The Best of Times

Lily Evans came tearing into the Gryffindor common room out of breath, looking panicked. She darted her eyes about the room searching for Sirius Black. The common room was filled with students; studying, chatting, and just plain wasting time. The setting sun streaked a magnificent glow into the room through the large windows. A fire glowed in the hearth enhancing the warmth already present in the room. If she didn't find Sirius, Lily knew this warm feeling would end. She grabbed a third year boy's arm, she wasn't quite sure of his name, but Aric seemed to jump to her mind. "Have you seen Sirius?" she demanded. Although a small part of her hoped she wouldn't be able to warn him in time, as he always needed to be brought down a level or two. When the third year shook his head, her panic rose, in spite of her desire to see Sirius Black humbled.

"Lily?" James touched her shoulder from behind. "What's going on?"

She spun to face her boyfriend, with a grin teasing the corners of her mouth. "Where's Sirius?"

James furrowed his brow and absently pushed his glasses up his nose, cocking his head slightly. "In the dorm." He tossed a thumb toward seventh year's dorm. "With Remus and Peter." He raised an eyebrow in question. "Is he in trouble?"

Lily smiled. When was he not?

"Black!" A very angry female voice came from the corridor, through the portrait Lily hadn't closed.

Lily and her very angry friend had been studying Potions, preparing for their N.E.W.T.S. most of the afternoon and after thier last botched potion, which left them both itching and smelling like Manticore droppings, they'd given up. They had decided to shower in the Prefects bathroom before going back to the dorm, as they didn't want all of Gryffindor to suffer the stench of their disdainful potions. Always bathing much quicker than her friend, Lily had already dressed and was pulling a comb through her hair when her friend finally stepped from the shower. Taking one look at her friend Lily fled the lavatory, knowing this prank would not see Sirius Black unpunished.

The thrumming of footfalls rapidily approaching had Lily pushing James towards the stairs. She fought back a chuckle and ordered, "Get him out of here!"

"BLACK!"

"She's really going to kill him this time," Lily exclaimed, nodding her head furiously and trying to get James to move and not stand around gawking.

"What did he do?" James asked, smiling wide and not giving into the pushing, firmly holding his ground. He grinned at his girlfriend thinking, this is going to be good. Lily never tried to help Sirius. He wasn't sure if it was because Sirius annoyed the hell out of her, or if she just thought he should take care of himself. Either way, neither applied right now. About to ask again, James looked over Lily's shoulder (who was continuing to push him toward the stairs), and saw for himself what Sirius had done.

"Where is he, Potter?" Jennifer Lennox stood in the archway from the portrait entrance. Her eyes were raging and she was shouting in her Yankee accent, pinning him to the spot.

James had to force himself not to laugh. The normally pretty girl could hardly be described as such. She stood in the doorway, dripping wet. she had obviously carelessly thrown on her clothing in her haste to reach Sirius. Her waist length chestnut hair was an awful shade of yellowish-orange with a definite green tint to it. And her smooth, olive skin had gone all streaky. She almost looked like one of those Muggle soldiers that painted their skin for camouflage. She definatly had the rage to match any soldier's berserker mode.

Behind the hysterical laughter James was fighting to keep under control, he was trying to figure why Sirius had done this. Sure, they had all given into the harmless practical joke every now and then, but Jen was differnet. She was pretty as well as clever. Although not an ace athlete, she was in excellent shape and could ride a broom fairly well. Not to mention, she was just a little nasty. If Sirius was ever going to stick with one girl, this one was perfect for him. And Sirius did like her! James knew Padfoot wasn't one to boast about his feelings, but he had spent a great deal of time with the girl over the last few months. James and Remus had even taken sport to teasing him about how often the two would disappear. In fact, James thought, Hadn't he shagged her just last night?

"Where?" the object of Sirius' disapearances demanded James, very loudly. Her eyes were brimming with tears born of rage.

"Go!" Lily shouted almost as loud, then spun on her approaching friend. "Jenny, stop!"

James took the stairs three at a time, still listening to his girlfriends exchange with Sirus' latest victim. He did not need to strain to hear the girls. "Jenny, stop! You can't just go up there and hex him!" He heard several crashes, as what he could only assume was Lily and Jenny getting tangled up with each other as Lily tried to hold her friend back. "Watch me!" He heard Jen retort with venom. He was half tempted to go back down just to see his Lily in a catfight. He smiled to himself, liking that thought. He paused at the landing as the fantasy developed. As a matter of fact, put Jennifer's hair and skin back right, he wouldn't mind being in the middle of the two of them.

