GENUINE GEMINI

By: P.P.V.V.

Disclaimer: The Standard Disclaim applies. All original characters/ideas are mine to claim.

AN: It's happened. An update! At the beginning of the year, too! Let's just hope I can keep this fortune rolling. I'm so excited to be back. Major thanks to my best friend for all his support. I can't have done this without him. Of course, I can't have done this without all of you. I know I haven't updated in a while. Apologies. Again. Without further ado, I give you the next installment!

Hang on because the waters only get rougher.

Onward!

Previously:

"I know your situation, Lily," Sirius' father said, "I know you're not very trusting and I know you have every right to suspect the worst. But there is a price everyone must pay. Sirius wants what's best for you."

Lily stiffly asked, "And what if I don't want to go into your custody?"

Orion shrugged. "That is entirely up to you. I will not force my protection on you. I am giving you the options that are available to you. You either come with me, or you go to a Housing Unit until you come into your inheritance."

A Housing Unit sounded downright frightening. But why would Sirius put her under his father's custody? What made this man so confident that he could protect her – against the courts and her Uncle, of all people?

Then it hit her.

"You're…you own…The Black Industries," she heard herself say.

Orion's face remained impassive as he nodded. His voice was gentle when he spoke. "I have promised Sirius that I would back you up in court. I have promised him your safety. I have promised him that you could call on me in times of trouble. I promise those same things to you, and I sincerely hope you believe me."

When all she could do was stare at him he stepped away from the portrait and held his hand out to her. "Please. Think about it."

She glanced at his hand. One that most probably closed thousands of deals. Honest. Trustworthy, if his reputation had any say. Honorable? She'd have to find out. After what seemed an eternity, she grasped it and shook it.

Chapter 24

- Realizations -

Tuesday.

Why in the hell couldn't it be the weekend?

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. If Professor Mendez could make Arithmetic any more boring than it already was, the students would off themselves before the final bell rang.

During the lecture, Bellatrix found herself remembering the way Sirius had triumphantly declared himself the winner of their last bet – not only had he managed to get Peter out of detention, but he'd gotten him an extension for the assignment that he'd failed to turn in. And Madam Hooch had decided to de-benched him.

Laughing, Peter and Remus had gladly dished out the money, and the talk had swiftly changed to the upcoming basketball match that they were going to participate in.

Even if she was not one for sports, Bellatrix sure as hell found it a much more appeasing topic to think about. When the bell finally pealed through the school, she had to work to bring herself out of the numb state she was in. She could have sworn her brain had turned to mush so much so that she didn't think she could tell one number apart from another.

"Can we talk?"

The pink hair really was too much to bear. Almost like a rude awakening. Of its own accord, Bellatrix's lip curled into its signature sneer. "What do you want, Tonks?"

"In private, please?"

In private was ideal. Where on earth did this girl get her fashion tips from? Bellatrix would just die from embarrassment if people started talking about how they were seen in public together – worse yet, on her assent. "Guilty by association" was not a term Bellatrix wanted plastered onto her.

She felt a twinge of shame at the way she was so conscious of her self-image. She could already picture Remus shaking his head in disapproval.

…Wait.

Since when did Remus' opinion count?

In an effort to stop herself from thinking down that unchartered territory, Bellatrix gathered her things and followed Pink out. She concentrated instead on criticizing everything Tonks was wearing, from her large green-and-white beaded necklace to her yellow and black sweater and tight jeans that bunched at her ankles.

Okay, so her clothes weren't that bad. Bellatrix decided that the beads could stay. They were the only thing that saved Tonks from a total fashion wipe out – they drew the eyes away from the horrid pink color of her hair.

Tonks led them right outside of the library, the territory of Madam Pince who disliked noise so much that even the hallway was obliged to be quiet. It was also the place where the student population was sparsest.

Not wanting to venture any further into the hornet's nest, so to speak, Bellatrix stopped. "All right, Tonks. Speak." She was acutely aware of the fact that all the freaks seemed to have a way with seeking her out. Only a few months ago Lily had done the same thing. She shouldn't have set the precedent.

"Are you seeing Lupin?"
"What?"

