Wallflower

Chapter One: Introducing Adelaide Vicknair

Wallflower: A person, usually in high school, who sees everything and knows everything that's going on but doesn't say a word…a person nobody pays attention to, and fades into the background, but are really genuine and interesting people if you take the time to get to know them.

Sirius Black was a proud person; he had shoulder-length black hair, grey eyes, and aristocratic features that many girls fell in love with, a personality that seemed to just draw people in, and three best friends whom he would gladly give his life for. Though he was good looking, he didn't often abuse his looks. Yes, he dated on occasion, and yes he had shagged some girls, but not on a daily basis like some could assume. Rumors went around, as could be expected, but over half of them weren't true. The only reason he made no attempt to deny them was because the people who mattered knew the truth.

The person in question was currently making his way through a crowded train station, Kings Cross to be exact, and headed towards platforms nine and ten, where he would proceed to platform nine and three – quarters for the last time. The platform held many fond memories for him; it was where he met James Potter, his brother in everyway save for blood, and it was where he departed from his horror of a family for the first of many times.

He paid no mind as he headed to the pillar between platforms nine and ten, not even gaining speed as he steered his cart with one hand and shoved his other deep into his pocket. E didn't even bat an eyelash as he walked through the wall and reappeared on the other side, where a glistening red train awaited him. He maneuvered through the crowds easily, ignoring the glances he got from several girls, before he grabbed his luggage and boarded the train, making his way to what he considered The Marauders Compartment. When he entered he was greeted by the sight of Remus Lupin, who sat reading a thick book. He glanced up and smiled at his friend, before hugging him in a warm welcome.

"Good to see you in one piece," he said happily, before pulling away and helping Sirius heft his luggage into the overhead compartments. Remus Lupin was a good-looking guy with light brown hair and very pale features, and looked a bit older then he actually was. He was generally a very kind boy, and excelled in his studies, but due to his 'furry-little-problem' (as his friends' referred to it) or his lycanthropy, he suffered greatly with scars on his face and body.

Sirius grinned back at him,

"The same could be said for you," he said cheekily, earning a laugh in response. He sat down across from Remus, beside the window where he watched people saying goodbye to their families.

After receiving a large amount of money from his uncle Alphard Black, as well as inheriting his house, he moved out of James' parents house (where he had been staying) and began to live on his own. The money he got from his uncle was enough to keep him afloat for the summer (given the house was already paid off fully) and would be able to hold him off for a few more months after graduating from Hogwarts, and by then he would already have a job.

"So, how was life on your own?" Remus asked as he bookmarked his page and sat his book aside. Sirius shrugged.

"Pretty boring; I spent most of the time visiting James," he said truthfully, "What about you?"

"Same as always," Remus sighed softly, "rather boring actually." Sirius smirked and pointed at himself with his thumb.

"That's because you didn't have me around 24/7." He said. Remus rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Thank Merlin for that," he said, and Sirius laughed good-naturedly.

"Well, I see you two are getting on just fine without us," a voice said from the doorway, and they turned to see James Potter grinning at them with the smaller Peter Pettigrew standing slightly behind him.

James Potter was a handsome boy with messy black hair and hazel eyes. He lacked the aristocratic features that made Sirius so popular, but made up for it with an abundant amount of boyish charm. He came from a pure-blood wizarding family and had quite a bit of wealth, which made him more desirable. Unfortunately for the girls (and on the rare occasions, boys) who sought his attention, James had been after the heart of muggle-born witch Lily Evans since the middle of his first year.

Peter, on the other hand, was a rather short boy with round, watery eyes very similar to a rat. He had mousy brown hair, and he seemed very different compared to his friends, whom were all very good looking. He was the least desirable of the marauders, and the dullest of the four. While the others all excelled at their studies, he always needed extra help to keep him afloat (if only barely).

"Prongs, ol' pal!" Sirius said with a large grin, "How was you're summer?"

"You should know, you were there half the time," James retorted with a grin, before taking a seat beside his friends. Of all the Marauders, James and Sirius were by far the closest.

"True, true," Sirius said with a nod, before he grinned at Peter, who had taken a seat beside Remus, "How about you, wormy? How was your summer."

