James and Sirius saw E.J run out of the Great Hall, as soon as they looked up. The two boys left their breakfasts and ran after her. They found her on the stairs, in an angry yet depressed state.
"What happened to you?" James asked, as he and Sirius sat at either side of her.
"Nothing." E.J lied. "I'm just off."
"Well why are you off?" Sirius asked. "What happened?" E.J gave a small whimper.
"Okay… so- I walked into the Great Hall, and… Snape, makes this little block way. And its not like I'm not used to it. Its not even like I was scared. But- when I was gonna walk away, he said that I'd fail. Okay- big whoop- like I couldn't come up with the comeback in my sleep." she said. "Anyway- I said something… I don't even remember, but- he said that if I failed, I'd… it was really prejudiced."
"What did he say?" James asked, with no sign of a joke in his face.
"He said that if I failed, I'd have to go back to Puerto Rico, and be a prostitute like the rest of my 'worthless' people." E.J said, deadpan. "C'mon, guys- its not even that serious."
"E.J- it really is." E.J shook her head.
"No its not. I mean- its my fault that his hair is that way anyway. Lets think of this as payback." That remark was enough to make James and Sirius laugh.
"C'mon- hey, next week… at Hogsmeade, I'll get you a big cookie." James said, as he slung his arm around her shoulder.
"And I'll get you… something else that I know that you love." Sirius said. E.J laughed.
"Just don't tell Lily, alright? No matter what? Please don't." she pleaded.
"Why not?" James asked.
"Well- when they used to make fun of her weight, I used to pimp a speech about how it didn't matter. Now I'm running away every time he says something stupid… and- I just don't want her to know. Please?" James and Sirius nodded.
"Okay." they said in unison.
"Thanks."
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"James, what the hell happened?" E.J asked. She ran to him as soon as she got into the common room. He was sitting at a table with Sirius. James shook his head.
"Nothing." he said.
"So then why is Lily talking about you like- I don't know what?" James shook his head.
"We just got back at Snape for what he said to you. Its no big deal." he said. E.J looked at him.
"Well- why didn't you tell her why you did it?"
"You didn't want her to know, did you?"
"Jamie… tell her." James shook his head. "Why not?"
"Because, all of the stuff that she said had to have come from somewhere. E.J- she called me a toerag."
"Yeah, it wasn't pretty." Sirius said.
"C'mon- lets go tell her the truth." E.J said, as she pulled James out of the common room. Lily was giggling and chewing the end of a sugar quill, as she talked to Solomon Smith. E.J groaned, and risked a look at James. He looked more pissed than crushed.
"Okay- Solomon. Yeah, I'll see you then." Lily said, before she turned around, and saw them. She smiled at E.J. "Hey… I missed you today. Where were you?"
"Oh- I had to go see Dumbledore as soon as I was through." E.J said. "What were you talking to Smith about? Is he going to tutor you in Transfiguration?" Lily laughed, and shook her head.
"No, he's taking me to Hogsmeade." she said.
"Look Lilsy, maybe you shouldn't-" E.J started, before James pinched her. "Ouch, what the hell, Jamie?"
"Shouldn't what?" Lily asked. E.J looked at James and shook her head. As soon as Lily started to walk into the common room, E.J yelled,
"He only did it, because-!" James grabbed her arm and pulled her into the corner. "What the fu-" James covered her mouth.
"Look- I don't need your help." he said. E.J took his hand off of her mouth and twisted it, until James pinched her in the leg. Sirius just laughed, as he watched them interact. E.J had always been James' little sister, and they seemed to do everything to protect the other.
"Ouch." she said. "Okay- well, you're right. You don't need my help. That's why she's going out with the Smith."
"The what? What the hell is- the what?" James asked.
"That's what he calls himself. He'll go out with anyone. He's horrible… he once tried to tra-" E.J stopped talking, because of the look that James was giving her. "Point; he's a pig. He's really disgusting."
"What exactly did he do to you?" Sirius asked, as he looked at her. E.J rolled her eyes, then laughed.
"I took care of it." she said. "You see how his nose looks? You know- the bridge of it?" He and James nodded. E.J pulled her nunchackus out of her back pocket. Sirius laughed, and James rolled his eyes,.
