1Marauder Era
Ch.7: You Gain Some...
A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated on this one. I had terrible writer's block and about the time I cured it Microsoft word went down on my computer and the file didn't want to transfer to WordPerfect correctly. Thank you to all that have stuck with this. I hope that this chapter lives up to your expectations. Thanks to ShadowC for being my beta...again. Enjoy.
Jordyn felt like dancing as she opened the door to her dormitory. As she expected Shashia and Lily were waiting for her. Shashia was pacing up and down the isle in the middle of the room. Lily, however, was as calm and collected as always. She hadmanaged to absorb herself in a book to the point that she didn't look up when the door opened. Shashia, on the other hand whirled around to face Jordyn and started blabbering immediately.
"What happened? How did it go?" She stammered. "Tell us everything." The excited young witch demanded.
"Shashia, will you let her get in the door and sit down?" Lily asked giving Jordyn the once-over. "She looks like she's had a long night." Lily commented, noting that her friend's dress was rumpled and grassy in places.
Jordyn stolled over to her four poster bed and collapsed onto the mattress. "It was a long night."
"Long how?" Shashia pressed, unable to restrain herself.
A huge smile broke out on Jordyn's face and she sat up to face her friends. "James and I are dating."
"No, seriously. It's official! He asked me to be his girl!!" Jordyn was practically squealing with excitement by the time she finished.
"NO WAY!!!" Shashia screamed. "He did?"
Jordyn nodded enthusiastically.
"Give me all the details!" Shashia begged.
As Jordyn settled onto her bed and Shashia leapt onto hers to listen, Lily barely resisted the urge to call out 'Pillow Talk'! Instead, she calmly set her book aside and began to listen. Jordyn enthusiastically related every detail of her night out with James. Well, almost every detail. She omitted the fact that she'd told James how Lily had know the Levicorpus spell. Somehow, though it had seemed so innocent at the time, she didn't think lily would be happy if she thought that James knew the spell's creator. When she finished she sat back with a contented sigh.
"Bloody hell!" Shashia exclaimed.
Lily's eyes widened involuntarily at her friend's foul mouth.
"Oh, Lil get over it!!" Shashia said.
"What?!" Lily said innocently. Then she turned to Jordyn. "Congratulations! I'm really happy for you."
"Lil, I know you don't like him, but will you give him a chance?" Jordyn asked.
"I never said I didn't like him. I just think that he and that Black boy have a tendency to cause trouble." Lily defended flatly. "But yes, I'll try to be nice for your sake. I promise."
"Thanks, Lil. I knew you would." Jordyn smiled happily at her friends. "You guys are the best." Suddenly she squealed involuntarily and squeezed her pillow. "I'm so excited. I really, really like him."
"That's the best place to start." Shashia said.
Lily broke up the slumber party atmosphere with a yawn. "I think I'm going to turn in. I suggest you two do the same. We do have classes tomorrow."
Lily's yawn made Jordyn and Shashia yawn too. "I'm pretty bushed." Jordyn said, yawning again. "Tonight was kind of an emotional roller coaster."
"I can imagine." Shashia said as they all began to get ready for bed.
The next morning, Lily was up and out before Shashia and Jordyn were all the way awake. They got ready in sleepy silence and then headed downstairs to the common room. There they found Lily, fully dressed, sitting in an armchair with a book.
"We should have known." Jordyn said rolling her eyes.
Shashia, still half-asleep, grumbled her assent.
Just moments after they'd joined Lily in the common room the door to the boys' dormitories banged open. James came bounding down the stairs followed, as usual, by Remus, Sirius, and Peter. When he saw Jordyn standing in the common room a broad smile split his features. He came down off the stairs and came directly to her. He kissed her full on the mouth and then whispered, "Good morning, beautiful."
Despite herself, Jordyn blushed. "Good morning, James." She managed to choke out.
He smiled at her. "How does breakfast sound?" He asked.
"Wonderful." Jordyn said, returning his smile.
With that they all left the common room, following James and Jordyn. Peter was jabbering about something to Remus and Shashia as they walked directly behind the new couple. Sirius walked on Remus' other side, shaking his head every now and then at something Peter said. Lily strolled along behind them, not really wanting to be part of the group. After a while Sirius dropped back to walk next to her.
