How It All Happened

Sirius was sitting in the common room. It was very early. He didn't usually wake up at the brake of dawn but now was different. What was he supposed to do? He really liked Celestina and he was quite sure she liked him as well, but he just couldn't stand the thought of braking Misury's heart. That kiss he and Celestina had shared the morning after they had lost the Marauder's Map had been good. But that look on Misury's face... he couldn't stand to see it again. He just felt so confused. Why wasn't Misury enough for him? She was pretty and funny... he just had to go running after Celestina. No, she had gone running with his heart. How cliché was that? He sniggered. Sirius Black, the man with no heart... He imagined himself explaining that... 'You see, Celestina has it...' he out right laughed at that.

”Sirius? What are you doing down here? You should be in bed!” He looked over his shoulder to see Lily, she was dressed in her school robes and had her hands on her hips, trying her best to look stern but her eyes were laughing.

”I'm just thinking, what are you doing up at this hour young lady?” he grinned at her. Lily was very pretty, but she wasn't like Celestina, and besides, she had always been James' girl, even before they started dating...

Lily was blushing now. “I'm Head Girl, I, I am allowed to do whatever I want” she was looking extremely embarrassed.

”Lily? Sirius! What's going on sweetie?” was said in James' voice.

He felt a mischievous grin appear on his face. Lily and James are sneaking out early in the morning...

”what are you two up to?” his stern tone wasn't very good and they all laughed quietly.

”Oh sod it Sirius, James let's go... we mustn't be late for the Prefect meeting” Lily spoke very quickly and she was still quite red.

”Prefect meeting?” James looked confused.

”Honey, we are going to a Prefect meeting. Now.”

”Of course sweetie” James was grinning.

They left through the portrait hole, both looking very red. He chuckled to himself. James was so lucky. His life was so simple. He didn't have to worry about not being with the girl he really liked...

”Why is my life so complicated?” he questioned an innocent sofa.

Sirius sat there trying to figure things out until people started to come downstairs for breakfast.

*

”Sirius? Pet?”

”Over here Misury!”

”Oh, I didn't see you there...”

”What is it?”

”There's a Hogsmede trip in a few days and I can't make it, is that okay?”

”Yeah, I guess... I'll just go with the guys”

”Well, that would be mean of you”

”Why do you say that?”

”Because then you'd be intruding on Lily and James!”

”No, I'd just hand with Moony, I mean Remus and Peter.”

”Peter isn't going and Remus is going with some Slytherin girl”

”You mean Lane?”

”Yeah, she's in my year I think... yes. We have Potions together”

”I guess he's over Narcissa then”

”Oh, you mean that horrid girl who is Lucius' girlfriend?”

”Yeah”

”I heard; they're getting engaged!”

”Really?”

”Yes, I mean the Malfoy family is a very old and rich wizard family... and Narcissa’s is as well, but you know, Lucius was supposed to get married to that Parkinson girl... I think he was lucky, Narcissa is much prettier and at least she seems to fancy him...”

”Uh, okay... I have to go to the library, see you later”

He kissed her on the forehead and hurried out of the common room. He hated gossip! Like he cared if some Malfoy was getting married to some girl... He walked the familiar path to the library and quickly noticed Celestina. She was studying. No, she seemed to be copying Lily's notes... he smiled to himself... Celestina had never been the one for work.

”Hi Sirius” she said, surprising him, he hadn't thought she could see him.

”Hey”

”So I heard Misury isn't going with you to Hogsmede”

”Whoa, I only just heard and now the whole school knows...”

”Nah, Misury talked to me last night”

”Oh”

There was an awkward pause. Then they both spoke at the same time.

”So will you go to Hogsmede with me?”

There was another pause and some embarrassed laughter. Then they spoke at the same time again.

”Sure”

Now they both laughed too loudly. Madam Pince showed up and yelled at them to leave her library, ‘it wasn't for social events.’

”So, I'll see you”

”I guess”

”Bye”

”Oh, see you later” she said with a smile and disappeared around a corner.