"What did you do?" Sirius asked. E.J turned to him. All of a sudden, she whipped her nunchackus around his neck, and pulled his head down with them, almost slamming his face into her knee. She stopped by whipping her nunchackus back to herself, and skipping away from him. When she saw that he was recovering from the shock, she started to run. When she got to the common room, she ran backwards to the steps of the fifth year girls. Every time that Sirius advanced on her, she jumped backwards onto the steps. To taunt him, she jumped forward, and took two steps. She walked up two steps backwards. Finally, without thinking, Sirius rushed up the stairs, causing them both to slide down, and E.J to end up on top of him.
"Ouchie." she whined, while still on top of him.
"You know, for someone so small, you have a lot of oomph." Sirius said. They only looked up when someone cleared their throat. E.J looked up, and James was standing over them.
"I don't even want to know." James said, as he walked to the table where Lily was sitting. He sat down, and looked at her.
"What do you want, Potter?" Lily asked. James sighed.
"You." he said. "Look Lily, I'm really sorry. But you don't underst-"
"I understand perfectly clear. See- that's how you get off. You make other people feel horrible about themselves, and that's really pathetic. Potter, it doesn't matter to me how sorry you are. Because, whatever you have to say isn't anything that I care to he-"
"Lily, go out with me." James said. "You can decide once we go out on a real dat-"
"No." Lily said deadpan. "Not after seeing what you did to Severus."
"You mean the same guy that called you a you know what?"
"Look- yeah, he's a creep, but… so are you." Lily said. "You're shallow, and you think you're so hot just because you can catch the snitch. I'm not interested in going out with anyone who wants to use me as a piece for their perfect life."
"Lil-"
"Call me Evans." Lily said, as she walked away.
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That week, James asked Lily out forty nine times. She denied each offer, and grew angrier with each request. Soon, the last day of fifth year came. James was suddenly surrounded by girls more than usual. It seemed that since he was after Lily, they all had a sudden interest in him. Occasionally, a girl would walk up to him, and without warning, plant a big one on him. It seemed that the wrong thing was always happening when Lily was around.
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Sixth year came around in no time. In the last few months of sixth year, E.J, James, Sirius and Peter sat in the boys dormitories, as Lily and Remus were doing rounds.
"Jamie, maybe you should- I'm not saying give up, I'm just saying that maybe you should… stop messing with Snape." E.J said.
"When he stops messing with you, I'll stop messing with him." James said. E.J shook her head.
"Jamie, I can take care of myself. I- look, I know how much you fancy her. I don't want to be in the way of that."
"Look Prongs, I'll take care of Snape." Sirius said. E.J looked at him.
"Maybe you should both stop messing with Snape. I'm okay- its nothing serious." she said. "When I think about it now, I feel like I'm holding you back from being… I don't know, happy? I mean, Jamie, just tell her." she said.
"No- remember what grandma used to say about chips falling?" James asked. E.J nodded. "If it'll happen- if she fancies me at all, she'll come around." E.J looked at him.
"She's turning you into a girl." she teased. Sirius laughed, while James threw a pillow at her.
"E.J- you have to promise me that you won't tell her." James said. E.J looked at him and sighed, while nodding.
"Well- I have to go. You know… I have a paper to write for Slughorn, and… it has to be excellent, so… I'll be leaving now." E.J hopped up, and waked out of the room. Peter got up, and ran out after her. James looked at what he was wearing. He was wearing a clean shirt and pants, for a change. His hair was combed, and he looked like he'd bathed. James and Sirius looked at each other.
"What's going on with him?" Sirius asked. James shrugged.
"I have no idea." he said.
"Um… Prongs… I have- I have to ask you something." Sirius said. James nodded.
"What happened?" he asked. Sirius stared at his pillow, as spoke.
"I- um… how- would- um… I fancy…… how would you feel if- okay… so, there's this girl that I er-… a girl that I fancy. And… I- see- I fancy… Okay, Prongs… how would you feel if- how would you feel if I asked E.J to go to Hogsmeade with me?" he asked. When he looked up, James was looking at him like he was crazy. "What happened?"
"E.J? Mate, its E.J. Shelley asked you out, and you have to choose my cousin?" James asked. Sirius groaned.
"You went out with Bella." he said, suddenly. James looked at him.
