╔═══════════════╗
first year,
new friendships
╚═══════════════╝

The weekend came by sooner than she wanted. Aimee knew that Evan would try and talk to her again, she hoped that if she appeared to be busy, with her nose stuck in a book, Evan might leave her be. However, her prayers weren't answered when he sat next to her, she sighed hiding her face.

"Hi, do you want to do something today?" Evan asked, she plastered a fake smile on her face.

"I'd love to but..." she looked around spotting Daniel walking towards the common door. "I'm going with my brother, he wanted me for something," she lied

"Oh alright," he seemed genuinely hurt by her rejection again. She bit her lip, knowing she would probably regret what she was going to say.

"How about later after dinner, we study together?" she proposed, he smiled

"Sure, I'll see you later," he told her, she smiled, standing up from the sofa heading out of the common room, she hurried down the corridor.

"Dan!" he didn't hear her "Danny!" she sighed "DANIEL LOUIS BURKE!" he stopped dead in his tracks, turning around slowly, sighing in relief when he saw his little sister.

"It's you,"

"Yeah, apparently you lost your hearing, I wasn't that far behind you, how could you not hear me," she argued

"I was distracted, I'm going to be late-

"Can I come with you?" Aimee asked

"Why?" he questioned, remembering she didn't want her brothers to bother her.

"I told Evan that you needed me, so he'd leave me alone," she explained

"You're a Burke just tell him to fuck off,"

"You know I can't I'm not like that," she admitted, he rolled his eyes throwing his head back.

"Fine, but not a word of this goes to anyone else, right?" he warned, she placed her hand over her mouth, crossing her heart.

"Come on then," he told her, gesturing for her to follow him, Aimee hurried to keep up with him.

"Where are we going?" she asked

"I'm going to the owlery, if I knew you'd be coming I would've left it but I have to go now," Daniel told her, hurrying through the training fields towards the owlery.

"Why do you have to go?" Aimee asked, curious to know why he was being so secretive, it wasn't like him at all.

"If you must know I'm meeting someone," he replied

"Who?" he stopped, looking around for professors.

"Look you can't say anything, it could get us into a lot of trouble," he said, Aimee creased her brows.

"I swear I won't," Aimee held up her hands in surrender.

"I'm meeting Charlie, now come on before we're late," Daniel said, walking ahead of her.

Aimee squealed at the thought of seeing her oldest brother, her change in pace showed she was eager to see him, she grabbed Daniel's arm dragging him towards the owlery. She raced up the spiral stairs of the west tower, she looked around but no one was there. Daniel came up the stairs shortly after her.

"I thought you said Charlie was meeting you," Aimee questioned

He pointed behind her, Aimee turned around, there wasn't anyone there but an unfamiliar owl perched on the ledge of the window. The owl morphed into a boy, Aimee threw her body into his, hugging him tightly, he wrapped his arms around her.

"I've missed you," she mumbled into his chest.

"I've missed you too, Aimee bear," he said, pulling away from her,

"Where are you four living?" Aimee asked "I know you won't live with mother,"

"We've been living with Charlie," Daniel told her

"Yes, that's right, I got my own place, and you're welcome any time," Charlie smiled at her,

"Why are you back home anyway?"

"Hasn't father told you?" Charlie questioned, before she could answer she heard James from down below.

"Burke this, Burke that, will you stop," the three Burke siblings gathered near the window looked down at two boys,

"Why? I think she's great, it's only same as you, Lily this, Lily that," Sirius argued,

"At least you can trust Lily," James murmured

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius said defensively turning face to face with James, almost like a standoff.

"She's a Slytherin, they can't be trusted," James explained

"It may have escaped your knowledge, Potter. But I could have easily been in Slytherin like my family," a small smile crept onto Aimee's face

"You're different-

"So is Aimee, you'd know that if you got to know her," Sirius said, walking away from James, he hurried to catch up with Sirius,

"What are you smiling at?" Charlie asked, grinning at Aimee.