"And here I thought your cousin was supposed to be the idiot – you know, being blond and all," Tonks said, sarcastically.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "Watch it, Tonks. You don't want me to start in on stereotypes."

Tonks shifted so that her left hip stuck out and she placed her hand atop it. "Fine. I was out of line. But do I honestly have to spell it out for you?" At Bellatrix's glare, Tonks sighed. "Are you and Lupin dating, or aren't you?"

There was the question of the century.

Suddenly, Bellatrix felt way out of her element. She remembered the way Remus had drawn her close just the other day, how natural it had felt…how she had not even realized it had been happening until she could feel the vibrations of his laughter through their bodies pressed together.

Oh, dear lord.

Bellatrix Lestrange did not blush like some school girl who had a crush.

She actually ducked her head in an effort to hide the fact that she was indeed turning red.

If there was ever a time she was embarrassed, it was now. Couple the feeling with that of guilt, it was the ultimate whammy. The defeated look that passed over Tonks' face tripled her self-reproach. "I knew it. I knew he'd never look twice at me," the girl groaned.

Not one to give comfort, Bellatrix did not say anything.

"But you," Tonks was continuing, "he's always liked."

That caught Bellatrix off-guard. "What?"

Tonks shot her a frustrated look. "Don't play dumb. You've always loved attracting boys to you like a moth to a flame. Even while you were with Black you were always flirting with Lupin on the side."

"And every other boy in the school," Bellatrix tried to defend herself, pathetically.

"Not like Lupin," Tonks insisted. "Why did you have to go after the only boy that I'm interested in?"

"Look, he told me himself that he wasn't interested in me," Bellatrix offered, and yet again, her effort to defend herself sounded very pathetic. Her mind flipped back to her dates with Remus to try and pinpoint the exact words he had used to reject her, only to find out that he hadn't exactly done so.

Deflected her, yes, but he hadn't rejected the idea of going out with her.

Shit.

"I told him about you," she said, loudly, to combat her roaring thoughts. "I told him that you fancy him."

Tonks seemed to get so angry that her face turned as pink as her hair. Bellatrix was sure she was going to start scratching and screaming any moment. Well, she'd had her fair share of cat fights.

Bring it!

She had just started to crouch defensively when Tonks' color drained from her face and shook her head. "Lupin's admired you ever since middle school. I know because I've been watching him for that long."

Bellatrix cleared her throat, uncomfortably. "That's kinda…creepy."

Tonks' eyes flashed. "I can't help who I've fallen in love with."

"Had a school girl fantasy about," Bellatrix snapped the correction, ruthlessly, as she was known to do. "And if Lupin's really liked me for that long, why hasn't he said anything?"

"To you? The ice queen?" Tonks scoffed. "You, who had the almighty Sirius Black on her arm everywhere she went? No way."

For some reason, Bellatrix felt herself glow with unexpected happiness. Not understanding it, she pushed the feeling away and shook her head. "You're being ridiculous, Pink. And fucking annoying."

"So, you're using him, then?"

"Don't put words in my mouth." Bellatrix was starting to lose her patience with this simpering idiot. God only knew how this conversation lasted for as long as it had. Bellatrix was disgusted with herself. "If you're looking for a fight, you're picking it with the wrong person." She raised her head, haughtily. "You'd lose before it even began."

Tonks sneered, "I may not be able to compare with you, Lestrange, but I've got the heart to know that Lupin doesn't deserve to be treated as second best. Rebounding off on him because Black dumped you!" Her voice had risen to a shriek. "You don't even like him!"

"What in the hell do you know?" Bellatrix asked, coldly. "Don't you dare make your failure my fault! If Remus chose me over you, then it's his choice, not yours!" With the last two words, she jabbed a finger in the other girl's direction for emphasis.

Her words rang back to her, tauntingly. If Sirius chose Lily over you, then it's his choice, not yours…

Madam Pince's voice lashed out at them like a whip, causing both of them to jump. "Girls! Do I have to remind you to lower your voice? Why the hysterics outside of my sanctum?" She had stuck her head out the library's doorway, and was glaring daggers at them.