"You don't even like her!" he yelled. "And now I know why. At least ask about dating Erica."
"Isn't she twenty-something?"
"That's not the point." James said. "What happens if you guys break up, or something? Then the whole group is messed up."
"The whole group is already messed up, because of you and Lily." Sirius said. "Look- its alright. I was just asking how you would feel… I was just- I was looking to give you a good laugh." Sirius gave a small chuckle, and the subject was dropped as soon as Peter walked into the room looking down and depressed. "Wormtail, what happened, mate?" Peter shook his head, and sat on his bed.
"Come on, Wormtail, what happened?" James asked. Peter shook his head, and lied down. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, 'cause- I'm here for you, mate." Sirius said. Peter didn't say anything. He just shook his head.
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The next morning Sirius, James, Peter and Remus ran into class late. McGonagall looked at them over her glasses.
"Well gentlemen, I'm glad that you could fit my class into your busy schedules." she said.
"You're a priority, Minnie." Sirius said, as he sat down across from James. McGonagall didn't crack a smile.
"Did I mention how ravishing you look today?" James asked, as a single rose sprouted from the tip of his wand. McGonagall gave a small smile this time.
"I'll be switching some seats, today." McGonagall said, as she looked at a clipboard. "Mr. Potter… you'll be with Ms. Evans." James had to catch himself from jumping ten feet in the air, as he heard this. He got up, and walked to Lily and E.J's table coolly. E.J looked at him, and laughed. "Ms. Potter, you'll be with Mr. Black." E.J walked over to Sirius, and gave a slight smile at how he was aligning his books for her. "Those are all the seats that I'll change today."
"Sirius, I- thank you… but- don't even try." E.J said, as she moved to his side, and aligned the books.
"You need a wizard shrink." Sirius said, as he watched her do this. E.J walked by him, and he caught a whiff of her scent. She smelled like coconuts. When she got to her side, she started to align her books with the corner of the table. Sirius's books and hers were far diagonal from each other.
"What were you saying?" she asked, after she was done. Sirius shook his head.
"Nothing." he said, before he flashed her his best charming, relaxed, laid back smile.
"Mr. Black, I'll ask you to refrain from flirting with Ms. Potter." McGonagall said, thus getting all of their attention. Some students laughed. One who didn't, was Peter.
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"Um… I guess we're sitting together." James said, after E.J walked away. Lily looked up at him and nodded.
"Yup." she said.
"Look, Lil-"
"Potter, I'm not interested in anything that you have to say. Its not going to happen, me and you. I don't like you like that, and…I really just don't like you as a person. So- you need to get it through your head, that we'll never be anything more than what we are now. And spelled out, we're nothing to each other. I'm your cousin's best friend. So- lets just do what we have to do, and be done with it. Okay?" Lily said seriously. James looked at her, and nodded.
"Alright." he said, as he turned to McGonagall.
"Mr. Black, I'll as you to refrain from flirting with Ms. Potter." McGonagall said. James looked at Sirius, who was looking down, and playing with his quill. James nodded, then looked at McGonagall. "Now… we've spoken about N.E.W.T's. In fact, we talked about it them in the beginning of the year. I have come up with a study schedule… providing you will all of the subjects that will be on your Transfiguration N.E.W.T's." McGonagall waved her wand, and a long roll of parchment appeared in front of each student. "I'll expect you to be familiar with the basics of these subjects, by the end of the term. You and your partner will be graded on how you each do on the test… meaning if you mess up, you, as well as your partner suffer. I expect that you know all of this, because your sixth year final will be a Pre N.E.W.T final. Collect your library passes."
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"Okay… well- some of the stuff on animagi bleeds into other subjects, but it is Transfiguration. So- we should study what we don't kn- oh… this is easy." E.J said. "Yeah- you'll know all of this. I mean- there isn't a guarantee that you'll be able to do it, but you- I believe that you know the process." Sirius nodded. "Okay- do you know the process to become an animagus?"
"Yeah." Sirius said. "Do you?" E.J nodded.
"Yeah." she said. "You know about Heart Gems, right?" Sirius nodded. "You know all of the criteria that we haven't covered… so do I. So- what do you want to do?"
"No more class work?" Sirius asked in a weird excited voice. E.J laughed and nodded.
"No more class work." she said. "The question is; how are we going to leave?" Sirius laughed loudly.