"I-It was fine," he responded, "Nothing to exciting to talk about."

"And you, Mooney?" James asked, "how was your summer?"

"Same as always," he responded again, "Rather boring."

"Whoa," Sirius said with a grin, "Talk about Déjà vu."

"What about Vuja de?" James asked, earning looks from the others.

"What?" Peter asked. James' grin widened.

"The feeling that this has never happened before," he said, and the other's laughed. Then the train whistled and began to leave the station. Parents were waving at their children, siblings crying as they complained about their inability to go, and students waved out the window to their parents.

"It's weird, isn't it? Sirius asked, turning to his friends, "We're never going to board the Hogwarts Express again; with the intent of going to Hogwarts, that is."

"Yeah, it is kind of weird," James agreed with a nod, "I'm going to miss the place." The others agreed, when someone knocked on the compartment door before slowly opening it. It was a girl with layered burgundy-brown hair that was parted on the side and hung in very loose spirals that reached the middle of her upper back. She had pale skin, and was medium height (around 5'5") and had very feminine features that were contradicted by her outfit: a large white tee-shirt and grey sweat pants. She was chewing on her bottom lip as she looked at the four nervously.

"U-Um, do you mind if I sit here?" she whispered, shifting her weight, "I-I can't find any other seats."

"Go ahead," Remus said with a smile. She moved further into the compartment and began to heft her luggage into the racks.

"Do you need some help?" Sirius asked after a moment, and she blushed and smiled shyly.

"I-If it's not too much trouble," she said, and he stood and easily placed it next to his own. She smiled gratefully and took a seat beside Remus and across from him, "Th-thank you."

"No problem," he responded, "I'm not one to ignore a damsel in distress." He grinned, and she blushed before staring down at her lap where her hands were fisted on the hem of her shirt, which looked about five sizes too big.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Peter asked, oblivious of the looks he gained from the other Marauders. The girls blush deepened and she shifted in her seat.

"Um…I got up late, so I didn't have time to change," she said, "Sorry if it bugs you."

"Not at all," James stepped in, throwing a look at the now confused Peter, "My name is James, and this is-"

"Remus, Sirius, and Peter," she whispered with a shy smile, "I've seen you all already; we're all seventh year Gryffindors."

"Why haven't we seen you then?" Sirius asked. She shrugged and gnawed on her lip for a second.

"I-I'm not that sociable, I'm rather shy actually," she murmured, blushing as she continued to toy with her shirt, "We also have identical schedules."

"I'm amazed we haven't noticed you," Remus said politely, "We're normally more observant then that." She shook her head.

"It's fine; I don't mind." She responded, glancing up through her hair at the four.

"Well, what's your name then?" Peter asked.

"A-Adelaide, Adelaide Vicknair," She said with a shy smile, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is all ours," Sirius responded smoothly. Adelaide just offered a small upturn of her lips, before she looked out the window with a still bowed head. Sirius watched her with curious eyes, and the others chose to ignore it as they continued to talk amongst themselves. Sirius was rather surprised that she had gone unnoticed by him for seven years; she was quite pretty. She must be a master of disillusionment charm, he though wryly to himself, for her to go unnoticed by all four of them, peter excluded of course: he wasn't very observant to begin with.

"Where are you from?" Sirius asked, and Adelaide looked at him, a bit less shy then before.

"I was born in France; I moved to Ottery St. Catchpole when I was nine because my mother didn't want me attending Beauxbatons or Durmstrang," she said truthfully, "Why?"

"You have an odd accent," he said truthfully, "A mix between French and British." Se smiled and laughed, her eyes lighting up in the process.

"Yes, well, I guess that would explain it," she said and Sirius grinned. He missed the looks that Remus, James, and Peter shared.

"Now if only Lily would come in, my life would be complete," James said, looking at the door hopefully. Adelaide looked over at James.

"You mean Lily Evans?" she asked. James sighed and nodded wistfully.

"My darling Lily-flower," he said ad Remus and Sirius rolled their eyes, "One day she will return my feelings; this I promise you!" He straightened up at his declaration, before slouching again and watching the door with hope etched into his features. Adelaide smiled again.