"Black!" Jen had broken past Lily and was trying to race up the stairs; As well as anyone could race while someone was holding one of their arms and pulling them back.

Charging into the dorm room, James held onto the doorknob as he twisted back around, almost skidding off his feet before he could slam the door shut; absently thinking he should have put his shoes on. "Lock it!" he shouted urgently to Sirius; who was standing in the center of the room, obviously beginning to cross it.

"You just did." said Sirius, confused.

"I mean magic it! I don't have my wand!"

For another confused moment, Sirius stared at his tousled-haired best friend holding out a hand for explanation.

"Black!" Jen screamed through the solid wooden door, then shouted, "Alohomora!"

The latch slipped loose from under James' grasp.

She tried to push her way in while James pressed against the door to keep it shut. She slammed into it, pushing the heavy door open just a bit. "Open this door!" She threw her weight against it again and his feet began to slip.

He turned his back to the door and tried to push, however, because he had on only socks that gave little traction on the wood flooring, his strength of will was at war with Jen's determined anger. "Calm down Jen! You can't come in here like this!"

"Fuck off James!" She redoubled her efforts and pushed the door open a bit more. "Sirius! Get! Out! Here! NOW!"

At the sound of her voice, Sirius threw himself against the door, elbowing James ribs as they slammed the door shut together.

Remus jumped up from the pile of books he and Peter had strewn across the floor, pulling his wand from his robes. Maneuvering his wand around Sirius he charmed the lock.

"Alohomora. Alohomora!" Jen's anger was turning frustrated, by the panicked crack in her rising voice. However, the Marauders all knew she wasn't the type to give up.

Remus looked at James. "That won't hold for long." Then looked at Sirius with accusation. "What did you do now?"

"Dammit Remus! Open this door!" Jen began pounding on the door with her fists and feet.

Peter, who usually stayed clear of any melee created by his friends, stood and looked at Sirius in surprise. "Jeez, Sirius, what did you do to her? She's really hot."

"Hot?" James sneered, still leaning on the door. "Once she gets through this door she's going to tear you apart! What were you thinking?" He glared at the criminal.

"Stupid! Sick! Fuck!" came Jen's hysterical wail through the wooden door.

Padfoot looked at his fellow Marauders, arms stretched in defeat, shaking his head. "I don't know!" He looked at James, hoping to find find some explanation for Jen's behaviour. He did not want to deal with that girl enraged unless he knew why. "What did she say before you came up?"

Standing straight James scoffed. "I thought you really liked her, Sirius!"

Pound! Bang! Thwack! "Peter! Open this door or when you DO come out I'll curse you into sludge!"

"What did I do?" Peter asked meekly. He then turned on Sirius, knowing full well Jen could follow through on her threat. "What did you do to her?"

Again, Sirius shook his head, defeated. He looked around pleadingly at his friends accusing faces. "I don't know! I did like her! I mean, I do!"

"Open this door!" Pound! Rattle! Thump! Smack! They could all hear the effects of her fury as she tried to shake the door from its hinges.

James ran his hands over his untidy hair taking a steadying breath, then looked at Sirius. "Then you really have no idea why she looks like she's been bathed in a rotting swamp?"

Sirius clapped a hand over his mouth as understanding dawned on him. "Oh no," he muttered and moved his hand to his forehead and turned dazedly into the room.

"I'll tear this door to splinters with my hands!" Whack! Bang! Thump! "You can't hide behind this door forever!" she shouted through the door.

"What did you do?" Moony growled at his back.

"It was weeks ago," Sirius was mumbling. "We were talking about the Americans, where she comes from in California. You know, most of those girls have blonde hair with tanned skin."

"Oh. My. God," Remus said, glaring at his friend.

"You didn't," James added, knowing full well his best mate had.

Peter looked to them all for further explanation, clearly the only one who was still lost. To seem useful he put his head to the door as the pounding and shouting had stopped.

"It was a joke!" Sirius turned back to look at his friends. Neither James nor Remus looked happy. "I never thought she'd actually use it! It was a joke!" he repeated to his friends. "I thought she understood! Prongs, I swear! I was sure I got the potions right."

