Back in Black

The Marauder's Map

Disclaimer: Again, I own only Nikki. This is going to be a shorter chapter.

Nikki POV:

I see Harry gloomily walking down the halls of Hogwarts as Fred, George, and I left for Hogsmeade. I glance over at Fred and George, who are holding the Marauder's Map. We've always had it in our bags or in our hands. We have never left it in our dorm rooms. "We should give Harry the map," I said.

"But it's our map!" Fred said.

"Technically, it was never ours. It was Moony's, Wormtail's, Padfoot's, and Prongs's. Harry is Prongs's son, so he should get the map."

"Okay, Nikki. Let's go." George and Fred walk over to Harry and pull him into a little alcove. I'm not going over there because everyone thinks that I'm a rules-oriented, no pranking Head Girl like my twin brother. This is completely off. I'm part of the Terrible Trio for crying out loud!!

I sigh and start walking over to Hogsmeade. I walk into Honeydukes and purchase some chocolate. I also get sugar quills for Sirius. Then I walk into the Three Broomsticks. I see Professor McGonagall, idiotic Fudge, Madam Rosmerta, Hagrid, and Professor Flitwick. They're talking about Sirius. I find a seat right next to their table, pretending to not listen to their conversation. I look around the pub. I see Hermione and Ron sitting at a table right next to mine. If Hermione and Ron are there, Harry's bound to be there as well.

"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something worse... We all know what Black's capable of." George and Fred aren't here to help me control my temper. I have to wait it out because I need to get Sirius food.

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known." I sigh. I know what this is about. Sirius was the "Secret Keeper." Not.

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who-" Just say his damn name. It doesn't matter at all. Who names their kid "Lord Voldemort?" It has to be a name he made up to put fear in everyone.

I hear Hagrid talking about what happened that Halloween night. I'm furious. "I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son!" How naive can you be? Sirius is the one who gave Harry his first broomstick!! Sirius is the one who fell in love with me, a "blood traitor!!" If he was a pureblooded bigot, he wouldn't have ever fallen for me! Never mind. Madam Rosmerta's coming over now.

"Hello, dear! What would you like to eat?"

"May I please have one shepherd's pie and one Yorkshire pudding, please? To go."

"Okay, coming right up!!" Ten minutes later, she comes with the food. I pay her three Galleons. Sirius gave me permission to go into his vault at Gringotts to get enough money to pay for the newest broom, the Firebolt. I wonder what he's going to do with that, huh? He can't possibly be buying a Firebolt for Harry!! He would have given his hideout away!

I leave the Three Broomsticks and make my way towards the Shrieking Shack. I open the door carefully and walk inside. I see the black dog again. He turns into his human form, grinning at me.

"Here's some food. Which one do you want? You probably should eat it slowly so that you don't throw up immediately afterwards."

"You are the best, Coley!! Could I have the Yorkshire pudding?" I hand him the box containing the pudding and begin to eat my shepherd's pie. "What's wrong? You're stabbing your food like you want it dead. Sorry to disappoint you, but it's already dead."

I sigh. "Well, I went to the Three Broomsticks to get this food. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, Hagrid, Madam Rosmerta, and Fudge were talking about you. Fudge told the whole table about you, according to him, being the Secret Keeper and being tired of your 'double-agent role' in the Order of the Phoenix. He also told that you were his godfather. I'm pretty sure Harry might have heard because I saw Hermione and Ron there too."

"Harry thinks I betrayed Lily and James? I could never have betrayed them!! I wasn't the Secret Keeper at all, it was- I can't tell you this." Sirius starts pacing around the room, hands threading through his silky hair. I roll my eyes, stand up, and walk over to him.

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I say, "Why can't you tell me? This could help you be free!"

"I just can't tell you, Coley! If I do, people might say that you were conspiring with me and send you to Azkaban, maybe even the Dementor's Kiss! I can't let that happen to you. You're the only one I have left, except Moony." I look up into his silver eyes, and he looks down at my chocolate brown eyes.

"I love you. Always and forever. Don't forget that," I whisper.

"I love you too, always and forever," he responds. I lean up on my tip-toes and kiss his cheek. He turns his head midway, making my lips land on his. He smiles into the kiss, happier than I've ever seen him before in 1993. We part, foreheads resting on each other's.

"I need to go now. If you send Harry the Firebolt, don't do anything to make it seem like it's you. Please, for me."

"Okay, Coley. You seem very... hmmm, what's the word? On edge today."

I smile. "Well, it can't possibly be because my boyfriend is the reason that Fudge is here, causing me to become so furious that I have to physically restrain myself from hexing him with every hex I can think of, right?" He barks out a laugh.

"Point taken. Now go." He plants a kiss on top of my head, gives me a split-second hug, and lets go. I walk out of the Shrieking Shack and join the line of students walking back from Hogsmeade. I see Fred and George joking around with Lee Jordan. He's their best friend.

I maneuver my way through the crowd to Fred and George. "Snuffles is doing well; I brought him some food from the Three Broomsticks," I whisper into George's ear.

George comments, "I can see he's doing well." I'm confused for a second, but then I see George staring pointedly at my lips. Oh. They're probably swollen from Sirius and I kissing. Oops.

"Oh, you shut it." George starts to guffaw, while I blush. "George, I'm warning you!" He doesn't stop. "OI, ALICIA!!!!" George snaps his head up.

"Nikki, don't you dare!!!!"

"Oh, I will dare. ALICIA, GEORGE IS CRU-mmph!!!" George's hand goes over my mouth, muffling my words. I glare at him; he lets go like I burnt him or something. I see Alicia blushing, and I wink at her.

I finally get into the castle, and I go to the Gryffindor Common room to get some rest. I fall asleep in my clothes the minute my head hits the pillow. My dreams are filled of Sirius becoming free and us play fighting in our dog forms (A/N: It's not dirty minded!! They are actually fighting like with their paws and stuff. NOT SEX!!).

Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I have three scenarios for you about Sirius sneaking into the Gryffindor common room to find Peter.

A. Nikki is furious at Sirius and doesn't meet up with him until the fight in the Shrieking Shack.

B. Sirius tells Nikki why he wanted to get up there because she is yelling at him and won't stop. He blurts it out.

C. Nikki helps Sirius get out of the Tower and Snape accuses her of helping. Nikki is being watched by Snape, so she transforms into her dog form and tells Sirius that she can't sneak out anymore.

I like scenario C. They aren't angry at each other, and Nikki doesn't know who Scabbers really is until the Shrieking Shack fight scene. Comment which one you like.

QOTD: Kiss Marry Kill: Snape, Fred and George, or Sirius

AOTD: Kiss Fred and George, Marry Sirius, and Kill Snape.

                   -GryffindorPadmeEaton