Tap, tap, tap.

Roxanne King sighed. Once again attempting to concentrate on the tower of homework that sat on the desk in front of her, her quill tapping against its rough, wooden edge. The rhythmic, consistent sound of the quill against the hard surface started to make her eyes flutter. But just as soon as she was about to be lost in the land of slumber, the quill was plucked out of her hands, the sudden shock causing her to jump awake. Large, honey brown eyes darted around in confusion before they fell upon fiery haired girl across from her.

Lily Evans emerald eyes narrowed and an irritated look written across her pale face. They had been in the library working on that weeks pile of essays when Roxy found herself growing tired, barely grasping the information in the books spread out before her. Lily's face softened, she knew her friend was never one to slack when it came to school, either there was something plaguing her mind or she was truly exhausted.

"What boys on you mind?" Lily teased, a grin spreading across her face. Roxy shook her head, giggling tiredly.

"No one. I've just been having trouble concentrating lately. Mixture of exhaustion and... I've been waiting for a letter.. From my Mother." Lily's smile changed from amusement to a frown.

"Lets head back then." She suggested, attempting to be as understanding as she could. Lily had never had to worry about her parents, even though they were muggles they always made sure to send her a letters with the tiny white owl she had purchased when she was eleven years old. But for some reason her best friend hardly received letters from her family, but the odd time she expected one she would become agitated with worry if it didn't arrive on time. Though Lily had gotten used to Roxy's odd and secretive behaviour long ago, she always felt sadness that her friend never truly confided in her.

Standing, the pair returned their books to the shelves. Lily making sure to place them back where she had found them, while Roxy slipped them into random sections. A sleepy grin on the later girls face. Shouldering their book bags, they quietly left the library towards Gryffindor tower. Both Lily and Roxy had been sorted into Gryffindor house six years previous, they had met that night during the feast and had become fast friend, now in their seventh year they classified each other as best friends.

Roxy groaned, shifting her bag onto her opposite shoulder. Seventh year was proving to be much more difficult and time consuming then any year previous. Having NEWTs to worry about, as well as graduation, she wished time would slow down. Hogwarts corridors were mostly empty as night approached and curfew inched closer with every minute, but the girls didn't find themselves too concerned with the fact. This year Lily had been chosen as Head girl, with her Prefect position left open it was passed on to Roxy, giving them the privilege to walk the hall at night without suspicion.

"Fortuna Major!" Roxy yawned. A chill ran up her back, reminding her that winter would be upon them any day. She found herself frowning as she stepped passed the Fat Lady's portrait into the busy Gryffindor common room.

Students lounged, socializing with friends and tackling homework. Roxy assumed some were due the next day as she passed a student messily scribbling across his parchment, red in the face. There was a buzz in the air, an excitement as students discussed the approaching Hogsmead trip and next Quidditch match. With an exaggerated yawn, Roxy turned around to big her friend goodnight when the redhead suddenly growled, her tiny feet stomping off towards the fireplace. Spotting a certain group of pranksters, definitely up to no good, she chuckled. Decided against following Lily, she spun on her heel and hurried up the girls staircase towards the Seventh year dormitory.

'Empty', she noticed as she lazily dropped her book bag in the center of the room, knowing full well that she'd get an earful from Lily. Without a second thought on the matter, she tore off her uniform as she rummaged through her trunk, more then happy to feel the warmth and comfort of her old flannel pyjama pants which she paired with a black tank top. Throwing herself onto her bed, a piece of parchment and quill taken from her bedside table, she readied herself to begin yet another letter addressed to her mother. The tip of the quill barely touched the parchment when a sudden rapping at the window caused her to jumping, ink splattering across her bed. Grumbling, she tossed her writing materials aside on her way over to the window. Throwing it open, she didn't bother given the bird a moment to enter before she tore the letter from its leg.

Tearing the letter open, ripping the parchment slightly, she began to read.

"Dear Mary

Your eyes are beautiful like the rise of the morning sun..."

