Old Friends, New Beginnings (Jaimi)

[Sirius Black]

Sirius stood leaning on the railing of the Astronomy tower balcony looking out at the setting sun. He smiled to himself, it had been a good term so far, he and James had worked out what their Animagus forms would be, or at least they thought they had.

Despit his brother being sorted into Slytherin the first year Gryffindors had told him that Regulus had refrained from joining in with the rest of the Slytherin first year bullies.

Then to top it all off Jaimi-Anne was here, he grinned feeling slightly embarrassed that she had contributed to his happiness. He couldn't help it though, she had been the only reason for his enjoyment of Pureblood parties since the age of five. He sighed, he had barely seen her in four years. First she went off to Beauxbatons, and then he came to Hogwarts, and they were required to move in different circles at Pureblood gatherings these days. He was sure if his mother noticed him take more than a passing interest in any of the Pureblood daughters she would arrange his marriage to said girl as soon as was possible. Still she was here now, and despite his disappointment at her not being in Gryffindor, at least she wasn't in Slytherin.

He heard someone clear their throat behind him, and he turned to look at the door, a fresh, cheeky grin forming on his face.

[Jaimi Willow]

Jaimi had been meaning to find and talk to Sirius for a while now, and thought she might know where to find him, Regulus had said that he enjoyed watching the sun set, and the best place to do that was the astronomy tower.

She climbed the stirs quietly, knowing that she wasn't supposed to be up here, but her determination to find him spurred her on. Plus she knew he wouldn't let the simple fact that he wasn't supposed to stop him from being up here.

She pushed open the door, and sure enough there he was, leaning on the rail, watching the sun set, as predicted. She cleared her throat softly to let him know someone else was there. He turned and grinned at her.

"Hi Sirius, long time no see, huh?" she said smiling back at him and walking over to lean on the railing next to him. "How have you been?" she asked, he looked happy, but with Sirius that could change very quickly.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius watched as she walked towards him, even more gracefully than she was capable of at the age of eleven. She had grown up a lot in the last four years, and he wished they had been able to spend more time together. She leant delicately on the railing next to him, a little shorter than he was despite being older.

"It's good to see you Jaimi-Anne." he said genuinely. "I've been good, thanks, despite mum destroying my Beater's bat over the stuffed partridge. I need a new one, I've been practising with a school one and trials are this weekend." he said slightly gloomily. "You?" he asked looking across at her.

[Jaimi Willow]

"it's just Jaimi now." she said frowning slightly, it had been years since anyone had use the second half of her first name unless her father was angry with her for some reason. "That's really mean, didn't you buy it?" she asked surprised that even his mother would stoop that low, despite the fact that she was almost on a par with Jaimi's own father.

"You might as well wait till after trials, there's no point paying out for a new one unless you're on the team. I'd let you borrow mine, but I plan on trying out for the Ravenclaw team." she smiled sympathetically, "Not that you don't have a really good chance of getting on the team," she said with a smile. Recitfying any damage her suggestion may have made before he got an chance to react to it.

"I'm fine, big scary new school, a lot to take in, new teaching methods to get used to, you know, that sort of thing. Well you would know if you paid any attention in class." she said with a laugh. "Oh and thanks for nearly killing me with Dumbledore's goblet by the way, great way to make the first years feel safe and welcome." her tome dripping with sarcasm as she spoke.

[Sirius Black]

"Ahh you know I only called you that to annoy you any way. And yeah I did buy the Bat myself, she wouldn't have destroyed it if she'd been the one to buy it. She's happy to waste my money but not her own, despite the fact that she has more." he sighed and punched her lightly on the arm. "I could kick your butt any day." he said with a grin.

"Yeah, sorry about that, we thought we'd start the year off with a bang." he grinned and looked out across the grounds. "So what made you want to transfer anyway?" he asked, he knew she'd always wanted to go to Beauxbatons, carry on the family tradition, the only one she actually liked.

[Jaimi Willow]

"You just keep thinking that and everything will be fine." she grinned back at him. She looked out at the darkening grounds too and thought about how to reply. She could tell Sirius the truth, she always could.

"I didn't want to, I wanted to stay at Beauxbatons, I loved it there. I got back for the summer and my Father had suddenly decided that I had to go to school in England and had already written to Professor Dumbledore, who said that the transfer wouldn't be a problem as there had been a space for me since I first showed signs of magic. So it was all arranged practically before I knew about it. I said I didn't want to move, and he said he wanted me closer to home where he could keep a better eye on me." she sighed. "I wish he'd just bog off and leave me alone."