Tonks glanced over at the Professor petulantly and Bellatrix abruptly turned away from them, trying to take deep calming breaths. As much as she hated to admit it, Tonks' words had struck her harder than she let on. Maybe seeking solace in Remus' company hadn't been the right thing to do.

Maybe she was hurting him.

If so, she hadn't meant to.

Through clenched teeth, Bellatrix announced, "Don't worry, Professor. We're done here." Glancing over her shoulder to look pointedly at Tonks, she added, "At least, one of us is."

Seeming to get the hint, Pink balled her hands into fists and stormed away. Bellatrix watched her go, before departing in the opposite direction, leaving behind one very confused Librarian.

0-0-0-0-0

Don impatiently shifted in his seat, checking his gages for what seemed like the millionth time. His left foot shifted gears in an absent manner and he listened to the clicks through the hum of his motorcycle.

Check, check, check.

Everything was smooth, just as he knew it would be.

He knew his bike better than the back of his hand.

The dark leather of his jacket creaked as he bent over, fingers flexing over the clutches.

Behind him, he could hear people shouting – a necessary action because of all the commotion that was going on in the room – back and forth, their voices become one large garbled sound that he did not bother to try and understand.

The place was rather stuffy with so many people crowded together into one room. To make things worse, sixteen other motorcycles were crammed in along with them, each of a different design, each customized to fit their riders. Their sounds and smells mingled creating more noise than was necessary.

Some of the motorcycles were quite impressive, but that wasn't the most important part of racing. Anyone could have all the gear, but very few had the skill.

Somehow, he doubted any one of these people possessed that.

Yeah, he was a cynical bastard. He had to be. His team would suffer if he wasn't. Don was nothing short of a perfectionist in this world. What ticked him off the most was that people did not take racing half as seriously as he did. For him, this was not just a fun sport that he indulged in.

Don't get him wrong: sure, the money was good. The fame even better. But those reasons for racing were secondary to the real reason why he'd become professional. Not racing would be like…not breathing.

This was his way of living.

Literally.

He couldn't picture himself doing anything else.

He felt like he would die if he didn't.

"Donovan! Are you listening?" The voice in his ear made him swear aloud as he was ripped from his inner musings. Only Connor screeched his name that way. No one could sound more annoying. "Have you checked your - "

" - Tire pressure is fine. Calipers, rotors, and clutch cables, are fine, too. All switches are fully operational," Don drawled, in a ritualistic manner, going through the checklist quickly. He waved his hand as if to try and brush the elder man away. "I've made my adjustments already."

That didn't seem to satisfy him. He didn't want the star player to crash and burn. Seeing the look on his face, Donovan reached over to grab his helmet from him. "Relax, Trace. It's just an exhibition."

If anything, Connor tensed some more. "Knowing you, you'll make it into much more than that. You're recruiting, after all."

Really, Don should have been used to this lecture. In fact, he should have been able to mouth it along with the man after having heard it again and again but he didn't because he couldn't blame him for worrying. Racing was a dangerous sport for all the fun that it looked like.

Trace Connor was one of the team's coaches, in charge of Vehicle Maintenance. The others specialized in the areas of Terrain Leveling, Physical Fitness, Stat Records and Campaign. They were currently engaged in their checks with the other Marauders, who were also going to put on a show for the fans and the hopefuls.

A group of white and red uniformed men and women paraded across the already crowded room – the Medics. It was a known fact that people got injured during events like these and it was useful to have them around. Usually, they were stationed around the track, stretchers and emergency kits littered their ground bases. A few ambulances were always present on the outskirts of the arena.

"Let's not give Nott a hard time trying to piece you together again if you get yourself into more trouble than is necessary, yeah?"

Don almost flipped him one but caught himself just in time. Instead, he snorted as he pushed the helmet over his head and lifted the visor. "I'd be more worried about those unchecked players," his voice was slightly muffled as he spoke. "Unless it's timed runs, I've never wiped out. I don't plan to."

Squatting, Connor tapped the engine once as if to check and see that it was still fully functional. "Don't get so cocky, kid. I'll be waiting in the pit stop if you need me."

Snapping his visor closed, Don answered, "I won't."

