was hastily pulled into twin loops at the nape of her neck. “Weird, I’ve never seen you before either. You look too nice to be in Slytherin, so are you in Hufflepuff?� she asked, while scratching her head.



“No, I don’t have a house. I’m one of the transfer students,� I admitted, blushing slightly, “My name is Amelia, Amelia Jordan.�



The short girl grinned, “I’m Haylie Burch, and this is Micky Lee.� She motioned to a round faced Korean girl. Micky had her thick black hair pulled into two messy buns on the sides of her head. Her deep brown eyes glittered mysteriously.



Leah stared at me intensely, “So you’re one of the ones Lily mentioned. Our friend, Lily Evans, is Head Girl and Professor Dumbledore mentioned that there would be several transfer students in her letter.�



Haylie looked genuinely confused, “How are you all getting sorted?�



I shrugged, “The same way everyone gets sorted, I guess.�



Micky burst out laughing, “You mean you get sorted with the first years?! Wow, that’s got to be embarrassing,�



“You’ll be fine Amelia. Hopefully, you’ll be in Gryffindor, like us. Lily’s in Gryffindor too,� Leah interjected. Who is this Lily person? Why isn’t she here now?



Then it clicked. She’s Head Girl; she must be meeting with the Prefects right now. I thought about being sorted. A mental picture entered my mind. I stood towering in a long line of eleven year olds. I approached an old battered stool and stuffed the Sorting Hat onto my head. Everyone’s gaze was on me; the sixteen (almost seventeen) year old with all the first years. I’ll be the laughing stock of the school! If I have any luck at all, I will be in Gryffindor, like my dad was. Mum was in Ravenclaw.



“Speaking of Lily, when will she be joining us?� asked Haylie as she got up and peered down the hall, “Hey, watch your mouth!� she yelled as a band of third year Slytherins shuffled past, mumbling curses and something about Mudbloods under their breath.



“She should be here any time now,� Micky replied as she got up and joined Haylie looking out into the corridor, “Say, do any of you know who Head Boy is this year?�



Haylie shrugged, “I don’t know, but it’s probably Remus Lupin. He was always following rules and doing stuff like that. And he was a prefect, too.�



Leah got up and pulled her friends back into their seats, “You guessed it,� she glanced up just as the compartment door whizzed open, “Hey Lily!�



I looked up at the girl silhouetted in the doorway. She was tall and thin with fiery red hair and bright green eyes. She was pretty…very pretty.



Lily skipped into the compartment and plopped down next to me, “I’m so happy Remus is Head Boy this year. It was really fun being prefects together last year, thank God it wasn’t someone like Potter!� That was when she realized I was there, “Oh…hello! I don’t know you, so I’m Lily Evans.�



I smiled, “Amelia Jordan,� when Lily began to open her mouth, I added, “I’m one of the transfers.�



“Oh! Professor Dumbledore told me that you would be coming! I want to hear all about Beauxbatons! Is it true that you study magical forms of art there?�



I shook my head, “No, that’s just a rumor. We take the same classes you do at Hogwarts.�



We were soon in deep conversation. Lily and Leah wanted to know all about Beauxbatons, and I had plenty of questions about Hogwarts. Micky and Haylie were soon bored with conversation and started up a lively game of Exploding Snap.



The sun was beginning to set when the compartment door slid open again. There stood a tall, lean, and handsome boy who looked around the same age as me. His coal black hair was wild and messy, and his hazel eyes were bright and alert. He grinned, “Hello, ladies.�



Lily looked up and her pretty face was immediately masked in a scowl, “What do you want, Potter?�



“Tut tut, Evans,� the boy began, “it’s rude, you know, to be yelling at me already. Term’s only just started.�



Leah stood up. She was only an inch shorter than the boy, “James, please go away, before you make Lily so angry she’s unfit to live with. Because we’re the ones who have to live with her, you know.�



The boy, James, pretended not to hear and replied absentmindedly. “Why hello, Leah. You’re looking as pretty as ever. You know, my buddy, Padfoot’s looking for another girlfriend. You would fit together nicely.�



Now it was Leah’s turn to frown, “I think not. Tell Sirius that he should look somewhere else, because none of us are interested,� she motioned to the rest of us. Sirius…could they be talking about the same Sirius I met earlier today?



James’s eyes landed on me, “So, who’s this? Evans, you never told me you’ve been making new friends!�



Lily’s frown deepened, “Shove off, Potter. Amelia’s not interested in sorts like you.�



“Amelia, is it?� James asked with a maniacal glint in his eyes, “Well, Amelia, the name’s James Potter. Maybe you would like to fill the girlfriend position for my friend…�



“I think I’ll pass,� I replied curtly. If he was talking about the Sirius I met earlier, I will most likely have another chance with him. “Just tell your friend that we’re not interested and that he will just have to find someone else. By the way, were you just lecturing Lily here about rudeness?� I smiled sweetly as I let my evil side take over, “Because trying to set me up with someone on my first day here isn’t very polite either.�



To my surprise, James laughed, “If you say so, Miss....?�



“Jordan,� I replied.



“Miss Jordan, I like your spunk.� James announced. I gaped at him. Did he just say spunk? “Well, ladies, terribly sorry, but I need to be going now. You have to promise me you won’t cry once I’m gone…�



“Just leave!� Lily shouted as she got up and shoved him out of the compartment, her face flushed with anger as she slammed the compartment door behind her, “I can’t believe him!�



“Just let it go, Lily,� Leah said calmly, but I could tell she was angry too, “He’s just being a git. Don’t let it bother you.�



Lily resumed her seat, but she spoke little the rest of the train ride and she wore a dark look on her face. Next to me, Haylie and Micky were erupting in a silent fit of giggles.



“What’s so funny?� I asked them as Haylie snorted aloud.



“It’s nothing,� Haylie whispered, “We just think it’s so funny when James and Lily fight. They’re so perfect together, it’s a shame they aren’t a couple!�



“Yeah,� Micky added, “he’s not all bad, that James Potter. He just goes a little overboard when it comes to Lily. Nice comeback, by the way. Now that I think of it…you would look good with Sirius…�



“We’ll see, Micky. For now, I’m not interested in someone I’ve never met.� I replied, smiling slightly.



Not long after this, the train screeched to a stop at Hogsmeade Station. I threw on a black pair of robes and followed my new friends off the train and onto the platform. Everywhere, students bustled about and I had no clue where to go next.



“First years an’ transfers over here! First years an’ transfers!� shouted a voice and my gaze moved over the mob to a giant of a man, towering over everyone.



“Looks like you’re going to have to go with Hagrid,� Lily explained. “Just stick with him. He’ll tell you what to do.�



I nodded as Micky gave me a hug. “We’ll see you up at the castle, Amelia!�



I watched my new friends as they blended in with the crowd. I was alone, among the crowd of busy people. Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I approached the giant man.



“Are ye’ a transfer?� He asked, with a smile in his beetle black eyes. I nodded and he stuck out a large hand, “Rubeus Hagrid, pleasure to meet you.�



I shook his hand. “Amelia Jordan.� I replied.



“Amelia, is zat really you?!� came an all too familiar voice behind me. I turned around to find myself face to face with Hollie Larson, my old nemesis from Beauxbatons. Hollie was tall, with long wispy blonde hair, and sky blue eyes. Hollie was very beautiful, but her personality was like poisoned honey. She also happened to have a very annoying fake French accent, which she used to move up the totem poll of popularity.



“Hello, Hollie,� I said quietly. “How are you doing?�



“Not too well, but I am doing very fine now zat I’ve found a friend!� Hollie wrapped my in a large hug, which I returned reluctantly.



“Hollie Larson, you are up to no good. Now drop that fake accent, it makes you sound like a constipated toad.� I hissed in her ear.



Hollie pulled away instantly with a shocked, but annoyed look on her face. I then glanced over her shoulder to find my two siblings in the middle of the transfer crowd.



“Amelia!� Danny shouted, waving. “We’ve been looking for you! Come on, we’re all leaving!�



I pushed past Hollie and joined the crowd of familiar faces. Maybe Hogwarts won’t be so bad. I’ve already made friends, and as James Potter so kindly reminded me, term hasn’t even started yet!

CHAPTER TWO

The Sorting Ceremony



The platform was soon almost empty. The only ones left were Hagrid, the transfers, and the first years. I stood with a girl named Sara Hill, a sixth year, whom I got to know a little at school. Hollie stood apart from us all, arms crossed in front of her chest and a sulk on her pretty face.



“Al righ’ all ye’,� Hagrid bellowed, “We’ll be headin’ to the school now, so ye’ can all jus’ follow me!� Hagrid strode off down a path. We transfers followed him at a brisk pace, keeping in a tight knot. The first years shuffled slowly and nervously. Despite the familiar faces around me, I still felt alone, like I always felt at Beauxbatons. I felt something small grab my hand and I looked down. It was Maggie, and she looked like she was about to faint.



We soon came to a small harbor with a small fleet of boats floated in the midnight tinted water. “Four to a boat, first years and transfers, two to a boat for ye’ big ones, and three for ye’ little ones,� Hagrid shouted.



Since I was big, Maggie was small, and Danny was medium, we all crammed into one of the tiny little boats. After everyone had crowded into the boats, they took off, gently floating over the water. We turned a corner and I was greeted with the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.



It sat on a large hill, towering over the lake. The large glowing castle had several towers and turrets and seemed to glow with light. This castle would be my home for the next year, and I was filled with awe at the sight of it. Beauxbatons was nothing compared to this. It didn’t even come close.



The boats glided across the large lake. I couldn’t take my eyes off the castle. Soon, we were floating through a small tunnel that lay beneath the castle and entered a small underground harbor.



Everyone climbed out of their boats. We followed Hagrid through a passageway and up a small flight of stairs where large wooden door blocked our path. Hagrid knocked three times and the doors swung open. A tall strict looking woman was waiting for us. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun that strangely reminded me of Leah’s. The woman had square shaped spectacles and a commanding presence.



“The firs’ years, Professor McGonagall,� Hagrid announced before adding, “and our transfer students.�



“Thank you Hagrid, I will take them from here,� Professor McGonagall said stiffly as she turned and walked down the brightly lit corridor. We followed her at a distance, the first years clumping together nervously. I threw my arm over Maggie’s shaking shoulders and followed.



I looked around at the other transfers. All of them looked like they were about to be sick. Even fearless Danny was turning green. Sara Hill was fidgeting with her ear, and Hollie ran her thin fingers through her perfectly silky hair. A third year named Valerie was attempting to walk with her eyes closed. It wasn’t working; she kept stepping on everyone’s toes.



The strict looking Professor led us up a marble staircase and I could hear the loud muffled voices of all the other students. I thought of them all, and my nerves shot up like a bullet. We entered a small chamber that was off the main hall and waited. Since there was more than the usual amount of students, it was extremely cramped.



“Welcome to Hogwarts,� Professor McGonagall recited. It sounded as though she had said this same speech hundreds of times before, “the start of term banquet will begin shortly. Before you may take your seats, you must first be sorted into houses. This ceremony is very important because your house will be like your family for your seven years here. You have your classes with your house, you sleep in your house dormitory, and you shall spend your free time in your house dormitory. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each of these houses has produced many noteworthy wizards and witches. While at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you points and any rule breaking will loose you points. The house cup is awarded to the house with the most points at the end of the school year. The ceremony will begin in a few moments.� the professor exited the chamber, leaving us to wait out our nerves.



Many of the first years began contemplating the possibilities of how they will be sorted. One boy said that they would battle dragons; another girl figured they would have to win five games of wizard’s chess in a row. I rolled my eyes. All we have to do was put a hat on our head and it would sort us. Honestly, they think they would be able to take on a dragon! Some fully trained wizards can’t even hold their own against a dragon, let alone an eleven year old.



“So, Amelia. What house do you think you’re going to be in?� asked Hollie, sliding up to me.



I sighed heavily. “I’ll be happy anywhere I go,� I replied.



Hollie flipped her hair. “I’m hoping for Gryffindor. Oh my gosh, did you SEE some of the seventh year Gryffindor guys on the train? That one with the messy black hair was SO gorgeous!�



“Who, James?� I twisted my face. “She obviously didn’t know what she was talking about. Sure, James is good looking, but gorgeous?� I thought to myself.



“You know him?!� Hollie’s mouth fell open in delight. “Amelia, honey, you HAVE to introduce me to him!�



I shrugged. “Maybe I will, but only if you never call me ‘honey’ again.�



Hollie rolled her eyes. “Did you see James’s friend, the tall one with the blue eyes? HE was even more gorgeous!�



“Who, Sirius?� I asked. The thought “James may be simply good looking, but Sirius is flat out...� crossed my mind. I shook the thought away, feeling utterly disgusted with myself.



Hollie smiled and put her arm around my shoulders. “Amelia Jordan, you are my new best friend!�



I shoved her arm off me just as Professor McGonagall as she re-entered the chamber, “Please form a line and follow me.�



We did as she was told and formed a long string of people. Dylan and Maggie were ahead of me, and Hollie stood behind me. We then followed the professor from the chamber and into the Great Hall.



The Great Hall is amazing. I had never seen anything so wonderful in my entire life! Four long tables stretched the length of the corridor. Hundreds of faces gazed at us as we walked between the tables to the front of the hall. Several people murmured and gazed in my direction, but I knew they were looking at Hollie. I swiveled my head to see her reaction, and she smiled like a model back at her admirers.



The long procession of first years and lined up at the front of the hall along a long table filled with the school staff. One wizard stood out from the others. I recognized him as Albus Dumbledore from my chocolate frog card collection. He sat in a large golden chair. His snow white hair was long and frayed at the ends and he wore half moon spectacles. The wizard caught me staring and smiled gently, with a twinkle in his pale blue eyes. I found myself grinning nervously back at him.



Professor McGonagall came forward carrying a stool and a ragged black hat. She set the hat on the stool and I got a closer look at it. There was a fold that looked strangely like a mouth and I wasn’t too shocked when it opened wide and began to sing. Alanna had told me about the Sorting Hat’s song. It was a long song about the four founders of Hogwarts and a brief description of the four houses. Hollie, on the other hand, looked shocked.



When the hat was done performing, Professor McGonagall announced, “Now when I call your name, please set the hat on your head and wait to be sorted. The first years will be sorted first, and then we’ll have the transfer students sorted separately. Abbens, Joy!�



The girl who had claimed you needed to win five games of wizards chess stumbled forward and placed the hat on her head. It was much too big, and sunk over her eyes. The hall was completely silent until the hat’s brim opened wide and shouted, “RAVENCLAW!�



We stood and watched as the line grew smaller and smaller as the kids got sorted. My eyes wandered over to the Gryffindor table, where I caught Lily’s eye. She beamed at me and I smiled anxiously back. I let my gaze wander over Haylie, Leah, and Micky, who were all seated around her. I then noticed a group of boys whispering to themselves.



The first was James Potter, the annoying boy from the train. He kept stealing glances down the table at Lily, who sat with her friends. My gaze wandered to the boy next to him. He was pale and sickly looking, and had tan colored hair. The third boy was short, fat, and looked like he was about to wet himself. I watched in amusement at his rat like actions and then moved on to the Sirius, the last boy in the group. Sirius caught my eye and grinned at me. I smiled back. Next to me, Hollie was gaping and waving daintily. I scowled. Knowing Hollie Larson, she thought Sirius was looking at HER.



Professor McGonagall’s voice brought me back to the real world as she announced, “And now we have our transfer students. The ceremony is the same, although it may take longer to be sorted because you have a few years of education. We shall begin. Button, Michael.�



Michael stepped forward and shakily sat down on the stool. He placed the hat on his head, and it took a few moments before a cry of, “HUFFLEPUFF!� filled the air.

A few more transfers were sorted, and Professor McGonagall’s voice announced the dreaded. “Jordan, Amelia.�



I took a deep breath and stepped forward. My legs felt like lead. I could feel hundreds of eyes on me as I sat down on the stool and pulled the Sorting Hat onto my head.



“So,� whispered a tiny voice in my ear, “hmmmm…your mind is advanced. Much more advanced than the normal first year. You have knowledge, yes, lot’s of knowledge. Yet you also have a caring heart. But wait! You possess a daring nature. Oh yes…very daring…I see, so it better be…..GRYFFINDOR!� The hat bellowed and I scurried off to the Gryffindor table, where my new friends waited for me.



They squeezed together to admit room for me as I sat between Micky and Haylie and across from Leah and Lily.



“Congratulations, Amelia!� Lily said enthusiastically, “I knew that you’d make Gryffindor!�



Haylie added. “Not many seventh years would be willing to go in front of the whole school with the first years. It takes guts.� I smiled at them in relief. Maybe Hogwarts won’t be so bad after all.



I met Sirius’s eyes and he grinned at me. “Thank God you’re in Gryffindor! All I hope is that blonde next to you in line isn’t in our house. She looks like a piece of work.�



I laughed and nodded. “She is.�



We turned our attention back to the Sorting Hat. There sat Danny, hat on his head. I watched him for a few moments and the hat shouted. “GRYFFINDOR!�



Danny took a huge sigh of relief, and waved at me as he walked past to sit with the other kids in his year.



It was now the moment I had been dreading all night. It was Maggie’s turn to be sorted. “Jordan, Maggie.� Professor McGonagall said and Maggie did nothing. Her face was paler than death and she just stood there, gazing at the crowd. “Jordan, Maggie.� The Professor tried again. No reply. I knew what I had to do.



I squeezed from my spot at the Gryffindor table. “Amelia, what are you doing?� Lily demanded. I ignored her and ran up to the front. All eyes were on me as I approached my sister and knelt so we were eye to eye.



“Come on Maggie, I’m here. Go get sorted.� I whispered softly, petting Maggie’s curls.



Maggie gulped, and let me lead her to the stool, where she plopped down and I set the hat on her head. I held her hand, as the Sorting Hat whispered silently to her. Maggie’s lip trembled. The Sorting Hat suddenly shouted. “RAVENCLAW!�



My heart sunk. I wouldn’t be able to be there for her. She would have to do this on her own. I pulled the hat off my sister’s head and walked with her all the way to where the other second years sat at the Ravenclaw table.



Someone clapped. I turned around and saw that it was Sirius. I gave him a “don’t� look, but he didn’t pay attention. My friends saw what he was doing and joined in. Soon, the whole Great Hall was clapping as I returned to my seat.



“Amelia, is that your little sister?� asked Leah as I squeezed back in between Haylie and Micky.



“Yeah, she gets really nervous about things.� I sighed. “I only wish she was in Gryffindor so I could look after her.�



“Don’t worry, Amelia. I’m sure Maggie will be fine.� Lily assured me.



A few more people were sorted, and my head shot around as the Professor announced. “Larson, Hollie.�



Hollie had a smug little grin on her face as she gracefully slid onto the stool. Her eyes met mine, and I could tell that she was furious that I got all the attention for helping Maggie. Hollie slid the hat onto her head, and after a few moments, the hat announced. “RAVENCLAW!� Hollie had a hard time covering her disappointment as she joined all the other Ravenclaws.



Once the sorting was over, Professor McGonagall took the hat and stool away. Professor Dumbledore then stood up and gave a small speech welcoming everyone new to Hogwarts, and the gold plates that sat on the tables suddenly filled with food. I gaped at it in awe, until Micky patted me on the back, “You better eat, Amelia. You won’t fill up staring at the food.�



I grinned and began helping myself to all the delicious dishes. I had never seen so much food. At Beauxbatons, Madame Maxime insisted that we eat as healthy as possible, to keep us thin and fit. Once everyone had eaten their fill, the foods on the plates disappeared and were refilled with cakes and sweets. I chatted with my new friends throughout the meal and once the dessert was cleared away, Professor Dumbledore stood up and made a speech. He reminded us of all the rules and stuff, and then we were dismissed to go to our common rooms.



We set off for the Gryffindor Common room. As we walked through the brightly lit halls, Lily filled me in on all the rules Professor Dumbledore hadn’t covered. There were paintings everywhere; the inhabitants moved from frame to frame chatting amongst themselves. A few waved at us, and we waved back.



We soon came to a portrait of a very large woman in a very frilly dress. “To all the new first years, and transfers, remember this picture,� Lily instructed, “It’s called the Fat Lady. She guards the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. In order to get in, you need to give her the password. It changes from time to time, so be aware.� The Fat Lady smiled at me as Lily continued, “The password is currently Felix Felicias.�



As soon as Lily finished the password, the Fat Lady’s frame swung forward and we stepped through the doorway. I found myself staring around a large circular room. It was completely red and had many ruby colored banners with the Gryffindor lion on the walls. There were several tables and many cushy looking chares and couches in front of a large fireplace. There were two large curving staircases. One led to the girl’s dormitories, and one led to the boys.



People soon filled the tables and chairs. I watched as Lily and the others settled at a table in the corner of the room. “I’ll join you guys in a bit,� I said and I left them to seek out Danny.



I found him amongst a small crowd of fifth years. I pulled him aside and said, “Hey, Danny, we need to talk.�



“About what, Amelia? Hey, isn’t Hogwarts great? I’ve already made friends!� Danny burst, grinning like a maniac.



“That’s great Danny, so have I, but what are we going to do about Maggie? She’s in a house all alone, and she’s probably making a fool of herself crying all over the place back in Ravenclaw.�



“Amelia, Maggie’s a Jordan. She’ll be fine! The Ravenclaw’s seem alright, someone will take her under wing.� Danny assured me. “Maggie will be fine.�



No matter what he said, I would still have my doubts. Plus, Hollie’s in Ravenclaw. I know she’s mad about me making Gryffindor and not her. My biggest fear was that she would take out her anger on my little sister. “Alright, but I’m checking up on her tomorrow at breakfast.�



Danny shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’ll see you around, Amelia.� With a wave, my brother returned to his group of new friends.



With a sigh, I trudged back to the table where Micky, Haylie, Lily, and Leah sat. Leah and Lily were deeply immersed in their books, Micky was doodling on a scrap of parchment, and Haylie’s nose was stuck in this week’s issue of “Quidditch Weekly�



“Haylie, do you play Quidditch?� I asked, plopping down beside her.



Micky looked up from her doodling, smiled and replied to my question, “Quidditch is her life! Both of Haylie’s parents were International Quidditch stars. Haylie’s brother plays for England, so she’s got standards to live up to.�



“Really, that’s so cool! Do you have any teams here at Hogwarts?� I asked, hoping there was a spot for a Keeper on one of them.



“Yes!� Haylie practically yelled as she sprang out of her chair in excitement.



“Haylie, shush! Some of us are trying to study!� Leah interrupted as her face appeared behind the large book she was reading. The title said: The Standard Book of Spells: Advanced Version.



“But classes haven’t even started yet!� Haylie hissed in a much quieter tone. “Why do you have to study?�



“It doesn’t hurt to get a head’s start,� Leah replied. “Besides; we’ll be taking our NEWTs this year.�



“Whatever,� Haylie rolled her eyes. “As I was saying, each of the four houses has a team. We compete for the Quidditch Cup!�



“Gryffindor has the best team in the school. We’ve won the cup for the past two years. We’re determined to win it again this year.� Micky added.



Just then, James Potter approached our table. “Hey girls, how’s it going?� he asked. Lily instantly pulled her book in front of her face so he wouldn’t notice her. “Amelia, congrats on making Gryffindor, we’re excited to have you here.�



“James, stop sucking up.� Lily spat, momentarily poking her head in front of her book.



“Me, sucking up? You’ve got to be kidding, Evans.� James cried, with a sarcastic note of drama in his tone.



“Ignore him, Lily,� Leah sang as she flipped the page in her book. Lily took Leah’s advise and continued reading with an unhappy expression on her face.



“Hey James,� Haylie chimed, “When do we start Quidditch?�



James grinned. “How did I know you were going to ask that? That’s what I came over here to talk to you about. Sirius is keeping his position, and I just talked to Maria and Donyal about staying on as Beaters.�



“You know James; a good captain doesn’t keep the same team each year. Why don’t you have everyone try out for the team? You could find some new talent.� Haylie insisted.



“Haylie Burch, when you’re captain of your own team, you can do just that. We’ve had a winning lineup for the past few years, and I don’t intend to change it.� James answered stubbornly.



“I knew you’d say that. In that case, there’s no way I’m giving up my spot on the team! I’ll play Seeker again this year.� Haylie said.



“And I’ll be the third Chaser,� Micky offered, “that was a lot of fun last year.�



“Great, so all we need is a Keeper,� my heart skipped a beat as James said the word Keeper. “Tryouts are going to be next Sunday. Spread the word, I’ll see you later.� James walked away. I watched him go.



“Who are those guys that he hangs around with?� I asked my new friends once James was out of earshot. “I already met Sirius on the train before you guys came in, but who are the others?�



“Who, the Marauders?� Leah asked, glancing up from her book.



“The who?�



“The Marauders are what Potter and his gang call themselves,� Lily explained, “There’s James Potter, Sirius Black, the tan haired one is Remus Lupin, and the fat one is Peter Pettigrew.�



“Remus is the only decent one of the group,� Leah stated bluntly. “Peter is a pushover, and Potter and Black think they own the school.�



“You only think that because you like him,� Haylie replied as she watched Brazil’s Quidditch team zoom around on the cover of her magazine. “So Amelia, do you play Quidditch? It would be great if you joined the team.�



I smiled. “Yeah, I play. It’s kind of ironic really. I played Keeper at Beauxbatons.�



“Were you any good?� asked Micky.



I shrugged, not wanting to brag. “Best in the school.�



Haylie leapt from her chair and began jumping up and down frantically. “Brilliant, you should totally try out! I’ll go down to the pitch sometime this week to help you get ready!�



The three of us talked Quidditch for a long time, and then we moved on to other subjects. Lily and Leah joined in once they finished their “studying�, and soon we were all talking like we were the best of friends. I didn’t have any good friends at Beauxbatons, so you don’t know how nice it is to be accepted so fast!



After awhile, we headed to our dormitories. Our room was the last in the long hallway of dorm rooms. On the door was a gold plaque bearing the words: Seventh Year. Inside was a comfortable looking room. It was rectangular and fairly large with five bunk beds. They had gold and red blankets and red hangings. Five trunks sat on each of the bed. Three of them had broomsticks. At the end of the room was a large window looking out onto the grounds. There was a large dresser against an open wall. Since we were the top of the school, we also got the fancy seventy year girls’ bathroom all to ourselves. The bathroom was attached to the dormitory, and could only be accessed by us.



I located my original Nimbus broom on one of the beds and opened my trunk. The other girls were doing the same. I unpacked my cloths into the bottom drawer of the dresser and placed my books on the small shelf under the nightstand that was next to my bed. I then changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed.



Once everyone was all settled in, Leah turned off the lights and I lay there, getting used to my surroundings. I thought of Sirius and of Maggie, and all the adventures that lie ahead. I knew that I would be happy here at Hogwarts, and could only imagine what my first day of classes will be like.

CHAPTER THREE

Breakfast Discussions



The next morning, waking up was a real pain. At Beauxbatons, we woke up around nine o’clock every morning, but here at Hogwarts I guess we wake up at seven. Unfortunately, my new friends had failed to mention this little detail, and I was asleep in my beautiful new bed when someone threw open the hangings and pounced on me.



“Amelia, time to wake up!� yelled Haylie’s voice. I opened my eyes and looked up. There sat Haylie, fully dressed and fully awake.



I groaned and sat up. “What time is it?� I mumbled as I rubbed my eyes.



Haylie looked at her watch and replied, “Quarter after seven. Come on sleepy head, we’re already late!�



“Quarter after seven!� I sprang out of bed and forced myself to wake up. I grabbed some cloths from my drawer and threw on a cloak, not even taking the time to brush my hair. I quickly did a hair smoothening charm as we tore down the stairs and through the nearly empty common room.



Haylie and I sped down to the Great Hall to try and get there in time for breakfast. We were delayed only once by a Ravenclaw Prefect who scolded us for running, and then we set off jogging again as if it never happened. Finally, we reached the Gryffindor table.



“Amelia, you’re awake! We thought you were in a coma or something.� Micky said as Haylie and I sat across from her, Lily, and Leah.



I grinned. “Yeah, I had no idea what time we woke up at. Thanks for rescuing me, Haylie.�



Haylie smiled widely as she took a big bite of a bagel. “No problem!�



Leah wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, Haylie can you please not talk with your mouth full? It’s ruining my appetite.� She glanced up at the door just as a tall handsome Hufflepuff boy entered the hall, “By the way Haylie, look who just came in.�



Haylie raised her eyes and looked at the boy just as he glanced over at us. It was Amos Diggory, the popular Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain. He smiled nicely at her as he walked by. Instantly, Haylie began choking on her bagel from shock. I pounded her hard on the back and the bagel shot out onto her plate. Haylie looked over at Amos again, but he was busy talking with one of his fellow Hufflepuffs. She guiltily glanced down at the bagel on her plate and shoved it into her napkin, “Thanks a lot Leah. You completely made me look like a freak.�



Lily tucked a strand of red hair behind an ear as she joined the conversation. “Leah why do you always tease Haylie like that? You’re only embarrassing her, and we all hate it when you cause her do something disgusting.�



“Yeah, Mrs. Moony.� Haylie muttered under her breath.



“WHAT?� Leah demanded, shooting Haylie with the most intense death glare I have ever seen.



Lily grinned and turned to me. “Amelia, try to keep them from killing each other. I’ll see you guys in Potions. I need to talk to Professor Slughorn about something.� With an encouraging smile, Lily got up from the table and began to walk away. She was stopped by the Marauders who had come over while we where talking.



“Good morning Evans,� drawled James.



Lily’s eyes narrowed as she snapped. “Shove off Potter, I’ve got to get to class.� She turned her heel and strode away.



The boys sat down next to us. James shook his head while mumbling. “Lily Evans. Her temper is as fiery as her hair.�



“Prongs, mate, you shouldn’t provoke her like that.� Remus said, sitting next to Micky, “Good morning girls.� He smiled warmly in out direction. Leah’s face tuned a light shade of pink.



Micky smiled back at him. “Good morning Remus.�



“I see we have a transfer! Who might you be?� Remus asked politely, eyeing me.



“I’m Amelia Jordan.� I said, sticking out my hand in greeting.



Remus shook my hand and grinned sheepishly. “Remus Lupin, pleased to meet you. This is Peter Petigrew, Sirius Black, and James Potter.� He introduced me to them.



James nodded sulkily when his name was mentioned and Peter simply stared at me, his small beady eyes emotionless. Sirius was the only one who actually noticed he was being introduced to someone.



“Amelia, great to see you again!� Sirius then added to Remus, who looked slightly confused, “We met on the train.�



“Great to see you again too…I guess.� I said awkwardly, hoping I wasn’t blushing.



“Hey Remus, Leah has something that she wants to ask you!� Haylie announced. Leah’s eyes grew wide and her face became as red as Lily’s hair. My mouth fell open. Haylie was going for revenge, and it wasn’t going to be pretty.



“Really, what is that?� Remus asked as he glanced at Leah.



Leah shot up like a bullet. “Nothing! Honestly, it’s nothing. I’ll see you guys at class, I…uh…have to go find Lily.� Leah rushed out of the Great Hall.



Micky turned to Haylie. “Haylie that was really mean.�



Haylie shrugged. “She did that to me, she gets payback.�



I shook my head in disbelief. Something told me that being friends with these girls would never be boring.



Remus fiddled with his napkin in confusion. “What are you talking about? If Leah wants to ask me something, why doesn’t she just ask?�



Micky sighed. “Remus, Leah never wanted to ask you anything. Haylie was just being mean.�



Haylie’s mouth flew open as she practically shouted, “Hey, she made me choke on my bagel! Honestly, she deserved it!�



“She did what?� Sirius demanded with an amused look on his face, joining in the conversation.



Micky shook her head. “Never mind,� She turned to James, “So James, Lily strike you out again?�



“No, she didn’t even give me time to swing.� He mumbled grumpily, stabbing a bagel with his fork.



“Come on Prongs, mate, you really need to stop asking her out! Even I can see that it’s driving her crazy!� Sirius pointed out. James opened his mouth to respond, and Sirius cut him off. “Hey, being your best mate gives me rights to give advice like this.�



James punched him in the arm, “Shut it Padfoot. I haven’t even asked her out yet this term. Why does she hate me so much? I try so hard to look cool and confident for her, and she never seems to notice!�



“Maybe she doesn’t want you to bee cool and confident for her. Maybe if you just laid back and acted more yourself, she’d accept you.� I suggested.



James looked at me like I was crazy. “Huh?�



I met his hazel eyes with my hazel green ones, “Maybe you should stop trying to be someone you’re not, and show Lily the real you. Maybe if she sees who you really are, she’ll say yes.�



“She’s right, you know. Sirius agreed, his eyes on me. “Prongs, if you stopped being such a git, she might actually like you.�



I burst out laughing as James protested. “I am not a git!�



“Um, actually, sometimes, you can be a really big one.� Micky commented. When she saw James’s shocked face she apologized. “Well, not all the time, but you can be a really big jerk sometimes. Lily told me herself that she’d never go out with someone as rude as you.�



James scowled. “Lily obviously doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I’ll show her…� He got up and stalked out of the hall. Peter got up and followed him, claiming he had to use the bathroom.



Micky, Haylie, Remus, Sirius, and I finished our breakfast in silence. I wolfed down the rest of my food as fast as I could, and sped off towards the Ravenclaw table.



Maggie sat amongst her fellow second years, she looked slightly pale, but overall, she was considerably happier than I had seen her since we separated from out parents. She conversed quietly with a girl who had her honey blonde hair pulled into twin braids.



My sister looked up at me when I approached and her face flushed with happiness. “Hello, Amelia!�



I smiled at her, thankful that she had finally come out of her shell. “Hey there Maggie! How is it going?�



Maggie shrugged. “It’s good, I guess. I kind of wish I was in Gryffindor with you and Danny, but its nice in Ravenclaw too. This is my new friend, Naomi. Naomi, this is my sister, Amelia.�



“Hello, Amelia. It’s nice to meet you.� Naomi said politely.



Suddenly, along came Hollie, who rushed me away from my sister and her friend. “Amelia darling! We HAVE to talk!� She ushered me out of the Great Hall and into the corridor. She then faced me, her pale blue eyes unreadable. Hollie crossed her arms in front of her chest, and I observed painfully that she had worn the tightest shirt possible under her open black cloak. “So Amelia, you are going to help me hook up with either Sirius or James. Take your pick.�



I gaped at her. “What?�



Hollie flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “You heard me.� She said slyly, inspecting her fingernails. “James and Sirius are dead hot, I’m going to have one of them, and you’re helping me. You’re in the same house as them, all you have to do is talk about me all the time, and we can schedule a meeting.�



My eyebrows shot up, practically above my hairline. “Hollie, why do you think guys will always want YOU? Can’t you just let it be for once in your life?� I turned and stalked down the hallway. She had no right to be going after guys this early in the term!



I heard Hollie shout to my back. “Oh, and you expect Sirius to fall for a girl like YOU? Give me a break, Amelia!�



Ignore her, I had told myself, as I tried to keep myself from hexing her hair off her pretty little head. I took a turn down the hallway, and there was Leah!



“Oh Amelia! I was just getting a few books from the library before class! I needed something to take my mind off breakfast.� She explained, falling into step with me. “Are you heading to Potions?�



“Yeah.� I sighed.



“Well, you’re going the wrong way.� Leah pointed out. “Potions class is held in the dungeons, I’ll show you where to go.�



Feeling slightly embarrassed, but too infuriated with Hollie to care, Leah led me down flights of stairs and to the dungeons.

CHAPTER FOUR

Problems in Potions



I followed Leah through several hallways, down a few staircases, and down to the dungeons, where Potions was held.







I looked around the room. The cold grey walls were lined with blank shelves filled vials of already-made potions. The room was filled with two person desks and the basic setting needed for potion making. A large blackboard covered the front wall behind the teacher’s desk. Next to the desk was a large cabinet. A door was open, and inside I saw jars of spare ingredients.







At one of the tables near the front, sat a girl with fiery red hair. It was Lily. Her head lay in her arms, and she seemed to be asleep, yet she sat up straight when Leah and I approached.







“Oh, hello Leah, Amelia,� she said, smiling feebly.







Leah placed her bag next to Lily and plopped down, pulling out a book. “Amelia, I’m going to sit by Lily, I hope that’s alright. You could sit with Haylie when she comes,� she suggested, motioning to the desk behind her.







With a sigh, I moved to where she motioned me to go. “What about Micky?�







Lily shrugged. “Micky dropped out of Potions after fifth year. She takes Divination now, that’s her favorite class,� Lily’s voice dropped to a whisper as several other students entered the room, “She thinks she’s a real Seer, but we all know better.�







Before I could respond to this, Haylie, accompanied by the Marauders, burst into the room. They were in a vivid conversation and Haylie’s face was flushed from laughing as she plopped down next to me.







“What did they do this time?� Leah demanded, not looking away from her book.







“They…they….� Haylie’s voice was cut off from laughing so hard as she pointed a finger towards the entrance to the dungeon.







I swerved around to see what she was pointing at and had to fight to keep from laughing. A group of Slytherins was slinking into the dungeon. All of them wore the same expression, their lips were thin and their eyes were narrowed as they had formed what looked like a protective circle.







I peered through them and saw that they seemed to be shielding a boy from view. The boy was tall and gangly, with a hooked nose and long lank hair that fell into his eyes and smothered his face in grease. The funny thing about this boy was that his black hair was highlighted in pink!







“Who is that?� I asked Haylie, while trying not to laugh.







She grinned maniacally. “Severus Snape, the greasiest kid you’ll ever meet. James and Sirius call him Snivellus. They like…er…pestering him sometimes.� I took another glance at the black and pink haired kid. The word pestering seemed to be taking it lightly. James and Sirius, sitting at a table in the back of the room, were roaring with laughter







Just then, a short, balding man entered the room, and everyone scurried to their seats. My first impression was that of a walrus. He made his way to the front of the classroom and began to speak. “Welcome to another year of Potions. I trust you all had a good vacation. I see there are a few new faces here today. I would like to welcome all the Beauxbatons transfers. I am Professor Slughorn. But, seeing as though your brains must have emptied some since we last met, today we will be reviewing a potion we learned last year…� Professor Slughorn went on to describe the potion we were supposed to be making, but I wasn’t listening. This seems to be a pattern that happens in Potions.







I thought about Hollie, and what she wanted from me. Sirius or James…it got me thinking. If I HAD to help her, which one would I help her get? I thought about Sirius….no, I would never help Hollie get Sirius. But James…he liked Lily. Wait a minute, why am I thinking about this? I wondered. Seeing as though I’m NOT helping Hollie, it really doesn’t matter….







“Please turn to page 174 in your copy of Advanced Potion Making and begin. You have until the end of the class,� Professor Slughorn finished.







I mentally slapped myself for not paying attention. I’m going to need to get out of that awful daydreaming habit if I ever want a good grade in this class!







Next to me, Haylie had pulled out her set of scales and had busied herself by chopping up some vile looking root. Following her example, I flipped open my book to the right page and gulped. The potion was really complicated. If this were only review, what would the stuff we’d make later on be like?







Time passed by slowly as I struggled my way through my task. I added ingredient after ingredient, making pinpoint measurements, but it still wasn’t coming out right. As I usually do in Potions class, I began to get frustrated. This is so stupid; will I even need to know how to do this in the real world? With every unsuccessful minute that passed, my frustration grew and grew until I wasn’t sure I could take it anymore—







BANG!







The sound of an exploding cauldron filled the dungeon. For one horific moment, I thought it was my cauldron that had exploded, but to my relief, everyone’s heads swerved to the back of the room where James and Sirius were roaring with laughter.







Peter Pettigrew’s expression was that of extreme shock. His small watery eyes were wide, his mouth hung open, his face was black, and his hair was badly singed. What was left of his cauldron littered the table, and everything around him, including poor Remus, was covered in grayish goo.







In an instant, Professor Slughorn had swished his wand and the goo disappeared. He strode over to where Peter sat, huddled in his chair. James and Sirius stopped did their best to stop laughing when Remus shot them a “this isn’t funny� look.







“Mr. Pettigrew, may I remind you that I was willing to let you into this class because you swore to try your hardest not to make a mess of things. I will arrange for you to have a tutor, and if that doesn’t work, I will have to excuse you from this class. Next class, I expect you to try harder.� Peter hiccupped in embarrassment and nodded. Satisfied that he had gotten through to his student, the Professor turned to Lily. “Miss Evans, if I could please see you after class.�







Lily looked up from her potion. “Yes, Professor.�







Slughorn then turned to where James and Sirius were doing their best to stifle their amusement. “Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, I will have no fooling around in this class. Miss Jordan, please switch with Mr. Potter and try to keep Mr. Black in line.�







I sighed. Of all the days in the world, luck had to abandon me on this one. I carefully moved my potion to the back of the room, trying not to spill. I set it on the table where Sirius sat and plopped down.







I instantly got back to work on my potion, which was bubbling from the few minutes’ neglect it got from Peter’s distraction. I felt bad for the kid. I know what it feels like be on the receiving end of an exploding cauldron, it happened to me plenty of times at Beauxbatons, and it was downright humiliating. I stirred my potion, feeling more and more unhappy.







“Pretty into Potions, I see,� Sirius observed, bringing my attention to him the first time since I sat down.







I shrugged. “Not really, I’m just a terrible potion maker attempting to get a decent grade.�







Sirius nodded. “I can see where you’re coming from there, but I find that when I try too hard to be good at something, the worse I am at it.�







I didn’t answer. I’m always trying so hard at Potions, but I never seem to get anywhere. Hollie tries so hard to be all popular, but the actual smart people can see right through her act. At Beauxbatons, I tried to fit in, but the harder I tried, the more I felt myself excluded from my classmates. Look at James…he tries so hard to impress Lily, but the more stuff he does, the more she seems to resent him.







“You know what, Sirius? That makes sense. Take a look at James,� I began, motioning to where the messy haired kid sat behind Lily. My red haired friend was measuring something with her set of scales, completely unaware that James was gazing longingly at the back of her head.







“What about him?� Sirius asked with a puzzled look on his face.







“It’s like what we were saying at breakfast, the harder he tries to impress Lily, the more she pushes him away.�







“Yeah, now that I think of it, you’re right. She WOULD really like it if James deflated his head a bit…� Sirius sighed. “…if ONLY there was something we could do…�







I cast him a sideways glance. I may not be in Ravenclaw, but I’m not a complete idiot. “No way. I’m not helping you.�







Sirius put on that puppy dog look he used yesterday on the train. “Come on, Amelia! Please? She’s all he ever talks about!�







“And you just want to push the two together? Without any regard to Lily’s feelings? No, I won’t. Lily will hate me forever,� I said firmly, doing my best not to look at him. I wasn’t going to risk my newfound friendship with Lily on a stupid plot. I pictured Lily and James hand in hand. Even from the mental picture in my head, they looked adorable together. What Sirius was offering was tempting, but why was he bringing this up with me? Of all the people in the world, why didn’t he pick someone who knew Lily better? Haylie would love to be in on something like this.







“She won’t hate you if we succeed,� Sirius added, catching my eye.







“True, it would be great for them to get together, but why are you asking me? Ask Remus, he’s your fellow Marauder! Or Haylie, I’m sure she would think it is all great fun.� I pointed out.







Sirius considered this. “Well, Remus is too caught up with homework, Head Duties, and his love for Lady Leah to help out, although his levelheadedness would be a great asset. Haylie would, most likely, let our plans slip. Plus, along with you not knowing Lily as well as the other girls, there’s also the other side. Lily doesn’t know you as well either, and so you could convince her like none of the other girls could. Since you’re new, she’s probably expecting some new things, and we can take advantage of that by helping her see the light when it involves James. And besides, we’re not going to do anything drastic, like locking them both in a broom closet until they start snogging, that’s much too cliché. We would act subtle, changing James’ behavior and slowly giving Lily a new mindset.�







Did he just think of this all up, or did he plan out this little speech? Maybe I was the perfect canidate for the job. “Alright, I’ll do it. But if we get caught, I’m telling Lily that it was all your idea.�







Sirius raised his hands in surrender. “Fair enough. I’ll meet you in the Common Room tonight to discuss the plan.�







I frowned. “Why can’t we just do that right now?�







Sirius smiled again. He does that a lot. It’s very distracting. “’Cause, I think you’ve been neglecting your potion for a little too long. After all, you ARE aiming for good grades.�







My potion! How could I forget? I glanced at it and almost passed out from the stench of burnt rubber that was now emanating from it. I spent the rest of the period attempting to get it back together.







Let’s just say that my attempts failed and I found myself staying after class having a little chat with Professor Slughorn. Lily was there too, but I knew that he wasn’t going to yell at her. Her potion was perfect.







“Miss Jordan, I know that it is your first day here, and welcome, but your potion today wasn’t quite satisfactory. I’m sure it’s just a case of first day nerves, but I want you to try extra hard next class period. You may go. I need to speak to Miss Evans privately.�











“Amelia, wait for me. I’ll only be a minute,� Lily said. With a weak smile, I exited the room.







Leaning against the wall, I felt near tears. My potion had been terrible, and I made a bad first impression on the professor. Stupid Sirius…if he hadn’t distracted me, it would have been better. No, it wasn’t Sirius’s fault. It was mine. Merlin, my first day wasn’t off to a good start at all. My mind wandered to what I agreed to a few minutes prior. Sirius made it seem like the right thing to do, after all , we only want to help our friends. But isn’t it wrong to twist people’s emotions?







The dungeon door opened and a slightly annoyed Lily burst from it. She maganged a weak smile as we set off for the next class.







“What did he want?� I asked.







Lily simply shrugged. “He just wants me to tutor Peter. Not that that’s bad or anything, Peter’s an ok guy, but I would much rather spend my seventh year getting ready for exams and hanging out with my friends.�



I nodded sympathetically. “I’m sure Peter will catch on and you won’t have that much to do. From what I saw today in class, you’re excellent at Potions. It could be worse.�







Lily pondered this, and then smiled genuinely. “You’re right. Come on, we’re late for Charms. Professor Slughorn gave me a pass, but we don’t want to miss anything.�







I followed Lily to the Charms classroom, where the tiny Professor Flitwick was waiting for us. Lily and I slid silently into the last empty desk in the back of the room.