"What the f - Your secret admirer? Are you kidding me." The moment of excitement burnt out suddenly as she realized that it was indeed not a letter from her Mother, but instead an idiotic, 'an badly written if I say so myself', love letter two her friend and roommate, Mary McDonald. She couldn't help herself from wondering what type of boy had such low self esteem that he reverted to creepy anonymous letters? Could he not approach her friend during lunch? Then again, Mary could be intimidating with her large, bubbly personality.

'Perhaps a younger student, or some buffoon in Hufflepuff.' She thought to herself. There was no way this boy was from Gryffindor, he didn't seem to possess an ounce of courage. Suddenly, a smirk crawled across her lips. The type of smirk that little deemed evil, calculating and worrying on many occasions. She didn't allow the nagging 'Lily voice' in her head to dissuade her from her sudden idea. Quickly snatching the parchment and quill from her bed, ignoring the stained covers, she quickly jotted down a reply to Mary's letter. With a flourish, she signed it 'Roommate'.

After an hour had passed, Roxy found herself reading the chapters she had been assigned in Charms, her mothers letter sent long ago. She rubbed her tired eyes with the base of her palm when the door to the dormitory burst opened, four girls piling in as they loudly discussed the Marauders antics. Standing, her legs feeling like jelly, Roxy handed Mary her letter, disrupting their conversation just before Lily broke out in another rant about 'the git'.

"How charming!" Marlene Mckinnon gushed, dirty blonde hair bouncing. Roxy narrowed her eyes at her roommate. The two girls had never been close, they could barely stand to be in the same room as one another most days. Roxy found herself wanting to ripped out her own hair with annoyance at the other girl some days.

"You are kidding? Right?" Roxy asked. "Charming? Try lame and creepy! It's probably a younger student anyways." Roxy said as she turned away from the girls and climbed back into her now clean bed. Between writing her letters and reading she had cleaned her sheets with a wave of her wand.

"Have you no romantic bone in your body?" Dorcas meadows smiles sweetly towards he friend. Roxy rolled her eyes towards the soft spoken and kind girl. Unlike Marlene, Dorcas and Roxy had become fast friends during their first year at Hogwarts, though she couldn't completely understand the girls optimism, life was not that positive.

"Nope, just the regular kind." Roxy answered cheekily. Dorcas chuckled, while Lily rolled her eyes, before they both followed her suit and crawled into bed. Curtains closing behind them to block out the light in the dormitory.

Roxy ignored the look of disgust Marlene happened to shoot her way and instead turned her attention towards Mary, who sat at the end of her bed re-reading her letter. Deciding against mentioning the letter she had sent to her friends secret admirer, knowing full well that they'd be unhappy with her actions. Possibly forgoing speaking to her for a full week. Keeping the information to herself was definitely her best bet. Pulling her scarlet curtains shut around her four post bed, she crawled under the warm covers, laying back she attempted to fall asleep as Mary and Marlene discussed possible identities to her admirer.

For the last six year Roxy had shared a dorm with the same girls, and nothing had ever changed. Lily and Mary had hit if off with her quickly during the Welcome feast. Mary was talkative and girly while Lily was smart and mature, even at the age of eleven they blended in perfectly with Roxy's sarcastic and joking demeanor. It was different when she met Marlene, though the other girls seemed to get on with her well, it felt as if she wanted to compete against Roxy, wanting to constantly prove that she was better then her roommate. It irritated her to no end, erasing any chance of the two girls becoming friends. Then there was Dorcas, shy and mousy, it had taken her a couple weeks to get used to the other girls big personalities. But when she had finally become comfortable with her roommate, Roxy found that she fit perfectly with herself, Lily and Mary.

Roxy knew that she couldn't have found any better friends, they made Hogwarts feel like home and help distract her from the problems she faced. Like her mother. It had been a month since she had heard of her, which it unnerved her deeply.

Deep in thought, Roxy hadn't realized she had fallen asleep until she had woken in the middle of the night by a nightmare she couldn't even remember. Soaked in sweat, panting, she slid passed her heavy curtains into the pitch black room. The rhythmic breathing told her that her friends were in a deep sleep. Unable to fall back asleep after such a terrifying dream, though she couldn't remember it, she could feel how scare she was. Her heart nearly jumping out of her throat, hands shaking. Grabbing her book bag, she slipped out of the dormitory and quietly down the stairs.

