Well, I hope you all enjoy this new fic of mine. For a complete summary and insight into what this is, check out my profile.
I don't own it.
He didn't know her name. Here he was, Sirius Black, just turned seventeen, having a delightful snog with some American bird he met in London's Hyde Park, and he could not remember her name. It might have been the several pints of ale he consumed in recent hours, or maybe her name wasn't really ridiculously important. He knew she was studying in London, and more importantly that it was her last night here.
He managed to pull away. "Listen, it's been fun, but, ah, I've gotta go, my train to erm, Bristol leaves in an hour and I've got to get to the station." Smooth, Sirius, smooth.
She looked at him wistfully, "So this is goodbye, then?"
"I'm 'fraid so, love." He gave her what he hoped was a devastatingly handsome smile before turning away.
James Potter was not happy that his friend had Apparated onto his feet. "What's the tally today?" He asked, pushing Sirius off of his bed. "And you've really got to remember which room you're in."
"Oh I didn't forget, Prongsie." Sirius grinned. "And tally, for today, just the one bird, but that brings my week's total up to twelve snogs, and two shags, both foreign."
"Honestly, how can you keep track of these things?" James asked, now sitting up in his bed.
"I usually categorise by snogging skill." He laughed.
"Oh well that's pleasant, not even names?" James asked, incredulously.
Sirius clapped a hand to his forehead. "This last girl, right before I came back...could not remember her name. She was studying business or something, and she's going back to America tomorrow. Merlin...what was her name?"
James rolled his eyes at his friend's problem. "Well, go sleep on it, and maybe you can come up with it tomorrow when we get our books, and Moony and Wormtail are going to get here tomorrow."
---
It was barely ten o'clock the following morning and Sirius was already on the prowl. "You know, Padfoot, if you weren't my best mate, I'd deck you for asking me if the next girl's worth the effort." James muttered as the entered Flourish's and Blotts.
The two dark haired boys were met by Remus Lupin, who grinned at them. "I was wondering when you tossers would get here. Remembered that this is N.E.W.T. year then?"
James hugged Remus first. "It was more of me dragging this one," he nodded his head at Sirius, "through Diagon Alley without him throwing himself on some unsuspecting female."
"They're never unsuspecting, Prongs." Sirius grinned, as he took his turn in hugging Remus. "They find me, I just follow through."
"I'm terribly sorry you had to live with him all summer." Remus laughed. "Alright, how're we doing this book buying business this year?"
"We're all perfectly literate, Moony, I think we can handle it." Sirius grinned, taking his rather crumpled book list from his pocket. He and his friends parted ways, and Sirius bounded towards the Muggle Studies books.
He found their seventh year school book easily, Muggle Innovations of the 20th Century, and started leafing through it. This, however, didn't last long as he caught sight of a girl with flame-coloured hair. He casually began to follow her down a row of books when a heavy hand clapped him on the back.
"This can't be Sirius Black, can it?" The deep voice behind him bellowed. Sirius turned around slowly to see the grinning figure of Gideon Prewett. "Merlin's beard, and Fabian said you'd never grow into your features."
Sirius grinned, eyes wide that his prank idol, Gideon Prewett, remembered him. "He said that, then?"
"Glad to see you're still among the living, Black, that was quite the long pause." Gideon grinned. "So, you're, what, seventh year now, right?"
"Yeah, just picking up a book on Muggle Studies and then have to go and get some of the juicier material, Potions," Gideon made a face, "Defence Against the Dark Arts, you know…"
"That I do know." Gideon nodded.
"Why are you in Flourish's and Blotts, then? I didn't expect that the Auror department would have you guarding a bookshop."
"No, personal business today. Actually, I'm actually the supply wench. Gwen's getting her school supplies today. You know Gwen right?" Gideon asked, now leading Sirius as they looked for the phantom Gwen.
"Er…" Came the reply.
"Sixth year, this year. Ah, found her." Gideon continued. "Gwen, look who I've found!"
She was the strawberry blonde he'd seen walking past, the one that he had been so ready to turn on the 'Sirius charm' for. He'd seen her around the common room, but she'd so often been in the company of Lily Evans that he never really took a second look.
"Sirius Black." Gwen noted, a look of disdain painted clearly on her face.