From that point on, classes weren’t that bad. In both Transfiguration and Charms, we got long lectures about our upcoming N.E.W.T.s, (not that we need reminding), and took long complex notes. I was really lucky in Charms to be sitting by Lily; she really knows what she’s doing.







In Transfiguration, I wasn’t so lucky. I was stuck sitting by some Hufflepuff girl named Aly Hazen. Not that Aly was mean or anything, she was very nice and her dark brown hair is in a really cute pixie cut, but she didn’t seem to know what she was doing. Luckily for me, I happen to be pretty decent at that class, so we helped each other.







???



“Hey Amelia, can I talk to you for a moment?� a voice asked, breaking my concentration. I looked up to find Sirius Black looking down at me, his usual grin on his face. I swear that guy never stops smiling.







“Sure, just a second.� I blew on my piece of parchment to make the ink dry faster and got up. I turned to Leah, Lily, and Micky. “I’ll be right back.�







Sirius led me out the Portrait hole and into the hallway.







“So…what’s the plan?� I asked him. He seemed to be quite the prankster; so thinking up plans is probably part of his blood.







“Um…I have no idea. What do you think we should do?�







“Well…I figured you’d have one by now, but off the top of my mind...� I thought for a moment and then finished, “…we should find out exactly what Lily hates most about James, and work out the kinks from there.�







“Sounds like a plan then. You work your magic on Lily, and then I’ll take care of James,� Sirius said firmly.







I smiled. “Sounds good. I’d better get back to that Transfiguration essay. I want to try and finish it before it gets too late.�







I headed back to the table where my essay lay. I picked up my quill and set back to work.







“What did he want?� Leah asked, looking up at me. Her azure eyes were narrowed accusingly.







I shrugged. “I have no idea. He kept mumbling about pranks and stuff. I don’t know why he wanted to talk to me,� I lied. I couldn’t tell them what we were really up to. I felt guilty at the thought of how I was doing this all behind Lily’s back. Stop it, I told myself; she’ll be thanking you later. I hope I’m right…







“He’s probably just trying to lure you into doing one of their stupid pranks. Don’t fall for it, Amelia. It’ll get you nothing but trouble,� Lily advised, looking up from her book.







Leah spoke again, coldly and sternly. It kind of reminded me of my mum…. She said, “Watch out for that Sirius Black. He may be eye candy, but inside is nothing but an empty brain. He’s even more sought after than Potter, and that’s saying something.�







“Well, he is a very good Chaser!� Haylie piped in out of nowhere. We all looked up. She had a pair of Quidditch practice robes on and held a broomstick over her shoulder. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and her face was shiny with sweat. She had obviously spent her evening out flying rather than working on homework. I envied her. I wish I would have thought of flying. It would really help clear my head. “I’ve played on the team with him since second year!�







Leah shook her head. “You and your Quidditch players. Let me guess Haylie, you realized that Amos Diggory is never going to notice you, so you’re stooping down to Sirius’s level. I am ashamed of you.�







If looks could kill, Haylie would have murdered Leah at that moment. Amos Diggory…isn’t he that tall handsome Hufflepuff she was mooning over this morning? I think Aly might have mentioned him in Transfiguration today…she said he was very nice.







“From the looks of it, I don’t see why someone like Sirius would be even remotely interested in me, so there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll keep your advice in mind, though.� I wasn’t COMPLETELY lying; I don’t think Sirius is interested in me romantically. Yes, I’ll admit, I find him very attractive, but from what I’ve seen of his public image, girls are all over him. He doesn’t need one more mooning over him, so I’ll simply be happy as friends.







Leah completely brushed off my comment and continued with her lecture. “Honestly, you would think Remus had some control over the pair of them.� Her azure colored eyes seemed to glaze over at the thought.







Haylie rolled her eyes and laughed. “Oh Leah, will you stop it with the whole Remus thing? We all know you’re obsessed with him.�







“Shut it, Haylie,� Leah snapped and then turned on the rest of us, “I’m going to bed.� She gathered up her things and marched up the stairs.







“Haylie, you and Leah really need to stop fighting,� Micky scolded. “If you don’t, I can see unhappy times for all of us.







Haylie frowned. I could tell that she was slightly hurt by Leah’s behaviour, and was having a hard time covering it up. “Micky, I know you like Divinitation and all, but save it for the classroom. I like to think the future is what I make it, not what’s written in the books or the stars or whatever they teach you in that class.� With that, Haylie marched up the stairs to take a shower.







Micky turned a delicate shade of red and looked down into her lap.







“Oh Micky, it’s not your fault. Leah and Haylie have always fought like this, it’s their clashing personalities. I’m sure Haylie didn’t mean what she just said,� Lily assured her.







I sat still in my chair, wondering where I fit into it all. The girls seemed to handle all the drama on their own, I really don’t know where I can contribute. So I decided to be supportive, no matter what my friends disagreed with. Everyone has their different opinions, and I guess I will respect them and then, if I’m lucky, I’ll have a special place in the group.







A/N: Again, sorry for the long wait! I'm definitely going to work on this more often! Thanks to my beta, Star, who helped me work out all the kinks. Please, leave a review! What am I doing good? What can I improve on? Any ideas for later chapters? Feedback is wanted! I want to know what you guys think!

CHAPTER FIVE

Haylie’s Rival



The next morning, I actually got up on time! Yes, miracles can actually happen. I threw on some clothes and noticed that Lily’s bed was empty. Carefully, trying not to wake anyone else, I tiptoed across the room and eased out of the door.



Down in the common room, Lily was scribbling away happily on some homework. She didn’t notice I was there until I sat down next to her.



“Oh, hi, Amelia. Sleep good?� She smiled at me, trying to stifle a yawn.



“I slept great.� I returned the grin and noticed the tattered appearance of her normally shiny red hair. “Did you stay up all night?�



Lily shook her head. “No, I just got back late from patrolling with Remus, and then did some of the homework before going to bed. I finished a bunch of it, but I still had this and it kept me awake all night, so I decided to try and get it done first thing.�



“Alright. Are you almost done with that?� I asked.



“Yeah, it’ll probably be a few more minutes…,� Lily told me as she dipped her quill into the ink and started writing again.



“Ok…. well, I’m still getting used to this place, and I don’t want to get lost…so is it alright if I hang around until you finish?�



Lily nodded wordlessly as she nibbled on a loose strand of her hair.



Not wanting to disturb Lily, I left my bag on the table and began walking aimlessly around the empty common room. I passed the fireplace, some chairs, some couches, a few more tables, until I came to a stop at the first thing that caught my interest.



It was the message board. It was almost empty, with a few flyers for clubs, and a large blank list. At the top of the list were the words “Interested in joining the Gryffindor Quidditch Team? Try out for the Keeper position, Sunday, September 8 at the Quidditch Pitch.� A few names had been scrawled haphazardly across the first few lines.



My heart sped up. This was my chance! I dashed over to the table where Lily was working and I began digging through my bag until I found a quill. I hurried back to the sign up list, and neatly printed my name on the next available line.



It was only a few more minutes until Lily was done, and once she stowed all her papers and books in her bag, she got up and we headed down to the Great Hall.



I was almost finished eating my piece of toast when Haylie, Micky, and Leah showed up. Haylie plopped down next to me, while Leah and Micky seated themselves across from us.



We ate in silence. Everyone seemed to have something on their mind. I was thinking about my siblings. Maggie was sitting over at the Ravenclaw table with her friend Naomi. She seemed to be happy, and I was glad for her.



I looked around for Danny, and saw him enter the Great Hall with Sirius and James. My stomach dropped. If Danny was blabbing his mouth off with some stupid story…I cringed at the thought. I watched in horror as Sirius laughed at whatever Danny said.



James, Sirius, and Danny joined us girls, and instantly, Sirius turned to me. “Amelia, your brother is hilarious! Is it true that when you were eight, you got hold of your brother Dylan’s wand and—“





I put my hand up to stop him. “—And I don’t need to be reminded of what I did.� I glared at Danny, who seemed to find the puffy white clouds reflected in the ceiling fascinating.



James laughed, and everyone seemed to come out of their own heads. “So Amelia,� he began, “I saw your name on the list for Quidditch tryouts.�



I nodded, and Haylie suddenly grabbed my arm. “Amelia!� Haylie said suddenly, grabbing my arm painfully. “Quidditch tryouts are Friday!�



I wrenched my arm from her grasp. “Yeah…and today’s Tuesday.�



Haylie’s eyes were wide with excitement. “Exactly! That means…� she paused and began counting on her fingers and mouthing things to herself. “…We only have five days until the tryouts! Amelia, you’re NEVER going to beat Tanaka and make the team if you don’t train beforehand!�



“Beat who?� I asked. Did she just say Tanaka? I swear I’ve heard that name before…



Haylie sighed in exasperation. “I keep forgetting that you weren’t here last year! Tanaka Reeves is in fourth year this year, she’s an amazing Keeper, but she is the biggest show off you’ve ever seen!�



Tanaka Reeves…why did that name ring a bell? “Reeves…is she related to—“



Haylie cut me off. “—Zander Reeves, head training coach for the Falmouth Falcons? Yes, he’s her father.� Haylie’s face darkened at the thought. “Garr…. I bet Tanaka’s been to LOADS of professional training sessions over the summer…she’s so lucky. She was our Keeper last season, only was taken off the team due to injuries and an overprotective mother. But, she’s bound to try out again this year, and I do NOT want my last season here to be spoiled by Tanaka, so we need to be prepared. Oh yes…we will be ready…,� Haylie broke off her rant, muttering evilly to herself.



I gulped, feeling my confidence slide a bit. Sure, I was a very good Keeper, but against the daughter of an international Quidditch coach? I guess Haylie’s right…I willneed to train for this!



“And…so we need to train every night this week! Amelia, meet me after supper tonight in the Common Room. Be dressed and ready,� Haylie told me sternly, coming out of her maniacal mumblings.



“Haylie, I’m not too sure you should be doing this so early in the year,� Micky began, “tryouts aren’t until Sundayand we’re bound to have lots of homework in the evenings, so maybe you should only have a few training sessions, instead of every night.�



Haylie pulled out a quill and began scribbling away furiously on a scrap of parchment. “Micky, do you want Amelia to make the team or not?� she snapped



“Well, of course, but she’s new here, and she needs some time to get into the swing of things,� Micky reasoned.



“Don’t mess with the master plan. If Amelia wants to make the team, the only way is to train as hard as we can. She can do her homework later. And if we don’t have time,� Haylie cast a glance over to where Lily, Leah, and Remus were talking, “I’m sure Lily or Leah, or even you, my dear Micky, will be willing to let her copy a bit.� Haylie then lay down her quill and shoved the napkin into my hand. “Here. I wrote down a quick practice schedule for this week.�



I glanced at the crumpled napkin. In the midst of all the scribbles and inkblots, I could only make out a few of the numbers. “Six to ten o’clock! Haylie, this is insane! We can’t go until ten, it’ll be dark by then!� I exclaimed.



Haylie merely brushed off this comment. “It’s really messy, I know. I’ll make a better one later, maybe in Muggle Studies…I never pay attention in that class anyways.� Haylie rambled on and I only pretended to hear her.



This Tanaka girl must be good. Who am I kidding…. her father’s a huge famous Quidditch coach, of COURSE she’s good! If I have to train that hard to beat her…she must be like, the best Keeper in the school!



We all headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts, a class I had been waiting for. I loved Defense at Beauxbatons; our teacher was amazing! Sadly, though, Professor Birky spent the hour lecturing about N.E.W.T.’s (which was very boring. If you’ve heard the speech once, you’ve heard it a thousand times.) And we read a few chapters out of our textbooks.



After that, Leah, Micky and I made our way to Ancient Runes, which was difficult, but very interesting. We reviewed some of the runes and spent the rest of the time spelling out our names in them, which was really fun.



We had Herbology in the afternoon with the Ravenclaws, which was…interesting. Besides the fact that Hollie was a complete coward about it, and flat out refused to dig down into any plant that could bite her head off, it was an enjoyable lesson.



The rest of the day passed quickly, maybe too quickly for my taste. After inhaling a quick dinner, I changed into my shabby old pair of practice robes. I met Haylie in the Common Room at six o’clock, as planned, and we set out towards the Quidditch Pitch.



We stepped out of the castle and onto the grounds. Everything was cast in a pale gold glow from the receding September sun, and the fresh air was sweet with the scent of falling leaves.



The Quidditch Pitch was a large grassy stadium. Rows and rows of seats towered above the field, and three gold hoops stood on each end of the field.



“We’re getting right down to business,� Haylie announced as we stood in the center of the large grassy field. “If you could do a few warm up laps while I go get a Quaffle, that would be great. Plus, I want to see how well you fly.�



I nodded and mounted my broom. I kicked off, and sped into the air. The wind whipped against my face, and I could see the whole grounds. I soared up and down and around the whole field, feeling more alive than I had since I arrived at Hogwarts.



It wasn’t until I heard a shout that I noticed anything unusual. I stopped in midair and looked down at the stands, where Haylie stood, facing another girl. The two were having a heated argument, but after a few moments, Haylie stormed from the stands and waved for me to come back down.



I turned and did a steep dive, enjoying swooping sensation in my stomach. I landed on the ground next to Haylie with ease and dismounted my broom. “What’s wrong?� I asked, glancing at the girl in the stands.



Haylie threw a nasty look at the girl. “Tanaka Reeves. She’s checking out the competition. She must see you as a real threat if she bothered to come watch instead of doing her homework,� Haylie explained. “But, we’re just going to do our best to act like she’s not there. I’m not going to let Tanaka ruin this training session. I’m going to keep my head and ignore her,� she said firmly, more to herself than to me. “All right, I was watching you for a minute up there, and you seem to be a pretty good flier.�



“Thanks, so…now what?� I asked, feeling slightly confident. That warm up lap really helped build me up, but the sudden appearance of Tanaka was a bit unnerving.



Haylie took one last chance to glare at Tanaka, and then she let out a deep breath and looked at me. Her plain blue eyes were filled with determination, and she seemed to be completely…well…insane. “Well, we’ll start out doing flying exercises, and then we can do some passing drills, and maybe, if we have time, we’ll try out your Keeper skills. I play Seeker on the team, but I can manage just about any position, so I’ll be the Chaser for you,� Haylie said, mounting her broom.



I followed her example, and we were off. We practiced swerving and diving and all sorts of things a Seeker needs to know, but being a Keeper, didn’t necessarily apply to me. Still, it did help a lot with my broomstick control. After about an hour of this, we then started out with the Quaffle, at first just throwing it back and forth to each other on the ground, and then to more complex things like catching it while in flight, like a Chaser would do.



Finally, after a few more hours of this, the sun had finally dropped over the forest, and it was getting hard to see. After three and a half hours of being on a broomstick, Haylie finally motioned for me to return to the ground.



Tanaka had only stayed to watch about an hour and a half into the training session, and she was nowhere to be seen as Haylie showed me around the locker rooms and Madame Hooch’s office, where all the balls were kept. After that, we headed back up to the castle. My hair was all windswept, my cheeks were red from the wind, and I was nearly drenched in sweat. I’m pretty sure I smelled pretty bad as well.



“Well, Amelia, that was a great training session,� Haylie announced loudly as we entered the Gryffindor common room. “A few more like that, and you’ll make the team with no competition at all.� She cast a look across the room to where Tanaka now sat with her group of friends. Tanaka looked up and narrowed her eyes at us. She had obviously heard Haylie bragging.



I bit my lip. What Haylie said wasn’t true, it was a good session, but I’m going to have to work really hard to get onto the team, and this fourth year definitely counts as competition. Haylie shouldn’t be pushing Tanaka’s buttons like that. She knows that Tanaka sees me as a threat, so she’s practically dangling the fact that I might be as good as her out in front of her to make her angry. She seems like the kind of person to cheat her way out of things…I don’t think tempting her like this is a good idea.



“Haylie, I wouldn’t do that if I were you,� I whispered as we made our way to our usual table. “I have a bad feeling that she could get dangerous if you push her too far.�



Haylie, once again, brushed off my advice. “Amelia, relax!� she said in tone that suggested she had this all figured out. “You’re a seventh year, and she’s a fourth year! She may be a nasty little fourth year, but she’s only fourteen! What can she do to you?�



Haylie had a point, and I didn’t bother arguing against it. I plopped down next to Leah, feeling exhausted. I haven’t practiced in awhile, and Haylie definitely knew how to run a training session. I wonder why James got the captainship, instead of her? She seems to be a perfect candidate.



Sirius, who left his spot with his friends to come over, interrupted my thoughts. “Amelia, can I talk to you? I was going to earlier, but Haylie said that you had to train for the tryouts.� He looked me over and grinned. “Did you have a good practice session?�



I got up and shrugged. “It was good.� I really didn’t want to talk to Sirius right now. My mind was filled with the look on Tanaka’s face when Haylie said those things about me, and I wanted to dwell on the practice session a bit longer.



Sirius looked around. “Alright, well, I was thinking somewhere where we won’t be overheard…� He pointed to a secluded corner. “Why don’t we go over there?�



“Ok.� I followed him, glancing once back at my friends. Leah had been watching my back, and she quickly looked away, glancing at Lily. The two shared a look, and then they returned to their work. My cheeks flushed a bit. They probably thought Sirius and I had something going on.



“So, how have things been going with Lily?� Sirius asked, leaning against the wall.



I bit my lip, feeling a like a rock just fell into my stomach. With all the thoughts about Quidditch and Tanaka, our plan to set up Lily and James completely slipped my mind. “Well…the truth is…I haven’t really talked to her about it.� My voice was quiet and apologizing. “I’ve been kind of busy with Haylie today, she’s intent on filling every ounce of my free time with Quidditch.�



“I can understand that,� Sirius mumbled to no one in particular. “Haylie tends to get a little…passionate when it comes to Quidditch. Try not to take her too seriously, or she might work you to death.� I laughed, remembering how she didn’t listen to anyone this morning at breakfast while she made plans for training. “Still, I really hope you do make the team. I can’t wait to see you play.�



I smiled weakly. “Thanks. So…is that all you wanted to talk to me about? How I was doing with Lily?� Sirius nodded, and I went on, “How are things going with James?�



“Well, I told him that I didn’t think Lily liked how outgoing he was in pursuing her, and that maybe he should tone things down a bit,� Sirius told me.



“That sounds great. I’ll do my best to soften up Lily.� I glanced down at my sweaty self. “Um…I should probably go shower and start on my homework.�



Sirius grinned at my condition. “That sounds like a good idea, you don’t want to smell.�



Despite myself, I couldn’t help smiling as I hit him in the arm. Shaking my head in laughter, I bounded up the stairs and headed to the showers.



When I returned to the common room some twenty minutes later, I avoided Leah’s stern gaze and settled down between Lily and Micky. I could tell that she wanted to know what I was doing talking with Sirius earlier, but I wasn’t about to spill our plans. Pulling out a quill and some parchment, I set to the numerous essays and assignments.



It was nearly twelve thirty by the time I finished. I was one of the last people to leave the common room, Micky had let Haylie copy some...or more like all of her homework, but I had insisted on doing mine myself. I wasn’t about to cheat, despite Haylie’s assurances that the teachers would never find out.



I sleepily shoved my books back into my bag and trudged up the stairs. Not even realizing I was still in my clothes, I plopped onto my bed and was out like a light.

Chapter Six
The Tryout

The remainder of my first week at Hogwarts passed in a blur. With the extra four-hour training sessions Haylie was putting me through every night, it was a miracle I managed to stay on top of all my homework. Well… to be honest, after a few days of minimal sleep, I did take Haylie’s advice and copy a little bit off of Micky’s work.

The teachers here at Hogwarts really must want us to do well. Either that, or they’ve got a high reputation to fill because they all seem to be giving us mountains upon mountains of homework. By the time Friday was done, I had four essays to write, two books to read, a spell to practice, and a bunch of notes to memorize for a test next week. On top of that, Haylie insisted on spending all Saturday afternoon training.


My other friends seemed to be taking the Quidditch thing pretty well. Micky, who was a bit worried on how I would find time to do my homework, understood what it meant to beat Tanaka Reeves, and fully supported Haylie’s training plans. I mentioned it before, but she even let me copy some of her homework so I could get a decent night’s sleep.

Lily didn’t quite understand the whole Quidditch hype, but she could tell that it was important to me, so she was fine with it. “Amelia,� she said to me on Saturday evening at dinner, “I may not understand why everyone loves the sport so much, but since this is so important to you I’ll be there in the stands, cheering you on.�

Leah, on the other hand, wasn’t too thrilled that her new classmate was spending the majority of her time on a broomstick. She was nice to me about it, but I could tell that she disapproved when I would enter the common room with Haylie in the evenings, all sweaty and exhausted.

Sunday, the morning of the tryouts, began like any other morning. I woke up, sleeping a little later than usual, and met Lily in the common room. We headed down for breakfast, chatting about whatever random things entered our heads. Leah, according to Lily, was in the library, looking up things for one of our numerous essays.

As usual, we were just finishing up breakfast when Haylie and Micky joined us. Haylie was all pumped for the tryouts.

“Remember Amelia, be down to the pitch at one, we need to go through our warm up drills before anyone else gets there,� she reminded me for the fifteenth time that morning.

“Haylie, you’ve already told me that,� I said stiffly, feeling the lump of nerves in my stomach grow a bit bigger. Haylie kept reminding me what to do, and it was only making me feel worse. It was like being Sorted all over again, but this time people actually knew who I was. The risk of rejection was worse than ever.

Sirius, who had arrived a few minutes prior to this conversation, laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder. My nerves calmed a bit, but I continued to gaze blankly at my empty plate. “Amelia, you’ll do fine. You’ve trained hard all week, there’s no way Tanaka can beat you.�

I smiled weakly. His words may or may not be true, but they made me feel better.

“He’s right. I’ve seen you play, and now that I’ve got you whipped into shape, you’re just as good, if not better, than Tanaka.� Haylie pointed out, finally making an effort to make me feel more confident.

Despite my nerves, I lifted my head and took in the supportive smiles of my new friends. They were right, I had put almost all my extra time into preparing for these tryouts, and there was no way I was going to let Tanaka win.

d23;d23;d23;

I spent the morning with Leah in the library, catching up on all the homework that I had neglected on Saturday. Tryouts didn’t start until two o’clock, and so I had just enough time to write out a few essays and memorize some notes.

At twelve thirty, I packed up my things and said goodbye to Leah. I dropped by the Great Hall for a quick sandwich, and then hurried up to the common room, where I changed into my Quidditch training robes and traded my books for my broom.

The grounds were bustling with people. It was a beautiful day, and most of the students preferred relaxing in the sun to studying inside on a Sunday afternoon. I passed group after group of people. A handful of them were doing homework in the sun and a few couples were spending quality time with each other in the shade of some trees around the lake, but most of the people were just lying around talking aimlessly and enjoying their time outside of class.

Haylie was waiting for me when I arrived at the pitch. The large stadium was empty, just like I had expected. We ran through all the things we had worked on that week: the broomstick handling drills, the Quaffle catching exercises, and the position of Keeper.

We had time for about fifteen goal attempts, but after saving fourteen of these, we headed back to the ground. A bubble of confidence was growing in my chest, and for the first time all day, I felt secure about my Quidditch abilities.

“The team should be arriving any minute; we’re having a team meeting to discuss what’s going to happen for the tryouts. You can wait here for the tryouts to start. I’m sure other people will join you.� Haylie pointed to a spot in the stands. She smiled widely. “You can do this, Amelia! Just keep your confidence up, and there’s no way you won’t make the team.�

I returned her grin and carried my broom to where she pointed. I plopped down in one of the seats, and waited.

One by one, the other team members arrived. Not long after the team had sat, down James and Sirius showed up, and Micky arrived a few minutes later. After that, two girls I didn’t know joined their teammates.

I watched the team as they formed a circle and discussed something quietly. I watched the two girls I didn’t know. One of them was short and stocky with wide, brown eyes and frizzy blonde hair. The second girl had long, night-black hair and pale blue eyes.

Sirius said something, and the whole team laughed. I wondered what he said, feeling extremely left out. Watching the team interact with each other only made me want to be on it even more.

It wasn’t long before the other people trying out showed up. Tanaka was there first; she took one look at me and smirked. She then mounted her broom and did a few warm up laps around the field. Her broom control was amazing; it was clear that she was a brilliant flier.

Watching Tanaka seemed to worsen my nerves, and I took to gazing at my feet. Despite this, my mind was up by the goalposts, running what was like an internal Quidditch match inside my head.

I was vaguely aware of the footsteps of my contenders, but I paid them no notice. Nothing was going to break my concentration. The only important thing in the world was those goal posts, the round red Quaffle, and I.

I was so engrossed in my head that I hadn’t noticed the two pairs of feet that stopped directly in front of me. I could feel eyes boring into the top of my head, but I paid them no notice. My mind tried to will them away, but they remained put.

“Amelia?�

Despite my vows, I looked up to find myself gazing directly into the bright green eyes of Lily Evans. Her red hair was pulled into a loose braid, and an encouraging smile was painted across her pretty face.

Next to her was Leah, looking slightly put out. Her hair was in its usual bun and the look in her eyes told me that this wasn’t her ideal way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

“Hi, Amelia, we just wanted to come over and wish you good luck!� Lily said brightly as I got to my feet.

Leah nodded. “This isn’t my ideal way to spend my time, but I know what it feels like to work hard towards a goal, and you’ve been working extremely hard. I may not get the whole sports thing, but good luck anyway. I hope that you make the team.�

Hearing Leah’s speech boosted my confidence. I smiled and gave them both hugs. “Thank you so, so much - it really means a lot to me that you’re here. I’ll do my best.�

Down on the field, the team meeting had come to a close and James was now trying to get everyone’s attention. He scanned the stands and seemed to do a double take when he saw Lily. Her green eyes met his hazel ones, and for a split second, he looked like he would say something. Instead, he nodded politely at her and went on with his task of catching the attention of the small crowd.

Lily’s mouth fell open slightly and she blinked several times before she realized what she was doing. She looked back at me, with shock showing clearly in her forced smile. “Good luck,� she said distractedly, before turning and following Leah to a different part of the stands, a puzzled look on her face.

Down on the field, Sirius caught my eye and gave me double thumbs up. Everything was going according to the plan. James was being polite to Lily, and so Sirius’s part of the scheme was done for now. All I had to do was to convince Lily that he wasn’t so bad after all…I would set my full attention to this after the tryouts were over.

“HEY!� James shouted at the top of his voice, and the talking of the small crowd stopped. “Now that I have your attention, we’re going to get started. Welcome to Keeper tryouts. As you all probably know, I’m James Potter: Chaser and Team Captain. My fellow Chasers are Sirius Black and Micky Lee.� There was a twitter of excitement from the girls in the stands when Sirius’s name was mentioned. I rolled my eyes and James continued. “Our Beaters are Maria Reynolds and Donyal Nettles.� Maria was the blonde, and Donyal was the girl with black hair. “Lastly, our Seeker this year is Haylie Burch.�

James took a deep breath and continued. “Before we start the actual tryouts, I would like to remind you all that Quidditch is in fact, a very dangerous sport. Any injuries that occur are at your own risk. There are nineteen of you here to try for the position, but only one will make it. Whichever of you that one happens to be, practice will be two or three times a week, maybe more if we have a match coming up. You’re expected to attend every practice and every team meeting. I know you have homework, and there’s always the occasional detention: trust me, I know what that’s like, so I may make an exception.�

“Now, we’ll start off with a warm up around the pitch so I can see your flying ability. We’ll go in groups of five. People that are not able to fly as well as I think they should won’t be able to progress to the next stage of the tryouts.� James then began calling names down to the field.

I watched as the group James named off made their way down to the field and mounted their brooms. They soared around the stadium, while James took notes on his clipboard.

My name was called in the second group and I followed a shaking sandy-haired kid down to the grassy pitch. I took to the skies, enjoying the familiar feeling of freedom that I always got by getting on a broom. I passed everyone in my group, leading the way around the stadium.

When James’s whistle blew, I returned to my seat, feeling my confidence go up again. Well…it was up until Tanaka had her turn flying around the pitch. She was amazing; it was as if her broom were simply an extra limb.

After all the groups had gone, James called off the names of people who had passed the first round of tryouts. My name was called along with Tanaka’s and a handful of others, and we joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team on the grassy field.

We stood in a line facing the team. James paced up and down the line, looking us each in the eye. Suddenly, he stopped. “You, you’re Tristan Gale, right?�

The sandy haired boy I followed down to the field earlier nodded shakily.

James nodded as he took a long hard look at Tristan. “Head to the stands.� Tristan’s mouth fell open slightly, but he did as he was told. James turned to the rest of us. “When I look into your eyes, I can sense your attitude. Those of you who want this with all your heart are allowed to proceed. I sent Tristan on his way because I saw that he wasn’t willing to fulfill my expectations.� He paused. “Now, here’s what we’re going to do. Each one of you is going to have a chance up there, defending those goals. You’ll get ten tries, and whoever saves the most gets the position. Everyone got that?�

I nodded, setting my jaw tightly. I could see now why James was named Captain. He took this seriously; he wasn’t going to take any crap from anyone. James had high expectations, and I hoped with all my heart that I could meet them.

James looked down at his clipboard. “Jen Cildare, you’re up.�

Jen, a very tall girl with dirty blonde hair stepped forward, mounted her broom, and took her try at Keeper. In total, she saved five.

One by one, the people in the line stepped forward and took a stab at saving the goals. Tanaka, by far, was the best so far. She saved nine of the ten goals, only missing one thrown by James. When she was done, she smiled smugly at us all, swished her long, dark ponytail, and sauntered over to the group of people who had already gone.

I watched as a few more people tried out, none beating Tanaka’s amazing score. There were only two people left in line when James spoke the dreaded words. “Amelia, you’re up.�

I smiled weakly and mounted my broom; my hands were shaking. I took a deep, steadying breath, and returned to the place before the goalposts that had become so familiar in the past week. Tanaka had missed one…so I either had to save all ten, or save nine and face her a second time.

I kicked off the ground, feeling the usual boost of spirits that I always got when I take to the air. Tanaka who? My friends cheering in the stands seemed miles away, but I knew they were down there, supporting me whether I made the team or not. These past few days had been an emotional rollercoaster for me, but now, I wasn’t going to think about it. The only things in the world right then were the Chasers, the Quaffle, the goalposts, and me; the cheers were only the background music.

I nodded at James, telling him I was ready. The Chasers wove in and out in a complex weave. The Quaffle switched from James, to Micky, to Sirius, to Micky, to James, to Sirius again. Sirius, his eyes narrowed in concentration, threw the round red ball into the left hoop.

I swerved in midair, and just like that, the Quaffle was in my hands. Throw after throw after throw; I caught them with ease. After saving six, I missed one. I bit my lip, feeling the familiar pressure to do well, but I shoved it aside. I knew that I had to make the next three goals.

The Chasers soared in and out, Micky took the Quaffle, and—I saved it. The next one, another of Sirius’s, was a little harder. It seemed as though he was going to throw it into the center hoop, but then he did a complex throw and it hurled towards the right hoop. With as quick of a reaction as I could manage, I reached out and caught it with the tip of my fingers.

I closed my eyes and took another deep breath, this was it…make it, and I face off Tanaka. Miss it, and it’s all over. Everything I’ve worked for this past week has been working towards this last goal. I opened my eyes again, my face determined. Nothing would break my concentration…absolutely nothing.

The Chasers were discussing tactics at the other end of the pitch. I took the opportunity to steal a glance at Tanaka. She was watching me carefully, one hand in her pocket, and the other to her lips. The amazing Tanaka Reeves was biting her nails because of me.

A few rows into the large stands, Lily was on her feet, and screaming encouragement at the top of her lungs. I smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

Haylie was standing with Donyal and Kasie, the Beaters, and she looked extremely anxious. She was biting a strand of hair that had escaped her usual twin loops and was pacing back and forth, her eyes locked on the Chasers.

I turned my attention back to the Chasers as they began flying towards me. I watched carefully as the Quaffle went from one Chaser to the other. My fingertips were ready for anything. If they did anything unexpected, I could move my broom, reach out, and snatch the Quaffle.

The Chasers were within throwing distance, I watched, and waited. Then, out of the blue, the most peculiar sensation came over me. My ears buzzed, like a mosquito that wouldn’t go away, and my head was filled with fuzzy stuff.

I blinked and shook my head, and the feeling was gone instantly. It was then that I noticed all the eyes on me. Haylie was gaping up at me in stunned disbelief. Lily, still on her feet, had a puzzled expression on her face, while Leah was glaring at Tanaka, who quickly stuffed something in her pocket, a victorious smirk painted across her face. Micky, Sirius, and James, still on their brooms, had confused expressions. James and Micky’s expressions were questioning, while Sirius’s was full of disappointment.

I was confused, why were they all staring at me? It wasn’t like I—

The reality sunk in, like a rock dropping into my stomach. My head shot so I could see the ground, fifty feet below me. There the Quaffle lay, uncaught. My mouth fell open. I was so concentrated; so ready to catch it! What had gone wrong? I sat there, fifty feet in the air, putting the pieces together. The Chasers were right there, and that was when the weird feeling started. When it was gone, the Quaffle had already been thrown.

I cast down my eyes as I headed for the ground. I stood in the small crowd of the other kids who tried out as the last and final person took their turn on being Keeper.

“What happened up there?� one of the kids asked me. “You just let them score on you!�

“Yeah, I was counting on you to beat Tanaka!� another girl piped up.

I shook my head, unable to answer.

I was lost in thought as the last person returned to our group after failing to beat Tanaka’s score. I didn’t look up as James announced that Tanaka was the new Keeper and that there was a team meeting in the locker rooms.

I avoided Haylie’s eyes as I made my way into the stands to where Lily and Leah were waiting. I hadn’t made the team. The thought seemed to be taking ages to sink in.

Leah smiled at me encouragingly. “You did great, Amelia. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go to the library right now.� With that, she was gone.

I stared at her retreating back, trying to keep the tears that were brimming in my eyes from falling. Lily, being the sweetheart that she is, could completely sense that I wanted me to be alone, and steered me from the stands.

She then linked my arm in hers, but instead of taking the path back to the school, we turned the opposite direction, heading off towards the Forbidden Forest.

“I can tell you want to be alone, so let’s not go back to the castle just yet,� she said semi-cheerfully. “I really have no idea why Leah left like that, it was kind of rude.�

I smiled at her weak attempt to start a conversation. “She said she had to go to the library. I don’t see why you aren’t going with her.�

Lily stopped, giving me a look like I was insane. “What? It’s a beautiful day outside, and you’re in desperate need of a friend! How can you think I’d be inside studying on this occasion? Plus, I got everything done yesterday.�

“Well, I just figured since you don’t know me very well, you wouldn’t want to sit and endure me and my sob story.� I replied, my voice hollow.

“No, Amelia! I may not have known you long, but you’re my friend, and you need a shoulder to cry on.� Lily said, her bright green eyes intense. “Enough of this depressing talk, let’s go to Hagrid’s. That’s where I always go when I’m upset.�

I frowned. “Hagrid? Isn’t he the big man who brought us to the castle?�

Lily nodded. “The very same. He’s the gamekeeper, you know. His cabin is over on the edge of the forest.� She must have seen the tiny hint of worry in my expression. “Don’t worry, Amelia, Hagrid may be huge, and he’s got a strange love of dangerous creatures, but he’s the nicest person I know.� I smiled faintly, disagreeing completely. Nobody could be nicer than Lily.

We walked the rest of the way in silence. My mind seemed to be filled with the same fuzzy stuff that it was when I missed the last goal. I kept replaying the whole thing over and over, trying to figure out how the fuzziness came to be there in the first place.

In no time, we were standing in front of the round wooden house on the edge of the forest. Lily pulled me up onto the front step and knocked loudly.

There was a shuffling noise form inside, and the door burst open. There stood Hagrid, the massive man I met on my first night here.

“Lily!� he boomed. “What can I do for ye?�

Lily beamed at him. “Hey Hagrid! We came to visit. Amelia’s feeling a little…well…a little upset, so I thought we’d come and see you.�

Hagrid turned to me. “I remember ye, one of the transfers, right?� I nodded, and he continued. “Come on in, don’t worry. I don’t bite.�

I smiled weakly at him as I followed Lily into the house. It consisted of one large, circular room. There was a large bed against one wall, a fireplace against the other, what looked like a small kitchen in one corner and a table in another. There were animal skins hanging from the ceiling, and a bookshelf filled with old books next to the bed.

Lily led me to the table, where we sat down. I stared at the lines in the wood, not wanting to completely embarrass myself in front of Hagrid. Despite all this, the tears that I had been forcing back finally came, and they streamed down my face.

“What’s the problem, Lily?� Hagrid asked quietly.

Lily looked at me questionably. “Go on,� I said, “you can tell him. It’s actually pretty stupid.�

“It is not stupid!� Lily protested before turning to Hagrid. “Amelia just had Quidditch tryouts. Let’s just say…they didn’t go so well.�

Hagrid nodded in understanding. “That was you with Haylie Burch all those evenings on the pitch, right?�

“Yeah. It was.�

“Oh no, I take it you didn’t make it?� Hagrid took my silence as a yes. “That’s terrible. After all those hours of practice!�

“It was close, too,� I told him. “One more goal, and I would have been tied with Tanaka Reeves. One more goal…and we would have faced off…but I messed up…� I shrugged hopelessly.

The rest of the afternoon dragged by slowly. I didn’t want to go back to the castle. I didn’t want to face Haylie, or Sirius, or anyone else for that matter. They were all counting on my, and I let them down. Lily and I stayed at Hagrid’s until the sun was beginning to fade.

Lily was right about Hagrid, as visiting him did make me feel better. I got all my tears out, and after that we just talked. We didn’t discuss anything important really, just a little bit of this and that. It took my mind off my humiliating defeat, and I was grateful.

Lily and I walked up to the school arm in arm, talking about what I thought of Hagrid. It was nice to know that at least one person didn’t hate me; that someone still liked me after what happened with the tryouts. I had never felt so down before, but in my time of need, Lily was there to help me feel better. Despite all my self-doubts and humiliation, Lily’s friendship made me feel like the best person in the world.

Lily and I headed back up to the school as the sun began to fade. Numerous thoughts swam through my mind. I hadn’t made the Quidditch team and Haylie’s probably furious. She worked so hard with me, and I let her down. What was she going to say when I faced her? Would she scream at me, embarrass me, or give me the cold shoulder?

Lily sensed my worry as we pulled open the large wooden doors and stepped inside the castle. “Amelia, don’t worry about it. Haylie’s your friend, she’ll understand.�

I knew that Lily was just trying to make me feel better, and something in the corner of my head told me that Haylie might not be as forgiving as Lily said.

We walked in silence the rest of the way, our footsteps echoing in the empty corridors. When we reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, I stopped dead in my tracks. “Lily, I can’t do it. I can’t face them.�

Lily grabbed my arm. “Amelia, you’ve got to face them eventually. What have I been telling you all afternoon? They’re your friends, they’ll forgive you!�

I nodded glumly, feeling like I didn’t deserve to be in Gryffindor anymore. Lily told the Fat Lady the password, and we stepped through the portrait hole.

As usual, the common room was bustling with people. None of them seemed to care that I was feeling like I was lower than dirt. A fresh surge of guilt swept over me as I set eyes on our usual table. Leah sat on one end, her nose in a book, while Haylie and Micky were huddled together on the other end, talking in whispers.

I stopped again, but Lily pushed me from behind. “Go!�

I took a deep breath, and approached our table. “Um…hi Haylie.�

Haylie looked up at me and glared. I felt like I was eight again, getting scolded for accidentally setting the curtains on fire with my brother Dylan’s wand. “What do YOU want?� she demanded coldly.

“Um…about the tryouts…�

“Amelia, don’t even bring up the tryouts. What the hell were you thinking? You had it right THERE!� She got to her feet, gesturing with her hands and glowering into my face. “And what do you do? You sit and let that last goal fly by, when you could have saved it and gone head to head with Tanaka!�

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. A fresh onslaught of shame and embarrassment swept over me. She was perfectly right…it was my entire fault.

“After ALL the hard work, after ALL the training, you let it go. Amelia, Quidditch is my LIFE!� Haylie shouted.

By now, there were quite a few people staring at us. The Marauders, sitting over by the fire, looked up from their usual whisperings and stared. My face flushed, and I was willing away the tears that wanted to come out so badly.

In my embarrassment, I remembered Micky had gotten up and was standing quietly behind Haylie.

“Haylie, I’m sorry—� I began.

“You’re SORRY? You waste all my free time this week, and all you can say is you’re SORRY?� Haylie spat.

“Haylie, stop it!� Lily said, stepping up to face the wildcat that our friend had turned into. “Amelia’s your friend, do you have any idea what you’re saying to her?�

“Oh, taking the new girl’s side now, are you, Lily?� Haylie accused.

Lily narrowed her eyes. “Look, Amelia did her best. She didn’t make the team, oh well! She gave it her all, so let it go!�

Haylie put her hands on her hips. “Why should I? What if I can’t let it go?�

It was then that I realized James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus were all standing there by the table, observing the whole scene.

“Haylie, Lily has a point…� Sirius started, but a glare from a vicious Haylie silenced him immediately.

Leah slammed her book close and stood up so fast that she knocked her chair over. “Haylie Burch, you shut your face this instant. You’re being completely stubborn and unreasonable,� she snapped, stalking over to join the quarrel.

“Oh, so now Miss Bookworm is going to fight too!� Haylie taunted, sneering a very Tanaka-like sneer.

“Haylie, that was uncalled for.� Micky said, joining in for the first time. “Yes, I’m on the same page as you, I’m disappointed, and a little angry with the outcome of today, but that’s no reason to call people names.�

But Leah cocked her head, appearing unphased by Haylie’s insult, and the fact that Micky defended her. In fact…she looked amused. “Haylie, if only you knew the truth…� she said, shaking her head as if she knew something Haylie didn’t.

“What?� Haylie demanded sounding slightly put out that her rage hadn’t affected Leah in the slightest bit. “The truth about what?� She thought for a moment, and then decided to return to insults. “Oh, I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to get me all confused so that I apologize and say it’s all right. Well, it isn’t going to work, so you can just stick your fat brain back in a book where it belongs!�

“Haylie Burch, if you say one more word, your position on the Quidditch team will be in jeopardy.� James warned, stepping in. He then turned to Leah and his hand flew to his hair, messing it up nervously. “Leah, what were you saying?�

To my surprise, Leah smiled at James before she continued, not just to Haylie, but also to all of us who were watching. “Did anyone notice the dazed look on Amelia’s face as she missed that last goal?�

Several of the onlookers nodded. “Yeah, she looked like her head wasn’t on right or something,� piped in one of the kids who had tried out.

“So, why don’t we ask Amelia what went wrong instead of insulting her to a pile of rubbish? Amelia, will you tell us all why you missed that last goal?� Leah said, motioning to me.

Merlin…that girl can run a crowd. The eyes of all the onlookers turned to me, a confused chatter swept over them. I cleared my throat. “Well…my head sort of felt fuzzy…like there was a bee buzzing in my ear. When I tried to get rid of…this weird…feeling, one of the Chasers had scored the goal.�

Leah spoke again. “Thank you, Amelia. So, obviously this weird feeling you got was caused by magic. Don’t you find it strange that you get this feeling right when the key goal was being scored?�

“Um…yeah, I guess so,� I stammered, not seeing where she was going with this at all.

“Leah, what the hell is this supposed to mean?� Haylie demanded. “You’re just trying to mess with our heads again!

“Well, by all the evidence here, someone wanted to momentarily distract Amelia while she attempted to save that last, pivotal goal,� Leah stated clearly.

Haylie seemed to have nothing to say. Her mouth opened, and shut, but nothing came out. “But…but…� she spluttered.

“I think Leah’s right,� Lily piped in.

“Yeah, by the look on Amelia’s face, she definitely didn’t miss that goal on purpose,� Sirius added.

“Plus, why would Amelia purposely miss that last goal?� James put in. “She wanted this as much as you did, maybe even more because she put up with your obnoxious training schedule.�

“Obnoxious training schedule?� Haylie’s eyes narrowed.

“Well…it was a little demanding,� James said apologetically.

I took a deep breath and said evenly. “Are you all done discussing whether I meant to miss that last goal or not? Haylie, why would I do that to you? Why would I go through all that hard work, just to purposely screw up my only chance to get on the team?�

“Well…� Haylie threw her hands up in surrender. “Alright, I’m sorry. I got a little out of hand…I was just so mad…after all our hard work…�

“Trust me, Haylie, Amelia felt just as bad, if not worse, about this whole thing than you.� Lily said gently. “I was with her all afternoon.�

I looked around at all of them. Micky and Haylie standing together, Haylie’s face flushed with embarrassment. Micky was glancing around curiously, as if waiting to see what would happen next. Lily was standing next to me, smiling supportively, while Leah stood firm, most likely mentally preparing what to say next. Remus matched Micky’s expression, slightly confused and curious. James and Sirius, however, had their heads bent together, and were whispering to each other.

“Now that this is all cleared up,� Micky said pointedly. “Leah, what were you going to say next? I’m thinking that you have a possible suspect for who’s behind whole fiasco.�

Leah nodded. “Exactly right, Micky. Well, after the tryouts were over, I headed over to the library where I did some research. Whatever caused Amelia to miss that last goal was obviously magic. We all know that simple, everyday magic doesn’t happen by itself. It has to be caused by a spell.�

“So…what you’re saying is…� Haylie paused, fitting it all together. “…Someone performed a spell to distract Amelia, so that she couldn’t catch that goal, and so she wouldn’t make the team?�

“Close, but not quite,� Leah hinted.

