Sorry it took me so long to update this story guys, I've just been having some doubts on how to continue it but here's what I have until now. I hope you like it and if not, don't hesitate to give any recommendations you may have on the reviews section. Thanks everyone! And sorry again for taking so long, enjoy.
Two days later Scout was lying on her bed when her roommate, Lily Evans, entered the room fuming. She crashed down into her bed and sighed loudly.
"Is everything alright?" Scout asked after a few minutes of awkward silence.
"It's just that bloody Potter won't leave me alone," Lily exclaimed. Her and Scout weren't really close but they got a long just fine, especially because they both liked to study.
"I could talk to him if you want, ask him to leave you alone you know," Scout offered as she walked over to Lily's bed and took a seat.
"You'd really do that?" she asked, hope evident in her voice.
"Yeah, I guess," Scarlett shrugged.
"You're Scarlett right?" Lily asked, playing nervously with her red hair.
"Yeah, but call me Scout, I don't really like Scarlett," she replied somehow shyly.
"Great, well I suppose I'll see you later then."
"Ok, bye," she got up and stopped with her hand on the door knob, "Should I tell him to back off completely or tell him to just take things down a few levels?"
"Tell him to fuck off, if you can," they both smiled and Scout left.
…
"So you offered to tell James Potter to 'fuck off' for Lily Evans?" Scout nodded, "You're truly are mental."
"Well I am your friend, I guess it does take some mental issues to do that," Jeremy frowned and gave her a fake glare.
"Ha ha, you're really funny," he deadpanned as he took a seat at the Gryffindor table and patted the empty space next to him.
"Wait a second, save me the seat I'll be right back," she said running to the other side of the table and stopping right behind Potter. She cleared her throat and smiled as he looked up. "Hey, um Lily asked me to give you a message…" she said somewhat awkwardly. Sirius scowled when he noticed who she was but Remus's smiled and gave her a little nod of acknowledgement.
"And what does my Lily-flower have to say?" James asked hopefully.
"Could I seat there for just a minute?" she asked pointing to the empty seat next to James, he nodded and she sat down. "Look, I don't know if you really like her or if this' just all a joke to you but if you really want to have a chance with her I would recommend you to back off for a little while and then maybe take things down a little."
"What did she really send you to tell me?" he asked knowingly.
"She told me to tell you to 'fuck off', her words not mine," Scout said sadly. She put her hand over his when she noticed he was looking sadly down at his plate and gave him an encouraging smile. "I honestly believe you would be a great couple, but you just need to think about what she likes and stop being so arrogant when you're around her."
James nodded and she started to stand. He quickly snapped his head up and grabbed her wrist, softly pulling her back down. The other three Marauders watched the interaction with curiosity and a hint of amusement.
"You can sit with us if you want, you don't have to sit alone anymore," Scout's expression darkened and she snatched her wrist out of his grasp.
"I do not sit alone, now if you'll excuse me my best friend is waiting for me," with that said she turned on her heel and left.
Jeremy gave her an amused smile but she just shot him a warning glare and started piling food into her plate. After a few minutes she felt like someone was watching her and her head snapped in the direction of James' friend, catching Black giving her a curious look, which later would turn into a smirk when he realized he'd been caught. She huffed and turned away, engaging in conversation with Jeremy.
"What do we have next, Jer?" she inquired.
"Potions, do you recall we have to sit with them again or was it just for that one time?" he questioned as they gathered their books and stood. They were almost out of the Great Hall when Scout felt a hand snake around her waist, pulling her backwards.
"Ready for two hours of sitting next to this?" Sirius said, motioning to his body with his free hand and smirking.
"Don't touch me, Black," she spat and slapped his arm away. "And to answer your other question, no I do not look forward to having to work with you when I could be working with Jeremy and getting a better grade, not to mention he is actually nice and not an arrogant prat." Her voice wasn't higher than her usual volume but her words were hard, Sirius stepped back and put a hand to his heart in a mocking manner.
"You hurt me, Scarlett," he said sarcastically, not really knowing she detested that name, seeing as that's the name she used when she introduced herself.
Noticing the way Scout's eyes narrowed and her cheeks flushed, Jeremy pulled her away gently. He knew how she could get when she was cross and it certainly wasn't something he wanted to see.
"Leave her alone," he snarled in Sirius' direction and then swiftly pulled Scout through the big door of the Great Hall. "Sky gave me this while you were talking with Potter, I think it's from Adrian since it has…" he didn't get to finish because Scout had already snatched the letter from him and was looking at the front anxiously.
"Do you think he's still mad at me, Jer?" she eyed the letter again as if expecting it to bite her hand or punch her in the face.
"Nah, you guys can never stay mad at each other for more than a few days, and that's a lot even," he smiled encouragingly and gave her a little nudge with his shoulder. "C'mon we need to get to potions, then you can decide if you want to open the letter and be a true Gryffindor or burn it and take out your Slytherin side."
"Ha ha, you're so funny Parker," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jeremy pushed the door of the potions classroom open and went to take his seat at the front as usual. Scout ignored him as he put his arm around her shoulders but rested her head on his shoulder anyways.
