Disclaimer: I own not the characters, nor anything familiar to you, although hopefully, someday I shall own Sirius Black, lord of all that is sexy.
"This is the coolest Muggle Studies project we've ever had!" Sirius Black exclaimed as he bounded down the halls, exuding sheer excitement.
"Yeah. It is," James Potter agreed as he walked slowly behind Sirius, his eyes on a pretty red-haired girl a bit farther ahead, talking to a group of two girls. "We get to IM each other. Hogwarts IM. Dumbledore set it up. Of course, we don't use those contraptions, those…computy thingies. We use these instead," The hazel-eyed boy said, holding up what looked like a computer screen, but was thin as paper, and about twenty centimetres by twenty centimetres.
"What's your name going to be Moony?" Sirius asked, slowing down so his friends could catch up to him, sweeping his long black locks over his shoulders, pushing them out of his face.
"We can't tell, remember Padfoot?" James reminded Sirius, rumpling his already mussed black hair.
"That's right Prongs." Remus said, the faintest traces of a grin lining his face, etched with weariness.
"Full moon's in two days," Sirius noted, his voice hushed.
"Thank God it's the last class of the day. We can go to Common Room now, start on our project," Remus said, as he strode towards the Gryffindor tower, Sirius and James in tow.
Sirius nodded, "Sounds good. I can't wait to add all the lovely ladies in our class. We have to add everybody though. We have to add that awful Slytherin too. The only one that wanted to go to NEWT Muggle Studies…Georgia Locklear."
James nodded, but was excited at the thought of Lily having to add him. "Why are we taking Muggle Studies again?" Sirius asked, annoyed.
"Because Lily is taking Muggle Studies. It does make our seventh year that much harder though. It's a soft option thankfully, not too much homework for us to do," Remus reminded Sirius.
"Oh yeah!" Sirius exclaimed, nudging the frowning messy-haired boy in the ribs. "Prongsie likes Lilykins."
James grimaced, "Yeah, I like her, but we don't know who anybody is, we're not allowed to tell. In the end, we find out at the end of next week, when the project is over. Remember?"
Sirius nodded, looking as though he'd been struck by an epiphany, "Oh yeeeeeeeeah!" He exclaimed. "Annabelle!" He hollered, bounding up to Lily and her two friends. A petite, blue-eyed girl turned around, her brown curls bouncing on her shoulders.
"Yeah Sirius?" Annabelle Watson asked, smiling, her dimples deepening in each cheek.
"Are you gonna make it easy for me to guess who you are before the project's due?" The black haired boy asked, winking playfully at her.
Annabelle laughed, "I don't know Sirius. I think maybe I should make it hard. Don't you think?" She asked, an expression of mock innocence fluttering across her pixie-like features. She was the smallest of the group, and by far the most impish. A playful personality, great sense of humour, and sharp tongue made her Sirius' favourite of Lily's friends to talk to.
Sirius sighed, "Oh please fair Lady Annabelle, tell me what thine name shall be?" He grinned, his grey eyes teasing. Annabelle swatted his arm.
"Don't call me Lady Annabelle! How many times do I have to tell you that?" Annabelle growled, her lips pursing into a fake frown of disapproval.
Susannah Blake rolled her large brown eyes. "Pathetic," She groaned. Combing a small hand through her blonde, chin length hair, she smiled at Remus as he walked over to her, preferring to stay out of the way when Sirius and Annabelle were at it.
"You said it," Remus agreed, his amber eyes twinkling. "Those two never stop, do they?" He said as he watched Sirius and Annabelle bicker childishly with parental amusement. Susannah shook her head, her golden bangs tumbling across her face.
Susannah was quiet. Though definitely opinionated, she knew how to hold her tongue, unlike Lily and Annabelle. She was tall, but not as tall as Lily, who was 5'7. She was comfortable with her position in the middle. Not as impertinent as Annabelle, not as proper as Lily.
Remus chuckled, peering down into her face. "You're short." He teased. "I'm 5'10, but somehow I nearly have to bend over to see your lovely eyes."
Susannah blushed, and then said indignantly, "I'm five foot five I'll have you know! Annabelle is only 5'2, and Lily's 5'7. I'm not that short." She retorted, "And what if you're just insanely tall?"
"I'm not though. Sirius is 6'1, and James is six foot even," Remus answered. He pulled her close to him in a hug, and she rested her head against his chest.
