Of Journal Entries and Gravy

Elle had always figured that journals were overrated, writing thoughts down didn't make them go away, if anything, they made them more solid. That, and you just don't write down your secrets for everyone to read, especially in Slytherin house, but Lily and Katy had gone in together and bought a nice leather bound journal that was spelled to be gibberish to anyone but her. She'd set quill to parchment as soon as she had it, figuring that she was just being polite, but then she was hooked.

Curled up in her dorm, enjoying the solace of a free period, she wrote.

Dear Me,

It's been a while. I still haven't broken it off with Alan, which is infuriating because the only time I can find him is when he's with his mates, or wants to snog (and probably more than that). I keep thinking that I can get him to talk, but it's looking more and more like I'll have to just say it, which is not what I want to do, but I might have to.

Sirius isn't helping either.

He's gallant, and sweet, and charming. He does everything right.

And he's my friend. And I want more than that. There. I said it.

The others, Katy, Lily, James, and Remus, they all say he looks like a lost puppy when I'm not around, and that he probably likes me, like that.

That, of course, makes me feel like I went flying without a broom.

Alan was nice, but he doesn't care about me, for me. I'm a status symbol for him, something pretty to hang on his arm. That's not what I want in life.

I want to do things, see places, meet people, and right now, I want all of that with a certain silver eyed goofball.

We've all been friends since first year, before we were even on the train. I was still on the platform, and my Mum was talking to one of her old friends and minding my brother when my trolly wheel got stuck in a rut. Some girl, a third year at the time, ran smack into me, sent my trolley to toppling over, and my trunk to bursting open. She sneered, and said something about watching where I was going, walked across my clothes, and got on the train.

I was furious, near the point of tears, when Sirius and James came over to help me. My mum hadn't noticed anything yet, and so we three started to repack my trunk. Sirius smiled all wide, and offered his hand, helping me stand once everything was back as it should be. "I'm Black, Sirius Black, and this is James Potter." I said hello, and thanked them. Mum finally made herself disengage from her friend, and see me on the train itself. I ended up sitting with the two of them, and Remus, after a bit.

There was a hiccup when I got sorted into Slytherin, and the three of them into Gryffindor, but it didn't last long, mainly because I personally punched Severus Snape for being a prat to James, during Transfiguration. In that moment, scrawny eleven year old me rose to god-like status to those boys, and the rest is history.

Lily and I became friends fairly soon after, bonding over being girls and smart, though she was a right swot back then, even compared to Katy, who's a Ravenclaw through and through.

With Lily's help, I made my peace with Snape (though the boys loathe that fact) and help keep the boys distracted so they leave him alone.

Anyway, it's getting close to my next class, and I don't want detention.

Elle

Dear,
whoever is reading this and shouldn't be

Well, I thought that only girls had journals and diaries, but I needed something to do, as well as a place to write my thoughts. They're all jumbled up in my head, especially when Elle comes around. I think James would tease me more, except for that he knows better by now.

Elle is actually the one who suggested that I get this blasted book. I'd decided to just come out and tell her everything, but she looked at me. The sun caught her hair, the wind swirled her skirt and robes, and I forgot how to speak. She turned, laughing at something that she'd seen, but I only saw her.

"So what were you wanting to tell me?"

And I couldn't form words, my tongue may as well have been cut out of my mouth, for all the good it did me. Even if I had been worth a single knut for speech, my brain had escaped entirely, and the only thought I could process was "My god, she's beautiful."

Her nose scrunched up like it does when she's trying not to laugh at you, and she winked. "McGonagall got your tongue?"

Ever so eloquent, I finally regained the ability to speak. "My brain won't tell me how to say it. It's all jumbled."

"You need a journal."

So I got a journal.

Speaking of which, James better never find this. The place I got it at didn't have any plain bound journals. Mine has fairies on it.

Anyone who sees it will laugh their bums off, and my reputation will never be the same. I'll be known as fairy boy. Good God, help me.

