"I trust that the details of what we discuss today shall be kept quiet," said Dumbledore glancing around the room, taking extra time to pause at Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew through his half-moon glasses.

Lily looked nervously at the four boys, including her boyfriend, while Alice Prewitt and Frank Longbottom shared a look.

"'Course Professor," James Potter spoke for the group.

"Given what Professor McGonagall briefed me about your post-Hogwarts plans or lack thereof-" Dumbledore looked at Sirius again.

"Albus," McGonagall interrupted. "Are you sure about this? I mean, they're still children and as their Head of House, I have concerns about their safety." Minerva looked more stressed than her usual self.

And rightly so. That was the general feeling about the castle that week as they neared the end of January. There had been two attacks reported in the papers since they had been back from break. There was a growing feeling of unease, only emboldened by the Slytherin taunts.

"Minerva, I wouldn't trust them if I didn't have faith in their abilities," Dumbledore said before he finally delved into the reason for this hushed meeting.

McGonagall tutted in displeasure but remained silent.

"I would like to talk to you today about the Order of the Phoenix," Professor Dumbledore's voice was calm as ever.

Ϟ

"Where were you?" Astrid asked suspiciously as Kelsey took her seat in Potions that Wednesday. She had been missing during breakfast.

"Wasn't hungry," Kelsey grunted, dropping her bag to the floor. She felt queasy. She had gotten up bright and early and headed over to the library before breakfast to get some studying and prank brainstorming done. But the sight of the morning's newspaper etched a sense of dread that had been growing inside her for the last two weeks.

There had been another attack targeted at a half-blood family for refusing to reveal information to his followers. They, she and her friends, had heard all sorts of awful things about the miscreants known as the Death Eaters.

She was growing concerned over whether the enchantments she had left for her parents were enough. What if she too got a letter telling her something awful had happened? She couldn't bear the thought of going to breakfast after that.

To add to that she still had the rest of the week to serve out the last of her detentions for being caught handcuffed. While there were still a few students who shot comments at her about the issue, she had mostly forgiven Sirius for it.

She pursed her lips thinking of him. She tried finding him yesterday evening in the Gryffindor Common Room but he and his friends had been missing. She ended up doing homework with Marlene and Mary in the library while Astrid avoided her other than classes.

"James! Ssh!" Lily's worried voice made Kelsey look up to see her enter the classroom with the boys. The five of them seemed to be having a hushed conversation as she and Astrid watched confused. Kelsey tried to catch Sirius' eye but he avoided his gaze in an unusual move, as if afraid she would read his mind.

Slughorn entered soon after, making them break up and settle down in their seats too.

"What was that about?" Kelsey asked as soon as Lily took her seat with Mary across the table from them.

"Hmm?" Lily sounded distracted. "Oh, just, nothing."

"Why don't I believe you?" Kelsey narrowed her eyes. "Come to think of it, where were you yesterday evening? I know for a fact you weren't scheduled for patrolling duty."

"Just leave it, would you?!" Lily snapped.

Kelsey stared in shock. "Fine. Have it your way," she bit back and turned her attention to Slughorn.

Ϟ

"Oi Prongs, what did you put down for the third use of Asphodel in that essay?"

"Are you actually asking me?" James looked up from his essay in the common room.

It was eleven in the night and the room was mostly empty, save a few seventh years including the blonde who Sirius had made a show of snogging in front of Kelsey after the first Gryffindor match. She kept looking over to the boys sneakily in hopes of catching one boy's eye.

"Moony isn't here." Sirius shrugged. "I think he's still in the library with Astrid and Mckinnon. They don't leave unless they're kicked out."

"Speaking of.." James put his quill down. "You haven't slipped up to Jones about anything, have you?" he confirmed once more.

Sirius let out a frustrated noise. "I'm offended by your faith in me, mate," he rolled his eyes and continued, "Nothing to fret though. I avoided Jones today."

"I still don't see why Dumbledore would think you'd spill anything to Jones. It's not like you're together, or anything.." His mate looked at him. "Were you sure that pulling that handcuff prank on the girl you fancy was the best idea? How did you even get that close to her? Last time we checked, she still hated your guts."

Sirius who had been grinning recalling the scene of her pressed up against him was forced to neutralise his expression. "I have my ways," he said. "Old Albie was probably worried I'd slip something during our squabbles. They do get heated," Sirius grinned.

"Uhuh," James said going back to his essay.

