DISCLAMER: How many times must we go through this? I OWN NOTHING!
A/N: I hope it hasn't been too long since my last update…ah well, here it is!
Chapter 8
Head Duties
Right now, at this particular moment, AT THIS MOMENT! I am sitting on my bed, trying to complete a particularly gruesome essay for Transfiguration. (Explain in detail the reasons for Human hello? How the hell am I supposed to know that? Tell that to whoever invented it!)
Just then, a ray of the setting sun glows through the west window, throwing red lines adross the parchment, distracting me, when I realize how late I am.
I take a glance at my watch. 8:14.
"SHIT!" I shout.
Alice looks up. "Is something the matter Lily?" besides us, the dormitory is empty, as Gilda is off somewhere with Sirius and are probably snogging each other's faces off and other stuff….oh my…..MENTAL IMAGES!
Now, where were we before we were rudely interrupted by my imagination? Oh yes…..
And the B-Witches are off somewhere….oh gods I hope whatever they're doing doesn't resemble anything Sirius and Gilda are probably doing right now….ew…..EVEN WORSE MENTAL IMAGES!
I scramble up, trying to gather some parchment and a quill as I tell Alice, "I was supposed to meet Potter fourteen minutes ago!"
Alice raises an eyebrow and smirks. (I swear Gilda taught her to do that) "Ah, so you finally discovered your undying love for him and are off to snog each other off the Astronomy tower right?"
"HELL NO! We have to organize the prefect patrols, and I told him I'll meet him in front of the fire at eight and it's-8:15! Besides, the Astronomy Tower is probably occupied with Gilda and Sirius."
"Eager aren't we? You know the fire is quite a romantic spot to meet. If the common room weren't so crowded it could serve the exact same purpose as the Astronomy Tower but with higher temperature conditions."
"Oh shut up Alice!" I yell as I run down the stair case to the fire. I'm in too much of a hurry to bother arguing with her, and now she probably thinks that I'm going to jump Ja-Potter in front of the fire.
EW!
I run across the carpet, running into people as I go.
There's Potter sitting with his back to me, facing the fire and sitting cross legged, twiddling his thumbs. The top two buttons of his shirt are unbuttoned and his tie rides loose around his neck. A picture of ease.
"Sorry I'm late Potter. I lost track of time and then Alice….." I say as I slide on the ground next to him.
He looks up and smiles. "Naw its fine. I know what it's like."
"Great." I can't help but smile back.
He seems so different from last year. Not just physically, but he seems more…mature?
Sure, he's grown a lot; he's now probably over 6 feet, while I still stand at 5 feet 4''. All those years of Quidditch have now shown, he's no longer the scrawny eleven year old boy I met on the Hogwarts Express six years ago, but now, he's, a lean and muscled…man. Wow. And surprisingly, it's hard to admit to myself, but, I kind of….like it.
What's wrong with me?
As for more mature, he still pranks, as the Slytherins today walked around with signs on their backs saying things like 'Kick me' or 'I'm a dork' or 'Kiss me McGonagall' or 'McGonagall, drop Dumbledore and meet me in the broom closet across the charms classroom' and in Snape's case, (yes, I call him Snape as he is no longer my friend and hasn't been for over a year) 'I'm a greasy-haired man-whore but I settle on shagging frogs because no human is willing' but, he's not as loud as he used to be, and a little calmer, as if chocolate doesn't have the same effect on him anymore. (Either that or Remus has found a better hiding place for all his chocolate.) And….his head doesn't seem to be quite as big. He really deflated his arrogance it seems.
"Lily? Lillllllllyyyyyy? Are you there? Helllooooooooo?"
Oh dear. I've been off in the land of daydreams again haven't I?
I shake my head. "Sorry what?"
He grins and shakes his head. Oh! There's that left side only dimple again! "I was saying, are we going to pair up the partners or not? Because I told McGonagall we would have them ready by tomorrow."
"Oh, right. Yes. Okay, so, who are the prefects this year?"
"Er- well, I know the seventh years and sixth years. From Hufflepuff it was Marilyn Fizmore, and Charles McKinnon, and Ravenclaw was- Benjamin Clearwater and Sarah Lovlangel, and Gryffindor is just Remus as your Head Girl, and Slytherin was Lucius Malfoy and Narcissia Black….." His face darkened as he said this, she was another of Sirius's cousins.
