Looking at the stars (Kris)

[Sirius Black]

Sirius pretended to be sick that night, in order to be able to go to sleep early. But he used his wand to set a waking charm, so that he would wake up at midnight to meet Kris.

After he'd had a good three hours sleep, the charm woke him up. He sat a moment, blinking in the darkness. First he looked over to make sure James and Remus were still asleep. Remus was snoring lightly, and James was murmuring Lily's name in his sleep. Sirius made a mental note to tease him about that later.

Once he was sure that they were both asleep, Sirius slipped out of bed, fully dressed. Then he headed down to the common room to meet Kris.

[Kris Lupin]

Kris had done her homework and right after she went straight to bed, and after being woke up by her nightly nightmare an hour before midnight she had got dressed then went down to the common room and was waiting for Sirius when he showed up.

[Sirius Black]

Kris was already there when he got there. "Hey," he whispered, breaking into a smile. "Were you waiting long? I was sleeping pretty heavily. My waking charm almost didn't work."

[Kris Lupin]

"Just an hour, but because I kinda had a nightmare..." She bit her lower lip then added quickly, "But I don't remember what it was about." She didn't want to have to make up a nightmare.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius frowned. "A nightmare?" he repeated as he came to sit down next to her. "What's wrong? Are you OK? It doesn't have anything to do with your father, does it?"

[Kris Lupin]

"I don't remember, I just know that something made me wake up and not be able to go back to sleep." Kris said quietly looking at her lap.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius put his arms around her. He couldn't understand what was going on with her. It seemed like there was something she wasn't telling him... some part of her that she was hiding from him. He didn't know what to do about it. "Well, it's OK now," he said softly, kissing her on her forehead. "I won't let anything bad happen to you, OK?"

He smoothed out her hair with one hand as he pulled away from her. "Are you ready to go upstairs and look at the stars?"

[Kris Lupin]

Kris nodded, "Yeah." She smiled even though the images were still in her mind. She wished she could talk to him about her nightmare but she couldn't, not without telling him everything.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius could tell that she was still a little shaken up, but he hoped that some fresh air and time alone together would help cheer her up and get her mind off of her dream. He stood up and took her hand in his, pulling her to her feet. "Well, come on, let's go. But remember, we have to be really quiet. Filch is usually prowling the halls at this time of night."

[Kris Lupin]

Kris smiled, "You'd know all about that wouldn't you?" She held his hand tightly wishing they could be invisible. She bit her lower lip then said, "Lets go."

[Sirius Black]

Sirius laughed softly. "Yeah, well, you know me. If it's risky, dangerous, and completely against the rules, then I'm interested." He squeezed her hand and led her out of the common room. "I should have asked James if I could borrow his invisibility cloak, but what can I say, I like living dangerously. But if we hear anything, I promise I won't let you get caught."

[Kris Lupin]

"Alright." Kris said smiling, she didn't want him to be caught either but if he would rather get caught then her she couldn't stop him.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius led the way, walking quietly up to the Astronomy tower. He listened as he walked for any sounds of anyone walking by, but thankfully, all was quiet. It seemed luck was on their sides as they finally reached the deserted Astronomy Tower. He pushed the door open lightly and held it for her, urging her to go inside.

[Kris Lupin]

Kris went inside and looked around, she hugged herself as it looked creepy. She looked back as she waited for Sirius to enter the room.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius closed the door behind them and put on a dim light, the light that was usually used in Astronomy classes. Then he led her out to the open balcony area, where they could get a good view of the sky and the darkened grounds of Hogwarts. A large telescope sat in the middle of the balcony, and he walked over to it.

"Come here," he said. "I'll show you a close up view of my star."

[Kris Lupin]

Kris walked over to Sirius then looked up at sky. "It's beautiful." She bit her lower lip wishing she could tell him the truth.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius put an arm around her and kissed her cheek. "Eh, it's just a little spot of light in the sky. It can't compare to you." He sat down and patted the spot next to him. "Sit down," he said. "Let's just sit out here and enjoy the night air."

[Kris Lupin]

Kris sat beside him and looked up at the sky, she smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's so peaceful out here." She said as her eyes were still on the sky.

[Sirius Black]

"It is," Sirius agreed. He began to run his hands over her hair, feeling the silky strands beneath his rough fingertips. "When I was younger, my cousin Andromeda, my brother Regulus, and I used to sit under the stars and make up stories about our own personal stars. Well, Andromeda has a constellation." He smiled softly. "Back in those days, my brother and I got along. Now we really don't. I think he actually likes that our parents won't let us go out and associate with muggles."

[Kris Lupin]

"That was different with my fake mother, she had Muggle friends, and she tried to get their kids be my friends but they wouldn't, no one even at the school wanted to be my friend." Kris said quietly, she wished she could tell him what her father told her but doing so she would have to tell her brother's secret.