He didn't plan on going all out today because he figured there would be no need to. All these hopeful potentials just didn't seem very intriguing. Most of them were so nervous they looked like they were going to be sick.

None of the fuckers were going to be doing anything but hanging onto his coattails.

In truth, he'd hoped that maybe Sirius had changed his mind. That maybe he'd come after all. But his face was not in the crowded room. If it had been, it would have been quite a shock. Don knew Sirius would not want to be caught anywhere near him – their encounter back at Sirius' apartment spoke volumes in and of itself.

He'd followed the address that Charlie'd given him, forgoing calling Sirius ahead of time. He knew Sirius would never entertain a conversation, much less a request to meet face to face. So Don had done the next best thing and paid him a surprise visit.

He heaved a sigh, as he remembered how his brief encounter with Sirius had been more than disastrous. In short words, he'd had to nurse a black eye for two weeks with the excuse that he'd gotten into a scuffle with a total stranger.

He was surprised his team had bought the bullshit. Or perhaps, they were prudent enough not to ask.

Whatever the case, Don was disappointed that he couldn't convince Sirius to reconsider. Sirius was still fine-tuning his motorcycle - clearly riding it. It was amazing that he'd even elected to own one, what with his traumatic experience. Could it be that it was his way of remembering James?

"Donovan!" Connor sounded annoyed. "Pay attention!"

Grumbling to himself, Don turned his head in Trace's direction. "Matt is going to go over the finer details of the Terrain with you in just a moment," the man said. "Keep your head in the game, Verovich. Exhibition or not, you can't afford to lose your concentration."

Choosing not to answer, because he'd certainly say something offensive, Don decided to nod instead.

Matt ambled over, saving Don from more lecturing. "Just like our trial runs, Don," was all he said, giving the younger boy a thumbs up signal.

At Trace's stunned expression, Don smirked and revved his engine, the loud growl piercing through the ruckus of the room and making all heads swivel in his direction.

It was time.

Sadness, pain and sorrow

Come in the form of regret

This was the first time she saw a waterfall.

Granted, it wasn't very big. In fact, it only occupied one wall, where the designers had deemed it best to do the landscaping. While it was out of place, it somehow seemed to fit the rest of the restaurant's atmosphere.

Made up of dark-paneled walls and in-face lighting, the restaurant had an air of class. Pristine white linen covered each tabletop and roses – fresh ones – sat as centerpieces. Plush seating had been provided as well, but very few people were present to sit on them all.

In fact, aside from her, there were only six others in the room, not including the staff.

"Can I take your coat, Miss?" a waiter asked.

Lily instinctively clutched her coat closer to herself. "N-no. Thank you. No."

If the waiter was confused by her fear of him, he didn't let himself show it. Instead, he smiled politely and was about to ask her if she wanted a table when someone interrupted him.

"It's all right, Mr. Finley, I've been expecting her."

Both of them turned to see Orion walking towards them, and Finley seemed to snap to attention. "Sir. Of course, sir." Lily had the amusing thought that if the man were a soldier, he would have saluted.

Orion took it in stride and offered his hand to Lily. "Miss Evans, I'm delighted that you agreed to meet me today. It's good to see you again."

This time around, Sirius' father was dressed in a dark blue business suit, complete with a silver-gray tie. With his hair neatly combed back, Lily thought that he looked rather intimidating. Or maybe it was because she was now equipped with the knowledge that he was a very powerful man.

Hesitating only momentarily, Lily took his hand and shook it once. She was relieved when he did not move to squeeze it or let the gesture linger. Instead, he motioned behind him. "I hope you don't mind that I've taken the liberty to order lunch for the both of us."

She shook her head and with a signal from Orion, Finley led them away, towards a table to the back, where the waterfall was clearly visible.

Maybe Orion had taken Lily's apprehension into consideration because the table was located next to a large window where she could see a crowded street of people milling around. Everyone seemed in a rush despite the lunch hour, moving back and forth, looking smart in their suits and skirts. A sense of calm washed over her, knowing that she was somewhat safe even with a stranger sitting across from her.

