Maybe Memories

Regulus hadn't spoken a word to Sirius, even by December. They had passed each other in the corridors and Regulus always turned his head. In a way it hurt. Sirius knew what his brother's fate would be and stepping in now was not his place. He was really on his own.

Sirius poked at his food. "Where's Estelle?" he asked.

"I dunno. Where's Moony?" James said poking at his eggs.

"I'm going to find her," Sirius said, rising from his seat. He wondered down the corridors to the Gryffindor Tower. As he entered the portrait hole, Estelle and Remus were coming towards it.

"I was looking for you," Sirius said smiling.

Estelle snorted, "How fortunate."

"Why weren't you at breakfast?"

"I was on my way there..."

"Right," Sirius said.

Estelle rolled her eyes and took his hand, leading him back out of the portrait hole. Remus followed behind them chuckling.

James had lost interest in making Snape's life miserable since Lily actually started talking to him. Sirius found that to be annoying.

"Isn't time to grow up anyway?" Estelle said, after one of Sirius' rants.

"No," Sirius muttered, crossing his arms and making a face.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend. Wanted posters began to appear on the shop windows. Despite that and the gloomy weather, they attempted to enjoy themselves.

"Wait, where's Wormtail?" Sirius asked once they got settled int he Three Broomsticks.

"Some 'club' he refused to explain about," James said.

"Probably the Slug Club, he just won't tell us," Sirius grinned.

"He got an 'O' on his potions O.W.L.," Remus said, "That's better than any of us."

"maybe that's his secret talent that he doesn't want us to know about because you guys would make fun of him for going to the club," Estelle said.

"Maybe he's King Slug," Sirius snickered.

"He always did terrible in class," James said, "I can't make sense of how he got an 'O'."

"Well, he was partners with you," Remus said, "maybe you're just terrible, Prongs."

James made a face.

"Maybe that's why Lily never liked you. You're terrible at potions," Sirius said.

"Yeah," James said in a sour voice.

The common room girl talks were becoming more annoying than ever, to James anyway. Girls in groups in general annoyed him.

"Will you stop starring?" Sirius said.

"What do you call what you're doing?" James hissed.

"It's different. My girlfriend is over there."

James mumbled something under his breath.

"What was that?" Sirius asked.

"My future girlfriend is over there."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Have you ever thought of going for someone else?"

"No," James replied, "I don't want anyone else."

Sirius sighed, "Alright, fine."

Sirius spent his holiday with James, as usual. Estelle came to James' for part of the holiday. Sirius was pleased to be with her. She made his Christmas feel complete. The only catch was, Sirius had to come to Estelle's house this summer. Sirius was actually looking forward to it.

The first week back at school held a full moon. It was always harder to hide their trips out to the Willow when there was snow on the ground. After that, they went back to their normal schedule, homework included.

"Bloody potions," Sirius muttered while writing an essay.

"Then why did you sign up for it?" Estelle asked.

"I dunno," Sirius growled.

Estelle snickered.

"Where's Wormtail?" James called over his shoulder.

"Club," Sirius replied.

James nodded, grinning.

One night in the common room, Sirius and Estelle stayed up past one in the morning, snogging and talking. Estelle was glad to answer all of Sirius' questions about muggles. Sirius simply didn't want to leave her side. She came to the boy's dormitory, as she would've on any full moon.

Everyone got use to falling asleep talking to both Sirius and Estelle. Some nights, Estelle ended up doing more talking to Remus than Sirius.

"I really just don't want anything to do with the muggle world after I leave Hogwarts," Estelle said. Sirius felt his eyelids getting too heavy to keep open.

Remus sighed, "It wouldn't be bad working in Muggle relations, but I'm not sure I would be allowed..."

"How tough will having a 'fury little problem' make getting a job?" Estelle asked.

"I don't know," Remus replied, "It surely won't help anything..."

"That's hardly fair."

"Life's hardly fair."

Estelle sighed, "No need to be pessimistic."

"I'm being honest."