Chapter VIII -- Bait and Tackle
The corridor just in front of the main doors of Hogwarts was alive with students from every house, standing off in a corner to talk with a friend, chasing siblings through the corridors, skipping merrily off to the grounds, and trading all sorts of Zonko's items and famous witches and wizards cards.
Sirius strolled inconspicuously into the middle of the open corridor, Lauren close behind. He made sure that there weren't too many people looking his way and prepared himself for what was going to happen next.
Lauren rushed away from him as fast as she could, acting as though she hadn't seen him. He hardly had time to brace himself before the floor came rushing up at him. Upon impact, Sirius lay still. Lauren whirled around and let out a surprised, "Oh, my god! I'm so sorry, Sirius! I didn't see you there!"
No answer. He lay as still as he could manage, hoping nobody accidentally stepped on him.
People were beginning to stare as Lauren fell dramatically to his side. Somewhere in the background, Rosemary melted into the crowd that had begun to form. Lauren pretended to check his pulse, and then his breathing.
"He's not breathing." She said before calling out. "Does anyone know CPR?"
A few excited squeals erupted from the crowd as several girls hurried over.
"I do, I do!"
"My mother was a nurse!"
"Pick me, pick me! I love him most!"
"I took a job as a lifeguard once!"
"I can spell CPR!"
Lauren stopped the herd before anyone really got hurt. From out of nowhere a Gryffindor girl appeared. The other girls stepped reluctantly aside as she walked towards where Sirius lay.
"What happened?" She asked Lauren, trying not to sound excited.
"I'm not sure. He just... fell. I think I might have accidentally bumped into him or something."
The girl shoved Lauren aside and bent close over Sirius. For a moment she looked stunned, as though she couldn't believe she was actually this close to him. All around, girls gave her jealous looks. Lauren looked as though she could kill the girl right here in front of everyone, but Rosemary sent her a warning look. They couldn't blow this.
The Gryffindor neared closer and closer, the tension thick in the air. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sirius coughed back to life. The girl gave a startled squeal and fell back as he sat up, faking injury.
"Are you okay?" The girl asked as a few cheers went up in the crowd that had now begun to disperse as students found other more interesting things to do. "I can kiss it and make it better if you want..." Lauren found it hard not to punch the girl in the face.
Sirius nodded with a, "I'm fine, thanks." He got to his feet. Lauren followed suit. The girl shoved her way between Lauren and Sirius, an amazing feat considering the spell put on them. She was getting on Lauren's nerves more and more as the seconds passed.
Sirius noticed this and hurriedly distracted the girl. "Umm, I've got a favor to ask of you. All of you, really."
The fangirls around them closed in dangerously, like lionesses on a wounded elephant.
"I bet she did it on purpose," someone muttered.
"She is a Slytherin, after all."
"I bet she's using them all... She's probably that loser Snape's girlfriend..."
"She's trying to kill Sirius!" Someone shrieked.
"Sirius!" Lauren growled. "You'd better ask fast before these girls get what's coming to them!"
"Don't you talk to him like that!"
"How dare you? You--"
Lauren blocked out the rest of the rude responses. Rosemary decided it would be best if she stepped over to calm Lauren down before anyone got seriously hurt.
"I need some help finding someone." Sirius looked over at the leader. "I'm correct in assuming I've found my fanclub?"
The girls all nodded happily.
"Good. I need to find a few friends of mine. James Potter and Remus Lupin. Have you seen them?" Sirius asked.
Lauren scoffed. "They're too busy looking at you all the time."
"Girls!" The leader barked. "Send up the alert! We have a code black; I want every inch of this castle searched, on the double!"
The girls all scattered as quickly as they had appeared.
"Thanks," Sirius said.
The girl hadn't moved an inch. "Anything for you, Sirius..."
"Okay, okay, move it along." Lauren snarled at the girl. "He's fine and you've gotten on his good side. That's enough excitement for one day. Continue your search already."
The girl sneered before returning to her sweet, innocent face. "I'll meet you in the common room if we find them, Sirius... make sure you're alone."
Sirius waved as the girl turned to walk off. Lauren muttered profanities and death threats under her breath. Rosemary tried not to laugh about the whole ordeal as the three of them headed for the Gryffindor common room.
"Wha-- you're... here?" Lauren's jaw dropped as her eyes fell on none other than Misters Potter and Lupin, chatting among other students in front of the enchanted fire place.
"Umm, yeah. Where else would we be?" James asked cooly, smirking as he did so.
Sirius chuckled. "We just pulled off the biggest fake-out since that time you pretended to be dead after falling from your broom in front of Lily and her friends in third year. Only this time it didn't involve the dead person attempting to make out with his rescuer."
"Better not have." Lauren shot him a sideways glance.
"Since when are you concerned with who Sirius makes out with?" James reclined back in an armchair.
"Since about thirty minutes ago."
Lauren made an attempt to walk off, leaving the conversation where it was, before another question stopped her.
"Why did you have to pull it off in the first place?" James raised an eyebrow. "And why wasn't I invited?"
Lauren rushed at him angrily. Sirius quickly took a few steps towards James also. He was beginning to get the hang of this.
