𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀.

two.

   Jovie had been at Hogwarts a week.

   To say she was becoming popular was an understatement.

   As Lily was a prefect she often was busy and when she was Jovie tended to hang out with the Marauders. Walking around with the most popular boys at school seemed to draw some attention.

   Lots of attention.

   Jovie looked up as someone sat across from her. It was a pretty blonde girl with bright green eyes. Her hair flowed down her back as she flipped it over her shoulder, leaning forward on the table. "Hey Jovie!"

   The blonde smiled, shutting her book. "Hello, I don't believe we've met." The girl held out her hand with a smile, "my name's Violet."

   Jovie shook her hand as she smiled, "can I help you Violet?"

   The girl just smiled brighter, tightening her grip on Jovie's hand. Suddenly she yanked the girl across the table, Jovie's book falling from her lap. She looked at Violet in confusion as she tried to pull her hand away, "um I'm sorry-"

   "You should be."

   Violet was frowning now, her nails digging into Jovie's hand. Her lips curled into a sneer, "how do you have the audacity to just show up here and go prancing around with the Marauders? Stop following them around like a puppy!"

   Jovie tugged at her hand, she wasn't sure what she was talking about but her palm was beginning to bleed. Violet pulled back, "stay away from them you little slut-"

   "Hey Violet."

   Both girls looked up to find Sirius standing above them. "What're you guys doing? I didn't know you knew each other," he grinned.

   Violet seemed to panic, she released Jovie, standing abruptly. "We were just playing a game! Anyway I have to go! See you later Jovie!" She spoke so fast Sirius almost couldn't understand her as she waved quickly before practically sprinting from the great hall.

   Jovie pulled her hand to her lap, smiling up at Sirius. "Hey where've you been? Is your prank over already?"

   Sirius let his phony smile drop into a frown, pulling the blonde up. He grabbed her uninjured hand, dragging her with him from the great hall.

   "Are you okay?" He hooked an arm over her shoulder, beginning to play with one of the strands of hair that had fallen from her bun.

   Jovie shrugged, "fine, why?" They walked in silence for a moment longer before Jovie spoke again. "Is Violet your girlfriend? She seemed pretty freaked-"

   "No. She's not my girlfriend," Sirius answered quickly, pausing briefly to whisper the password to the painting of their common room. They entered the Gryffindor common room, Sirius spotting Lily, Marlene, and Mary on the couch.

   He walked Jovie over, dropping his arm from her shoulders as they reached the group. "One of you take care of her," he instructed before turning to walk away.

   Mary noticed the girl's hand, gasping, "Jo! What happened?!"

   Lily saw it as well, standing. "Let's go to our room," she began to pull the girl up the steps as their roommates followed. Jovie looked over her shoulder to Sirius.

   He winked at her from his place by the couches before quickly turning to stride out of the common room to go find Violet.

* * *

   "You didn't," Alice sat forward.

   James grinned, "oh but I did."

   Mary and Marlene broke into laughter as James and Sirius began to act out the prank they had managed to pull on a first year. Lily rolled her eyes, looking back down to her book as she tried to ignore Peter's cheers for them from his place on the floor between Jovie and Remus.

   Jovie was happy she had managed to find such a good solid group of friends. She hadn't really had friends like this before. In fact she wasn't entirely sure she had ever even had real friends.

   She grinned, except for him.

   Remus noticed this, reaching behind Peter to poke a finger into one of the girl's dimples. "What's got you so happy?" he questioned, Jovie shaking her head as he continued to poke her, making the girl laugh.

   Mary fell back into the couch, "man I can't wait for quidditch to start."

   James grinned as he nodded in agreement, "this year's gonna be a good one now that I'm captain."

   Sirius rolled his eyes, "yeah sure. You're not exactly the leader type," he took a seat beside Jovie, throwing his arm over her shoulder.

   Marlene sat up, "enough about quidditch, you guys are all going to Hogsmeade next weekend right?" Everyone nodded, the group launching into discussion about what they should do since it would be Jovie's first time.

   "We should take her to Honey Duke's sweets, that's a must," Sirius added to their ever growing list, Remus raising a brow. He had an amused grin, "you're coming with us?"

   Sirius glared at his friend, "well yeah why wouldn't I?"

   Remus shrugged as Peter sat forward, a quizzical look on his face. "You never hang out with us at Hogsmeade. You always have a date."

   Everyone was silent, Jovie blinking up at Sirius, "I wouldn't want you to cancel a date because of me."

   The two held eye contact for a moment before Sirius averted his eyes. Lily finally pulled her eyes from her book, a smug smile on her face. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen you with a girl yet this year Sirius."

   Sirius groaned, slumping further at the pestering of his friends, "you all are being so annoying, leave me alone."

   Marlene snickered, "talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

   Sirius turned, grabbing the pillow that was on Jovie's lap and chucking it at Marlene. The girl ducked, Mary throwing a pillow right back. The pillow smacked Peter in the face, the boy rolling up his sleeves as he prepared for a fight.

   Remus held up a hand causing everyone to freeze.

   Jovie awed at his power.

   "Everyone should head up to bed, me and Lily have rounds tonight," he explained.

   Mary sighed as she climbed from the couch, dragging Marlene and Alice up the steps with her. Jovie watched as everyone began to clear out of the common room.

   She really did love it here.