She need a place to think, somewhere warm and comfortable. The large red sofa in front of the fireplace in the common room called to her. Stepping off the last step, she spotted the frosted windows, cold air leaking into the room. Cursing herself for not grabbing a sweat shirt, she hurried her pace towards the dark fireplace. With a wave of her wand, flames sprung to life creating a glow across the room, heat radiating off the embers warming her skin.

Sighing, content, she turned around to sit on the couch only to find it vacated. It didn't take her long to recognized the boy, his dark, curly locks and strong jaw were only some of the reasons girls fell head over heels for him.

Roxy refused to retreat back up the stairs into her dark dormitory. She couldn't sleep. She wouldn't. She was wide awake and her friends would be peeved if she had woken them at such a late hour. Sirius Black, Gryffindor prankster and heart throb would be ruin her night, she decided. Gripping her wand, Roxy pointed it towards the slumbering boy. A sly grin upon her face she levitated him off the couch, attempting to lay him gently on the floor when she accidentally dropped him prematurely.

A chuckle and a shrug later, she hopped onto the now vacant couch, ignoring the loud and angry growl that erupted from the floor. As Roxy pulled out a textbook, intent on reading ahead in her Transfiguration lesson, she ignore Sirius' grunts and growls as he lifted himself off the floor and approached the back of the couch. Clearly interested in seeing who was brave enough to do such a thing to The Sirius Black. Roxy chuckled at the thought. She could feel his presence as he neared but refused to look up and acknowledge him, and the glare he would surely be sending her way.

"Ahem." He coughed, attempting to gather her attention. Roxy bit her lip, fighting the urge to smile. Eyes cast towards her book, she didn't both trying to read.

"King." He said between clenched teeth.

"Jester." She smirked, looking up at him. Another growl erupted from the bottom of his throat, reminder her a dog.

"I. Was. Asleep."

"I. Was. Aware." Her smile only growing. He looked rough and disheveled, still in his uniform.

"And why couldn't you simply wake me? You know, instead of propelling me across the damn room!" He his voice raising with each word until he was shouting, not caring that the rest of the tower was asleep. 'How selfish', she thought, ignoring the fact that she also had acted selfishly.

"It was quite amusing." Roxy smirked before sighing, rolling her eyes. "It was an accident." "

"You.. King! I'm going to -" Suddenly, Sirius stopped and to Roxy's horror, smiled. "I'm not going to do a single thing about it."

"Pardon?" She asked wide eyed.

"Not tonight that is." His smile shifted, Roxy could only explain it as 'pure bloody evil'. Her eyes trailing after he as he walked off towards the stairs and out of sight.

'That's not good.' Roxy thought to herself.

The Marauders were famous amongst the student body for their pranks. She fell back against the couch, groaning at her own stupidity, definitely not looking fowards to the following day. Roxy had never had much of a relationship with any of the Marauders. They had occasionally sat amongst her friends during meals, laughing at their jokes and childish antics as Lily scolded them. A handful of times she had found herself paired with them during classes. But that was it, to them she was merely Lily and Mary's friend, or just another Gryffindor. She definitely wasn't anyone special in their books, until the moment she woke Sirius Black by levitating and dropping him on the common room floor. Suddenly, Roxy found herself on the Marauders list. Hit list that is.

Roxy woke up the next morning, feeling twitchy and nervous about the day to come. She amused herself with the idea of hauling up in bed and feigning sick when her curtains were suddenly flung open to reveal the bright smile of Lily Evans. She really hated how much of a morning person her friend was.

"Get up! Get up! Get up!" Lily said, tugging at her lazy friends arm, only causing the brunette to groan and glare. Roxy tried her hardest to throw daggers at the red head, with only her mind. She failed.

"I have to stay her!" Roxy moaned. "I'm not ready to be more embarrassed then I have ever been in my entire life!" Pulling the covers over her head, she wondered how long it would take for her to suffocate and pass out. High hopes.