He stood there for a few seconds thinking about what had just happened. Was it cheating on Misury, going to Hogsmede with Celestina? No… Not if they were just going as friends, but were they? Were they just going as friends?

*

After a long discussion with James, Sirius decided he was going to Hogsmede with Celestina and he was going to have a blast. But he still felt nervous. He looked at his reflection. He was wearing his normal black school robes, his hair was combed and his eyes were brown. Well they were always brown, he just noticed his eyes because they were wide with... what? Horror? Anticipation? Happiness? He really had no idea. What was he doing? He was going to Hogsmede, with Celestina, as her friend. But what were those butterflies doing in his stomach then? This wasn't right... maybe he should fake getting sick or something... he just couldn't do this. But he walked down to the common room anyway. Celestina was waiting for him along with Lily who was waiting for James. The girls looked very pretty. They were wearing their everyday robes but they had both done something with their hair. Celestina had her hair tied up in a high ponytail with a few stray locks framing her face, her eyes were full of laughter and she was smiling. He smiled back and she stood up.

”Shall we go?” her smile was quickly getting larger.

”Sure” he suspected his own grin wasn't small at all.

They walked out of the common room, out of the castle, out of the grounds and into Hogsmede, joking and talking the whole way. He felt very comfortable with her, and that fact alone was tripling his guilt. Why was he having such a good time with Celestina? He had never had such a good time with Misury... well that wasn't true, he had had great moments with Misury... but he had never been so comfortable... why couldn't he just enjoy the moment. He had to stop thinking about Misury! It wasn't as if he was doing something illegal!

”Where do you want to go first?” asked Celestina.

”Uh, hmmm I dunno”

”Well, I'd like to go to Zonko's if you don't mind” she said with a grin.

”I don't mind, I need some dung-bombs anyway.” was his answer.

*

”So, did you have a good time with Celestina?” Misury looked both hurt and miffed.

”Uh, yeah... we just went as friends you know” he had never felt this guilty in his entire life!

”As friends, sure. I believe you” the sarcasm is her voice was unbearable

”Really! We just both didn't have anyone to go with so we just decided to go together”

”As friends”

”Yes”

She walked up to him and kissed him.

”Good night”

”Yeah, good night”

That was close! How could she have known? She wasn't even in Hogsmede! How could she have known about the kiss? He and Celestina had kissed. It happened so quickly. They were just laughing in front of the Shrieking Shack and all of a sudden they were kissing. It wasn't at all like kissing Misury. It was much softer somehow. He didn't know how to describe it... but the guilt was killing him. He had cheated on Misury and he had lied to her. He was a horrid person. Oh this was awful! If he had told her the truth they would have cut their relationship off and he'd be free to date Celestina, but now he had lied so they'd have to keep everything a secret! This was so bad...

*

He and Celestina were in the library. It was supposed to be closed (the library) but Celestina knew the charm with which Irma Pince used to open the door. Celestina said that being friends with Lily meant going to the library a lot, even after it was closed. What were they doing? If he knew he'd be glad to answer that question, he guessed he was cheating in Misury with Celestina... and the worst thing was, that every time he was about to kiss Celestina he felt guilty, and every time he kissed Misury he felt guilty. The guilt was killing him and he was starting to be jealous of Peter, at least he had a simple girl free life. Remus was always off with Lane somewhere, but he knew Remus was also guilty about lying to Lane about his full moon thing. Lily and James... they were Lily and James. The perfect couple. He always called them the super couple, just to annoy them, but it was true. They were the super couple...

”Sirius? Are you okay?”

”Yeah... sorry, spaced out there I guess”

”Well I can make you even more 'spaced' out”

”Really?”

”Mm hmm”

She walked up to him and pressed her lips to his. He felt the pang of guilt grow stronger, about ten times stronger, he felt awful and so good and so confused. He had to end it with one of them. He had known that for a while now. But he just couldn't choose... Why'd he have to choose anyway? Why was everything so...? Urgh! He pushed Celestina away, he didn't really want to but he just had to think. He looked into her eyes and saw her confused and maybe hurt expression change to a questioning look.