"Black- Potter, out!" Madam Pince shouted. E.J and Sirius got up and left. When they got outside of the library E.J looked at Sirius.
"You are terrible." E.J said
"You're just mad because you didn't think of it." Sirius said. E.J laughed and nodded.
"You're right." she said, as they walked down the halls. "So- where are we going?" Sirius shrugged.
"I don't know. We should- do you want to go to Hogsmeade?" he asked. E.J looked at him and nodded.
"Where's the map?" she asked. He looked at her.
"You know about the map?" E.J laughed.
"I gave Jamie the book on living maps." she said. "I showed him how to make one. That's why he wasn't so horrible at it." Sirius looked at her, and smiled.
"You're amazing, you know that?" he said. E.J looked at him with a confident, yet coy smile.
"You think so, huh?" Sirius shook his head.
"I know so." he said. E.J laughed.
"Well Sirius Black, I think you're pretty amazing too." she said, before she hugged him. When she pulled back, Sirius smiled.
"You smell good." he said. E.J nodded.
"You too. Like… why do you smell like apples and cinnamon?" she asked.
"What? Is it wrong for a man to smell pretty?" Sirius joked. "Come one, Candy Lips… lets go." E.J laughed, and followed him.
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"Um… do you know the about the Heart Gem?" Lily asked James. James looked at her, and shook his head. "Okay- well, the incantation is Pretiosis Metalla Gemmus."
"No- Its Gemma Metallis Pretiosis." James corrected. Lily looked at him.
"I thought you said that you didn't know it."
"I guess I do."
"Great. Not only are you a bully, but you're a liar too."
"I didn't remember that I knew the spell."
"Yeah right. You just wanted to show off."
"Okay- well first I'm a slacker toerag. Now, I like to showoff? You know what, Evans- why don't we just do what you wanted, and do what we need to do?" James said. Lily looked at her study guide and nodded.
"Do you know the process to become an animagus?" she asked.
"Yes." James said.
"Well- we don't need to do any more. Just make sure you know this through and through for our quiz."
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It was the last night of sixth year.
"Sirius Black! The next time you call me that, I'll-" started E.J.
"You'll what, Aphrodite?" Sirius taunted. E.J picked up a bowl of mashed potatoes, and dumped it on Sirius's head. Lily, James, Remus and Peter laughed. One who didn't, was McGonagall. She walked over to the table, wearing a stern, tight lipped face.
"Ms. Potter, Mr. Black. Fifty house points…." she said.
"Minnie!" Sirius, and E.J yelled simultaneously.
"Each." McGonagall said, before she walked away. Sirius took the mashed potatoes off of his head, and tried to glare at E.J.
"You got house points taken, because of some stupid name?" he asked. E.J looked at him, with her eyes narrowed.
"I told you not to call me that, Black." she said, before she got up and left the Great Hall. Sirius looked around at the rest of them. They were all looking at him.
"What?" he asked.
"Maybe you should leave her alone, Padfoot. I mean, she… she's having a tough time." said James.
"How would you know?" asked Sirius.
"She's my cousin. Every time you've ever been to my house, she's been there too. I know her better than I know anyone… well- except you guys." Sirius groaned, and got up. He ran out the Great Hall too. E.J was standing against a wall, banging her head on it.
"You should probably stop that." E.J didn't stop. She didn't even look at him.
"Leave me alone." she said.
"E.J, I'm sorry." Sirius said. "I didn't mean to piss you off. Okay- I did. But- I didn't think you'd get that pissed." Sirius slung his arm over her shoulder, and pulled her from the wall. "C'mon, E.J. Tell me what's wrong." E.J didn't say anything. "C'mon, I'll walk you to your room." They started to walk to Gryffindor tower, in silence. Sirius looked at her every few minutes. He watched as her chocolate brown ringlets bounced with each step that she took. She looked at him, with her eyebrow raised. Before he looked away, Sirius stared in her light brown and blue eyes. It wasn't like she had specks of blue in her eyes. Every other section was light blue, then chocolate brown in her eyes. She was a shade darker than a lot of people in the school, because of her mother's Dominican and Puerto Rican ethnicity. E.J's father was white English, and James's uncle. Sirius looked at her skin, then had the urge to touch her… kiss her… some sort of contact. When they first started Hogwarts, Sirius had a big crush on her. But, after he got to know her, she became more like his best friend, while James, Peter, and Remus became his brothers. He started to crush on her again, in fifth year. Usually E.J dressed in baggy pants, and big shirts. But, Lily finally got her into a skirt, and all the old feelings came rushing back to Sirius.