Sirius
-

A week had passed with little to denote it's passing, other than the never ending stream of homework. Double divination was droning on, and the professor was either completely oblivious, or was perfectly happy that two thirds of his class were currently sleeping.
Sirius woke with a start as the professor said something extremely loud about the pattern of the stars in combination with dates, near fervorous with excitement. Shaking his head, the teen checked his watch and saw that there was still an hour and a half to go until D.A.D.A.. Deciding that there was no point in going back to sleep with the professor nearly shouting, he pulled out a sheet of parchment and began to sketch. After doing a couple of mountain scenes, he turned to his favorite thing to draw. He had tons of sketches of her in his trunk, but he never showed them to anyone. He supposed that it was a bit… stalker-ish of him to draw her while she was asleep, but it was the only time he could get her to stay still for more than five minutes.
As he thought about how pretty Elle was, he felt his stomach drop out, and start doing gymnastics at the realization that she was VERY close to him.

Every time Elle would give him a piercing gaze with her eyes that would turn from a hazel to a deep blue green when she got mad, he felt compelled to do something, anything to keep her looking at him. He tried to steal a peek at her face to be sure she was still asleep, only to find it hiding beneath her unruly, raven, shoulder length hair. It was the one part of her that she detested, but he loved it.

Michelle… She was perfect for him. Any girl he'd dated had to measure up to her, and all of them fell short somehow. She never asked if you thought she was fat, she wore very little makeup, and only slightly figure fitting clothes; never anything too revealing. Personally, he loved how the school uniform looked on her, but she thought the skirt was too short. As a compromise with the school, she wore black, green, cream, or maroon leggings under it. She was absolutely perfect.

She was also a challenge. Girls all over Hogwarts would grovel at his feet, and do anything to be his girlfriend. Fan girls were a joke, they didn't really care about him, or he about them. Elle could tell when something was wrong, and when he needed to be alone. When he needed someone to talk to, he could turn to her, but the one thing he couldn't tell her was the one thing he wanted to tell her the most. Finally, Sirius had finished the picture. Looking at it, he admired the detail he was able to put in. As it was a picture of the back of her head, he had tried to make the hair as natural as possible.

It was really quite good.

He was putting away his art things when he saw a note that someone had apparently passed to him. Assuming that it was for him, and likely from some twit that thought they were meant to be, he tucked it into his pocket not noticing that it was addressed "To Elle, From Lily". Had he looked over at the redheaded girl, he would have seen all of the colour drain from her face.

He was thinking about the great mysteries of life, like what was for lunch, when the bell finally rang.

He didn't want to wake Elle up, but he couldn't let her get detention, though with how much she was napping in class, he could almost have guaranteed she wasn't getting much sleep in her dorm.
While asleep and unguarded, the girl looked innocent, angelic almost, which was comical, really. She was a Slytherin for a reason.

He knew very well that if you got her mad it was very likely that you would get a swift kick in the groin. He let out a soft sigh and began to shake her elbow. "Elle... Elle... He looked anxiously at his watch and started to pack her bag. After the first warning bell rang, he shook her again.

"Elle... Elle..." Someone was shaking her.

Why couldn't they go away?She was comfortable.

No... Wait... She wasn't. Her back felt like she had been hunched over for much too long.

Damn.

"What, Sirius?" she said sleepily.

"We're going to be late for D.A.D.A.," Sirius replied, edging away in case she lashed out at him.

Jumping up with a start, she grabbed Sirius' arm, twisting it oddly to see his watch. Seeing that they only had ten minutes to get down four floors, she frantically looked for her messenger bag.

"Shite! Where the Bloody Hell is it?" swearing, and nearly scattering books, a crystal ball, and several other divination tools, she looked around, spastic.

Silently Sirius held it out to her, already packed. Disregarding the customary 'thank you' she kissed his cheek, grabbed his hand again and pulled him out the door, and down the silver staircase, racing to make up for their lost time. Sirius barely had time to recover from her sleep induced act, before the final warning bell went off. They had about five minutes to get from here, of all places, to the third floor. They had to hustle.

" Merlin's Arse! Come on!" she cursed, and took off running... The wrong way.

" Michelle, let me," Sirius plead calmly.

He led her to a tapestry and pulled it aside to reveal a passage, with Elle standing for a moment with her mouth agape in surprise.

" Well? To quote you, ' Merlin's Arse! Come on!'" he mocked, smirking.

