"Nessa hurry up!" I heard the two Marauders yell up the stairs in unison. I sighed. I had been at the Potter's house and care for two weeks and they have yet to get rid of me.
Yesterday, Charlus took me to Hogwarts early to get sorted into a house. The hat yelled, "Gryffindor!" Before it, even went all the way on my head. James and Sirius were very happy and made a huge deal about it; I just glared at them and stomped up stairs to my room, but not without saying thanks to Charlus.
The two Marauders had gotten on my nerves and kept trying to get close to me, but I won't let them, and I had to put on the mean Vanessa act, but they wouldn't get the message to leave me alone, or they did and just tried a lot more to annoy the shit out of me. It got to the point where I didn't acknowledge them. If I did I was rude and hurtful. It worked on James and he sometimes backed off, but Sirius just smiled and kept trying, pretending he didn't hear me or did and just didn't care.
Some days I slipped up and was regular old Vanessa they first met, laughed at their jokes or their silliness, smiled, talked a little, and was a lot nicer, but then one of them would say something to remind me that I couldn't get close or them to me and I let back mean Vanessa, full claws out. I didn't like to but when they left me or broke my heart it would hurt me a little less. It was getting harder to be mean in the last few days and I slipped up more. I was also getting this weird feeling around Sirius that made me even harsher around him, that of course didn't work on him. He seemed to notice my little act and it made me angry that he did. I went to the bathroom a lot and came out with a lot more scars on my arms.
One day Sirius even asked me why I always wear long sleeves and my ratty old jean jacket or black hoodie every day, while I in the Potter library at the time. I glared at him and asked harshly, "Why does it concern you what I wear and what I don't?" I didn't wait for an answer. I just slammed the book I had and marched out of the room. I hate doing things like that.
I glanced in the mirror before I left and saw a girl with dark auburn hair and sad, weird looking purple blue eyes in it. I sighed again and shut the light off, then closed the bathroom door behind me. I went over to my bed and grabbed my jean jacket and put sunglasses on.
I then headed down stairs. James was looking nervous and excited at the same time. I knew the reason he wanted to go so quickly was that his cousin wrote him a letter that his dear, Lily Evans, would be at Diagon Ally today getting her supplies also. His cousin knew this because she is one of Lily's best friends, who was meeting up with Lily today. Sirius smiled at me and put an arm around my shoulders.
"Took you long enough, love." He smirked. I pulled away from him.
"Don't call me that." I said glaring at him. He laughed.
"Whatever you say,love." He replied.
I rolled my eyes and muttered, "I hate you" under my breath.
"I heard that, love." Sirius said chuckling. I made sure Dorea and Charlus weren't looking and flipped him the bird.
James laughed, and then said to his parents, "Can we leave now?" Mr. and Mrs. Potter nodded. James went to the fireplace and Flooed to Diagon Ally.
Sirius gestured a hand and said, "After you." I glared at him and Flooed to Diagon Ally after James.
After everyone was there I told Dorea and Charlus, I was going to get my things myself. Charlus smiled at me and gave me some money. I told him thank you and headed to the book store to get my book list and maybe more books not on the list. After a while had had everything I needed so I went to the ice cream shop. I sat at the table in the back, eating death by chocolate ice cream, my favorite. When James, Sirius, another boy I didn't know and two girls I also didn't know entered the shop.
"Shit." I mumbled. Every time I feel relaxed and don't have to pretend to be someone I hate being, they always come and ruin it. Sirius and James immanently saw me. They headed over and brought their friends with them. They pulled up chairs and surrounded me.
"What are you doing sitting all by yourself for?" James asked.
"To get away from you guys, but at last, I didn't try hard enough. I'll do better next time to avoid seeing you." I said and glared at him and Sirius.
"Don't go through all that trouble doing that, love." Sirius replied smirking.
"What do you want, dickhead?" I asked bitterly. I heard the two girls and the other boy sniffle laughs.
"You, love." Sirius replied without hesitation and smiled a dazzling smile that made my heart skip a beat.