"Nothing, glad he stuck up for me," She said, trying to hide her smile.

"Yeah sure," Daniel smirked, "We best get going and you better get out of here in case someone sees you," he told Charlie, he nodded hugging her again.

They watched as Charlie changed back into an owl, flying out of the tower, Daniel gestured for her to leave before him. The brother and sister walked through the field back towards the castle, Daniel wondered how she knew Sirius, especially with them not being in the same house, he knew Slytherin's reputation, it was very rare for another house to befriend a Slytherin.

'What did they have in common?'

"You're quiet," Aimee questioned "What's up?"

"Nothing, just thinking,"

"About?"

"You and Black," he said, a smirk wide across his face.

"What about me and Sirius?" Aimee folded her arms across her

"How'd you meet him?" he asked, she thought about his question first.

"Mother and father introduced me to him and his brother before school," he nodded.

"You know, Jake and Theo met Narcissa before school too," he informed her,

"Why?" Aimee asked, fearing she already had an idea why they might have met

"Mother's idea of making an arranged marriage seem appealing if they already liked each other,"

"Father wouldn't allow it, would he?" Aimee asked

"Nah, he wouldn't want us to be miserable like our parents are," Daniel smiled at her, her brows shot up

"Wait, you mean to tell me that I only met them, so mother could arrange a marriage," Aimee asked.

"I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me," she sighed wondering if Sirius knew and whether that's why he had changed his opinion of her.

"It doesn't mean you can't be friends with him, Jacob and Theo are friends with Narcissa," she nodded "Are you okay, I shouldn't have said anything-

"No, I'm glad you told me, I can't see him knowing about this, he doesn't see eye to eye with his parents," Aimee said

She was hoping. No, praying that Sirius didn't know about their parent's plans for them. She hoped that her brother was wrong. 'Best not to bring this up to Sirius,' she thought, she didn't want to ruin anything she and Sirius were friends now.

Nothing could change that.

***

Aimee left Daniel to go to the library for a bit, hoping she'd catch Remus or Lily. As she made her way towards the library, she heard James and Sirius laughing they made up she guessed. Sirius saw Aimee he walked towards her, she slowed down, so he could reach her before she got to the library.

"Hi, what are you doing after dinner?" Sirius asked "I thought we could hang out for a bit," Aimee cringed

"I already made plans,"

"Oh with the girls?" Sirius asked, she shook her head.

"With Remus?" he asked

"No," 

"Peter?" he asked she shook her head, he gasped "don't tell it's Cissy?" she sighed

"No, it isn't Narcissa," she told him.

"Well, who then?" he asked

"Alright, but don't get your wand in a twist," she warned pointing a finger at him

"I won't" he held his hands up in surrender.

"Evan asked me to hang out with him,"

"Wha-

"But I told him, I couldn't then he looked hurt that I wouldn't hang out with him, so I told him, I'd study with him after dinner," Aimee said, Sirius nodded thinking about what to say in response.

"Okay," Sirius said, she eyed him cautiously

"Okay? That's not what I expected you to say," Aimee said

"Nah, I feel fine, you don't like James, I don't like Evan," he said, "if you want to be friends with Evan, I can't stop you," he added, he turned to leave.

"Sirius wait," she said, he turned around wanting to know what she was going to say.

"We're still friends right?" Aimee asked, "I don't want you to hate me if I hang out with Evan just this once."

"I wouldn't hate you-

"Come on, Snivelly's coming this way," James said, dragging him away from her yet again. James and Sirius hurried to go and tease Severus though before they could reach him. They bumped into Peter and Remus.

"Come on, we're going after Snivellus?" James said, Remus held his arm

"Not unless you want to get in trouble," Remus told him, pointing to where Severus was standing, he was near Mr Filch.

"Who cares, come on Pete," James and Peter ran ahead of Sirius and Remus.