"It's probably going to kill you, but you'll die trying anyway. Won't you, Evans?"Sirius whispered so that only Lily can hear.
"Dare I ask what I'm supposed to be trying, Black?" Lily snapped.
"You're going to be trying to get along with us. It'll kill you to pretend we're all friends, but you love Jordyn too much to do anything less than try your heart out. Literally." He chuckled at his own joke.
Lily gave him her most withering glare. "Keep out of it, Black. Matters of the heart and of true friendship are way over you head. I wouldn't want you to drown." She retorted.
Sirius raised his eyebrows in a mocking gesture of surprise, as if he was saying 'I didn't think you were capable of that much venom?' Inwardly though, he admired the fine details of her face. His eyes traced over the her cheeks and lips as they delicately tried to conceal her locked jaw. He snapped back to himself just short of admitting that she was pretty. 'Snap out of it, Black!' He chastised himself. 'You hate her and she hates you, remember?' Lily noted the strange look in Sirius' eyes and frowned. She sped up to get away from him as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. When they got to the table she sat as far from him as humanly possible.
As the young brunette with blue eyes walked into the entrance hall of her new school called Hogwarts she took a swift look around. She liked this place, it was so much larger than her old one in Ireland. She was originally from Britain, but 7 years earlier her mother had gotten a job on Ireland's ministry of magic. She was an amazing witch and Zara had inherited her talents but her fathers easily distracted nature. She could perform any spell and pass any test but there always seemed to be better things to do.
Last month Zara had decided that she wanted to go back to Britain, Ireland had become boring and the wizarding school she had attended was painfully small and uninteresting. So she moved in with her grandparents both retired from Britains ministry and living the remainder of their wizarding lives running a broom shop in diagon alley.
She looked around again wondering where to go, the letter of acceptance to her transfer request had told her to speak to Professor McGonagall, the vice headmistress about her schedule and something called sorting.
Suddenly she caught sight of a very prim looking woman walking towards her with a purposeful step. Zara didn't think she had ever seen such a tight bun or pursed lips.
"Good morning," the woman said, "you must be Zara Josney"
"Yep, that's me," Zara replied
"Very well, I am Professor McGonagall, and you will follow me into the great hall to be sorted, then you can join your house and start classes."
"My house?" Zara asked in confusion.
"Indeed, I suppose your previous school was too small to worry about such a thing, but here there are too many students to keep each year in the same class so we separate each year into 4 houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin are the four houses. You will be joining the fifth years, but we still need to establish what house you will join. Then you can get your uniform, and put your things in the proper dormitory."
"Right, how exactly do you sort people?"
"You sit on a stool in the Great Hall and the sorting hat is placed on your head, it makes the decision," McGonagall began walking briskly towards two open oak doors on the other side of the entrance hall, "unfortunately," she continued, "because you are joining us late you will be sorted alone in front of the other students as per tradition."
"Not a problem." Zara didn't really have an issue with crowds, it wasn't as if she craved attention, more so that when it was on her she truly didn't give a damn.
As they passed through the great oak doors Zara saw that McGonagall wasn't exaggerating when she told of the schools numbers. At her old school there was 100 or 150 students at the most total, but here there was about 150 students per house! Zara almost gasped. They walked down the middle of the hall with two of the four tables on either side. To the left was a table with a badger banner hanging of it then further left was the snake banner table. The right was exactly the same except that it was a raven and then a lion on the banners.
They finally made it to the front of the room and all eyes turned upon one man. This man happened to be the only person in the room that Zara recognized. Albus Dumbledore was an old friend of her grandparents. He was wearing that relentlessly warm smile with sparkling eyes looking over his half moon glasses.
"Welcome," he said only to her then looked out onto the sea of faces to address the room, "Hogwarts students, I know this will seem extremely out of the ordinary but I would like all of you to welcome a fifth year transfer student!"
Toneless hellos echoed through the hall.
"This is a rarity but she has come all the way from a small magic school in Ireland in hopes of joining our student body and I hope she will be accepted warmly!"