[Sirius Black]

"Hey," he put a comforting arm around her. "It's O.k. I mean i know you miss France, and spending time with your Grandma, and your friends, but you'll make new ones. Plus I'm here, and that's got to count for something. You'll get used to finding your way around, just don't get into too much trouble, avoid all contact with Slytherins and you'll be fine." he smiled down at her. "Things can only get better." he said pulling her into a hug.

If he'd ever had a sister, this was how he'd want it to be. He wanted to be able to comfort her, and look after her, and make sure she never got hurt. Yeah sometimes he thought that maybe one day they might be more than friends, but he'd take whatever he could, and right now, she needed a friend.

[Jaimi Willow]

Jaimi looked up at him as he spoke, and smiled gently, he was right and she knew it. It didn't do to dwell on things that she couldn't change, but she couldn't help a tear siding down her cheek. He pulled her into a hug and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thanks Sirius, do you know how hard it is to avoid Slytherins when you have classes with them?" she stated, as more tears began to slide down her face.

It was silly she knew, but she'd always felt most at home at her Grandmother's and Beauxbatons, and she was homesick, but it made her sad to think that Hogwarts was already starting to feel more like home than either of them had ever been. "Sorry, I'm being stupid."

[Sirius Black]

"I meant don't let them take you in, some of them may seem nice, but it's all just a lie. You're far too pretty and too good for any of them." he said smiling down at her as he wiped away her tears with the sleeve of his robe.

"It's fine, if someone's going to cry on my shoulder, I'm glad it's a girl who not blubbing 'cause I won't go out with her." he laughed softly. "It's O.k. to be homesick, Jai." his whispered into her hair. It smelt gorgeous, then again, everything about her was. Her mum was the same, even if she was old, and he'd seen a picture of her Grandmother who was absolutely stunning. He often wondered if Jaimi had Veela blood in her, but had never worked up the courage to ask. even when she was young, heads turned as soon as she walked into a room. She was one of those people you just had to look at.

[Jaimi Willow]

Jaimi smiled through her tears and buried her face in Sirius' chest. His arms where warm and strong, and she felt safe with him. It had never been like this with her older brothers, they had more of a 'pain will make you stronger' attitude, and her little brother's were just demons. She sometimes imagined what it would be like to have a father who actually cared about her, and decided that it must be similar to this. She had someone to depend on, for which she was very grateful. "You'd say I was too good for anyone though, wouldn't you?" she asked looking back up at him.

"And I promise I will never cry on you because you won't go out with me. It'll be the other way round, I promise." she grinned, glad that their friendship had survived their years apart. "I know, but I can't help feeling stupid for it." she said looking out at the grounds as she leant her head on his chest.

[Sirius Black]

"Yeah I would, he replied, but that's not the point." he said grinning down at her, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Oh really? Is that the case. I think we'd better swap places then." He stuck his tongue out at her, then rested his chin on her head as they both looked out over the grounds, watching the sun finally set over the trees of the forbidden forest. He sighed contentedly and closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the birds in the forest gradually grow quieter. as the sky turned a dusky purple.

[Jaimi Willow]

"Of course it isn't, avoid evil Slytherins, got it." her eyes twinkled mischievously too as she looked back up at him. "I don't think that would work Sirius, you're taller than me, I guess you'll just have to man up for now and cry in private later."

She smiled as she watched the sky darken as the sun sank over the trees of the forbidden forest. When the last sliver of gold disappeared behind them she saw the first star wink into sight, as Sirius sighed peacefully into her hair.

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I wish, I wsh I might, have the wish I wish tonight..." she spoke the words quietly, half singing them into the cooling air as the sky's purple glory darkened into indigo. She wished that she would stop feeling bad about Hogwarts becoming her home, and that she and Sirius would always be happy like this. That they could always depend on each other.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius could hear Jaimi singing to herself under her breath and smiled. He too made a wish, that they could always share moments like this, where it seemed like there was no one else in the world but them, and nothing mattered but their friendship.

After a long time standing there, hugging each other, Sirius pulled away slightly. "Time to get you back to your Dormitory I think." he said gently, not really wanting this to end. "Don't want you getting a detention now do we?"

[Jaimi Willow]

Jaimi felt Sirius pull away from her and looked up at him, confusion crossing her face for a moment. Then she realised what the time must be. "I suppose so, thank you Sirius." she said with a smile. "It's been nice, talking to you again." her tone was serious and genuine, her eyes shining in the moonlight, creeping it's way across the darkening sky.

"Lead the way." she said, dropping her arms from his waist and taking his hand.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius smiled back at her. "It's been a pleasure." he said sincerely, clutching her small, cool hand in his and leading her down the spiral staircase, pausing at the bottom to listen for Filch or Mrs Norris.