"What in merlin's underpants are you on about?" Mary questioned, receiving a disgusted look from Lily, as she and Dorcas stared at the cowering brunette with amusement.

"Well.." Roxy started slowly, finally sitting up in her bed. "I may have.. I mean kind of.. Only a little bit." She lifted her hand up to Lily, her thumb and finger an inch apart, indicating what she meant. "Levitated Sirius Black and dropped him on the floor." Her friends stared at her, eyes wide with shock. Roxy tried to ignored the laughter from Marlene's bed, clearly amused that she had found herself on the boys bad side.

"What would of provoked you to do such a thing?" Lily asked in disbelief. Anger ready to be unleashed at her best friend.

"He was sleeping in the common room on the couch - the really comfy one!" She defended. "It was only a few feet." The red heads jaw dropped, eyes ablaze.

"You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me." Lily breathed, trying to calm herself.

"Roxanne, how could you do such a thing?" Dorcas asked, her round blue eyes filled with innocence. Roxy felt like she had just kicked a puppy. Hating the power her sweet friend held over her, she looked away.

"It's not that bad." Mary shrugged, inspecting her nails. "You're a Prefect, if he does anything you could give him a month of detentions."

Roxy lifted her head, her mood lifting slightly.

"Are you kidding me?" Marlene butted in, climbing out of her bed. She smirked at Roxy. "The Marauders love detention!" Tearing off her blankets, Roxy stood glaring at the annoying blonde.

"Well, I'm not coward! If Black wants to try something, then let him. I'm quicker with a wand then any of those bloody idiots." Roxy smirked at Marlene. Grabbing her toward, she ignored Lily's mutter about cussing, and headed into the washroom to shower.

After a quick shower, Roxy dried her hair magically before pulling the long, dark locks into a loose plait that hung down the center of her back. Dressing in her clean uniform, she grabbed her book bag and hurried out of the dormitory, followed closely behind by Lily, Mary, Dorcas and, to her dismay, Marlene.

In all honesty, Roxy felt apprehensive and slightly frightened at the thought of being pranked by the Marauders. They wouldn't dare to cause her physical harm. But after witnessing what they were capable of, how could she not. She refused to let them, or Marlene, see that though, and instead she kept her head held high as she walked into the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Maybe I should stick close to you.." Roxy muttered, suddenly glued to Lily's side as her eyes fell upon the four boys. Lily rose her brow in confusion. "What? James would never dare prank you!" Green eyes narrowed, before the redhead hurried ahead. Sirius and his friends sat at the Gryffindor table, plates already filled high with food they happened to be shoveling down their throats like wild animals.

Roxy grimaced, not only in disgust at their eating habits but also at the fact that Lily stopped in front of the boys before taking the seat directly next to Remus Lupin, in Roxy's opinion the only tolerable Marauder. She was being punished, she realized as Lily wore a look of amusement and satisfaction. 'Evil', Roxy mouthed at her best friend. As the other three girls took a seat, Roxy realized they had conveniently left the spot next to Sirius open.

"King."

"Jester." She smirked, taking her seat with more confidence then she felt. His gray eyes glared her way before he turned to look across the table at Marlene, who was smiling flirtatiously. Roxy rolled her eyes.

"McKinnon! Hogsmead this weekend, you and me?" With a girlish giggle, that Roxy swore caused her eye to twitch, Marlene accepted. Spoonful's of eggs and ham on her plate, Roxy dug in, ignoring Marlene's looks of disgust as she picked at the food in front of her.

"What?" Roxy hissed, swallowing a mouthful.

"Awfully fattening that is." Marlene said, wrinkling her nose. Roxy snorted.

"Well, if I had your figure I'd probably be worried." Roxy threw back, smirking as the boys around them broke out into fits of laughter. Mary shook her head, a slight smile on her lips, while Lily kicked her friend under the table. 'Her and her damn punishments' Roxy thought, massaging her ankle. Face flashing red, Marlene stood and hurried out of the Great hall.

"Why do you have to fight with her all the time?" Lily hissed.