I realized what she was saying. It all fit. “What she’s saying is� I paused, mentally checking my theory to see if it all fit as well as I thought. “Someone cast a spell on me so that I wouldn’t get to go against Tanaka.�

Leah smiled. “Exactly.�

Turning my head to the outskirts of the small crowd that was gathered, I laid my eyes on the girl who was both my and Haylie’s Quidditch rival. Her face was confused and her mouth hung open in disbelief. My green eyes met her brown ones, and I knew instantly that she was the one who jinxed me.

“Wait a minute…� I said. “…I think I might have seen Tanaka stuff something into her robes right after I missed the goal.�

“So did I. In fact, I saw her stuff a wand into her robes right after you missed the goal.� Leah said decisively.

“So you think Tanaka did it?� Lily asked.

Leah nodded, and so did I. “It all fits in.� I said.

“Yeah, it seems like something Tanaka would do,� Haylie agreed.

My eyes darted back to Tanaka, who was slowly edging out of the crowd.

“If what you guys are saying is true, Tanaka interfered with my tryouts.� James said, a frown beginning to form on his thin face. He then glanced around, searching a face in the crowd. He spotted whom he needed to find, and then shouted, “Hey, Tanaka, come here!�

Tanaka glared defiantly at James, and then pushed her way through the crowd. “Well?� she demanded, stepping into the “arena� where we all stood.

“Well, you heard the conversation,� Sirius cut in impatiently. “Did jinx Amelia so that she would miss that goal or not?�

“Does it matter? She didn’t make the team, so why are you all being such sore losers about it?� Tanaka retorted back at him.

“Hey,� James cut in, pointing warningly at her. “We’re the ones asking the questions here. Did you or did you not interfere with Amelia’s tryout?�

Tanaka gazed around the room at all the faces. “So what if I did? The girl has no right to be on the team, she’s just some random French broad who showed up out of nowhere, why should she get the position? I’ve worked hard and long for these tryouts, I’ve been here for four years, and I’m much more committed to this than she is.�

“Hey, that’s my sister you’re talking about!� Danny shouted out of nowhere.

“Tanaka Reeves, because of that little speech, I’m afraid you will no longer able to be on the team,� James said, his voice calm and commanding. “You heard me when I said that I wanted someone committed, someone who would get along with everyone. You’re obviously committed, but I can’t have someone who’s willing to sink so low as to cheat her way onto the team.�

Tanaka’s mouth fell open. “Of all the hard work I’ve put in, THIS is what I get? FINE! James Potter, if Gryffindor doesn’t win the House Cup this year, it’s going to be entirely YOUR fault, because YOU decided to choose one of your friends over someone who’s obviously the better player.� With a turn of her heel, she strode from the crowd and up the stairs to the girls dormitory.

James turned to me; his eyes were full of relief. “Well Amelia, welcome to the team. You saved the most goals after Tanaka, so that makes you the new Keeper.�

I smiled widely at him as Haylie let out a squeal of delight. “Amelia, I KNEW you’d make it! Typical Tanaka, cheating her way out of things…but you did it! I’m sorry I ever doubted you!� She was hopping up and down, speaking words of jibberish that I couldn’t understand.

After several minutes of cheering with my friends, we settled down at our table. Haylie was recounting the whole thing to Micky, who listened absentmindedly. Leah was smiling slightly as she read her book, and Lily simply sat there staring into space. I could hardly contain my joy. After all that work, all the hours of extra practice, after everything that had happened, I had gotten the spot on the team. But then... it occurred to me that while I celebrated my victory, Tanaka had returned to the common room and was sitting alone in a corner, her face expressionless.

It hit me. Quidditch was just as important to her as it was to Haylie, and that’s saying a lot. I tried to imagine how she must feel, having gotten her victory and having it swept away from her. That thought made my own victory a little less sweet. But she cheated, the reasonable half of my mind protested, she deserves it. I looked down at the table top, studying the fine lines engraved in the wooden surface.

Without thinking, I stood up and walked over to where Tanaka sat alone. She glared up at me, her dark eyes hostile. “Um, I just wanted to say good job out there.� I said nervously. “We both did a great job, and I’m really sorry things turned out the way they did.�

Tanaka narrowed her eyes. “What are you apologizing for? You won! So go celebrate with your friends, don’t come gloating to me.� With that, she got to her feet. She shot me a disgusted look and stomped away.

My face fell. So much for making amends, I thought miserably as I sat back down amongst my friends.

“What was that about?� Leah questioned.

I shrugged. “I was just trying to be a good sport and tell her that I was sorry things got all messed up like this, and she kind of got angry.�

Micky let out a laugh. “Well that’s not obvious.�

Haylie on the other hand, looked at me like I was insane. “Amelia, you beat her! Don’t go apologizing! She’s the one who cheated, and she got what she deserved.�

I nodded absentmindedly as Haylie went on. “Well, now that we have our new Keeper, we can officially start the season! We really need to get practicing as soon as we can, the first match is in November, you know! I think we might be playing Ravenclaw first, but if we’re playing Slytherin, we need to be extra prepared…�

Finally, after a long day of physical activity and drastically changing emotions, it was finally over. I was named the new Keeper and Haylie went on about Quidditch strategies for the remainder of the evening. I smiled to myself. If this was what Hogwarts would be like, then I was in for an interesting year.

The next few weeks passed in a blur. Everything was flowing wonderfully, everyone was getting along (Leah and Haylie occasionally had a row), and Quidditch practices were going great. We practiced two or three times a week, and it is so much fun being on the Gryffindor team. Everyone is so nice, and we’ve really bonded well as a team.

Being the overprotective sister that I am, I’ve made sure to check up on Maggie every few days to make sure that she’s doing okay. Danny, Maggie, and I would make sure to spend time with each other by visiting Hagrid, who’s grown to be a good friend, or simply taking walks around the lake and enjoying each other’s company.

The only problem in my new life at Hogwarts came in the beautiful blonde form of Hollie Larson. If I thought she was bad at Beauxbatons, she’s even worse here at Hogwarts. With ease, she’s wormed her way into all the dreams of half the male population at Hogwarts. The way she has been acting, it makes me wonder if she’s trying to prove something. Whether she’s proving herself or not, the only guys who seemed un-phased by her slim body and beautiful eyes were either taken or not interested in girls at all. The shocking thing was, the Marauders (with the exception of Peter) seemed to be immune to Hollie’s looks and charms. I knew that James still had his heart set on Lily, and Remus has liked Leah for ages, but what about Sirius? How can he, handsome and charming as he is, not have eyes for Hollie?

One evening in late September, I was sitting with my friends in the Great Hall, talking about whatever came to our minds, when my gaze fell to the Ravenclaw table. It was probably my “big sister� instincts, my eyes landed right on Maggie. Next to her was Hollie, and she was whispering into Maggie’s ear. My curly haired sister pulled away and gave Hollie a frightened look. Hollie, a look of triumph on her face, went back to eating. Maggie looked worried, and I decided then and there that I would confront my sister after the meal was over. I didn’t want Hollie talking to her, and knowing Hollie, she was probably up to no good.

The rest of the meal passed without much happening. Every so often, I would cast a worried glance over to the Ravenclaw table, but there was nothing I could do at the moment.

It was when Haylie had finally announced that she was done eating that I had my chance. Unfortunately, nearly the whole school had finished eating around the same time, and there was a crowd blocking the doorway into the hall. There was no way to get to Maggie.

I waited my turn and walked with my friends. As we exited the Great Hall and headed up the grand staircase, I kept watch for my sister.Everyone was in the hall all at once though, and it was impossible to find her. After one last wistful glance behind me, I continued with my friends up the stairs.

“Amelia, wait!� I heard a voice call, and I spun around. There was Maggie, pushing her way up the stairs to find me.

My friends all turned when they heard her shout. As Maggie drew nearer, they looked at me questionably. It was then that I realized that I had never introduced my friends to Maggie. They all knew Danny, but my Ravenclaw sister had never been mentioned.

“Maggie! I was looking everywhere for you,� I said.

“I need to talk to you,� S=she said in a rush. Maggie then realized that all my friends were eyeing her curiously. Her pale face turned a bright shade of red that could be seen down to the roots of her hair. She had gotten a lot more outgoing since coming to Hogwarts, but she was still very timid around people she didn’t know.

I turned to my friends. “You guys go back to the common room without me. I need to talk to my sister.�

Micky, Leah, and Haylie nodded and waved goodbye as they proceeded on their way. Lily however, stayed put. “If this is about that Hollie girl,� she said, “I want to be in on it. As Head Girl, I have the power to stop things like bullying.�

Maggie’s mouth fell open. I smiled to myself; Lily observes a lot more than I give her credit for. “But how…� Maggie trailed off, staring at my red haired friend.

Lily smiled warmly. “I saw her talking to you at dinner, and I got a suspicion that she’s up to something. Girls like her can’t be trusted.�

Maggie nodded. “But I can’t talk about it here…I’m actually not supposed to be saying anything at all.�

“Alright, then let’s find an empty classroom or something; somewhere remote, where we won’t be overheard,� I suggested as we set off at a brisk walk.

Lily, Maggie, and I paced down corridor after corridor, until Maggie pulled us into a random empty classroom. We headed straight to the far corner of the room. Lily and I pulled over some chairs, and we all sat down.

“Maggie, what’s going on?� I asked as Maggie took her place next to Lily and I.

“Well…it’s kind of a long story…� Maggie said nervously.

“We have all the time in the world, Maggie. If we’re out past your curfew, you won’t get in trouble. I’m with you,� said Lily.

A small look of doubt swept over Maggie’s face, and I decided to confirm what Lily had said. “Yep, if you’re with Lily, then the teachers can’t get after you.�

“Alright,� Maggie nodded, and began her story. “Well, this all started a few weeks ago. I was sitting in the Ravenclaw common room doing homework with a few other girls in my year, and I overheard that Hollie girl Amelia hates so much talking loudly across the room with a few of her friends. They were…um…they were talking about you, Amelia.�

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, and Lily pressed Maggie to continue. “What did Hollie say about her?�

“She said that she didn’t know how people like Sirius and James could stand hanging around you. Hollie said that you were the biggest goody two shoes, and that you twisted the truth so that people would like you. At Beauxbatons, she said that she had the upper hand. The people there saw right through Amelia, and that’s why nobody liked her. But Hollie said that Amelia has been plotting to get all the best looking guys on her side just to get back at Hollie for how she was treated at Beauxbatons. Her friends then piped in with thing like ‘that’s so awful!’ and ‘A rotten girl like that isn’t worthy of Sirius’s attention!’�

A flush blossomed on my face as a cry of protest came from my mouth. “But I don’t LIKE Sirius like that! We’re just friends!�

Lily put her hand on my shoulder. “Amelia, we know that. Hollie’s just jealous, that’s all. She’s the one twisting the truth to make you sound like the wronged one. Now let Maggie finish.�

Maggie smiled gratefully at Lily and continued with her story. “After her little rant, Hollie seemed to realize that I was in the room. She came up to me and said, ‘Breathe a word of what you just heard to that sister of yours, and you’ll pay’. I told her that I had no idea what she was talking about. Hollie then said that she could use me, and said that if I didn’t do what she told me to do, she’d hurt me and spread all sorts of rumors about Amelia and our family. She then told me to think what she said over, and then a few days later, she started telling me to do things. She didn’t do this often, and they were only simple things like getting books from the library from her, or something about Sirius. So… seeing as though nobody could be hurt by those things, I did what she said. But I can’t take it anymore, Amelia! She could make me do something terrible, and then if I didn’t do it, she’d hurt you!�

I was in shock. I knew that Hollie was capable of doing nasty things, but I never thought she’d sink this low. Blackmailing my shy little sister just because she was jealous of me…my blood boiled in anger at the very thought.

“What did she want from you this morning?� Lily asked Maggie.

“She wanted me to get the password to the Gryffindor common room and give it to her,� Maggie replied.

“Sweet Merlin, she could do lots of things if she had that!� I exclaimed. “She could pull some cruel prank on me, or one of the other girls in our dorm. Or, she could get into one of the guys dorms…� I trailed off, thinking about all the cruel things Hollie could do with that password.

“I didn’t give it to her. I didn’t say anything,� Maggie explained.

Lily nodded in approval. “Good for you, Maggie. That’s probably the best option. She may think you said that you would get it for her, but you don’t have to. We’re going to do something about her, don’t worry.�

A thought crossed my mind. It was a perfect, no brilliant idea. “So, Hollie wants to play games with my sister. I say we play along. There’s no way she’s winning this.�

“Amelia, what are you talking about?� Lily demanded.

I got up from my chair and ran to the door. “I’ll be back in a minute!�

Fifteen minutes later, I returned to the room with Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter in tow. “What is this all about?� James demanded, taking a seat on one of the empty desks.

“We need your help,� I told them. “Hollie’s been blackmailing my sister, and if she isn’t stopped, someone could end up hurt. This morning, she told Maggie to get the password for our common room.�

“Merlin, that girl is nastier than I thought,� Sirius commented, taking a seat next to James.

“Amelia, why did you drag all of us here? Lily is here, she’s Head Girl, why don’t you just go to Professor Dumbledore?� Remus asked.

“That’s exactly what I’ve been wondering.� Lily added. “There’s no need to drag all of these Marauders into this, when we could solve this here and now by a trip to the Headmaster’s office.�

I sighed in exasperation. “Don’t you guys see? I’ve known Hollie for six years, and she doesn’t just give up on things. If we go to authority, then Hollie will know that Maggie told about what she was doing, and Hollie will find some way to get back at her for telling. Hollie may look all pretty and harmless, but she’s a treacherous little snake.�

“You know, I like how you think,� James commented, grinning at me. “We can deal with this ourselves, who needs authority? She plays dirty, and we fight right back! Plus, you have a problem, and you’ve come to the right people to solve it.� Lily rolled her eyes at this, but nobody noticed but me.

“We’re going to devise a plan to keep Hollie away for good!� Peter piped in enthusiastically.

My eyes turned to Maggie, whose face was a shade paler than what it had been. I tried to imagine how she felt. A really cruel girl was downright nasty to her, and now her sister and the coolest kids in school were helping her get back for it. I smiled. I would be freaking out if I were her as well.

“So Amelia, if we’re going to pull something on Miss Hollie, what type of prank do you want? Something funny and publicly humiliating?� Sirius suggested. “Or something more cruel, that will emotionally tear her apart? Yes, we can be quite cruel sometimes.�

Still sitting next to Maggie, Lily gave a loud laugh. She must know all too well of the pranks the Marauders pull.

“Now Miss Evans,� James said in a polite voice, “are you doubting our master pranking skills?�

Lily shook her head, trying to fight a fit of laughter. “Why of course not, Mr. Potter. I just doubt that your ‘pranking skills’ can be trusted.�

James ignored this and returned to me. “So Amelia, what do you want us to do?�

“Although publicly humiliating her would be highly amusing…I was thinking of something with more…. impact.� I said.

Sirius nodded. “Impact it is.�

Lily, Maggie, and I sat on the sidelines and observed as the four Gryffindor boys furiously worked on their plan. They suggested ideas, most of which were turned down directly after being suggested. It was amazing to watch them work. Each boy seemed to have his own place in the group. Remus, being head boy and everything, seemed to like keeping things organized. Immediately when they started planning, he whipped out a sheet of parchment and began scribbling down all the ideas that were suggested. He was one to find all of the flaws in the plans. James and Sirius came up with lots of the ideas, and by these, I got the sense of what their places were. James and Sirius firstly, were the leaders. James was the behind the scenes guy, if there was any sneaking around to be done, he would do it. Sirius had a more public aspect to him, if there was a need to confront Hollie, his charms and good looks that earned him that role. It took me awhile to figure how Peter fit in. He stuck out like a sore thumb, lacking the wit and intelligence of the other three. At first, he seemed to only be there for comic relief, but I soon realized that he too had a place. It was Peter’s duty to cause distractions and make a fool of himself if he had to.

The Marauders worked furiously, occasionally cracking a joke, and after awhile, Lily pulled me back into the corner of the room.

“Amelia, I know that you just want to help Maggie, but are you sure that this is the best way to solve it?� she said, concern in her bright green eyes. “I know that these guys are your friends, but I just don’t—“

“—Trust them?� I finished. When Lily nodded, I continued. “Lily, I know that you don’t like them. This is for my sister, and they’re my friends. Plus, knowing their opinions on Hollie, I doubt they’ll let me down.�

“But how do you know that? You’re so quick to trust them, but they could just be only in it for a laugh,� Lily reasoned.

She had a point, but I didn’t care. “If that’s the case,� I shrugged. “Then I guess I’ll just have to laugh along.�

It was then that James called out to us. “Oi! Amelia, Lil-uh…Evans! I think we have a winner!�

Lily flushed slightly; James had almost called her by her first name. I grinned to myself. It looked like Sirius and I’s plan was working well.

d23;d23;d23;

Their plan was a good one…no, it was a brilliant one, and I couldn’t wait to get started.

That evening in the common room, Sirius came up to me while I was doing my homework. The table was empty, Haylie was off doing some extra flying, Micky was in the dormitory sleeping, and Lily and Leah were in the library doing homework. He sat down next to me and slipped something into my hand.

I set down my quill and glanced at the scrap of parchment that was now in my hands. “Um…Sirius, what is this?�

Sirius grinned evilly. “This, Amelia, is the secret to Hollie’s demise.�

I was confused. “You’re going to crush Hollie’s spirit…with a scrap of parchment?�

“Ah, but this isn’t just any scrap of parchment!� Sirius reached into his robes and pulled out another scrap of parchment. “Take a look at this.� Sirius tapped the paper with wand, and words began to form on it as if they were being written in invisible ink. I also observed that they were written in Sirius’s slightly messy scrawl. I looked down at the parchment in my hand, and the same thing was happening to it.

Wow, I thought to myself, this must have taken ages to create. “Wow…how did you—“

Sirius interrupted my question. “Protean Charm. We created this last year while doing tests for the Ma…uh…for a test we were doing for a prank.�

“This is brilliant,� I exclaimed, gazing at the words forming on the page. Sometimes I see you across the room and wonder if you ever notice me. My eyes shot up to look at Sirius’s face. “A love note?�

Sirius nodded. “Tomorrow sometime, it’s my job to flirt shamelessly with Lady Hollie, and then ‘accidentally’ drop this. The hard part is to make sure she picks it up,� he explained.

My throat seemed to close up for a brief moment. He was going to write my worst enemy love notes. I couldn’t possibly see how this would crush her spirit. “So you’re going to write her love notes? Um…how does this tie into things?� I asked, trying to keep my voice level.

Sirius grinned proudly. “I’m going to write her love notes for a week or so, and then, I’ll catch her while she’s reading one of them and tell her it was all a mistake, and that the note was meant for someone else.�

Despite my mixed feelings I had about his plan, I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Hollie’s face when Sirius would tell her this. “Oh, she is going to be furious!�

Just then, Lily came tumbling through the portrait hole. She had been carrying an armful of books, and tripped on the way in. Sirius and I rushed over to help her up. Lily looked up at us, her gaze accusing. “What have you two been up to?�

Sirius picked up the last of her books and set them on the nearest table, repeating the plan to Lily.

Lily shook her head and sighed. “It amazes me how you Marauders always come up with these crazy schemes.�

Sirius grinned and took a small bow. “Why Evans, you’re making me blush!�

Lily rolled her eyes and laughed. “But what if this doesn’t work? Hollie’s not stupid, she is in Ravenclaw.�

“Lily, I’ve known Hollie for six years. I would know better than anyone here that once she’s latched onto an idea, she’s stuck. Trust me, this will work,� I said, imitating Sirius’s mischievous grin.

d23;d23;d23;

And fall for it, she did. Lily and I stood at one side of the corridor, pretending to be in conversation, but really, I watched with very mixed emotions as Sirius approached Hollie. My eyes narrowed in disapproval as he leaned sideways against the wall, his sleek black hair in his eyes, smiling like he had a secret.

Hollie’s back was up against the wall. Her long blonde hair was sleek and shiny as usual and her face was alight with a content smile. She looked around, her expression was bragging. She saw me watching her across the hall pretending to talk to Lily and shot me a triumphant sneer.

I looked away quickly. If only she know what Sirius was really up to, I told myself. Behind all those dashing looks and charming smiles was a man on a mission, and she was thick enough to believe that he really wanted her.

“How do you think it’s going so far?� Lily hissed in my ear.

I shrugged. “Fine, I think she’s falling for it.� Just then Hollie let out a giggle. “Scratch that, I know she’s falling for it.�

“You can say that again,� Lily commented. “Ugh…she’s so disgusting. Flinging herself at any good looking guy, it makes me sick.�

I silently agreed as Sirius began digging in his pockets for something. Hollie was watching him with interest, her head cocked to one side. Sirius then spoke, his face apologetic, and walked away. In his hurry to leave, I saw the crumpled piece of parchment flutter to the floor.

Hollie, having noticed it too, bent over and picked it up. After examining it for a minute, she smiled triumphantly and pocketed it. It was then that she turned briskly and stalked over to Lily and me.

“So, Amelia. Thanks for ALL the help you gave me, but it turns out I didn’t really need it. Sorry.� Her voice was mocking, and my eyes narrowed instantly. “You see,� she flipped her hand through her hair. “It turns out I didn’t need your help. I’m just so irresistible that I could snag him myself. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is, you fought a hard battle, and I respect you for it. It turns out that I’m just prettier and more attractive than you are, and Sirius has obviously realized that.� She smiled sweetly. “So, I guess that means I win.� With that, she turned on her heel and marched away.

I felt like I had been slapped in the face. She thinks she’s won, and now she feels the urge to gloat and throw it all back into my face. The nerve!

“Um…Amelia, is she always like that?� Lily asked quietly.

I nodded, unable to speak. It felt like my heart was stuck in my throat and I just wanted to go cry somewhere. I hated it when Hollie did this to me. I can stand up to adults and I can take their criticism fine, but when it came to my peers being nasty to me, I just cracked. “Although she’s never been that vicious.�
Lily, being the sweetheart that she is, must have noticed my discomfort. “Well, I think that she’s downright nasty. I can see how you didn’t like Beauxbatons that much with her working against you the entire time.�

I nodded. “Yeah, that’s exactly it. Come on, Lily, let’s get to class.�

d23;d23;d23;

The next week passed with mixed feelings on my part. I don’t know why, because the idea seemed brilliant at the time, but I just didn’t feel like participating in the plan anymore. Maybe it was because Hollie was my worst enemy, or perhaps it was because Sirius was getting so into it. Time after time that week, I had to mentally slap myself to keep from strangling Hollie. I was constantly fighting an internal battle. Deep down, I knew I shouldn’t be getting so jealous over a prank; after all, Sirius and I were only friends. It’s like what Hollie said on my first full day here, he would never fall for a girl like me. Plus, half the Hogwarts female population were probably head over heels in love with him, and he didn’t need me joining their numbers.

“Your eyes, they shine like pale moons! I long to get lost in them, but…� Sirius was writing on Sunday evening as we sat at a table in the common room.

I turned away, trying not to gag. It had been almost a full week since we started this whole plan, and I was starting to wonder when Sirius was going to bring this whole scheme to a close.

Alight with her supposed success, Hollie had taken to tormenting me at every opportunity. “Amelia, don’t look so down!� she’d croon in mock comfort. “After all, I told you he’d never fall for you.�

“Hollie, I have no idea what you’re talking about,� I would tell her, and she would grin that triumphant smile.

Sirius, who had elbowed me, brought me from my thoughts. “Amelia, what do you think? Is this good?� He asked me, holding out the parchment.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I think that you’ve tormented her enough, Sirius. You need to pull this to a close.�

“But this is so much fun! Seriously, Amelia, this is probably one of the funnest pranks I’ve ever played on anyone! I can’t wait to see the look on her face when I pull the news on her.�

“Funnest isn’t a word,� I mumbled crossly to myself.

“What?�

“Never mind, it was nothing.� I took a deep breath, preparing to let my frustration from the past week out. “Let me remind you, Sirius Black, that we’re playing this prank for my sister’s sake, not for your personal enjoyment. Do you have any idea on how brutally Hollie’s been treating me this past week? She thinks she’s got you in the palm of her hand, and I know it’s supposed to work out like that, but she’s been taking it out on me. I’m getting kind of tired of her snide remarks every time I run into her anywhere. So if you seriously want to go shag Hollie or something, at least wait until the prank is over. We’ve worked hard on this for Maggie, and it would be a shame to see it wasted.�

With that, I slammed the book I was reading shut and marched up to the dormitory. I know I overreacted on Sirius, and that I shouldn’t have taken it out on him and accused him of such awful things, but I was getting sick of it all. I spent the next half hour with an understanding Lily, venting on how stupid guys were.

d23;d23;d23;

Lily and I headed down to the Great Hall for dinner that evening like usual. Unusually, though, we sat farther down the table, away from the Marauders. I had resolved to not talk to Sirius until he ended this whole scheme.

I was almost finished eating when Hollie dashed into the Great Hall, her eyes streaming with tears. She sped to the Ravenclaw table and instantly started sobbing hysterically on her friend Bree’s shoulder. As I watched as she pitifully gained some composure and started eating. Her beautiful clear blue eyes were red and blotchy, and her face was somewhat swollen from crying. I knew that my insults to Sirius had made him see reason, and he had instantly ended it.

Surprisingly, the satisfaction of crushing Hollie that I expected didn’t come. Instead of the joyous satisfaction I wanted, I felt empty and cold.

“Lily, I’m not really hungry anymore,� I told Lily and got up to leave. I kept my eyes on the floor as I made my way out of the Great Hall. As I rounded on the grand staircase, I nearly walked into someone. “Sorry,� I mumbled as I started to continue on my way, but a strong hand gripped my shoulder to keep me from escaping.

I glanced up and met Sirius’s eyes. “Look, Amelia,� he began letting go of me. “I just wanted you to know that I ended it. I guess you were right, I got too into the prank and didn’t realized I was going too far.�

I sighed. “It’s not your fault, Sirius. I always get really…weird when it comes to Hollie. I was selfish, although we were doing this for Maggie; I guess I was sort of doing it for myself. But, I realized when I saw Hollie at dinner tonight that revenge isn’t right, and it only leaves you with a bitter taste in your mouth. So…what I’m really trying to say, is I’m sorry for dragging you into this whole conflict, and I’m sorry for freaking out at you earlier. It was really stupid of me.� I took a deep breath, glad that the words had stopped flowing from my mouth.

“Apology accepted,� Sirius said, smiling slightly. “So, are we good?� He stuck out his hand in a form of agreement.

I shook it, feeling the now familiar jolt as our hands touched. “We’re good.�

“Great. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to head to supper. I’m starving.� Sirius said, and we continued on our way. He went to dinner, and I to the common room.

My first month at Hogwarts soon came to a close, and October was upon us. I was amazed at how much my life had changed in the past month. No longer was I the quiet, friendless English girl at a French boarding school. In just one month, I was more confident and surrounded in friends who actually seemed to like me.

Sirius and I’s plan to get Lily and James together was flowing wonderfully. James had made a remarkable improvement since I first met him. He was still the messy haired prankster that everyone loved, but he now seemed more mature than before. Even Lily was softening up a bit. She no longer started an argument with James at every chance, and it seemed that her well of dirty glares had gone dry. It wasn’t long before Lily and I would leave our table of friends and join the Marauders by their spot before the fireplace. By mid-October, all the girls of my dormitory had joined us, and we all talked and laughed together.

Classes were going…fairly smoothly. Although we had a mountain of homework almost every night, I managed to stay on top of almost everything. I doubt a that even a miracle will improve my Potions scores, but I guess that’s all right with me. I’ve noticed over the years that most people have places that they’re excellent in, and others where they fail dismally. Take Lily, for instance. Her Charms and Potions marks are almost always the best in the class, but stick her on a broomstick and she’s as good as dead. James is another really good example; he’s excellent at Transfiguration, and of course, Quidditch, but is fairly unsuccessful in the areas of Herbology and dealing with feelings for girls. The strange thing was, most people are good at things and bad at things, which is true, but I’ve noticed that I’m like a well-rounded pebble. I’m not excellent in any real areas, you could say that I have no real strong points, but I’m fairly decent at most things. I pass my classes with decent marks; even in Potions I get a passing grade, but not by much and I had made the Quidditch team, although not in the same way most people do. I’ll blame Tanaka on that one. This well-rounded pebble theory suits me fine though; it keeps me out of trouble (usually), and helps me stay in the good books of most of the teachers.

One evening, a few weeks into October, I was helping Aly Hazen, my Hufflepuff friend, in Transfiguration. We often sat by each other in classes, most of the time when I didn’t understand something, she did, and vice versa.

We were taking advantage of the empty classroom, and we had our Transfiguration books out. I had been a bit nervous about using the room, seeing as though we hadn’t asked, but James had assured me that he did it all the time, and the teachers didn’t care.

“Ok, what are we working on this evening?� I asked Aly as we sat down in one of the desks toward the back of the room.

Aly had a piece of her short brown hair in her mouth as she flipped through the book. “Um…well, I really didn’t understand this bit about human transformations that McGonagall talked about today…� She pointed to a paragraph.

I read it silently, sorting through my mind what it was supposed to mean. “Um…I think it’s saying that—“

I stopped as I heard the door creak loudly. Aly and I whipped our heads around, and there was Professor McGonagall, tall and prim looking. “Miss Jordan, Miss Hazen, what in Merlin’s name are the two of you up to?� she queried, peering down at us through her square spectacles.

“Um…well…� Aly stuttered. “I didn’t really understand what you were talking about in class today, and Amelia offered to help me with it…�

“James Potter said that you wouldn’t mind if we used this classroom, so we did.� I bit my lip, feeling bad for trusting James’s word on something like this. Surely the Professor was going to be angry with us for using her classroom without permission. “I’m really sorry, we should have asked.�

McGonagall offered me a small and rare smile. “No need to feel bad, Miss Jordan. James Potter would say something like that. He’s…oh what do they call themselves…a Marauder. It’s perfectly all right, I just came to check if there was anyone in here; Mr. Filch will be cleaning all the classrooms on this corridor this evening, and it wouldn’t be very wise to be caught. I suggest the two of you switch your session to another evening.� With that, the tall professor stepped out of the door.

I sighed with relief. We weren’t in trouble! I turned to Aly. “So…I guess we could maybe go to the library.�

Aly shook her head. “I tried to get a book for my N.E.W.T. History of Magic class before coming here, and Madame Pince had been unleashing her rage on some second years that were being too loud. She must have closed the library early because of that, because I heard some Ravenclaws in the corridor complaining about it.�

“Well, looks like we’ll just have to do this another day. How about on…Thursday?� I suggested.

“I’ve got Quidditch practice on Thursday.�

I forgot that Aly played Chaser for Hufflepuff! “I’ve got practice on Wednesday and Friday.�

“Hm…we could meet on Saturday, if you’re not busy; maybe in the morning or something.� Aly proposed.

“That sounds like a good idea,� I agreed. “We can meet here…at ten o’clock?�

“Sounds like a plan.�

“I’ll see you then!�

We headed to the door together, but went separate ways when we reached the end of the hallway. I made my way up to the Gryffindor Common room, thinking over what we were going to work on for our study session.

“Tainted cauldron,� I told the Fat Lady when I reached her portrait; the password had changed the week before. She swung open in her frame, and I entered the common room to find almost the entire Gryffindor house crowded around the message board.

I pushed through the crowd of students, searching for the faces of my friends. Sitting alone at our table was Micky. The strange thing about this was that her head was deep in a book. I took a seat next to her.

“Hey there, Amelia!� she greeted me enthusiastically, her brown eyes bright with excitement.

“Hi Micky,� I replied.

“I thought you were studying Transfiguration with Aly tonight.�

I shrugged. “Filch was cleaning the classrooms in that corridor and the library was closed, so we’re doing it another night.� I cocked my head to the side to read the title of her book: Knits and Knots: A Beginners Guide to Creating Your Own Magical Clothing. “What are you reading?�

“Oh, just a dressmaking book I got from the library this morning.� Micky shrugged. “I’m going to see if I can figure out how to make my own gown for the Ball.�

“Wait…what about a ball?� I demanded, mentally putting the pieces together. “Do you mean like, a dance?�

Micky nodded excitedly. “Yep, the Halloween Ball. That’s why everyone’s crowding around the notice board. It’s going to be on Halloween night, instead of the usual feast. Lily and Remus cooked the idea up, isn’t it exciting?�

I blinked several times, trying to register it all in my mind. For me, school dances meant evenings of uncomfortable dress robes and utter boredom. Beauxbatons had regular dances in which all older students were required to attend. Seeing as though I’ve never really dated before, and I didn’t have any real friends, I always went alone and sat in a corner with a book or something to do.

“Wow, you don’t look too enthusiastic, do you?� Micky stated, taking in the pained expression that was painted across my face. “Come on, it’s going to be fun! We get to wear old style ball gowns, and we get to have dates, and there’s going to be dancing and food, and it’s going to be amazing.�

“How about not. I don’t think I’m up for putting on an ancient ball gown and parading around the castle,� I said painfully.

Micky sighed in exasperation. “Well, you could buy an ancient ball gown from a secondhand shop, or you could just do what everyone else is going and go to Sylvia’s.�

“Go to where?�

“Sylvia’s Spellwork,� Micky explained. “It’s a new female clothing shop that recently opened in Hogsmeade. Haylie and I went there last year, and it’s really nice. They’ve supplied a special line of new, freshly made, and slightly modernized ball gowns. I think Dumbledore had something to do with this, though.�

I nodded, lacking enthusiasm. Micky may be enthralled by the thought of an evening dressed like a princess waltzing through the Great Hall in the arms of a handsome prince, but I’m not sure that it’s really my thing. Plus, I don’t know if I’m able to afford one of these ball gowns, and who would I go with? The only guys I know here at Hogwarts are my friends, and that would be weird going with one of them. At least I won’t have to wear a dress that smells like mold and mothballs. “Sounds extremely fascinating. Where is everyone?�

“Haylie’s out flying, and I think Leah is talking with Lily up in the dormitory,� Micky said, looking back to her book. “Will you tell Lily to come down here? I found this great pattern that would look wonderful on her figure.�

“Sure,� I mumbled before making my way up the stairs to the girl’s dormitories.

I found Lily and Leah sitting on Leah’s four-poster bed. Their heads were bent in concentration, talking quietly together, not noticing my entrance.

“So you think he’s attractive, big deal! That doesn’t mean that you have to go with him or anything,� Leah was saying to a worried-looking Lily.

“Ahem,� I coughed. Lily’s head shot up, and I was pleased to notice that she looked genuinely happy to see me. I could tell that she was relieved to be saved from her conversation with Leah.

“Amelia!� she said, scooting over so I could sit next to her. “Oh…you don’t look too happy. What’s wrong?�

I shook my head. “It’s nothing. Just all the commotion downstairs was getting really annoying.�

“Oh, I take it how you heard about this Halloween Ball?� Leah commented.

I nodded, trying not to grimace at the mention of this dance.

“Well aren’t you excited!� Leah asked in a high pitched, false-cheery voice. She sounded almost like Hollie.

“Eh,� I paused. “I’m not really into dances. We had them at Beauxbatons, and they’re dreadful.�

Leah’s face fell, and she showed her true feelings about this Ball. “I KNOW. Everyone’s just gushing and gushing about it, and that’s all we’re going to hear about for the next month. Halloween Ball this, Halloween Ball that. I just hope that the teachers don’t feel the need to give us all dancing lessons.�

I shuddered, remembering all the bruised toes I had tended to over the years from all the clumsy boys stepping on my feet. “I HATED those.�

“But Leah,�Lily reasoned. “This could be your chance!�

“Chance for what?� Leah demanded, blushing slightly.

“Well, when I suggested we have a dance to a certain Head Boy, I could tell that there was a reason to why he agreed to do it,� Lily said slyly.

“Wait…you mean that YOU’RE behind all this?� Leah cried. “Lily, how could you do this? I’m going to be humiliated! I’ve liked Remus for three years, and he’s never going to ask me to this dance, and everyone knows it!�

“No, Leah,� Lily said seriously. “Everyone knows that you and Remus would make a great couple. The only one who thinks otherwise is yourself.�

“But Lily,� Leah protested, “I’m too…�

“Too what?� I piped in.

“Too plain,� Leah said, pulling her tan hair out of the tight bun. It fell around her face, highlighting her beautiful aqua colored eyes. “My hair is limp and pale, I’m so tall and bony, and I’m incredibly bossy! There’s no possible way he could find me even remotely attractive,� Leah wailed to herself.

I sat there, shocked beyond comprehension. Leah always seemed so composed and sophisticated, I had never thought about how hard she tried to be the way she was. She was always so confident! Who would have known about all the self-doubt that she concealed so skillfully from the world?

“But Leah,� I said, laying my hand on her shoulder. “Remus does like you. He’s just shy. I think that he likes you because you’re not as pretty as some girls.� I paused, the image of beautiful, blonde Hollie coming to mind. “Most girls try hard to be pretty and well-liked, myself included, but you never seem to care about what other people think. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and that’s what makes you beautiful.�

Leah seemed to glow at these words. “Do you really think so?� she whispered quietly, as if asking herself.

I nodded firmly. “I know so.�

“Wow…nobody has ever said I was beautiful before.�

I smiled. “Well, I doubt I’m the only one who’s noticed your inner beauty, Leah. I’m sure that Remus would love to ask you to the Halloween Ball.�

“Leah, is that why you were so against the idea?� Lily asked softly.

Leah nodded. “I didn’t think he’d want me. But if what Amelia says is true, maybe I have a chance after all.�

We sat there in silence for several moments, and then began to talk. We didn’t really discuss anything important, but it was nice to sit down and just converse freely about whatever came to mind.

It wasn’t long before Haylie came bursting into the room, with Micky in tow. “Did you all hear?� Haylie sang as she spun around in circles. “This is it! This is my chance!�

I couldn’t help but smile. We all knew without even asking what Haylie meant by her statement. Haylie, like Leah, had liked the same guy for a long period of time. This struck me as odd. Leah: tall, mature, and bookish, and Haylie: short, mouthy, and athletic in the same situation.

“That’s great, Haylie!� Leah said happily, scrambling to her feet. “You’ll finally get Amos Diggory!�

Haylie grinned at Leah and grabbed her hands. They spun around in circles like little children. “And you’ll finally have a chance with Remus!�

“I know, this is too good to be true!� Leah laughed, falling breathlessly next to Lily and me on her bed.

“And we all get to wear lovely ball gowns, and our dates won’t be able to breathe when they see our beauty!� Micky gushed, clutching her dress-making book to her chest.

This went on for some time, and after much squealing and dancing about the room, we all finally settled down. We laid a blanket down on the stone floor and sat in a circle in the center of the dormitory. Everyone had changed into their pajamas, Micky was braiding Leah’s hair, and a plate of delicious sweets sat in the center of the group.

Everyone had demanded for Haylie to tell us where she gotten all the candy, but she simply shrugged and said, “The Marauders work in mysterious ways. I requested they get me some sweets, and that’s what they did.�

It was the first time we were untied as a group of girls. We were all so different, coming from such a diversity of families, yet all so alike. For the first time, we were Leah, Lily, Micky, Haylie, and Amelia: The Gryffindor Seventh Year Girls.

By the time my head hit the pillow that night, all my negative feelings about the Halloween Ball had passed. At Beauxbatons, I hated balls because they always meant that I would end up lonely. At Hogwarts, I had an amazing group of friends who would join me in the fun and dancing all night long. Even though I had no idea if I would be able to go with a date or not, I couldn’t wait for October 31st to come.

It had been about a week since the announcement of the first ever Halloween Ball. The school was buzzing with gossip, even more so than usual. Everywhere you went, people were discussing whom they were going with, what they were wearing, and who was playing the music.

“Professor Dumbledore told us that he booked Firesquad for the evening. I’m not sure who they are, but Haylie and Micky assure me that they’re amazing,� Lily told me one afternoon in the hallway. Firesquad was a popular band, the most recent sensation to hit the radio dials. I didn’t really care for them much, but they were all right.

Speaking of Micky, she was the first girl in our dormitory to ensnare a date for the ball. “Troy Davis asked me this morning, and I said yes!� she had squealed the afternoon after the announcement was made. I was happy to hear this news. Troy was a very good-looking Ravenclaw, and he seemed to really want to go with Micky. She had been a bit surprised when he asked her, but she naturally said yes.

A few days later after that, Leah told us all that she was to attend with Remus. There was really no surprise there, of course. Still, I was overjoyed for Leah. She had been shining with happiness when she told us the news.

“Are you sure Remus is up to it?� Haylie asked Micky a week into October. “He looked really sick last week.�

“Yeah, and he wasn’t in any of our classes on Wednesday either!� Micky replied, talking in a hushed voice. “I wonder if he’s alright.�

Lily, of course, immediately put her foot down on this one. “Of course Remus is alright! He told me in advance that he wouldn’t be able to patrol with me last Wednesday because he had to attend a fiftieth birthday party for his uncle. Plus, he’s probably got a lot on his mind, being Head Boy and all.�

I couldn’t help, but think that this wasn’t the full truth. The way Lily said it, she sounded really angry. Was she hiding something? I was filled with curiosity… where did Remus go that day? After thinking about it for a moment, I brushed it aside. Whatever it was, it probably wasn’t that big of a deal.

Meanwhile, Sirius and I had met several times to discuss our plans to push Lily and James together.

“All they need is a little nudge, we’re almost there!� Sirius told me.

I nodded. “This dance is the perfect opportunity. They’re going to go together, whether they like it or not!�

Sirius agreed. “Exactly!�

The two of us watched and waited patiently, keeping our eyes out for the perfect opportunity to talk to them, to drop hints, and get Lily to change her mind about James Potter.

One afternoon, I was sitting in Defense Against the Dark Arts, bored out of my mind. Professor Birky stood in his usual podium at the front of the classroom reading a chapter from our textbook aloud, and I was doing my best to keep from nodding off.

I was seated between Micky and Haylie, and the latter of the two had already fallen asleep. Micky, on the other hand, had busied herself by doodling ball gowns on a scrap of parchment.

Sitting directly in front of me, Hollie was chatting quietly with her friend Bree. Absentmindedly, I flicked my wand under my desk. My inkwell hovered off my table. In the same motion, I lifted a piece of Hollie’s beautiful blonde hair with my wand, and was about to stick it in the inkwell when…

“MISS JORDAN!� Professor Birky bellowed.

I jumped and the inkwell I had been levitating bumped into the back of Hollie’s head. Black ink dripped down her pale blonde hair and the now empty inkwell fell, smashing into tiny shards when it hit the stone floor. I bit my lip and cast a nervous glance at the teacher. Hollie, who had looked up from her conversation with Bree, hadn’t seemed to notice the fact that an inkwell smashed into her head and coated her hair in its contents.

Professor Birky glared at me, his face ruddy and angry. “Miss Jordan, now that you’ve decided to pay attention, can you please tell me the most commonly used way to repel the Killing Curse?�

Oh Merlin. I scanned my brain, but couldn’t find a thing. My mind was elsewhere; actually, my mind was on the thick black liquid that shone against my rival’s pale locks. “Er… I don’t know, sir,� I replied honestly, my face flushing slightly.

“Does anyone else know the answer to my question?� Birky demanded. “Miss Larson, how about you?�

Hollie smiled triumphantly and sat up perfectly straight. “The answer is that there is no known way to block the Avada Kedavera Curse.� She smiled sweetly and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Suddenly, she shrieked and stood up. Her hands were covered in pitch-black ink, and it was dripping down her robes. She let out a high pitched, wordless, window-breaking scream. Hollie then spun around, spotted the broken inkwell on the floor and shouted. “AMELIS JORDAN! YOU JUST CAN’T SINK ANY LOWER, CAN YOU?�

The Marauders in their usual corner seats burst out laughing, and the remainder of the class was fighting hard to supress their giggles. Hollie’s friend Bree, however, looked scandalized.

“Miss Jordan, I demand to know what’s going on here!� Professor Birky shouted.

My face turned a deeper shade of red. “I wasn’t really paying attention, sir. I was so surprised when you called on me, I accidentally knocked over my inkwell and it hit Hollie. I didn’t try to do it, I swear. I’m really sorry.� My lie was apparent, but I hoped desperately that I sounded sincere enough.

Hollie scowled at me. “Sure you are,� she pouted, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

“Miss Larson, I suggest you sit down before I give you detention,� The Professor barked.

“But Professor, what about all this ink?� Hollie protested.

With a wave of his wand, the ink disappeared, and Professor Birky turned on me. “I’m afraid you, Miss Jordan, are not so lucky. Since you apologized, I’ll spare you from detention. Twenty points from Gryffindor.�

My spirits lifted. Sure, losing points wasn’t a good thing, but I’d rather lose points than suffer through a session of detention.

I silently endured the rest of the class, and when it was over, the ringleaders of the Marauders flooded my personal space.

“Amelia, that was brilliant!� Sirius said enthusiastically, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and giving me a tight squeeze. “That thing with the ink, simply ingenious! You really got Hollie good this time!�

“And your cover up for old Birky was simply breathtaking!� James praised.

I grinned as a jolt of something flew through my stomach when Sirius put his arm around my shoulders. “Thanks… all I was really trying to do was dip her hair in the inkwell, and then he called on me and I was just surprised.�

“Well, we Marauders applaud you!� James called as he and Sirius rushed ahead of me.

“Sometimes I just don’t know about those two…� a voice said behind me. I turned around to find that it was Lily.

I shrugged. “At least they’re happy.�

Lily nodded slightly. “I guess.�

We walked in silence; Lily seemed to be completely lost in thought. During Professor Birky’s class, before the inkwell fiasco, I had noticed she hadn’t been paying attention, which is odd for Lily. I took note of the fact that she had passed at the opportunity to vent about the Marauders. Is that a good sign?

Later that evening, I headed up from the Quidditch Pitch feeling exhausted. James, with the help of Haylie, had worked us really hard to prepare us for our upcoming match against Ravenclaw next month.

The grounds were beautiful at this time of evening, the sun setting over the mountains and the lake sparkling in the waning light. As I headed alone up the path to the castle, I noticed someone sitting by the lake.

