Disclaimer: Yes, yes, yes. The voices in my head aren't real. Which means the little voice saying we own these characters is also false. Meaning we don't own them, 'kay?

***

In potions Lily sat as far away from James as she could. But Alex, who was late, was forced (to her horror) to be partners with Sirius (much to his delight). She reluctantly sat down next to him.

"Hi Alex, I – "

"No, Sirius." Alex cut him off.

"But– "

"No."

"Students, please open your books to page 45, and commence the draught of the Living Dead," Professor Slughorn instructed. "This potion when brewed properly should kill the drinker instantly."

"Go get the rabbit's tongue from the storage cupboard, Black," Alex ordered. "Do something helpful for once."

"Okay, okay. Don't get your knickers in a twist."

"Wouldn't you like to know about my knickers? And don't forget the other ingredients," she called after him

Sirius walked over to get the ingredients for their potion. James was getting the items for his potion with Remus.

"James, cheer up, mate. I know that you are madly in love with Evans or whatever but she rejects you every day. Why are you letting it get to you so much this time?" Sirius asked.

"I know, I just..."

"Did you get everything?" Alex interrupted.

"Yep," Sirius said brightly.

"Let's see...where's the wolf's bane?" demanded Alex.

"I forgot it. Wanna go to Hogsmead with me?" he said.

"Oh, my God, Black! Honestly it's not that hard. All I asked you to do was get the ingredients for the potion on which I was forced to work with you! Can't you do anything right?" Alex practically shouted, completely ignoring Sirius' invitation.

"This is going to be long day," Sirius muttered to himself.

"I heard that, Black! Now start cutting the mint leaves," Alex said irritably.

"Do you want to go with me to Hogsmead with me?"

"NO!"

"Wanna go to Hogsmead with me?"

The rest of the period continued like this. Sirius constantly asking Alex out, and Alex becoming more and more flustered but repeatedly pretending she hadn't heard. In the end their potion was a disaster as neither of them had really been paying attention.

"Black! The potion is supposed to be blue gray, not lime green. And it's like sludge, that's not right either," Alex had started out these comments in an exasperated manor, but by the end she was giggling in spite of herself.

"Well, I guess that proves we're both rotten at potions," Sirius smiled, happy that she wasn't insulting him.

Alex clamped her hand over her mouth and immediately stopped laughing. Had she just been sharing a short, but never the less funny joke with Black? Oh, no. The expression she then wore on her face was like that of a little kid caught sneaking candy when he thought his parents weren't looking.

Sirius grinned. So she did like him to some extent. He was making progress.

"I'll meet you to go to Hogsmead later, then," he said before handing in their failure potion and slipping out the door.

He left Alex standing in the middle of the potions room alone, wondering if maybe Sirius Black wasn't so bad after all. It couldn't hurt for her to fool around with him anyways. It didn't have to mean anything. It certainly wouldn't mean anything to him. He had a reputation for being a man whore. Just as Lily had said. Then again Alex herself had a reputation as well. But it was definitely not as bad as Sirius'. It could even be fun.

***

"Okay, Sirius, what is the emergency Marauders meeting about?" asked Remus as he sat down in a big comfy arm chair in front of the fire.

"Yeah, what's this about?" Peter wanted to know.

"Can we do this quickly, I have a transfiguration essay to finish," Remus said.

"Don't worry so much about homework, Moony," Sirius chided.

"Hey, where is James?" Peter asked.

"Well...he is the subject of our meeting this afternoon," said Sirius.

"So he's not coming?" confirmed Remus.

"No!" said Sirius.

"Well I just assumed, since we're in the Head common room, that he was coming."

"Why would you assume that?" asked Sirius.

"Because this is his common room!" volunteered Peter.

"So?" said Sirius not seeing the problem.

"Nevermind," Remus resigned. "What's going on?"

"I'm worried about James," said Sirius.

"Why?" asked Peter.

"Well he seems a little depressed lately," answered Sirius.

"I reckon it's Lily," said Peter.

"Of course it's Lily you dolt!" shouted Sirius. "But the question is why?"

"What do you mean?" asked Peter looking confused. "We know why. She doesn't want him and he's pretty much in love with her."

"Yes, yes, yes, Peter. We know that. But why is it putting him down so much more these days? I mean there was this weird little patch of days where he was extremely happy all the time. And now he's more depressed than he's ever been," explained Sirius.

