Not my best, but it just wouldn't finish itself… (so technically, not my fault─ kidding)

Rose Jean Black: well, this chapter doesn't have much, but next chapter will! And it'll be the last one of the summer, so probably the last one with Sirius as a dog… :/

Disclaimer: I. Own. Nothing.

School shopping

Or

Beating bludgers

"Hey, guys! Lily-flower!" exclaimed James as he walked towards their group─ composed of Lily, Alice, Frank, the Twins, Marlene, Mary, Sam and Griff. "Fancy seeing you─"

"Potter! Lupin! Pettigrew! How are you all doing? Where's Black?" cut in Alice really fast before Lily, who looked like she was going to explode, could say something stupid to James.

"Oh, he's, er…" James ruffled his hair, never taking his eyes off Lily.

"─ At his house. His parents wouldn't let him out," Remus said quickly, throwing a look at Griff, who snorted.

"Oh, shame… who'll entertain me now," moaned Marlene dramatically. Griff licked her hand. She scratched his head.

"You got a dog?" asked James.

"It's Lily's," she answered innocently, knowing full well James would jump on the occasion to have a talk with Lily.

"Yeah, well, he was a stray, so… I just couldn't leave him like that," said Lily miserably, glaring at Marlene at the same time─ quite a feat.

"Don't worry, Lily-flower, I understand perfectly." He winked at her, and then proceeded to stroke Griff.

"Merlin, you are so cliché. Lily bloody flower, can you get any worse?" she spat out.

"Don't tempt me. Say, this dog, er…"

"Griff."

"Griff, huh?" He grinned. "Always better than Slither, huh, doggie?" Griff growled. James patted his head, but Griff tried to bite him. "Ow, watch it Pad─ bad dog!" He glared at Griff, then looked back at Lily, who was laughing. "Griff here, he isn't too annoying, is he?"

"Oh, no. Black─ my cat─ doesn't like him too much, but they get along okay, and well, there's always Petunia's case…" Lily bit her lip. "I could swear he annoys her on purpose."

"Really?" James asked innocently. Griff snorted. "And, er, do you let Griff sleep with you?"

"Not on my bed, per se, 'cause there's not enough room for him─ he did try to─, but he does sleep next to my bed."

"Does he now?" said James menacingly, glaring at Griff, who whimpered.

Lily smirked. "What, Potter, jealous of a dog? The intelligence level is quite similar."

"Ouch, Lily-flower," said James as he brought his hands to his heart.

"Yeah, you're right, poor dog." She smiled at him briefly, then thought better of it, and walked briskly towards her friends, who were heading for Gringotts, and knew better than to interrupt a "Lily'n'James conversation"─ argument─, as Marlene put it. She was soon followed by James and Griff, the former still glaring at the latter, who had his tongue stuck out, panting, and looking innocently back at James.

After all getting some money, they each took out their Hogwarts letters, which had arrived the day before.

"Okay," Alice said. "Who did not take DADA?" It was a stupid question, seeing the times they were living in. It wasn't enough to make Diagon Alley dangerous yet, but it definitely would be inconsiderate to not take Defense against the Dark Arts. No one answered her, as expected. Even Peter had passed that OWL─ with a bit of help from the others, but still.

"Charms?" she asked.

"Um, I didn't pass that one," Peter said, shifting uncomfortably.

"No worries, Peter," Marlene said, grinning. "I'm sure Sirius failed it too, so you won't feel alone." James snickered as Griff barked loudly.

"Griff! Shush," Lily commanded. He lied on the floor, snuffling. She could swear she saw his eyes roll. "Okay, next," she said, slightly disturbed. "Herbology."

"Who cares? It's always the same freakin' book," Marlene pointed out harshly, who─ it should be said─ had failed that particular OWL.

"Right. Um, Transfiguration?" Lily asked.

"I failed it," Mary said miserably.

"No worries, Mary," Sam said. "I'm not taking it either."

She smiled a bit. "Yeah, but you didn't fail."

He shrugged. "So? I got an A, and that's not enough for McGonagall."

"Moving on…" Fabian said, bored as any to-be-fifth-year would be with 'choice talk' and 'OWLS failing'.

"Potions," Lily said, her eyes brightening up a bit. James smiled.

"You better ask who is taking it, Lils," Marlene said, mocking. Lily shot her an annoyed glance.

"I'm taking it," James said.

"Joy," Lily muttered so as only Marlene would hear. She rolled her eyes. "So am I," she said out loud.

"Obviously," Sam said. "Me too, by the way."

"And me," added Remus.

After having gone through the whole list─ which was painfully long in the Twins' opinion─ they divided up: Lily, Alice, Mary, Sam, Remus, Peter, Frank and James went to Flourish and Blott's─ guess why James went there, huh? ─, while Marlene, Fabian and Gideon went to the apothecary, because it meant that they would finish quickly, and so be able to go to Quidditch Quality Supplies so as to stare at the brooms and buy cleaning products─ the Twins and Marlene were in their respective houses' Quidditch team, Gryffindor for Marlene and Fabian, Ravenclaw for Gideon. Griff followed them, ignoring James' glare.

