"Fly faster."

"Do you want us to fly off of our brooms, Potter!"

"Yes!"

Gabriella gripped her broom tighter as she pushed harder. It was times like these. She knew better than to test him. It would earn them more than they got the last time McLaggen tried to talk back. Gabriella shivered at the thought.

"Sanchez! Can you leave dreamland for a even minute?"

The angry vein that always appeared had started to pop out of his neck.

Gabriella called him Charles. It seemed a very nice name considering the source.

"Are you even listening to me? We've been out here for an hour and you haven't even spotted the snitch yet."

James hated being ignored and he knew Gabriella was testing him on purpose. James would run laps again, just for spite, but he knew if he wanted a team for next week's game against Ravenclaw he couldn't push his limits.

"I'm looking, Potter!" Gabriella tried to make an effort, even though she knew the snitch didn't usually appear until at least 90 minutes had passed. But she couldn't explain that to him. Chasers understood nothing.

"Run it again. I'm not leaving this pitch until you lot get this right."

"You might want to rethink that statement Potter." McLaggen said as he pointed to the ground below them.

"Can nothing go right for me today." Right now silver and green might as well be the Devil's uniform because to him they were nothing more than that.

James flew down to them. "I'm practicing here, if you can't see that."

Charles grew even more.

"If you call that practicing." The speaker puts a hand to his chin feigning deep thought. "Well, I suppose there's nothing else you can call it. It's surely not Quidditch."

"Look Black, I don't have time for this right now. So if you can leave. It's not your time yet. I know you don't know the concept of the word 'no' so let me teach it to you."

James caught a glimpse of Sirius' mischievous smirk as he made a move to turn around.

Sirius pulled a roll of parchment and handed it to James, who snatched it from his hands.

"You will find Slughorn's signature there. In case you can't read, I know you don't know the concept, so I'll tell you. We have permission to use the pitch for the rest of the day. So I'd appreciate it if you stopped wasting my time."

"You don't even have a game coming up." James knew he was fighting a losing battle. Before he even opened his mouth he knew the look on Sirius' face was that of amusement and satisfaction.

James frowned as he reluctantly handed the parchment back to his Slytherin counterpart. He grabbed a whistle from inside his robes and blew. James motioned his team to the ground.

"Practice is over"

The Gryffindor team tried to hide their relief. Yes, they had a game coming up. But 6 hours of straight practice was never easy. They barely got to stop of water.

James gave Sirius one last glare before walking off. Sirius just smirked at a battle won and took off into the sky.

;;

When Sirius rounded the corner, she found him stuffing his face as per usual. She swore that he kept food in his pack.

"Do you ever stop eating?"

He didn't jump, as if he knew she was there all along. Sirius gulped down the rest of his roll, throwing a winning smile her way.

"No. I like to eat. That's not a crime."

"Are you sure?" She poked his chest with her finger. "I think you're getting a bit pudgy there."

"Your sister would beg to differ." He said batting her away with laughter.

Victoria was quiet for a second. She pretended to look for something in her bag, finding nothing of immediate use she turned back.

"I saw that stunt you pulled with Potter." Sirius chuckled loudly in remembrance. "I'm surprised he didn't realize you forged Slughorn's signature."

"Potter thinks too well of people. That's his downfall."

"You could get into a lot of trouble for that." Victoria gazed her hands on the wall as they walked along it. The stone of the castle walls pricking her fingers. "You know if anyone ever finds out."

"No one will." Sirius looked down at her. "Besides if they did it would have been worth it to see that huge vein pop out of his neck."

"One day you boys are going to come to blows," Victoria stopped in front of the library doors. "And I can't tell you who will win."

"Oh ye of little faith." Sirius leaned on the wall adjacent to the doors. "You're my best friend. You're not allowed to doubt me."

"'Tis correct sir." Victoria gathered her blonde hair into a bun, pushed her glasses onto her face and checked her books. Ready for the night of studying ahead of her. "Well, my dear Mr. Black. This is where we part."