She was sitting alone beneath the shade of one of the several beech trees that surrounded the lake. She was bent over, her silky red hair spilling over her face. It glowed bright red in the fading sun, making her stand out like a single torch in a room of darkness.

I stopped in my tracks, watching as she absentmindedly picked up a pebble and tossed it into the lake. Making my decision, I approached her and plopped onto the dark green grass. I must have looked quite odd sitting there. She was still in her black school robes, and I in my sweaty Quidditch practice uniform with my hair in a messy ponytail.

“Lily, what’s wrong?� I asked quietly, tentatively placing my hand on her shoulder.

She looked over at me, as if first noticing my presence. “Huh? Oh, nothing. I’m fine.�

I shook my head. It was a terrible lie. “Then why are you sitting here all by yourself?� Lily didn’t answer, and I went on, “come on, Lily. You’ve been acting strangely all day; don’t think I haven’t noticed. You were there to help me when I was feeling down, and now I’m going to help you.�

Lily’s mouth twitched slightly, as if she was going to smile, but her lips stayed put. She sighed heavily. “Oh, it’s nothing really. It was just noisy in the common room and I needed some space.�

“I see. Do you want me to leave?� I questioned.

My friend shook her head slightly. “No, Amelia, you can stay. Someone to talk to would be nice. It’s good to have someone to talk to. I suppose I should tell you what’s wrong if we’re to talk about it, shouldn’t I?�

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,� I offered.

Lily grinned grimly. “No, I think I want to.�

“Ok, then go for it. I’ll just listen.� I said.

Lily took a deep breath, and then began. “This is going to sound completely crazy and won’t make any sense, but I’m just going to go with it. Sometimes I feel really alone. I have lots of friends, but I’ve never really talked with them about things. I just keep them inside. I knew that if I spilled my heart to the other girls, they’d react badly. Micky would ignore me and brush it off, Haylie would laugh at me and go shouting it to everyone, and Leah would get all awkward because she’s not good with expressing feelings and listening to people. So, I’ve just kept it all inside.� Lily paused to throw another pebble into the lake.

“Well, if you couldn’t trust them, then why are you telling this to me?� I asked quietly, speaking what was on my mind. “We’ve only known each other for what… a month?�

“I don’t know why, but I feel like I can talk to you and you’ll listen,� Lily said simply, looking at me with her beautiful green eyes, “and I have a feeling that you won’t judge me.�

“I’d love to just listen, Lily. It’s what I’m here for! You see…� I paused, about to let my biggest vulnerability out. “I’ve always felt lonely at Beauxbatons and I always kept everything in, so I know how you feel.�

Lily smiled widely for the first time and hugged me. “Thanks, Amelia!�

I hugged her back. “No problem! So, what was bothering you?�

“Well, this sounds completely insane… but I don’t think I hate James Potter.� Her face turned a pale shade of pink. “I don’t know what’s happened… he just seems… different this year, more mature. I don’t know if he’s changed, or if it’s me… it’s so confusing. He still plays pranks, but to me, they don’t seem as cruel anymore. In fact, sometimes they actually seem funny. And he hasn’t even asked me out ONCE this year! I don’t get it… has he given up on me? Just when I start thinking he’s not such a prat as I thought, he seems to lose interest. He doesn’t treat me how he used to… he’s more controlled and treats me like he would any other acquaintance. There’s this ball coming up, and I’ve been thinking about who I’d want to go with. I haven’t told anyone this yet, but I’ve actually had quite a few guys ask me out and I’ve said no to all of them. No was just my automatic answer, but I’m starting to wonder why this is. I’ve pondered it all day, and I’ve come to a conclusion that I’m not too sure about. I think…� Lily paused, taking a deep breath. “I think I’ve been declining all my offers is because there’s only one person I really want to go with, and that’s James.

My mouth fell open slightly at this confession. Sirius and I had hardly done a single thing, and Lily had fallen for James. All we did was get James to clean up his act around her and give Lily a small push in the right direction.

“I know... it’s shocking,� Lily went on. “Everyone knows how much I hated him. It’ll look so weird if I suddenly stop. It doesn’t make any sense… I wish I had fallen for someone sensible and responsible, but I didn’t. I’m falling for James bloody Potter and I think it’s best that I accept this and move on.�

“Move on?� I asked.

“I mean, that I can maybe start a relationship with him or something.� Lily paused, burying her face in her hands. “Argh, it’s so complicated! That sounds so stupid! I can’t just walk up to him and say ‘Oh hey there, Potter, I think I fancy you and would you go out with me?’ It doesn’t sound right! I’ve hated him for so long…� She trailed off, seeming to be lost in thought. “Amelia, could you help me?� she asked. “I mean, you’re one of my best friends, and you’re good friends with Sirius, who is James’s best friend. I don’t know Sirius that well myself, but I’m sure he’d love to help me out.�

I considered this. “When you say ‘help out’ do you mean…�

“Getting him to ask me out?� Lily finished my sentence. “Yes.�

I smiled to myself as the fireworks exploded inside my head. This is what Sirius and I have been hoping for! All we have to do is carry out this last step on our plan, and it’ll be complete! “Of course we’ll help you Lily! I’m sure that Sirius would be absolutely thrilled to get the two of you together! I’ll talk to him about it later.�

Lily grinned gratefully at me and hugged me again. “Thank you so much Amelia!� She scrambled to her feet and then pulled me up off the ground. “Let’s go back to the castle. I don’t really feel like being alone anymore.�

The sun was setting over the grounds as Lily and I, arm in arm, made our way up to the school. We reached the common room just as the sun was disappearing behind the mountains.

Lily ran off to join Leah and Micky at our usual table while I headed over to the Marauders at their usual spot by the fireplace. In the past month, I had gone over to talk to Sirius almost every day, and my friends were no longer suspicious that I liked him.

“Sirius, I need to talk to you,� I said after giving the four boys my hellos. “Why don’t we go to the library where it’s quiet?�

“Ah, Amelia,� James said lazily. “Off to steal my dear Padfoot for some crazy scheme again?�

“Naturally,� I replied with a small laugh.

“Well, sorry to barge in on your parade, Amelia, but we’re kind of in the middle of plotting something else,� Sirius commented as he leaned over Remus’s shoulder to peer at what he was writing.

I sighed. “What’s this one about? You’re not going to try and set old Birky’s pants on fire again, are you?�

James shook his head. “No, that one got old really fast. This one’s new, and you’re going to love it, but if we tell you what it is—“

He was interrupted by Peter’s enthusiastic reply of. “we’re going to steal Snape’s panties and give them to Peeves to wear on his head!�

“--We’d have to kill you� James finished his sentence, glaring slightly at Peter.

“Oh come on, you can at least excuse Sirius for a few minutes?� I knew I was being whiny, but I didn’t really care. I needed to tell Sirius about my conversation with Lily. “I have HUGE news for him about our plan.�

Sirius’s eyes lit up, he knew exactly what I was talking about. James, on the other hand, rolled his eyes. “Here we go with that mysterious plan of yours again. Come on, you might as well tell us what it is.�

“Well, Prongs, as you said before,� Sirius began. “If we told you,�

“You’d have to kill me, I know,� James finished with a heavy sigh. “Whatever this thing is, it better be good.�

“Trust me, James,� I began, smiling to myself. “You’re going to love it.�

After finally tearing Sirius away from his friends, we headed down a random deserted hallway and into an empty classroom. Once we got inside, Sirius rounded on me.

“Alright Amelia, so how big is this news?�

“Huge,� I replied, failing to hold back my delighted grin.

“As in big huge, or huge huge?� He questioned.

“Even bigger than that huge,� I replied.

“Holy shit, that’s huge,� Sirius said. “So what is this enormously huge news?�

Well,� I paused for dramatic effect, and then spoke slowly. “A certain red-haired someone has admitted her feelings for a certain messy-haired someone.� Sirius let out a whoop and began to say something, but I held out my hand to stop him. “AND, this certain redhead has requested that you and I go undercover to get James to ask her to the ball!� I finished.

Sirius’s face was covered in a huge smile. “We did it, Amelia! All we have to do is get him to ask her, which will be easy because he’s hopelessly in love, and my best mate will finally get the girl he has dreamed about for years!�

“And she’ll finally realize fully how much she cares for him!� I added. “After all this time hating his guts, she’ll finally realize what a great guy he really is!�

“Yes!� Sirius cried, before hugging me tightly in excitement.

He held me for only a moment, but it’s amazing at how much you can notice in such a small amount of time. Despite my vows that I would never fall for him, I was getting more and more tempted to break them every day. His hug was strong and warm, enough to make me slightly dizzy afterwards. Another thing I noticed was that he smelled amazing. I’ve smelled cologne before, but never this close and personal. All together, these things were enough to make me want to know what it felt like to reach up and touch his face, to kiss him, but then I reminded myself of how many other girls have wished the same thing. That brought me back to reality, and to my good fortune, Sirius hadn’t even noticed the impact he had on me.

“I’m thinking about discussing this whole thing with James sometime tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get him to ask Lily to the ball by tomorrow evening, does that sound right?� Sirius asked me.

I quickly regained my composure. “Yeah, that sounds good.�

It was silent for a minute, and then Sirius spoke again. His tone had changed dramatically from the excitement of before. Now it was softer, almost timid. “So… Amelia… I was thinking…�

“Yeah?� I asked, glancing sideways at him. We were now sitting side by side on top of the teacher’s desk.

“…I was wondering, since my best friend will be going to the ball with one of your best friends… maybe we could go to the ball together. Just as friends, I mean,� he added hastily, his face turning a pale shade of red.

I was speechless. He sounded so shy, so sincere… was he really asking me out? He said he was asking me to go as friends, but somewhere sort of knew he said that so it wouldn’t be quite so awkward.

Sirius must have been startled by my silence. “So… um, do you want to go?� He was staring determinedly at his feet and he looked so adorable that I knew I couldn’t say no even if I wanted to.

“I’d love to go to the ball with you, as friends.� I smiled. I added the “as friends� for the same reason, to make it less awkward.

Sirius’s face broke into a smile even larger than it was when I told him the news about Lily’s confession. “Great!� he said enthusiastically, jumping to his feet. “Well, since we’re going together, as friends, do I have permission to hold your hand?�

Upon my first impression of Sirius on the Hogwarts Express, I would have never guessed that he could act in such a gentlemanlike manner.

“You don’t have to ask, Sirius,� I said softly, looking straight into his eyes.

Sirius held out his palm, his midnight eyes twinkling. “I know.�

As I reached out and laid my palm in his, my promises not to get emotionally attached flew completely out the window. We spent the rest of the evening wandering the corridors of Hogwarts in simple conversation. I knew then, that this evening would probably be one I would remember forever.

Sirius and I had been SO convinced that the final phase of our plan would work out beautifully. Too bad that it didn’t. James, it turned out, was much more stubborn than I thought.

First, Sirius tried telling him flat out that Lily fancied him and wanted him to ask her to the ball.

“Are you serious?� James exclaimed at the news, but his face soon fell. “Wait… is this a joke? Sirius, this really isn’t funny. You know how I feel about Lily, it’s really not amusing to joke about something like this.� He turned and stormed away.

Maybe Sirius had been too abrupt with this announcement, because James had given his best friend the cold shoulder the rest of the day, which was something almost completely unheard of. Our second attempt included me giving my first-hand account of my conversation with Lily by the lake, and he still wouldn’t listen.

“Amelia, you’re still pretty new here. Lily Evans has hated me since, well, since the beginning of Hogwarts, and there’s no way she could stop hating me. It’s just how it goes, I’ll always love her and she’ll always loathe me,� James had said firmly.

On our third attempt at talking to him, he told us the real reason why he’s been ignoring what we had told him. “She’s actually starting to be kind of nice to me, and I don’t want to ruin that by asking her out again. Lily will think I’m going back to my old ways and I don’t want to lose her trust!�

I could see his point here, but it was still extremely frustrating when your two best friends liked each other, but they were too stubborn to admit it.

“You know,� Sirius said to me later as we sat side by side in the nearly empty common room. “I think this means we need a new strategy.�

Sirius was right, but I had other matters on my mind at the moment. In true Hogwarts fashion, while the two of us were busily plotting the love lives of our two best friends, the rest of the school was abuzz with gossip. Although I had only told the other girls in my dorm that Sirius and I are going to the ball together (as friends, of course), the news somehow managed to leak out. The next few days were spent under the admiring eyes of Sirius’s admirers and the evil gaze of Hollie. It was awkward, to say the least, to have almost every girl want to be you. Nobody ever took much notice of me at Beauxbatons, so this was like a page from another girl’s life.

“How did you do it?� a third year Hufflepuff asked after cornering me in the library one evening. “I heard that you cooked up some illegal love potion!�

I laughed at the silliness of this idea. “Who in Merlin’s name told you that?�

“This really pretty Ravenclaw seventh year. She was telling everyone in the Charms corridor yesterday that Sirius Black would never really ‘fall for a plain thing like you’ and so you obviously bewitched him.�

So it’s been Hollie starting all the rumors. “Well, do you believe them?�

The girl shrugged. “Not really. I think that she’s just trying to get attention.�

“Good, because whatever Hollie is saying about me isn’t true,� I told her, pleased to find that she didn’t actually believe the ridiculous rumor.

Perhaps I’m just not used to being the subject of gossip, but the amount of strange and sick tales seemed to grow steadily worse as October 31st grew nearer. Hollie must have been desperate; she hadn’t gotten a date yet, and wanted to steal some limelight. I don’t mind though, people can talk all they want.

The Saturday before the Halloween Ball was the first Hogsmeade trip of the year, conveniently timed so that we could buy our dresses.

“This is the day I’ve been waiting for!� Micky shouted in glee as we trooped down the dirt path to the village. “Since I couldn’t afford material to make my own dress, we can have some good quality shopping! But first, we’re—“

“Meeting the guys in The Three Broomsticks to discuss plans,� Leah finished firmly.

Micky rolled her eyes. “All right, but after that we’re going to Sylvia’s Spellwork to buy our gowns. I’d give us at least two hours there…�

“Hold on, did you just say at least two hours?� Lily exclaimed. “Micky, how long does it take to pick out a dress?�

“They’re gowns, Lily, not dresses,� Micky corrected, “and great things take time. We need to find the perfect dresses so that when our dates see us…�

Leah put her hand up. “We get the picture. Just a question though, once we finish, are we free to do whatever we want?�

Micky nodded, “Yep.�

“Leah, what are you planning on doing later?� I asked.

Leah shrugged. “I don’t really know for sure, but I was thinking of seeing if Remus wanted to find somewhere to sit and talk.�

“Talk? Leah, you’re so boring!� Haylie scoffed. “I think that Amos and I are meeting in the Quidditch shop, and after that I’m sure we can find things to do.� She giggled to herself.

“Troy and I are doing something similar,� Micky’s brown eyes glinted mischievously, “but we’re meeting in this cozy little tea shop near the end of the street. It’s fairly new, I think it was put in during fourth year, but I’ve never been in there. I’ve talked to some other students though, and I hear it’s really romantic.�

“Amelia and Lily, where are you guys going?� Leah asked, ignoring the glazed look that had covered Micky’s face.

“I dunno… I was thinking that maybe Lily and I could hang out with the guys,� I said. “I mean, Peter didn’t come because he has a tutoring session with Slughorn, so it would be just James and Sirius, but that would be nice with just the four of us…�

“Oh, so you’re hanging out with Sirius!� Haylie squealed, emphasizing the last word.

“Haylie!� I said warningly.

“Come on, Amelia, you two so like each other! You ARE going to the ball with him,� Haylie replied.

“Haylie, they’re going as friends,� Lily reminded Haylie for what seemed like the fiftieth time that day.

Haylie shook her head in mock shame. “Keep telling yourselves that, it’s not going to get you anywhere. Amelia, whether you like it or not, you and Sirius are a couple now.�

I rolled my eyes, feeling my stomach flutter slightly. For some reason, this didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. It actually made me feel kind of good about myself.

Haylie and Micky chattered to themselves as we walked through the large iron gates of the school. I remained silent, too wrapped up in my own thoughts to notice as we slowly made our way into the small postcard-worthy village.

The village of Hogsmeade was like something pulled straight from a Muggle fairytale. On the main street, there was cute little shops and on the lesser ones were adorable little shops with pretty shutters on the windows. Of the entire village, High Street seemed to be the main attraction. Students milled in and out of the shops as they went along their business.

“Look!� Micky cried, pointing to a large pink sign above a door. “There’s Sylvia’s Spellwork!�

“And there’s Honeydukes!� Haylie exclaimed. “I’ll have to get Amos to take me there as well!�

We pushed through the small crowds, passing numerous bookshops, apothecaries, a store that specialized in parchment, quills, and ink, a very large Quidditch supply store and a few secondhand shops.

“There’s The Three Broomsticks,� Lily pointed out as we came to a stop in front of a merry looking pub. “Let’s go in, the Marauders are probably already waiting.�

Upon entering the crowded building, we immediately spotted three of the Marauders seated in a corner booth. A woman I assumed to be the barmaid, a tall curvy woman with sparkly turquoise heels, was scribbling down orders while laughing heartily.

We approached the table as James noticed us. “Hey there ladies, thanks for finally showing up!� he joked as we filed into the booth.

I squeezed in next to Sirius with Haylie and Micky next to me, while Lily got stuck across the table between James and Remus. The barmaid smiled widely at us while twirling a strand of her bouncy honey-blonde hair in one of her fingers.

“Why, I was starting to wonder when I’d see you girls and blokes all hanging around together,� she said, pausing to inspect me, “but I don’t know your face…�

“Um, I’m Amelia Jordan, one of the transfers.� I smiled shyly.

She returned the grin warmly and extended her arm across the table. “I’m Madam Rosemerta, welcome to The Three Broomsticks.�

I shook her hand and muttered, “Thanks.�

We ordered butterbeers for everyone and Madam Rosmerta left, leaving us on our own.

“OK, so what were you girls planning on doing first?� Remus asked.

Lily sighed heavily. “Well, Remus, Micky here insists on spending two hours at the new dress shop across the street…�

James snorted into his butterbeer that he had been drinking, causing Lily to shoot him a questioning glance. “Two hours to buy dresses? Micky, I’m thinking it’s about time to take that little trip to St. Mungo’s that we’ve been joking about for years…�

Micky glared at him. “First of all, James, they’re GOWNS, not dresses, and yes, we do need at least two hours. You want us girls to look wonderful for the ball on Friday, right? That means that we need plenty of time to pick everything out. Plus, besides the gown, we need to get shoes, jewelry, makeup…�

James cut her off. “OK, Micky, that’s quite enough information.�

I turned to Sirius and said quietly, “I highly doubt that it’ll take that long.� He grinned at me, causing my heart to flutter a bit.

“Ok, so well then, what is everyone doing after we buy dresses?� Leah asked.

“They’re gowns,� Micky mumbled to herself, but she was completely ignored.

“Micky and Haylie already have plans for later on, but maybe the rest of us could all hang out somewhere,� I suggested.

“How about meeting at the Shrieking Shack?� Lily suggested. “Amelia, you’ve never seen it, it’s really cool, and there’s never anyone over there. It would probably be just us.�

Leah nudged Remus, who was looking slightly uncomfortable. “Remus, do you maybe want to go do something, just the two of us, after the dress shopping?�

He smiled widely at her, suddenly looking less pale and sickly than I had ever seen him. “I’d love to. Why don’t we meet back here at two o’clock?�

“Okay,� Leah nodded.

We talked amongst ourselves for a few minutes, and when we had all finished drinking our butterbeer, we got up and headed our separate ways.

Sylvia’s Spellwork was the perfect store for Micky. It had a pink and white plushy carpet and I could hear the latest music blaring from the wireless radio in the corner. We were greeted instantaneously by a smiling blonde witch in a pair of pale pink robes. She also wore a small pin that said, “Hi, I’m Angie and I’m here to assist you,� in bright ink.

“Hi, welcome to Sylvia’s Spellwork, how may I help you?� Angie asked with a wide, fake-looking grin on her face.

“Um…� Leah said, looking slightly intimidated by all the pink.

“We have several different departments for you to shop in,� Angie continued, completely ignoring Leah. “We have our everyday robes in front, dress robes to your left, and our specialty line of ball gowns in back. Also, we supply an extensive collection of materials to use with our wide variety of fashion books that include patterns and spells for making your own amazingly original robes! Any questions?�

Haylie blinked blankly at the lady for a few seconds and then grinned, “How long did it take for you to memorize that speech?� Angie’s wide grin momentarily faded as she shot Haylie a glare.

Micky elbowed Haylie before turning back to the annoying employee. “Thanks, but we’re just here for the ball gowns.�

Angie did a little head bob thing to Micky and resumed her smiling. “All right, they’re in the rear of the store, you can’t miss them. Just ask me if you need anything, and have fun, ladies!�

Thankful to ditch Angie, we scuttled to the back of the store. Despite the overall girlyness of the shop, the ball gown section was very well done. There were moving mannequins that posed in brightly colored dresses with old fashioned hats and gaudy jewelry. Row upon row of gowns hung on shelves that filled the entire area.

Determined to get out of there so Lily and I could meet James and Sirius, we began sifting through the gowns. The store featured a unique mirror system, so whenever we found a dress that might work, we would touch the glass surface of the handheld mirror and we would appear in it wearing the dress of choice. There were also larger versions of these mounted on the walls that had little words popping up in the corners like “too tight� and “just right�. Overall, the mirrors really helped, but as we narrowed our choices down to a few dresses, we needed to try them on in the dressing rooms.

We spent the next twenty or so minutes sorting through the racks of gowns. Other Hogwarts students came and went as we shopped, all searching for the perfect dress. I tried out some blue gowns and then some red, but I later decided on a forest green one. It wasn’t too long after that when Lily selected a beautiful ivory dress and we were ready to go.

After paying Angie for our purchases, we made our way back out onto the street.

“I’m so glad we’re out of there!� Lily said as she took a large gulp of the fresh air. I silently agreed, glancing down at the bright pink bag in my hands and wondered what Sirius would say if he saw me carrying it.

“Say, Amelia, we still have a long time until we need to meet Sirius and James at the Shrieking Shack… can we run these bags up to the common room? I really don’t want to carry these things around,� Lily suggested, glancing down at the bag in her hands.

It sounded like a great idea to me; this way I’d never have to face Sirius while holding something pink. “Yeah, I’m sure we’ll get back in time.�

Lily and I hurried back through the crowd and dashed up to the path to the castle. It soon turned into an all-out race between us, laughing merrily when we needed to stop for a breath before taking off again. Naturally, due to Quidditch practice three nights a week, I was the first to reach the front doors to the school.

We walked at a brisk pace up all the staircases and down corridors, until we came to the Fat Lady. After quickly dispensing our purchases on our beds in the dormitory, Lily and I walked back to Hogsmeade.

“So, Amelia… what’s your plan for when we’re with James and Sirius?� Lily asked casually as we strolled back down to the village.

I cast her a sideways glance. “What do you mean?�

“Well, you hang out with them all the time, but I don’t really know how to act around them. What will I do? What will I say? Lily’s eyes were filled with worry.

I couldn’t help but smile at her. “Lily, just be yourself! Be the sweet, fun, amazing Lily that you are every day.�

Lily grinned at me meekly. “Amelia, you exaggerate too much.�

“Just telling the truth,� I replied as we entered the village again. “You’ll be fine.�

At the end of High Street, we turned onto a smaller, more worn down path. After a few more minutes of walking, the road ended and I found myself gazing at the old pathetic building that lie before me.

The Shrieking Shack was everything a haunted house should be. Its shingles were falling off, it’s siding faded, and the windows and doors were all boarded up. If you looked really closely, you could even see bats nesting in the cracks between the planks of wood.

Surprisingly enough, Sirius and James were already there, sitting comfortably on the front step. “Where are they anyways?� James asked Sirius, his head ruffling his hair absentmindedly. “They were supposed to be here ten minutes ago.�

Sirius yawned ant stretched. “They’re girls, Prongs, they run on their own schedule.�

“Hey!� I shouted at him. “That‘s not true!�

Sirius and James’s heads shot up and Sirius’s face broke into a grin. “Speak of the devil! Took you long enough!�

“I thought it didn’t take two hours to buy dresses?� James joked, grinning at Lily.

Her green eyes narrowed. “For your information, it took about a half an hour to buy dresses, but we ran our bags back up to the castle.� Her tone was hard, but not as icy as it usually was when she was speaking to James.

James looked a bit affronted, and then smiled, raising his hands in defeat. “Ev-Lily,� he corrected himself. Lily’s expression softened. “I was just teasing you.�

Lily’s face turned slightly pink, she must have realized what she had said. “Oh… sorry.� She gave him an apologetic grin. “I guess old habits die hard.�

Sirius must have decided that he didn’t like where this conversation was going, because he interrupted, talking a little too loudly. “Why the hell would you go all that way to put away some bags?�

I glared at him, but Lily simply smiled her charming Lily-smile and stated, “They were pink,� as if that explained everything.

Both boys laughed. “That explains a lot,� James said.

Now that the awkwardness of the first greeting was over, things seemed to go very well. We sat there and talked for what seemed like ages, Sirius or James would crack a joke every so often, which would send Lily and I into fits of laughter.

After awhile though, we began to get tired of simply sitting there, so we got up and headed back up the path to the village. We walked two by two, Sirius and I in the front holding hands, which is something we have been doing quite a bit since agreeing to go to the ball together. Lily and James brought up the rear; they talked and laughed like they had been friends forever. I had never seen Lily smile this much in the entire time I had known her. Her face simply glowed, and I had never seen James so completely at ease.

I was so happy for the two of them, and as we wandered our way through the quieter streets of Hogsmeade and back up to the castle, I began wondering if James was going to ask Lily the special question some time soon.

As we reached the Gryffindor common room and parted ways, the guys to their spot by the fireplace and Lily and I to our dormitory, I realized that he wasn’t going to ask her any time soon. Sadly, there was only one week left until the ball!

We made our way back up the stairs and the second we entered our empty room, Lily turned on me. “Amelia, what happened back there?� She sounded infuriated.

“Wha-what do you mean?� I stumbled. Why on earth was she suddenly so angry?

“We were getting along wonderfully, which is a first, and it was so nice! You were totally right about him, he’s such a great guy, and I was sure that he’d ask me to the ball! But then he didn’t!�

“Lily!� I tried, but she cut me off.

“How thick is he? I mean, you flat out told him that I fancied him, didn’t you?� I nodded. “Well, then, I don’t see what the problem is! I fancy him, he fancies me, so why won’t he just pluck up the courage and ask away?�

“Lily, I think I know why he hasn’t asked you yet,� I said quietly.

“You do?� Lily cried, “please tell me so we can straighten this whole thing out!� She pulled me to her bed and pushed me so I was sitting. “Spill.�

I took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to like hearing this. “Well, James said that he isn’t going to ask you because he doesn’t want to risk your new friendship.�

Lily’s mouth fell open. “Is that it? But… that’s so stupid!�

I nodded. “I know, but nothing Sirius or I said would change his mind. We were kind of counting on today for him to ask you.�

“Well then,� Lily’s face was determined, “you know what they say, ‘if you want something done you just have to do it yourself’.� She got to her feet.

“Wait… what?� I asked.

“Since that idiot Potter is too… too… stupid to ask me himself, I guess I’m just going to have to ask him,� was her reply and then she was gone down the stairs.

I followed her, briefly catching a glimpse of her red hair as she whipped down the staircase and into the common room. After glancing around, my eyes lay on a single figure by the fireplace: Sirius.

“Sirius!� Lily shouted, gaining the attention of several first years. “Where is James?�

“He… uh… went down early to dinner,� Sirius replied lamely. I knew instantly that he was lying.

“Ok, thanks.� Lily must not have noticed the obvious fib, for she was gone from the common room in the blink of an eye.

I grabbed Sirius’s arm and dragged him after Lily. “Come on, you don’t want to miss this.�

“Amelia—“

“Lily is going to ask James herself, she’s sick of him not taking the initiative,� I explained as we stepped into the corridor.

“Wait… what?� Sirius stopped. “That’s not a very good idea, Amelia, James is pretty upset right now. He went for a walk to clear his head, that’s why he’s not here with me.�

“Upset… how?� I asked, feeling completely lost.

Sirius sighed, leaning against the wall. “We heard shouting from the girl’s dormitory, it must have been Lily. You two were probably some of the only girls up there, so the sound carried better. James got it into his head that Lily was shouting about him and so he left.�

“Well yeah, she was shouting about him all right, but it was only venting. She’s frustrated that he hasn’t asked her out yet,� I said.

“That’s it?�

“Yeah.�

“James is under the impression that he had done or said something wrong. It’s good that she’s taking the initiative to do it herself.� Sirius paused, considering something, “but… James is known for making rash decisions when he’s depressed or angry. That’s how he gets into half his detentions, you see.�

“And is this one of those times when he could do something unexpected?�

Sirius nodded. “When it comes to Lily, everything he does is rash.�

“If he does something stupid, then he could completely jeopardize our whole plan to get them together,� I pointed out.

“Exactly.�

“So we need to find him!� I cried and set off at a brisk pace through the halls.

“Amelia, wait!� Sirius suddenly stopped. “I have an idea.� He pulled something out of his pocket and held it up to his face. It was a hand held mirror. He peered into it and said loudly, “James! James, are you there?� Sirius looked up at me. “No response. He must not have his mirror with him.�

“What is this?� I asked, gently removing the mirror from his hands and inspecting it.

“A two way mirror. James has the other one. We use it to communicate when we’re pulling pranks, or in different detentions.�

“Ah,� I handed it back to him. “Since it’s not working, why don’t we work our way down to the Great Hall? They’re bound to be there.�

Sirius agreed and we headed back down to the Hall. When we reached our destination, I noticed Lily sitting alone at the Gryffindor table. Her face was expressionless, but I could see a single tear sliding down the side of her cheek.

My face fell and next to me, Sirius had stiffened. “I need to find James,� was all he said before taking off in the opposite direction.

Just then, I heard a voice behind me say sweetly, “Why hello, Amelia! Fancy seeing you here!�

I turned and scowled at Hollie. “What are you up to?�

She smiled and laid her arm over my shoulders casually. “Amelia, Amelia, I have no idea what you’re talking about!� She laughed, which is a sure sign that she was indeed up to something.

“Your friend, she looks so sad.� Hollie commented, pointing to Lily. I nodded, my mind momentarily returning to wondering why Lily looked so upset. “What’s her name again? Daisy?�

“Lily,� I corrected. “Her name is Lily.�

Hollie shrugged. “Same thing. Lily, such a pretty name. I do wonder what is wrong with her.�

I pulled away from her tight grasp on my shoulders. Now I know that she’s up to something. “I know,� I agreed, deciding to play along.

Suddenly, Hollie grabbed my shoulder and spun me around to face her. I looked up into her lovely face, with her pale eyes and her long sheetlike hair, and wondered how someone so pretty could turn out to be such a nasty person.

“Amelia!� she shrieked excitedly, as if just noticing my presence. “You’re going to the Halloween Ball with Sirius Black, right?� By the tone of her voice, it would seem as though she’d just heard the news.

“Um… yeah… but you already knew that. You started all those nasty rumors about me,� I reminded her dryly.

“Oh, I know, but it’s okay now,� Hollie said reassuringly. “I just think that it’s funny how we went to Beauxbatons together, and now you’re going to the Ball with Sirius Black, because I’m going with his best friend, James Potter!�

My mouth fell open and I lost my ability to speak.

“You’re lying,� were the first words to spring from my mouth.

Hollie shook her head and grinned, “Afraid not. He asked me before dinner tonight.�

Sirius’s voice echoed through my mind. “James is known for making rash decisions when he is depressed or angry.�

Rash, he said? Rash is an understatement! I was suddenly extremely angry. How dare James do this to Lily? To add to that, it’s just like Hollie to completely go along with it. I could tell she had been waiting to hurt me, and this was her chance. The only catch was this time she was hurting me through one of my best friends, through Lily.

“Hollie,� I said through clenched jaws as she beamed her lovely, triumphant smile, “You have no idea what kind of problems you have caused here.� Without planning, without thinking, I pulled my arm back and it shot into her face.

Hollie screamed and it took a moment for me to realize that I had hit her dead in the nose. I didn’t pause to take in the sight of the blood that was now erupting from her nose; I just turned on my heel and dashed out of the Great Hall. I had to find Sirius.

It didn’t take too long to find him, seeing as though he was in a loud argument with James near the library. I followed the sound of their voices, and there they were.

“James, you and Lily belong together,� Sirius was saying, “You should have seen her sitting in the Great Hall, she looked absolutely crushed!�

I marched up to them, immediately joining their conversation, “James Potter, what the hell were you thinking? Why did you even consider asking Hollie out when you’re in love with Lily?�

James stared at me. “How do you know about me asking Hollie?�

I let out a heavy sigh. “Let’s just say that Hollie Larson can’t resist a chance to gloat.� I couldn’t help, but grin when the image of Hollie and her bloody nose swam across my mind.

Sirius cast me a sideways glance. “Amelia, what did you do?�

I shrugged. “Nothing. I didn’t do anything.�

“Look you guys,� James said, “I know you’ve been trying to get Lily and I together. I mean, all those secret meetings with each other in the evening, it was kind of obvious that you were planning something. I’m really sorry that I screwed up your plans so much. Ever since third year, I thought I fancied Lily because she’s pretty and very well liked. I told myself, ‘James, it’s about time you got yourself a girlfriend’ so I looked at all the girls in the year and I picked her.� James sighed. “I pestered her and tried in vain to win her heart, but then this year, Amelia, you told me that I should be myself around her and so that’s what I did. That made me realize how big of a prat I was. I thought I knew Lily, but I was completely wrong. After all these years of nearly stalking her the most I knew was what that she was Muggleborn and still extremely smart. As I’ve gotten to know the real Lily this year, I’ve been realizing how wonderful she is. Not only is she beautiful, but also she’s also nice and funny and when I found out that she fancied me… I just couldn’t believe it! To tell the honest truth, I was scared. I didn’t want to mess up this new friendship, so I freaked and asked the first girl I ran into, which was Hollie. How was I supposed to know that Lily was coming down the stairs behind me at that exact moment to ask me out? Now because of my own stupidity, it’s all ruined. Now everyone knows how screwed up I really am.�

Sirius smiled grimly and put his arm around his best mate’s shoulders. “You’re not screwed up, Prongs. You just have… relationship issues.� James smiled gratefully at his friend.

“Look on the bright side,� I piped in, “if you go back to the Great Hall right now, I’m sure that you could just tell Hollie that it was a mistake and ask out Lily instead.�

James shook his head. “I could never do that. I told her I’d go with her, and however ‘relationshiply challenged’ I am, I can’t go back on my word.�

“Yeah, but it’s Hollie!� I pressed. “She’ll sob for awhile and bounce right back by hitting on the next attractive bloke who comes along.�

James looked at me like I knew nothing. “I’ll think about it.�

The three of us trudged to the Great Hall for supper. I dreaded the moment when Lily would look up from her silent vigil and see James, but she was no longer seated at the Gryffindor table. Assuming that she had finished eating and returned to the common room, I settled down with my two friends.

It wasn’t long before Micky and Haylie joined us. They were giggling to each other as they plopped down across from us.

“What are you laughing about?� I questioned, eyeing them suspiciously.

“You mean you haven’t heard?� Haylie asked, looking shocked. I shook my head and Micky looked scandalized.

Sirius’s eyes narrowed. “What is going on, you two?�

“Fine, I guess I’ll have to tell you,� Micky said and immediately launched into her tale. “Lily got into a fight… with Hollie Larson, the Ravenclaw transfer.�

My mouth fell open, and James’s face turned pale. “What?� he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Haylie nodded, “We were on our way down here and we saw it all.�

“They were standing in the corridor just above the Entrance Hall when we arrived. Lily seemed calm and cool, she knows how to keep her head in a fight, but Hollie was shrieking her head off,� Micky explained.

“Why?� I asked, “Why would Hollie be screaming at Lily?�

“Apparently Lily got one of her friends to do her dirty work. What that is, we have no idea,� Haylie said.

My stomach dropped. They may not know what Hollie was talking about, but I did. Hollie, in her anger against me for hitting her, went after Lily. After all, I did punch her because of what she did to my redheaded friend. It was the perfect excuse.

“But in the process of this ‘dirty work’ Hollie got punched in the face,� Micky added, “you should have seen her face… her nose looked broken for sure.�

Sirius’s head immediately whipped around to glare at me. “Is that what you were grinning to yourself about before? Because you punched Hollie?�

An excited shout came from Haylie as she slammed her fist down on the table. “You mean you’re the one who hit her, Amelia? That’s brilliant! Way to go!�

James sighed heavily and laid his head on the table in frustration. “Amelia, what the hell were you thinking?�

I glared at him. “Hey, I was defending Lily. Plus, you didn’t hear the way Hollie was talking about it. ‘Aww, your friend looks so sad! I wonder what is wrong with her.’� I mimicked Hollie’s fake tone of sadness and then moved on to squealing happily, “’Hey, you’re going to the ball with Sirius! I’m going with James!’ You can’t blame me for hitting the girl after the way she played it out.�

Haylie was obviously bored of this and decided to keep the story flowing, “Anyways, Hollie was screaming about being hit by Amelia and Lily just ignored her. Lily then told Hollie that she shouldn’t be the one throwing the hissy fit; she won James, and stalked off. She probably went up to the common room.�

“Hollie obviously didn’t like that, because she followed Lily saying that Lily was just jealous. Lily turned back around and told Hollie that she had no reason to be jealous because Lily already had a date and then she left for good,� Micky finished. “I wonder what Lily was talking about though… last time I checked she didn’t have a date or anything. I don’t think anyone even asked her.�

I sighed. It was so cruel of Hollie to be picking on Lily. My mind burned in anger at the injustice of it all. Hollie finally gets what she has wanted since our first night here, a Marauder to ask her out, and so she has to parade around like she is the best, throwing it in the “loser’s� face. “Lily told me that she had been asked to the ball by several guys, but she was waiting for someone.� I cast a glance at James, who seemed to slump in his seat at my words. “She must have decided that it wasn’t worth the wait and said yes to someone.�

“Smart girl, that Lily,� Sirius commented with a tone of sadness in his voice. “Even in disappointment, she manages to keep her head high and not let it get to her.�

These words, obviously meant to comfort James, didn’t seem to do anything but make the situation worse. James got up from the table. “This is all my fault. Sorry guys, but I just need to be alone right now.�

Haylie and Micky, who didn’t have the slightest idea what was going on, gaped at his retreating figure.

“What’s with him?� Micky questioned, turning to Sirius and me.

I shrugged. “Probably just upset that Lily found someone else.�

“But he asked Hollie out… doesn’t that mean that he’s not into Lily anymore?� Haylie asked.

Sirius shook his head. “It’s complicated.�

James, Sirius, and I spent the rest of the meal in relative silence. I could tell that all our minds were on the same thing; we were all trying to sort through the varied events of the day. It started out in Hogsmeade with everything being wonderful and then the whole social world turning into a muddled mess. James was going to the ball with Hollie after all the planning Sirius and I did, and Lily is forced to go with someone else she probably doesn’t even care for.

Micky and Haylie, on the other hand, couldn’t stop chattering. It seemed as though the fight between Lily and Hollie was a major gossip point, and the two couldn’t stop dissecting every little detail about the situation.

Later that night, I sat on my bed in the dormitory, running the day’s events through my mind for what seemed like the millionth time. I knew that nothing more could be done about it, but Hollie’s triumphant face still loomed in the back of my mind. My heart ached for me to find a clever way to get her back for hurting my closest friend, but I knew that wasn’t the best option. Last time I tried that, Sirius and I ended up in a fight and I didn’t feel the joy of revenge I expected. No, there was nothing that could be done about Hollie Larson.

I heard a creak and the door slowly opened. Glancing over, I was relieved to find that it was Lily standing in the doorway. I motioned for her to join me, and she softly made her way over to my bed and plopped herself down.

“Some day, huh?� she asked, letting out a heavy sigh.

I nodded. “Yeah.�

“I suppose Micky and Haylie told you about the fight?�

“You know Micky and Haylie, always spreading around the latest gossip,� I said, “at least they haven’t told the whole school that I was the one to break Hollie’s nose, but I’m sure that one will get around eventually.�

Lily looked at me sharply. “That was you?�

“Yeah, I couldn’t help it. I’m sorry it caused you trouble and all, but she was being really rude. Typical Hollie, trying to gloat and show off all the time.� I smiled bitterly, wishing Hollie wasn’t so good at being nasty.

“It’s alright. At least I didn’t let her get to me during the argument, and I’m really fortunate to have accepted David Anders just minutes before, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have been as well off as I was,� Lily shrugged.

“So this David Anders is the one that you’re going to the ball with then?� I asked, wondering who this boy was.

Lily nodded, “Yes, he’s a sixth year Hufflepuff. I don’t really know him well, but he’s friends with Amos Diggory, who seems alright, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.�

“So he’s in Amos’s group of friends,� I mused, “which one is he?�

“The big curly blonde one,� was her reply.

“Oh yeah, I’ve seen him around. He looks alright,� I commented, remembering catching glimpses of the tall Hufflepuff in the hallways. He towered over everyone, and I just pictured Lily in her gown looking tiny compared to him.

Lily let out a grumble as she leaned back and lay on the bed, red hair streaming over the crimson blankets and green eyes scanning the ceiling. “This whole ball idea was stupid. When this is all over, I’m telling Professor Dumbledore never to have another one of these unless he can help it.�

I considered this, “People seem to be really into it though, I’m not sure they’d be too happy if you told him that.�

“Yeah, but these things create way too much drama. It’s better to avoid that stuff whenever possible,� Lily argued.

“Well, we are living in a school of confined magical teenagers. I think drama is inevitable.�

“All we need is a ball to bring it all to the surface,� Lily countered with a small grin on her face.

I giggled at how true this statement was, “Well, just one more week until it’s all over.�

Lily sighed wistfully, “One more week.�

Finally, the drama of finding dates for the ball was done and all that remained was to wait for Friday. The week couldn’t have passed any slower. Monday passed like usual, Tuesday plugged on by, Wednesday dragged a bit, and Thursday was so slow that it seemed time had decided to play a clever prank on us.

Friday dawned as all days do, and we couldn’t have been happier. The entire school buzzed with excitement. Girls gossiped in the halls about their dresses and the guys boasted about how attractive their dates were. Even the first and second years, who weren’t allowed to go to the ball, were bouncing with glee.

“Amelia, you need to tell me everything that happens!� Maggie squealed as I talked to her after breakfast on Friday. “I really wish I could go… but no one asked me.�

I laughed and ruffled her curls. “Of course they didn’t, silly; you’re only a second year.�

My sister smiled sheepishly. “Well you never know… someone might have asked me. Anyways, I really wish I could see you and Sirius all dressed up together. You’re really lucky to have him, he’s so handsome!�

Great, I thought, even my little sister is hopelessly in love with my date.

“You two will make such a great couple; you’ll be the belle of the ball just like in Cinderella!�

“What in Merlin’s name is Cinderella?� I questioned. “It sounds like a sneeze or something.�

Maggie shrugged. “My friend Tracey was telling me about it. Tracey’s a Muggleborn, you see, and so she sometimes likes to tell us old Muggle fairy tales. Cinderella was a girl who slaved for her evil stepmother and then her fairy godmother Transfigured a pumpkin into a coach so she could go to the ball and fall in love with her handsome prince!�

I laughed. “She Transfigured a pumpkin into a coach?�

“Yeah, but then at midnight the spell wore off and she had to run, leaving a glass slipper…�

“So this story is about a girl named after the fact that she’s a servant who rides a pumpkin to a dance wearing glass shoes?� I couldn’t help scoffing at the absurdity of it all.

“Yeah, Muggles think of really weird things,� Maggie said, “but anyway, you’re going to be just like the girl in Tracey’s story and you’ll be so pretty that everyone will envy you!�

“For one, I won’t be arriving in glass shoes, and I’m not too sure I’ll be the prettiest, but thanks for the compliment, Maggie,� I smiled down at her.

For a twelve-year-old, Maggie’s head was still in the clouds. I could just see her on her bed in the Ravenclaw dormitories with her friends, drinking in every single word of the crazy Muggle stories. Most wizards and witches probably find it silly, but I think it’s rather cute. All the tales of princesses in towers and dragon slaying Muggles has always fascinated my little sister, and they probably always will.

Maggie blushed. “You’re welcome.�

“So, are you younger kids just going to eat the feast in your common room?� I questioned.

She shook her head. “No, we’re all eating in a smaller hall and then having a party of our own up in the common room.�

It wasn’t long until Maggie and I had to part ways, and I headed to my first class.

Classes lasted almost the entire day, but we were let out at three o’clock so we could prepare for the ball. As soon as the bells rang out for class to be done, Haylie raced from the room and up to the common room. Lily and I stayed back for a few minutes to chat with Sirius, and by the time we got around to leaving, Leah had gone up to get ready as well.

Lily and I made our way up to the common room and plopped down at our table, where an angry Haylie was talking with an annoyed looking Leah.

“I really don’t see why we can’t go up there,� Haylie was saying. “I mean, the least she could do is let us put our bags away.�

“Who are you guys talking about?� Lily asked.

“Micky,� Leah said, her voice edgy. “She’s up to something in the dorm and won’t let anyone in.�

“Which is dumb because we need to get ready for the Ball!� Haylie exclaimed.

I sighed. Here we go again. “We need four hours to get ready?� I highly doubted that it would take that long; all we have to do is put on a dress. Micky claimed that we needed two hours to buy the dresses and it took Lily and I less than half that time.

By the look on Haylie’s face, you would have thought that I’d said something truly scandalous. “Well, first we need to put on the dresses, then we need to pick out our hairstyles. Micky bought this great book when we were at Sylvia’s last weekend with tons of hairstyles to pick from. After that, we need to do our hair, which could take awhile because one might not turn out right and we’d have to redo it. When that’s done, we have to apply makeup and jewelry. Finally, we make sure everything is perfect and go meet our dates, who shall sweep us off our feet for a night of dancing and fun!� By the time she finished her dramatic little speech, there was a wide grin on her small face.