"You mixed a potion into her shampoo, didn't you?"

Sirius nodded. Had he actually been Padfoot, his tail would have been securely tucked between his legs. "And her soaps."

Remus let out a low whistle, impressed despite himself. "I can't believe you tried to mix a potion without help. You had to know you would never have gotten it right!"

"I think she's gone. I can't hear any voices," Peter said tentatively. "But I'm not opening the door to find out."

"They were separate bottles!" Sirius felt he needed to explain. "When she didn't show up blonde weeks ago, I figured she'd caught wind of the game and tossed them!"

"I guess you were wrong." Moony almost smiled as he shook his head. "You're dead."

"What am I going to-"

"JENNIFER, NO!" Lily's scream was so loud the Marauders all jerked in startlement and whipped their heads towards the door.

"Move Lily!" Then a thud that was defiantly a body being thrown and hitting the wall opposite the dormitory door. "I'm gonna have his ass!"

Then-- SLAM.

The four reflexively jumped away from the door.

SLAM!

The door jerked slightly and the frame creaked. Jen was trying to get the door open through sheer force of will. Behind the echoes of the wooden door creaking, the four worried Marauders could hear Lily's faint laughter.

"She's trying to break the door down!" Peter cried out. He stepped even further from the door as if it might splinter in on him.

"With what?" Sirius stepped further back.

"Does it really matter?"

Remus and James had left Sirius to guard the door alone and crossed to the back of the room and were trying to casually lean on the foot of Peter's bed.

SLAM! Dust sprinkled from the frame. The laughter came louder this time, belly-wrenching screams followed by a silence and then another guffaw. Sirius couldn't tell exactly what was so funny as the plaster rained lightly onto his perfect black hair. Seeing the amused expression on his friends faces as they waited for Jennifer to finally break through the door he realized his support group was definitely turning sides on him.

Prongs shook his head smiling more broadly. "Lily was right Padfoot. Jen's really going to kill you this time. You've got to learn what the limits are, my friend."

"It was just a potion!" Padfoot yelled over his shoulder, without giving up his hold on the door. "It will only last an hour, maybe two!" Then said more to himself, "That is, if I mixed it right. I always seem to have trouble with the worm bladders."

SLAM! More wood was creaking around the door and more plaster fell on the lonely gatekeeper. Peter also retreated to the bed behind Moony and Prongs. He wasn't sure which made him more uneasy, the rattling of the solid wooden door from Jen, or Lily's hysterical laughter that came after each blow. Women were not something he had ever been able to deal with properly. He consoled himself knowing at least these two mad ones would take out their swinging emotions on someone other than him. He was innocent of everything.

"You guys have to help me!" Sirius pleaded realizing Jen was not going too be talked down from her rage.

They all shook their heads. A practical joke was all very fine, as well as necessary to keep the girls, and any other deserving victims, in their place. But this time, Sirius had acted on his own and would fall on his own. Besides, it was always a show to see Sirius and Jen argue. Their tempers were as wild as their indiscretion and nothing was ever sacred. The Marauders learned more about personal issues between the two when they argued, than if they had read a secret diary.

"This time you deserve what you get," James said clearly.

Remus nodded in agreement. "You're on your own."

SLAM! She was getting closer. That time Sirius was actually bumped by the force of her blow and James was straining to hear his girlfriends choked and strangled speech as she fought for control over her laughter to reason with her friend. The words were unclear to James. Come to think of it, they were probably unclear to Jen as well.

Frantically, Sirius looked around the room and did the only thing he could think of. Racing across the room, he threw open the windows, grabbed his broom...and ran for his life.

Remus sniggered and pointed his wand at the door.

"No!" Peter shouted. "She'll kill us!"

But Peter's protest was too late.

Remus had unlocked the door and Jen threw it open. Jen stood in the doorway glaring and dropped what looked to be a small iron battering ram. If Jen's face hadn't been that ugly greenish streaky, it would have been red. Just behind her they could see Lily sitting on the floor, just as red as the other girl. She was waggling a hand vaguely at Jen's back, still giggling. The victim and attacker stomped over to James and grabbed his robes pulling him close to her face. "Where is he?"