"Okay, go on." I say as I jot all the names down. He's got surprisingly good memory for someone who doesn't give a damn about Prefects or school rules. Or does he…
"And the sixth years would be Andromeda Black and Teddy Tonks from Ravenclaw and-"
"What?" I say. "Andromeda, that really nice girl in Ravenclaw is a Black?"
"Yes, didn't you know that?"
"No, is she Sirius's cousin?"
"Duh, how many Black Families do we know?"
"But," I pause. "I thought you said that Sirius was the first in his family to not be in Slytherin."
"Yes. He was the first. Andromeda's a year younger than us. She got sorted into Ravenclaw. You would not believe how angry her sisters were at her. They haven't spoken to her since she got sorted. As far as they're concerned she's no sister of theirs."
"So, do, she and Sirius get along?" I couldn't help but feel really sorry for her.
He laughs. "Yup. They only have each other. Andromeda's parents are quite like Sirius's mum. They want nothing to do with her and will probably kick her out as soon as she can deal with life herself, just like Sirius."
I nod. "So, who else is there?" I knew that Sirius's parents had disowned him last year and he went to live with the Potters who so generously accepted him as their own son.
"Ah, from Gryffindor there are Marlene Winnby, and Kevin Richard. And from Hufflepuff it's Olga Smith and Michael Lidow. And Slytherin its Mayble Quinkon and Russell Riley. And Ravenclaw's are Leo Decker and Lucy Devon."
"Okay and I'm guessing you have no idea who the fifth years are?"
"No idea. They're so tiny."
"Ah, you were a fifth year two years ago, and if they're tiny, then what are the first years? Underdeveloped midgets?"
He looks at me, then bursts out laughing and topples of the floor. I can feel him shaking the ground underneath me.
"Yes." He gasps out between fits of laughter. "That's exactly what they are. Underdeveloped midgets, oh gods, why didn't I think of that?"
"Because you have absolutely no creativity."
"YES I DO! Why do you think all our pranks have been such hits?" he argues.
"Because Remus and Sirius were always involved."
He fakes glaring. "GAH! You can be pretty mean when you want to."
I smirk. "Of course."
I push the parchment toward him. "Now, you write down the names of the fifth year prefects."
He takes it holds the quill, poised and ready, and looks up at me from underneath his eyelashes. Oh my….
"Lily?"
I shake my head to get back to reality.
"From Gryffindor its Abby Halen, and Christopher Mayn. And from Ravenclaw it's Helen Dasin and Marcel Sisory. And from Hufflepuff it's Adelle Amary, and Max Richmond. And from Slytherin it's Kristy Ingeid and John Little."
"Okey-dokey. Now what?"
"We partner them up with one person, then after that put them in timetable for night patrols starting at 9:30 and ending at-"
"12:00" he finishes for me.
"My, my, Potter, you really have been doing your homework." I say with a surprised look on my face.
He grins sheepishly.
"Okay, so let's put Andromeda with Teddy, he's got a huge crush on her and she'll get to know him better, he really is a great chap."
"Okay, let's put Abby and John."
"No way, a Slytherin and a Gryffindor together? Plus, Abby's muggleborn so that won't end too nicely."
"Oh yeah….."
"So Abby with Max and Helen with John."
"Ugh no. let's just put the Slytherins together so everyone stays happy."
"Okay, so Helen with Marcel and that leaves Adelle to be with Christopher and Kristy with John."
"Yup."
"Are you writing all this down?"
"Yup."
"You better be."
"I am." He pushes the parchment in front of me. "See?"
I nod.
"Okay, so sixth years."
"Just put Quinkon and Riley so they don't hex anybody else."
"Sure. Why is it that all the houses get along with each other, except for the Slytherins?"
"'Cause they're all gits that's why."
I sigh.
"Leo and Lucy?"
"Oh HELL NO! Those two will spend most of the time in broom closets themselves!"
"Why?"
"Lily, where have you been? They've been dating since last year! They'll be snogging each other's faces off the whole time!"
Ah.
"Leo and Lucy? I thought they were twins!"
"With different last names?"
"They could've been from different fathers….."
"But twins? Wow. What a cheating two-timer mother they have."
"Well, they just look so much alike. Blonde hair, brown eyes…"
"So? Me and Sirius are both Quidditch players, we have dark hair, we're both tall, and we're not twins."
"Oh yeah."