Leah coughed, as if to keep from laughing.

“Haylie, you have definitely been hanging around Micky too much lately. All her fashion rants seem to have gone to your head,� Lily chuckled.

“I think I preferred her Quidditch speeches,� Leah commented dryly.

I laughed, but Haylie shot them both dirty looks. As she opened her mouth to reply, a loud voice came down from the girl’s dormitory.

“IT’S READY!� Micky announced proudly and loudly, catching everyone’s eye as she dashed down the stairs and sped to our table. “Come on, you guys, I’m finished!�

We gathered our things and followed a very excited Micky to the seventh year dormitory. The door creaked open and my mouth fell open. Micky had transformed the room into a replica of a beauty salon. She closed all the drapes to our beds and hung the ball gowns on them. Somehow, she had gotten rid of the usual set of drawers in which we keep our clothes and replaced it with a large mirror and beauty table with a huge salon chair. On the table lay jars and bottles of creams, lotions, gels, perfumes, and every other beauty product you could think of. In the corner of the room was a huge box filled with shoes, and Micky quickly ran to her bed and pulled out a large case filled with colorful jewelry.

“Micky… this is amazing!� Lily exclaimed.

“How long did it take you to do all this?� Leah asked, her azul eyes sweeping over the transformed room. I could tell that she was impressed.

Micky shrugged. “I’ve been planning this for weeks, and I started the minute you were all gone to class. I even skipped out on Divination to work on it.�

“Divination is your favorite, though!� I said.

“I know, but the professor probably knew that I was going to skip out on it anyways. After all, this is Divination we’re talking about,� Micky explained. “Plus, I didn’t do it completely alone. A few of the house elves from down in the kitchens were more than happy to help out.�

We were silent for a few minutes, and then Haylie couldn’t seem to handle it anymore. “What are we waiting for? Let’s get ready! I call the shower first!� she called, dashing to the bathroom.

“All right everyone, let’s get going then!� Micky shouted, and we all began scrambling about, grabbing dresses and shoes and jewelry.

I swear, if Micky doesn’t end up working in some sort of fashion department someday, I’ll be very surprised. The girl thrives on everything related to hair and clothes. She ran the “Dorm Salon� like it was her own playground, commenting on necklaces and shoes.

“Leah, I wouldn’t wear those heels if I were you,� she commented as Leah was matching a pair of sparkly silver shoes to her dress. “They’ll make you look taller than Remus. It’s never good to be taller than your date.�

The coolest thing about the whole salon thing of Micky’s was probably the hairstyle book she bought while shopping last weekend. Flipping through the pages, I was amazed at how many different ways there were to wear your hair. It wasn’t just a flimsy magazine size either; it was almost textbook worthy. The book was divided into sections based on how long of hair you had and subtopics determining the style like a bun or a braid. It has everything you can possibly think of, and it can be used for everyday occasions as well as formal ones.

It wasn’t long before everyone had showered and thrown on the gowns. We had all paged through Micky’s book and looked for the hairstyle we wanted and one by one we took our turns in the salon chair while Micky waved her wand above our heads, muttering things and causing our hair to fly about, putting itself in place. Next was the makeup, which Micky forced upon our faces. After a few sprays of perfume, it was all over.

Everyone looked absolutely lovely in their dresses. Micky’s look was by far the most exotic, with a scarlet gown that had lots of fluffs and frills to the skirt. She wore a large ruby pendent on her neck and matching earrings. Her thick, silky black hair was arranged in great curls that were pulled into a loose knot in the back of her head with chopsticks sticking out of them. She had applied more makeup than usual, using an excess of blush and eyeliner to accent her Asian features and make her look even more foreign.

Haylie was by far the cutest in the room. It was pale blue with a very poofy skirt, small one-inch straps to hold it up, and dark blue lace on every hem. Her necklace looked as if it was made of pale blue pearls, and her hair was transformed into a wild mess of curls.

Leah was the very definition of grace in her grey-blue gown. The sleeves hung loosely from her thin shoulders and the rest of the flowing material seemed to hang on her, making her tall form seem less plain and more like a model than usual. She had let down her hair from its usual tight bun, revealing the fact that it was almost waist length, and waved it slightly. Her long neck was adorned with a thin silver chain and long draping earrings clung to her ears

Lily was the most beautiful of us all. Her gown was the color of ivory. It barely clung to her shoulders and swept down to show off her neckline. The bodice ended in a small point, making her look very thin, and burst into a large skirt made of gauzy material. She wore a thin golden band on her head that looked like a tiara, pearl earrings, and a chain with a white lily pendant. Her blazing red hair was pulled into a half bun and it curled around her face. My friend looked so lovely that I was almost shocked when she didn’t sprout wings and fly into the heavens.

Then there was me. I didn’t think I was much in comparison to my friends, but Lily had been kind enough to assure me that I looked lovely. My dress was forest green velvet with slightly puffed out sleeves and a sweeping skirt. The material had golden stitching in it that formed the shape of elegant leaves around the bodice. It wasn’t anything too fancy, but I looked nice all the same. I wore simple emerald earrings with a matching necklace.

Finally, we were ready to go. The getting ready process had taken a good portion of the afternoon, and it was about six thirty by the time we finished. I guess I won’t be able to doubt Micky’s fashion sense after this.

My heart pounded as we made our way through the school. Danny gave me a large smile as we passed him with a fourth year girl I recognized as a Ravenclaw on his arm. It seemed to take forever, but we eventually did reach the Entrance Hall.

I paused at the top of the stairs, taking a deep breath. Lily slid her arm through mine, smiling nervously at me. I grinned back weakly and we cautiously descended the stairs. In no time at all we had reached the bottom and were swallowed instantly by the swirling mass of girls in gowns and boys in dress robes.

Micky found her date first and abandoned us to join him and his friends in the Great Hall. It wasn’t long before Haylie, her face flushed with excitement, located her crush Amos Diggory and scrambled off to meet him.

Leah, Lily, and I stood there craning our necks, trying our best to find our dates, when someone tapped Lily on the shoulder. It was a very tall Hufflepuff with dark blonde hair and kind brown eyes. He smiled tentatively at Lily and she did the same. I was the only one to notice that the grin didn’t reach her eyes.

“Hi David,� Lily said quietly.

“Hi Lily, um, do you want to go in?� David asked her, holding out his arm.

“Um… sure,� Lily replied, her voice unsure, “I’ll see you guys later.�

With that, she was lost to the swirling crowd. It was now only Leah and me. Since my companion was so tall, she could easily glance around over the heads of the crowd and it took only a few moments to locate Sirius and James, who stood by the edge of the staircase.

We took off in their direction, and my heart began to race. What would Sirius say when he saw me? Would he like how I looked? Again, I had to mentally slap myself to stop that train of thought. Sirius was my friend, a good friend, and nothing more. That’s what my brain told me, but I think my heart was pounding out a different message.

Anyway, when we reached Sirius, my eyes immediately took in his appearance. He was comfortably dressed in a pair of expensive-looking navy blue dress robes and looked slightly nervous. He kept going up on his tiptoes in an attempt to peer through the crowd.

When it came to nerves, however, James was by far the worst off. Dressed in a pair of simple black dress robes, both his hands were in his hair and he looked as if he had just flown through a gale on a broomstick. To make things worse, he paced back and forth in front of Sirius, stopping every once in awhile to glance awkwardly around.

Leah and I stepped out of the crowd, approaching them silently. Sirius spotted me first. His face lit up when his eyes met mine. His grey eyes took in my dress and then lingered on my face. In that moment, his face turned from nervous to happy. It made my insides squirm.

My date’s mouth formed a sort of dazed smile and while he openly stared at me, James came to a halt directly in front of him and waved a hand in front of his face. His hazel eyes followed Sirius’s line of vision that lead directly to me.

James sighed in relief. “There you are, Amelia! We were looking for you! Have you seen Lil—“

“Hollie?� I finished, tearing my eyes away from Sirius. “No, I haven’t, I’m sorry.�

James stared at me as if I were insane.

“Hey,� I began in defence, “she is your date, remember?�

His face fell and I felt a pang of sympathy for him. “Oh… right… I just wanted to see Lily before I looked for Hollie…�

Leah smiled sadly at him. “Lily already found her date. They went into the Great Hall a few minutes ago.� She paused, glancing around. “Where is Remus at? Did he have to go to the hospital wing? He looked rather ill this morning.�

James and Sirius exchanged a look. “I’m really sorry, Leah,� James began, looking like he meant it, “but I don’t think Remus will be able to make it tonight. He felt terrible about it, but he wasn’t feeling well this morning and something came up at home and he had to leave for the night.�

Leah tensed up and her face went blank. “Oh� was all she could manage at first. Then she burst out, “Is he all right? What’s wrong? Did he say when he’s coming back?�

Both James and Sirius looked extremely uncomfortable. “We don’t really know, Leah,� Sirius said, shifting awkwardly. “I’m really sorry.�

Leah stood a little straighter, her voice cracking. “Oh… well… since I don’t really have a date, there’s no reason for me to stay down here…� She turned to walk away, but I stopped her.

“Wait, Leah, you can’t leave!� I cried.

Leah looked at me, sadness in her azul eyes. “What’s the point of me staying?�

I sighed, “At least come back later, all right?�

She nodded. “We’ll see.�

As Leah disappeared into the crowd and as she did, an all too familiar French accent met my ears.

“Oh, Amelia, is that you?� cried Hollie, slinking to my side. “I almost didn’t recognize you! My, you do look so lovely!�

I sent her an annoyed look. “Please, Hollie, don’t do this to me tonight.�

Hollie Larson, to say the least, looked absolutely stunning. Her elegant sheet of blonde hair was twisted into a stylish knot and her pale blue, almost white, dress showed off her curvy figure.

“Do what, Amelia?� Hollie questioned and I knew all too well by her expression that she knew exactly what I was talking about.

Behind us, I could hear James and Sirius talking very quietly to each other.

“I feel so bad for Leah, she looked great tonight, and she finally wore her hair down for a change,� Sirius was saying.

“I know,� James agreed, “but I’m mostly worried about Remus. It’s never been this bad on the night before the… before the you know what.�

“I dunno, Prongs. I’m not really sure that we should worry about it. Moony can take care of himself, and he’s safe up in the dormitory. If anything goes wrong he can find us down here and we can take care of it.�

James must have realised that I was listening in and coughed loudly. Sirius looked up at us, and our eyes met. He was hiding something. I knew it immediately. They were both hiding something.

Before either of us could say anything, Hollie had taken action. “James!� she cried, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. “Oh James, you look so handsome!�

James patted her awkwardly on the back. “Uh… thanks, Hollie.� She let him go and he observed what she was wearing. “You look great too.�

She smiled smugly. “I know.�

“So… uh… should we go in then?� Sirius asked suddenly, grabbing hold of my arm and looking awfully uncomfortable.

“Fine by me,� I agreed.

As soon as we were out of earshot from James and his date, Sirius whispered in my ear, “Poor James, I don’t want to leave him alone with her, but I’m not sure if I can handle Hollie for the rest of the evening.�

Completely ignoring James and Hollie, we entered the Great Hall. At the sight of the freshly decorated room, my jaw dropped in awe. There was a small stage in the place of the teacher’s table and a band I recognized as Firesquad was warming up with an up-tempo number. In front of the stage, taking up the majority of the hall, was the dance floor, where several couples had already gotten started with the dancing. Sprinkled around the edges of the dancing arena were round tables of various sizes. The walls were decorated in orange and black drapes and large jack o’ lanterns floated peacefully through the air. A beautiful, starry sky twinkled down on us from the ceiling of the Great Hall.

Sirius led me through the crowds of people and we pushed our way inside.

“Now what?� I asked, having successfully made our way to the edge of the dance floor.

“ Well,� Sirius grinned mischievously at me, “isn’t dancing the reason to have a ball?�

I shrugged, “I guess so, but I never actually danced at any of the Beauxbatons balls…�

“Well then I guess I’ll just have to educate you on the subject,� Sirius laughed and grabbed my arm, dragging me into the group of dancers.

As we joined in with the crowd of people bobbing up and down to the music, Sirius instantly joined in. I gaped at him for a moment… he looked rather stupid…

Sirius must have noticed my discomfort, because he smiled widely at me, grabbed my hands in his, and started dancing again. It was kind of awkward at first, but then as I got less self conscious, I found that it was actually fun. The songs flew by and we kept on dancing, but after a half hour or so we were starting to get a little out of breath.

We exited the dance floor laughing. Sirius kept his hand on the small of my back as we pushed through the small crowds looking for a familiar face.

“Look, there’s Lily!� I grabbed Sirius’s hand and dragged him over to where Lily sat with her date.

“Hi, Amelia,� Lily said as we sat down next to her. She obviously hadn’t caught sight of Hollie with James yet, for she was as enthusiastic as ever.

“Hi, Lily,� Sirius greeted her. “Hey, David.�

David Anders nodded at Sirius, flashing him a friendly smile. “Hi there, Sirius.� He turned to me. “It’s Amelia, isn’t it?�

I nodded. “Yep, and you’re David, right?�

“The one and only,� he said with a laugh.

“Are you guys enjoying yourself?� Sirius asked them, although I knew his question was directed more at Lily than anyone.

“We’re having a great time,� David replied before Lily could even open her mouth. This caused her to look mildly annoyed, but she covered it up with a smile. “Lily here has organised a great party.�

Lily grinned at David. “It wasn’t all me… Remus helped a bunch too.�

“Speaking of Remus,� I said loudly, glancing over at Sirius, “have any of you seen him?�

David and Lily both shook their heads. Sirius looked uncomfortable. Silence ensued for a few minutes, and I noticed that Lily seemed to be staring into space. I followed her gaze and was not too surprised to see James and Hollie chatting with some of Hollie’s Ravenclaw friends at the edge of the dance floor.

The power of my friend’s eyes must have drawn his attention, for it wasn’t long before James glanced our way. At sight of Lily, his mouth fell open. He completely ignored Hollie and her friends and stared at his long time crush, who was now blushing slightly. Hollie soon caught onto this exchange and glared at James, who remained completely oblivious until she seized his arm and marched him away to the dance floor.

A few minutes later, we all decided to return to the dance floor and were swept up on a modernised version of an old fashioned waltz. Luckily for me, they had classes for this sort of thing at Beauxbatons and I went through the entire dance without stepping on Sirius’s toes even once.

Surprisingly enough, Sirius went the whole time without stepping on my toes either. He was a superb ballroom dancer, gliding and turning with such grace that caused onlookers to stare.

“How did you get so good at dancing?� I asked him as we twirled about the dance floor.

Sirius smiled sheepishly. “My mum used to force me and my little brother, Regulus, into dancing classes so we knew how to dance properly at her pure-blood only parties.�

I raised my eyebrows. I didn’t know that he had a younger brother. Suddenly, I felt extremely stupid. Here I was, acting like he was one of my best friends in the world, and I had never even asked him about his family. The tone of his voice in his one sentence about them didn’t make them seem too pleasant though. I made a mental note to talk to him about the topic later on.

The next series of dances were all traditional, but I didn’t get to dance every one with Sirius. I danced a few with James, who was constantly making glances over my shoulder at Lily who was seated alone at the table. Her date was dancing with an unknown girl who I assumed to be a fellow Hufflepuff. After taking a few more turns with Sirius, who was a far better dancer than James, I decided to ask Peter to dance with me. He blushed deeply and accepted, although this action caused me to gain several bruised toes in the process.

About an hour and a half into the party, we all seated ourselves to eat. The dancing was still going on of course, but we had danced all our energy away and needed a chance to gain it back.

Lily explained how to get food first. All we had to do was look at our plate and say what we wanted and it would appear. It was sort of how meals are usually served, except we got to choose. I was just about to ask Sirius what he was planning on eating, when I saw Leah, still looking beautiful in her silvery gown, approaching our table. She looked extremely depressed, and as she plopped down at the table with us, everyone exchanged looks.

“Leah, what’s wrong?� Lily was the first to ask the question that was on all of our lips.

Leah glanced up at Lily dimly. “Huh? Oh, I’m fine.�

I cocked my head, wondering what was wrong. Leah always carries herself with such poise, it’s not like her to throw herself in a chair and sulk. “Leah, did something happen?�

She shrugged. “Nothing really. I just went back to the common room to see if Remus was there after all, and I found him.�

“Well then why didn’t he come?� asked David, who was eying Leah strangely, as if he didn’t know what to make of the situation.

“He didn’t really seem to want to talk to me,� Leah explained, looking sad, “he just mumbled something about James being a day early on his calculations and he rushed out of the common room. He looked… scared.�

Next to me, Sirius tensed up. I looked at him, completely surprised to find that he had gone deathly pale.

“Sirius, are you ok?� I questioned, touching his arm.

Sirius turned to me and I knew that he was once again hiding something. “Amelia, I’m really sorry, but I don’t think I can stay any longer.� He turned to the rest of the table. “Everyone, I need to find James right away. Come on, Peter.�

Sirius and Peter scrambled up from the table and walked swiftly away. I hadn’t noticed it before because Sirius had been my main concern, but Peter had gotten really shaky when Leah explained about Remus. I figured it was just another Marauder secret, but if it caused them to get this worried, maybe it was best if we were all in on it.

Lily, however, seemed to know exactly what was going on. She turned on me and her green eyes were intense. “Amelia, we need to talk. We need to talk right now.�

“Um… all right…� I said as she stood and seized me by the arm, dragging me away and leaving Leah sitting alone with an awkward-looking David.

We headed out of the Great Hall and stopped in our tracks at sight of the Marauders minus Remus. They were standing close together and seemed to be discussing something. To my surprise, though, Lily, with me in her tracks, marched straight up to them.

“Do you think he already headed out then?� James asked.

“What if he transformed already!� Peter exclaimed.

Lily coughed loudly and they all simultaneously glanced up at us. I could that James was having troubles breathing in that first few moments, whether from the sight of Lily up close in her beautiful dress or from the stress of a moment, I couldn’t figure out. Peter looked genuinely worried, and Sirius looked angry.

“Um… hi,� were all the words that James could manage.

Lily’s hard expression softened for a moment, but then grew steely once more. “I know what this is about, so don’t pretend you’re not up to something.�

Sirius’s mouth fell open. “Um, Lily, I have no idea what you’re talking about. You see, we just needed to have a quick talk and…� His obvious lie was silenced instantly from one of Lily’s infamous glares.

From the way they were all acting, the four of them were all in on something. It looked as if Lily wasn’t supposed to know though, and she was not happy about the situation at all.

“Look, let’s not beat around the bush here,� she said firmly. “I know what Remus is. I’ve known for years.�

“Remus… what?� I asked, feeling completely oblivious.

“You know?� James’s voice was loud and filled with a trace of fear. “But… how could you know? We didn’t tell anyone!�

“You may not have told anyone, but I’m not stupid, James. I’m friends with Remus too, and if you think I had never noticed how often Remus is out sick and the particular event that occurs every time, then you’re almost as dim as my date,� Lily continued. “I figured it out ages ago, but since I never actually talked to any of you until this year, I never said anything.�

“How long have you known?� Sirius asked, still looking angry.

“Since fourth year,� Lily replied curtly.

I was starting to feel extremely lost. “Um… guys, could someone please explain to me what is going on here?�

Sirius turned his gaze to me, his face looking softer. “I don’t know, Amelia… I don’t really feel it’s my place to tell you.�

“Plus, we really need to get going before we’re too late. We’ve been standing around long enough already,� James said, tearing his eyes off Lily.

“Tell you what,� Lily began, “you guys go do whatever you do on the full moon and I’ll fill Amelia in.�

Peter, James, and Sirius exchanged a look. “That sounds like a good plan,� James said.

“Well… we need to go now,� Sirius said awkwardly.

I nodded. “See you later.�

The three of them nodded and with a small chorus of goodbyes, they were gone. Lily then led me back into the Great Hall where the ball was still going on. I could see Haylie slow dancing with Amos Diggory and looking like Christmas had come early. My heart twisted annoyingly as I realised that I had never gotten to slow dance with Sirius. I pushed the annoyance aside, telling myself that he was just a friend and had other things to do. Lily and I seated ourselves in the corner of the hall.

“All right Lily, I want to know what’s going on,� I said. “Where are the Marauders going? What happened to Remus? Why isn’t he here right now?�

Lily simply sat there for a moment, as if thinking it all over. “I don’t know the full truth myself, just assumptions and guesses I’ve made over the past few years, but I’ll tell you what I know. Back in first year, James and Sirius befriended Peter and then later Remus. At first, they never asked about the fact that Remus always looked sick and was frequently absent from classes. They weren’t the only ones to notice, we all wondered about it, but no one was dumb enough to ask. When they did, he just said that his mother often got sick and we left him alone about it. James and Sirius grew curious though, which is only natural, and I guess they must have done some research and looked into the matter. There was a period of time where the three other Marauders were obsessed with the library, which rather annoyed Leah. That was in either second, third, or fourth year, I can’t remember which. Then things returned to normal and the periods when Remus was gone, James, Peter, and Sirius would often miss classes because they slept in extra late and they always looked exhausted days after.� Lily paused. “This next part may seem surprising, but back in our first few years here I was good friends with Severus Snape.�

“You mean the greasy haired Slytherin that James and Sirius tease?� I burst out in surprise.

Lily nodded. “Yes, that would be him. As you can see even now, Sev and the Marauders never really got along well and after time, Snape too got rather curious as to where they went. He looked into things and one night followed them as they snuck out of the castle. Sirius had apparently told him something about where they went and in result he almost died. After this happened, Snape was convinced that his theory of what happened to Remus was correct. He tried to convince me it was true as well, but I ignored him. Later, after we parted ways, I looked into the thing myself and what happened tonight confirmed it.�

“What was this theory?� I asked, feeling the anticipation flowing over me. “Where did they go?�

Lily shrugged. “No one really knows where they go every month, but what I do know for sure is that Remus Lupin has lycanthropy.�

The word hit me and stung like shards of freezing ice. Remus was a werewolf… that explained everything. I suddenly felt extremely stupid for not putting the pieces together before now. All the health issues, the pale skin, bags under his eyes, the absences… putting them together made it all clear to me now.

My mind was exploding with questions. “Does Leah know about this?� was the first to escape my lips.

“I think she does. She’s way smarter than I am, so I’m sure that she pieced it together as well.�

I shook my head with disbelief. I felt like I was going to cry. Remus: good, quiet, and sweet Remus… a werewolf? It didn’t seem possible! Werewolves were vicious and cruel, which is the exact opposite of the kind young man I call my friend.

“Tonight is the full moon?� The words were a whisper.

Lily nodded gravely. “Unfortunately, in the excitement for the Ball, the Marauders read their star charts wrong.�

“They’re going out to find Remus, then… right?�

“I’m not sure what they do, but yes, I’m sure they’re going to go find him.�

I stared at the tablecloth of the table, my head whizzing. “Why would Dumbledore allow a werewolf to come to Hogwarts in the first place?�

“I don’t know,� Lily said. “Dumbledore has always had a strange knack of trusting people though. I’m sure he has his reasons.�

We were quiet for several moments. My mind was still buzzing at the reality of it all. As a child, Mum always told me to keep away from werewolves at all costs, but how could I abandon my friend? Remus isn’t at all how my parents told me werewolves were. I knew that I could never turn my back on my friend, but what would my parents say? A tiny part of me was telling me to run for it, to sever ties with Remus while I still could. The majority of my brain, however, was telling me that I could never forgive myself if I did just that.

It seemed perfectly natural to me that the Marauders would stay true to their friend, and so I chose then and there to do the same. A horrible thought then struck me. If James, Peter, and Sirius went out to help Remus… then they put themselves in danger of being bitten!

At this thought, I got up from the table immediately. Lily gaped at me in surprise.

“Amelia, what are you—“

“Lily, if the Marauders are going out there then they could be bitten!�

Lily stood. “Amelia, I know that. They’ve been doing this for years, I think they have a plan as to how they go about this.�

I shook my head, not wanting to listen to what she was saying. “I don’t care. What if Sirius is hurt? I’m going after them.� I turned on my heel and stalked out of the Great Hall, away from Lily.

I knew that what I was doing was by far one of the stupidest things I had ever done in my entire life, yet I found myself stalking away from Lily anyway. No one, not even her, could stop me from going out there.

I really had no clue why I was doing this. In fact, I had no plan, no idea of what I would do once I’d found them. The only thing in my mind was Sirius and I knew that I had to find him. However, the reasonable side that usually controls my actions was screaming at me to listen to Lily. After all, the Marauders have been doing this for years without any permanent damage. But my reckless side pushed reason into a corner and took over my mentality.

“Amelia, wait!� a voice from behind me shouted.

I turned, pausing slightly. It was Lily again. I ignored my friend and continued towards the large oak doors.

“Amelia, I’m coming with you!� Lily said seriously as she lifted the sweeping white skirts of her gown and sprinted towards me. How she did that without falling was beyond me.

“What?� I asked. “I thought you said it was too dangerous.�

My friend reached me and laid her hands on the large oak door, as if going to push it open. “Well, of course it’s dangerous, and frankly one of the stupidest ideas in the world, but if you’re going out there, there’s no way I’m going to let you do it alone.�

I couldn’t help, but smile at this. Even when fronted with the stupidest of ideas, she still managed to remain loyal. “Thanks, Lily,� I told her as she pushed the doors open and we stepped into the night.

The Hogwarts grounds were strangely silent as we tentatively made our way down the main path from the castle. It seemed as if everything was frozen in the silvery moonlight that illuminated the entire area. Even the Whomping Willow remained still. It was as if the world was taking a deep breath before something climactic occurred. I shivered slightly; we were still in our ball gowns, which weren’t the ideal clothing for this situation, but there was nothing we could do now.

“Something just doesn’t feel right,� Lily commented, narrowing her bright green eyes that reflected the moonlight.

I nodded. We had reached one of the beech trees that were sprinkled around the lake. “Maybe we should just stay under this tree until we catch sight of them,� I suggested as I pulled Lily into the shadow of the tree.

“All right, that sounds like a good plan,� Lily agreed, sounding relieved. “Staying here means we have a better chance of not getting ambushed by a werewolf.�

Minutes dragged on in silence. I don’t know how much time passed, but it seemed like an eternity. The only sounds were the ripples in the lake and our shaky breathing.

It was still deathly silent when I saw them. I wasn’t sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me or not, but it looked like they were emerging from a hole near the Whomping Willow. First was a large, shaggy shape that I assumed to be Remus, but he wasn’t at all the Remus I knew. As he stepped into the moonlight, I was filled with horror on actually seeing the beast that I have been warned against my entire life. He looked shaggy and fierce, just like in the textbooks, but something about him made him appear tamer, if that was possible.

The other three that emerged after him were a mystery. First out was a stag, proud and mighty. I heard Lily gasp in awe at the sight of it as it lifted its magnificent head to regard the moon with grace. She seized my arm and clung tightly to it. Next was a small animal; actually, it was riding on the stag’s back. I didn’t pay it much attention because my attention was instantly focused completely on the last and final animal.

The last of the animals captured my attention completely, although I didn’t have the slightest idea why. It was a great black dog, large and powerfully built, whose ink coloured fur gleamed in the moonlight. He was the most handsome dog I had ever seen in my entire life, and something about its powerful stride seemed familiar.

We watched as the four ran across the opposite side of the lake in awe. Lily’s full attention was held by the stag and mine by the dog. We stared at them as they frolicked in the moonlight for quite some time.

One of the strangest things about these animals was that around them, Remus didn’t act like a werewolf at all. Yes, he did walk like a wolf and all, and we knew that if he noticed us, he would attack, but he seemed almost tame under his companions’ influence.

It was only after the four disappeared into the Forbidden Forest that we spoke again.

“Amelia, I think we should go back to the castle.� Lily’s voice had a strange edge to it that I had never heard before.

I silently agreed. Something about the situation was telling me the same thing. We needed to get out of here. “Let’s go.�

We turned and crept back though the moonlight to the castle. Once safely inside, we could hear the music from the ball, but it was no longer the inviting sound it had been earlier that evening. We said nothing as we trooped up the staircase and made our way to Gryffindor Tower. The only people in the common room were a few clumps of the younger students, all of whom we easily avoided. Instead of settling down at our usual homework and hangout table, Lily and I made our way to the warm aura emitted by the fireplace and plopped in the Marauder’s signature seats, our fluffy skirts pooling around us.

I closed my eyes, letting the warmth sink in. I hadn’t realized how cold the outside air was until now. My head was completely spinning with the night’s events, but I did my best to shove them all back and relax. Lily, however, had jumped back up to her feet and was pacing in front of the fire.

“Lily,� I moaned, “stop it. You’re making the fire not as warm!�

I don’t know if she was trying to taunt me or not, but Lily stopped directly in front of me so I was completely cut off from the fire. “Going out there was completely pointless, you know. We learned and accomplished nothing.�

I shook my head in disagreement. “Are you kidding, Lily? We learned loads! It’s obvious that we don’t know how the guys communicate with Remus, but what about those animals?�

“What about them?�

“Lily, those weren’t normal animals! They’ve got to mean something!� I protested as she sat down again. “Just look at the grouping: a stag, a dog, what we think is some sort of mouse or rat, and a werewolf. Doesn’t that seem odd?�

Lily considered this. “True, it’s strange, but you have nothing to support your theory. They are probably just some random animals who hang out with him.�

I rolled my eyes. “Now you’re really starting to sound like Leah. Listen, I don’t know why, but I have this feeling that those animals and the Marauders are somehow linked!�

“How? How are they linked?� Lily demanded.

I opened my mouth to speak and then stopped myself. How could they be linked? I stopped and reviewed everything I knew about the four boys. It was then that the idea struck…

“Lily, what about their nicknames?� I asked.

She seemed to be taken aback by this seemingly random question. “What?�

“The Marauders all have those weird nicknames for each other. Nobody besides them knows what they mean. What are they again… Padfoot, Wormtail…�

“Prongs,� Lily added, “and Moony.�

“Yeah, those. Moony is Remus; could that be for the fact that he’s a… you know, and transforms on the full moon?�

Lily seemed intrigued by this, but she was doing her best not to show it. “Maybe…�

I ignored her and continued along with my train of thought. “Peter is… Peter is Wormtail; he could be the rodent… yes, or maybe a rat! Rats have tails that look like worms!�

“You know, Amelia, I think you might be on to something here,� Lily admitted. “Because James is Prongs, so he would be the stag because stags have prong like antlers.�

I nodded. “Yes, and Sirius is Padfoot the dog because dogs have pads on their feet! It all makes sense!�

There was a long pause. “I think we’ve figured it out, Amelia,� Lily said.

“They’re Animagi… didn’t you say that there was a time when they would practically live in the library?� I asked.

“Yeah, that’s probably what they were doing! Figuring out how to transform themselves into animals so they would be able to accompany Remus on the full moon.�

We sat in silence. Both our minds were focused on our suspicions and discoveries. My mind kept replaying the moment when the four creatures passed by. How could they have kept such a secret for so long?

It wasn’t long before the clock struck midnight and the Gryffindors began flooding the common room. I spotted my brother with his large group of friends. Their faces were flushed and they laughed as if they were the only ones in the world. From the looks of it, the Ball-goers were planning on continuing the party in the common room.

When we spotted Micky, Haylie, and Leah, Lily and I decided that it was about time to head up to the dormitory. We didn’t talk at all as we changed out of our ball gowns and into pajamas. I settled down in my bed, but I couldn’t sleep. Like before, my brain kept replaying the four animals running. After a few hours of restless tossing and turning, I gave up on the idea of sleep.

I slipped on a pair of robes over my pajamas and quietly crept down to the common room. It was empty, but to my surprise, the fire still crackled merrily in the fireplace. I noticed a book lying open on our usual table. After picking it up, I realised that it was Mickey’s book of dresses that she had the night the Ball was announced. That was back when she was planning on creating her own dress, but I guess she gave up on that idea.

I carried the book over to a couch near the fireplace and sat down. I paged through the book, eventually stopping on a section about different types of sleeves. It wasn’t the most entertaining thing in the world, but the dress book was something to keep my mind occupied. It wasn’t long, though, until the words began to blur on the page and I finally dozed off.

For the first time in weeks, I dreamed of Beauxbatons. I was creeping down one of the palace’s many elegant hallways, trying to be as quiet as I could. When I glanced around, I could hear hushed voices from one of the classrooms. Silently, I tiptoed over to the source of the noise and peered in. It was the salle d'hôpital, or the hospital room.

My eyes widened to see Henry Jetter, a student in my year, in one of the beds. His eyes were wide as he gazed blankly at the ceiling. A bit of drool dripped from his open mouth and his skin looked chalk white; he looked as if he had seen death.

Madame Maxime and Lady Rousseau, one of the teachers, were bent over him, speaking in hushed and urgent French. I could only understand half of what they were saying, they spoke so fast and so quietly, but from what I took in, he had been found in that state in the library.

My blood ran cold at the sight of it all. He was the third person to fall ill this month. I turned from the room in horror and sped away. That was when I woke up.

When I opened my eyes, the common room was bright from the sunshine that streamed in through the windows. After blinking a few times, last night’s events washed over me: the Ball, the Marauders’ departure, and our discovery of the truth. After sitting there for a few moments, I jumped off the couch, leaving the dress book behind, and went up to the dormitory.

Micky and Haylie had crashed in their beds, not even bothering to take off their gowns, and looking completely ridiculous. Leah slept peacefully in her bed, the hangings still closed, but Lily was awake in her bed. I joined her on it and we sat in silence for a while.

“What do you think we should do now?� I asked quietly, not wanting to wake any of the other girls.

“I don’t know,� she replied. “They’re probably dead asleep up in their dormitory. I doubt they’ll be down until this afternoon.�

“Maybe we should go wake them up,� I suggested.

“No, that’d just give them another reason to be mad at us.�

“Another reason?�

“Well, think about it,� Lily said reasonably. “They’ve been guarding this secret for years in fear of being figured out and now we’ve gotten the entire thing. I think that, plus waking them up, would make them more than a little ornery.�

“Well then, what should we do about it?� I didn’t want Sirius to be mad at me.

“We should wait until they wake up and then act like nothing happened at first. We’ll give them some time to bring it up themselves, and if all else fails, then we tell them ourselves,� Lily explained.

That morning was a slow one to say the least. After awhile, we trudged down to breakfast only to find that the majority of the school was still asleep. The morning was spent working on the various assignments and papers given to us by the professors. Leah soon joined us and after a quick lunch, we returned to our boring work.

Finally, Remus staggered into the common room from the portrait hole. This surprised me; I had figured that he would be in their dormitory. After thinking about it for a minute, it made sense that he would have spent the morning after a transformation in the Hospital Wing.

At the sight of him, Leah left us and went to talk to him. They talked quietly for a few minutes together and Leah gently reached out and took Remus’s pale hand in her own. They approached our table and both of them sat down.

It was quiet for a few moments as Lily and I simply watched Remus. He looked horrible, his skin was paler than usual and he had dark circles under his eyes. There was a large scratch on his forearm and he appeared to be completely exhausted.

“Um… hi,� he said quietly, almost awkwardly.

“Hi, Remus,� we chorused back.

“James and Sirius told me about last night,� he whispered, head downcast as if in shame, “I think that we need to talk. We should probably go up to my dormitory so we’re not overheard.�

Lily blinked in alarm. “Is that… allowed?�

Remus nodded unenthusiastically. “Yes, don’t worry. Girls can come in our dorms, but we aren’t allowed in yours. School rule.� He offered us a weak smile as he got up.

We followed him across the common room and up to the boy’s dormitory. I hadn’t ever been up those stairs before, but it wasn’t much different than the girl’s ones. We walked all the way up to the seventh years’ room, which was exactly the same as ours in general. The only difference was that it was a complete and total mess. Clothing and books littered the floor, bed sheets peeked sloppily out of the closed curtains of the beds, and the air reeked of socks and cologne. Three of the four beds had their hangings pulled closed and I could hear snores coming from one of them. The other Marauders were obviously still asleep.

My thoughts turned to Sirius, which caused me to blush deeply. He was sleeping behind one of these beds, but which one? Would he wake up when he heard us talking? No, my brain told me, of course he wouldn’t. He had a long night, longer than probably any I have ever known, and of course he will sleep almost the entire day away. I realized then that I was being stupid and told myself to stop thinking about Sirius. After all, it would probably lead to only more confusion on my part.

Remus led us to the only tidy bed in the room and we sat down on it. He stood in front of us and began pacing back and forth. He paused, looking over me, then Lily, and finally Leah. His eyes seemed to linger on her longer than any of us. With a deep breath, he began. “I know that you three aren’t stupid. Sirius told me… earlier that you had already figured out. In case you don’t know,� he glanced at me, “I’m a werewolf. I’ve been like this since I was a child… I understand if any of you don’t really want to be friends with me anymore, I really don’t blame you. I just wanted to tell you in person.�

The three of us were silent. Then Leah got up and took Remus by the hand and sat him down on the bed next to us. She kept her hand firmly in his.

He smiled gratefully at her and continued. “Every full moon I touch a special knot beneath the Whomping Willow which causes it to freeze. I go through a secret tunnel that leads out of Hogwarts to the Shrieking Shack.�

Lily’s mouth fell open. “So that’s where all the stories of haunting come from!�

“Yes, that was all me,� Remus said.

“But where do Sirius, James, and Peter come in?� I asked.

Remus hesitated, as if unsure if he wanted to share the rest with us. “They keep track of the full moon for me and sometimes make sure I get to the Shrieking Shack safely.�

Something in the way he said it told me that something big was missing from his answer. “You’re lying,� I accused.

Lily nodded. “We… that is, Amelia and I, spied on you last night.� Remus turned a shade paler, if that was possible. “We saw you as a werewolf run into the forest, but that wasn’t the only thing we saw.�

Remus’s eyes darted from face to face. A wave of guilt washed over me at what we had done. Why had we followed them? Why had I convinced myself that Sirius was in danger? It was no business of ours what they did, no business at all!

“I’m really sorry, Remus!� I burst out, “We shouldn’t have followed you, I know. We had no right—“

Remus cut me off. “No, it’s all right, Amelia. My only worry about that is if there’s people out on the grounds with me running free… the thought of what I could do to them…�

“It’s okay, Remus, it’s okay. No one was hurt,� Leah said encouragingly.

“Anyway,� Lily continued in a softer voice, “you were with three other animals: a stag, a dog, and what looked like some sort of rodent.�

“We thought about it a bunch,� I proceeded, still feeling guilty about my thoughtless invasion of their privacy, “and we’ve developed a theory behind the nicknames Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs.�

Remus closed his eyes in what seemed to be defeat. “I see that you figured out the whole truth then.�

Lily and I nodded, but Leah appeared to be slightly confused.

“Well, you obviously didn’t share your thoughts with Leah, so I guess I have to fill you in on the whole thing,� Remus continued, standing back up again and resuming his pacing. “James and Sirius noticed how I would leave once a month, just like almost everyone else in the school. Naturally, they put the pieces together almost immediately. They, along with Peter, who was especially concerned about how pale I always looked upon my return, spent the next few years figuring out how to become Animagi. It was in fifth year that they finally perfected it, and they have been coming with me on my monthly transformations ever since. At first we stayed in the Shrieking Shack, but under their influence I wasn’t as wild… I seemed tamer than normal werewolves. It wasn’t long before they convinced me to leave my hiding place and explore the grounds of Hogwarts. We would explore everywhere, areas by the lake, the path down to Hogsmeade, and the Forbidden Forest. Ever since then, I’ve worried about hurting someone, but under my friends’ influence, I’m a lot better. I don’t need to worry about harming students, even though I still sometimes do.�

“Wow,� Leah breathed, “they must really care for you.�

He searched her face with his eyes, as if looking for some sort of rejection or approval. “A guy couldn’t ask for truer friends.�

Unasked questions thickened the air between the two. Leah released a heavy sigh. “Remus, I still really like you, you know. In fact, I’ve known about your condition for months and my feelings haven’t changed a bit. I know that you probably feel guilty about asking me to the Ball and then having to back out, but it’s okay. I completely understand. I don’t care that you’re a werewolf, and it’s something we can work around. To me you are and will always be Remus Lupin, no matter what the full moon does to you.�

Remus couldn’t believe his ears and in a way, neither could Leah. Her face got really red, but she got to her feet and slipped her hands in his.

Lily and I exchanged a look that decided our presence was no longer needed. With one last glance towards the bed that I knew Sirius was in, I followed my red haired friend back to the common room, leaving Remus and Leah to sort through how they felt for each other in privacy. We settled back in with our homework, and it wasn’t long before Leah emerged from the stairs to the boy’s dormitory. She motioned for us to follow her, and follow we did.

Back up in the boy’s dormitory, the other Marauders were now awake. They sat, whispering to each other, on Remus’s bed. My heart did a flip-flop as I took in the sight of a freshly awoken Sirius Black. He wore a plain white t-shirt that showed off his strong chest and blue plaid pajama pants. His usually sleek black hair was all mussed up, looking kind of like how James’s usually did, and he was still squinting as if he had just opened his eyes a minute ago.

James was in nearly the same state and one glance at Lily told me that she had noticed all the things about him that I had seen in Sirius’s morning state. I smiled to myself, wondering who would make the first move in their case. They both liked each other immensely, but now that their opportunity of the Ball was gone, they would have to face each other without an excuse to get together.

Lily and I took seats on the bed next to Remus’s so we were facing the boys. I noticed that Peter was still practically asleep, but he was making an effort to wake up.

“Moony, what is this all about?� James asked, attempting to stifle a yawn.

Remus hesitated, but it was Lily who spoke up. “We know your secret.�

Sirius let his jaw drop slightly, but he made a recovery. “Well, we already knew that. You told us last night.�

I shook my head. “No, Sirius, we don’t know just Remus’s secret. We know your secret too.�

“What?� Peter asked, looking terrified.

“Our secret?� James echoed my words. “How… how much do you know?�

It was Remus who answered this time. “Everything. They know everything.�

“Everything as in…?� Sirius left his question open-ended, his grey eyes darting from Remus to Lily to me.

“As in that Remus is not only a werewolf, but that also the three of you are unregistered Animagi sort of everything.

“But how did you…� Peter trailed off.

“Leah and I have guessed about Remus for years,� Lily said patiently. “Sirius pretty much confirmed that to us last night. Then Amelia,� she shot a glance at me, and I blushed, once again feeling guilty for my stupid decision, “got all worried about you and decided to run onto the grounds. We didn’t know what you were at the time, but we saw your Animagus forms running into the forest. We then went back to the common room and pieced it all together, or rather, Amelia did.�

It was silent. We all simply stared at each other, Lily, Leah, and I on one side and the Marauders on the other. My eyes shifted from a nervous Peter to a slightly angry looking James and landed on Sirius, who was giving me a thoughtful look that made me feel as though he could see into my head. My heart twisted, once again feeling guilty for what I had done. I wanted so badly for him to reveal something in his expression, whether displeasure or happiness, I didn’t care, but he remained tantalizingly solemn.

Finally, James spoke. “You won’t tell anyone, will you?�

“I swear we won’t tell a soul,� Leah said seriously, causing Sirius to finally take his eyes away from my own.

“If you tell, we could get thrown out of school,� James said cautiously. He obviously didn’t trust Leah that much.

Lily shot him an annoyed look upon detecting the rudeness in his tone. “Do you think we would do that to you, James?�

He smiled grimly at her, running a hand through his already unruly hair. “You tell me, Lily.�

“Of course I wouldn’t. None of us would.� She smiled at him.

James grinned back at her. “Good.�

Suddenly, Peter piped in, “I’m kind of hungry, you guys. Could we go to the Great Hall and see if there’s anything to eat?�

We all laughed as Sirius clapped Peter on the back. “That’s a good idea, Wormtail, I’m pretty famished myself. Sadly, I don’t think that there’s anything in the Great Hall right now.�

“We could always go to the kitchens,� James suggested, “I’m sure the house elves would be able to fix us up something.�

I grinned. “I’m in.� I hadn’t been to see the Hogwarts kitchens yet.

Leah, however, rolled her eyes. “How typical. Everything is always about your stomachs…�

“Hey, we are growing boys,� Sirius protested with a wicked glint in his eye.

With James and Sirius in the lead, the seven of us flew down the stairs laughing. It was as if the world had gone wrong, but as always, had righted itself in the end. Leah, Lily, and I may have discovered the Marauders’ secret, but as the next week would show, it ended up bringing us closer.

My mind had been so preoccupied by the events of the first ever Halloween Ball that I had completely forgotten one of the most important days of the year, in my case: November tenth. Of course, at Beauxbatons, no one besides my siblings ever remembered my birthday. I didn’t expect to be any different at Hogwarts, but as the day drew nearer, I found myself wondering if I should tell someone. It would be nice to have something to look forward to. Despite this, I kept it to myself.

My eighteenth birthday came just like all the others and it wasn’t until the evening when I noticed anything peculiar happening. The first strange occurrence happened at Quidditch practice that night.

As usual, Haylie (the self-proclaimed assistant captain) lead us through our normal warm up exercises and as usual, James brought us into the locker room to discuss game tactics. The non-usual thing was that we were missing two out of our three Chasers: Sirius and Micky.

“James, where are the other Chasers?� I asked as we headed back out onto the field to run through drills and plays.

He cast me a sideways glance. “Sirius, uh, has a detention with Flitwick that he couldn’t miss and Micky gave some excuse about something…�

“Sirius never told me that he had detention,� I commented. I had seen him almost the entire day, so unless the detention was from another day that I had forgotten about, I wasn’t too sure that it existed. Plus, since when did James let people cut practice?

“Did I just hear you asking about Micky?� Haylie butted in. “She got a bad reading in her… um, tea leaves this morning in Divination and she said some sort of accident would happen if she came to practice, so she stayed behind to do homework.�

I stared at Haylie for a long moment, not saying anything. “You guys let her off of practice for something like that? Haylie, I thought you were serious about Quidditch!�

“She is,� James defended. “I didn’t want… anyone to be harmed if something did go wrong with Micky.�

“Wow,� I said. “I didn’t think that you believed in things like Divination.�

“You can never be too cautious,� was all James said in reply.

