Untangle Me

"What a git! What a slimy, intolerable git!" I yelled as I stormed out of the great hall, soaking the floor in pumpkin juice as it dripped off of my drenched uniform.

I cursed Sirius, muttering under my breath all the way back to the common room. It just always had to be me didn't it? From the moment we met on the train in first year, he had chosen me to be the bearer of all his silly pranks. I was anything but a victim, I always made sure got my own back and this time my revenge prank would be a million times better than some childish levitating goblet of pumpkin juice.

I took a clean pair of pyjamas and underwear out of my trunk and made my way to the girls bathroom so I could shower. I didn't feel like eating anymore because it just meant facing him and the rest of his little gang. One of them may have been my brother but that didn't mean I had to like his stupid best friend.

Once I had showered I settled myself in the common room in a chair closest to the fire and began to continue the book Lily had gotten me for Christmas once. It was a muggle book by William Shakespeare called Romeo and Juliet. I'd read it a million times since I'd gotten it, so much so that it was starting to look tattered and worn.
I didn't get far into the book before the seats around me had been occupied. I didn't even bother to look up.

"Reading that old bit of drivel again, Potter?"
"Shove off, Black." I replied.
"It's actually a really good book, extremely popular with muggles." Remus said to Sirius.
"Thanks for that boring bit of information, Moony." Sirius said faking a loud yawn.
"I thought it was interesting.." Peter squeaked.
"You think everything is interesting, Wormy." James said looking over his glasses to his fat friend. "Anyways, where is the beautiful Evans?"
"I don't know." I lied smoothly, "She mentioned something about helping out professor Slughorn earlier, I think."
"And have you put in a good word like I asked?"
"Jay, I have told you a million times, I could put in every good word created and she still wouldn't like you. Until you stop being an obnoxious asshole, she won't like you." I shrugged. Sirius let out his bark like laugh and James punched him in the arm.
"Shut up Padfoot." he muttered.

I closed my book deciding it was no use to continue. Not only had Sirius ruined my dinner by pouring pumpkin juice on me but now he was ruining my quiet time. I engaged in quiet conversation with Remus about when he was next due to phase. Back in first year we had found out about his "furry little problem" and sworn ourselves to secret to protect our friend. Now James, Sirius, Peter and I had become illegal animagi so we could go round with him a couple nights a month when he was in wolf form. Of course, then there were two secrets to keep. The one of the werewolf student running round and the one of the two dogs, rat and deer running around the school grounds after the werewolf at night.

The common room began to fill up and empty as time went on until only our little group and a few students were in the room. It was getting late and Lily wasn't back yet. She had gone to meet Severus after dinner on the grounds to try and talk to him about some of the things she had heard about him.
We both knew they were true but she refused to believe it.

There was a loud bang from the portrait swinging shut and Lily emerged from the hole with tears streaming down her face. Immediately I rushed over to her followed closely by James.

"What happened?" I asked pulling her into a tight hug.
"He - H - He c-called me a mudblood!" Lily sobbed into my shoulder. "I caught up to him in the courtyard and asked him if what I had heard about him hexing Theodore Rowbotham was true. He told me I was just a silly little mudblood who didn't understand the way the wizarding world was supposed to work."
"I'll kill him!" James yelled as he pulled his wand out of his robes.
"This is nothing to do with you, Potter!" Lily screamed, "For once will you just leave me alone and mind your business, please!" Lily sobbed hysterically.
"Put your wand away, you idiot. You'll only make things worse." I scolded my brother. Sometimes his lack of tact astonished me. "Come on Lily, you go up to bed and wait for me, okay? I'll bring you some tea."

Lily nodded and made her way to the girls dormitory. I waited until the sounds of her muffled cries disappeared before I turned to James.

"You listen to me and you listen good James Potter. Under no circumstances are you to go after Snape okay? Despite what you may think, Lily is not your problem and she can handle herself. So you and the guys can stay out of this okay?" I said jabbing my wand into his chest which burned a hole through his shirt.
"Okay, but I'm still going to hex him when I see him." James shrugged.
"Whatever, just don't do it in Lily's name or anything. Stay out of her way for a few days. I know you'll find that impossible but you can try and I'm sure Padfoot would be more than happy to help."
"Padfoot would what?" Sirius said as he finished chasing the last of the students out of the common room.
"Keep my brother away from Lily." I explained, "Just so she doesn't kill him because believe it or not, I am rather fond of him."

James walked back over to the fire, his usually smiling face looked deep in thought.

"I'm going to bed. You lot coming or?" James said to his friends. Remus and Peter nodded but Sirius hung back. "You comin' mate?"
"Nah," said Sirius shaking his head, "think I'm gonna head to the kitchens. Get something to eat before bed."
"See you then." James said making a start towards the boys dorm.
"Hey Jay!" I called out, "Can I borrow the map and cloak?"

He used his wand to levitate them over to me. I caught them out the air and tucked them under my arm.

"Goodnight Jay, love you." I smiled.
"'Night Fifi, love you too." he smiled back as made his way up to bed, followed by Remus and Peter.

When we heard the door click shut, Sirius turned to face me. Brushing my hair off of my face and kissing me.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to do that." Sirius breathed.
"I'd guess since potions this morning when you tried to finger me under the table." I laughed.
"Blame that on the cauldron fumes." he grinned. "Now m'lady, I do believe a trip to the kitchen is on the agenda." he said holding out his arm for me to take.
"I'm still mad at you, you know?" I said blandly before linking my arm with his.

I threw the invisibility cloak over us and took out the Marauders Map with my free hand. I gave it a tap with my wand as I muttered the words that were needed to reveal it.

"Filtch is in the Trophy room so we're good to go." Sirius said pointing to his name label.

Sirius and I walked hand in hand under the invisibility cloak. Ever since that day in the shed two summers ago, something had changed between us. We weren't a couple, not even close! We still argued like cat and mouse, pranked each other at any chance we got and acted like the same old Ophelia and Sirius when we were around our friends but something had shifted.

Every chance we got, we would sneak off on late night excursions. Steal kisses when ever no one was looking. Pass notes to eachother during lessons. But no, we were not together. Sirius couldn't be tied down and he was too much of a bad boy for my liking. I'd heard stories about him in the girls lavatory that would make anybodies hair curl. They were horrible to hear but I always found myself arranging to see him, even when I told myself no. He was the only other person I let call me Fifi apart from James.

As always a trip to the kitchen meant leaving with more food than we could carry. I asked a house elf to send tea and cakes up to Lily and I left her a note telling her to wait up for me. She didn't even know about Sirius and I so I always made excuses for why I was out so late.

Sirius and I wandered along the empty corridors under the cloak, until we came to our usual empty transfiguration class that we sat in. I locked the door behind us and checked the map one last time making sure the coast was clear. We couldn't stay long, I needed to comfort Lily.

"My beautiful Fifi." Sirius said placing a kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes and leaned into his chest. I felt safe.
"We can't sneak around forever Sirius." I sighed.
"I know, but James would kill me."
"It's none of his damn business who I snog whether you're his best friend or not!" I snapped.
"You're his twin sister and I'm his best mate, love. That makes it his business."
"He can't do anything if I love you!" I said exasperated.

Love. I had just said love. I had told Sirius I loved him.

"I didn't mean that." I said clamping a hand over my mouth. I took a step back from Sirius, shaking my head. "No, no, no, no, noooo!! I did not mean that, shit!"

Sirius looked like I'd just grown an extra head. I felt sick. If only I had a time turner so I could stop those words from ever leaving my mouth. I ran out the room, Sirius's silence had said it all.