"So you and Avery, huh?" Sirius began, sliding into the seat besides me in Transfiguration. I shot him an annoyed and panicked glance, if any of my 'new friends' saw me with him, I was done for.

"Shove off, Black." I commanded, trying to push him from the seat. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." Sirius said bitterly. "You've been very distant lately, itty bitty, something wrong?"

"Yes, you're what's wrong, pampered pup, now get out of this seat!" I snapped.

"Oh, is your boyfriend sitting here? In that case, I'll make myself right at home." Sirius droned, kicking his feet up and onto the table. I pulled at my hair with a groan.

"He's not my bloody boyfriend, Black! Well, he thinks he is, but he really isn't. I-I-just go away!" At my words, Sirius's expression brightened, and he turned to face me as students continued to file into the classroom.

"So you don't like him, Elise?" He asked curiously. I rolled my eyes.

"No, I don't, why do you care?"

"No reason." Sirius lied smoothly. "So who's the lucky guy who's won your heart?"

"Lucky? Frankly, I wouldn't consider them lucky if I fancied them. And I don't fancy anyone, for your information, Black. All the boys in my house and the entire school, frankly, are a bunch of warty toads." I chuckled. Sirius gasped, his expression one of mock hurt.

"You insult me!" He said vainly. "For I, Princess Sirius, am the finest looking in the land!"

"At least you admit you're a princess, Black. Now get out of that seat before one of my fri-before someone sees you there." I laughed at his princess comment, but my voice soon turned to a growl. Sirius frowned suddenly.

"What are you up to, Elise? Tell me the truth."

"I'm not up to anything." I deadpanned. "I've just really seen the truth, Severus was actually right to leave Lily, that's all. Now scoot, I can't be seen with a blood traitor, it would tarnish my image." I added, hating every word. For once, I really truly felt guilty for causing the legitimate hurt expression that flashed across Sirius's face. The boy let out a low whistle and stood up, shaking his head.

"Really, Elise? I thought you were different from the Death Eaters." He shook his head. I bit down on my lip to prevent myself from crying out something that would blow my cover.

"I-I-"

"I'm not giving up on you, though, Oompa Loompa. Evans isn't either. So when you actually come to your senses, let me know." Sirius sighed, and picked up his things, before standing up and moving to sit next to James.

As soon as I was sure he wasn't looking, I groaned quietly and buried my face in my arms.

"I am such a bloody idiot." I whispered, cursing myself in my head. "Why'd I go and tell him that. He's probably going to join the resistance. Why not just tell him what I'm up to?" I muttered under my breath, and turned my attention back to the front of the classroom, just as Avery arrived.

"Hullo, love." He greeted, flashing brilliant white teeth. "I see you saved me a seat."

"Of course!" I giggled, so out of character. "I wouldn't dream of sitting next to anyone else, they could be a filthy mudblood or a traitor for all I know. Can't have that, can I?"

"Of course, and I believe I would get rather jealous if you sat with anyone else, if I'm honest." Avery spoke. Some girls would've found it endearing that he expressed his jealousy, but I found it sickening. I forced a smile, and licked my lips.

"Right. And I'd be jealous if you sat next to anyone else as well." I smiled. He smiled back.

What have I gotten myself into?

---

"I'm so glad you got my note." I told Gabrielle as we walked across the grounds and near the concealed southern shore of the Black Lake. "I haven't spoken to you in ages, my fault, of course. I've been trying to get in with the target crowd. Have you gotten any luck, collecting information or what not?"

"I've gotten some information, but not as much as I'd hoped." Gabrielle admitted. "And I completely understand why we haven't been able to speak, the Death Eater crowd doesn't trust me at all, it would give you a harder time getting in."

"Yeah." I sighed. "I still do feel guilty, I reckon I'm the worst friend ever. I didn't explain anything to Lily, I'm being cruel to Sirius, and I'm basically ignoring you."

Gabrielle ignored everything I'd said except for five words.

"You're guilty because you're being cruel to Sirius?" She gasped, her eyes lighting up with surprise and excitement. "Merlin, this is great! You do have feelings for that ickle hairball!"

"What?" I exclaimed outrageously. "What? I never said that, that as in I have feelings for the git. I just don't necessarily despise him anymore, well, not as much, anyways. The prat grew on me last year when I had to sit next to him every potions class, and he actually was nice to me at times, I dunno."

"Loooooooooovvvvvveeeeee!" Gabrielle sang, throwing her hands up into the air and dancing around.

"No! No love! We're antithetical!" I shook my head. "If you keep this up, Belle, I'm afraid I'm going to have to break up with you."

"What? No!" Gabrielle gasped. "Please don't end our friendship, Sirius-Lover."

"That's it!" I growled. "I'm leaving." I pivoted on my heel and began to stalk back to the castle, my arms crossed, fuming angrily. Gabrielle jogged and caught up with me, a guilty look plastered on her face.

"I'm sorry, Cas." She apologized. "I won't tease you about it again. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please, please, don't really end our friendship."

I bursted out laughing, falling to my knees, wheezing slightly.

"You believed me, ah! Belle, I wouldn't never end a friendship over something that stupid, I know you were just teasing, Lily did it all the time. Specifically about the same thing. She and James would actually agree that Sirius and I were made for each other, which we aren't, by the way."

Gabrielle buried her face inside her hands with a groan.

"Ugh, you had me there, Elise."

"I realized. Thank you for the apology, I accept, by the way." I chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm starved, let's go to the kitchen to grab a snack." Gabrielle looked down at her stomach as it gave a small rumble.

I looked down at my own stomach and poked it curiously. In response, a growl louder than Andy's emerged.

"Right. Let's grab some food."