"So, how about I look for the DADA books with Lily, while you guys look for the rest," James suggested in a very unsubtle manner. Lily glared, but did not comment, which he took as a good thing.

"Seems fine to me," Alice said. "I'll go with Frank look for the Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures," she added, smiling at him.

"Sam? Come with me?" Mary asked.

He shrugged. "Sure."

"Guess we're stuck together, Wormtail," Remus told him, smiling sadly. "You guys do Muggle studies, Arithmancy and Potions, we'll look for the rest."

"So what books do we need?" James asked nonchalantly.

"You have the same list as I do, Potter," she said exasperatedly. "Just read it. Unless you can't read, and in that case, I'm afraid I can't help."

"You could tutor me," he suggested, a huge smile on his face.

"Dream on, Potter." She grabbed a book to read its cover, then put it back. "Nope." She grabbed another one. "Nah." She continued for a while.

James stopped 'working' and contemplated her, an amused smile playing on his lips. After a while, she realized she was being stared at.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just funny." That clearly wasn't the thing to say, and he regretted it instantly.

"Funny? Are you making fun of me?" she shrieked, but not loud enough to make everyone turn around.

"Cute! I meant cute!" he said quickly, before she could Avada Kedavra him. Her face went even redder, but she also seemed to calm down.

"Right," she grumbled. "Of course you did."

He contemplated adding to the compliment, but decided against it. She was capable of taking it wrong. He finally returned to his side of the bookshelves to look for the books.

"Potter…"

"Yes?" he asked eagerly.

"You're looking at the Quidditch section," she sighed.

"Oh. That's why it seemed so familiar…"

"Yes, well, it doesn't really help," she said, glaring.

"Right. Sorry." His hand flew to his hair. "So, where's our section?"

"Where I am," she stated obviously.

He shook his head. Man, he needed help. Had he been daydreaming all along? He moved over to her side.

"Too late, Potter, I'm all done," she smirked arrogantly. He just stared at her. "What? What happened to the little brain you had left?"

"I don't know, I think I'm just…" he thought about it. "Tired. Yeah, that must be it. Sorry about that." His hand once again went to his hair.

Lily sighed. "Sure, whatever. Let's find the others."

His eyes lit up. "They're probably still looking," he dismissed. "How about we go to the Quidditch Quality Supplies?"

She glared at him.

"Please?" He crossed his hand in a prayer-like manner.

"Ugh, fine."

"See, I told you it was a good idea," he said a few minutes later. She rolled her eyes, but he didn't notice.

He and the Twins were trying out the brooms in the shop's garden, zooming here and there, while Marlene was beating a bludger senseless, if that was even possible, "trying out a new bat", and Griff was wildly running around barking. Lily was lying on the grass, looking up at the boys making figures on their brooms.

When she and Potter had arrived, they weren't the only ones in the "try-out garden", as it was called, but they had quickly left once Potter was up in the air. He was a flying maniac, and since the flying zone was limited─ the owners had put charms around so that no one would steal a broom─ most people gave up flying very quickly, to leave only the Twins around, who were used to Potter's so-called 'flying-techniques'.

Don't get her wrong, Potter was an amazing flyer─ and she barely ever offered him compliments─ but he was a speed-addict, a bit like those drivers who take speed limits for suggestions, and even though he controlled his broom perfectly, strangers thought he was just too risky to fly around.

"Hey, Lils!"

"Yes, Marlene?" She pushed herself up to look at her.

"Could you tell Griff to stop running so close to me? I wouldn't want him to get hit by the bludger."

"Sure. Griff! C'mon, Griff!" Griff ignored her, so she got up and tried to push him out of the way, as she couldn't drag him─ she had tried to put a collar on him, but that had not worked at all: he had ran away, and had only come back that evening─, but he turned around and licked her face. "Ew! Griff!" she laughed. Marlene stopped batting to laugh. The bludger came racing towards her, but she ducked just in time.

"Well, that was close," she stated, getting up again. Griff barked, and jumped on her, making her fall, just as the bludger came back. "Thanks Griff, I guess," she said, panting. "Could you please get off me now? Can't… breathe." He obligingly stepped off her, and she got up to put the bludger away.

"Let's find the others, shall we?" she told the boys.

"Aw, man…" moaned Fabian. "Why?"

Not even bothering to answer, Marlene and Lily went back inside. Marlene bought the bat, and then left the shop with Lily, the boys already waiting outside.

"So, where are they?" Gideon asked.

"We're here!" Alice cried out, just behind him, making him jump. "Well, I am," she continued, "because the rest of them are eating ice-creams."

"Ooh, ice-cream," Marlene said, licking her lips. "Nice."

Not exactly the best of ends, but nothing would come (yes, I have a thing for ice-creams :p ).

Teacup
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