"S.O.B, stop staring at me. You're making me want to hurt you." E.J said, as a small smile played at her perfectly pouty pink lips.
"So- are you ready to tell me what's wrong, Love Muffin?" he teased. E.J laughed. Any attempt that Sirius made at telling her how he felt was done through flirting. But, E.J would only laugh it off. Her laughter died down, and she sighed.
"I'm sorry about the mash. We've never really been into arguments, and I've been taking it out on you way too much. You're just the only one that's ever dared call me that. And I really don't like it."
"Candy Lips- E.J, tell me what's wrong." Sirius said seriously. "I'm serious." Sirius looked at E.J and they both laughed. When they were done, E.J finally spoke.
"My dad decided that he doesn't want to be with my mum, after he cheated on her, and fell in love with her best friend. To top it off, her best friend's name, is Aphrodite. That's who they named me after. Now- my parents marriage is… screwed. My mother is still in love with my father. The choice… I can either stay here, with dad and his new fiancé… meaning I can stay in Hogwarts, with you guys. Or I can move with my mum to Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, where I was born….meaning, I'll probably never see you again. Unless I'm staying with Jamie- which I don't see happening during holiday, because I'll have to stay with the other parent. My dad…is a workaholic… with a chair in the Wizengamot. Running for the head chair. And his new fiancé is… stupid… and she doesn't like me, even though she's my godmother. Plus… and this is probably something my dad doesn't know… she's using him for his money. But- he spoils me, and I get whatever I want with him. My mum…is also a workaholic. But- she's one of those…… how shall I say it? She's strict… but she also has money of her own. But- she's in this depression state, because she's lost her best friend, and her husband… and they're both trying to get me to live with them. On top of that… this will have been my dad's third marriage. My sister… she blames me for her parents divorce, and she hates me. So- I can't go live with her. I don't have anyone here, except for Jamie and his parents. And… even though I wouldn't be staying with them… I don't want them to feel that- I don't know. Now… this is all about where I'll spend my seventh year. When do I make this decision? How do I make the decision? In a letter, to be mailed in a day."
"Well- what are you going to do? If you leave, I won't have a prank buddy."
"You'll have Jamie. You'll have Peter, and Remus. But- I think that I do have to stay with my mother… she needs me."
"But- E.J, you won't be with her for most of the year anyway. You'll be in school, the-"
"Not if I drop out of school." E.J said, as they got to the sixth year boys dorms. She sat on Sirius' bed. "I mean… if I chose my dad, she'll think that I'm leaving her too. This is supposedly the man that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She's sad… and me leaving her would be worse." Sirius nodded.
"Yeah… I get what you mean." he said. "But- what about Lily? She doesn't have any other friends really." E.J looked at him.
"She'll have James. Without me as a buffer, maybe their relationship will finally get going." Sirius looked at her, and they started to laugh.
"You know that'll never happen." he said. E.J shrugged. "So…what are you going to do?" E.J put on a strong smile.
"I'm leaving." she said. Sirius nodded, then looked away.
"Yeah, I'll see you later, alright?" he said. E.J nodded. Sirius hopped up, and walked to the door. "Hey, Eris." E.J rolled her eyes, and looked up at him. "If you were smart, you'd know why I really like calling you Aphrodite." E.J raised her eyebrow. Sirius walked to the door, and winked before he left. E.J laughed, then wrote the letter to her mother.
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In the Great Hall, the post was running also. Lily sat with Remus, while James watched her and Peter watched him.
"So… Ev- Lily, how are you?" James asked. Lily looked at him, and nodded. "That's nice. I'm good too." James sighed. "Look- I was wondering-" He never got to ask her the full question, because a gray owl flew over her, and left a black letter on her plate. James, Remus and Peter looked at her. Lily carefully opened the letter, and read the worst news possible. A ministry letter, telling her that her parents were dead. Before anyone could say anything, Lily got up and calmly walked out of the Great Hall.