"We were trying to find you two. You decided to run off somewhere and someone didn't keep an eye on you." She stared pointedly at Rosemary, who tried to defend herself. But Lauren wasn't listening. "You can't stay in one place for more than two seconds and you need a babysitter because of it, but even when you're given one, you still manage to run off again! So we had to resort to tricking Sirius' fanclub into sending out a search party. And do you know what I had to deal with?"
James was trying his hardest to look as though he wasn't fazed by her rampage.
"I had to deal with--"
Suddenly someone burst through the portrait hole. It was the leader of the fanclub, looking as though she had just run half way across the school.
"THAT!" Lauren pointed in the girl's direction, only she wasn't pointing with her finger. She had instinctively pulled out her wand... and with the way she was talking in a threatening manner and the look on her face showing utter loathing, it didn't look like the girl would make it out of this one alive. Or at least without a few bruises and a bloody nose.
The girl shot Lauren a snotty look before heading straight for Sirius.
"I know you didn't just ignore me," Lauren snapped, not taking her eyes off the girl.
The girl ignored her again, nearing particularly close to Sirius. He shot Lauren a "help me" look before looking back at the girl.
"So, Sirius..." She said quietly. "I thought you said you'd be here alone." It almost seemed like she didn't care that everyone else was in the room.
"You'd better back off." Lauren spat.
"I'd listen to her if I were you." Rosemary agreed.
"I'm not afraid of you." The girl hissed. "What's a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw doing in the Gryffindor common room, anyways? Hasn't Dumbledore thrown you two out yet?"
By this time, Rosemary, too, had whipped out her own wand, and held it at her side. "You tackle her and I'll put a spell on her." She smiled darkly. "She'll never know what -- or who -- hit her."
But Lauren beat her to the spell-casting.
"Sectumsempra!" Lauren shouted, drawing her wand through the air. A gash followed where her wand trailed. The girl shrieked and held her now-bloody face. Tears spilled around her hands as she let out a blood-curdling scream (which was highly unnecessary in Lauren's opinion).
Everyone but Lauren jumped back in surprise at what had just ensued. The girl turned shakily, obviously backing down from this one.
"Furnunculus." Rosemary said quietly as the girl turned to leave. There was no way she was going to let Lauren have all the fun on this one. Almost instantly, a large boil began to form on the girl's arm as she ran, crying frantically, from the common room. She could still be heard even after she had reached the Grand Staircase.
"Prepare for another trip to Dumbledore's." Rosemary said to a very livid-looking Lauren.
CHAPTER VIII -- BAIT AND TACKLE
The corridor just in front of the main doors of Hogwarts was alive with students from every house, standing off in a corner to talk with a friend, chasing siblings through the corridors, skipping merrily off to the grounds, and trading all sorts of Zonko's items and famous witches and wizards cards.
Sirius strolled inconspicuously into the middle of the open corridor, Lauren close behind. He made sure that there weren't too many people looking his way and prepared himself for what was going to happen next.
Lauren rushed away from him as fast as she could, acting as though she hadn't seen him. He hardly had time to brace himself before the floor came rushing up at him. Upon impact, Sirius lay still. Lauren whirled around and let out a surprised, "Oh, my god! I'm so sorry, Sirius! I didn't see you there!"
No answer. He lay as still as he could manage, hoping nobody accidentally stepped on him.
People were beginning to stare as Lauren fell dramatically to his side. Somewhere in the background, Rosemary melted into the crowd that had begun to form. Lauren pretended to check his pulse, and then his breathing.
"He's not breathing." She said before calling out. "Does anyone know CPR?"
A few excited squeals erupted from the crowd as several girls hurried over.
"I do, I do!"
"My mother was a nurse!"
"Pick me, pick me! I love him most!"
"I took a job as a lifeguard once!"
"I can spell CPR!"
Lauren stopped the herd before anyone really got hurt. From out of nowhere a Gryffindor girl appeared. The other girls stepped reluctantly aside as she walked towards where Sirius lay.
"What happened?" She asked Lauren, trying not to sound excited.
"I'm not sure. He just... fell. I think I might have accidentally bumped into him or something."
The girl shoved Lauren aside and bent close over Sirius. For a moment she looked stunned, as though she couldn't believe she was actually this close to him. All around, girls gave her jealous looks. Lauren looked as though she could kill the girl right here in front of everyone, but Rosemary sent her a warning look. They couldn't blow this.
The Gryffindor neared closer and closer, the tension thick in the air. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sirius coughed back to life. The girl gave a startled squeal and fell back as he sat up, faking injury.
"Are you okay?" The girl asked as a few cheers went up in the crowd that had now begun to disperse as students found other more interesting things to do. "I can kiss it and make it better if you want..." Lauren found it hard not to punch the girl in the face.
Sirius nodded with a, "I'm fine, thanks." He got to his feet. Lauren followed suit. The girl shoved her way between Lauren and Sirius, an amazing feat considering the spell put on them. She was getting on Lauren's nerves more and more as the seconds passed.
