Chapta 2! I don't own! Wheee!
About my characterization of Peter, well, I didn't think he should be a total loser. I think (no wait, I know) he just had no backbone and I've always felt that hanging around with Voldemort and the Death Eaters all that time only made him worse. So, yeah. But hey, if you don't like how I did it feel free to stop reading.
Brouhaha Chapter 2
"What the hell?!" Suzie yelled. "Wasn't it bright and sunny this morning?" Small hailstones shot down from the sky as students ran to the waiting carriages. "Come on!" Azzurra shouted. She took Suzie's hand and they ran through the mass of people to find a carriage before they were beaten to death by…
"These blasted ice goblins from the sky! They're here to pummel at us and gnaw small chunks of flesh off as they pass!" Maggie cried as she and Lily ran towards a carriage. Unfortunately they had lost Suzie and Azzurra in the crowds. "I think this one's free!" Lily yelled over the wind and hail. The two redheads jumped inside, panting and dripping. "You thought wrong Evans." a familiar voice said. "Potter?" Lily gasped out between ragged breaths. "Damn. Come on Maggie we've got to find another." "I don't see why." Sirius put in. "We've lost our comrades as well and it's not as if you really want to go back out there is it?" "Ah shut up Black. Why would we want ta stay here with you and that one?" Maggie said shaking hailstones out of her hair. Sirius looked at James, who was mouthing "That one" with an amused face on, before answering. "Because there are probably no other free carriages and you both look pretty ragged already." The girls turned to glare at him, but he simply gestured to the seats across from James and himself. Lily and Maggie looked at each other as if having a brief telepathic conversation and hesitantly sat down.
--
"Well," said James. "This is different." Lily shifted uneasily. Maggie had begun glaring at Sirius who had started to glare back.
Glare
Glare
Glaaare
Glaaaaare
Glaaaaaaare
Glaaaaaaaaaare
Glaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—Rubber-Band-Flick!—aaaaare
"OW! My eye!"
Maggie sat back in her seat smirking triumphantly. "Where'd the rubber band come from O'Reilly?!" Sirius asked clutching at his eye. Maggie just put her hands behind her head and closed her eyes. "Ah have ma ways." He stuck his tongue out at her. "Saw that." she said. "So, Lily," James said, trying to draw attention away from their friends' antics, "Did you have a good summer?" She eyed him suspiciously. "Yes," she said slowly, "I did. Why?" He shrugged. "Just a common courtesy question. Nothing more to it." He turned to stare out the window at the odd weather. Lily, left feeling incredibly awkward, closed her eyes and tried to focus on other things. "Merlin must be really cranky to send down—what was it Maggie said? Oh yeah -- ice goblins on us for our last year here." She sighed. Distracting herself was not working. "Why is he acting so different to us? It's almost as if he's being nice. Argh! My brain hurts!"
--Meanwhile—
"Remus! In here!" Peter yelled. Both boys leapt into a carriage before it pulled away. "Thank…gods." Remus panted. "Umm…" Peter and Remus looked up. Azzurra and Suzie were sitting in the carriage looking confused at the appearance of the two Marauders. "Well," Remus said, still not breathing quite right. "This is a bit…uhh…" "Awkward?" Suzie put in. "Well, yes. But do you mind? The carriages are leaving after all." Azzurra looked conflicted. "But Lily and Maggie…" "Are both smart and probably found another carriage." Remus said. "Alright, alright, fine." Suzie said. "You can stay. BUT! This does not mean anything. We are still sworn enemies" she finished with a glare. "Obviously." Peter muttered.