Suppressing the urge to grin as widely as his girlfriend, as he knew he'd regret, James pointed and nodded to the windows. She was actually scary if you looked her in the eye. James could even feel the excessive heat of exertion and rage from off her face.

Shoving him down, a little harder than he thought he deserved, she stalked to the window, just in time to see Sirius cutting across the grounds on his broom, heading for the lake.

She spun back to the three remaining Marauders and pointed at them all.

James and Remus put their hands up in surrender and Peter tried to vanish behind them.

"That's enough, Jen." Lily was standing in the doorway, looking exhausted and disheveled, although still quite amused.

"No, it's not!" She turned to Lily. "Look at me!" she shouted and held her arms out wide. "Look what he did to me!"

"You don't know for sure that it was him," Lily said as she tried to purse her lips together to prevent herself from laughing at her friend. For the first time sinse seeing her wrapped in her towel in the Bathroom, Lily took in exactly Jen's state, and Jen was in fact quite the sight. Besides the hideous coloring of her hair and skin, Jen was still soaked. Lily assumed once looking in the mirror, Jen hastily threw her clothing on not bothering to dry herself, the result making Jen look as though she'd been rolled in mud, painted, then dunked in the lake repeatedly. Lily pursed her lips tighter. Not approving of the Mauranders antics and games, having fallen victim to them more often than she'd care to admit, she could appreciate a well thought out prank. Sirius must've been working on it for months. "And even if he did, You said yourself you thought it was almost endearing."

"Did you now?" James face finally lost the battle, and grinned wide.

"Get Fucked, Potter," Jen spat at him. "You're going to pay for this once I'm finished with that bastard mutt friend of yours."

"Oh, no, Jenny," Remus calmly said, always the voice of reason. "We had nothing to do with this one."

For a brief moment she scowled at the three boys. "Like I'd believe any of you."

Remus slowly stood and held a hand out in peace. "Really, we didn't. If we did, I would at least have advised you to bath in the loo in the dorm, and not the one halfway across the castle." He hoped he sounded sincere through the grin he was still trying to keep off his face.

Jen shook her head and turned away from the boys. "I can't believe he'd do this to me." She tossed her hands in the air and at that moment caught sight of James broom, ran to it, mounted and flew out the window.

Lily, Remus and Peter erupted into laughter. "Oh, she's going to make him suffer!"

Remus nodded. "He doesn't stand a chance!"

"James?" Lily looked at her boyfriend who was staring blankly out the window. "James, are you okay?"

Slowly he turned to Lily, looking horrifically wounded. "She just stole my broom!"

** ****

Sirius chanced a backwards glance and saw Jen racing across the water at him. Damn, she was gaining. How did she get out here so fast? Who taught her to fly like that? Why wasn't she on the Quidditch team? Checking over his shoulder again, he found she was even closer. She'd catch him in a few minutes. He leaned onto his broom and angled back towards the school. He couldn't out run her; he'd have to out fly her. Where did she get a broom so quickly?

Standing side by side, she barely reached his chin. They were both fit, but he was athletic. Putting his height with his mass, his broom carried considerable more weight. And she was fast. Too fast.

Another glance and she was close enough for him to see the fury on her face. It was an accident! his mind screamed in self-defense, No, it was a joke I'd forgotten about, he thought as he sped around the Quidditch stadium. I knew I should've had James check the potions, he thought. He silently swore he'd never again try to pull a personal prank on his girl. Pulling hard right he dashed through the narrow tunnel and out onto the Quidditch Pitch, where Ravenclaw were having an evening practice. He pulled up, to slow his headlong speed, not wanting to run into any player and felt a sharp tug at his robes.

Jen had grabbed the back of his robes and was trying to pull him off his broom, while holding onto hers. They were barely five meters from the ground, but still, he jerked the robe from her grasp and flew into the Pitch. Dismissing his promise of not playing jokes on his girl, he began darting around the bludgers and players who immediately threw as many nasty comments and looks as they did quaffles. Glancing behind him he remembered why Jen was not on the Quidditch team. She was fast, but had very little control. She had actually even tried out for the team last year, but was completely dismissed, as she couldn't control her broom to save her life.

