LOVEFOOL [ sirius. black ]

chapter one.

SUNDAY, 1ST OF DECEMBER 1974

especially at this time of year, the gryffindor common room was rather full.

professor kettleburn had given them some pre-exam questions, and no one wanted to fail care of magical creatures when it came to theory, so some were doing extra studying.

with today being the first day of december, it was getting closer and closer to christmas. although, despite the fact that the christmas trees at hogwarts were normally enchanted every year, or that it was the house elves, nobody really knew, a lot of students enjoyed putting them up because they couldn't do it at home.

when they finally arrived home for the holidays, it was late in the season and near to christmas.

there were a lot of first-year students and a lot of seventh-year students. They were both only there because they were homesick for their homes in their first years and for hogwarts in their seventh years. it would have been their final christmas at the castle before they graduated.

the weather outside was becoming colder by the day, and the following weekend was hogsmeade weekend, which meant there would almost certainly be snow, just like last year.

when it snowed, the tiny village outside of hogwarts was virtually the only place you could go, and when it snowed, it looked quite magnificent. if you haven't gone to hogsmeade when it snows, you haven't truly experienced a magical christmas at the castle.

the common area was alive with anticipation, laughter, and loneliness, but there were a few folks who were particularly concerned about something other than their examinations.

"if you're afraid of talking to may black, you really should grow a pair," james muttered, rolling his eyes as he played with the golden snitch he had been given for his birthday a few months before.

sirius was terrified, and he didn't know why. he wasn't normally nervous while chatting to girls; in fact, he wasn't nervous at all. "but she's a slytherin, after all!" he screamed, attempting to protect himself from... well, he didn't know.

"yeah, she spends more time in our common area and with marlene than any of us." remus spoke out, his eyes rising from his book, which he had worked so hard to read. it wasn't fiction, but rather a history of magic textbook.

"i wouldn't blame her," peter muttered, raising his eyes from his schoolwork.

"mate, i've known her and marlene since i was three years old, and she's a really sound girl," the brunette replied, giving james a strange look. "and you never thought to tell me about it?"

"nope," he replied, a grin on his face.

''tosser.''

"are you going with somebody this weekend?" the brunette asked, a strand of her hair in her fingers as marlene rushed through her assignments.

"uh," she stopped, attempting to finish the sentence she was writing. ''yeah! i promised lily i'd go with 'er, why?" she attempted to come up with an explanation, but her friend had arrived a little earlier.

"awh, you're thinking about black, aren't you?" the blonde would tease her every time he was mentioned.

"oh, shut up," margaret said, rolling her eyes at her friend's expression.

"i don't know why you're so afraid about just saying hello, and if you must know, my heels are bigger than his —" she started, closing marlene's mouth with her hand to prevent her from saying anything further.

"piss off, i was going to say ego, you dirty-minded prick." at this point, the two girls burst out laughing, turning a few heads.

the marauders turned their heads to the unusual sound of laughter, bar Peter, because he had managed to zone out everything just to finish that essay on time, or else, he'd get a detention.

as the girls fought to hold back their laughter, both of their faces became pink, and sirius took a deep breath.

"i'm going to do it, fellas," he declared, summoning all of his bravery at the time. he hoped it wouldn't go any time soon.

he smiled softly to himself as he stared at the girl.

hoping, he wouldn't fall too hard for her.