Bedlam and Broomsticks

A/N: Sorry it took me a while, but I got back to school, and of course teachers have piled on the homework. Grr.

Pearls and Wicked Witches

Izzy grabbed out a soft suitcase from under her bed, rather than carrying her trunk around London. She shoved in assorted clothes, her Walkman, her secret stash of lollies, three books and her bathroom kit. She zipped it quickly, hefted it on to the floor and sat on her bed, cross legged. "Done." She announced.

"Already?"

"Yes Lilykins."

"But…"

"I don't feel the need to obsess over everything like you do sweet pea."

"Oh. I guess it makes sense then."

Alice shared a smile with Izzy. Gosh they loved the girl, but Lily could be a tiny bit obsessive compulsive.

The four girls left their bags by the door at five and skipped down the stairs. "Wifey," Sirius said in a deep, manly voice.

Izzy narrowed her eyes. "Watch it Black."

"If you hurt me it's classified as spousal abuse."

"Who said anything about hurt, I was going the full monty for murder, baby."

"Yeah, that's right, the full monty," Sirius had the dirty look in his eyes.

"Not in the dirty way!" Izzy protested. "Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"Sue me for assuming," Sirius defended himself as McGonagall's crisp voice cut through the chatter.

"Alright students." She began in her Scottish burr. "This Muggle Studies assignment will take place over three weeks, beginning on Tuesday, tomorrow. All students must be prompt, at nine a.m. we meet at Hogsmeade station. You will be given the address of your flat in inner city London, a map, and you make your own way there with your 'spouse.' Any questions? No? Alright, we'll see you tomorrow at Hogsmeade station for your adventure into the Muggle world on your own. I hope you learn from it."

And with that, she left a bunch of notices on the coffee table by the fire, and left by way of the portrait hole, her cloak billowing behind her. Izzy grabbed a notice from the table and handed them out to the girls, sighing as she rested on an armchair.

"So, you're going to live with Black for three weeks."

"Yes Lily. And I cant kill him because I have ten Galleons riding on it."

"Okay." Lily shrugged. "Just … try not to be too nice to him, Izzy."

"What?" Izzy looked stunned. "When am I ever too nice?"

Lily and Alice shared a look. Alice sighed. "Iz, you do the whole insult thing, witty banter, what ever, but you suck at actually being mad at someone. You forgive way too easily."

"What?"

"Please. You were just being nice to Black even though you're heartbroken by him."

"I'm not heartbroken!"

"Whatever. Pissed, mad, heartbroken, the point is, you should still be flipping him off in the corridor, not joking around with him."

"But I have to get along with him for the project!"

"Yeah. Get along with him, don't throw yourself at him."

"Where are you getting this shit? I am not throwing myself at Sirius."

Lily grabbed her hand. "I'm not saying you are, I'm just saying he can charm people and you should watch out."

Izzy frowned. "He didn't even do anything that bad!"

"Izzy, you kissed!"

"Yeah, but we were fake dating!" Izzy shouted, the entire common room now looking on. Izzy threw her hands in the air. "Yeah I'm mad, but staying mad wont help anyone. I don't understand why I have to justify myself to you! I thought we were friends!" Izzy looked at Alice and Lily, and stormed off up the stairs. Mary; who had been staring worriedly at the group of them the entire time, ran up the stairs after her.

"Iz?"

"What?" Her voice was muffled and Mary spotter her splayd across her bead, pillow over her head. Mary sat next to her, leaning over to whisper.

"Iz, I know it sounded mean, but they're just looking after you. They don't want you hurt, and they figure the best way to do that is to get Black the hell out of the picture."

Izzy rolled over and searched Mary's face, hair mussed and over one eye. She looked confused. "You used to hate Sirius too."

"Well," Mary shrugged. "I've been speaking to Remus, and though he has flaw, hell everyone does! He's not as much of a douchebag or tosspot as I thought. He is all of those things, but he's also … well, I shouldn't say."

"Please tell me?"

"I can't. Sorry. Remus told me in confidence." Mary smiled knowingly at Izzy. "But no matter what Lily, Alice or even your mother tells you, I somehow feel that you and Sirius aren't over, or even content to stay mad at each other. So I'm sure, one day, he'll share it with you himself."

Izzy smiled and hugged Mary, tears pricking her eyelids. "When did you get so wise?"

Mary smiled and let her go, hands resting gently on her shoulder. "Remus is rubbing off on me."

"No doubt." Izzy agreed. "I'm glad you got the guts to ask Remus out, because the shy bastard wouldn't have been able to do it himself."

"What? Ask himself out?" Mary joked. "Just kidding. We have you to thank, Iz."

"Aw. If only I could sort my own love life out."

"Too true. Are you going to talk to Allie and Lil?"

"Nah. I'm going to show them that I'm not always nice and that I don't forgive too easily."

Mary shrugged. "Whatever."


The next morning, Izzy woke up to the sound of Alice and Mary bickering. "You were too hard on her."

"I worry about her. Sirius is a butthead."

"A butthead?"

"Yeah, don't question my terminology."

"I'll question it if I want to."

"How about I question your face?"

The argument deteriorated into lame-no-intelligence-banter, and Izzy sat up. "Chill out slags."