"I agree, it's doesn't make sense," said Remus. "But if James wants to tell us, then he will. I know him."

"I guess you're right, Moony," said Sirius a little reluctantly.

"He usually is," remarked Peter.

"But we can't just do nothing!" said Sirius. "He's our best friend! This is a matter of life and death!"

"Sirius, you don't have to be so melodramatic," said Remus tiredly.

"And what do you suggest?" asked Peter.

"I suggest we go to Hogsmead!" Sirius said excitedly.

"But the trip isn't until next week," said Peter looking confused again.

"Um, Wormtail, if you recall, you are talking to Sirius right now. And that means virtually anything is possible."

"Exactly!" cried Sirius. "I'm glad we're finally seeing eye-to-eye, Moony."

"What are you planning to do in Hogsmead?" asked Remus a little cautiously.

"Well, we persuade the bar tender, hopefully Madame Helena, to slip us some fire whiskey. And then we'll see where it goes from there," said Sirius grinning evilly.

"Tonight?" asked Peter.

"But of course!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Why do I always go along with these completely idiotic plans? I'm supposed to be preventing things like this. I'm a prefect!" said Remus, feeling exasperated.

"Moony my dear, is there really any point in trying to stop me?" asked Sirius sweetly.

"I suppose not," sighed Remus. "But going to class tomorrow is going to be hell."

***

James sat by the fire writing his charms essay. Or at least he had been until he fell asleep. A huge shaggy black jumped onto his lap.

"ARGGGHHHH!" James yelled. "Sirius! What is your problem?"

The giant dog morphed into Sirius and jumped off James' lap.

"Come on, were going out!" Sirius said grinning madly.

"Er, it's Wednesday night," said James.

"Oh come on Prongsie, where's your sense of fun gone?"

"It took a vacation," said James bitterly.

"Guess we'll have to go join it," said Sirius brightly. "Get your invisibility cloak, and meet us outside the Great Hall."

***

Sirius ran to the Gryffindor common room and plopped himself in a chair next to Alex.

"Hey gorgeous, what's up?" he said.

"I'm trying to do my Potions homework, but it's not really working out."

Yes! He really was making progress. She was being civil.

"Yeah, well we established that earlier today, didn't we?" he joked.

Alex giggled.

"Wanna do something fun?" asked Sirius.

Alex raised her eye brows.

"I only wanted to know if you wanted to come to Hogsmead," he laughed.

"Haven't you already asked me that about five hundred times today, Black?" she smiled.

"Well I'm asking you again, since I never really got an answer," he said.

"I thought we were going to 'meet later,'" she quoted him.

"Well we're meeting right now aren't we?" he asked.

"Yes, but the trip isn't until next week," she said.

"Merlin! Why does everyone always state the obvious?! I know that," he said slightly annoyed. "But I want to go now."

"So?" she asked.

"So are you coming or not?" he wanted to know.

"Um, I guess so. Hell, anything is better than a Potions essay!"

"Alright! That's my girl! Come on," he grabbed her hand and pulled her out the portrait hole.

"Slow down, Black. I'm not your girl," Alex said.

"Ouch!"

"Yet…"she said smiling seductively.

"Guess we'll have to change that then, won't we?" said Sirius grinning. Now this is what he was looking for!

They walked down to the Great Hall together and met up with Remus, Peter, and James.

"So how are we getting there?" asked Alex feeling very exhilarated by breaking so many rules, just like she always felt when she did things like this.

"We have our ways," said Sirius secretively. "Why don't you lead the way, Prongs."

They followed James to the one eyed witch statue, joking and talking the whole way. Alex was not in the least bit intimidated by being the only girl. And James was looking a little bit more lively already. Sirius was very proud of himself, his plan was working as intended.

James tapped on the statue's hump and muttered the spell. Alex gasped in amazement as it opened to reveal the passageway.

"Where does it lead to?" asked Alex.

"The cellar under Honeydukes," Sirius answered.

"Wow!"said Alex, clearly impressed.

Peter and Remus slipped down the slide. James was next and Sirius helped Alex down before going himself.

"How long have you guys know about this?" Alex asked as they began to walk.

"I think since about second year," James answered. "Right, Padfoot?"

"That sounds right," agreed Sirius.