"Never going to happen, dickhead." I said. He leaned forward a little.
"We'll see, love." He said, still smiling that smile. I lean forward were our faces were a few feet away, and he stiffened staring at my lips.
"Go to Hell." I said. I smiled a bitter sweet smile. His smiled didn't go away and if possible it looked a little more dazzling.
James and the others were holding their sides with laughter, and didn't notice that he was still smiling. I stood up and left the table and my ice cream.
On the way out I heard Sirius yell after me, "See you there, love!" I slammed the shop door behind me, the bell ringing harshly. I started walking away when I heard the shop door open and two pairs of footsteps running after me.
"Hey, wait up!" I heard a girl voice call after me. I turned around and saw the two girls running towards me.
"What?" I snapped.
"I just wanted to tell you that, you are the only one of the girls, other than Lily and I, ever heard that has ever talked to Sirius liked that or denied him. And it was very amusing." The one on the left said. She had curl black hair and dark blue eyes to match. She had on dark washed jeans, and a cool black Guns and Roses shirt. The one on the right had vibrant red hair that was in a messy pony tail, and almond shaped green eyes. She was wearing a plain white shirt and light jeans.
"Thanks…"I said surprised. The girl with the black curly hair held out her hand to me.
"I'm Jade. James's cousin and I honestly feel bad for you having to live with him and Sirius in the same house it must be awful. Now that I think about we're cousins too now." Jade replied.
"I'm Vanessa. I thank you for your concern, and give you my own for being 'actually' related to James; even if he's not as much as a dickhead as Sirius." I said. Jade laughed.
"And I'm Lily Evans." The red headed girl introduced herself.
"So you're the mystery, Lily. James can't seem to shut up about and it's very annoying sometimes. Its Lily is the most beautiful girl ever and I love how she blah, blah, blah. I'm going to marry her someday." I said mocking James's voice at the end. Lily blushed, while Jade laughed harder.
"I'm sorry that was rude, and mean. I shouldn't have said it." I said. I think it's alright to be normal Vanessa.
"It's alright. I didn't take it offensive. It seems Sirius has a great interest in you." Lily smiled at me.
"Only, because he can't have me." I replied.
'That's going to have to change.' I thought, 'I can't have him grow feelings and I can't allow myself to have any either.'
"Are you done shopping, yet?" Jade asked. I nodded.
"Well we have things we still need to get, do you want to come?" Lily asked.
"Sure." I said.
I spent the rest of the time in Diagon Ally with them, after a while we started talking like we've know each other forever. We were in Eeylops Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie and I was petting a black kitten while Jade got some medicine for her owl, Demon, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at the owner of the hand, still holding the kitten, to see Charlus, smiling at me.
"It's time to leave." he said.
I sighed and set the black kitten down sadly, petting its head goodbye. I think he might of seen my expression of sadness as I put the kitten down, as Charlus picked the kitten up and paid the witch at the counter. He handed the cat to me, after she was paid for. I took her, and then did something I thought I'd never do. I hugged him tightly. He was surprised at first then hugged me back, smoothing the back of my hair. I pulled away and turned to say goodbye to Jade and Lily.
"I'll write you and maybe we could meet up before we go to school." Jade said. Lily nodded.
"That'd be great. Bye you guys." I said and left the store with Charlus.
We arrived home and I ignored the two Marauders and told Dorea and Charlus that I was tired and going to bed. They let me go but looked uncertain about it. I headed upstairs petting the black kitten I decided to call Shadow.
Sirius and James followed but I slammed my door in their faces, locking it behind me. They knocked a few times and tried to come in, but I heard a little harsh words snapped at each other, then got the message for the first time ever, that I didn't want them near me.
I set Shadow on my bed while I put on a purple tank top and black shorts. Then I curled up in bed next to Shadow, her soft fur brushing against my bare, scared arms.
While I was falling asleep, I thought, 'I think maybe this time will be different from the others. There's only one way to find out.'