The flying portion of that practice went badly, to say the least. With two of our Chasers absent, it was difficult to get anything done. I spent half the time working with James on catches; he worked on throws at the same time. Haylie practiced catching the snitch, of course, and Maria and Donyal were practicing aiming bludgers at targets. None of us were very surprised when James ended practice early.

It was crazy how fast everyone dashed off after practice was ended. I had pulled off my practice robes and suddenly everyone was gone except for Donyal. It was very strange, because she instantly caught me in a very long-winded conversation about our upcoming match against Ravenclaw.

“Troy, Micky’s boyfriend, may be a good Beater, but the other one, Carlton Horst, I think it is, isn’t very good,� Donyal was saying. She seemed to be going through every position and sounded quite like Haylie.

I shrugged as I got up to leave. “Yeah, I guess. I saw them practicing the other day. Their Chasers looked really good.�

Donyal sprung to her feet as well, prancing to stand right in front of the door. “Oh, their Chasers are excellent! Almost better than ours! You need to be on your guard, Amelia; it’ll take a lot of skill to defend against them. Our Chasers may all be fairly good friends, which is a major asset, but the Ravenclaw ones are extremely well-coordinated. We’re going to have to be on top of our game if we want to win.�

Was it just me, or was Donyal trying to keep me from leaving? I wondered. I moved right to get around her, but she moved with me. “Excuse me, Donyal, I kind of need to get going…�

She grabbed my wrist. “Come on, Amelia, we haven’t even discussed their Keeper yet! Honestly, I would think that you would at least be interested in who is playing the same position as you…�

I pushed through her. “All right, but we can talk while we walk. I have homework to do.�

“Okay, so Haylie told me that his name is Shay Hollanich,� Donyal said, walking side by side with me.

“Shay? That’s a weird name.� I commented, feeling not very interested in the conversation.

Donyal shrugged. “I know. I think it might be short for something, but I’m really not sure. Anyways, he is supposedly really good. The Ravenclaws tend to like to have a good offence, but their Seeker usually up to par. Like I said before, their Chasing is excellent and their Keeping is very good, but their Beaters and Seekers aren’t the best in the world.�

We made our way up to the castle like this, Donyal rambling on about Quidditch and me patiently listening to her. She eventually moved on to other subjects, such as how annoying teachers can be sometimes. She prattled about Slughorn, Flitwick, McGonagall, and was getting around to talking about Professor Birky when I turned down the hallway towards Gryffindor Tower.

“Hey, Amelia, wait!� Donyal called, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me the opposite way. “We can’t go back to the common room yet! I haven’t even begun to tell you how much I love you!�

“Um…. Okay?� I asked, starting to feel a little creeped out by her strange behavior. Donyal was usually extremely laid back, friendly and cool, but in a smooth cool kind of way. She’s the kind of person who is cool with everything and doesn’t ask of much in return. Something funny was going on, because annoying and obnoxious was not the Donyal that I knew.

We marched down the hallway, her arm fastened on my own. Her grip was unusually strong, but I assumed that it was simply from being a Beater.

Suddenly, Donyal stopped dead in her tracks.

“Donyal, what is going on?� I demanded, pulling my arm free.

“Shh!� she put a finger to her lips.

“If this is a joke, it really isn’t funny!�

“Did you hear that?� my companion asked.

“Hear what?�

“Quick, in here! We need to hide!� Without another word, she pulled me inside the nearest classroom.

“Donyal! What the heck is going on—�?

I was cut off and caught completely off guard by what happened next. The walls to the seemingly random classroom were covered in scarlet and gold banners that read “Happy Birthday� in huge flashing letters.

“SURPRISE!� The cheer was almost deafening as about twenty people leapt from their hiding places, either behind chairs or under desks.

I squealed in alarm as someone’s arms latched around me. It was Micky. She was beaming and shouting, just like everyone else in the room. “Happy birthday, Amelia!� she sang happily.

I blinked in shock as she let me go. Everyone, all my friends, seemed to be there. There were my dorm mates: Lily, Haylie, Leah, Micky, the Marauders: Sirius, James, Peter, Remus, my Hufflepuff friend, Aly, and several other people I knew from around school were also present. I could see Danny and Maggie smiling out of the corner of my eye as well.

“Wh-what?� I stammered, recovering from my momentary speechlessness.

“You know, Amelia, we were getting kind of worried when you started asking about Micky and Sirius’s absence from practice,� James told me with a grin.

“You mean… they were here?� I asked, my mind still reeling from the fact that this was a surprise party for me.

“You bet we were,� Sirius said, giving me a one-armed birthday hug. “Micky and I were here the whole time, along with Lily and the others. Obviously some of the team had to stay back so it didn’t look too obvious, though.�

I laughed, finally starting to let what was happening sink in. There was a flash of brown curls and I felt another person grab my waist. Smiling widely, I gazed down at Maggie. She beamed up at me, her usually pale face flushed with excitement.

“Happy birthday!� she chimed.

“You know,� said Danny, joining the circle around me. “You’ve been officially of age for a year now. How does it feel?�

“Exactly the same as being seventeen,� I replied.

It turned out that Maggie was the one to let my birthday slip out to my friends. She had noticed that no one seemed to be saying anything to me over the past few days and knowing me, she knew I probably hadn’t told anyone. She had sought Lily out after dinner one night and told her.

I swear Lily is the best friend I can possible imagine having. She’s the one who alerted my other friends and it was Sirius’s idea for a surprise party. Lily had then arranged it, using her status as Head Girl to get permission to use the classroom, and invited everyone. The birthday banners were Micky’s contribution to the event.

I spent the next half an hour greeting everyone who had come. Maggie had brought her new best friend, Naomi, and the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team had shown up. Aly Hazen from Hufflepuff, my Transfiguration buddy, had brought a few of her friends, Anna and Cathy, as well.

“Now, Amelia,� said Lily, a big grin on her face, “it wouldn’t be a birthday party without cake, you know.� She grabbed my shoulders and steered me towards a large table that had been made up of desks pushed together and plopped me down at the head. Everyone else seated themselves, with Lily seated next to Maggie on my right and Sirius and James directly on my left.

There was a soft crack, the sound made when someone was Apparating, and I turned to see several house elves that now stood in the corner of the room. They tottered over to the table, balancing the cake as they went, and floated it so that it landed smoothly in front of me.

Lily beamed at the house elves. “Thank you so much! I’ll be sure to tell Professor Dumbledore how helpful you have been.�

The elves mumbled their thanks, bowing deeply before disappearing back to the kitchens.

I glanced around at all my friends, with the smiling faces. “Why did you guys go through all this trouble for me?�

“Amelia!� Sirius shouted. “Why wouldn’t we do this for you? You’re our friend!�

“Yes, and after all you’ve done for us, how could we not do something special for you?� Lily said, grinning sheepishly across the table at James. He smiled back nervously, ruffling his hair as he did so.

“The cake?� I pointed to the large pastry sitting in front of me. “You guys honestly didn’t have to make this for me.�

“We didn’t make it, the house elves did!� Danny said, as if pointing out something obvious.

“We just helped choose what kind of cake it was,� Maggie piped in.

“Speaking of cake,� James said loudly, coming back to his senses, “how about we dig into this beast? Or is it our plan to just sit here discuss how we came to create such a lovely party?�

Everyone laughed and Sirius got up to cut the cake. Micky sprung to her feet, stopping him. “Wait!� she cried. “We’re forgetting the most important thing!� With a wave of her wand, eighteen birthday candles appeared and settled themselves on the cake’s surface. “Make a wish!�

I beamed at her, and then at everyone. What did I need to wish for? I was having the time of my life, in mere months my world had turned completely upside down, and I was enjoying every minute of it. My friends were absolutely amazing and for the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged to a group that wasn’t my family.

Keeping this all in mind, I closed my eyes and blew. When I opened them, I was disappointed to find that all the candles but one were now burned out. I narrowed my eyes at it, mentally willing it to blow out on it’s own accord.

My lovely younger brother, however, saw the single burning candle and let out a loud cheer. “Amelia’s got one boyfriend!�

I raised my eyebrows at Danny. Every time it was someone’s birthday, he does this, even though I have told him time and time again that he needs to stop playing the childish game. Naturally, in brotherly fashion, Danny continues to ignore all my wishes.

As if this couldn’t be enough, Danny grins and winks at Sirius. “She’s all yours, mate!�

My face burned scarlet as I sat back down. Sirius simply laughed at Danny, saying, “Nah, she’s too good for a guy like me.�

My thoughts raced. Sure, Sirius and I went to the ball together and everything, but… boyfriend? Yes, I knew that I had feelings for Sirius, but that was because he was one of my best friends, right? I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Now was not a good time to be wrestling with my feelings. I would have to deal with those later.

It wasn’t long before Sirius had cut up the entire cake and passed it amongst the guests. My face was flushed with excitement as I ate, watching all my friends in delight. Micky was in deep conversation with Aly and some of the Hufflepuffs (most likely discussing fashion). Remus chatted with Leah, Maggie, and Haylie, while James was being obnoxious and shouting Quidditch strategies for all to hear. He did this until Lily had the sense to tell him to stop, using the excuse that members from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team were present and we didn’t want to give away strategies. Naturally, this sobered him up quite a bit.

I talked and laughed with everyone. We all applauded James and Sirius for their most recent assault on Snape and everyone was more than eager to share about clever ways to keep themselves entertained during Professor Birky’s not so interesting Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons.

Around eight o’clock, the party was beginning to wind down a bit. The cake had been consumed and the Hufflepuffs had returned to their common room. It wasn’t long before the only ones left in the room were Lily, the Marauders, my siblings, and I.

It was then that Lily pulled out a large package from under the table and laid it in front of me. The others must have gotten some sort of hint, because after that, everyone proceeded to pull out various packages and boxes, forming a small mound in front of me.

I stared at the pile in half amazement. I had never gotten this many birthday presents before. Usually I get things from my parents and my siblings if they could afford to buy something, but I had never had friends buy me things before. I beamed at my friends.

“You guys really didn’t have to get me anything, you know. The party was quite enough,� I told them. Little did they know that my insides were squirming with excitement.

Lily laughed. “Amelia Jordan, what kind of friends would we be if we didn’t get you a present?�

“Or two,� added Peter.

Danny, on the other hand, shrugged casually. “No one ever gave her anything for her birthday or Christmas at Beauxbatons. It’s natural for Amelia not to expect anything.� Maggie nodded along with him solemnly.

My face had turned crimson as every eye turned towards me.

“Are you serious?� James mouth was hanging open in disbelief.

“They aren’t, but I am,� Sirius replied with a smirk.

Remus rolled his eyes. “Sirius, that remark turned cliché in third year. Please don’t use it again…. I don’t know if I can handle the stupidity of it.�

Sirius muttered something about Remus spoiling his fun under his breath, but no one was really paying attention to him. Their focus was, unfortunately, on me.

“Amelia, is this true?� James asked again, more seriously this time.

I nodded. “You guys knew that I never had friends at my old school. I told you that, right?�

“Well, yeah, but we expected that at least one person would get you something.� Peter commented.

“Sadly, I wasn’t quite that lucky.� I said, smiling sadly.

“Anyways,� Sirius said loudly, obviously deciding that the conversation was a bit too depressing for his taste. “How about we cheer things up a bit? Amelia, you’ve got a whole mountain of presents in front of you; how about you take advantage of that and dig in?�

I grinned at Sirius. He could be so dumb sometimes.

It took a few minutes to go through all the presents. Remus gave me a large slab of Honeydukes chocolate, Peter and James followed by presenting me with several boxes of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and some Chocolate Frogs. Maggie surprised me by giving me a very warm Gryffindor scarf.

“I knitted it myself!� she exclaimed proudly. “Paige has been teaching me how.�

Danny, on the other hand, gave me a shiny silver clip for my hair and delivered a bulky dark green sweater from Mum and Dad.

As much as I loved the gifts from my family and friends, my favorite presents were from my two best friends: Lily and Sirius. Lily’s was by far the most thoughtful. She was the only person that I had confided in regarding how my peers at Beauxbatons treated me. The others knew about it, but not to the extent that Lily did. I almost cried when I opened a copy of Hogwarts, A History. The inside cover was signed by all my closest friends, with personalized messages from each of them.

When I gave Lily a huge hug afterwards, she told me, “Wherever you are, you can open this book and escape back to Hogwarts.�

The last gift to be opened was from Sirius, but he hadn’t added it to the pile. He seemed kind of nervous as he explained to me that he would give it to me later. I was slightly confused by this, what could he be giving me that everyone else couldn’t see?

Later that evening, Lily and I sat on her bed up in the dormitory. She reclined against her pillows, as I sat cross-legged at the end of the bed, flipping through my new copy of Hogwarts, A History. Lily was watching me curiously as I studied the occasional illustrations hidden in the pages of my book, searching out pictures depicting the lives of the four founders and their stories.

I didn’t notice it at first, but I soon began to feel her eyes boring into me. “What is it?� I asked, glancing up at her.

She looked away quickly. “It’s nothing.�

“Lily,� I pressed.

She sighed. “I know that you probably don’t want to talk about it, but I’m starting to get a little confused at what’s going on between you and Sirius.�

My stomach dropped. I bit my lip, hoping she didn’t notice my sudden nerves. “What do you mean?� I tried to keep my voice level and even, but I don’t think it worked very well.

“You two always hang around each other, Sirius has spent more time away from the other four Marauders this year than he ever has before, you went to the Ball together… I’m pretty much your best friend, I think I have a right to know how you feel about him.� Lily said it all so bluntly, I could feel my face burning.

I bowed my head in response, trying to will my cheeks into cooling down a few degrees. Deep down, I knew that I would have to face this eventually. I would have to tell Lily how I really felt. The only problem was… I wasn’t quite sure what I felt. Options darted around in my mind. Should I tell Lily everything? Then again, what is there to tell?

I had always figured that once you voiced how you feel about another person, it’s sort of official. If everything just goes unsaid, then there’s still a chance for your feelings to change. Once you spill, though, there is no going back. You have to face it.

With this in mind, I knew that I had to pick my words extremely carefully. Did I want to have feelings for Sirius? The answer would be no; he had enough girls falling for him. Did I really care for him as more than a friend?

The answer to this last question came from my lips as barely a whisper. I said it without thinking; it just blurted itself out naturally. “Yes.�

Lily, despite my quiet tone, had heard. “What was that?� she said gently, her eyes searching my own.

I averted my eyes, not wanting to say it aloud, not wanting to make it official. “Yes, I think I do have feelings for him.�

Lily picked the book off my lap and scooted over so she was right next to me. She wrapped her hand in my own in a friendly gesture. “That’s wonderful, Amelia.�

I shook my head fiercely, turning away from her. “No, it isn’t wonderful! I don’t WANT to have any feelings for Sirius. I don’t want to care for him as more than a friend.�

“Yet you do.�

I nodded. “As soon as I met him, I knew that he was the type that all the girls go crazy for. I mean, no one can deny that he is completely gorgeous. Girls see him and form hopeless crushes and secret obsessions; Hollie confirmed that for me even back when I first arrived here. I’ll admit it, I liked Sirius almost the moment I met him, but because he was funny and nice to me when I wasn’t used to kindness. As I got to know him better, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t allow myself to have any sort of feelings for him other than friendship. The last thing he needs is another girl who is head over heels in love with him. I just wasn’t going to put myself, and him, through that.� I paused, taking a few deep breaths. I was surprised at how fast this all was coming out. Even more shocking was that it felt good to get it all out. After holding it in for so long, the whole truth was dying to spill from my tongue, and I let it. “As more time goes by, I’m finding that I fancy him more and more! There have been times when I’ve forgotten my oath to myself completely. I’m constantly fighting myself, Lily, and it’s awful!�

Lily smiled sadly, squeezing my hand supportively. “Maybe you should just stop fighting.�

“I don’t know if I can.� The words were more to myself than to my redheaded friend sitting next to me. “I just don’t know what to do anymore, Lily.�

“Amelia, you listened to me when I needed help, and so I am going to do the same for you. I can understand why you don’t want to fall for Sirius, but the longer you fight yourself, the worse it will become. You can’t wage war between your head and your heart because when all is said and done, you’ll just end up more lost than ever. I went through a similar battle with how I felt for James and trust me, it’s a lot easier once you just lay down your weapons and accept your feelings. Some things are worth a chance.�

“Except things never even worked out between you and James,� I protested. “Accepting how you felt did nothing but create drama and more heartbreak.�

Lily shook her head. “No, Amelia. Sure, it didn’t all come out how I expected, things rarely do. I fought a battle of the wills with James for years and when you finally helped me accept my feelings, I felt more at ease with myself than I ever have.�

I gazed into her striking green eyes, soaking in the truth that was shown in them. “Really?�

“Yes,� she smiled teasingly. “Besides, I think Sirius really does like you too.�

This caused me to laugh. “Lily, what would an amazing guy like Sirius ever see in a boring girl like me? I’m not that good looking, I never had any friends before now, I’m not that great at anything in particular—“

“Amelia, that’s not true!� Lily stopped me. “Don’t ever think that about yourself! You may not be as pretty as Hollie, as book smart as Leah, or as good at Quidditch as Haylie, but you have so many other things that they could never have! You’re kind, honest, and you’re extremely loyal to your friends. You have the maturity to hold back your feelings, not wanting to curse the boy you fancy with another clingy girl, and I think he senses that about you. You’re not just some girl, Amelia,� Lily finished with a smile. “I bet if you told Sirius how you feel, you might be surprised at what he would say in reply.�

We were silent for a few moments as I mulled it all over. “I just don’t think I could jeopardize our friendship like that. Plus, I’m really not THAT nice, I mean, look at the way I’ve treated Hollie.�

Lily laughed. “I guess old enemies die hard and no one is perfect. Regarding your friendship with Sirius, I think some things are worth the leap.�

I nodded. Lily was probably right, as always. Now that I had confirmed, said aloud, how I felt about my other best friend, it was useless to keep fighting. I fancy Sirius Black, I told myself. I fancy Sirius Black… but admitting it was one thing. Telling him how I felt was completely another.

“I don’t know if I can tell him just yet,� I admitted.

“Then give it some time. You’ll be able to eventually and if you’re really lucky, he might just beat you to it.�

These last words of Lily’s were almost prophetic, and when I looked back later, I wondered why she didn’t consider taking Divination.

Just as she had finished these words, the door burst open. It was Micky, and she looked absolutely ecstatic. She pranced across the room and landed on Lily’s bed with a small thump.

“Um… Hi there, Micky,� Lily said cautiously, obviously not sure what to make of our friend’s dramatic entrance.

“This is for you,� were the only words Micky said, although she was beaming as she said it. She shoved a wrinkled scrap of parchment into my unsuspecting hands.

I glanced over at Lily, and then at the note.

“Micky, did you already read it?� Lily asked, eyes narrowing.

Micky shrugged. “Of course I didn’t, Lily.� At Lily’s disapproving expression, she made an attempt to defend herself. “OK, so I was sorely tempted, you know how curious I am about the whole Sirius and Amelia thing, sorry Amelia, but I resisted.�

My heart skipped a beat. “It’s from Sirius?�

“Yep,� was Micky’s reply.

I tore open the paper, glancing at my two friends before reading it silently. “Amelia, I don’t know if you’ve already gone to bed or not, but I have something to give to you. I would have done it earlier, but I wanted us to be alone when you opened it and you sort of slipped away earlier. If you could, come down to the common room and we can maybe go for a walk or something. I’ll be waiting.�

A small grin had formed on my face and Micky bounced up and down with excitement. “What did it say?� she asked.

My eyes slid from Micky to Lily. I didn’t want to say anything about Sirius and I in front of Micky, so I settled on sharing half the story. “He needs to talk to me, that’s all.� To make up for the other half of the story, I gave Lily a meaningful look that I’m certain that she picked up.

I smiled to myself as I got up off the bed and darted into the bathroom that the five of us shared. I tossed my hair up into a loose ponytail and threw on my school robes, bidding my two friends goodbye as I headed out the door.

It was easy to locate the Marauders at their usual spot by the fireplace, but I was surprised to find that they were one short. It took me a moment to register this in my mind, and just when I started wondering where Sirius could be, I felt a tap on my shoulder, causing me to jump.

I whirled around to find the person I was looking for, grinning his usual grin. “Sirius! You scared me there!�

“Ah, sorry about that, Amelia,� he said, tilting his head apologetically. Was it just me, or did he grin foolishly at everyone? “I see that you um… got my note,� he continued, shifting his weight from one leg to the other, suddenly looking a bit more awkward.

I nodded. “Yeah, Micky was completely thrilled to deliver it.�

“Cool, so would you like to go for a walk or something?�

“Sure,� I replied, “but wouldn’t we get in trouble for being out this late? I mean I know we have a later curfew than other students, but isn’t it pushing it a little bit?�

Sirius smiled. “You’re probably right, but you forget that you’re in the presence of a Marauder. I can get you out of almost anything, don’t worry.�

There it was again, that Sirius Black charm. A few minutes later, we were out in the corridor, chatting away. Now that I had decided to stop holding back, I felt much more at ease with myself around Sirius. I didn’t need to watch my words or make sure that I wasn’t smiling at him too much. Lily was right when she said that accepting the truth would make you feel much more free. I knew that, right now, I could tell him anything and he wouldn’t judge or tease me.

Suddenly, Sirius stopped and put a hand on my shoulder.

“What is it?� I asked as he started inspecting a random tapestry that hung from the wall.

He pulled the large cloth aside and motioned me to follow him. “In here.� Behind the tapestry was a small hidden room. I followed him silently and soon we were leaning against opposite walls and facing each other. It was a fairly cozy little room, not small enough to be a broom closet or something that would scare people who are claustrophobic, but not big enough to fit more than a few people. The room was completely dark.

I don’t know if it was because of the darkness or something else, but I was suddenly aware of everything. Sirius stood across from me; I wasn’t able to see his face, but I could feel him there. I hoped that he wasn’t able to hear the pounding of my heart. Had it always been that loud? My face was burning with embarrassment. This was the sort of place where couples would come to snog… why would he bring me here?

“Um… Sirius?� I asked softly, breaking the silence.

“Hmm?�

I hesitated, wanting to ask what was going on. Instead, something completely stupid came out of my mouth. “It’s dark.�

I heard him reach for his wand and in a minute, the room was filled with flickering light. There was a torch on one of the walls that he had lit, and the fire filled the room with a dim glow. I could now see Sirius’s form completely, his face half bathed in light and half in shadow.

He looked apprehensive as he reached into his cloak and pulled out a small grey box with a pale blue bow on the top.

“Um… well, you’re probably wondering why I brought you here,� he began, looking slightly embarrassed. “Since it’s your birthday and all, I thought it’d be good to get you a present since you’re one of my best friends aside from the other three Marauders.� He offered me an apologetic smile. “The only thing was that I sort of wanted to give it to you in private. So, um… happy birthday again, Amelia.�

He extended his hand and I took the small box from him. I gazed down at the gift and then looked back up at him. It was slightly unnatural to see Sirius Black this nervous. He was usually so calm, collected, and cool, but now he looked just as he had at the Halloween Ball.

My stomach fluttered as I met his gaze. “You know, you really didn’t have to buy me anything.�

Sirius shrugged, looking away. “I wanted to, though. It wouldn’t have felt right… not getting you something.�

I watched him for a moment, my eyes tracing over his features. He was so handsome, with his sleek black hair and flushed face. He must have felt my gaze because he met my hazel green eyes with his grey ones. It was my turn to blush.

“Go ahead, open it.�

I turned my attention back to the small box and gingerly removed the lid. My jaw dropped as I saw the contents of the case. An unknown emotion flooded me and for a moment, I felt as though I could faint. My wide eyes wandered up to meet Sirius’s again, and this time, they held.

Inside the box was a small bracelet. It looked like it had been made with real silver and was engraved a single small gem that could easily mistaken for a diamond, although I knew that Sirius would never buy anything like diamonds for me. I trailed my fingers over the surface of it, not believing that it was mine.

“Sirius,� I whispered, “this is beautiful.�

“You like it?� he asked, sounding more hopeful.

I nodded, still feeling dazed that he would give me such a gift. “Is this a…�

“Diamond?� He finished my sentence as I held up the bracelet to my face, inspecting the gem. He shook his head. “No, I would have gotten you a diamond but, well, we aren’t really to that point yet. It’s a rare form of quartz, I think. At least, that’s what the shop owner said.�

I smiled, still not quite believing what was in my hands. “Thank you so much, Sirius, I love it.�

“Here, let me help you put it on,� Sirius took a few steps forward and pulled the box from my hands, withdrawing the bracelet as he did so. The case fell to the floor as he gently took my hand in his. His hands were warm and I could feel my body temperature rise as I realized that he was now standing not even a few steps away from me. He was so close that I could smell his cologne and I was wishing that my heart would repress it’s loud thumping so I could think properly.

The bracelet was a perfect fit, but instead of letting my palm go once he finished, Sirius held on. He took both my hands in his and seemed to be struggling for words.

“So… Amelia…� He said quietly, gazing down at our joined hands. “I was wondering… actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you this for awhile now, but… well…� he trailed off, face reddening again.

“Yes?� I breathed, wondering what he was saying, daring to guess and hope, but staying unsure at the same time. That moment seemed to drag on forever and I realized that I had stopped breathing.

Sirius must have felt the same way, because he took a deep breath, steadying himself. He spoke so softly that I almost didn’t hear him. “Will you be my girlfriend?�

I stared at him in awe… did he seriously just ask that question? My answer sprang to my lips, but I held it back. Was this really what I wanted? What would happen if it didn’t work out? I remembered Lily’s words not even an hour before now, “Some things are worth a chance.� After remembering this, all trace of doubt was chased from my mind. This was what I wanted. I did care for Sirius.

“Amelia?� Sirius asked me, looking slightly worried.

I beamed up at him, this time letting my words come freely from my mouth. “Yes, Sirius, of course I’ll be your girlfriend.�

Sirius’s face broke into a smile almost bigger than my own and neither of us could help what happened next. I’m not sure who moved first, him or me, but the next thing I knew we were in a comfortable embrace. My head was tucked gently under his chin and his arms were around my back, holding me close.

Hugging Sirius was… amazing, to say the least. Standing this close was something I hadn’t even allowed myself to dream about earlier today, yet here I was. Standing there, enfolded in his strong arms, I felt safer and more at home than I almost ever had. Sirius laid his face in my hair and we just stood there, enjoying and savoring the moment.

“Amelia?� he whispered softly. His voice was so close to my ear that it sent shivers down my spine.

“Hmm?� was my muffled reply.

“How long have we known each other?� he asked.

I shrugged. “A little more than two months, almost three, I think.�

He chuckled. “It doesn’t seem like only two months.�

“Yeah, I know what you mean,� I said truthfully. I completely understood his meaning. I had only been at Hogwarts for a few months, and it was already my home.

His tone was light, but I knew that he was serious deep down. “Do think this will work? I mean, after knowing each other for only two months?�

I didn’t reply at first, but thought it over. “Yes, I think we can make it work. If we run into troubles, we should be able to work things out. After all, Lily told me once that sometimes you just need to stop fighting and take a chance.�

Sirius sighed. “Lily is probably right on that one.�

“She always is.�

We both laughed and looked at each other.

“So… do you want to go back to the common room and tell the others?� Sirius asked, loosening his hold on me a little.


“Sure, why not?� I said and we separated.

We left our hands joined tightly as we meandered slowly back up to the common room.

“You know, you seem different this evening,� Sirius commented.

My eyebrows rose in surprise. “Really? How so?�

He shook his head. “I don’t know. I can’t seem to put my finger on it, but you seem more… free.�

I smiled to myself, knowing that my conversation with Lily really had changed things.

“What are you smiling to yourself about?� he asked, grinning.

“Oh, nothing,� I said innocently. “I was just thinking about something Lily told me earlier.�

“Let me guess, she was right about something, wasn’t she?� Sirius said with a laugh.

I nodded. “Spot on, as usual.�

Our return to the common room was a happy one. Lily had come down from the dormitory and all my friends were seated together by the fireplace. Micky and Haylie were completely thrilled about the announcement that Sirius and I were officially together. James, Peter, and Remus didn’t seem too surprised by the news and were very happy to hear that all had gone according to their friend’s hopes. Even Leah seemed to approve of the match. Lily, however, was the happiest of all. I made a mental note to thank her endlessly for her extremely timely advice later on.

Sirius’s hand never left my own that night as we talked and laughed by the fireplace. Although I have never actually had a boyfriend before, I was confident that everything would go well. I learned from James that Sirius had been in a few relationships before I came along, but I wasn’t too worried about that. James was also quick to assure me that now I was dating a Marauder, things would never be boring.

If I had any doubts about the whole thing, they now seemed ages away. Even if things didn’t work out, this was part of my adventure here and like Lily said, “Sometimes you just have to take a chance.�

If I thought life at Hogwarts was good earlier, it was even better now. Between homework, friends, and spending time with Sirius, the month of November seemed to fly by and in no time at all, we were almost to the first Quidditch match of the year.

The closer we got to the match, the more pressured I began to feel. It was as if I was trying out for the team all over again, which didn’t help my self-confidence at all. We were soon having practices up to four times a week and cramming strategy sessions in between classes and during free hours.

I was surprised by the intensity of the conduct regarding Quidditch here at Hogwarts. At Beauxbatons, Quidditch was merely a novelty entertainment that no one took seriously, with a handful of exceptions. It seemed to me that everyone, non-athletes included, cared about the outcome of the match. Gryffindors who were friends with Ravenclaws were constantly getting into arguments in the corridors about which team should win. Luckily, nothing too bad happened and no real duels ensued. The worst thing, in general opinion, that came from the tension was Micky breaking up with her Ravenclaw boyfriend, Troy, who she had been dating since the Ball. The two had been avoiding the subject for a long time, knowing it wouldn’t go over well if they discussed it. Eventually, the topic did come up and Micky got sick of him insulting our players and dumped him on the spot. According to Lily, this wasn’t unusual. Apparently Micky’s relationships were always reasonably short, due to her love of the dramatics.

Day by day, the match drew closer. It was as if it were a cloud looming over us, even considering that the late November weather was usually not the best. It was a really odd feeling; spirits were both soaring and sinking at the same time, making it a miracle to finish any homework.

The week leading up to the Saturday afternoon match seemed to crawl by, and after several tough practices brought on by James, it was finally game day.

To say that I was nervous that morning at breakfast would have been an extreme understatement. I managed to nibble a few bites of toast, but that was all Lily could get into me. By the time Sirius and James arrived, I was in quite a state. My stomach felt like it was going to dispense itself of the little food I had eaten, and my brain seemed to have gone numb.

At the sight of Sirius’s beaming face, my spirits perked up a little. I couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked as he slid in next to me, slipping an arm around my waist. His hair was a beautiful jet black and, as usual, it swept over his face. His perfect lips were pulled into a heart-melting grin and his grey eyes seemed to glow with excitement.

“You OK?� he asked me, grin fading a little.

I shrugged. “Never been better.� My tone contradicted my words.

“What’s wrong?�

It was Lily who answered his question. “She’s nervous. I could hardly get her to eat anything.�

James, who had plopped down next to Lily, looked suddenly worried. “Amelia, you can’t play on an empty stomach.� He glanced from me to Sirius.

My boyfriend nodded seriously, reaching across the table and grabbing a biscuit. “He’s right, Amelia. Eat it or I’ll disown you.�

I laughed nervously, taking it from him. “Fine.�

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes. “Now she decides to eat…�

Sirius laughed merrily and tweaked my ear as I took a bite of the biscuit. I gave him a small shove.

“Don’t worry, Lily, you just don’t have the charm,� Sirius joked, causing Lily to grin weakly.

I shook my head. “Yes, your charm has really gotten you far in life, hasn’t it?�

Sirius leaned close and whispered loudly into my ear, “It got me you.�

I let out a heavy sigh and laid a hand over my face as James snorted into his pumpkin juice.

“What?� Sirius demanded.

I smiled at him, and at the sight of his confused face, broke into a fit of giggles. “You’re so weird.�

He was about to say something when Haylie pranced into the Great Hall. She flew down the aisle and threw herself down on the other side of Lily.

“Hey everyone!� she greeted us enthusiastically before piling food into her plate and stuffing it into her mouth.

“Um… Haylie, are you alright?� Lily questioned.

“Don’t worry,� James assured her. “Haylie likes to cram in breakfast on the morning of a match. Why she does this, I’ve never figured out.�

Haylie glared at him. “I have to get out to the pitch immediately!�

“Why?� I asked. “The game doesn’t start for a few more hours.�

“I need to check the conditions and take a few warm up laps. I also should probably add some drills in as well,� Haylie explained between mouthfuls. “If I’m going to make it as a professional Quidditch player, I’m going to have to get used to the system sooner or later.�

A few moments later she declared herself full and took off for the pitch.

Lily shook her head, glancing at James. “It never ceases to amaze me how seriously she takes this sport.�

“Lily, family pressures are always tough,� Sirius said, a dark expression crossing his face. “Trust me, I know. If her entire family is made up of Quidditch players, she has to work extremely hard to live up to the family name.�

I looked at him for a long time. There he went, mentioning his family again. His tone was so quiet, almost bitter, and I wondered, not for the first time, what his family was like. Ever since the first time he mentioned them at the Halloween Ball, my curiosity about his home life had increased. It amazed me how much I really didn’t know about Sirius. He obviously wasn’t on very good terms with them, but what had happened? I knew that the best way to answer my questions was to ask him, but if I did, how would he react? Would he tell me, or would he get upset?

I knew that my alternate option would be to ask Lily, who always knew things, but didn’t spread them around like Micky always did. When we had all finished eating, James and Sirius decided to go to the pitch and check if Haylie had managed to kill herself doing some impossible drill. I knew that this was my chance to ask Lily.

“Hey, Lily, I was wondering something…� I trailed off.

“What?�

“Well, it’s about Sirius.� My face flushed. “I don’t really know if I can talk about it with him, so I thought I’d ask you.�

Lily’s green eyes were puzzled. “What do you need?�

“Well,� I put my hands in the pockets of my robes. “I’ve been wondering… what is his family like?�

Lily did her best to conceal a grin as she linked her arm with mine as we strolled out of the Great Hall. “Why? Did he already ask you to come meet them or something?�

I shook my head, feeling my cheeks grow even warmer. “No, no, it’s nothing like that! He’s just mentioned them a few times and he doesn’t seem to… like them very much. I’m his girlfriend now, and I feel really bad not knowing anything about them.�

“I understand,� Lily said. “I don’t know a lot of the Black family history myself, but what I do know is that Sirius had some sort of falling out with them a few years ago. I know that they’re a very strict pureblood family; all of them have been in Slytherin for decades. However, Sirius had always been… a bit different than the rest of them. He surprised them all by being the first Gryffindor ever in the family. Like I said, I don’t know the details, but I figure that he had some sort of fight with his parents, and that caused Sirius to move out.�

“You mean he doesn’t live with them?� I asked.

Lily shook her head. “No, he’s been living with James for years.�

I silently took note of the tiny grin that crossed her face at the word ‘James’.

“Huh,� was all I could think of saying. Obviously, Sirius, like me, had had a somewhat rough childhood. Our situations were ironically opposite, though, for I had the most loving and the largest family that anyone could ever hope for, yet when it came to schooling I lacked friendship and was often lonely. Sirius, on the other hand, had grown up in a cold family and had found companionship at school. It hurt a little to think of Sirius going through those sorts of things at such a young age. Usually, you run into the typical pureblooded Slytherin types when you entered school. I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to come from a home like that.

“You did know,� Lily interrupted my thoughts, “that he has a younger brother, right?�

I stopped dead in my tracks; a younger brother? Sirius Black has a younger brother? My face burned with embarrassment and shame. Some girlfriend I was turning out to be. Sirius had had a brother all the months that I’d known him, and I’d had no idea.

Lily, being her usual extremely observant self, immediately noticed my shame. “Amelia, don’t feel bad. Sirius hardly ever mentions Regulus. Half of us, myself included, didn’t even know that he existed until he started school himself. Even then, people were oblivious to the fact that they’re brothers. You would never be able to tell that they’re related. I’ve only actually seen them speak to each other once, and that was in the middle of some argument about their mum back in fourth year.�

I sighed. “I still wish I had known.�

“Hey, look, there’s Regulus now.� She spoke the last sentence in a hushed voice as she motioned to a passing Slytherin.

Regulus Black was almost an identical clone of his elder brother. My first thought was that I didn’t understand why Lily had told me that you wouldn’t easily spot the relationship. As I looked more closely, however, I noticed several significant differences. The first was the most obvious: Regulus may have looked like Sirius, but he was far less handsome and didn’t have the same charming bounce in his step. His eyes were the most notable physical difference: they were a few shades lighter and had a much colder air to them. The other difference was also obvious: he was wearing Slytherin robes. The last thing I noticed as he walked past was a mix between the first two. Something in the way Regulus walked and spoke with his classmates in passing just didn’t seem right. He seemed to be showing off in his stride, although not in the way you would expect. It seemed as though he was trying to live up to something… maybe he was trying to show the world that not all the Black offspring had gone in the ‘wrong direction’ that Sirius had.

“He’s nothing like Sirius,� I commented quietly.

Lily nodded. “I know. It’s kind of weird, isn’t it? I guess in lots of cases, people turn out much different than their family, and their siblings don’t approve. I can relate to Sirius on that one.�

I knew that she was referring to the fact that she was a Muggleborn. Naturally, Lily had filled me in on the atrocities of her older sister, but I honestly didn’t believe half of it. “Is Petunia really that bad?�

“Yeah, she is.� Lily paused before adding, “Just wait until you meet her. Then you’ll understand what I mean.�

We continued on our way in mindless chatter. The issue of Sirius’s family situation had been pushed to the back of my mind; there was no use thinking about that when there was a Quidditch match to be played.

It was soon early afternoon, and so I bid my friends goodbye and headed down to the pitch. As I hurried across the lawn, I took note of the slightly overcast sky. It certainly didn’t look as though it would rain, but one could never tell in a climate like this one.

My nerves were now as bad, if not worse, than the ones I’d had on tryout day. It felt as though my legs and arms had turned to jelly and a swarm of butterflies were dancing in my stomach. Even my brain was a fuzzy mess.

I gazed up at the Quidditch stadium that had become so familiar to me. A lone figure soared above the seats. If Haylie had any nerves at all, her flying didn’t show it.

As I paced out onto the grassy field that lay in the center of the pitch, I noticed the figures of James and Sirius watching Haylie, along with observing the conditions.

“Overall, it doesn’t look too bad,� James was saying. “Naturally, some sunshine would be nice, but at least it doesn’t look like rain any time soon.�

Sirius nodded. “Remember the match against Slytherin back in fourth year?�

“Who can forget that one? Merlin, the weather was absolutely brutal,� James agreed. “You weren’t on the team then, were you, Padfoot?�

“No, that was the year I tried out for Beater,� Sirius replied with a shrug. “That was a really memorable match to watch, though. It’s a miracle that we pulled through and won.�

“Yeah, with all those high winds,� James added.

“Arnold was Seeker for that game, wasn’t he?�

“No, he had to fill in for Suzy Button, who had been at the wrong end of a Bat Bogey Hex, or something like that. I’m pretty sure that was Haylie’s first match,� James said, glancing up to where Haylie was now weaving in and out of the goal posts.

“She caught the Snitch, didn’t she?� Sirius asked.

“Naturally,� James replied with certainty. “Haylie Burch always catches the Snitch. At least, she has every time I’ve played with her. She’s an excellent Seeker, probably one of the best that Hogwarts has seen in years.�

“Her brother was a Beater, wasn’t he?�

“Yep, and ever since that gale of a match, Haylie has been the Gryffindor Seeker,� James continued, almost disregarding Sirius’s question.

“I didn’t know that,� I commented.

The two boys turned around in surprise. Sirius’s face lit up as he immediately joined my hand in his own. The butterflies that had been fluttering in my stomach died down a little.

“Amelia, there you are! Are you almost ready for your first game?� James questioned.

I nodded. “I’m a tad nervous, but nerves aside, I couldn’t feel better.�

“Just what I wanted to hear!� James nodded, glancing to the sky. “Hey, Burch!� he shouted to Haylie. “You might want to get down here, team meeting is in ten minutes!�

Haylie did a steep dive and in mere seconds, she was standing next to us on the ground.

“What did you say, James?� she asked. Her cheeks were a bright pink from excitement.

James grinned. “Team meeting, ten minutes in the locker room.�

Haylie nodded, “Gotcha,� and took off again.

Sirius and I headed together into the locker room. When we got there, Donyal, Micky, and Maria were already there and dressed in their bright scarlet team robes.

“Hey, there’s our favorite couple!� Donyal burst when she saw us. “Finally decided to get out of the broom closet and join the team, eh?�

I laughed and rolled my eyes, but failed to keep my face from flushing. Why did it always do that? Even when there’s nothing to blush about, it turned red!

Sirius casually laid his arm across my shoulder. “Oh yeah, Donny. We really had some fun in there.� I sent him a shocked look, causing him to burst out laughing. “I’m just kidding!�

I smiled. “Good.�

It only took a few moments to change into my pair of robes. A few practices before the match, James had gotten out a box of Gryffindor team robes, and we had fitted them for everyone. The rest of the team was made up of returning members, so they simply found their robes from previous seasons. In my case, I had to find one that fit and got Micky to unstitch the ‘Parks’ that had been engraved in gold letters on the back and re-stitch it to say ‘Jordan’.

We all chatted amongst ourselves quietly until our captain, flanked closely by Haylie, made his way into the locker room. By the looks of it, James was ready to give a pre-game speech. He nodded to us and we all took our seats as he marched to the front of the room.

“Well,� he began. “We’ve all trained pretty hard for this. With Haylie’s help, of course, I’ve been able to drill this game into the back of your heads. Our Seeker is in the best shape she’s ever been. Our Beaters are ready to kick some arse.� Donyal let out a loud whoop at this. “We Chasers are as together and synchronized as it is possible to be, and we have a brand new Keeper whose amazing skills kept Tanaka Reeves off the team this year.� We shared a laugh at this. “So, without further ado, let’s get out there and win this thing!�

We all cheered, and I felt my spirits rise. I was starting to feel the pre-game adrenaline that always kept me strong during a match.

There was a sudden slamming noise and we all turned to find a surprised Lily, who was obviously shocked by the loudness of the shutting door. Her wide green eyes swept over us all.

She had changed clothes from what she was wearing earlier, with a light grey sweater underneath her school robes. I thought I noticed a touch of makeup on her face as well, which was odd because Lily usually didn’t usually wear any. Over it all she wore a Gryffindor scarf.

Her eyes instantly met James’s and she blushed deeply, glancing at the rest of us. I pinched my arm to see if I was dreaming. What was going on with her? She was completely normal this morning.

“Oh, sorry.� Lily mumbled. “I didn’t realize you’d be getting prepared this soon…�

“Um, Lily?� I asked quietly, not knowing quite what to say.

“Well, I should probably let you guys prepare and stuff.� She looked up again and her eyes collided instantly with James’s hazel ones. I could almost see something pass between them. It wasn’t physical or mental. In fact, I’m not really sure what it was, but it was as if something had been decided between the two of them in that moment.

Lily smiled faintly as she pushed the door back open, her eyes never leaving his. “Good luck, James,� was all she said before slipping away.

I gaped at the spot where she had stood not even five seconds before. Her words echoed through my mind. There was no, “You’ll do great, Amelia!� or, “I’ll have my fingers crossed that you’ll get the Snitch, Haylie!� Just, “Good luck, James�.

I let my eyes wander to where James stood at the head of the small room. His eyes, behind the usual bent and crooked glasses, were also glued to the door. His hands and arms were limp at his side and an expression of surprise and delight was etched onto his face. He glanced quickly down at his feet, ran a hand through his already messy hair, and sat down, grinning as if Christmas had come early.

I glanced at Sirius and we shared a look. Maybe our ‘get James and Lily together’ plan wasn’t such a bomb after all.

With a sudden movement that made me jump, James leapt to his feet. “All right,� he shouted, voice filled with renewed energy. “Ten minutes until we have to be out on the pitch. I can hear the school filling the stands already. How about some shouting to boost our spirits?�

The team let out a loud cheer, myself included. My head had momentarily gotten out of the game due to Lily’s odd appearance, and some good quality shouting of cheesy phrases was just what I needed.

“Who are we?� James yelled.

“Gryffindor!� we replied.

“Who are we gonna beat?�

“Ravenclaw!�

“Again!� James yelled, his voice getting louder. “Who are we?�

“Gryffindor!�

“What was that? I don’t think I heard you!� James taunted us as we all got to our feet. “Who did you say we were?�

“GRYFFINDOR!� I screamed it with all my might, feeling my spirits soar. This was what being on a team was all about.

“Who are we gonna beat?� James roared.

“RAVENCLAW!�

“Alright, now it’s just a few minutes until game time. “James said, his voice still merry, but with a serious undertone. He was grinning like an idiot. “Last words, anyone?�

“Just go out there and get it done,� Haylie said firmly. “Remember the things we worked on in practice and just do your ultimate best.�

“Let’s get out there and have some fun!� Maria chimed in.

“Kick some arse!� was all Sirius had to say on the matter.

Donyal was the last to have some input. “If they play dirty, don’t be afraid to fight back. They may be in the smart-people house, but Gryffindor’s symbol is the lion for a reason!�

To all this advice, James nodded approvingly. “Well, Gryffindors,� he grinned wickedly, turning towards the door. He paused to inspect us one final time. “To the skies.�

We trooped out onto the field in a single file line. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in robes of bright blue, awaited us at the center. I glanced up at the stands. The newly hatched nervous butterflies rolled with the crowds that now filled the entire structure.

