Lily and the Mysterious Tapping Noise, a harry potter fanfic

Tap.

…

Tap.

I look up from my potions essay to search for the source of the noise. I frantically look from side to side, scanning the tables and selves that are in my view. It is a Friday afternoon, last period, which also happens to be my spare. I am in the library, catching up on my homework for this week. That is, I was, until I started to hear that noise.

Tap.

There it is again! It's driving me up the wall, but I can't seem to place it or what's making it.

…

Oh… good… it's stopped again. Maybe now I can actually finish this essay; 'The properties of the Felix Felicis Potion and its effects on the Human mind' you know, I may enjoy potions, but that does not mean that I enjoy the work load that Professor Slughorn seems to deem necessary to give us. God, this essay is supposed to be three and a half feet long. I have already completed half of it but Merlin! It's already taken me an hour and a half and I can't find anything else much In the library books to finish it. Garrrgh…..

Tap.

NOOOOOOO!!!! Oh help me please! It's back again! If I have to hear it for much longer, I'm going to go insane! sob I slam the heavy potions tomb shut and sigh wearily, rubbing my tired eyes. If I have to read in conditions like this for much longer, I'll need to get glasses. Not those ugly ones like Potter has, but maybe some pretty green, square ones. With glitter. And pretty swirly patterns on the side. Wait… I'm going off track here. I need to find the source of that noise so I can finish my homework and before I go completely loony… like Remus… poor Remus, how he can stand that song that Peeves seems to have a partiality to…

Loony Loopy Lupin….

Loopy… Loony… Lupin…

Lupin… Loony… Loopy…

Arrgh! Sidetracked again, that's it. I've got to keep my mind on track. Here it goes.

Tapping noise.

I've got to find the tapping noise.

Mysterious tapping noise.

Annoying and mentally straining tapping noise whose job seems to be solely to drive me completely and criminally insane.

Lily! I reason with myself, You need to calm down. Deep breaths. In… Out… In… Out. Calm? Good. Now… Tapping noise. If I were an annoying tapping noise, where would I be. Yes, in a secluded and silent place that will annoy the heck out of innocent studying students. Exactly, so that's why it's in the Library. I wonder up and down the secluded isles, looking underneath tables and gaps between books on the shelves. I pull out a random book and look in the gap that I created. Nothing. I glance at the cover and give it a weird look. 'Periwinkles Guide to Containing and Controlling badly behaved Rabbits'… Strange… I must recommend this to Remus. The Marauders are always talking about his evil bunny… they seem quite scared of it… I saw Potter showing Black a large gash on his leg from where it scratched him once during the summer holidays. If it was the rabbit that caused it, like he said, I really do feel sorry for Remus…

No! off track again. Must find-

Tap.

Tapping Noise! It's back. If anyone was actually here, they would be weirded out by the fact that I have gone into some type of commando mode. At the sudden sound, I dropped to the ground and crawled up behind one of the massive dusty cases. I peered around the side. Nothing. My commando crawling continues. I feel really paranoid. You never know when the noise will come back.

Tap.

Again. I am grinning an insane grin now. The noise has finally gotten to me. I stand and run, then do a commando roll across the isle. I can feel my heart pumping hard and loud. Blood is rushing to my ears. I feel so… so… free! You know, I'm so into this commando thing now. It's so much fun! I think that I might try this when I'm patrolling tonight. I get so bored in the deserted halls, it would make a good change. And could be quite fun if I get really into it. I could make some fake guns. Or water guns. And sneak up on Potter. Or Black, as he is likely to be sneaking around at some point tonight.

Tap.

Again! It's closer now. I can hear it getting louder as I move further down the Library. Ohhhh… I just wanna take it down! Get rid of the evil noise for good!

Tap.

There! I poke my head around another shelf. I can see the offending item as it descends to create the noise which has succeeded in being the thing to drive me into an almost war like insanity. Which I am quite enjoying, might I add.

Tap.

I bring myself into a crouch as my eyes focus solely on the fruit of my effort. I can feel my knees bend automatically as I prepare to jump.

Tap.

Ready…

Tap.

Set…

Tap.

Go!!!!

'Ahhhhh!' I scream as I launch myself into the air and grasp to creator of my torment. At the same time, something else screams, but I take no notice. I grasp the feathered quill in my two hands and with a snap, it is broken into two pieces.

'Lily?' I look down, my eyes widening as I realise that in my leap, I had launched my self onto the owner of the quill and the James Potter was now lying on the floor, his legs still on what was previously his chair and that I am now straddling his mid-drift with wild hair, a crazy glint in my eye and holding his broken quill in my hands after seeming to have thrown myself at him. 'What are you doing?' he raised an eyebrow at me and I quickly scrambled off his body and stood up, straightening out my uniform and flattening my hair. All the while I am still holding his broken quill. He also stands up and, because of my embarrassment, he seems to tower over me more than normal. I can feel the heat flooding my cheeks in a scarlet blush. He looks at me expectantly, his eyebrow still arched.

'I…I…Your quill… and… tapping and…driving me completely and totally insane, about to result in me being taken to the loony bin…!' he looks at me, dumbstruck.

'What?' I cleared my throat and started again.

'Your quill was getting on my nerves. I was going crazy with all the tapping.' I held out the snapped quill. And he reached out and plucked the pieces from my grasp.

'Right…' I stand there awkwardly as I can feel his eyes scanning my body and my blush is growing. Oh Merlin! I'm embarrassed in front of James Potter. What is the world coming to!?! I clear my throat again, breaking the ever expanding awkward silence between to two of us.

'So…' his eyes snap back to mine 'What were you doing?' he motioned to the books lying on the table where he had apparently been studying.

'Potions….'