The rest of the walk didn't seem as long as it usually did as the five of them wandered down the winding passage. At one point Sirius slipped his arm around Alex's waist. She turned to look at his face, poorly lit by their wands. She smiled at him, and he grinned back. Then she slipped out of his grasp and flounced up to talk with Remus, swinging her hips.

Sirius sighed. This girl was something else.

Finally they arrived in the basement of Honeyduke's.

"Do you have your invisibility cloak, James?" asked Remus.

"Yep," said James as he pulled it out of his pocket. "I'm not sure if we'll all fit though," he added uncertainly.

"It's okay," said Sirius. "We'll squish."

They all moved together into a tight group and James threw the cloak over them. Sirius and Alex ended up pressed up against each other. Sirius grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes. They shuffled through Honeydukes and into The Three Broomsticks, but not without difficulty. Once inside, they shrugged off the cloak and grabbed a table.

Madame Helena came over to their table.

"Is Hogwarts visiting right now?" she asked.

"Nope," grinned James, sounding like his old self again.

"Ah, I see. Why is it always you four causing trouble?" she asked.

"It's our specialty," James told her.

"Oh, I know," Madame Helena laughed. "And hello Alex, I don't usually see you hanging around with this lot. You better watch yourself!"

"Don't worry Helena, I'll take care of her," said Sirius.

"That's why I worry," she answered. "So, what'll it be?"

"A bottle of fire whiskey," said Sirius confidently.

"And what makes you think I'm going to give you that?" asked Madame Helena laughing again.

"Because we always weasel it out of you one way or another," James smiled sweetly.

"Well, that's not true! I-" she stopped short at the expressions on the Marauders' faces.

"So why don't we just skip the part where we try and convince you, and you just hand it over now?" said Sirius.

"Well I…" she stuttered.

"Come on, Helena!" begged James.

"Oh, all right!" exclaimed Helena. "But you know the deal. You didn't get it from me!"

"Thank you!" they chorused together.

Madame Helena walked away to get their Fire Whiskey.

"Exactly how often do you guys do this?" Alex asked looking impressed.

"Way too often," said Remus. They all laughed.

Madame Helena returned with their First Whiskey and some shot glasses. Sirius poured five. He picked on up and raised it.

"To Hogwarts!" he said and they all drank.

Alex smiled. This was fun. Sirius caught her eye and smiled too.

"Another round!" shouted James, and he began pouring.

"To Madame Helena for giving us the Fire Whisky!" And they all downed their glasses again.

As the night went on, the toasts became more and more ridiculous.

"To makeup remover!" Alex cried.

"YEAH! Wait– noooo," the boys stopped.

The bottle was three quarters emptied, and their glasses were full once again.

"To Alex!" said Sirius, his words slightly slurred. "For being so hot!"

And they drank. Alex frowned a little, then looked over at Sirius and grinned as she tipped her glass back.

James refilled their glasses again. "To Lily!" he said solemnly. "I hope one day she will forgive me."

The rest of them giggled, although they were slightly confused.

"I lost my shoes!" Sirius announced very loudly. "Will you come help me find them Alex?!"

Alex smiled stupidly and looked down at Sirius' feet.

"But you're wearing them!" she giggled.

"Please help me find them!" said Sirius.

"Okay, let's go look for your shoes Sirius. Where do you think they are?"

"Outside," he grinned for the umpteenth time that evening.

"Oh," said Alex realization dawning on her. "Guess we better go find them."

"Come on," said Sirius giddily.

Sirius grabbed her hand and dragged her through the crowd towards the door.

"Three guesses what they're gonna do out there!" laughed Peter.

***

Almost before the door to The Three Broomsticks had swung shut Sirius' lips were on Alex's. They were warm and soft, and he was such a good kisser. It wasn't rough, but it was sweet. Their mouths moved together harmoniously and their kissing grew more passionate and urgent.

Alex had no idea how long they stayed there but she knew how sorry she was to have to go. When Sirius and her broke apart though, she realized the reality of what she was doing. Sirius was no the girlfriend type, and he would probably not want their relationship to go any longer than tonight.

"We should get back," he said, ever smiling.

"Yeah…" agreed Alex. "You know, Sirius…it's okay, we don't have to talk about this again." she told him.

"Oh, right," said Sirius. "Wait, why?"

"We're drunk…and it doesn't mean anything. Don't pretend like you care, I know your little game."

With that, Alex headed back to Hogwarts, leaving a very crushed Sirius all alone.

***

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