The crowd itself was a sea of blues and reds. I had never played before so many people before. Quidditch wasn’t as popular at Beauxbatons as it was here. It seemed that the entire school had shown up to watch the match. Even the teachers had their own box; I could see Slughorn’s enormous belly all the way from over here.

Suddenly, an all too familiar voice drawled loudly, echoing into every corner of the stadium. The crowds slowly fell silent.

“Welcome, Hogwarts School, to the first Quidditch match of the season! Today the house teams from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw compete in a battle of skill and tactics to work their way to achieving the Quidditch Cup. As you know, both teams have been training very hard leading up to this event.�

I squinted up at the commentator’s stand and once again, my stomach seemed to drop. I was all too familiar with that brown head of hair and those large expressive hazel eyes.

“I’m Tanaka Reeves and I shall be commentating today’s match. Captains Eliza Landon of Ravenclaw and James Potter of Gryffindor, please shake hands.�

James stepped forward and did as he was told, adding a nod and a “Best of luck,� to the tall, stocky Ravenclaw.

“Keepers Hollanich of Ravenclaw and Jordan of Gryffindor, please take your positions at the goal posts.� Tanaka spat out my name, treating it as if it were some vulgar phrase she would be punished for using. Tanaka hadn’t really been much of a bother these past few months, but she had obviously not gotten over me beating her for the position on the team. As I flew up and took my place at the goal posts, which I realized were the same goal posts I was at during the tryouts. I couldn’t help but feel that Tanaka might try some sort of trick against me. No, I told myself, she wouldn’t dare pull anything now. Not with the entire school and teachers watching.

When Tanaka announced each player’s name, their supporting team would burst into loud cheering and whooping. I used that to help drown out the snobby voice of Tanaka, my rival.

“And lastly, playing Seeker for Gryffindor, Haylie Burch!� Tanaka’s voice was lost to the applause. “Players, at your positions,� she continued dramatically.

I glanced across at my opposing Keeper. Shay Hollanich was supposedly very good, but I was sure that our Chasers would be able to penetrate him.

Down on the field, the Chasers formed a circle in the center of the pitch. The Beaters, armed with their bats, and the Seekers were scattered along the outside of the ring.

“Let the match begin!� Tanaka shouted and the players were off.

The sudden flash of blue and scarlet momentarily blinded me. Concentrate, Amelia, concentrate! I told myself.

“And it’s Sirius Black with the Quaffle, he passes it to Potter, now to Micky Lee. Ohh, nice bit of broom work there!� Tanaka’s voice was no longer snobbish. She seemed to be completely enthralled by the match. After all, Quidditch was her passion. “Micky passes it to Black, back to Potter, to Black again, he goes for the shot—“

There was a loud groan from the Gryffindor supporters as Shay Hollanich easily caught the Quaffle.

“Ravenclaw takes possession of the Quaffle!�

I zoned Tanaka out, putting my full attention on the swirling Chasers. I traced the Quaffle with my eyes, fingertips ready for anything. They zoomed closer and closer… they were almost to the goalposts…

“We come to the new Gryffindor Keeper’s new test of skill. Amelia Jordan, one of the Beauxbaton transfers, overcame startling odds to reach her position in a somewhat rigged tryout, let’s see if it paid off…�

Her voice was drowned in a series of boos from the Gryffindor crowd and cheers from the Ravenclaw one. My face flushed. I was right; Tanaka was going to do all she could to keep me from playing well. Her commentary about me was completely unnecessary and caused a nice little distraction, helping Ravenclaw score.

James had flown over to the commentator’s stand and was shouting furiously at a smug- looking Tanaka. “I DON’T want you messing with my players, Reeves! You may be still upset about not making the team yourself, but you should have thought of that when you cheated. We have all moved on, so do your job and commentate, not screw with my players!�

“Potter, that is quite enough!� came the strict voice of Professor McGonagall.

James gave Tanaka one final glare before returning to the field of play. In the process, he gave Donyal a nod. She began smiling wickedly.

From that point onward, the game grew more intense. The Ravenclaws seemed to be playing fairly, but we Gryffindors were in it to win. Chasers tossed the ball from person to person, the Beaters mercilessly whacked Bludgers at our opponents, and Haylie scanned the skies for the snitch.

It wasn’t long before James put Gryffindor on the scoreboard with an excellently shot goal. The Ravenclaws struck back with two goals of their own. They had been thrown with enough accuracy to make Haylie proud, for they were of the kind that appears to be going one way, and then the end up going the opposite direction. I did my best to save these, but they slipped through my fingers. I knew I would get a talking to after the game because of those goals, but I didn’t have time to worry about that.

Our Beaters grew more and more ruthless the longer the game played out. Maria managed to whack a Bludger at Don Anderson, the Ravenclaw Seeker, and hit him flat in the ear. This caused him to black out for about five minutes and gave Ravenclaw a penalty shot, which they made.

What was wrong with me today? Why couldn’t I save anything? It was probably Tanaka’s comments earlier that had bashed my concentration to bits.

Gryffindor soon scored two more times, courtesy of Micky and Sirius, and we were now only behind by ten. Ravenclaw scored again within a few minutes, but Sirius eliminated that point with another Gryffindor goal.

Troy, Micky’s ex-boyfriend and Ravenclaw Beater managed to nail a Bludger on Micky’s hip, but thankfully she was fine. “That’s for breaking up with me!� he had shouted right before hitting the bludger at her.

Micky glared at him. “Don’t be such an arse! Is that your best excuse for hitting a girl? You’re pathetic! My grandmother can think up a better line than that!�

I hardly had any time to watch this amusing exchange, for before I knew it, we were back in play. I had a few good saves after that, but so did Shay Hollanich. Ravenclaw then scored a few more times and Shay made another save. Oh, this wasn’t going good! James is going to kill me! I needed to step things up badly, and if Haylie didn’t catch the Snitch soon, we would lose the game for sure! This build up helped me make several good saves while Micky and James both scored for Gryffindor. It was still 70-80, though. They were ahead by ten…

A scarlet streak caught my attention. Haylie was zooming forward on her broom, followed closely by Anderson. I faintly felt the Quaffle pass through the goal next to me and heard Tanaka announce that we were behind by twenty, but it didn’t matter if Haylie caught the snitch. Anderson was gaining fast, but Haylie (most likely due to the fact that she came from a family of Quidditch players) had a faster broom. With a burst of extreme speed, she pulled from the dive. Something small was struggling in her fist.

“Haylie Burch catches the Snitch! Gryffindor wins 220 to 90!� Tanaka’s enthusiastic voice boomed through the stands.

The Gryffindor supporters were all on their feet and screaming. We had won!

I flew down to the field where Haylie stood proudly, the Snitch still clutched in her fist.

“Yes!� I screamed. “Yes!�

The Chasers and Beaters joined us and we all formed a large circle around Haylie.

“We did it!� Sirius shouted, wrapping an arm around my waist. I gave him a quick enthusiastic hug that was interrupted by my inability to stop jumping in happiness.

“We won, we won, we won!� Micky sang, linking arms with Maria and spinning in a circle.

Suddenly, we were surrounded by Gryffindors. Everyone was there, Leah and Remus stood hand in hand, and Lily looked excited but slightly nervous.

“Lily, we won!� I cried, flinging my arms around her in excitement. She smiled and returned the embrace, but I could tell it was half-heartedly. “Um… Lily?� I asked, following her gaze.

Naturally, they lead me to James, who was smiling so widely that I feared his face would split open. Is this why Lily was acting so weirdly? I was surprised that James wasn’t jumping around and shouting like a maniac like everyone else was. He just stood there smiling, in his own little world, accepting handshakes and claps on the back.

I looked back at Lily, the closest friend I ever had. I knew what she was deciding whether or not to do and wished her the best of happiness. It was about time for the drama between Lily and James to end for good.

I nudged her with my elbow, causing her to glance at me in confusion. “Go for it,� I smiled secretly. Lily raised her eyebrows at me as if she hadn’t heard me correctly. “You heard me,� I replied to the unasked question in her eyes.

Lily’s face broke into a broad smile, one that made her look even more beautiful than usual. She watched James, who was now talking to Sirius, for a long moment, as if debating to do the unthinkable, and then took off in a run.

“James!� She shouted and his head whipped around a split second before she flew into his arms. “Congratulations!�

By the dazed expression on his face, I figured that James was wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him or not.

“Wh-what?� He stammered, staring down at the flaming mess of Lily’s hair in pure disbelief.

Lily met his gaze without hesitation. “You won the game,� she said, completely stating the obvious. I laughed. The way she said it, you would think that the way she was acting was normal Lily behavior.

Sirius spotted me and I joined him where he was standing. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I think he won a little more than the game.�

Another laugh burst out of me. “You could say that again!� Sirius snaked his arm around my waist and I leaned against his shoulder.

Next to us, James still looked unsure of what was going on. Lily was starting to look a little bit exasperated.

“Are you that thick, Potter?� she demanded, resorting to his last name. “Do I always have to spell everything out for you?�

James smiled weakly down at her. “I don’t know… is there some odd meaning behind this or are you finally admitting that you like me?� All right, now he was flirting.

Lily caught onto this instantly and sighed heavily, failing to conceal a smile. “You tell me,� she said softly before going on her tiptoes and touching her mouth with his.

Sirius instantly let out a loud cheer and upon noticing the two kissers, the crowd was more than happy to join him.

Lily and James broke apart, both with huge smiles on their faces. They stayed like that for a long moment, completely oblivious to the cheers and lost in each other’s faces. The moment ended as quickly as it came and they finally noticed all the onlookers.

James grinned wickedly at Lily. “Lily Evans, I know I’ve been a bit of an arse to you pretty much since we met, and I know I haven’t made things easy for you, but you’re everything I’ve always dreamed to find in a girl, only ten thousand times better. I guess what I’m trying to say is something I’ve said to you a million times, but I’ve never meant it as much as I do right now. Will you go out with me?�

Lily’s expression softened and, not for the first time, I saw how much she truly had grown to care for him. “Of course,� was all she needed to say before kissing him again.

Over my shoulder, I heard a loud huff. Turning my head, I caught a glimpse of beautiful long blonde hair disappearing into the crowd. Obviously, Hollie was not at all pleased with the results of the match. She had sat on the sidelines and watched the two most sought after boys get taken. Something told me that she was going to fight to get even, but something else told me that it didn’t matter.

Sirius and I beamed at each other. Our work was now complete; we had successfully gotten out best friends together. Arm in arm, we turned to return to the locker room to change, leaving the new couple surrounded by a crowd of Gryffindor supporters and well-wishers.

The next few weeks passed by surprisingly fast. Haylie forced me to work extra hard at Quidditch practices, due to the fact that she wasn’t too pleased at the amount of points Ravenclaw had scored in the match. Unfortunately, James agreed with her and I thus had to spend extra time before and after practice working. This proved to be quite the drag as the days stretched into December, when the frost seemed to permanently stick to the ground.

By the middle of the month, the average temperature had dropped sufficiently and the first snow of the year had fallen. Winter was soon upon us, and we had to stop Quidditch practices for the season. This gave way to extra time for homework and extra time with Sirius.

After a little over a month of officially dating, things between us had been going fairly slow. I was fine with that, of course. I wasn’t quite ready for the overly clichéd snogging-in-broom-closets routine that other couples took. We had yet to go on our first official date. It was turning out to be a fairly innocent relationship; we would hold hands in the hallway and share embraces whenever it seemed appropriate. Sirius would sometimes surprise me with a kiss on the cheek or a flower delivered in the morning owl post. In the evening, when Leah was satisfied that our homework had been completed, we would sit together on a couch and simply talk. It was those times of day that I loved best about being with Sirius. All through teenage life, girls dream of being able to sit close to an amazing guy and just be themselves, and I was overjoyed that I finally had my chance. Plus, Sirius Black was a better guy than I had ever hoped for. He was, to tell the complete and honest truth, flat our gorgeous and his sense of humor never failed to make me laugh and put a smile on my face.

One evening, a few weeks before the Christmas holidays, we were all gathered around the warm fireplace. Sirius had his arm around me as we sat close on a couch, James was seated in a large armchair with Lily squeezed in so tightly next to him that she was practically on his lap. In another armchair sat Remus with Leah on the floor leaning against his legs, a large book spread open in her lap. Peter was sitting on the floor across from Leah.

“I can’t believe it’s almost time for the holidays,� Lily was saying as we gazed happily into the crackling fire.

I nodded. “I know. It seems like it was only a few days ago that I was boarding the train and coming here. Now I’ll be back at home soon… for two weeks! It’ll be really weird not seeing everyone.�

“Nah, Amelia, you won’t be home for that long,� James said absentmindedly, running his fingers through a strand of Lily’s red hair.

“What do you mean?� I asked.

Sirius rubbed his hand on my back, causing me to shiver pleasantly. “Every year, James has a post-Christmas get together,� he explained.

“Like a New Year’s party?� Leah asked, pulling her head from her book.

James shook his head. “Nope, those things are way too common; everyone always has them. MY party, or get together, as I like to call it, is a post-Christmas event. It’s like a third holiday snuggled nicely between Christmas and New Year’s. My parents usually keep up their Christmas tree until mid-January; don’t ask me why they do that, I’ve never been able to figure it out, but we’ll have presents, maybe some dancing, and a countdown to midnight. It’s just like both holidays mixed into one.�

“James, why are you having a countdown until midnight? It won’t be the new year, so it’s kind of pointless,� Lily pointed out, messing up his hair.

“It’s all in good fun, Lils,� James replied, kissing her on the cheek.

We all laughed as Lily’s face turned pink. She gave James a good shove.

“You know,� Peter began, “Usually this party is just the four of us. James, Remus, Sirius, and me.�

“Yeah, I know, Wormtail, but this year we have girlfriends. They’d be upset if we didn’t invite them!� James said, grinning like an idiot.

Lily sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, laying her head on his shoulder.

“So that means we’re all invited?� I asked, glancing from James to Sirius.

“Of course you are, Amelia!� Sirius said. “I’d smack Prongs on the head if he didn’t invite you.� He glared humorously at James, who was once again, fiddling with Lily’s hair.

I laughed. “All right, I’m sure my parents will be able to spare me for a day.�

“You guys will have tons of fun with us,� Peter said, smiling widely. “We usually have the BEST snowball fights.�

“Snowball fights?� Leah asked, sounding doubtful.

“Its okay, Leah, not everyone has to participate,� said Remus reassuringly. “I usually end up attempting to referee these two,� he motioned from James to Sirius, “and keep them from killing each other.�

We all got a laugh out of that statement. It was by this time everyone began splitting into their own small conversations. Lily and James were whispering to each other; she would occasionally break into a fit of giggles. Peter was talking animatedly with Leah and Remus, who were both doing their best to listen intently to his story about last year’s post-Christmas get together.

I glanced up at Sirius, smiling into his face. I loved being this close to him. He smiled back down at me; his fingers found a lock of my hair and twisted it playfully.

“Hey,� he said softly.

“Hey,� I replied.

“So… um, I was wondering something…� he trailed off, glancing over at James, who had just burst out laughing.

“Yeah?� I leaned against his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body mingling with my own.

He looked down and met my eyes. His gaze was serious. “James’s party is on the twenty seventh,� he said. “I was wondering if it would be all right with you if I came to pick you up.�

“Pick me up?� I repeated, feeling slightly confused.

“Yeah, before the party.�

I considered this. “Well, you’d have to meet my family…�

“That was,� he paused, looking away and slightly embarrassed. “That was kind of the point.�

Realization dawned on me. Silly Amelia, I told myself, why else would he want to pick you up? I was pleased, though, that he wanted to meet my family.

“Oh� was all I could spit out. I found his hand and squeezed it gently. “I would love it if you met my family, Sirius.�

“Really?� He gazed back at me, beaming. It lit up his entire face and I reminded myself how lucky I was to have him. “Great! Then… I’ll pick you up that morning. You know how to Apparate, right?�

I nodded. “I took my test last year.�

“Good, you can give me your address and I can probably Floo over from James’s house…�

“You live with James, right?� I asked, cutting him off. It was then that I remembered my conversation with Lily the day of the Ravenclaw Quidditch match. I still hadn’t asked him about his family yet.

“Yeah,� Sirius said, naturally answering my question, but not seeming to realize what he was saying. He continued right along with his sentence, “then I can meet your family and we will Side-along Apparate to James’s.� He paused, realizing that I had indeed asked where he lived. “Oh! Amelia, I’m sorry. Yes, I do live with James. Since I’m going to meet your family and all, I would offer to introduce you to mine,� he sounded genuinely sorry. “But I really think I’d be doing you a favor by not putting that on your shoulders. Plus, I haven’t spoken to any of them since I turned seventeen.�

“Not even Regulus?� I asked, remembering what Lily had told me on the day of the match.

“Well… wait,� he stopped, staring at me oddly. “How do you know about Regulus?�

I blushed and looked away. “Lily told me about him.� I mumbled.

“Ah,� Sirius was quiet for a moment. “No, I hardly even speak to Regulus.�

“Why not?�

Sirius sighed, staring deeply into the fire. I could tell by his expression that he really wasn’t seeing the flames at all. He was looking beyond the fire. “It’s just… my family, they’re all the same. Generation to generation, it’s always the same views and the same values. ‘Purebloods are the superiors’, ‘Mudbloods are filth’, ‘Slytherin is the most noble of all the houses’,� he quoted. “I just got so sick of everyone telling me what I had to do and how to think. I couldn’t talk to non-purebloods. I had to be in Slytherin. Eventually, I would have to marry within the family to keep our damn blood pure.� He spat out the last word. “I was sick of it, and I had enough. I let myself go. I became a Gryffindor, betrayed the family, and the second I was seventeen and able to live life the way I pleased, I was out of there. There’s no going back.�

I knew he was finished with his tale. “Wow,� was all I could say. How could Sirius have lived such a life? To be brought up to hate, to be cruel, to be obsessed with blood status… how did he do it? It must have been awful for him having to grow up in an environment like that. What struck me the most was that, despite being raised in a Slytherin home, he somehow came out as the guy I was sitting with today.

At least he had James, I told myself, and now he has... me. A wave of emotion came over my by that last thought. I was so grateful to have Sirius in my life and I was learning more and more about him every day.

“So… that’s my story,� Sirius said, breaking the silence. “Some tale, eh?�

I nodded. “Yeah.�

We were silent, and then Sirius asked an odd question. “Amelia, will you tell me about your family?�

“Sure,� I agreed. “Where do you want me to start?�

“Anywhere you want,� Sirius said with a shrug.

“Ok, well my dad is a lot like me. I think I get most of my looks from him; if we were the same age, you’d probably think we were twins. He works for the Ministry. My mum was a Ravenclaw, and she’s a lot like Maggie, only less shy.�

I went on for a long time, telling him about everyone in my large family. I explained the close relationship I had with my dad and how loving Mum always was. I talked about Dylan and how he came to be an assistant Healer at St. Mungo’s; my older sister, Alanna, and how she was well on her way to becoming one of the Ministry’s top Aurors, and how Christian had started his Auror’s training this year. I explained Christian’s sense of humor and how he would play practical jokes on Danny when we were little. I talked about the siblings that he already knew, Danny and Maggie and how much they loved being at Hogwarts. I told him about how my little twin sisters; Erin and Dana were polar opposites and almost never stopped bickering. They were to start Hogwarts in two years. Lastly, I told him about Sam, the baby of the family, and how the seven year old thought he knew everything about the world.

Sirius smiled and chuckled as I recounted family stories and things that had happened when we were little. I just sat there and talked and talked, while he continued to listen intently, drinking in every word I spoke. For his sake, I kept the stories coming, knowing that since he probably didn’t have any truly memorable childhood memories of his own, mine were probably refreshing.

When it came time for me to head up to the dormitory for the night, Sirius kissed my forehead gently.

“Thank you, Amelia,� he said softly. “You have no idea how nice it is to hear about your childhood. Not just for the fact that you’re my girlfriend and that I want to know; I enjoyed it for my sake as well.�

I looked into his grey eyes, failing to repress a smile. He was so honest.

“I know, Sirius. I know,� I said. “Goodnight.� I got up on my tip toes and kissed him on the cheek, savoring the smell of his cologne for one last time that evening.

With one final smile, I turned and bounded up the stairs to the girls’ dormitory. Lily was already in her pajamas and was perched on her bed reading a book when I came in. Leah was already in bed sleeping, as was Micky, but Haylie’s bed was empty. She was probably out somewhere in the castle with Amos Diggory. After all, she couldn’t hang out in the common room with her boyfriend the way Lily and I could.

“Amelia, could you come here?� Lily asked.

“Sure, Lily,� I said, changing course from my bed to hers. I sat down; she was already in her green flannel pajamas and tucked into her covers. She hugged her knees.

“Alright, so…� she began, looking anxious. “There’s a Hogsmeade trip on Saturday, and I was wondering if you had made any plans with Sirius yet.�

“Well, we talked about it a little. We were planning on hanging out. Why?� I questioned.

“James probably wants to do that as well, but I was thinking about doing some Christmas shopping that day…� Lily trailed off.

“Oh, you want to get James something, don’t you?�

She nodded. “Yeah, but on the other hand, I really want to go and be with him.�

I thought for a moment. “Now that I think about it, I really should get Sirius something too. We could maybe double date and then pair off, boys and girls to do some shopping and then join back up.�

Lily’s face brightened. “All right, thanks, Amelia. That’s a great idea.�

We brought up the idea to James and Sirius the next day. Both agreed to it, saying that it was a good plan.

On Saturday morning, the four of us all headed down to Hogsmeade together.

Sirius and I walked hand in hand through the light dusting of snow that had fallen in the night. I was wearing my warm winter cloak that I had inherited from my older sister, Alanna, and a Gryffindor scarf was tied firmly around my neck. I also wore a simple white headband to keep my ears warm, but it didn’t do much to keep my thick brown hair from flying all over the place in the breeze. I had a pair of mittens in my pocket, but didn’t need them at the moment because Sirius’s firm grip on my hand was enough to keep both of my hands (and the rest of me, for that matter) nice and warm. Sirius, on the other hand, only needed a cloak to keep warm. His black hair blew into his face, making me want to push it back into place. Lily was looking as lovely as usual in her pastel green cloak and warm, white beanie hat that sported a matching pom-pom on top. Her red hair, like mine, had no restraints and was blowing everywhere.

I could tell that James was fighting the urge to touch her hair, and I couldn’t help but smile. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He, meanwhile, was dressed in a plain black cloak and a pair of fluffy earmuffs that Lily had insisted upon him wearing.

“You know,� James had said upon donning the earmuffs. “Normally I just don’t wear things like this.�

“You’re right, you don’t. You look absolutely ridiculous, Prongs,� Sirius teased.

Lily, who was now walking with me, giggled. “I actually only told him to wear them because I wanted to see if he would actually do it,� she whispered to me.

I smiled. “Well, you know James. He will do almost anything for you.�

Lily blushed, glancing down. “I know. That’s one of the things I lov-ah, like about him so much.�

My mind exploded in cheers. Lily almost let the word love slip! While I was grinning to myself over this, Lily took the opportunity to get out of her situation. She skipped back to chat with James and I was reminded of the last time we were in Hogsmeade. The only difference was that Sirius and I were in front, but that wasn’t important. So much had changed since then. I knew the Marauder’s deepest secret, had a Quidditch match under my belt, successfully pushed two friends together, and got a boyfriend of my own in the process.

Sirius nudged me gently, pulling me from my thoughts. James had reached out and grabbed Lily’s hand. She was beaming at him and they were making what my mum calls ‘puppy dog eyes’ at each other.

I caught Sirius’s eye and grinned, feeling suddenly conscious of my own hand entwined in his. “What are you and James planning on doing?� I asked.

He shrugged. “I dunno… we were thinking about checking out Sylvia’s Spellwork… it would be nice to pay Micky a visit. She’s bound to be in there somewhere.�

I laughed and pretended to be offended. “Sirius Black!� I pouted in an imitation of Hollie. “You wouldn’t dare go to Sylvia’s without me, would you?�

“Of course not, darling.� Sirius joked back. “I would never do anything of the sort.�

I smiled, as if suddenly content. “Good.� Then, I cracked. “Actually, now that I think about it, Syliva’s doesn’t sound like somewhere I’m particularly keen on visiting again.�

Sirius pretended to be shocked. “What? I was looking forward to going and picking out clothes with you!�

I burst out laughing, giving him a shove. “Sirius!�

“All right, all right, I’m done,� he conceded. “What are you and Lily planning on doing?�

“Christmas shopping,� I replied mysteriously.

“Oh, really?�

“Yes,� I said stoutly. “Break starts in a few weeks and this is my only chance to buy my loved ones presents.�

“Am I included in this category of ‘loved ones’?� Sirius asked coyly.

“Hmm… you?� I said, pretending to consider. It was fun to mess with his head. “I was planning mainly on helping dearest Lily find something for dearest James,� I paused. Sirius’s laughing grey eyes were fixed on my face. “But, I may be able to pick something up for you as well.�

“Good.� Sirius moved his hand from mine. My palm was suddenly aware of how cold it was outside. However, Sirius instead wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “I don’t want to feel left out, you see.�

“Oh, is that what you’re worried about?� I asked. I knew I was shamelessly flirting, but I didn’t even care anymore. Flirting isn’t in my general character, but this was Sirius I was talking to. Of all the guys who I could be boyfriends with, none of them would probably be able to get me to flirt like this. With Sirius, though, it didn’t matter. One of the greatest things about Sirius was that he went along with everything.

Sirius shrugged, pretending to be sheepish. “Maybe.� I leaned my head against his shoulder. I could tell instantly that he had worn cologne; he smelled amazing.

We talked quietly amongst ourselves as we passed into Hogsmeade. If the village was adorable before, it was even more so now with a light dusting of snow on the ground. Students milled about and the street was filled with the pre-holiday cheer.

“All right, so what’s the plan?� James asked as we paused outside The Three Broomsticks.

Sirius shrugged. “I dunno. Lily and Amelia were planning on doing some Christmas shopping.�

Lily nodded, looking at me. “Amelia, do you want to get that done first or should we do that later?�

I glanced from Lily to Sirius to James. “Doesn’t matter to me.�

“How about this, you girls get your shopping done and then we can all meet up afterwards?� James suggested, running his hand nervously through his hair.

“That works,� Lily agreed.

“How about we meet up with you right here in… an hour?� Sirius suggested.

“Make that two hours,� James retorted.

I laughed. He was totally sucking up to Lily. She appreciated it, however, and beamed at him.

“Let’s go then, Amelia,� Lily said, linking her arm in mine.

“We’ll see you guys later.� I flashed Sirius one last grin before proceeding with Lily. I turned to her. “I wonder what they’ll do while we’re doing this.�

Lily shrugged. “I don’t know, they’ll probably go in a joke shop or two and maybe do a little shopping on their own.�

As we milled down the busy street, I wondered if Sirius would be buying me anything today. I knew I needed to get him something, but I had no idea what he would like. I quickly decided that it would be easiest to get ideas from Lily, so I asked her what she would be getting James.

She shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. “I don’t know,� she confessed, “I’m not really sure what he likes in a gift.�

“He likes Quidditch,� I offered.

“Well, yeah, but I kind of wanted to give him something more… special than Quidditch. He probably gets that sort of stuff all the time,� Lily explained, pausing to look at the ‘On Sale’ parchment in a shop window.

“I know what you mean,� I agreed, thinking of Sirius. What could I possibly get him?

Lily and I wandered down High Street for quite some time. We peered into windows, darted into stores, and shopped all we wanted, but didn’t find anything for our boyfriends. A few times, we would see something of interest in a window, but nothing seemed to fit. I did, however, manage to stumble upon gifts for almost everyone else on my list.

We had about forty five minutes left until meeting up with James and Sirius when we stumbled across the most unlikely place to find a present. It was a small shop on the far end of the street, mostly unnoticed by the general public. Its window was filled with trinkets, furniture, and everything you could possibly think of. Above the small door was a polished green sign bearing the words ‘Taylor’s Falls’ in shining gold letters.

Lily glanced at me, her green eyes alight with curiosity. “Should we go in here?�

I trailed my eyes over the odd assortment of items in the window. “Sure.�

We made our way into the tiny little store. The walls were lined in bookshelves and tables, all covered in dusty books, faded sets of China, old dolls, toys, and other various items. The walls were covered in portraits of snoring elderly men wearing powdered wigs and faded posters featuring advertisements. The center of the room contained several bits of furniture: chairs, tables, and even a piano. Every available surface in the shop was coated in miscellaneous objects. Partially hidden behind a large assortment of colored glass bottles containing dried flowers was a woman. She appeared to be in her late thirties and was busying herself by pricing a large stack of Quidditch posters from the 1958 season. She hadn’t noticed our entrance.

“Look at this!� Lily exclaimed, heading over to where a small wooden doll was bending over and standing back up on it’s own. My friend was beaming as she examined it. “This is amazing! It’s just like an antique shop!�

“A what?� I asked, joining her by the doll.

“You don’t know what a… oh yeah, I always forget you don’t know these things. Antique shops are Muggle stores that sell old things, which we call antiques. My mum used to drag me into them all the time when I was little. They always had the most distinct smell…� Lily closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in. “Ah yes, it’s in here too!�

I inhaled, my nose catching a musty and hard to describe scent. “I think I smell it.�

Lily wasn’t paying attention to me anymore. “Excuse me,� she said as she approached the women at the desk. “I’m guessing that you work here, right?�

The lady jumped, almost knocking over some of the dried flowers. “Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you there. My husband owns this place; I just run it for him when he’s at his day job.�

I had no idea why, but Lily seemed to be genuinely interested in the woman’s story. “Oh wow, where does he work?�

“He’s at the Ministry,� replied the shopkeeper.

“What department?� I asked, wondering if he might know my dad. Not many did since he does lots of international work and was rarely home, but there was always a slight chance.

“Magical Maintenance,� was her reply.

“Oh,� I said.

Lily was ready to ask another question. “When did you guys open this shop? It’s wonderful!�

“Well,� the woman glanced tiredly around the dingy little store. “My Hank was born to Muggles and he always had a liking for old things, antiques, he called them. Years ago, when we were first married, he told me about always wanting to own a place like this. I had my doubts, but I was a supportive wife and encouraged him to go for it. He even named the place after me, in a way. My maiden name is Taylor,� she smiled to herself. “Sadly, we didn’t attract the business we hoped to get, so Hank needed to take on an extra job, leaving me to lord over this place.�

“Why you don’t just give it up, though?� I asked. “You said it isn’t making any money and he doesn’t even get to be here, so what’s the point? Wouldn’t it just be better to sell it?�

The women shook her head, “Oh, no, this shop is Hank’s dream. He loves it so much, you should see him on weekends and evenings, he’s like a child when he brings home new things to sell here.� She smiled wistfully as she spoke.

“Wow, you must really love him,� Lily commented. “I can’t imagine giving up all my free time like that for something James wanted.�

The women chuckled. “Yes, yes, I love him more than anything. I’m Abigail Swenson, by the way.� She stuck out her hand.

Lily shook it firmly. “Lily Evans, this is my good friend, Amelia Jordan.�

“Pleasure to meet you both,� Mrs. Swenson grinned at us. “Is there anything you girls were looking for?�

“Actually, there was,� I said, feeling a great idea coming on. “We’re doing some Christmas shopping today for some… well, some pretty special people.�

Lily nodded eagerly. “Yes, we need something that will be perfect for them.�

“What kind of special people do you have in mind?� Mrs. Swenson had a mischievous gleam in her eye.

My face grew red. “Actually, they’re for our boyfriends.�

“What are their names?�

“James,� Lily answered.

“Sirius,� I replied.

Mrs. Swenson considered this for a moment. “James and Sirius… both are good names. I’m sure they’re very handsome young men.�

Lily and I exchanged embarrassed glances. “They are,� I mumbled to myself.

Mrs. Swenson was still in her own head, however, and remained oblivious to this exchange. “I think I know just what you girls need.� She took off to one of the tables. “Come over here, I’ve got something to show you.�

Lily and I followed her to the table. Her gaze grazed over the assortment of items and fell on something small. She gingerly lifted it and presented it to Lily.

It was a tiny wooden box with a forest scene etched into the sides. It appeared to be able to open and on the lid was painted a full moon in a starry sky. On the backside of it was a small lever.

“Go on,� the shopkeeper nodded as Lily gently took the box, examining its tiny, but elegant, carvings.

“Can I open it?� she asked, looking imploringly at the women. A simple nod informed her of Mrs. Swenson’s approval and Lily gently twisted the knob on the back of the box. The lid popped open instantly and from the small thing came the slight tinkle of music notes, strung together to make a mysterious, yet peaceful melody.

“It’s beautiful,� Lily breathed, completely entranced by the music box.

Mrs. Swenson beamed. “I’m very glad that you like it,� she said, before turning to me. “Now, as for you, Miss Amelia, I believe your Sirius needs something a little more lighthearted. Follow me.�

I did as I was told as she moved back through the maze of tables to the front desk. She disappeared momentarily behind the mountain of random artifacts and reappeared with a cloth item in her hand. She presented it to me with a hopeful smile.

I returned the smile, wondering what it was as I took it in my hands. A minute later, I let out a small gasp. It was a beret, a hat that had become very familiar to me during my years in France. In a way, it was a piece of my past, a part of who I was before moving back to England.

“Well?� Mrs. Swenson prodded gently.

I beamed at her. “Well, for a hat, it’s marvelously perfect. It will make him look like the silliest Brit that ever lived, but it’s perfect.�

“It was my grandfather’s, you know.� Mrs. Swenson smiled as if remembering. “He used to travel the world. That man picked up all sorts of things that he never used on his travels and left some of them to me when he died.�

“But… why sell it to me, if it was your grandfather’s?� I asked, feeling confused, yet strangely touched at the same time.

“Amelia, I’ve been keeping some of my most special items under that desk for ages, waiting for the perfect buyers to come along. There’s something about this business where, after a while, you can tell what will make a customer the happiest. I’ve become pretty good at the trade, and when I feel that something fits someone, I do everything I can to give it to them. I believe that, in a way, you and this beret were destined to find each other.�

I laughed. “That’s silly.�

She shrugged. “It may be silly, but I never forget the feeling I get after I give one of these special items to their proper owners.�

“Give away?� I asked, my mouth falling open.

“Why yes, I couldn’t possibly make you pay for something like this. The satisfaction that I’ve given one of these special items to their proper owners has always been enough for me.�

I was completely perplexed. “But… I couldn’t possibly take this from you, it was your grandfather’s!�

“He would have wanted it to go to someone who really cherished it, even if you are planning on giving it to a loved one.� Mrs. Swenson turned away and began rummaging through the desk again, coming up with a brown bag. She took the hat from me and wrapped it up, smiling as I stared at her.

How could she give something like this to me? An heirloom of her grandfather… I was amazed at the generosity of this woman. I didn’t think I would ever be able to part with something that a family member gave me… let alone doing it for no charge!

“Please don’t worry, Miss Amelia,� Mrs. Swenson smiled. “After all, it is only a hat.� She turned to Lily, who had joined us. “Are you purchasing that music box, Miss Lily?�

Lily nodded. “Yes, it’s perfect. It’s a little…� she blushed, “intimate, but James will love it.�

A few minutes later, Lily had paid for her present and we bid Mrs. Swenson goodbye, promising to visit again sometime.

“Did she really give you that hat for free?� Lily asked as I told her about the generous offer.

I nodded, “Yes, and it was her grandfather’s.�

“Wow,� Lily said, looking genuinely impressed. “I don’t think I would ever be able to do something like that.�

“Same here,� I said as we came into sight of the Three Broomsticks. The Marauders were nowhere to be found.

“Hey, Amelia, since we’ll probably be waiting for James and Sirius for awhile, I was wondering if I could ask you something,� Lily said casually, glancing down the street and adjusting her hat. I could tell that she was nervous and doing her best to hide it.

“Go ahead,� I said as I pushed the brown bag that held the beret deep into the pocket of my cloak.

“Okay, well, since we will be seeing each other over the holidays at the Marauder’s party, I was wondering if you wanted to maybe come over and stay at my house for a few days.�

My face lit up. “I’d love to, Lily! This would be after the party, right?�

Lily smiled. “Yes. I was talking to James and by the sound of it; the party usually lasts all night until we crash. You could come home with me then.�

“That would be so much fun! I’d get to meet your family! Too bad I can’t introduce you to mine.�

Lily grinned. “Just to warn you, my family are Muggles.�

“Really?� I asked, and then blushed. “Wait, I knew that already. They’re real Muggles? I’ve never stayed with Muggles before, so this will be great!�

Lily laughed merrily. “You’re really excited by this idea, aren’t you?�

I nodded vigorously. “Why wouldn’t I be? No one at Beauxbatons bothered to invite me to any parties, let alone their houses! Muggles or no Muggles, this is new for me so I’m going to be excited! I’ll write to my parents, I’m sure they will let me stay for a few days.�

“Sounds like a plan!� Lily said brightly before peering once more down the crowded streets. “Say, I think I see Sirius and James!�

I followed her gaze and sure enough, there they were. “Let’s go!� I shouted and we took off running to them. Everything all of a sudden seemed much brighter.

We ran as fast as we could towards the two boys. However, Lily stopped me in the middle of the street.

“Look at what shop they’re by,� she said, pointing a little ways ahead of us.

I read the writing on the window that they were inspecting. It was a jewelry store. I looked down at the bracelet that Sirius had given me for my birthday, fingering it gently. This bracelet was a good gift, but would he step up and give me something more for Christmas? I blushed at the thought. We have only been dating for a few months, why would he be getting me any more jewelry? They’re probably just looking at things for their Mums. This argument was good enough for me, so I let it rest.

James was tucking a bag into an inside pocket of his cloak when he noticed us. He waved, smiling widely. In response, Lily grinned and took off running towards him again. She sailed gracefully into his arms, laughing like a child. James laughed too as he took the opportunity to snatch the white hat from her head, sending her flaming hair flying everywhere in the small breeze. James broke free of Lily’s arms, hat in hand, and sped towards where I still stood. Lily let out a sound that was either a laugh or an annoyed scream, I’m not sure which, and dashed after him. She was almost to him when James playfully tossed the hat to Sirius, who quickly became Lily’s new target.

“Amelia, help me!� Lily cried as she charged at Sirius.

I laughed as I joined her. The game went on for a few minutes, Lily and I getting close to whoever held the hat and then they would toss it to the other.

It was me that finally ended it. Sirius was running down the street, hat held high, and I was chasing him. We weaved through the crowds of students, occasionally knocking into people.

“Sirius Black, you get back here right now!� I shouted as he took a moment to stop and check how close I was to him.

“Not a chance, sweetheart!� he called back, deciding to stop. He held Lily’s pretty white hat above his head like a trophy.

“Oh yeah?� I tried to keep a straight face, but failed miserably. “How about NOW?� As I said the last word, I rammed into him with all the force I could muster. This must have taken him by surprise, because he toppled over backwards with me on top of him.

Although it was slightly awkward, falling on top of Sirius in the middle of a crowded street, I really didn’t mind. Of course, this really shows how much I had changed since coming to Hogwarts. The Amelia Jordan who went to Beauxbatons would have been mortified to be falling on boys in public.

I couldn’t seem to stop giggling as I reached for the hat that was still in Sirius’s hand.

“Oh no you don’t!� Sirius laughed, holding the hat just out of my reach.

I responded by hitting him hard on the chest with my fist and making a quick grab for the hat. This time I didn’t fail to retrieve it. I let out a whoop of triumph, but my boyfriend wasn’t through with me yet. When he realized I had gotten the prize, he grabbed me around the waist and twisted me so I was laying flat on my back, looking up into those beautiful grey eyes.

I quickly realized that I could hardly breathe. He smelled absolutely amazing and his face was unbelievably close to my own. I had never been this close to him before…

Sirius grinned, making my heart flip flop. “You thought I’d let you win, didn’t you?� He whispered, sending goose bumps down my spine.

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t respond. My body wouldn’t move and my brain felt like it had been washed clean. Suddenly, Sirius was the most important thing in the world. He was the only thing in the world. Nothing else mattered outside this moment.

Sirius just smiled down at me. Did he feel the same way?

I bit my lip and his expression changed, turning serious. Without saying anything, he slowly moved his face towards my own. My mind was now working again and had worked itself into quite a frenzy. He was going to kiss me! What should I do? Should I close my eyes?

I could feel his warm breath on my face and closed my eyes. Whatever was going to happen would happen. I could almost feel Sirius’s lips on my own…

“SIRIUS, AMELIA!� From down the street, someone called for us and the heat that seemed to gather in that small moment instantly vanished as Lily and James appeared. Sirius grinned at me and got to his feet, offering a hand to me to help me up.

When I was safely on my feet again, I held the hat out to Lily. My face was burning and I could feel the onlookers staring. Did I really just do that in public?

“Will you two stop frolicking in the middle of the street?� James demanded, looking slightly cross. “It’s so embarrassing.�

Sirius glanced at me and grinned sheepishly. “Sorry.� Was it just me, or was he blushing too?

“Okay, well, what are we going to do now?� I asked, knowing I sounded completely lame.

“How about going into The Three Broomsticks?� Lily suggested.

That was the best idea any of us could come up with, and a few minutes later I found myself sitting between Sirius and a wall. Lily and James sat opposite of us in the booth. We ordered our drinks and I took a moment to observe Lily. She looked so radiant and happy, not to mention beautiful. Her hair contrasted perfectly with her cloak and her eyes shined like gems. I took note of the way she leaned into James, resting her head on his shoulder. From the way they were sitting, I was positive that they were holding hands under the table. I was filled with happiness just watching them interact, they were so cute. If any two people were meant for each other, it was Lily and James.

I glanced around the pub to see who else was in there. Severus Snape, the greasy haired Slytherin, was sitting alone in a corner, immersed in his potions book and looking extremely grumpy. Aly Hazen was with her friend, Anna, and a few boys I didn’t know, and Donyal from the Quidditch team was flirting with a tall Hufflepuff sixth year. She caught me staring and winked. To my surprise, Hollie was sitting alone at the bar talking with Madame Rosemerta and looking extremely pensive.

I was shocked to see that she wasn’t surrounded by her usual swarm of gossiping girls. Was she up to something again?

I brushed all thoughts of Hollie aside when Sirius abruptly started a conversation. “Man, I can’t wait for break to be here,� he moaned.

James nodded. “I know what you mean, Padfoot. All this homework is addling my brains.�

Lily elbowed him in the ribs. “Come on, James, its N.E.W.T. year.�

“That means more work and, if you ask me, all the more reason to slack off, Lily-love.� James yawned, throwing his arm over Lily’s shoulders.

She sighed. “You’re impossible.�

Just then, Madame Rosemerta came with the drinks. Sirius was reaching into his pocket to pay for them when the young barmaid stopped him.

“Don’t worry about a thing, Mr. Black, a girl at the bar already paid for them.�

My head whipped around to the bar. Hollie was gone and the only ones still there were a group of third years and a pair of awkward looking fifth years.

“What?� Sirius asked, brow crinkling in confusion.

Madame Rosemerta glanced over at the bar. “Oh, well, she’s gone now. She paid enough for you all to each have a refill.�

“Wow, that’s generous of her,� Lily said, looking impressed. She obviously hadn’t noticed who had been sitting there a few minutes ago.

“Sure is,� the barmaid nodded. “You guys enjoy these. Just give me a shout when you’d like those refills.�

“Well that was weird,� Sirius comment as she returned to her spot at the bar.

I took the nearest butterbeer and took a long sip, letting the golden liquid slide down my throat. I regretted the action instantly, something about it just didn’t feel right. I figured it was Hollie that paid for our drinks. My only question was why would she do something like that? Was she, once again, up to something?

I set my mug down, blinking as a horrible aftertaste filled my mouth. I gazed down at it, watching the golden liquid slosh around in the mug. Butterbeer never had a bitter aftertaste, it was always unbelievably sweet.

I then gripped my mug so tightly that my knuckles turned white. A wave of nausea came over me. My stomach hurt very badly all of a sudden. I knew I was going to vomit.

“Amelia, are you okay?� James asked, looking concerned. “You look kind of green.�

I stared blankly at him, blinking to keep a wave of dizziness at bay. “I…� I tried to speak, but could hardly get a word out of my mouth. “I need to use the bathroom.�

I nearly plowed over Sirius in my mad dash to the lavatory. When I reached the safety of the girl’s room, I didn’t even pause to check my surroundings and plunged myself into the nearest stall. After a few minutes of being intensely uncomfortable, the contents of my stomach were safe in the toilet bowl.

It was all quite nasty, and as I was leaning over the shiny white toilet, I felt long fingers weaving through my thick brown hair, pulling it back and tying it so it was out of the way.

“How do you feel, Amelia?� the horribly familiar low toned voice spat into my ear. It was Hollie. “Do you feel good now that you publicly embarrassed me? Do you feel better that you stole my date at the ball? Because of you, James probably spent the whole time after he disappeared getting it on with your redheaded friend. How do you feel about all of this? Do you enjoy the fact that you got the guy? I saw the way you and Sirius acted in the middle of the street. Did that feel good? Are you pleased with yourself that you’ve somehow managed to get your ugly little hands on the most attractive boy in the school?� She pulled my face out of the toilet to face her own. Her pale eyes flashed in cold fury. I wrenched away, heaving into the toilet. “I sure as hell don’t enjoy these things, Amelia Jordan. You better watch out. You have no idea what I can do to you—“

“What’s going on in here?� It was as if an angel had spoken. I glanced over Hollie’s shoulder at my savior. It was Lily!

Hollie let go of my head immediately, straightening so she was taller than Lily. “Oh, nothing,� she sneered. “Just helping out a friend.� She spat out the word “friend�.

Lily narrowed her eyes in intense dislike. “Well, I appreciate it, but I think you’ve helped enough.�

Hollie leered at her. “Just make sure Amelia here watches her actions more closely. I would hate it if someone accidentally slipped something into her butterbeer.� With a swish of her long hair, Hollie was gone.