"Yeah. You're right. I'm not short though," Susannah insisted, brushing her long bangs out of her eyes. Remus chuckled, and pulled her closer to him.
Susannah grinned, and wriggled out of Remus' arms. "C'mon, we've gotta control them," She said, motioning to the now half-wrestling Annabelle and Sirius. James had been cheering for Sirius, while Lily told Annabelle she could get in trouble, while still telling her best friend to kick Sirius' butt.
Remus nodded, and the two strode over to Annabelle and Sirius.
"You two finally decided to join us!" Lily exclaimed. James watched, rapt, as she tossed her long wavy hair over one shoulder. Susannah nodded, and grabbed Annabelle's wrist, pulling her away from Sirius, whose neck her hands had been mockingly strangling. Remus took hold of Sirius' shoulders, and yanked him from Annabelle, who he had been girlishly kicking in the shins.
"Stop you two!" Susannah admonished, before being playfully tickled by the squirming Annabelle. "Stop!" She gasped between peals of laughter, trying to regain her composure. As it so happened, Susannah was VERY ticklish. Sirius exchanged a mischievous grin with Annabelle, and the two pinned Susannah to the castle wall, while she writhed with laughter.
James and Lily watched, James cheering them on, Lily looking rather condescending.
"Stop, you'll get us in trouble. It's bad enough that you lot are friends, which means I see a lot more of him. I see enough of him because for some reason he made Head Boy," Lily scolded, motioning to James, "But you're going to get us in trouble!"
Sirius released Susannah's wrists, and turned to Lily, "Sorry Evans." He grinned, and turned to Annabelle, who grinned right back at him.
"I suppose she's upset because Susannah and Remus snog in broom closets," Annabelle said, stroking her chin knowingly.
"Or that we're like brother and sister," Sirius added, imitating Annabelle's gestures.
"That could be it," Annabelle agreed.
"Or both!" Sirius exclaimed. Annabelle nodded, and everybody burst out laughing at the antics of their friends.
"Fine," Lily grumbled, after catching her breath. "I suppose it won't kill me. As long as I don't have to talk to Potter more then necessary," she added, jerking her thumb in the direction of the rather putout looking bespectacled boy.
Sirius whooped in celebration, and he and Annabelle preformed some sort of ritual victory dance. "We beat her! We beat her!" Annabelle was chanting, kicking her legs up in the air, despite the fact that she still sported her black skirt from her school uniform.
"Have you noticed we're the only ones left in the halls?" Remus noted quietly.
"We're probably the only ones left wearing our full uniforms too," Susannah pointed out.
Annabelle and Sirius immediately stopped their dance. "WHAT!" The hollered in unison, before Sirius proclaimed a race to the Gryffindor tower.
Annabelle and Sirius took off, Sirius taking Annabelle piggyback. Susannah and Remus exchanged a grin, and then ran, trying to catch up. "I get enough exercise, I don't need your help," Susannah informed Remus, as she did everyday when they raced.
James shot a glance at Lily, who appeared to be struggling between rules and fun. He took off, and turn back before turning the corner to see Lily sprinting down the halls, her skirt fluttering about her knees.
"We win!" A very un-exhausted Annabelle exclaimed, while Susannah leaned against the wall, panting. Lily was sitting on the floor, trying to catch her breath. James on the other hand, was holding an animated conversation with the Fat Lady, while they waited for Remus, who had been accosted by Professor Flitwick.
Sirius laughed, "It should be I win." Annabelle punched him playfully, before Lily exclaimed,
"Remus!" All heads turned to see the tawny haired boy jogging towards them, a frown etched into his features.
"What's wrong Moony? Did Flitwick let you off?" Sirius asked anxiously.
"Of course," Remus said indignantly, "What are you lot doing out here?"
"Waiting for you," Lily replied promptly. She muttered the password, "Kneazle Tooth" under her breath, and the portrait door swung open. Sirius bounded in, and flopped down in an empty red armchair, knocking a third year girl to the floor.
"Sirius!" Annabelle scolded, helping the girl to her feet, before perching on the arm of Sirius' chair, her feet propped up on the arm of the red couch next to the chair.
"I'm going up to change," Lily informed them, skipping up the stairs. Susannah followed her. Annabelle glanced down at her clothes, frowning critically, and then followed them up.
"That's a good idea!" Sirius said, charging up the stairs, Remus close behind. James shrugged, and loosened his tie.