"Remus, do you like Aimee?" Sirius asked Remus shrugged his shoulders

"I think she's alright, I invited her to study with me and the girls, I'd invite you three but you wouldn't study," he told him, "why?"

"James and Aimee couldn't despise each other more, they're both my friends, I just wished they'd get along," Remus nodded. "Wait a minute that's it," he said clicking his fingers he had a plan

"What's it?" Remus asked

"We're going to make them spend time together like Aimee did to me, I need your help though," 

"Sure, let's go, work it out," Remus said, as the pair left for dinner.

***

Later in the common room, Aimee sat on the sofa, she never told Evan a time to meet her, she hoped he was hanging out with Severus and forget about their study session. She managed to get some of her homework done, someone sat down next to her.

"You started without me?" Evan said, smirking at her, she smiled.

"Sorry, I wanted to get a head start," she said, they studied for their potions homework, the beauty about studying was that people were usually quiet while studying which meant Aimee didn't have to talk to Evan.

"You don't really want to study with me do you?"

"What makes you say that?" she asked

"I've seen you study in the library before, you talk to them Gryffindors while you study," Evan said, shrugging his shoulders "But we're sat in silence, and we're not even in the library,"

"It's not that I just don't know you very well," she said, trying to sound sincere

"Okay, well do you like quidditch?" he asked,

"Yes, what's your favourite team?" she asked

"Montrose Magpies," 

"Really, I like that team too," he smiled at her,

She cringed seeing a horrid sight behind him. He turned around to see her brother Theo and Helene making out in the dark corners of the common room. He stood up, sitting on the other side of her so she would turn to have her back to them.

"Thank you," she said, "I don't know why he can't go and do that somewhere else,"

"Yeah, I mean we all have our own rooms not like we share," he commented

"Exactly, they could go to his room or hers, but no, they have to make out here in the common room," he laughed with her, he had an infectious laugh that made her laugh too.

"Do you like wizard chess?" he asked she nodded "do you want to play a game, I have board and chess pieces,"

"Sure,"

Evan stood from the sofa, she packed her things away. Evan walked towards his room, she remembered that his room wasn't far from hers. He opened his door, letting her in first, she sat on his bed he opened his trunk taking out a chessboard. Evan laid it on the floor, sitting down, Aimee sat opposite him.

"I must warn you, I'm pretty good," she said, smirking proudly, he chuckled

"Oh yeah Burke, you'll have to prove that," Evan said, taking his first move. They played for around 20 minutes, she smirked,

"So Rosier, how good are you at wizard chess,"

"Too good," he said,

"Alright, checkmate," she said, winning the game, Evan sat wide-eyed "what was that?" pointing to her ear tilting her head. "I won?"

"Yeah, yeah brag about it," he said, still astounded that Aimee managed to beat him. "I will beat you in a rematch,"

"I can't wait,"

***

"Right, so you know what you're doing?" he asked Remus nodded

"Yeah, do you actually think this will work?" Remus asked, he shrugged his shoulders

"I hope so, I'd to be able to hang out with all my friends, I know you like Aimee, Peter doesn't really have an opinion on her, it's just James that can't get his head out of his ass," Remus laughed.

"Alright, I'll go find her," Remus said.

Sirius and Remus split up, while Sirius trying to find James, shouldn't be difficult, he'd only be in Gryffindor Tower or the Great Hall. Remus on the other hand had a problem, if Aimee was in the Slytherin common room, he'd have to wait outside for her. He thought he'd try his luck at the library.

Remus saw Lily, Alice, Mary and a reluctant Marlene, studying in the library. Aimee wasn't with them though, 'great, she was in the Dungeons,' Remus thought. Once Remus reached the dungeons he had to wait for someone to come. Which didn't take long as Evan left the common room.

"What do you want Gryffindork?" he said

"Is Aimee in there?"

