Changing Tides (Sirius Black)

Chapter 3

Sirius

I was watching the girl with the long dark hair as she spoke with Remus and a blonde girl about something, her hair over her right shoulder, when James snapped his fingers in my face.

"What is up with you mate?" He demanded.

The Potters and the Blacks have a very long history therefore James and I have known each other since we were young. Usually it was just crossing paths at diagon alley with our families.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

James snorted.

"Sirius, you've either been staring into space or staring at that girl ever since we met her on the train."

"You know I flirt with every girl. Besides, what about you and that Evans girl?"

James just turned to his food and I laughed at him.

We entered the common room and paused to take it all in. There were swords hanging decoratively around the room, the color scheme of gold and red gave off a warm comforting feeling. Way better than number 12 Grimmauld place. A fire was going, providing more light.

The girls went up to the dorms while James and I took the opportunity to sprawl out on a couch by the fire. Remus sat in an armchair and a small boy named Peter sat in another one.

"So. Let's be friends." I said causing all four of us to burst out laughing.

Remus was the first to stop.

"Well Sirius, that's one way to start a friendship. Just, if you value your life, don't bug Nixie. You'll find yourself at the bottom of the black lake."

I grinned at him.

"Challenge accepted."

Remus looked at me like he was already planning my funeral.

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I waited at the bottom of the stairs to the girls' dorms for Nixie to come down. When she did, she froze.

"Hey Nini! Can I call you Nini?"

"No. What do you want Black?"

I feigned an offended look.

"Nini, you wound me yet again."

"Don't call me that."

I ignored her.

"Is it a crime to escort your friend to breakfast."

She smirked at me.

"No but for that to happen we'd have to be friends." She said before skipping off with Tabitha, bag across her shoulder, leaving me standing there shocked.

As the girls' laughter faded, getting farther and farther away, James came and patted me on the back.

"You just got beat mate." He said and started walking.

"You may have won this battle Nixie Dover, but I swear I'll win the war." I said quietly to myself.

"Sirius! You coming?" James called.

"Yeah!"

That night at supper James told me what he'd heard so we started planning. If Nixie Dover had something to hide, it wouldn't be hidden from us for long.

On the first day of classes I once again waited at the bottom of the stairs for Nini. When she came down with Tabitha and saw me, she gave me an irritated look before looking past me.

"Good morning Remus, Peter." She said.

"Good morning Nixie, good morning Tabitha." They replied.

"Ouch Nini, that hurt." I said putting a hand to my chest with a mock wounded expression on my face.

She glared at me.

"Don't call me Nini." She said angrily.

Tabitha stepped forward a little bit and turned to Nixie.

"Come on Nixie, just ignore him. Let's go get some breakfast."

With that, the two girls swiftly left the common room out the portrait hole.

Remus came up to me and patted me on the shoulder.

"Well, you tried. Now we can move on."

"Oh Remus. My poor, poor oblivious friend. Can't you see? She's obviously in love with me, she's just too shy, self-conscious and stubborn to admit it."

Remus raised an eyebrow at me.

"I'm not so sure that the first two fit with the third."

I brushed him off.

"It's just a matter of time, you'll see. Now come on I'm hungry and James and I have a big day of pranking planned, those Slytherins will regret ever coming to Hogwarts."

James had already head down to breakfast with Peter so Remus sighed and followed me out the portrait hole.

On the way down stairs we saw Snivellus talking with Evans.

Evan had a letter in her hand and was waving it wildly in her friend's face.

As we got closer we heard part of the conversation.

"She's just overreacting Lily. She's your sister, she'll get over it."

"She's my sister Sev, she shouldn't have to get over anything."

They abruptly stopped their argument as they saw us.

Lily said a polite"good morning" to Remus while Snivellus nodded shortly to Remus and glared at me. Of course, being the mature person that I am, I decided not to stoop to such levels. Instead I stuck my tongue out at him.

Lily took his arm and with one last disdainful look at me turned saying,

"Come on Sev, let's go. If we finish breakfast quickly we can meet up and head to potions early."

As they disappeared from sight I glared daggers at greasy haired boy's back.

"Come on Sirius, we have to at least make it to Potions on time today."

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(A/N: kmbell92 did such a good job with writing her story so I'm just going to skip way ahead to the end of the last year. Jily is together and Nixie is with Sirius. If you want to know how that happened, read Skinny Dipping With a Mermaid.)

Nixie and Sirius sat by the edge of the lake the morning of their graduation, watching the sun rise.

Well, Sirius was watching the sun rise. Nixie had grumbled all the way through the dark corridors and down to the water's edge with her boyfriend as she was really not a morning person. She was now leaning against his chest, sleeping, as her feet dangled in the water.

If Nixie had been told in her first year that she would be dating Sirius Black, one of the most unbearable people she'd ever met, she would've drowned them in the black lake. Then again, if someone had told her that the kind, bubbly blonde in Gryffindor would turn around and become a death eater, leaving bruises on Nixie's face, the result would've been similar. Black lake. Drowning.

Luckily, Sirius started to mature. It only took about six years.

Nixie slowly blinked awake as the sun started shining on her face. She gasped at the view in front of her. The sun peered through the trees and shimmered on the water.

Sirius, noticing that she was awake, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head.

"Hey, happy graduation day. You ready Nini?"

Nixie took a deep breath. She turned to look at the castle that had been her second home for seven years, now basking in the summer morning sun.

"As ready as I'll ever be."