"Hey! She started it." Roxy defended. Lily stared at her friend, exasperated. "Anyways, I don't care what she thinks. She's a complete, and utter, idiot." Lily looked as if she wanted to defend Marlene's case, but instead thought better of it, and with a sigh she returned to her breakfast.

"So, Roxanne. I hear you beat up Sirius last night." James smirked. Remus and Peter chuckled as Sirius, clearly not finding any amusement in the matter, glared at his friends. Cheeks flushing a deep red, Roxy grinned.

"Sorry, I was in an awful mood." She attempted an apology, though the smirk still glued to her face. Lily smiled, Roxy guessed the apology was enough to appease the red head.

"Right, PMS I'm guessing?" The group went quiet suddenly, though Roxy could hear Lily muttering under her breath as she shook her head.

"Excuse me?" Roxy asked, turning towards the now pale boy, as he heard the edge in her voice.

"Listen - " He held his hands up defensively. "I didn't mean - "

"Right.." Roxy said slowly, grinning mischievously.

Slowly, without detection, she pulled her wand from the pocket of her sweater before pointing it at Sirius underneath the table. Gray eyes gone wide as he watched her lips move silently. Within seconds theirs a yelp from behind Sirius as James skin starts to turn a rather unflattering pink, his cheeks and midsection swelling as his nose transfigured into a snout and a swirly tail appeared on his back side.

Roxy's mouth dropped open in shock as James glared at her. Laughter erupted suddenly across from her. Turning around, everyone stared at Lily in shock and disbelief as she clutches her sides. Her fits of laughter becoming contagious, soon all their friends, for the exception of James, were rolling around in fits of laughter. The scene clearly caused a commotion in the Great hall, as students began to turn around with curiosity their eyes fell upon the hysterical, and furious, sight of James Potter transfigured into a pig. Suddenly the entire hall had broken out into hysterical laughter.

James' face glowed with embarrassment. Jumping from the table, he ran out of the Great hall, the Marauders close behind. Roxy stopped laughing, her eyes trailing them until they were out of sight. Guilt bubbled in the pit of her stomach, she had never meant to hurt or embarrass James. He had always been exceptionally kind to her, though she suspected it was to get on Lily's good side, he was intensely infatuated with her best friend. The guilt slipped away as fear buried itself within her. She had just embarrassed James in front of Lily, which must have broken his heard and injured his ego. Now she had hexed half of the Marauders, the more lethal half in face, which meant certain death.

The day passed by quickly, without any incident, which only seemed to frighten Roxy even more. She found herself becoming rather paranoid as the day wore on uneventfully. What could they possibly be planning? There was no mistaking that the Marauders, or at the very least James and Sirius, would be planning something. Most likely emotionally scarring and embarrassing. During their morning classes and lunch, Roxy could feel the boys eyes burning into her face, large grins upon their lips. Leaving lunch, food untouched, she found herself hurrying towards the Potions classroom. Hands shaking, she buried them into her lap as she took a seat.

Why did she have to act so idiotically sometimes? Not only did she hex two students, but those students happened to be Marauders. Most of Hogwarts population were either in love with them or were completely terrified of them.

The classroom was empty, for the exception of herself and Professor Slughorn, who sat at his desk immersed in a box of frosted pineapple, and Severus Snape who had his large nose stuck in a thick, stained book. She ignored the glare her fellow student sent her as she stared at him. Not in the mood for his Slytherin personality, that is to say sulky and angry, she looked away trying to mentally prepare herself for the class. Grabbing her leather book bag, she pulled out her cauldron and textbook.

Finally, after what felt like a decade, students began arriving. As she watched them take their seats, pulling out their own supplies, she spotted a smirking Marlene. Roxy furrowed brow as her roommate took a seat at the table behind her, and to her shock, quickly joined by Sirius Black, a matching smirk playing on his face. Turning away from the pair, who seemed to only have eyes for her, she wondered if Marlene possibly had a hand in the prank the Marauders were certain to pull on her. She had caused her to run out of the Great hall during breakfast, just as she had done to the Marauders after she'd accidentally hexed James and embarrassed him in front of the love of his life and the entire castle.