"Maybe," he said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Can you get her for me?" Remus asked, he rolled his eyes, walking back into the common room, he saw Aimee sat alone reading in the corner of the common room.

"Hi, you want a rematch already?" she smiled at him, closing her book, he chuckled

"Not yet, I'm still trying to figure out how you beat me," she laughed, "there's a Gryffindor outside for you,"

"Is it Sirius?" she asked, he shook his head.

"No, I think it's one of his friends," Evan told her, she creased her brows, she walked towards the door. It had to have been Remus, Potter wouldn't dare come down to the dungeons to talk to her. He'd be too busy bothering Lily.

"Hi Aimee, I wanted to apologise for bumping into you and Sirius the other day," Remus said, smiling at her.

"No, it's fine, I thought it was you, are you alright, you seemed like you were in a hurry?" she asked,

"I'm okay, actually I'm heading to the quidditch pitch, do you want to come?" Remus asked,

"Yes sure, let me just take my book back inside," he nodded

Aimee walked back into her common room, hurrying to her room putting her book on her bed. She rushed back so she didn't keep Remus waiting, but he wasn't there. 'Maybe he already went to the quidditch pitch' she thought. She walked to the quidditch pitch, she didn't see anyone around. Remus could've taken another route to the quidditch pitch.

"Sirius, why'd you wanna meet here-

"Potter? What are you doing here?" Aimee asked, he looked around.

"Sirius said he wanted to plan a prank, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Remus said he wanted to hang out with me," he rolled his eyes.

"You know what they're doing right?" James said, she nodded, cursing herself for not seeing it.

"What are we going to do about this?" she asked, he creased his brows.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't like you, you don't like me, but we're both friends with Sirius and Remus, so maybe we should try and get along," she suggested, he shrugged his shoulders.

"I suppose that would make them happy, so fine," rather forcefully. "How was your Christmas?" James asked, she thought for a moment wondering if Sirius might have told him that they spent Christmas together.

"Fine,"

"Just fine, Sirius said you were invited to his house," he questioned

"I hated getting all dressed up, having make-up on and my hair done, his brother's so adorable. What about your Christmas?" she asked, trying to take an interest.

"Same as always, mum made a big Christmas dinner, then we all went out and had a snowball fight. I got my dad real good," he said, proud of his victory, she smiled at him.

"How was the ball? Sirius said his mother does them a lot"

"I didn't want to go on my own, but my parents let me down, I did have fun though, Sirius and Regulus are really good dancers," he nodded, not saying anything in response. "Sirius says, you like Lily,"

"That little shi- yes," James said, knowing Lily is friends with Aimee

"You should know, I didn't tell Lily, you being a jerk," he creased his brows, adjusting his glasses a little.

"But I heard you yell her name?" James questioned, she smiled

"There wasn't anyone there, I just wanted to make you sweat a little and it worked you've been awkward around Lily, thinking I'd told her," she explained, with a proud smirk across her face. James muttered a few insults under his breath.

"Maybe we should go to the great hall, I'm kind of hungry," she nodded,

Aimee and James left the quidditch pitch, walking in silence through the corridors, he was looking around constantly. As though he was ashamed to walk with a Slytherin. When they reached the great hall, they both spotted Sirius sitting with Remus. They both glared in their direction for tricking them. James stopped Aimee from walking in.

"Alright, when Sirius is around, we'll behave right?" he said, she nodded, holding her hand out to him, he cringed

"Come on, Sirius is watching," she smiled at him, James rolled his eyes, shaking her hand. They walked to the table, Sirius and Remus looked like they had been stunned. James and Aimee sat down next to each other, Sirius looked at Remus shrugging his shoulders.

"Where have you two been?" Peter asked

"Plotting death," she said, Peter nearly choked on his food.

"Yes, I might have to steal her away," James told Sirius, she laughed. "We have two wizard deaths to plan," They had to admit they were quite good actors, seeming friendly towards one another. Though deep down they despised each other.