"The field is booked for Ravenclaw tonight, Black! You'll have to find another place to host your little foreplay games!" Jared Jones, the Ravenclaw captain bellowed, then looked at Jen as she screeched, covering her head with an arm, dodging a bludger. He looked back at Sirius. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Sirius smiled back and looked at Jen, shrugging a shoulder. The potions were starting to wear off. He could already see her hair darkening. She swung around to avoid a chaser barely keeping enough control of her broom to stay mounted.

"Never mind, Black." Jared turned back to his practice almost giggling. "We can work around her."

Sirius shook his head with laughter and flew higher above the pitch. Watching Jen dodge in and out of the Quidditch team ducking bludgers and getting very frustrated. Every time she saw Sirius, he would move just as a ball or broom would take her attention away from him.

Ravenclaw had continued with their practice as though Jen was nothing more than another bludger to be avoided, tossing an occasional, "Learn to fly!", "Your hair is awful!", "You're supposed to wash those masks off! It's after Halloween!", "Sod off!".

Sirius had just moved again and was smiling down at Jen. She just dodged another bludger with a yelp and was whipping her head around. Sirius mused that must be how a snitch feels, and then snickered at the thought of Jen ever being a seeker. Was she really that stupid to think she could catch him on a broom? Was she really that thick? He knew there was no way she could ever catch him astride a broom, so why was she even trying? When he looked at her next, he could see tears streaking her face. Suddenly it didn't seem so funny. She was just a little more than halfway down the pitch. She looked at him defiant, and then made to charge him when a bludger hit her back, knocking her from her broom.

She'd been taken completely unawares as the bludger had blindsided her, and was spinning sideways off her broom, barely kept in the air by one tense hand on the handle of her broom.

All humor now gone, Sirius watched as her panic stricken face zoomed uncontrollably away from him while Jen fought to get a better grip on the broom. He couldn't hear the words, but saw her mouth moving as she tried to swing her other arm up. He was more than halfway to her before he realized he was flying. His panic turned to terror when the momentum of her swinging body caused her fingers to slip from the broom.

Terrified screams echoed through the pitch. Sirius wasn't sure where all the screams came from, but was certain Jen's voice stood out. He saw vaguely, from the corner of his eye, a few blue streaks heading for Jen but knew he was by far the closest, therefore the only one to stand a chance of catching her. He couldn't remember his broom ever moving so slowly. How far was she falling? Two hundred meters? Two fifty? She could die from a fall like that. She was falling to her death because he'd been taunting her. When she first flew onto the pitch it took only seconds for him to realize she'd never catch him with so many obstacles. But he had to tease her. "Move stupid broom! Move!" it showed his level of panic by the fact that he spoke these words out loud, as if the broom would actually take heed and move faster than it was capable.

He was close; ten meters.

Taking a hand from the broom he reached out; five meters.

He swept under her and caught her around the waist.

Her elbow caught his temple when he pulled her in front of him on the broom. She threw an arm around his waist and grabbed his shoulder so hard he lost control of the broom. He jerked forward trying to grab the broom with both hands and slammed his front teeth into her forehead, splitting his lip. Her head snapped back and her almost lost her. The collision of their heads left his vision blurred.

Out of nowhere, a third hand grabbed Sirius still fast moving broom and tried to pull it up. "Black! Slow down!"

He shook his head, trying to clear the stars from his eyes and began to slow. The ground was coming up on them fast.

"Stop Black! Slow down!" The Ravenclaw tried again to pull up on the broom, desperately trying to slow Sirius's headlong speed, but only lost his grip on it.

With all his strength Sirius pulled up and managed to focus on the field, less than five meters away. They were going to hit. He knew it. They'd have to roll with it. He wrapped an arm around Jen."Hold on!" he shouted, barely two meters from the ground. He released the broom and forced her head into his shoulder and slammed his eyes shut. He knew it was going to hurt.

The force with which they hit knocked the wind out of them both and Sirius heard something go snap. He tried to keep hold on Jen but between the speed and impact she literally bounced out of his arms. The two tumbled, skidded, and bounded over each other violently. Hitting and bruising each other without prejudice. It seemed they tumbled for hours before Sirius rolled to a stop on his back, thinking if Hogwarts Express sped over him repeatedly it would be less painful. Jen was a few feet away on her side. Finally he rolled over and crawled to her, surprised nothing was broken.

He heard a few of the Ravenclaws landing around them as he pushed Jen's still slightly orangish hair away from her face. Her eyes lulled half open with blood streaming across her forehead, and her body was still.