Suzie turned to look out her window, pointedly ignoring the two boys. Azzurra fidgeted uncomfortably. She glanced at the two boys. Peter was also staring blankly out his window, but Remus was looking irritably at the roof of the carriage. She felt a twinge seeing him upset, but that happened whenever she saw someone in pain. Her brothers used to tease her for caring so much about anyone and everyone, but her mother had always called her empathy a blessing. Right now it just made everything a little bit more awkward. "Um, Remus?" she asked tentatively. He looked at her curiously. "Are you okay? Um, that is, you just seem, uh upset." Azzurra stammered out. She blushed a little and looked down at her hands. "Yeah," he said slowly, wondering at her behavior. They were "sworn enemies" right? Then again, this one had always seemed to be the quietest. "Just tired." he finished. Her head shot up. "Is it because of…" she bit her lip. "Friday?" His eyes went wide. "What?!" he said. She gave him a look of half fright, half reprimand. She leaned forward. "Shh!" she whispered. "Listen, if I know Suzie, she's completely out of it now, but still keep it down!" "What do you mean Friday?" Remus asked suspiciously. She looked a bit nervous. "I know." she said softly. He tried to play dumb. "Know what?" She looked a bit frustrated now. "Don't make me say it here! But Friday's the full moon, right? I know!" He sat back in total shock. His mind was reeling. "Someone knew! She knew! What would happen to him now? How could she know? Who else might know?" She began to whisper hurriedly, "I haven't told anyone! But we've been prefect partners for a while now and naturally I figured it out! But please don't be mad! I haven't told anyone, not even the girls! I won't tell, but well…" she slowed down her rapid speech. "Yeah, I know. Just so you know." She finished off quietly. The carriages began to slow and Suzie snapped out of her reverie. "Almost there." she said as they rolled to a halt. Suzie and Peter got out and ran for the doors, but Remus caught Azzurra's arm. "We'll need to talk later." he said. She nodded. What other reaction would she expect? Of course he would want to discuss this further. She should never have dropped a dungbomb like that on him without any warning. Maybe she shouldn't have even said anything at all! How could she be so stupid?! She probably made him feel terrible! Oh, how could she be so insensitive?! Why- "Hey 'Zura! You just gonna sit there all day? Come on! These hailstones are taking chunks of me with them!"
Azzurra looked out at Suzie who was standing with her robe pulled partially over her head. "I- Sorry Suzie. I'm coming!" She hopped out of the carriage and ran to the doors of Hogwarts with her friend.
--
As the carriages were pulling up to the gates, Maggie put her head out the window to get a better look. "Geez O'Reilly, you act as if you never saw Hogwarts before." Sirius said. She poked her head back inside just long enough to stick her tongue out at him. "She always does that." Lily sighed. "Says that the castle looks a bit different each time and looking at it from the carriages is special." James nodded. "She's right. It is special. It's not like we're ever going to get to do this again anyway." The air seemed to thicken a bit at this sobering thought.
The carriages pulled to a short stop and Maggie almost fell out her window. "Help please!" she said. "Ah'm about ta fall out!" Lily jumped up to help her friend, tugging at her robes. "Lily, wait! I-" SPLOOSH! She had fallen out of her robes and the window onto the sodden ground. "Maggie!" Lily jumped out of the carriage, followed by a laughing Sirius and highly amused James. She was sitting on the ground clutching her head. "Good thing that was the last time!" she groaned. She turned to face the thestrals leading their carriage. "Ya tricky bastards! Ah know ye planned this! Ah've had ma eye on ye and this proves your wicked intentions!" Lily rolled her eyes and helped up her now damp friend. "You're not hurt are you?" "Not as far as I can tell. Shut up Black!" Sirius was still laughing. "Can't help it!" he chuckled, "You're something else! Great source of entertainment at least!" As she shrugged on her robes, Maggie brushed some mud off her skirt. "Fine, it might have been a bit funny from your point, but you try fallin' out of one of those windows and see how you like it!" Both girls headed towards the steps into the castle leaving behind two laughing boys. "Okay," said James, "Okay, come one Padfoot. We still have to find Moony and Wormtail before we get to the feast. Let's go."
Sorry about the short chapter, but I've gotta go away for a week and I had promised quick updates. I'm really sorry, but this will have to tide you over for a week. Thanks for reading! Please review, critique welcome. And don't worry the French toast and pigeons will come soon! ;)