Orion was watching her and she fretted over whether or not she looked presentable enough. John had given her the heads up so she was somewhat prepared this time around. Unfortunately, she had a serious lack of wardrobe so she was stuck with a pair of low rise jeans and a yellow cardigan. Again, her thoughts went back to Bellatrix and how she would have made a better impression. Maybe she could trouble the girl for some tips…

"How are you and Sirius getting along?"

The question forced Lily out of her silent worry. "We're…we're fine, thank you."

He laced his fingers under his chin and rested his elbows on the table. She was surprised at the action, but then again, she supposed that being who he was allowed him certain privileges over others – and that included overlooking table manners. That may have explained Sirius' lack in them, too…

A smile flitted over the man's lips. "I'm glad to hear that he hasn't driven you over the wall, so to speak."

Lily lifted her chin, defensively. "Sirius takes good care of me."

Orion chuckled, then, and shook his head as though to dissuade her from thinking that he meant offense. "No doubt he does."

She felt herself blush and reminded herself to keep an open mind: just because Sirius hated his father, she had no cause to.

Yet.

She would not judge based off of someone else's prejudice, even if she was highly receptive to Sirius' feelings and opinions. She had to remember that if she'd based her scrutiny of others off of hearsay, she'd have never fallen in love with Sirius to begin with.

"He's got his faults," Lily allowed, at last, with a resigned sigh.

At that, Orion nodded. "He can be stubborn." On an afterthought, he corrected himself. "Quite stubborn, actually."

It was Lily's turn to smile. "But I suppose," the man continued, "it has everything to do with the way he was raised. I'll apologize on his behalf."

"Don't," Lily told him. "Each man must be responsible for their own actions."

Orion measured her words carefully, and she could see amusement and surprise in the depth of his eyes. "Well said, Lily. You've got quite the philosopher's mind in you."

She hunched her shoulders, unable to help the warm glow of pride that his words awarded her.

When the food arrived and was placed in front of them, Orion leaned forward. "And how are you, Lily?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. "Have you thought about my offer?"

She knew exactly what he was talking about. "I'm…I'm getting better," she said. And it was true because only two months ago, she would never have dreamed herself to be living voluntarily in the company of a man, nor being able to converse with strangers. With Sirius' help, she was learning to cope with her past. It was always there, ready to haunt her, but he was ready to lend her support and comforting words. He knew when to keep his distance, knew when she needed to be alone. She loved him for being considerate, and she hated herself for tying him down to her.

If she stayed with Orion, maybe he would be able to breathe a little easier. "Sirius…he works two jobs, sir. And he has school and extra credit classes…and…well, I hate being a burden to him." She met his gaze, earnestly. "I'd hate to be a burden on you, too."

His hand stopped reaching for the first course at her words. "My dear, clearly Sirius is fond of you. I've never known him to keep anyone but his brother around for more than a week." His hand continued toward the plate and he passed it to her. "You may think of it as my thanks to you. Somehow, according to his landlord, you've changed him."

Lily remembered that he had been speaking with John just the other week, the day she had first laid eyes on him. Absently, she took the dish from him and helped herself to the chicken. It was roasted with some sort of herbs and was splattered with a green sauce that would have looked unappetizing if not for the way the cooks had presented the meal.

Had she changed Sirius? She realized that aside from the brief history he'd given her, Lily didn't know much about him. Before he'd stepped into her world, all she'd known were the rumors at school and she never really paid much attention to those.

Well, she supposed she knew much more about him than those kids at school ever would. His favorite food. His sleeping habits. His quirks. But that, she realized in surprise, was about all.

In an attempt to get to know him a bit more, Lily ventured, "Sirius told me that he had a brother. He said…he said things went…bad…" she was sure she didn't have to elaborate. Orion must have known how it had affected Sirius because the man had had his son instated at the Center. Unable to keep the curiosity at bay, she asked, "Is it true, then? That he's…gone?"

Orion's face fell, clearly pained: and here she'd thought she was being considerate by beating around the bush with her questions. She suddenly wished she hadn't asked and was going to open her mouth to apologize when the man chose to respond. "James died four years ago, in an accident. A motorcycle crash, to be exact."