"No way am I changing." He muttered, unbuttoning the first couple buttons of his crisp, white shirt. He flung his robes over the other arm of the couch, and stretched out on the couch, waiting for his friends.
Annabelle flounced down the stairs first. James snorted upon seeing her outfit.
"Come on Belle, it's nearly the eighties! Two more years." He informed her, surveying her vivid orange shorts, yellow and pink t-shirt, and bare feet. She merely grinned lightly, and sat rather primly in the seat formerly occupied by Sirius, who incidentally was the next to come back to the Common Room, sporting a simple pair of rather tight (for a guy) jeans, and a red dress-shirt, the first two buttons undone.
"Scooch over Annabelle," He ordered, squeezing in next to her so they shared the over-large armchair.
James frowned, "Moony, I thought at least you would be too lazy to change, not trying to look good for the girls, unlike Padfoot." He said, motioning to Padfoot, as Remus followed Sirius into the Common Room, a pair of looser jeans and a white t-shirt being his chosen 'week-end' clothes.
James' breath caught in his throat as Lily came down the stairs, talking to Susannah. She'd clipped her red hair up in a ponytail, a white rose tucked into the elastic. A green t-shirt hugged her torso, while jeans hung from her rather non-existent hips. Susannah, always being the most feminine, had dressed in a soft pink skirt that floated around her ankles in a soft cotton, while a white peasant blouse curved around her shoulders.
"You look great Susie," Remus informed his girlfriend, as she sat in his lap, realizing there were no free seats in the 'Marauder' corner, as they had so adeptly dubbed the grouping of two chairs, a couch and a small table.
James frowned as Lily, noticing that the only other spot for her to sit was on the couch with James, stretched out on the rug, leaning against the table. "Well, I'm going to start on my Muggle Studies assignment," She said, trying to spur the others into remembering the rather fun project planned.
"Yeah! Me too!" Sirius and Annabelle exclaimed in unison, before high-fiving each other. Sirius pulled out his wand, and said the incantation taught to them by the Muggle Studies teacher, Professor Montgomery. He tapped the little black screen he had whipped out along with his wand, and the screen showed the words 'Hogwarts Instant-Messaging'.
Everybody followed suite, but then cheating and peeking happened, causing Lily to order them all to go to their dormitories.
-ooo-
Coat-rack: Hello
Tigerxeyes: Hi Coat-rack: how are you?
Tigerxeyes: Good, you?
Coat-rack: pretty good.
Tigerxeyes: That's great. What're you doing?
Coat-rack: talking on this really cool Hogwarts IM thing Dumbledore set up.
Tigerxeyes: Yeah. I'm studying too. Big Charms exam coming up.
Coat-rack: yeah. I'm in newt's charms too.
Tigerxeyes: Really? I'll see if I can spot you on Monday.
Coat-rack: I bet I'll find you first. :P
Tigerxeyes: Well, I have to go.
Coat-rack: Bye!
Tigerxeyes has signed off
-ooo-
Pixie: Hey
Hogwarts-stud: hey, lovely lady
Pixie: tehe, what's up?
Hogwarts-stud: I'm great, I'm talkin' 2 u
Pixie: oh stop Sirius
Hogwarts-stud: how'd u know it was I, Belle?
Pixie: because you're you…how'd u know it was I?
Hogwarts-stud: well, that was easy…we'll sure have tons of fun on this, won't we Annabelle dear?
Pixie: we certainly will Sirius darling
Hogwarts-stud: I must go…James is yelling his head off
Pixie: bye Sirius!
Hogwarts-stud: bye Belle
Hogwarts-stud has signed off
Pixie has signed off
-ooo-
Sunflower: Hello
Blackbymoonlight: Hello, Miss
Sunflower: How are you?
Blackbymoonlight: I'm okay, what about you? Are you enjoying the project?
Sunflower: I'm great. Yes, I think it's really fun. I just wish I knew who my friends were.
Blackbymoonlight: Well, my friends have distinct personalities, I'm sure I'll find them soon.
Sunflower: Yeah, my friends are pretty crazy, I'll figure out who they are soon, hopefully.
Blackbymoonlight: You don't sound too confident.
Sunflower: Well, my best friend is a prefect, she's really clever, and she'll be good at disguising herself. My other best friend…well, she'll spend all her time talking to any boy on the online list.
Blackbymoonlight: That's all right though. We're supposed to use this to make new friends.