"I'm dead." She mumbled. Sighing gratefully as Lily walked into the room. Roxy waved the redhead over, knowing no one would pull anything with the Head girl near. To her dismay, James shot out of his seat, wrapping his fingers around Lily's elbow he tugged her down into the chair next to him. She was about to protest, clearly not pleased at being man handled, when Slughorn stood and called the class to order.

"Everyone sit down!" He called, his wand waving dangerously in the air.

Roxy felt her breath quicken, there's no way this was her punishment. Sitting alone in potions was juvenile, preschool stuff. Hardly something she would classify as embarrassing. Her eyes travelled across the room causing her to realize something rather worrying. Peter Pettigrew had chosen a seat next to a clearly displeased Slytherin boy, while Remus Lupin sat uncomfortably next to a broad Slytherin girl. She looked down to the seat next to her own, which had conveniently been left empty. Someone was missing from class, she realized, they never had an empty seat.

Suddenly, realization dawned upon her as a take, blonde and clearly arrogant Lucius Malfoy walked in. He looked disheveled and incredibly pissed off. Jaw dropping, Roxy could hear the muffled giggles from the table behind her. She suddenly had the urge to turn around and stab both Marlene and Sirius.

Without so much as an apology for his tardiness, Malfoy took the last available seat next to a pale Roxy King. Lily turned around, looking apologetic before turning around and concentrating on the lesson.

"King." Malfoy greeted.

"Princess." She retorted, shock over came the blonde before he glared at her.

"Today we will be brewing a potion that, should you drink it, makes you confused and befuddled. You will find the ingredients on page 154. The students who successfully brew this potion by the end of the period will not have to complete the two and a half foot essay on the effects and dangers if prepared wrong. You may begin!" Roxy jumped up quickly, as the rest of the students took their time to skim through their books and set up their cauldrons. Retrieving her ingredients, she retook the seat next to the detestable Slytherin.

Ignoring his glares, and the nerve wrecking grins from the pair behind her, she zoned out, forgetting about Malfoy, Sirius, Marlene and the possible embarrassing prank to be unleashed upon her, she concentrated on the assignment. Determined to perfect the potion, not in the mood to have to complete yet another essay.

With Roxy's full attention on her work, her focus was suddenly disturbed as Malfoy jumped up with a girly shriek. His potion toppled over, he jumped out of the way in the knack of time, leaving Roxy wide open. She jumped back in surprise as thick gunk splattered across her lap, soaking through her skirt. She couldn't stop herself from crying out, tears automatically spilling from her eyes as the sensation of hot coals spread across her thighs.

"Roxy!" Lily hurried over, wand out, she cleared the mess off the table and her friends lap. But the liquid had already made contact with her skin, and the effect of the badly made potion took affect. Skin itchy, she watched at it started bubbling as if someone had lit a fire on her lap. Pain overcame her as she rubbed at her legs, her skin burning as red as Lily's hair.

"Miss Evans, take Miss King to the Hospital wing immediately. Everyone else return to your work." Roxy, shaky and disoriented, allowed Lily to steer her out of the classroom. Through her tears she spotted two faces sitting at the table behind her own, laughing.

All she could think was how cruel Sirius and Marlene had to be, laughing at her while she endured such extreme pain. Was it an accident? Or had the Marauders orchestrated such a disaster. "It was them! Sirius and Marlene." She accused.

"Roxy, you're delirious. Its one of the side effects from a badly made Befuddlement draught - " Lily assured her friend, half carrying and half dragging her towards the hospital wing. Roxy found herself sweating through her uniform, the pain become unbearable.

"No!" She argued. "They did it! I know they did!" Lily sighed, her arm tightening around her friends waist, she tried her best to calm the sobbing girl.

"We're almost there. Pomphrey will take away the pain."

Roxy nodded. Her head felt swollen, as her heart pounded rapidly in her chest. Every inch of her body hurt, every step she took was agonizing. She truly hope that Lily was right, that her fellow Gryffindors couldn't be so cruel. But she found herself filled with doubt.