"We need to get her to the hospital wing." Jared knelt beside Sirius. "She looks pretty bad."

"I'll fetch Madam Pomfrey," an anonymous voice said. And then he heard the familiar flapping of a cloak on a broom. He wrapped his arms beneath her, scooping her to his chest.

"Sirius, you can't." Jared tried to take Jen from his arms.

"I'm fine," he firmly dismissed, keeping a tight hold on his girlfriend. Then took a deep breath and tried to stand. "I've suffered worse than this in Quidditch."

"At least let me help," Jared insisted.

** *******

Madam Pomfrey met the group in the hallway with the Ravenclaw seeker in tow. She tilted Jens head back, examining her face looking horrified. "What happened here?"

"She fell of her broom," Jared said pushing the door open to the hospital wing.

"Yes, yes, Alison told me." She ushered them to a bed and pushed Sirius onto a chair. "But this is the first time a student turned green and orange falling off a broom!" She pushed Sirius head back and looked at his eye, that he just now could feel swelling, then his lip that was still bleeding. "Unless it is an injury, never mind. The explanation can wait. And so can you Mr. Black."

Turning, Madam Pomfrey shooed the Ravenclaw's back to their practice, then sat next to Jen. Sirius tried to look around her, over her shoulder, under her arm, anywhere to see what she was doing. But only saw her briefly pull open an eyelid. Then with a sound something like Harrumph, she stood and disappeared into her office.

She reappeared a few moments later with her arms full. "Here," she said as she laid everything on the bed table. "Put this here," she said and pressed a pack to his temple, and then wiped his lip and chin. She sighed and reached for a chunk of chocolate and a small dish with an odd smelling paste. "Eat this and rub that to your lips every few hours. This is all mostly superficial, so I'm going to let you suffer with it. If you still ache tomorrow come back and I'll see what I can do. And stay away from you broom. Now, unless you have any other injuries?"

Sirius shook his head. "Just the bruises and such. Nothing I haven't felt after a Quidditch match."

"And is there nothing else you would like to tell me?" She tilted her head. "As to why this girl is green?"

Sirius breathed deeply and diverted his eyes from the Healer. "It was just a joke that went wrong."

"Hmm." Madam Pomfrey sighed. "A bad joke." She turned her attention to Jen. "One would think that a wizard with potential as great as yours would find a better way to pass his time." She then looked back to Sirius. "I'm going to leave this for now. But when she wakes, if I find you've gone anywhere out of bounds..." She raised her eyebrows at him.

"No," he said almost timidly. "It was just a joke. I never thought it'd come to this."

"Alright then. Go to your dorm and rest. I'll excuse you from classes tomorrow and then you'll have the weekend. By Monday most of those bumps and bruises should be gone." She handed him a fourth item. "It's a Muggle salve that should help with any aches."

"Is she going to be okay?" he asked, taking the salve.

Surprised, she smiled. She tried not to get attached to the students, but this one and three of his friends she adored. Sirius and James had both spent by far too much time in the hospital wing. They were all too arrogant for their age and could charm just about anyone into anything. They held themselves above most everyone and this Sirius was the worst of the lot. But she couldn't help but find them both charming and amusing. His obvious concern had taken her aback, she knew Mr. Black and Ms. Lennox had been found in compromising positions more than once; but it was still a shock that Sirius actually retained feelings for this girl. "Yes dear, she'll be back in her dorm tomorrow."

"But she's..." he trailed off, looking at the girl who lay unconscious in the hospital bed, still concerned.

"Just knocked out. When you two hit the ground she probably whacked her head good." She pulled him to his feet. "She's lucky you caught her. Alison tells me it was quite a fall."

"She never should have been there," he mumbled to the floor.

Madam Pomfrey smiled in spite of herself. What happened to that conceited heart breaker? "All right now." She opened the door. "You need your rest, and I can't fix up your girl with you underfoot." Then pushed him out and closed the door.

****** **

Sirius sat on the floor of the Gryffindor common room leaning against a couch under the corner window. His arms hung limply over his upraised knees and he stared across the room at the fire.

