Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
The Summer Hols
It was a warm June afternoon and, after a hard morning of Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL, Lily and her friends had nothing better to do than sit by the lake and catch up on the usual gossip that was going around Hogwarts. Lily Evans was a pretty, dark red-haired, Gryffindor fifth-year with green eyes. It was no wonder that she was one of the most popular girls in her year, as well as her House. Lily was talking with her best friends, whom she was never with out, Morgana Bennett and Rosalie Winston. As the girls sat in the sun-kissed grass watching their reflections in the water at laughing at the ones that were distorted by ripples, Morgana brought up an interesting point.
'Potter's looking at you again, Lily,' she said mentioning one of the four boys sitting under a tree on the other side of the lake. He had messy black hair and wore glasses and he just couldn't stop playing with what looked like a Snitch. Lily looked over to him to make sure Morgana was telling the truth but his back was turned and he was once again talking to his friends.
'No he's not. And if he were I'd be really mad. I absolutely despise James Potter!' Lily said as she embarked into a small rage.
'Despise is a very strong word, Lily,' said Rosalie, taking her nose out of her book for the first time that day. 'I'm sure you don't mean it.'
'Oh yes I do! He's so arrogant and constantly picks on Severus. I know he's not exactly the "coolest" person at Hogwarts, but that's no reason to fill his ink bottle with invisible ink during our last History exam,' Lily explained. Morgana laughed.
'Potter really did that? That's so – 'Lily gave her a look, '– mean. Yeah, that's it. It's mean.' Morgana started to play with her long chestnut hair wondering whether or not Lily knew what she had really thought about the prank.
'Yes Morgana, it was mean. Those four deserve some serious punishment,' said Rosalie disapprovingly.
'Yes they do! Too bad I found out too late or I would have given them detention!' Lily told her friends. Lily was Gryffindor's new prefect, along with Remus Lupin.
'Of course you would have,' said Morgana sarcastically.
'What do you mean "of course you would have?" I would!' Lily said defensively.
'All I'm saying is you're too…sweet to do anything like that. It's not always a bad thing, Lily,' Morgana said as her fingers glided across the water.
'Would you two stop it? I'm trying to study!' said Rosalie from behind her copy of Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, 'And I think you should, too. We have our Defense Against the Dark Arts practice in twenty minutes!'
'So? I know that bloody material inside and out!' said Morgana, yawning.
'I wish I were that carefree,' admitted Lily.
'As carefree as Morgana? Not possible,' said Rosalie jokingly.
'Actually it is…' said Lily. Morgana looked at her in confusion.
'Really? So who is it then?' she asked in interest.
'Sirius Black,' answered Lily. Morgana's insides flipped upside-down at the sound of that name.
'True. I've never met anyone as arrogant as he. Well, maybe James. I don't know which one is worst!' said Rosalie with a slight chuckle.
'James is, trust me,' Lily said and looked back in James' direction just to see him picking on Severus Snape once again. 'Oh my Lord! Not again! That…that…' she cursed slightly and got up in a giant rage. Lily ran across to the other side of the lake and started to yell at James. Morgana and Rosalie just sat there and watched from afar. They knew better than to contradict Lily when she was in such a fury.
Rosalie, who was the last one to take the practice of the Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL (since her last name started with a 'W'), went to dinner that night with a huge grin on her face. Lily and Morgana, who were already there, listened as she told them about how she had done superbly well and felt completely confident.
'You should have seen the look on the inquisitor's face when I produced my dolphin-shaped Patronus!' she said, beaming.
'Uh huh. That's nice,' Lily said, looking down at her plate of mashed potatoes and chicken.
'What's wrong Lily, did your examination not go well?' asked Rosalie.
'No, that's not it. I just feel really bad for Peter Pettigrew. I mean, he unsuccessfully performed almost all of his hexes and couldn't defeat the Boggart,' explained Lily.
'Lily, stop worrying so much about others, mate. We all know Pettigrew's the worst in the whole class! It's not like he's planning on being an Auror or whatever,' Morgana said before drinking up her pumpkin juice.
'I know…' Lily said.
'So anyway, we have Transfiguration tomorrow, right?' Morgana said, trying to change the subject. Lily nodded. 'Excellent.' Morgana was an Animagus and excelled at Transfiguration. She could transfigure herself into a nightingale, a fact no one outside the Headmaster, teachers, Lily, and Rosalie knew.
'Come on, Lily. Cheer up,' Rosalie told her with a smile.
'I'm just tired, I'm going to bed,' Lily said as she got up and headed for the Gryffindor Common Room before Morgana could say anything else. James saw her walk out of the Great Hall and turned to Sirius.
'Hey mate, could you ask Morgana where Lily went?' he asked him. Sirius raised an eyebrow.
'Prongs, you know she doesn't like you. You shouldn't care but I'll do it,' Sirius said.
'Yeah, you won't miss an opportunity to talk to Morgana Bennett,' James whispered to him and winked.
'What are you saying?' asked Sirius trying to keep his cool.
'Nothing. Nothing at all,' James answered innocently.
'James, when I start to fancy a girl, you'll be the first to know,' Sirius said sincerely.
'Promise?'
'Promise.'
Sirius got up and walked up to the end of the Gryffindor table and sat down beside Morgana, who had chills up her back the minute he sat down. Morgana was very sensitive in the back and if anyone ever snuck up on her she would let out a small shriek. It wasn't her fault; it was the nightingale in her.
'And what,' she looked up and down him, 'do you want, Black?'
'Don't flatter yourself, Bennett,' snapped Sirius, 'Potter sent me to ask where Lily went.'
'Well you can tell Potter that she went to bed. She wasn't herself at dinner,' said Morgana, 'Oh and you can tell him that stalking is illegal,' she added.
'It is? Well Potter never had a regard for the rules,' said Sirius sarcastically and with that he returned to James to tell him what he had learned.
Please R&R!