Sirius noticed this and hurriedly distracted the girl. "Umm, I've got a favor to ask of you. All of you, really."
The fangirls around them closed in dangerously, like lionesses on a wounded elephant.
"I bet she did it on purpose," someone muttered.
"She is a Slytherin, after all."
"I bet she's using them all... She's probably that loser Snape's girlfriend..."
"She's trying to kill Sirius!" Someone shrieked.
"Sirius!" Lauren growled. "You'd better ask fast before these girls get what's coming to them!"
"Don't you talk to him like that!"
"How dare you? You--"
Lauren blocked out the rest of the rude responses. Rosemary decided it would be best if she stepped over to calm Lauren down before anyone got seriously hurt.
"I need some help finding someone." Sirius looked over at the leader. "I'm correct in assuming I've found my fanclub?"
The girls all nodded happily.
"Good. I need to find a few friends of mine. James Potter and Remus Lupin. Have you seen them?" Sirius asked.
Lauren scoffed. "They're too busy looking at you all the time."
"Girls!" The leader barked. "Send up the alert! We have a code black; I want every inch of this castle searched, on the double!"
The girls all scattered as quickly as they had appeared.
"Thanks," Sirius said.
The girl hadn't moved an inch. "Anything for you, Sirius..."
"Okay, okay, move it along." Lauren snarled at the girl. "He's fine and you've gotten on his good side. That's enough excitement for one day. Continue your search already."
The girl sneered before returning to her sweet, innocent face. "I'll meet you in the common room if we find them, Sirius... make sure you're alone."
Sirius waved as the girl turned to walk off. Lauren muttered profanities and death threats under her breath. Rosemary tried not to laugh about the whole ordeal as the three of them headed for the Gryffindor common room.
"Wha-- you're... here?" Lauren's jaw dropped as her eyes fell on none other than Misters Potter and Lupin, chatting among other students in front of the enchanted fire place.
"Umm, yeah. Where else would we be?" James asked cooly, smirking as he did so.
Sirius chuckled. "We just pulled off the biggest fake-out since that time you pretended to be dead after falling from your broom in front of Lily and her friends in third year. Only this time it didn't involve the dead person attempting to make out with his rescuer."
"Better not have." Lauren shot him a sideways glance.
"Since when are you concerned with who Sirius makes out with?" James reclined back in an armchair.
"Since about thirty minutes ago."
Lauren made an attempt to walk off, leaving the conversation where it was, before another question stopped her.
"Why did you have to pull it off in the first place?" James raised an eyebrow. "And why wasn't I invited?"
Lauren rushed at him angrily. Sirius quickly took a few steps towards James also. He was beginning to get the hang of this.
"We were trying to find you two. You decided to run off somewhere and someone didn't keep an eye on you." She stared pointedly at Rosemary, who tried to defend herself. But Lauren wasn't listening. "You can't stay in one place for more than two seconds and you need a babysitter because of it, but even when you're given one, you still manage to run off again! So we had to resort to tricking Sirius' fanclub into sending out a search party. And do you know what I had to deal with?"
James was trying his hardest to look as though he wasn't fazed by her rampage.
"I had to deal with--"
Suddenly someone burst through the portrait hole. It was the leader of the fanclub, looking as though she had just run half way across the school.
"THAT!" Lauren pointed in the girl's direction, only she wasn't pointing with her finger. She had instinctively pulled out her wand... and with the way she was talking in a threatening manner and the look on her face showing utter loathing, it didn't look like the girl would make it out of this one alive. Or at least without a few bruises and a bloody nose.
The girl shot Lauren a snotty look before heading straight for Sirius.
"I know you didn't just ignore me," Lauren snapped, not taking her eyes off the girl.
The girl ignored her again, nearing particularly close to Sirius. He shot Lauren a "help me" look before looking back at the girl.
"So, Sirius..." She said quietly. "I thought you said you'd be here alone." It almost seemed like she didn't care that everyone else was in the room.
"You'd better back off." Lauren spat.
"I'd listen to her if I were you." Rosemary agreed.
"I'm not afraid of you." The girl hissed. "What's a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw doing in the Gryffindor common room, anyways? Hasn't Dumbledore thrown you two out yet?"
By this time, Rosemary, too, had whipped out her own wand, and held it at her side. "You tackle her and I'll put a spell on her." She smiled darkly. "She'll never know what -- or who -- hit her."
But Lauren beat her to the spell-casting.
"Sectumsempra!" Lauren shouted, drawing her wand through the air. A gash followed where her wand trailed. The girl shrieked and held her now-bloody face. Tears spilled around her hands as she let out a blood-curdling scream (which was highly unnecessary in Lauren's opinion).
Everyone but Lauren jumped back in surprise at what had just ensued. The girl turned shakily, obviously backing down from this one.
"Furnunculus." Rosemary said quietly as the girl turned to leave. There was no way she was going to let Lauren have all the fun on this one. Almost instantly, a large boil began to form on the girl's arm as she ran, crying frantically, from the common room. She could still be heard even after she had reached the Grand Staircase.
"Prepare for another trip to Dumbledore's." Rosemary said to a very livid-looking Lauren.