"Oh Miss Malfoy. Why must you go so soon?"

"Well, since I'm rubbish at Transfiguration, I have to study twice as hard to make sure I get an O on the next exam." She pulled her hand away, which he had grabbed dramatically. "And all you will do is distract me. Not everyone can get by without studying."

"Tis true again." Sirius opened his mouth to say something else as he was cut off by two hands clamped over his eyes. "Let me guess. Since there are only two people I know who are the size of leprechauns-" Sirius ignored the protest that came from the both of them.

He pulled Natalie in front of him and slung an arm around her.

Natalie leaned up to kiss him, ruffling his already messy hair in the process.

Victoria looked in her bag again, searching a bit longer this time. Luckily for her, the clock tower started to chime.

"Well look at the time. I have to go." Before waiting for their farewells, she bolted into the library. Walking briskly to her spot in the back corner, she plopped down and threw her bag on to the desk. She placed her elbows on the table and dropped her head into her hands.

Victoria sat there for what seemed like hours, but in actuality were only a few minutes. She looked out the window at the autumn touched red and yellow trees before wiping her gray eyes. After a few deep breathes, Victoria sat up in her chair and opened her companion for the night. Diving into her notes, it only took seconds before she forgot what she was even stressed about.

;;

Natalie didn't need to say much when she was with Sirius. She enjoyed their time together. With him being Quidditch Captain and Prefect this year, there was barely anytime to spend together. She knew he was all right because she always asked her sister to keep an eye on him; his stubbornness usually got him hurt.

But, sometimes, she selfishly wanted him all to herself. They would have all the time in the world after this year. But she enjoyed these moments.

"What ya' thinking about?" He always looked at her with that lopsided grin that made her melt.

"You." Natalie snuggled closer to him and he placed an arm around her. They kept each other warm as they watched the autumn sun set behind the hills.

"I love the colors." Sirius mused, mostly to himself, but he knew she was listening. "They never look the same. Ever changing. It's a marvel to look at."

Natalie nodded her agreement, nodding off slightly.

"Let's go flying!" Natalie jumped as she heard his declaration.

"Sirius." Natalie's face became stoic. "You know I hate flying. It does horrible things to my hair. Not to mention my Acrophobia."

"I know." He would always ask. Always try to reason with her. It was times like these she almost felt bad for saying no. "But, just this once."

Natalie looked into Sirius' eyes. They were so much like hers. Yet so different. His stared right into your soul, as if he was looking straight through you. She placed her hands on his face and rested her forehead against his.

"Let's just sit here. I like being here with you." The answer seemed to placate him, even though he looked a bit disappointed. He placed an arm around her again. They sat like that until all the colors were gone and the sun set.

;;

Sirius pulled his arms into himself and shivered violently. He didn't try to look around; it was of no use. He couldn't even see his own hand in front of him. Sirius dropped his hands and adjusted his eyes instinctively as a vision presented itself to him.

"You have to help me."

She looked more beat up than she usually did.

"If you let me die, my life is on your hands." Sirius himself mouthed the words before they came out of her mouth. "You wanted me die and did nothing!"

The woman started to scream, louder. Sirius covered his ears in pain. She screamed louder still. Sirius swore that his ears were bleeding when she stopped.

The woman started to curl up into herself and cry. What she was saying he never knew. It was more to herself than him.

Sirius wanted to avert his eyes, but something kept him there. He couldn't place what it was. Amusement. No. Sympathy. Maybe. Guilt. Couldn't be...

"How could you let this happen to me?" The woman looked him in the eye, "You may pretend to be but I know you're not that heartless. You're different."

Sirius could feel the sweat drip down his face as he awoke. He winced as his feet connected with the wood floor on his way to the bathroom.

Sirius looked himself in the mirror. His knuckles became white from gripping the sink so hard. He dropped his head and let his hair drip into the waiting bowl under it.

He looked out the door to his bed. Sirius slid down the bathroom wall, and placed his head on his knees. Even though it seems like an uncomfortable position; he slept.