"Mr Parker I would appreciate if you could seat with Mr Potter again this class and for the remaining classes this year," Slughorn said cheerfully. "Miss Wright such a lovely girl, will you please stay at the end of the class, there is a topic I need to discuss with you," Scout nodded politely and gave Jeremy a small wave as he dragged himself unenthusiastically to the back of the class.
Sirius didn't say anything when he sat next to her, apart from his usual cocky greeting that never failed to show Scout how arrogant he was. They worked together on their potion, not really talking unless necessary. At the end of the class Scout walked quietly towards Slughorn's desk.
"You wanted a word with me, Professor," he looked up from his work and smiled.
"Of course, Miss Wright," he motioned for her to take a seat and she obliged. "I need to ask a big favour of you, would you be willing to help another student?" he asked, she nodded but gave him a cautious look.
"Help in what way, may I ask?"
"To study, of course!" he exclaimed. "I need you to tutor Mr Potter, I would ask Miss Evans or Mr Snape but we all know how that would turn out," he said fondly.
"And when would I have to do this?" she asked, already accepting to help one of her fellow housemates.
"I'll leave that to you and Mr Potter," he said standing from his desk.
"May I retire, Professor?" she asked respectfully.
"Yes, of course dear," he replied.
…
"Potter," James looked up from his book when he heard his name. There standing in front of him, was Lily's messenger from earlier that day. He was surprised to see her dark expression but decided to ignore it, figuring she had the right to be mad seeing as he had practically told her she was a loner after she tried to help him.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, ashamed that he didn't even know the girl's name.
"I'm Scarlett, but call me Scout," she said firmly. "Did Professor Slughorn inform you about his new arrangement?"
"No…" he said, slightly uncomfortable.
"Well, he wanted me to tutor you, you seem to be doing appallingly bad in potions."
He sighed and moved to the side, to make room in the couch for her. They discussed their schedules and finally settled for meeting at eight in the library two times a week. He was starting to make small talk when Sirius and Jeremy entered the common room and took a seat close to their respective friends. Scout moved lightly to the right, so she was facing Jeremy and blocking the two Marauders that sat only a few feet away.
"So, did you open his letter or do you need me to do it for you?" Jeremy asked in a laughing tone. She shook her head and pulled the letter out of her bag nervously.
"Having boyfriend problems, Wright?" Sirius said loudly.
She glared at him, "It's actually a letter from my brother, you moron," she snapped and opened the letter, moving instinctively closer to her best friend. Her eyes scanned the letter and a small smile spread across her face, her cheeks blushing a light pink as she looked up at him.
"So what does dear old Adrian have to say?" he asked amused. He knew they could never fight for more than a few days and he wondered why they even bothered getting mad at each other just to make up two seconds later.
"Should I summarize or read I for you?"
"Please read it, if you don't mind."
"Okay," she cleared her throat and lowered her voice slightly, in the hopes of avoiding the other two boys from listening.
"Dear Scout,
I know I said I was mad at you and that I would never forgive you for what you did. But considering I can't even remember why I'm angry in the first place, I've decided that more than three days without receiving a letter from you are enough. I would like you to forget we even fought and tell me everything that's happened since you arrived at Hogwarts. I'm going to be in Hogsmeade this weekend and I was hoping you could ditch Jerry boy for a couple hours and spend some quality time with your dear old brother.
Love always,
Adrian"
"I told you he wouldn't stay mad at you forever," Jeremy whispered joyfully. "Why does he insist on calling me Jerry?" he questioned aloud.
"You know Ade's always calling people names, besides that's how I used to call you when we were little remember?" she messed his hair warmly and laughed. Sirius snorted next to them and James kicked him.
"You have a problem, Black?" Scout barked.
"Yes, I do actually," his voice was cold but she could see something in his eyes, jealousy maybe, or grief. "I'm sure everyone would appreciate if you could keep your stupid letters to yourself," he sneered as she blushed.
"Well, if you don't want to hear them then you should stop eavesdropping on other people's conversations. Besides, it's not my fault you don't get any letters," she snapped coldly and marched to her room.
Sirius stared after her for a minute before shaking his head and heading back to his room. James and Jeremy stared at each other with their mouths hanging open.
"Huh, she has a temper, doesn't she?" James said timidly, trying to break the awkward silence.
"She does, you should see her when she gets truly mad," he laughed as he remembered how she had reacted when he called her gummy bear in front of her crush last summer. "Last summer she really liked this muggle guy that lived in our neighbourhood and I called her gummy bear in front of him. You should've seen her face, it turned such a lovely shade of red and she was practically steaming as she pulled me aside and literally pushed me into a pool," he started laughing again and James joined him.
"So she doesn't like gummy bears?" he asked after they had both calmed down.
"Oh no, she loves them, she just doesn't like being called one because that's how her brother called her when she was little," he smiled and added, "Lets just say she wasn't as slender as she is now." He got up and straightened his tie, "Well I should get going now, tomorrow's a Hogsmeade weekend and Scout has a thing for waking me up as soon as the sun rises."
"'Night, Parker," James said, standing up himself and following him up the stairs.
"Goodnight, Potter," he replied and closed the door of his room.
