Staring into the fire

[Evelyn Turner]

Evie had been sitting in front of the fire for some time now, watching as the flames licked at the log inside the hearth. Every once in a while she would pull out her wand and cast a spell to change the color of the flames. Currently they were a deep purple, which made the surrounding walls of the Common Room a shade of purple as well.

[Sirius Black]

It was late, but Sirius couldn't sleep. He kept going back and forth in his mind between Kris and Amy. He loved Kris, but he really liked Amy. He could have fun with her, laugh with her, and flirt with her in ways he just couldn't do with Kris. And whatever the secret was that Kris was keeping from him was hanging over their heads. She was emotional, she was secretive, she was moody. He just didn't know how to deal with it sometimes.

He heard Remus tossing in his sleep, as he often did, and he glanced over at his friend in the dark. If he hurt Kris, Remus was going to kill him. But was that enough of a reason to stay with her?

He sighed to himself and kicked the covers off. Moving quietly, he stepped down and slipped out of the room. He walked downstairs to the common room, only to be greeted by a deep purple color that shone on the walls. He looked over by the fire and saw a girl sitting there. He didn't recognize her, but he walked over to her anyway. "Hey," he said. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

[Evelyn Turner]

Evie rolled over onto her back and propped herself up on her forearms. She hadn't been expecting company at this hour and had to see who it was that up. It was Sirius, a second year, and a known mischief maker. "The same as you, I'd suspect. Can't sleep. Too many thoughts all at once." That was often the case at this hour. Evie's brain just never seemed to stop running. it was quite annoying.

"What about you? Nightmares wake you?" She cocked her head slightly as she began to study his face. She wanted to see if he would lie and try to be manly, or fess up to dreaming about creepy crawlies. Of course, he could have restless brain syndrome like Evelyn, and in that case he'd have nothing to hide.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius shook his head and moved over to sit down across from the girl. She was older than he was, and he really didn't know her well. But she had red hair, which made him again think about Amy. "No nightmares," he said. "I never even got to sleep. I have a little too much on my mind." More like too many girls, he thought to himself. He turned to stare into the fire.

[Evelyn Turner]

Evie nodded in understanding. Sometimes it was hard having so much school work and all these social situations surrounding you. It was enough to keep anyone awake. "Anything you need to talk about? I've been told I'm a good listener." She smiled kindly at him, then flicked her wand at the flames again, this time turning the bright blue.

[Sirius Black]

"You'll probably laugh at me," he said doubtfully. He was only 12, but most of the time, he felt older than that. Sure, he liked to play and joke around and pull pranks on people, but the feelings he had for Kris and for Amy... they were so strong. Was it strange for someone his age to feel such strong emotions about girls? "I know I probably seem like just a kid to you, but... well, I've got girl problems."

[Evelyn Turner]

"Ahh, girl problems..." She scrunched her mouth up and to the right. She didn't think he was that young, she was only a few years older than him, and if he had girl problems now then she felt sorry for him. He would probably have girl problems for a long time to come. "Well first off I think we need a little change to get us into the mood." She grinned as she turned the flames in the hearth a hot pink color. "There, now what exactly is it you have a problem with? You fancy a girl?"

[Sirius Black]

Sirius sighed with relief. He was confused enough, he didn't need to be made to feel like a child. "Two of them, actually," he confessed, staring into the pink flames. "My girlfriend, Kris... and another girl. Amy. It's stupid, I know... I spent all summer locked in my parents' house dreaming about Kris, but since we got back to school, it's been different. She's different. Moody, confusing, mysterious... I get the feeling she's keeping something from me. She's always crying, and she's not fun anymore. I'm always having to comfort her about something, and half the time I don't even know why." He shook his head and looked back at the girl. "Then there's Amy. She's... exciting, and interesting, and fun. I can joke around with her and stuff. It's so confusing... I don't want to break up with Kris. I think I love her... but why am I so interested in Amy?"

[Evelyn Turner]

Evie listened carefully and studied Sirius as he spoke about each girl. It wasn't often you came across a second year with two girls on his mind, let alone one. It was clear he really needed help and not really knowing him or either girl, Evie felt that she would not be able to truly help him. But of course that wouldn't stop her from trying. "Are you sure you love...Kris, is it? I mean, if she's making you feel like you're not having fun with her, perhaps it's just the stability you've fallen in love with." Did that even make any sense? It had sounded good inside her head, but Evie wasn't sure she'd gotten her point across.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius frowned. "I don't know. I suppose it's possible, I guess. I mean, I care about her a lot. But I don't understand her, you know what I mean? She's become so dark and moody and confusing... She's not fun anymore. And I want to help her, make it better, and make her smile again, but I just don't know how. The last time I tried, I took her flying around the Quidditch pitch and she fell of her broom and nearly died, if I hadn't saved her. Now, on top of everything, she's afraid to fly." He sighed and turned to stare back into the fire again. "I don't want to hurt her, but I'm beginning to wonder if I will end up doing it anyway, no matter what I do."

[Evelyn Turner]

Evelyn was shocked to hear all the troubles Sirius was going through. He was three years younger than she and nor once had she had any boy problems. In fact, she had never even had a boyfriend. How funny it was to be jealous of a second year. But that wouldn't keep her from still helping him.

"Have you tried just talking to her? Telling her how you feel and what you've been thinking?"

[Sirius Black]

"Well, sorta," Sirius said. "We sorta started to talk, but she got all weird on me and ran away crying. I think she was gonna tell me what was wrong, but she didn't finish." He sighed heavily, remembering Kris's odd behavior in the Astronomy Tower. "But I didn't really tell her about what I was feeling, I guess. I wanted to... but I don't want to upset her more. I don't know how she's gonna react to things sometimes."

[Evelyn Turner]

"Well, I guess it all boils down to happiness. Who's happiness do you care more about? Yours, or hers? That's really the best advice I can give you." She didn't want to say that it sounded like this girl was a loon and he should drop her as quickly as possible. That would have just been rude. And besides, if Sirius didn't know what was wrong with her, how could Evelyn even begin to imagine what was really going on. For all she knew, Kris could be in some serious trouble. Who was she to judge?

[Sirius Black]

"Well, when you put it that way..." Sirius said, frowning. Did it really have to come down to either his happiness or Kris's? Why couldn't he make them both happy? Was that still possible? Or had things already become so badly split between them that, no matter what happened, someone was going to end up miserable? "I don't want to be selfish. But I don't know if I'm making her happy right now as it is. I guess.... I guess the thing to do is talk to her. Just an open, honest talk. Maybe then I can find out what's bothering her and I'll know what to do to fix it."

[Evelyn Turner]

Evelyn began to yawn. "Well, I think I'll have another go at sleeping. Though I might see you in an hour if it doesn't take. G'night." She rose and headed toward the stairs leading to the girls' dormitories. Just before she left she pointed her wand at the fire and once more changed their color. This time to a lovely shade of indigo. "Helps with contemplation," she said, giving him a wink and vanishing into the stairwell.