One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 1

When Gwenyth Whitlock looks at the Hogwarts express she feels more nervous than she had her first year.

She busies her shaking hands with smoothing out her robes and her skirt, still disbelieving when she looks down at the midnight blue decorating her clothes. 6 years later and she had still never truly agreed with her sorting.

She absolutely hated reading and studying, finding that the classes she excelled in were the ones where they actually did something instead of just reading about it. Her fellow Ravenclaws largely agreed with her when asked—they weren't known for pulling their punches. But she wasn't brave enough for Gryffindor, kind enough for hufflepuff, or sly enough for slytherin.

She carefully surveys the platform, smiling faintly at the students saying goodbye to their parents. Intrusive thoughts that threaten her happiness disappear when she sees a familiar flash of scarlet hair coming her way.

"Lily!" She calls, smiling wider when her friend picks up her pace and runs to where she is standing. They fling their arms around each other, holding on tight as Lily breathes,

"Merlin, Gwenyth. I hardly recognized you!"

Gwen groans dramatically and untangles herself from her friend, asking disappointedly,

"It's that obvious??"

Lily smiles sympathetically and nods, saying hopefully, "You look beautiful!"

It had taken every ripe second of the five years Gwen had been at Hogwarts for her to mature. Finally she'd grown into her spindly legs and her big eyes. Her hair had changed from messy waves of sandy brown to straight silvery blonde practically over night. Gwen knew what being a Veela was like at Hogwarts, but now that she actually looked like one she was wholly unprepared.

Gwen sighs and resigns herself to the fact that she can't change it, so she smiles warmly at Lily and teases,

"I heard from Dorcas that you had boys drooling over you all summer."

"Besides Potter you mean?" Lily snorts and rolls her eyes. The pair grab their trunks and begin to walk towards the Express, climbing aboard and searching rather aimlessly for a compartment.

"Was your summer okay? Do I need to come pummel Petunia?"

Lily grins and nods, saying cheekily, "Perhaps you could come and see Vernon. Petunia would be absolutely furious if he fawned all over you."

"Please," Gwen laughs. "I bet you're the only one that's noticed anyway. You'll see."

They peek into compartments, Lily's hand just reaching out to open one when they hear a cry from behind them,

"Oi, Evans! James has been looking everywhere for you."

Lily's kind face turns sour, her lips set in a deep frown when she looks over her shoulder and says hotly,

"Tell him to piss off."

"Only if you introduce me to your friend."

Lily's eyebrows shoot to her hairline, Gwen feeling equally as surprised. She looked that different? When she turns, she's met with steel grey eyes and a smug grin that quickly turns to one of shock.

Sirius Black's jaw drops open, a strangled noise escaping his throat. No way. It couldn't be.

"Ninnie? Ninnie Whitlock?!"

Gwen sighs at the use of the nickname, still hoping after all this time that she'd be able to shake it. The Marauders had been calling her that since their first failed prank on her back in first year.

"The one and only. Good summer?"

Lily scoffs from next to her, wrinkling her nose up at her friend's nonchalant behavior. Gwen held none of the animosity towards the boys that Lily did, despite their many attempts at fooling with her.

Sirius stammers dumbly, trying desperately to form a coherent sentence for the girl in front of him. Gone was her unruly hair and knobby knees and frazzled smile. Her hair is nearly silver, the greenish blue of her eyes having turned to ice against her tan skin. She was calm, composed. Intimidating. Who was this person, and what had they done with Gwenyth?

"Um. Yeah?" He says it like a question, because he too is surprised by the niceties. Surprised by everything about her. He blinks rapidly when she arches her blonde brow and asks rather uncomfortably,

"Can I go now? Or did you have a dungbomb or something for me?"

Her biting undertone brings him back to life. She'd always been quick witted, not quick to anger but very sharp. Perhaps that was the Ravenclaw within her. Lily groans when a smug grin takes over his face. She knew that look. The girls of Hogwarts had so brilliantly dubbed it "The Face" back when Sirius started flirting with and shagging any girl that breathed in his direction.

"I have something for you alright," He says slyly. Gwen tilts her head, not exactly clueing in the way he'd intended.

"Okay. Are you going to give it to me now or..."

Lily intervenes, blushing on behalf of the Veela when she says hotly,

"We're busy, Black. Why don't you go suck face with Potter?"

"Jealous, Evans? Don't worry. Prongs only had eyes for you," He jeers, reaching up to pinch the ginger's pink cheek. She swats his hand away quickly, growling,

"Potter is an arrogant toe rag. He can piss off."

Sirius barks out a loud laugh, his eyes flicking to a very uninterested looking Gwen every couple of seconds. She's staring out of the window as the train begins to move, looking rather bored. He feels a flare of irritation, still confused and perplexed by her sarcastic and nonchalant demeanor.

"Come on, Gwenyth," Lily says firmly, looping her arm through the Veela's and pulling her far away from Sirius Black. Gwen laughs quietly to herself, muttering,

"Merlin, Lily. You looked like you were going to break his hand."

"I wish," She grunts, finally letting out a whoop of excitement and sliding open a compartment door.

The sight that greets them is quite amusing. Marlene McKinnon is doing a handstand while Dorcas Meadows watches on, clapping excitedly.

Marlene falls over, saying happily,

"Lily! Gwen! Is that you?!"

The Scottish witch scrambled to her feet and quickly brushes off her Gryffindor robes.

"Blimey!" She cries. "Gwen, what's happened to you?!"

Dorcas and Lily both look at Gwen sympathetically as her face falls and she grumbles,

"I don't want to talk about it."