He sighs. "Lily, I thought YOU were supposed to be the smart one." He says in a teasing voice.
"Ah, I guess I can't be perfect in everything." I fake sigh.
He grins.
"Okay then, so Leo and Marlene and Michael with Lucy. How does that sound?" I say.
"Perfect. There will be no snogging involved."
I laugh. This was funner than I expected it to be.
"So that leaves Kevin and Olga."
"So now it's just the seventh years left."
"Okay just put Black and Malfoy together. They deserve each other. They're both cruel, and vile, and disgusting and- yeah."
I can't help but smile.
"Okay then, Sarah and Benjamin?"
"Ew! Beji's a nice guy, and Sarah's a slut. Don't pair them up, you'll ruin Benji."
"Okay, so Sarah and Charles, and Benjamin and Marilyn."
"So that leaves me, you and Remus with alternating patrols." He scratches his head in confusion. "How do we do that?"
"Easy." I take out my wand, and tap it twice on the parchment.
The names are sucked into a timetable that has conjured up out of nowhere with days on the columns, and times on the rows. The partners appear in the rows and such was the magic of the charm that it couldn't interfere with anybody's schedules. They were all at a time that they were free. It had even alternated me, Remus, and Potter's patrols perfectly.
"Cool." Ja-Potter holds it up close. "It doesn't mess with my Quidditch practices!"
"That was the idea" I smile. "If you notice it also never interferes with the full moon."
He gasps. "You know?"
"Yes. I've known about Remus since first year. I mean, he was always 'sick' on the full moon, and his boggart was a full moon, and his patronus is a wolf. And in fifth year I made him tell me that you guys are illegal animagus. So now all that's left to discover, is what animals you guys transform into." I lean back against an armchair and smile.
He grins. "Yeah. Like that'll ever happen."
"Of course not." I yawn.
"So all we need to do is hand this over to McGonagall tomorrow."
"Exactly"
"Listen, I've got a Transfiguration essay to work on and I'm tired." I get up. "I'll see in the morning. Goodnight Potter."
"Goodnight Lilykins!"
I turn around and wave back at him.
He still sitting on the rug and is sitting cross legged and leaning back on his hands, but his smile is there. The left-dimpled smile.
I climb the girls' staircase, and am reached with the most horrific noise as I reach our door.
It sounds quite like a banshee.
I open the door.
Oh not AGAIN!
The banshee noise is coming from Lena.
Oh my. Her normally slick brown and highlighted hair is in a frizzy mess and she is holding her wand in her hand, and holding her wand. She looks like she stuck her finger in a socket.
Alice is quietly backing from her, probably to hide under her bed.
"Lena? What's going on?" Mary emerges from the bathroom in only a towel, her honey blond curls wet.
"I DON'T KNOW!" she shrieks. "I was going to dry my hair, but all of a sudden, my hair turned like this!"
"How?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
"Oh I do- AAAAAARGH!" just then, a flash went off, turning Mary's hair exactly like Lena's.
"Oh you too!"
"No! My hair!"
A quiet laugh comes from the doorway. And there's Gilda, in all her pranking glory, wearing the biggest smile on her face.
"I told you guys that if you keep accusing me you'll PAY."
"Reverse the spell!" they both shriek together.
"Nope. No can do. I didn't bother learning the counter spell. And the book was in the restricted section, so it'll be hard to go back there. So it should wear off in about a week." Her smile, if possible, gets even bigger.
She walks over to her trunk and fishes something odd looking. A wizard camera.
Before they have time to react, quick as lightning, she flashes a picture of both of them.
"The next time you want to accuse me of doing something I didn't do, just remember I've got blackmail material." She says as the picture slips out of the camera.
She takes it and walks over to her 'Special Box'. It's the hiding spot that only she can touch. If anyone tries, ZAP! You end up with permanently green hair. I and Alice put our money together to get that for her thirteenth birthday.
Then, she walks out of the room, beckoning me and Alice to follow.
Once in the hall, we burst out in hysterical giggles. Between gasps, she manages to say, "It wasn't even a spell. It was potion I put in their shampoos to make their frizzy a minute after they get out of the shower. It actually lasts for two weeks. And the counter spell is actually chocolate. Lots and lots of it. Bu they won't eat that much, for they're on HEALTHY diets. Please. What diet is healthy if it doesn't have any meant, chocolate, or cheese?"
I don't know, I really don't.