James and Remus sat behind and on either side of him on to sofa not really sure what to do. Sirius had come back two hours ago looking defeated. At first they'd thought is had been because Jen had exacted her revenge and they had tried to give him grief. However, when he walked past them and dropped in front of the fire, they knew something was wrong. They followed him with Lily and Peter close behind. Sirius recounted the broom chase, Jen's speed on the borrowed broom, the Ravenclaws practice and the Quidditch pitch, the fall and finally, the visit to Madam Pomfrey. Peter volunteered to go search for the brooms and Lily offered to help. They still had not returned. With the exception of his rising chest when breathing, Sirius hadn't moved. He stared into the fire with an angered face that rivaled the looks he'd give Snape.

James finally leaned forward onto his knees and tried to look as interested in the fire as his best friend. "This isn't your fault."

Sirius did not respond.

"I thought you told us Madam Pomfrey said she'd be okay?" Remus interjected with a slight hint of annoyance.

"I did."

Remus slid onto the floor. "Then what's with all the angst?"

Sirius slowly turned his head toward Remus with pronounced anger. "Because-" but was cut off when Lily and Peter burst into the room. They were out of breath and gripping their sides.

"We almost got caught," Lily explained when the three Marauders looked over the couch at them.

"Caught?" James asked.

"Curfew is 9:00 James," Peter panted, holding up the rescued broom. "It's almost 10:30. We had to duck into a wardrobe and wait for Filch to pass."

"Thanks." James noticed they were the only ones left in the common room. "What took you so long?"

"Your broom," Lily said. "It had blown into the stands on the Hufflepuff side. It took us forever. Especially when it got dark."

"Did you find Sirius'?"

"Er..." she looked at Peter who was slowly shaking his head.

Sirius stood and looked at her. "What?" Then noticed the pieces of broom she was holding.

Lily grimaced. "It was easy enough to find. The top was sticking straight up out the field and these two pieces were a few meters away." She handed them to Sirius with a consoling smile. She knew how much he loved to fly. "We looked around to find if there were any smaller pieces, so you might be able to repair it, but this is all we could find."

"Well." He took the hilt in one hand and eyed it. "This-is-just-great." Then threw it into the fire.

"Hey!" James shouted and dove for the fire grabbing the hilt before it could catch flame. "We CAN fix this, you know!" He glared at his friend. "This isn't the first broom to break on the Quidditch pitch!"

"What's the matter with you?" Suddenly angry, Remus grabbed his arm and jerked him around to face him. "This 'oh-its-all-my-fault, I'm-such-an-evil-person' routine is getting old. Jenny gives just as good as she gets!"

"You didn't see her face!" Sirus shouted back.

"She was about to fall, Padfoot," Peter said quietly. "We'd all have been scared."

"No." Sirius was shaking his head. "Before that."

Lily stepped close and touched his arm. "She was furious, Sirius. She cries when she gets mad. She tries not to, but she does. Add in the Ravenclaws taunting her..." she trailed off, shaking her head.

James was blowing on the broom handle wiping the ashes that clung to it from the fireplace. "If you don't think the minute she's out of that ward you won't have your feet glued together, then you really don't know her that well."

"Oh, no." Lily smiled. "It'll be much worse than that!"

"Should we have him sleep out here, Lily?" Remus grinned, then added, "Until she's had her revenge? I don't want any part of it because I didn't help set that one up."

"That's a good idea!" Peter smiled, thinking of Jen's earlier threat to him. "We innocents need to stay out of her line of fire."

Sirius was starting to feel better. "But what if I hadn't caught her?"

James tossed the handle onto the couch next to him. "You did, though. The what if's don't really matter, do they?"

"I guess."

James rolled his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Just past 10:30," said Lily.

James nodded and ran upstairs, returning a few minutes later with his shimmering cloak and the Marauders Map.

"Go see her." He held the paraphanalia out to Sirius.

"She'll hex me."

"So take your wand," Remus suggested.

Padfoot looked at his friends, realizing he was probably overreacting, suddenly feeling stupid. "I'm being something of a prat."

There was a unanimous agreement.

"She'd be laughing at you right now if she were here," said Lily. "Getting all weepy over a girl."

Appalled he looked at her, and denied, "I am not weepy!"

"That's not what she'd be saying." Prongs pushed the cloak and map into his hands. "Go see her."

Sirius grinned and eagerly took the map and threw the cloak over his shoulders with a wicked smile. "You win. Don't wait up."

"She is hurt, Sirius!" Lily called, but too late. He was already gone