Gideon stared at the two of them expecting them to start talking animatedly about their summers. When this didn't happen, Gwen gave her brother a contemptuous glare before walking along the row of books, Sirius watching her every move. "You do realise that you're gawking at my baby sister, right?"
Sirius blanched.
"And she's told me about your reputation. Now, had you not been staring at my sister just then, I would now be nodding approvingly of your behaviour, but seeing as it appears she is now involved-"
"-she's not!" Sirius blurted out.
"Nevertheless, pull anything like that on her…" Sirius nodded, Gideon did not have to finish this statement, but he continued anyway, "You'll have to answer to Fabian, and me, and maybe even Molly. No, most definitely Molly."
"Padfoot!" Remus called. "We've been looking all over for you."
"And you're Remus! Gads, the day Fabian and I are split up." Gideon grinned at the surprised Marauder. "Wasn't there another one in your little group?"
"Two, actually." Remus corrected, Sirius nodding emphatically. "Prongs found her."
"Oh this should be good." Sirius grinned. "When and where?"
"Transfiguration section, five minutes ago." Remus replied. "But you've already missed it."
"Missed what?" Gideon asked curiously, looking over to see his sister still perusing the section of books.
"James, er, has this thing for Lily Evans. It's gotten a bit weird, what with him asking her out nearly every day." Remus explained, shifting uncomfortably. "He, ah, told her that he wouldn't mind giving her Transfiguration lessons this year."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "And what did Lily say?"
"It wasn't that she said anything, it was more on the fact that she turned his hair a brilliant shade of turquoise." Remus grinned. "If anyone needs Transfiguration lessons, Lily's at the bottom of the list."
"Gideon, I'm done in this section." Gwen said, handing four heavy books to her brother. "I just need to get a potions book."
"Gwen! Did you have a pleasant summer?" Remus' voice was amiable.
Her scornful look changed to a much more pleasing demeanor. "It was as quiet as it gets living with Gid and Fabian." Sirius noted the hint of amusement in her voice, as she gave her brother a friendly nudge.
"So probably more exciting than mine?" Remus chuckled.
"Well, the Head Boy has never been an exciting person." Gideon added, the weight of the books not fazing him in the slightest.
Sirius coughed, and Gwen shot him a quick glare. "I'm not Head Boy."
"James is." Sirius grinned, and noted how quickly Gwen's eyebrows shot up.
"That Dumbledore is off his rocker." Gwen muttered. "He must've forgotten he chose Lily Evans as Head Girl."
Remus made a sputtering noise. "What was that?"
Gwen looked at Gideon, dismissing Remus's noise of disbelief. "Gideon, potions book, and I've got to stop by Madam Malkins."
Gideon made an apologetic face to the two boys. "What she says goes, unfortunately."
"See you at school." Sirius called as Gwen walked behind Gideon.
"Oh you cannot be serious." Remus said exasperatedly as he looked at his friend's face. "And do NOT make the obvious joke."
"You set it up." Sirius grinned. "And what are you talking about, anyway?"
"I saw you, and I saw how you were looking at her!" Remus exclaimed.
"And how was that, Moony?" Sirius asked, as they headed over to the Defence Against the Dark Arts books. Sirius' eyes lingered on a book claiming to give the advantage over enemies.
"Like the dog you are, tongue lolling about stupidly." Remus replied.
"Moony, no need to lecture." Sirius said, airily. "I've already been threatened by Gideon Prewett: No Foul Play."
"And since when has that stopped you?" Remus sighed in exasperation. Sirius grinned and was about to speak when he saw James coming near them, hair still a brilliant shade of turquoise.
"I believe we did colour changing in transfiguration before Christmas hols last term." Sirius' laugh uproariously.
"I thought it was a harmless line!" James muttered as Sirius pointed his wand at James' head, turning it back to it's jet black colour. "Thanks for that, mate."
"I could've left a turquoise spot, but…considering you're my friend and all." Sirius grinned.
"That and Gwen is watching." Remus commented, rolling his eyes. James gave Remus a questioning look. "Gwen Prewett, sixth year."
"Oh right." James nodded. "I thought you weren't a fan of gingers."
Sirius cast a glance in Gwen's direction, who immediately turned her attention back to her new textbook. "I decided I should stop discriminating."
"A likely story." Remus grumbled. "Come on, I told Peter we'd meet him at the Leaky Cauldron ten minutes ago."
So what do you all think? Reviews are always welcome!