"I think you have a good chance," she said truthfully, "You seem like a good guy; she'll come around eventually." Everyone looked at her now, and she blushed at all the attention and looked back at her lap.

"Really?" James asked hopefully, "Do you really think so?" She nodded shyly, and James seemed to have an epiphany, "you! You're a girl!" She smiled slightly.

"Yes, I thought that was a given," she teased timidly, and Sirius was amazed at how she was able to tease him yet still retain her shy appearance.

"No, that means you share a dorm with Lily!" he beamed, "Does she talk about me?" She bit her lip as she contemplated her response.

"Well, for the past six years she usually complains about how you're an 'arrogant toerag," she admitted and James face fell. She immediately tried to redeem herself though, and held her hands out in front of her, "B-but that doesn't mean she doesn't like you! There's a thin line between love and hate!" James snorted and slouched again. She it her lip again and her voice was quieter as she spoke again,

"I-I think that if you, maybe, laid off of her a bit, treated her as a friend and not a potential girlfriend, then she'll warm up to you," she offered, "The thing that bugs her about you is that you constantly hex people for fun and you sometimes are a bit full of yourself (her words, not mine). Maybe you should lay off a bit and just be yourself around her and she'll come around." James looked at her hopefully.

"Do you really think that?" he asked, and she offered a timid smile and a nod.

"Y-Yes, I do," James seemed to be filled with relief and he relaxed in his seat.

"Thanks, Adelaide," he said, "You're the best." She blushed and looked down at her lap immediately, but they didn't seem to want to stop talking there.

"What are you thinking of being after Hogwarts?" Peter asked her with a grin. She glanced at him before returning her gaze quickly back to her lap.

"I'm going to be an unspeakable," she said softly, "but I think I'd be more comfortable being a teacher or a healer," she shifted uncomfortably.

"Then why not do that?" Remus asked politely, watching her with an easy air.

"M-My parents would prefer that I work in the ministry," she said softly, and Sirius scoffed.

"Why do something you hate?" he asked, "Who cares what your parents think?"

"Not all of us are like you, Padfoot," Remus began, but Adelaide shook her head.

"N-No," she whispered, looking up and smiling, mostly at Sirius, "He's right; thank you." The others watched as Sirius just nodded, watching her carefully as she turned to look out the window at the passing sights.

The trip passed peacefully, the Marauders leaving Adelaide alone for the most part save for when they used her unbiased opinion to smooth over a few petty arguments that would spring up. By the time the trolley came around with snacks, she had stopped stuttering and didn't blush nearly as often. After James left to go to the Heads compartments, Peter often tried to include her in conversations, but it seemed most of the time she couldn't really grasp what he was trying to explain to her, and by the time someone tried to explain it, the moment had passed and he decided to move on.

When the train finally came to a stop, they had already dressed (the boys dutifully turning their backs to her) and they had already begun to feel hunger pains at the thought of the oncoming feast. They managed to get off of the train and into the carriages without being separated, and then Adelaide ended up setting with them in the great hall as well. This led to Peter asking why she sat with them which led to her reverting back to a stuttering, blushing fool.

"Shut up, Peter, she can sit here if she damn well wants to," Sirius had responded testily, before Remus soothed Adelaide into not moving and enjoying the present company.

By the time the night was over, each of the Marauders found themselves pondering over the shy girl, and wondering why they had never seen her before today.

-

End Chapter One.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all things concerning belong to J.K. Rowling. I own Adelaide Vicknair, Vanessa Wolfe, Caryn Gree, Elise Barnes, Madeline Vicknair, Annalisa Bertucci, Professor Sicily and Jean Vicknair.

A/N: I don't think people realize that the Marauder Era takes place in the 1970's...And I say this is a Prequel because I came up with the idea Edelweiss first (not yet posted). And the 'definition' at that top of the page came from Urban Dictionary. No flames, and if you have something to complain about please word it as if it were constructive criticism. I do not tolerate flames, and if you do flame I will single you out in a long authors note at the bottom of the page, completely explaining why you are an idiot who needs an attitude adjustment and to learn what the purpose of reviews are. If you need proof of me actually doing this, refer to 'Final Lifeline' chapter thirteen at the very bottom. It's five paragraphs long.

Yours truly,
B.E.N.