Not knowing what to say, Lily ducked her head. "Sirius changed, after that," Orion continued. "I doubt he'll ever fully come to terms with James' death." The sound of utensils hitting chinaware told her that the man had begun to eat. Or rather, pushing his food around. "They were close, you know. Inseparable."

Finding her voice, Lily said, "Like twins."

"Exactly like twins," Orion confirmed, and Lily looked up to see the man smiling wistfully. He motioned for her to start eating so she picked up her fork and complied, pondering his words.

Had Sirius chosen to forget James' death? Or the fact that James existed at all? These questions she didn't ask, knowing that Orion would not have the answers. She was certain that Sirius would not want to answer those questions either.

Her heart ached for him.

If he had chosen to forget James, it would be too sad.

Wanting to steer clear of the dark topic because she didn't know how to approach it delicately enough, Lily decided to ask other questions. "Could you…could you tell me about him? About Sirius?"

A look of relief crossed Orion's features, and he reached over to take a sip of wine as though to clear his throat. "Compared to James, Sirius was more open and carefree, always laughing…it was as though the sun was always shining on him, if you know what I mean."

As Lily listened, she had difficulty seeing Sirius as his father described him. She'd pinned him as withdrawn, only putting on airs when he was in front of his friends. To her, Sirius was confident and courageous but he was also solemn and wary, adapting to circumstances as they came his way. He was definitely not open or carefree. His laughter was something that one harvested and hoarded whenever they could because it was not hashed out frequently enough.

Orion finished off his chicken and asked her to pass him the salad bowl before he continued. "Sirius has always been affectionate. He used to bring his mum flowers cut from her own garden." That gained an amused smile from Lily which he mirrored. "No matter what situation he was in, he was always able to make people fall in love with him."

Now that Lily could relate to. She let Orion speak, savoring his words as much as the food. "But, oh! Those boys knew how to get into trouble without looking for it." He proceeded to tell her stories about the pranks that Sirius and James had pulled when they were children. Things like adding paint to detergent just to see what their clothes would look like after washing. Or sneaking out of bed for midnight snacks. Or taking household items and swapping their places to make things very frustrating to find. "It used to drive Lucretia and I crazy," Orion laughed. "James was lucky, I suppose, because Sirius got the brunt of the scolding most times. I'd bet my arm and leg that James was the one who came up with most of the ideas but Sirius was always sticking up for him, always thinking of others before himself."

Ah, yes. Yet another trait that Lily could relate to. Sirius was the type to come to anyone's rescue and she was glad that that hadn't changed about him. "In short, my son was happy." Orion's eyes turned sad again. "That's all I wanted him to be…"

Abruptly, Lily remembered the painting she had seen of him back at the Museum.

They ate in silence for a long while, Lily letting the man gather his composure while she tried to digest the image of Sirius in all its detail.

She couldn't help but be baffled: she'd thought Orion to be a spiteful man because of the way Sirius seemed so averse to him. Instead, he spoke of Sirius with such fondness that it was hard not to see the love he held for his son.

He seemed to read her mind because he said quietly, "I would do anything for him."

Her eyes unexpectedly filled with tears. "Me too," she answered. She didn't want to tell him of her plans for Sirius. Instead, she nudged her plate, now empty, forward. "If he wants me to go into your custody, then I will."

Orion studied her gravely before nodding. "I'm glad he found you, Lily. He needs someone who can put up with him and his…difficulties. He's had a few other girlfriends in the past, but he's never been as serious with them as he is with you.

"I know because he would rather die than come and ask me for help. But for you, he did. I'm very glad to hear that he's treating you right. After all you've been through, you deserve it."

In that moment, Lily decided that she liked the man. Unlike her Uncle, who was a selfish bastard and didn't care about her feelings, Orion expressed a real concern for her. "Thank you, sir. For everything."

He smiled at her, warmly. "No, thank you. You've chosen to stay with my son and your doing so has made him happier than he has been in a long time." He motioned for a waiter to give them the bill and as they waited for it, Orion said, "What I did to Sirius…it was only with the best intentions. One day, I hope Sirius will see that…"

Lily believed him. Uncharacteristically, she reached across the table to put a comforting hand on his arm and Orion patted it gratefully. She wished, somehow, that whatever differences had come between these two would be patched up. But, as Orion had said, Sirius could be stubborn when he wanted to.