Sirius' thoughts went back to earlier that morning when she had tried to catch his eye. It was true. He had avoided her like Spattergroit all day. He knew that she knew that something was up.

He also hated how accurate Dumbledore was to an extent in assuming that he would give in to Kelsey. How could he not? She had a way of getting things from him and now that they were whatever this was, he felt it was best to keep a little distance.

He didn't want to lie to her so all he could hope was that Dumbledore would eventually include her and Astrid in this Order thing as well. Evans had even brought that up since Kelsey was directly impacted by the Death Eater attacks as a muggle-born.

"Think he'll have them join? Won't be surprised if one day she comes barging into Old Albie's office," Sirius mused.

"Yeah. Female Satan has her ways," James shuddered. "She and Lily fought, you know."

"I heard," Sirius said distractedly.

"Apparently she and Astrid are in a tiff too."

At that, Sirius gulped because it was partially his fault. He knew it was because of how Astrid had stormed off that morning Kelsey had been caught because of his prank. Even though she forgave him, he felt guilty because he knew she wouldn't be telling Astrid about them yet.

"Night James. Goodnight Sirius," the blonde girl said in a sing-song voice, as she approached the spiral stairs up to the dorms.

"Later, Thompson," Sirius winked on instinct, eliciting a giggle from her as she disappeared up the stairs. Try as he might, he couldn't turn off the charm. It came to him naturally. Even if he had no ill intentions.

James frowned, throwing a quill at him.

"What the hell, mate?!

"I thought you were into Jones."

"I still am." Sirius leaned back down on the soda. "But there's no reason to not give the ladies what they want"

"Which is?"

"Some harmless flirting," Sirius shrugged.

"And what if you saw Jones doing the same with another bloke?"

"Easy, I'd hex the guy. Remember good ol' Benji?" he replied casually to which Prongs looked at him with an 'Are you kidding me' looking.

The realisation hit Sirius.

Bugger.

"Prongs, do you think I can undo flirting?" Sirius asked.

"You tell me, mate. You're the Heartbreak Prince, no?" James' attention was back on his essay.

Ϟ

"And then he winked at me and said 'Later Thompson'. I know he said what happened after that one game was a one-time thing. But I think he wants to get back." The two girls giggled for the hundredth time.

Kelsey's nostrils flared in annoyance as she aggressively dipped the quill into the ink.

Was there no sacred place to study anymore?! This was a library for Merlin's sake. She didn't come here to listen to giggly girls gush about their crushes. She had enough troubles of her own.

"Do you like mind?!" She hissed at the duo.

The two girls scoffed, "Rude."

"Just ignore her, Cathy. She's just upset no boy pays attention to her," the blonde girl's friend said.

"Oh and I'm just dying to know what has you giggling like a bunch of third-year girls discovering what a dick is," Kelsey was open to testing her verbal jibes. It would be a nice distraction from her inability to complete the darn Asphodel essay.

They turned red at her crudeness but they held up the air of superiority still.

"I'd love to know who the poor bloke that got hit by a bludger so hard that he decided to grace you with his sub-par flirting skills," Kelsey continued to taunt. It hadn't been the best week for her and she was itching for a fight.

"Sirius Black!"

The smug smile never left the two girls' faces as Kelsey's faltered.

"As if," it was Kelsey's turn to scoff. They had to be lying. She decided petty gossip wasn't worth her effort.

"As if yourself, Kelpie. See, I told you she wouldn't understand," Kelsey heard in the background as she got up shakily and started packing up her things.

"Ugh, remember when we'd see her running after Benjamin? Pathetic!" She turned her back to them, determined not to show them her wavering expression. "Nevermind that. Do you think this means he might ask you out for Valentine's Day? The Hogsmeade trip is in two weeks," Cathy's friend asked.

"Who knows," Cathy drawled. "Either way, I'll still have a better time than Kelpie Jones. With one Sirius Black."

No. That wasn't it. There had to be an explanation for it. It was simple, she would ask him and they'd talk it out. A misunderstanding at best. Kelsey rushed out of the library to her Care of Magical Creatures class.

"Si-Black wait!" Kelsey caught up to Sirius after class.

Why was he in a hurry to rush from Care of Magical Creatures? They had barely been able to talk the last few days.

"Jones," he said coolly, looking at Remus.

"Can we talk?" she said.

"Now?" he laughed nervously.

Why wouldn't he look at her?