Lily was instantly at my side. “Merlin, Amelia, what happened?�

I gulped and struggled for words. “Hollie put something… in butterbeer. She paid… came in here… jealous…� I could only get a few of the words out; the horrible taste in my mouth was disgusting. I was filled with anger at my beautiful rival. Why did she always do things like this? I didn’t do anything to her! Is her jealousy so great that she feels that she needs to hurt me, falsely accuse me, and threaten me?

I felt my head go fuzzy again and there were now three of Lily dancing in front of me.

“I’ll go get you some water, okay?� they said. I nodded as they got up and left. A few moments later, the three Lily’s returned with water in their hands. “Drink this,� she instructed as I reached out blindly for the water.

I gulped it down. My head instantly felt better and the three Lily’s morphed back into one. “Thank you,� I said softly, closing my eyes.

Lily nodded, putting a hand on my head. “Amelia, you’re burning up!�

“Am I?� I asked, feeling distant again.

“We need to get you back up to the school,� She said.

I yawned; her voice seemed worlds away. I was suddenly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep the day away. “Can I have a nap first?�

Lily’s voice was stern. “No, Amelia, we need to get you out of here. Come on, put your arm over my shoulders, I’ll help you up so we can find the boys, all right?� Lily grabbed my waist and dragged me to my feet. I leaned on her for support. “Okay, now we’re going to walk.� I shuffled my legs as she led me out the door.

My ears seemed to explode as the noise of the pub hit them. My gaze landed on our booth where Sirius sat with James, both looking incredibly worried. The butterbeer remained untouched. Their images blurred before my eyes.

James glanced over, saw us, and got to his feet. “Sirius!�

Sirius looked at Lily and me. His eyes widened and his face paled. He was on his feet and striding towards us before I even had time to think.

“Amelia! Lily, what happened?� Sirius demanded as he took Lily’s place by my side. Even in my dizzy state, I was glad he was there. He was much stronger than Lily, and easier to lean on.

“I don’t really know,� she said.

“What’s wrong with her?� James asked, catching up to us as we made our way slowly out of the busy pub and onto the cold street.

I shivered. “Brr, cold.� I sounded so childish.

Sirius stopped, gazing at me for a moment before hoisting me up in his arms. “You’re in no condition to walk,� he told me firmly. I wasn’t paying attention. I was off in my own little world. “Here, put your arms around my neck, it will make it easier.� I did as instructed, leaning my head against his chest. His heart was racing; I could feel it against the side of my cheek. “All right, let’s get you back to the school.�

We set off up the path. I could hear them talking about the situation as we traveled.

“Lily, we want to know the full story here,� James demanded.

“I don’t know the whole thing,� Lily began. “When I came into the bathroom, Amelia was vomiting in the toilet. Hollie… Hollie was with her.�

I could hear Sirius’s heart skip a beat. It was an odd experience. How often do you get to hear someone else’s heart do that?

“Hollie was there?� Sirius was grinding his teeth and his voice was low.

Lily nodded. “She was holding back Amelia’s hair so it didn’t get dirty or anything. From what I heard of the conversation, she was threatening Amelia.�

“What?� James exclaimed. “Why?�

“I don’t know, only Amelia knows. I think…� Lily cleared her throat. “I think that Hollie put something in the butterbeer. She was the one who paid for it, I’m sure of it.�

“So if we drank the butterbeer, then we’d all be sick?� James asked.

“I don’t know,� Lily said. “I just don’t know.�

This was the last thing I remember. I must have fallen asleep in Sirius’s arms.

~*~

I don’t know how much time had passed, but when I opened my eyes, I was in an unfamiliar bed staring up at red hangings. I rolled over on my side and realized that I was wearing my pajamas. I lay there for a few moments, enjoying the feeling you get right when you wake up. I took several deep breaths. The sheets and pillow smelled distinctly like… “Sirius?�

The hangings around me pulled slowly open and there he was, looking genuinely worried. I could see Lily sitting with Remus and James on one of the other beds.

“Hey, Amelia,� he said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “How do you feel?�

I tried to sit up, but Sirius touched my arm gently, telling me to stay down. I sighed. “I feel fine,� I yawned, “just a little groggy.�

Sirius reached over and put a hand on my forehead. It was amazing how something that simple sent chills down my back. “Your fever has gone down,� he commented, removing his hand.

“Fever?� I asked.

Lily joined Sirius at my bedside. This time, I actually sat up. My head spun, knocking the events of the trip to Hogsmeade back into my head. I looked from Lily to Sirius. “Wait… what happened? What day is it? Why am I in here?�

Sirius took my hand in his. “One question at a time, love.�

My face flushed and Lily replied. “We think Hollie put something in the butterbeers. You were the only one who drank from them, it made you really sick.�

“Like a potion?� I asked.

“No, we think it was a potion ingredient, a dangerous one.� Sirius said.

“Well, Lily, you’re the best one at potions, what was it?� I asked.

She shook her head. “We’re not sure. It could have been multiple things and I couldn’t go back and inspect the drink. I guess we’ll never know.�

“Oh.� I looked down at mine and Sirius’s linked hands.

“Today is Sunday, though, so you haven’t been out that long,� Lily explained. “We would have put you up in the girl’s dormitory, but I couldn’t carry you up the stairs by myself. Plus, Sirius here would have been pestering me constantly for updates, so we just brought you to the guy’s dorm.� She paused, glancing at Sirius. “Now that I think about it, Sirius has been pestering me this whole time anyways.�

I smiled weakly. “I can see that.�

Sirius grinned sheepishly at me. “The things we do for love.� As he said this, he tucked a strand of my messy brown hair behind my ear.

Lily rolled her eyes and I put a hand over my face to repress a fit of giggles. Sometimes Sirius just looked so stupid when he was acting like this. I squeezed his hand gently.

“All right, you two, this is no time for you to get all boyfriend and girlfriend on me,� Lily retorted.

“But Lily,� I protested, “We ARE boyfriend and girlfriend.�

“Yeah, Lily, come on!� Sirius whined. I hit him on the arm, failing to stop another fit of giggles. My vision blurred for a moment and I gripped Sirius’s hand more tightly to keep it from completely fading.

“Amelia, you should probably get some more rest,� Sirius advised.

“Hmm… okay,� I agreed, laying back down and pulling the covers around me. Lily offered me one last smile before returning to where James and Remus sat on the other side of the room.

Sirius, however, lingered for a moment. I swallowed hard as I noticed a strange look in his eyes and a gentle smile on his face. I couldn’t quite remember how to breathe as he left a small kiss on my cheek.

“Sleep well,� he whispered before drawing the hangings shut. I could hear him walking away and I let out the breath I had been holding.

My heart raced and my head spun with emotions. I pushed it all aside, knowing that I would never be able to sleep soundly with thoughts of Sirius in my head. I flopped over so I lay on my side, breathing deeply and inhaling the lovely, distinct smell of Sirius. In no time at all, I felt the world slip away as I fell into a deep slumber.

It didn’t take long at all to recover from Hollie’s little stunt. I was back up and running in almost no time at all.

The next week absolutely flew by as we all counted down the days until Christmas break began. The Friday before we returned home for the holidays, Sirius and I were sitting alone together. Remus and Lily were out on patrol, and James had decided to hang out with Peter up in the dormitory. We were some of the last people in the common room and were perched on our favorite plushy couch by the fireplace.

I sighed and rested my head on Sirius’s shoulder. Everything was so peaceful at this time of night. No obnoxious third years or dramatic fifth years causing uproar, no Haylie babbling about Quidditch, no Micky gushing about how much she loves fashion and Divination, and no Leah scolding us to get our homework done. It was just Sirius and me enjoying our last evening alone together. I closed my eyes contentedly. Life was perfect.

“Hey, Amelia?� Sirius asked softly.

I glanced up at his face. “Hmm?�

“Do your parents know about… about us dating?� His voice was slightly worried.

I thought about it for a moment, mentally scanning through all the letters I had sent home since Sirius and I started dating. “I don’t think so.�

“I’m your first boyfriend, right?�

I nodded. “Yes.�

“Will they mind?�

Sirius really was worried about this, wasn’t he? I pictured my open, loving Mum and my calm, friendly Dad. Would they mind me having a boyfriend? Mum was absolutely delighted when she was introduced to my older sister, Alanna’s, first boyfriend. Of course, Alanna had been out of school by then.

I sighed. “I’m not sure. They might be a bit skeptical at first, but once they’ve met you, that will all change… hopefully.�

Sirius gazed intently at me for a few long moments. “You think so?�

“I know so. After all,� I grinned impishly into his gorgeous face. “What’s not to like?�

Sirius chuckled as he comically poked me in the nose. “I like the way you think!�

~*~

The next day, we all ate breakfast in the Great Hall for the last time this term, before boarding the train. During the meal, I gazed at everything, taking it all in one last time.

“You know, Amelia, you’ll be back here in a few weeks,� Peter pointed out, noticing my staring.

I smiled at him and looked at all my friends: Lily, Sirius, James, Haylie, Remus, Leah, Micky, and so many others. “I know. I was just thinking about how much has changed in four months. Everything is just so different. I wonder what my family will think of it.�

“I’m sure they’ll love it,� Lily put in. James and Remus nodded.

When we finished eating, we were shown to where a large crowd of horseless carriages were waiting to transport us to Hogsmeade station.

“Wait… what about the boats?� I asked Leah as we climbed into one.

Leah smiled at me. “It’s only the first years who travel by boat, silly. You went that way because you were new. Everyone else goes in the carriages. The boats are something special, used for coming in your first year, and graduation.�

“Oh,� I said as the carriage started moving. It was an odd way to travel, but effective. Within minutes, we had reached Hogsmeade station.

“Well, let’s get on board and find a compartment,� James said and we all filed onto the train. I remembered vividly my first time on the Hogwarts Express in September. That was the first time I had met everyone. I smiled to myself as I recalled how Lily had hated James back then. Who would have guessed that, a few short months later, they would be one of the cutest couples in school? As I glanced into the compartments, I thought back to how attracted I was to Sirius even at our first meeting. Isn’t it odd how much people could grow and change in a few months?

We headed down the narrow train hallway until we came to the last compartment. I had left the majority of my things in the dormitory, taking only a small bag of things with me. I had spare robes and Muggle clothing at home, so there was no need to bring my entire trunk. The professors, in true teacher fashion, assigned plenty of homework to do over break, so my bag was filled with books and a few personal items. I slid it only the rack above the seats next to everyone else’s.

In the compartment, it was just Lily, James, Remus, Leah, Sirius, and me. Haylie was determined to spend the last few hours before we reached London with Amos Diggory, whom she had been dating since the Halloween Ball. Micky decided to go sit with them since, in her words, being stuck in a tiny room with one couple was better than being in one with three. To her slight annoyance, Peter tagged along, since there was only room for the six of us in the compartment and each of the other Marauders wanted to be with their girlfriends.

I now sat between Sirius and Remus facing Lily, Leah, and James. It was a little awkward for Remus, I imagined, since he was the only one who hadn’t gotten to sit next to his girlfriend. Lily was leaning comfortably into James and Sirius had an arm around my waist. Still, they didn’t seem to mind.

“You know, Lils, I still can’t get over the fact that you’ll be staying with Muggles,� James commented, breaking a long silence.

Lily sighed, smiling slightly. “James, they’re my family. I’ve lived with them my entire life.�

“Still, if anything ever comes up, tensions about you being a witch or anything, just let me know. My parents would be more than happy to take you in…�

“You know, I appreciate it, James, really, I do, but I could never ditch my family over the holidays, even if there was a fight� she said irritably, sitting up straight. “I only see them a few times a year and it would break my mum’s heart if I left them at Christmas.� She glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I know Lily, I was just…�

“You know, guys, don’t worry about it,� I interrupted him. “We’ll see each other at the party and I’m going to Lily’s house afterwards so it should all be fine.�

Sirius looked at me sharply. “You’re going to Lily’s after the party?�

My face turned red and my stomach sank. I had forgotten to tell Sirius about going to Lily’s house! I had been meaning to tell him, but I had gotten sick to due Hollie’s stupid prank and completely forgotten about it!

“Oh my gosh, Sirius, I’m sorry! I forgot to tell you… I was meaning to, I swear, but then I totally forgot because of Hollie’s little stunt down in Hogsmeade.� I bit my lip, not wanting to look at him.

I felt Sirius’s hand on my chin and I pulled away. “Amelia, look at me,� he ordered. Was that amusement in his voice? Surely enough, when I met his gaze, he was grinning. Why was he smiling?

“You really feel bad about this, don’t you?� he asked.

My concern turned to a mixture of embarrassment and anger. He was mocking me! “Well, I did until about three seconds ago.� My glare wiped the smile off his face. I grinned at him. “I really did mean to tell you, though.�

Sirius regained his smile. “I know, and it’s okay. You had a busy week.� As he said this, he reached up and mussed the top of my head with his hand.

“Hey!� I shouted, jumping forward to hit him playfully.

Sirius wrapped me up in his arms, holding me so I couldn’t move. I squirmed, trying to ignore the laughs the scene was attracting from the others in the compartment, especially James.

“You guys are so cheesy!� he said between laughs. “One second you’re being all cheesy and couple-like, and the next you’re trying to hit each other. This is great!�

In no time at all, however, we had all settled down. The train snaked smoothly through the mountains of Scotland, which slowly faded into the English countryside.

Leah had been the only smart one to bring something to do, so while she read her book, James decided to go hunt down Micky to see if she had brought a deck of cards to play Exploding Snap with. While he was gone, Remus and Lily headed out for their share of patrol duties.

Upon returning to the compartment, James announced, in his usual eccentric fashion, that we were going to amuse ourselves with an Exploding Snap tournament. He had gotten a deck of cards from Micky and another from a random first year he passed in the corridor.

“But James,� Leah protested after he insisted that she had to participate. “This game is a game partially of luck. You can’t have a fair competition based on luck.�

“Come on, Leah, don’t be such a downer,� James replied, shoving a deck of cards in her face and removing the book from her hands. “Between your work and Remus, hardly any of us get to see you these days! So join in and let us that lovely face of yours.�

Leah considered this for a moment, and then smiled. “All right, all right, I guess I can play.�

First up was Sirius versus James. James won and I was given the task of brushing the debris from the minor explosion from Sirius’s hair, all the while doing my best not to laugh at his soot-stained face.

The second game was a much more interesting one, with James’ luck and Leah’s strategizing. After much sweat and carefully placed cards, it was James who made the wrong move and had to, literally, face the flames. Since there was no Lily to do the honors, the task of cleaning him off was left to Sirius.

“You know, James, I’m never going to forgive you for this.� Sirius feigned the voice of a moody teenage girl as he brushed the soot off his best friend’s shoulders. “I mean, honestly, how can you even go out in public after losing to a girl?�

“I heard that!� Leah retorted.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Leah, relax, he’s just being Sirius.�

She smiled wryly. “Figures. Well, how about the next game be a couples match: you against your boyfriend.�

James nodded, his face taking on a mischievous expression. “Brava, Leah! An excellent suggestion! Now, Sirius, I know she’s your girlfriend and you love her and all, but please, show some manly pride. Don’t let her walk all over you.�

Sirius nodded seriously. “Whatever you say, Prongs.�

I grinned wickedly at him as we started the game. Leah was perched next to me as we started placing cards on the table, making sure I didn’t make any stupid moves. We were about ten minutes into the game, each quickly slamming down cards. If two cards matched, we would yell, “Snap!� and they would be ours. If the cards didn’t match, they would explode.

Just then, the compartment door banged open. Sirius, who was in the middle of frantically shuffling his deck, jumped at the noise. He dropped a few cards and with a BANG it exploded, leaving him looking frazzled and with sporting a smudge of soot on his nose.

“Oh, sorry about that, Sirius,� Lily apologized as she plopped down next to me. There was a definite edge to her voice and her eyes were filled with anger. In her hands was what looked like a very old book. Lily threw it onto the floor as if it was cursed.

“What’s wrong?� Leah asked.

Lily leaned forward, putting her face in her hands and letting out a loud sigh. “It’s nothing, just a stupid Slytherin getting on my nerves.�

James looked worried as he moved to sit across from her, gently putting a hand on her knee. “Who was it? What did they do?� His voice was anxious and I could tell by the way his empty fist was clenched that he wanted nothing better than to beat whoever had offended Lily to a bloody pulp.

Lily met his gaze. The anger had faded from her face, but it wasn’t all together gone. “It was that creep, Mulciber. I caught him with this book,� she pointed to the large tome she had cast to the floor. It was obviously old, the parchment had faded and you could hardly read the words on the cover. I could see that it had been covered in several layers of dust before this Mulciber person got his hands on it. I had no idea what it was, having never seen any book like that before, except in the restricted section.

Cautiously, James picked it up off the floor. He opened it slightly. A cloud of dust puffed up in his face, making him sneeze. “It looks like Mulciber has been studying up on the Dark Arts.�

Lily shook her head. “I overheard him and Snape.� she spat out the name of the greasy haired Slytherin as if it were poison. “They were discussing testing out one of the spells in that book. I didn’t want to go in, but being Head Girl, I felt like I had to. I asked them if they had permission to be in the possession of books like that one. They didn’t say anything so I asked if I could see it. Mulciber then told me that he would never give anything to a… a…� Lily broke off, sighing heavily, and glared at the floor.

“To a mudblood,� James said the dreaded word through gritted teeth. His brow was furrowed.

Lily nodded.

I stiffened where I sat, my eyes fixed on Lily. Someone had called her a mudblood? How dare they! I mean, it happens all the time, especially among Slytherins, but to use the word on LILY seemed impossible. So what if she was raised by Muggles? She was the kindest, prettiest, and smartest witch I have ever met. How could anyone even stand to call her something so vulgar?

The same thing seemed to be crossing James’s mind because he was now on his feet making a beeline for the door. “All right, what compartment are they in? I’m going to find Mulciber and hex him into…� He trailed off as Lily shook her head at him. He stared at her in shock as she gazed back, meeting his eyes with a hurt, but determined look.

“No, James,� she commanded in a tone that made him obey instantly. “It’s fine, I’m used to it.�

“Used to it?� James burst out harshly. “Lily, how can you be used to it? How can you stand having people say that to you, let alone say it to your face?�

She shrugged. “I guess what the teachers all say is true, practice makes perfect.� James was about to retort but she put she put up a hand. “Look, what’s done is done. After calling me a… mudblood, I threatened them with detention. Mulciber just mocked me so I turned to Snape. I asked him, as nicely as I could manage after being so insulted, for the book. For a moment I thought he was actually going to give it to me, but then he turned away and started looking out the window. So I said, ‘I’m really disappointed in you, Sev,� and snatched the book from Mulciber’s hands before anyone could say anything. The thing that REALLY made me mad was that the slimy git actually tried to curse me when my back was turned.� Lily’s eyes momentarily gained back their spark of fiery anger.

“Wait, who tried to curse you?� Sirius asked. “Snape or Mulciber?�

“Mulciber,� Lily replied with a sneer. “Snape just sat there the whole time, trying to act like he was invisible. That was what set me off. You would think that he’d be willing to do at least something to help his ex-best friend.� She shook her head. “Stupid prat.�

“Merlin, how I hate that greasy little slimeball,� James muttered darkly.

I sat quietly through this whole exchange. I noticed that Leah had too. I knew that if I opened my mouth, my anger would get the best of me. I knew I would end up saying something I regretted, which would just make the situation worse. So I just sat there, going over again and again how shocked I was that anyone would even dare treat Lily like that.

The remainder of the journey was fairly uneventful. Remus returned shortly after Lily from patrol. Leah went back to her book and Sirius fell asleep against the window. His mouth hung open and he snored slightly. He looked absolutely adorable, but I was in too black a mood to notice and found the snoring mildly annoying.

Lily and James sat together on the opposite side of the compartment. She leaned into his chest and he had an arm around her protectively. Their free hands held each other’s and I noticed how James ran his thumb up and down Lily’s thumb. It wasn’t long before, like Sirius, Lily had fallen asleep and the silence became awkward.

Remus was unfortunate enough to be stuck next to Lily and James and looked quite uncomfortable. I briefly filled him in on the drama with the Slytherins before offering to switch spots with him.

“Are you sure?� he asked, glancing at Sirius.

I nodded. “Sirius looks like he’s out cold; he won’t even notice I’m gone. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t sit next to Leah.�

Both Leah and Remus smiled gratefully at me as I got up and plopped down next to the sleeping Lily. Leah shifted her book so it was only half in her lap and Remus picked up the other half. They both held the book and read together.

I sighed, gazing across the compartment and out the window as the forests swiftly turned into open rolling fields. A sudden longing for home filled me and for the first time since coming to Hogwarts, I felt alone. My mind began filling itself with memories of home and I couldn’t wait to see my mum and dad again. My brother Christian would be home for the holidays as well and questions about how his Auror training filled my head. I’d been corresponding with my family via owl post during school, but sometimes my older siblings were just too busy to write to me. For the first time in months, we would all be together.

The sun was setting when we finally rolled into King’s Cross station. The air was frosty as we grabbed our bags and hopped off the train onto the platform. I pulled my cloak tightly around me to keep the cold out, but Sirius taking my hand in his turned out to be a much more effective way to stay warm.

“You’re going home with James, right?� I asked him, scanning the crowd for family members.

He nodded. “Yeah, I am. Hey look, there they are now! Come on, I have to introduce you to them.� Sirius pulled me through the people to where James was now trapped in the arms of a tall, but slightly plump, woman.

“Mum, uh, you’re embarrassing me!� James’s protests were audible over the hum of people.

Sirius and I shared a laugh as we approached them. James’s mum, hearing Sirius’s laugh, finally let go of her son and turned to us.

“Sirius!� she cried, wrapping her arms around him. “Just look at you, I swear you grow taller and more handsome every time I see you!�

Sirius chuckled as he pulled away from her. “Thanks, Mrs. Potter.�

“Mum, where’s Dad?� James questioned, glancing at all the people around us.

Mrs. Potter sighed. “He wanted to come, but he thought it would be best to stay home and put finishing touches on the decorations before you came home. You know how he is with that Christmas tree. Everything has to be completely perfect before anyone else can see.� It was then that she noticed me standing with them. Her eyes trailed from me to Sirius and down to where our hands were linked. My face heated up. “Now Sirius, who might this be?�

Sirius looked absolutely thrilled as he put an arm around my shoulders. “Mrs. Potter, this is Amelia Jordan, my girlfriend.�

I was still blushing, but found it impossible not to smile. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Potter.�

Mrs. Potter’s eyes inspected me for a moment before she beamed too. “Oh Sirius, I’m so happy for you! She’s absolutely lovely!� Before I knew it, I was wrapped in a breath-stealing embrace. “It’s wonderful to see that Sirius has finally found a good girl to keep his brain between his ears.�

She let me go and I glanced at Sirius, who looked extremely embarrassed. “What do you mean?� He avoided my gaze.

James sniggered. “I keep forgetting you weren’t around before this year. Let’s just say that Sirius was a bit of a ladies’ man back in fourth and fifth year.� He shook his head. “Don’t worry, it all faded out after Ellen Murphy tried to corner him on his way to Quidditch practice.�

“What happened?� My curiosity was piqued.

Sirius looked grim at the memory. “Let’s just say that I made it very clear that I wasn’t into girls with large moles on their chins and took a break from dating. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with moles, but when you’re a sixteen year old Marauder, it’s not exactly preferable.�

I laughed. “Understandable.�

Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned around. It was Lily. She had obviously heard our conversation on Sirius’s active love life. “Don’t worry, Amelia,� she whispered. “He never looked at the other girls like he looks at you.�

I smiled. “Thanks, Lily.�

“Oh, Mum,� James sprang to life. He grabbed Lily’s arm, yanked her away from me and placed her directly before his mother. “I am proud to present to you, Lily Evans.�

Mrs. Potter’s eyes grew wide as she observed Lily. “Why, my dear, you’re even prettier than James let on!� She hugged Lily just as she hugged me, if not tighter. “Oh, it’s so wonderful to meet you at last. My James has told us so much about you over the years, I was beginning to think that you weren’t actually real, but here you are!�

Lily, grinning and blushing, looked slightly embarrassed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.�

“Oh, please, call me Denise,� Mrs. Potter said warmly. “Now, you’re coming to James’s party, aren’t you?� Her warm hazel eyes darted from Lily to me.

Lily nodded. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.�

“Splendid! It’s too bad I won’t be able to chat with you girls more then, James and Sirius always insist on getting the house to themselves when they throw big bashes. My husband and I will probably be going out to dinner somewhere and be staying in a nice hotel.�

Lily smiled politely and listened to the story, but then glanced over as she heard someone call her name. She started slightly. “Oh, there’s my mum and dad! I’ll see you all in a few days.�

I gave her a quick hug, “Bye, Lily.�

“See you, Amelia. Don’t forget to bring a bag of spare clothes and stuff to bring to my house after the party.�

“Will do.�

Lily then turned to James, who held her close for a moment.

“Aw, isn’t that so sweet,� murmured Mrs. Potter, looking as though she was about to tear up.

James kissed Lily’s forehead. I noticed him pause slightly, he must have been savoring her smell one last time before parting.

Slowly, Lily pulled away. “See you, James.� She smiled sadly.

“See you, Lils. Keep safe, okay?�

“Of course I will. Bye, everyone!�

I watched Lily as she walked away and joined a group of what were obviously Muggles. Her mum and dad hugged her and beamed like the proudest of parents. The tall, plain blonde accompanying them, however, didn’t look nearly as enthused. She gave Lily a stiff hug before turning away. That, I said to myself, must be Lily’s older sister, Petunia. I had always doubted the things Lily said about her, but upon seeing her, even from a distance, I could tell that Lily had been telling the truth.

I was absorbed in my thoughts as someone ran up from behind me and grabbed my arm. Looking down, I saw that it was Maggie. Her face was flushed with excitement, her curls bounced merrily, and I couldn’t help but notice that she looked happier than she had in months.

“Hey there, Maggie,� I smiled at her.

“Amelia, Alanna’s here! She came to pick us up!�

My face brightened. “Really? She’s here?�

“Yeah! We still have to round up Danny, but I’ll go get her so you can introduce her to your friends.� Maggie turned to Sirius and James, looking slightly bashful. “Hi Sirius, hi James.�

My sister then dashed off into the crowd, gone as fast as she had come.

“And Alanna is?� James questioned.

I opened my mouth to speak but Sirius beat me to it. “She’s Amelia’s older sister,� he explained.

It was then that Maggie came back with my only older sister on her arm. Alanna has always been extremely pretty, with her baby blue eyes and warm smile. Yet, at the same time, she was very reserved in her choice of words and actions. You could never tell if Alanna was pleased or upset; she covered the latter emotion especially well. However, she wasn’t as publicly reserved as Maggie.

Upon seeing Alanna for the first time in months, I immediately noticed one major difference. “Alanna,� I burst out, my thoughts coming out like a cannon from my mind. “You cut your hair!�

Indeed, her wavy brown hair, which was once just like my own, had been sheared off to the bottom of her chin in a cute bob.

She offered me one of her rare smiles. “Thank you, Amelia, it’s nice to see you too.�

My face flushed. “Oh… sorry!� I recovered from my moment of embarrassment quickly and, deciding to make up for it, stuck out my hand in greeting. “Hello, Alanna, it’s a delight to see you again.�

She shook it, giving me a weird look. “It’s a… delight to see you too.� She observed me for a moment. “I don’t know what it is, but you seem different.�

I shrugged. “New school, I guess.�

“Well, I’m afraid that I was the only one who could pick you three up. Dad’s working, as usual, and Mum’s too far into her cooking to quit now.� She rolled her eyes. “You know Mum…�

I nodded, noticing that Maggie had disappeared again. Then, remembering that I was still standing with Sirius, James, and his mother, I introduced my friends.

“These are my friends James and Sirius, and that’s his mum. Guys, this is my older sister, Alanna.� I motioned to her.

As they exchanged friendly greetings, Maggie arrived again, this time with Danny in tow.

“Hey, James and Sirius!� Danny greeted them happily. “How have you guys been? Are you excited for the holidays?�

James nodded enthusiastically. “We’re absolutely pumped! The holidays are pretty much heaven for us Marauders.�

“I bet they are,� Danny glanced slyly at Sirius. “It’s too bad we’re not all at school together, though.�

Sirius clapped him on the back. “True… very true.� He grinned at me.

Of course, Danny was alluding to the fact that I was going to be separated from Sirius over the holidays. Yes, I was going to miss him, but it was only a week or so. Plus, we’d all be together for the big party in a few days. I should be able to survive that long.

Alanna coughed loudly. “Well, since everyone in the Jordan family is all gathered up, I think it’s safe to say we can return home.�

Maggie nodded. “Okay, Alanna. Bye, Sirius! Bye James!�

My sisters disappeared in the crowd, followed closely by Danny.

I lingered, my eyes on Sirius. “Well… um…� I mumbled, not really knowing what to say.

Sirius leaned over and kissed my cheek gently, making my heart flutter. I put my hands on his shoulders and leaned upwards to kiss him in return, but Alanna was waiting.

“Amelia!� she shouted. “Let’s go!�

I was intending to merely kiss him on the cheek, but Alanna’s voice made my head turn in her direction. In that moment, my face so close to Sirius’s, our lips gently brushed against each other. It was just a brush, not an actual kiss, but it was enough to send my blood pumping through my ears.

“I’ll see you in a few days,� I said quickly to Sirius. I could tell that his mind has completely gone blank from the almost-kiss.

“What?� he asked, starting to come to his senses. “Oh… right! See you then!�

I flashed him one last smile. “Don’t forget to write!� He nodded as I turned away.

I then noticed Danny with standing my sisters a few yards away. They hadn’t disappeared into the crowd after all. In fact, they had been there the entire time. I scuttled over to them, knowing that my face was probably a deep crimson in color.

Danny grinned over his shoulder at Sirius. “Don’t worry, Sirius, we’ll take good care of her!�

I glared at him, mentally willing him to shut his fat mouth. Why couldn’t he just shut up? I was planning on telling Alanna and the rest of my family about Sirius later… they weren’t supposed to find out right away.

It wasn’t until we had all piled into the Muggle taxi cab Alanna had rented that my obvious relationship with Sirius was actually mentioned. “Amelia… are you and this Sirius boy a couple?� Alanna asked casually from her place in the front seat.

My face flushed again and I gazed sheepishly at my hands folded neatly in my lap. I felt the eyes of Danny and Maggie, both squished in back with me, boring into my head. “Well… we’re dating, if that’s what you mean.�

“What did you say his surname was?� she questioned.

I creased my forehead. “Black; his last name is Black�

“I see,� Alanna said to herself. That was it. She didn’t ask any questions, didn’t want to know how long our relationship had been going. She didn’t say anything, just gazed intently out the window.

I tried to do the same as Maggie began chattering away about school, but I just couldn’t bring myself to act cool. My brain was erupting with questions of my own. Why wasn’t Alanna asking more? Did she approve of the match? Would she tell Mum and Dad?

Although the car was filled with conversation, my trip consisted of reflective silence. My heart ached as I thought of all my friends. Yeah, I had looked forward to seeing my family, but was it possible to miss everyone already? It hadn’t even been an hour and I was already looking forward to seeing them again.

Depressing thoughts flittered across my mind as we passed through the dull grey suburbs of London. Now that I thought about it, I knew Alanna didn’t approve of Sirius. Without a doubt, she recognized his surname. After all, she was an Auror and I imagine a family known for being dark wizards, like the Blacks, would be familiar to her. There was no way she would know that he wasn’t like his relatives. Alanna probably figured he was as bad as the rest of them. No, I told myself, don’t think like that. It’s not true. I knew Sirius was different. That was all that mattered… right?

I was in a black mood when we pulled into the driveway to our house, but it was brightened slightly by the sight of my smallest brother, Sam, dashing out the door to greet us. The thoughts of Alanna not liking Sirius still loomed in my brain, but I willed them aside. Surely she had more faith in my judgement. Did she honestly think I would be stupid enough to date a dark wizard? It didn’t matter anyways, so worrying about it would do nothing.

Maggie, Danny, and I piled from the taxi cab and onto the snow-covered lawn. We removed our things from the trunk as Alanna paid the confused-looking Muggle driver. Little Sam had latched his arms around Maggie’s legs, making it difficult for her to grab her bags. I retrieved them for her and trundled up the drive to the door.

Our house was a simple one. Dad had hastily bought it after the decision had been made to move back to England. The last time I had been there, we had not been fully settled in. Now, however, I could see curtains hanging in every window. The building itself was fairly large, made up of two stories, and it took up most of the small suburban lot. It was covered in pale blue siding and was topped by a brown tiled roof.

I pushed through the doors, glancing around as I did so. “Hello?�

Mum had certainly been busy during our time at school; all the rooms I could see were completely furnished and decorated. Not a brown box was in sight.

“Are they here?� came a cheery voice from inside the house.

“Mum?� I called, setting down mine and Maggie’s bags and making my way to the back of the house.

My mother was in the kitchen and beamed when she caught sight of me. She wore a pair of everyday robes topped with a dirty apron and her brown, graying, curls framed her round face.

“Amelia!� she chimed, rushing forward to wrap me in her arms. “Oh my little girl, let me look at you!� She held me an arms length away, scanning me up and down. “You’ve grown so much, I can hardly recognize you.�

I smiled. Mum had a way of making the world seem like a happier place. I had forgotten that about her. “It’s only been a few months, Mum.�

She shook her head. “I know, but even after such a short time, you seem like a new person. Even now, you seem different.�

“How?�

“Your eyes are brighter,� Mum commented seriously, her blue eyes probing mine.

I looked away, remembering the expression on Alanna’s face when she found out I had a boyfriend. I had been so sure that my family would be all right with it, that they would love Sirius… what if I had been wrong?

“Amelia?�

“Hmm?� I shifted uncomfortably.

“How has school been? I know all about Maggie, she writes long letters every week, but your’s never gave away much. How are your teachers? Are classes hard? You said you made your house Quidditch team, how is that going?�

It was awkward at first, but it wasn’t long until I was telling Mum all about my new life at school. She heard about Professor Birky’s boring lectures, Professor McGonagall’s difficult, but interesting lessons, and the complicated potions in Professor Slughorn’s class. I told her about Quidditch practice and all the drills Haylie made us perform. Mum was more than pleased to hear about all the friends and people I had met.

Danny and Maggie joined us and in no time, we were all talking and laughing as if we had never left home. Between the three of us, we had more then enough stories from school to entertain us for hours.

“Mum, where are the younger kids?� Maggie wanted to know. She always had a soft spot for our younger siblings. I, on the other hand, preferred the company of the older ones.

“I think Alanna brought Sam upstairs to take a nap, he’s worn out after the excitement with your arrival. The twins are at a house down the street with a Muggle friend they made a while back,� Mum explained.

All in all, it was certainly good to be home again. While at school, I had missed the closeness of my family. Dinner that night was like one big reunion. The whole family was home. Alanna was taking a break from her work and Dylan came over from his London flat to see us. He and Christian, who was on holiday from his Auror training, kept us laughing almost the entire meal. The jolly atmosphere was broken when Dana and Erin, the twins, began bickering over who got the last of the treacle tart. My youngest brother, Sam, had grown since I had last seen him, but remained as adorable as ever. The only bad thing about the meal was that my father wasn’t present.

Growing up, my favorite part of the day had always been when Dad came home from work. He would stretch out before the fire with a copy of The Daily Prophet and I would crawl up onto his lap, pretending that I could read what the newspaper said. He used to always get here before dinner, but Mum said that he had been working late since moving back to England.

It was quite a shock to see my usually friendly and good humored father emerge from the fireplace looking tired and weary that evening. He certainly looked worn down, but that didn’t affect my joy of seeing him again. Something, though, made me a bit shy. Mum had noticed how much being at Hogwarts had changed me in an instant. Out of my parents, Dad was the one who knew me best. What would he see when he saw me again?

I was standing with Dylan and Christian when he arrived. Maggie rushed forward to hug him right away, but due to my weird bout of shyness, I held back.

When Dad turned towards us, my timidity faded and I couldn’t help but grin. His face formed a smile that mirrored my own. It was often said that, if not for the significant age difference, Dad and I could have been twins. His chestnut brown hair was as thick as my own and I had inherited my hazel green eyes from him. Even our personalities were somewhat similar, reserved around people we didn’t know well and outgoing with those we were comfortable with. Thinking about it now, it made perfect sense that I was in Gryffindor. It had been Dad’s house as well.

While staring at him, I realized for what seemed like the hundredth time how much I missed being home. I didn’t even know what to say as I stepped forward and threw my arms around him.

“I missed you, Dad.�

He hugged me tightly for a long moment. “Love you too, Amelia.�

That was all I had time to say to him before his attention was diverted by my other siblings. The evening was a typical Jordan family night, just sitting around talking and enjoying each other’s company.

~*~

After all that catching up, it was soon time to get some sleep. I changed into my pajamas and crawled into my own bed. It felt weird to be back here, sleeping at home. I hadn’t had time to bond with this place before leaving for school. Now my four poster bed with its scarlet hangings was more homely to me than the room I was in now. Although I shared it with Maggie, the air around me felt empty. It was too cold, too dark. My ears had become so used to Haylie’s loud breathing and Leah’s snoring (yes, Leah snores) that their absence now blasted silence into my ears.

I lay there for a long time, faces flashing across my ceiling as I gazed upward. Peter, Micky, Remus, Haylie, Leah, James, Lily, Sirius. I couldn’t drown them out. Whenever I closed my eyes, there were James and Sirius laughing at some clever prank. Whenever I turned, there was Lily with words of encouragement. It was all too much. It suddenly felt like the few days until I saw all my friends again were a millennium.

Maggie’s deep breathing told me that she had fallen into the world of dreams. Quietly, I slipped on a dressing gown and tiptoed from the room. I didn’t know where I would go, but I needed something to occupy my mind.

I plodded down the carpeted steps and into the living room. Glancing down a hallway, I spotted a light coming from the last room on the left. Silently, I made my way towards it, wondering who would still be awake at this late hour. The door was only slightly ajar, so I pushed it open and poked my head in.

The room was very messy, filled with filing cabinets, bookshelves, and a desk. Papers and scraps of parchment seemed to be everywhere, hanging out of drawers, stacked on shelves, and splayed over flat surfaces. A lamp burned dimly from a corner and my father sat at the desk, scribbling away with a quill in hand. The shadowy lighting emphasized the lines of worry and his face looked years older then I had ever seen it. He was wearing glasses.

“Dad?� I asked softly, not wanting to disturb him.

He jumped slightly, head snapping up to see who was interrupting him. “Oh, Amelia, it’s just you.�

I smiled, leaning against the door frame. “What are you working on?�

Dad shrugged, removing the glasses from his face and setting them on the desk. “Just some work, honey, it would be boring to you.�

“Oh.� I paused, thinking for a moment. “Why are you working on it now? I mean, it’s past midnight.�

Dad grimaced. “Things have been… rather hectic around here lately.�

I moved into the room, taking a seat in a spare chair. “What do you mean?�

He sighed heavily. “Amelia, there are so many things going on in the world that you don’t know about. Hogwarts really is the safest place in the country right now. You’ve been fairly sheltered towards current events.�

“Current events?� I piped curiously. “What has been going on?�

“Did I ever tell you the reason we moved back to England?�

I nodded. “Of course. There was that horrible plague at Beauxbatons. It was under quarantine, only we got out because of your influence in the Ministry here in England. Moving here prevented us from being in danger of the disease—“

Dad shook his head. “No, that wasn’t the reason.�

I frowned, suddenly confused. More faces flashed through my mind, this time they were the ones of my old classmates. Their faces sweated with fever, their skin the pale shade of death. How could that not be the reason we moved here? What went on at my old school still gave me nightmares occasionally. Surely the action was out of parental concern and not… something else.

“What do you mean?� I asked quietly, my head still reeling.

“Of course, the Beauxbatons situation played a significant part in the decision. I won’t lie and say that we weren’t worried sick about you and your siblings, but I highly doubt Madame Maxime would let you transfer if it weren’t for the fact that the Ministry of Magic back here in England demanded that I return immediately.� Dad closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead.

“Why? Why did they want you back?� I inquired. More questions entered my head. What could be so bad that they would risk pulling kids out of a quarantined area? How did the other Beauxbatons transfers get out of the school, if we only got out because of Dad’s job?

“Amelia.� Was it just me… or did he sound angry? “I know that you’ve been worried these past few years about Beauxbatons and the disease, but while that’s been going on, you have no idea of what England has been experiencing. Most wizards and witches remain fairly ignorant, but you of all people need to know what’s going on. There’s a dark wizard on the rise.�

Something clicked in my memory. “Oh, him? I remember seeing a small article about it in a friend’s copy of The Daily Prophet. Is he really giving you that much trouble?�

Dad laughed wryly. “Yes, but trouble is a bit of an understatement. Every day that passes, his army gets bigger. He is gathering followers, wizards, giants, and all sorts of beasts. The Ministry is a wreck. People are Imperiused, we don’t know who is on what side and citizens are disappearing left and right.�

I frowned, a chill running down my spine. “If it’s that big of a problem, why haven’t we been informed? Why keep us students in the dark?�

“Because Hogwarts is one of the few truly safe places left. Under the eye of Albus Dumbledore it’s almost guaranteed that no harm will come to you. Several students, though, aren’t as in the dark as you may think. I believe that this wizard has spies in the school, maybe even student recruits for his band of Death Eaters. The Ministry is trying to keep it all hushed up for the time being. We want to see if we can get this Lord-well, You-Know-Who out of the way without the story going public. Its madness, I know, it’s going to all leak out eventually. The last thing we need are people panicking, though.�

I was nearly speechless. How could this have been going on while I remained ignorant of it? I was locked up in school, playing around with my friends, when evil was rampaging across the country! This nameless man, this phantom was out there torturing and murdering while I worried about homework and my boyfriend!

“It doesn’t seem right,� I said, putting my thoughts to words. “Not knowing about this, no one knowing about this. How long has it been going on?�

“It’s only been a problem for a few years, but I suspect that the origins of the evil deeds began farther back than that. It didn’t reach this level of havoc until last summer,� Dad replied.

“That long?� My heart sank.

“The Ministry is doing their best, Amelia. They have Aurors out there constantly searching and hunting down Death Eaters; that’s what the followers call themselves. Alastor Moody has already thrown several of Vol-his followers behind bars.�

“Why won’t you say his name?� I questioned, still trying to process all this information. “What is it? Does he even have one?�

“When people are scared, they don’t want to be reminded of their fears. Not saying his name is like that for lots of people at work. I guess I’ve gotten used to not saying his name at all. They’re convinced that if they forget his name, they will forget the problem entirely.�

“That’s ridiculous!� I protested. “What IS his name?�

“Voldemort,� Dad answered without hesitating. “His name is Lord Voldemort. At least, that’s what he calls himself. He probably has another name, a more normal name, but nobody knows what it is.�

“Oh,� I said, sitting back down and letting the name sink in. Voldemort… it was such a strange name, but it was well-chosen because it sent chills down my spine.

“Anyways, Amelia,� Dad’s tone changed dramatically, becoming suddenly light and cheery. “I didn’t have much of a chance to talk with you earlier. How is school going? I know that it was difficult getting along with people at Beauxbatons, is that any different at Hogwarts?�

I rolled my eyes at him. It was so typical for adults to go from an actual conversation to badgering you about school. “Hogwarts is VERY different than Beauxbatons. Classes are all going well, except for potions, but you know how that goes.� Dad chuckled to himself. My dismal potion-making ability was another trait I had inherited from my father. “I have made lots of friends, though. My best friend’s name is Lily Evans, she’s amazing. She’s really pretty and smart, she’s even Head Girl! She’s the one whose house I’m staying at in a few days. There’s Sirius, who is one of my best friends and makes Potions bearable.� I smiled to myself, remembering our last potions session together. He had made me laugh so hard that I had accidentally knocked over a jar of pickled boomslang skin and it had splashed all over Snape. “There’s also James, who is the Quidditch Captain. He and Lily are dating, due to Sirius’s and my amazing match-making skills. Remus and Leah are both really smart, and Remus is Head Boy. Micky is obsessed with fashion and thinks she’s a Seer; it’s really funny. Then there’s Haylie Burch, who is the best Quidditch player I have ever seen. I also have study sessions with this girl named Aly, who is a Hufflepuff.�

Dad was smiling broadly. “Is there anything else you’d like to share? You said that you and Sirius got Lily and James together. Anything happen in the process?�

My face burned. He didn’t miss a thing, my dad. I bowed my head, hoping he wouldn’t be angry at me. “Well… Sirius and I are kind of dating…�

“Really?� Was it just me, or did he sound amused?

I nodded. “Yes. We’ve been going out since November.�

“What did you say his surname was?�

This is what I had been dreading. “Black. His name is Sirius Black.�

Dad frowned. “Black… that name sounds familiar…�

I interrupted him. “Yes, his family is a bunch of pureblood-obsessed Slytherins, but Sirius is nothing like that! He’s in Gryffindor, like me, and he’s smart and fun and sweet…�

Dad held up a hand to stop me. He was laughing. “Amelia, it’s all right. I trust your judgement. Will we be meeting this Sirius any time soon? I understand that you are going back to school in a couple weeks, but is there any chance he would stop by?�

I nodded. “He’s coming to pick me up for the big party I wrote to you and Mum about in a few days.�

“Oh yes, I think your mum mentioned something about this party to me,� Dad commented.

“Sirius really wants to meet you all. It was actually his idea to come get me,� I confessed.

“Really?�

“Yes, and you’re going to love him, Dad, I’m sure of it!�

Dad’s smile was warm and comforting. “I’m sure I will. Now it’s very late, I need to finish up this work, so I suggest heading to bed, my dear.�

I pulled myself out of my chair and headed for the door. “All right. Night, Dad!�

“Goodnight, Amelia.�

By the time I reached my bed, I had grown so tired that I fell asleep almost instantly. Yet my dreams were haunted by a shapeless form, but I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a beast. The only thing that I sure about was that it was dangerous and that the world was no longer the safe place I thought it was.