”What is it? You aren't being yourself”

”Sorry... but I can't... we can't do this anymore, the guilt is killing me. I just need some time to think”

”I thought you said you loved me, but not Misury”

”I do... but I can't stand to hurt either of you”

”Well you are hurting me”

”I'm sorry, can I please have some time to think”

”You have a week.” She left with a toss of her hair. He sat down on one of the tables and stared at the spot where she had been just a second ago. After a few minutes he decided to get going, he had Potion homework due for tomorrow and Professor Nott hated him. He just wasn't in the mood for detention... He walked slowly stopping every once in a while to chat with people in portraits. But when he reached the portrait hole he didn't have to say the password. Remus was waiting for him looking upset.

”Moony? What's up?”

”You'll never guess what happened!”

”Lily and James broke up again?”

”No! Lane broke... well sort of broke up with me and er, I guess Misury broke up with you too”

”What are you talking about Moony?”

”I was going to surprise Lane and I went to the place where we usually meet and er... let's just say she and Misury where... um... busy”

”I don't get it”

”Okay, Lane didn't brake up with me. I just saw her with someone else and well I left because I didn't want to disturb them”

”Are you insane? Why didn't you go in there and beat the bloke up?”

”Because it wasn't a bloke”

”Ooohh!”

”Yes”

”Well that's great for them”

”Aren’t you upset?”

”Me? No!”

”Why not? Misury was your girlfriend the last time I checked!”

”Well, I've sort of been cheating on her”

”You've been cheating on me?”

He turned around to see Misury standing there, looking red. Whether she was red with anger or embarrassment is your guess. He felt awful. Again. He had just gotten rid of the guilt and now it was back - big time.

”For you information, Lane came on to me. Remus, if you had stayed a second longer you would have seen me back away and tell her I was straight. But I guess that doesn't matter to either of you” She said tears starting to fall down her cheeks.

”Misury... I'm so sorry”

”No, it's okay. If you don't love me, then we shouldn't be together at all. I really hope you love whomever you've been... with” she said and even managed a small smile through the tears.

”Misury...”

”It's okay. Just don't speak to me again. Please” she said with a sniff.

”I'm sorry”

She wasn't listening; she had entered the common room and snapped the portrait shut. The fat lady was nowhere to be seen so he and Remus decided to go for a walk. The walked outside and around the lake, mostly in silence, each thinking his own thoughts. But finally as they reached the Entrance Hall Remus turned to face him and said.

”This was interesting”

Sirius laughed and slapped Remus on the shoulder, he smiled and they walked up to Gryffindor tower.

The fat lady was back in her portrait and they managed to get into the common room. He was glad to be able to sit down because the little walk with Remus had been quite tiring. Lily and James were sitting near by, studying. He remembered Celestina and how he was free to be with her now. He looked around but didn't see her anywhere. There were only a few people out, since it was pretty late. She was probably in the girl dormitory.

”Lily”

Lily looked up and smiled, she was obviously in a good mood.

”What is it, Padfoot?”

”Do you know where Celestina is?”

”Yeah, she's upstairs reading”

”Could you do me a favor and get her for me?”

”Sure, just hold on a second”

The redhead stood up and walked quickly over to the girl dormitory staircase. He looked over at James who was bent over his homework. He suddenly remembered his own Potion homework and got it out of his schoolbag.

”Nott?” James asked as he stretched and yawned.

”Yeah, I swear he hates me”

”Putting a balding spell on people does tend to get that reaction”

”Sod it Prongs”

”Well now I won’t let you copy”

”Prongs, I'm tired!”

At that moment Celestina walked down the stairs in her dressing gown.

”What is it, Sirius?”

”Come here.”

She walked over to him and he leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I choose you”

She looked at him, her eyes wide.

”I didn't expect you to decide so quickly”

”Things happen”

”Well, in this case, good things happen!”

”Yeah, you can say that again”

He kissed her and she smiled. Then they said their good nights and she went upstairs again. He turned his head to his and James' homework. He had a long night ahead of him.