"Yes," she demanded. He shrugged casually but walked over to a corner of the corridor with her. She missed the warning look that Remus gave him, emphasizing that he best not spill anything.

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"You've been avoiding me," she pointed out.

"What? No!" he pfft-ed. "We see each other every day," he looked at her.

"You aren't a good liar," she tried to play it off jokingly but it fell flat as her own voice betrayed her. "What happened? Ever since that day the five of you went missing in the evening for a few hours, you've been acting strange," she said.

She wouldn't do it. She wasn't going to cry over a boy.

"Look I really have to go, Moony's waiting," he nodded over to Moony and Astrid waiting for him down the corridor.

He stilled and sighed. "Look I can't tell you. Yet. It's nothing to do with you, right? We're good," he said, giving her a tight smile. "Give me a few days. Things are," he put up a finger to Moony as if to say 'One-minute',"..tense in the Gryffindor Common Room."

"Sirius," she whispered, holding on to the sleeve of his robe.

"Not now, Kels," he whispered back, patting her on the arm once. He walked away without looking back twice. She stared at his back.

His hair had grown a little longer, she noted. Things were changing so fast.

"I think I'll grow it out," Sirius had said as he sat with his head on her lap.

"Oh?" she said, running her hands through his curls, soothingly massaging his scalp.

"Grow it into a fine ponytail," he had looked straight up at her, his grey eyes piercing straight through.

"You wouldn't!" She giggled. "I think you're more of a man bun, type of guy myself," she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Yeah? You'd like that, would you, love?" With a smirk, he got up suddenly quickly pressing his lips to hers upside-down, before laying his head back on her lap.

"What was that?" she asked, a blush creeping up.

"Isn't that how they kiss in your muggle books? All funny and romantic?"

Kelsey rolled her eyes. "I'd hardly call kissing someone with your face upside-down romantic, Sirius."

"Then they could learn a thing or two." He opened his mouth and Kelsey popped a grape in which he happily chewed.

"Yes, of course. I'm sure they'd use the jaw-breaking upside-down kiss move in a superhero movie should they ever make those. I can all but imagine Peter Parker and Mary Jane lip-locked in a sensational Sirius Black-styled, upside-down snog," Kelsey giggled but leaned down to kiss him nevertheless.

She was only drawn out of her memory when she felt her vision blur. Surprised, she blinked the tears away, before Remus and Astrid who were still watching her watch Sirius walk away.

She took a deep breath and masked her face with a deep look of concentration. Silently fuming, she stalked off in the opposite direction, shoving aside a fifth-year sniggering Slytherin in the process.

"Five points from Slytherin!" she barked at the kid.

"You filthy mudbl-"

"Ten points from Slytherin!" she yelled out without stopping to look at the boy.

She was on a warpath.

The rest of the day passed with her avoiding classes, the library, dinner, and even skipping detention to hide out in an empty classroom in the Divination Tower. Only when she had managed to calm down from the impending tears and rage and frustration, she made her way back to civilisation.

Were feelings supposed to hurt this much? She thought to herself as she stepped into their dorm room which was empty save for Astrid who was staring at the ground in horror silently.

"Astrid?" Kelsey asked unsurely but her friend remained silent.

Were they still even friends? Kelsey's heart hurt. Between Sirius and Lily and Astrid, she wasn't going to have any friends save Mary and Marlene, who she always worried only put up with her because of the others.

"Tatty?" she asked more softly this time to which Astrid finally raised her head. It looked as if she had seen a ghost.

Astrid got up, appearing determined all of a sudden. She grabbed her trunk from under her bed and threw it open and started shoving clothes from the drawer into it.

"Tatty," Kelsey walked over to her, now a little scared.

What happened? What could have gone so wrong in the six hours she had been MIA.

"Tatty!" Kelsey grabbed Astrid's hand to physically stop her from filling her trunk. "What're you doing?!"

"I'm leaving," she stated, snatching her hand out of her grasp and continuing.

"Oh my god, stop!" Kelsey shrieked, this time grabbing the trunk off the bed and throwing it on her own. She grabbed Astrid by the shoulders and forced her to sit down again.

"I messed up Kels," she croaked.

Astrid bit her lower lip, thinking over something. Her blonde curls looked messy as if she had run her hands through them several times.

She opened her mouth to speak once. Twice. But no sound came out. Then the third time, it was barely a hoarse whisper:

"I called him Daddy again."

Ϟ