Sunflower: You're right. Will you be on later; I need to go…my dorm-mates want me to go down to dinner.
Blackbymoonlight: Yeah sure, I'm going to dinner too. Bye Sunny!
Sunflower: Sunny, that's cute. Bye…hmm…I'll call you…Black? Yes, Black.
Blackbymoonlight: Haha, you have no idea how ironic that is. Bye.
Blackbymoonlight has signed off
Sunflower has signed off
-ooo-
"Hurry up Lily! The boys are waiting!" Annabelle yelled, running a brush through her chestnut curls. Lily frowned, and tied her running shoes.
"Okay, I'm ready," Lily conceded, flipping her red hair over one shoulder. "You coming Susie?" She asked, holding her hand out to help the blonde girl off her bed.
Susannah grinned, and took Lily's hand, pulling herself up. "Of course," she answered, hiking up her pink skirt as she, Lily, and Annabelle bounded down the stairs. Annabelle tripped on the third stair, and flew into the air. She found herself caught by a pair of two strong, muscular arms.
"Thanks…James?" Annabelle said, looking questionably up into the face she had thought to be Sirius'. James grinned, and set her on her feet. "Let's go to dinner!" She cried out, seconded by Sirius' hearty 'hear hear'. Annabelle, Sirius and James set off in the lead, Annabelle flanked by the boys, creating a very amusing scene. Susannah and Remus followed, holding hands, with Lily bringing up the rear, her nose in a book.
Taking their seats at the Gryffindor table, the six turned their attention to the food-laden table, which was quivering under the weight of platters of roast chicken, Caesar salad, and soups of all sorts. The boys immediately began to shovel great scoops of food onto their plates, Annabelle doing the same. Susannah watched, half fascinated, half disgusted, before picking at the salad on her plate. Lily had not even noticed there was food on the table, as she was immersed in her book.
"Lily! Food!" Annabelle cried out, flicking Lily's skull. Lily's head snapped up, and she reluctantly placed her book under her seat, rubbing her head.
"That hurt Belle," Lily complained as she spooned great ladlefuls of cream of cauliflower soup into a bowl. "James," She said stiffly, "We have rounds to make tonight." James nodded, before dropping his head behind his heaping plate again.
James and Sirius finished first, Remus seconds after. Annabelle finished right after, to Sirius' taunts. Susannah was still picking at her half-finished salad when Lily finished ten minutes later.
"Hurry up Susie!" Sirius begged, "I want to go back to the Common Room." He began whining rather dog-like. Susannah grinned and began to eat properly. "Let's go!" Sirius bellowed, scooping the rather slow, reading Lily up over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Sirius Black," Lily hissed, "if you don't put me down, I will give you detentions until June." Sirius looked appalled for a moment, but then laughed.
"Lily dear, it's only the second week of September!" Sirius protested.
Lily gave a well-aimed kick to Sirius' gut. "Ha!" She exclaimed as Sirius let go of her as he keeled over, clutching his well-toned stomach.
"How mean!" Sirius gasped, standing up. Lily only smiled sweetly, clutching her book. She flounced to the front of the little band, to talk to Annabelle.
"He's SO annoying!" Lily said, combing her long red hair with one hand.
"Sirius isn't that bad. James isn't either, you should give him a second chance." Susannah said reasonably as she linked arms with Lily, who automatically linked arms with Annabelle, who nodded her agreement. "James has really grown up. He doesn't hex anybody anymore. Well, besides Snivelly, but who did I catch jinxing him last Thursday?"
Lily had the grace to look abashed, before shaking her head and saying, "No way. James Potter will never grow up. He's an immature, whiney prat who should never of become Head Boy!" She exclaimed.
"Oh…" Susannah whispered as James pushed past them, his expression unreadable. He disappeared somewhere up the corridor, and was not in the Common Room once they got there.
"Check the Dorm." Annabelle ordered Sirius, who 'Aye Ayed' and took off up the stairs, returning moments later to say he wasn't there, but that his broom was missing. Lily glanced out the window and noticed the stormy purple-black sky, the rain beating down upon the muddy Quidditch field, and the periodic claps of thunder marked by flashes of lightening.
"Oh no," Lily breathed.
There you guys have it. My first chapter of what will be my LONGEST fic. I didn't want to start it where Lily finds out, then throws a fit. You know, at the beginning of September, where she finds out James is Head Boy. So yeah. Read and REVIEW!