He grabbed her hand again and led her in, pulling her along the tunnel until she could see light, and she saw that they were actually there with a moment to spare. Anxiety gone with a rush of relief, she reveled in the fact that she and Sirius were holding hands, finger interlaced, and palms together, his thumb stroking the top of her hand absentmindedly.
The two exited the secret passage, and made to let go of her hand, but was a few seconds too late. James Potter had seen them.

Elle's step faltered, realizing that they were about to walk into a group of people, holding hands, openly. Sirius never broke stride, however, leading her straight to the classroom door, and sweeping her a perfect pureblood bow, kissing the very tips of her fingers before releasing the bewildered witch. "And as promised, on time. Have faith, good woman, when I promise something, it will happen if I must move time and space itself."

James laughed loudly, slapping Sirius on the back, taking up his cue. "Rescuing beautiful witches from the horror of detention, mate?"

Sirius grinned in reply, and bowed once again, "Only the fairest maidens in the land, good friend." "The fairest! Then I must claim her for myself! Think of me fondly fairest Lily, though I go into another's arms." James threw his arm against his forehead, before sweeping Elle into a dip, making a joke of caressing her face with sick adoration. Sirius, fell to his knees with a theatrical sob, and scooted over to Lily with an effort, clutching her hand in his. "Fair Lily, look not upon those traitorous loves- let us mend our hearts in each other's arms, sorrow healing sorrow, that we might grasp some small happiness."

"No." was the curt reply, though a wry smile followed as Sirius clutched at his heart with a wail, just in time for the door to open.

The students filed into the classroom, most snickering at the impromptu show, and settled in for the lesson.

Defense was uneventful but for the moment Pettigrew had accidentally set fire to the professor, earning himself a detention that evening.

As soon as class let out, Sirius walked with Elle to lunch and managed to convince her to sit at the Gryffindor table, a small silver and green speck among the sea of red and gold. Elle's half brother, Roni, an oddly artistic Hufflepuff dropped by to hug his sister, on his way to his own house table and friends.

Remus, Lily, and James came traipsing through the hall, and upon sitting, the boys began to grab food off various plates, not really caring what or how much it was. It was simply revolting. With a look of disgust, Elle caught Lily's eye, and they both nodded. In unison they pulled out their wands and cast.

Immediately, none of the boys could put food in their mouths. When the food went to their mouths, it just, wouldn't go in. Though, James and Sirius being stubborn as they were didn't stop, and continued to try different methods of stuffing their faces, even resorting to try and sneak up on their own mouths. Remus had realized what was happening, and had the decency to look properly ashamed until Lily took pity and removed the curse, allowing the poor boy to eat.

Every time the other two would try to put food in though, it would simply bounce off. Most times falling onto their plates again, but as Newton's third law said, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Becoming frustrated, Sirius tried to throw some mashed potatoes into his mouth, but it was all in vain. The force of the spell sent the food flying over everyone's heads to land on professor McGonagal's plate, though sadly it didn't stop. Once landing it continued forward, giving their head of house a mashed potato refining mask. Everyone looked up at the Professor's table. Dumbledore stood up slowly, glancing at Professor McGonagal's still shocked face. After a few seconds his clear, calm voice rang out.

"Well, I believe that the people responsible should not be punished, after all it was an accident. However, I now declare everyone the rest of the day's classes cancelled, to clean up from what is about to happen. FOOD FIGHT!"

Complete and utter pandemonium broke out as Dumbledore threw a glob of cream corn in Professor Slughorn's direction with eye-opening accuracy. Lily and Elle took the spell off the boys, letting them eat at last. Though they showed an amazing ability to shove food into their faces and throw it at the same time. Laughing, Elle watched Sirius lob a chicken leg at a person trying to take aim at him.

"Why do we put up with you Sirius?" asked Elle as she shook her head in exasperation.

Sirius swallowed an extremely large bite of mashed potatoes and replied, "Because you lurve me?"

Elle smacked the back of his head, then gave him a hug, causing Sirius to freeze in a combination of elation and fear. Aware of their audience, he pulled away blushing, as Elle did the same. James, seeing his chance, decided to rain on the awkward moment, with pumpkin juice and gravy.

(A.N. Thank you for reading the second chapter of this piece! Feel free to leave me reviews- I do make an attempt to reply to them. Love and smooches-

Dahlia Aed)