She remembered what Orion had told her back at her apartment. It had been two years since the two of them had seen each other. She was almost certain that that encounter hadn't been pretty. On top of everything, Sirius also had a flaring temper.

Yeah. For sure it hadn't gone well.

Once they were ready to leave, he asked whether she would like a drive home, but she shook her head: she wasn't quite ready to get into a small space alone with someone just yet. She could not bear the thought of being closed in. Of having no way out.

"There's still plenty of time left before Sirius gets home from school," Lily told him, in an effort to save face. "I'm in no hurry. I'd rather walk."

If he knew the real reason why she declined, he did not comment on it. Rather, he nodded and shook her hand once more. "I'll expect you at my residences come next week, then. I'll give John the details. Until then." He pressed a business card into her palm before heading out.

As Lily prepared herself to go outside, she reflected on their conversation. Her life, it seemed, would never be simple. Anxiety over the inevitable change in her life was almost suffocating. Somewhat resigned to the fact, she began her long trek home.

It was quite surprising that the weather was behaving. She'd expected snow and worse, a biting wind. Instead, the sky was clear, and the sun was shyly peeking through the gaps in the clouds. A soft breeze caressed her hair, making it flicker outward like a flame that was wavering before it settled once more onto her shoulders. It was still cold, though, so she secured her scarf around her neck and stuffed her hands into her pockets.

Since the lunch hour rush was over, the noise in the streets was reduced and the crowd had thinned to pockets of people who were lingering around, having conversations and not paying her the least bit of attention. Somehow, the sight helped calm her swirling thoughts.

Lily tried to sort them out as she walked. She was running out of time. If she was expected to move out of the apartment, she had to talk to Sirius beforehand. She'd have to try and convince him to go to the Institute. She wanted to ask him about his plans of having her live with his father and find out about the pending case. She wasn't looking forward to it at all…

Her thoughts turned to Orion's stories and she ended up wondering what kind of person James had been. He was a mischief maker but she wondered whether he had been a gentle person despite that. A part of her wished he were still alive so that she could meet him, while the other was glad he wasn't so that Sirius' attention wouldn't be divided between the two of them.

Lily berated herself for being so selfish. If James were alive, then Sirius wouldn't have to go through all this pain. She found herself wishing that somehow she would have the strength to help Sirius get over it all.

The problem was getting him to accept that help.

To her surprise, when she returned home, she saw that the door to her apartment was open. Lily knew that she hadn't left it that way like she had done the other day; she had learned her lesson well and had made sure to lock it firmly behind her.

No.

Either someone had broken in or…

Sirius was home.

Lily didn't know how she knew it (he was supposed to be in class!) but she was confident that it was him.

A gut feeling told her that something was wrong. The fact that Sirius was home early should have warned her, but she decided to ignore it and push ahead.

There he was, sitting down on the edge of her bed, his wavy hair falling in strands around his face when they would usually be tied back. He was still wearing his coat, she noted, which meant that he hadn't been home for very long.

Lily was about to greet him when he suddenly looked up, and his smoldering glare froze her in her tracks.

Breathlessly, and as though in slow motion, her eyes traveled from his angry face to his hands when he stood up. In his right, was her cell phone and in his left, a small stack of papers.

"Lily…" his voice was low, dangerous.

Hurt.

Fear lanced through her as she caught sight of the logo that was embossed on the papers.

Oh God…

The Institute.

The paperwork!

To Be Continued…

AN:Happy New Year everyone! This year, my goal is to finish this story. So, here's to inspiration. Here's to hope that I can find the time to write and update faster. For all of you who have stuck with me this far, thank you. For all your comments and encouragements, I can't begin to explain how grateful I am. It has helped me grow as a writer. And heck, plainly speaking, I get tickled pink at all the awesome reviews.

And so, the journey continues. If you're up for it, I invite you along for the ride.

Thanks for reading,

-P.P.V.V.