"She is already accepted in my book!" A white haired sickly looking boy said from the snake table earning a disapproving look from McGonagall and a stern glance from Dumbledore. A rotund man sitting a little farther down the staff table suppressed a smile. Zara already knew she wouldn't like that kid. Or that teacher either probably.
"Without further ado bring in the sorting hat and let us complete the initiation!" Dumbledore announced.
McGonagall left for a side chamber for a moment but then returned with a stool and a raggedly looking hat. She set the stool in front of Zara and gave her no more than a look to let her know to sit down. When Zara sat she was curious as to what the hat might do. She knew better than to underestimate magical items but couldn't come up with a single guess as to what might happen.
As the hat was set upon her head she suddenly gasped, a voice had spoken to her
"Hmm... a fresh mind in the middle of the year huh? A little unorthodox but a challenge I enjoy." It seemed as if the hat had spoken within her head. "Yes I am talking to you," the hat guessed correctly, "and before I decide where to put you I will explain the houses to you. First there is Gryffindor the house of the brave, then there is Ravenclaw the house of the sharp minded, next comes those of Slytherin who are witty and sharp, but with a tendency for darkness and trouble. Lastly there is Hufflepuff the house for students who are loyal and friendly. This school was founded by those very four people the houses were named after and they left it to educate young minds much like your own. And so let your education begin, I can see you know are smart, but not driven to schoolwork as much as a Ravenclaw, yet you are to far beyond average to belong in Hufflepuff, and I can see that Slytherin is not the right house for you. So all that remains is Gryffindor…….yes that is the right house, I can tell." It occurred to Zara that Gryffindor was what she had been praying for the whole time though she knew next to nothing about it. Then the hat announced to the entire hall with one booming word. "GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers rang out from the lion table, the students with the gold and maroon uniforms smiling in welcome. The smile was infectious and Zara couldn't help but smile as well as McGonagall ushered her of the stool and directed her to join her new classmates.
Zara sat down in an empty chair by four boys and three girls. The boys were all handsome, the one with messy short black hair most apparently dating the beautiful girl with the glossy raven hair and silver eyes. Next to them was a male with shoulder length black hair that wore a bored expression while observing her for a moment the turning to the girl across from him who had red hair and brilliant green eyes. Next to them was a male with brown hair who looked very tired next to a small mousy boy with sandy hair and a nervous expression, he was the only non-handsome one. Across from them was the remaining girl with dyed black hair and red tips wearing a grin.
Zara smile tentatively at them, not sure if they were willing to open there group to her. She heard McGonagall behind her and turned to receive a map and schedule along with a small smile from the tight lipped woman.
"Welcome to Gryffindor, I am the head of this house so if you have any questions your fellow students can't answer come to me." Professor McGonagall said, bustling over to Zara's side. " However Lily Evans and Remus Lupin are good people to ask questions of." She said pointing out the red haired girl and the tired looking boy.
"Aw, c'mon Professor, are you saying that we aren't a help?" the bored boy with the long black hair faked offence.
"Yes Sirius that is exactly what I am saying." McGonagall said with a tolerant look of good nature. "Enjoy your first day Ms. Josney. Your things have been taken to the dormitory." With that she walked away leaving Zara to turn back to the students.
"Hi!" the girl with the grin said, "I am Shashia Fletcher, and this is Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, James Potter, Jordyn Cromwell, and Lily Evans." She pointed out each member individually. "Welcome to the best house at Hogwarts."
At that Zara smiled "Hi, I am Zara Josney, and thanks."
Zara spent most of the day tagging along with the group she'd met that morning. They showed her where all her classes where and how to avoid traffic. They also told her how to avoid angering all of their different teachers. It didn't take Zara's sharp mind long to figure out the group dynamics. James and Jordyn were obviously a new couple since they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Sirius, the boy with the dark hair, didn't seem to care for Lily very much, though Zara found her a great help. Remus was the voice of reason amongst the boys and Zara couldn't help but laugh at his jokes, even if some of them were kind of lame.
Later that night, all the Gryffindors had returned to the common room after dinner. Remus in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace, with his Transfiguration homework spread out on the table next to him. In the other chair opposite the fire, Lily was nestled in with a book. Of course, she'd finished all of her homework. James was snuggling his new girlfriend on the window sill. At the smallest table Sirius and Peter were engrossed in a game of wizard's chess.
"Sirius, that move wasn't legal!!" Peter whined as Sirius' knight moved in for the checkmate.
"Read the rule book, Peter." Sirius said. "It's perfectly legal."
"You have to have cheated." Peter moaned.
"Oh, get over it Wormtail." Sirius snapped. "Rematch?"
"Sure." Peter said, resetting his side of the board.
Remus was just barely paying attention to what was going on, until the door at the top of the girl's staircase banged shut. He looked up. Just as he did so, the newest member of Gryffindor came bounding down the stairs. Zara's hair was loose and beautiful and her new uniform fit in all the right places. He couldn't tear his eyes from her. He wasn't sure why, but ever since she'd been sorted he'd been obsessed with her. He pretended to focus on his work, but he secretly watched her every move.
"Lily?" Zara asked shyly. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm a bit stuck on my Transfiguration homework. I haven't studied it much before."
Lily looked up with a sympathetic smile. "I already finished mine and it's upstairs. But I think Remus is still working on his. I bet he'd be willing to help. Right, Remus?"
"I'm sorry, what?" Remus asked looking up as though he'd been absorbed in his work.
"Zara needs help with her Transfiguration homework. Mine's upstairs already, but you'd be willing to help her, wouldn't you?"
"Of course I'll help." Remus said, offering Zara a smile. "Here." He flicked his wand over a pillow and it transfigured into a cushy armchair. "Pull up a seat."
Zara's eyes widened and she smiled at him. "Nice work." She praised.
Remus' heart rate leapt. "Thanks. Professor McGonagall insists that we work really hard in class. Fortunately I enjoy Transfiguration, so I study it outside of class when I can."
"Really?" Zara asked, sitting down. "Do you get a lot of time for private study here?"
"It depends. I get a fair amount, because I don't play Quidditch or anything like that. Hogwarts has an amazing library." Remus said. "I spend time there reading when James and Sirius are busy."
"Well, I like Charms and Potions, but my old school didn't have a very good Transfiguration program. I didn't learn much of it. Not the way you guys learn it anyway. I think I'm kind of behind." She whispered it almost as though it were a secret.
Remus leaned in closer to her and whispered. "Well, I can help you with that."
Zara laughed. "I'd appreciate that a lot."
"Where do you want to start?" Remus asked.
"Can you help me get through this essay?" Zara asked.
"Sure. Do you have the text book?"
Zara nodded. "Right here." She placed the heavy book on the table. "I don't know what I'm looking for. We're supposed to write on the difference between using birds and rodents when attempting to transfigure a water goblet. I can do it both ways, but I don't know the difference." Zara explained, feeling stupid. "I feel pretty dumb."
"You're not." Remus assured her quickly. "It's a really subtle difference. Loads of people miss it."
"Really?" Zara said, heaving a sigh of relief. "You're not just lying to make me feel better about myself?"
"NO!" Remus exclaimed. "Besides, they wouldn't have let you transfer here in the middle of the year if you were stupid. You just had a more practical education up until now.
Zara smiled. "You're really sweet."
Remus turned away so that she wouldn't see him blush.
From the top of the girl's staircase, Shashia watched Remus flirt with Zara. Burning jealousy stole over he as she watched him return her small smiles and reach over her to point out some small detail on a textbook page. Despite Shashia's best efforts, Remus had never shown that sort of affection for her. He was clearly smitten with this new girl from Ireland, who'd been at their school less than twenty-four hours. She clenched her fists to keep herself form hexing the brunette into the next century. "It's not fair!" she muttered to herself. "It's not bloody fair." With that she turned in a flourish of robes and disappeared into the fifth year girl's dormitory.
A/N: I like to acknowledge my friend Spazzy for her creation of Zara's character. It was what got me out of the sticky spot I'd been in. She also wrote Zara's sorting scene to get me up and running again. So Spaz, if you're out there...YOU ROCK!!!