"Excuse me?" Alice turned, eyesbrows raised.

"Look, I was mad, but Mary spoke to me last night and I realise in your own whacked out little way, you were looking out for me."

"That speech warms the cockles of my heart." Mary wiped away an imaginary tear.

Alice grinned and yelled. "Lil! She's not mad anymore!"

Lily poked her head around the bathroom. "Because she relaises we're right?"

"No," Izzy said firmly. "Because I know you were just trying to protect me."

"Aw." All three girls dived on to Izzy's bed to squezze her up in a crushing group hug.

"Yay, group hug!"

"No … a-air!" Izzy wheezed.

"Killjoy."

"Murderer."

"You aren't dead, are you?"

"Attempted murderer. Shut up Alice."

"I win."

"How'd you figure that?"

"Because you resorted to 'Shut up, Alice.' Like a five year old."

"Ouch. Harsh words."

"But never truer spoken."

Izzy poked her tongue out before slipping into the bathroom to get ready. The girls cleaned their dormitory for the occasion, grabbed their bags and headed downstairs. Lily sighed. "Should I find my husband now?"

"Nah," Izzy said, blanching a bit at the thought of three whole weeks with Sirius. "Meet him in London."

Alice sighing giddily as they headed to the Thestral-pulled carriages. "This is going to be so awesome."

"Yeah. For you."

Lily grabbed Izzy around the neck, her head resting on Lily's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You can come hang with me all the time!"

"And my ex?" Izzy asked. "I don't think so."

Izzy looked between Alice and Mary. "And I'm not going to be, like, the fifth wheel between the lovebirds."

"Hey!" Alice protested. "I resent that. We aren't lovebirds, we're potential lovebirds."

"Oh, okay, that makes a difference." Izzy was rewarded by being swatted about the head.

As they reached the carriages, the girls got in, and just as Izzy was about to jump up, two hands caught her about the waist and swung her gently into a seat. Izzy turned and grinned. "Hey James."

"Hey." He looked glum as he sat. "Iz, will you hang out with me during this stupid project? I have Marlene."

"I know. If it helps, I totally wanted Sirius to swap with you."

James rested his head on her shoulder. "She's mean."

"I know, honey. She's the Wicked Witch of the West."

"Who?" Sirius said as he leapt into the carriage.

"Your mum." James answered without any real enthusiasm.

"That's true." Sirius admitted. "Hey wifey."

Izzy nodded non-committally.

"No spiteful comeback? Am I finally wearing her down? Has the shell finally broken off the oyster and revealed the pearl that is our Iz?"

"Shut up Sirius."

"Eh. Not your usual standard, but at least there's some bite."

The carriages pulled up, and all the students piled on to the Hogwarts Express. Seeing as it was only seventh years doing the project, the train was pleasantly empty and quiet, very relaxed. Izzy and her friends grabbed a compartment, and the Marauders followed them in, trailing behind like a herd of puppies.

"You wont fit!" Izzy protested, pushing Sirius backwards.

"Yeah, I've heard that before baby," Sirius winked.

She rolled her eyes. "You know you're an utterly disgusting, sick little boy?"

"Nothing about me is little."

"Eugh." Izzy sat down by the window and pulled her feet on to the chair. Alice rested her feet on Izzy, and James sat next to her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. The rest of them somehow squished in and they all looked at each other.

All eight of them sighed deeply. "Nap time."


When they got off the train, Professor McGonagall gathered them around and handed out an information pack. She pursed her lips and began to speak. "In this pack you will find the address of where you are staying, criteria for the assignment and what has to be done before getting back to school, like a Potions catch up essay, or a report on how well your 'marriage' worked out."

Sirius winked at her as McGonagall continued. "There is a list of addresses and phone numbers for each person in the class as well as Professor Tubbington and I, he will be staying at the Leaky Cauldron, whereas I will be going back to Hogwarts but can always Apparate up here to sort out any troublemakers." She seemed to be glaring in the Marauders direction. "Anyway!" She clapped her hands. "There's a map of London in there, get to your flat/house/etc. and begin settling in. When your staff member visits you for evaluation they will expect everything in top notch shape. Good luck!"

And rather than get back on the train, she whirled, her cloak billowing and with a small 'pop', she was gone. Everyone split up into their groups quickly. Lily and the girls joined hands. "Good luck with your douchebags," Lily said seriously.

Izzy laughed. "I think they're husbands, Lil, not douchebags."

"Same thing." She shrugged. "Anyway. I'll call you all and we can meet."

"Let's go to Hyde Park," Izzy and Alice begged at the exact same time. "Please!"

"Sure, 1 p.m. tomorrow." They all agreed.

"Women!" Sirius roared after everyone had left, the other Marauders and Alan Green standing behind him, looking awkward. "Get a move on!"

"Sexist pig!" Izzy retaliated.

They all grinned at each other as they exited into the Muggle world, no parents, no teachers, just the best friends they had in the entire world.

Five minutes later, they'd split into their pairs, left the station, and Izzy and Sirius were yelling at each other. "Give me the map!"

"No you tosser! I know where I'm going!" Sirius snatched the map out of her hands.

"We're going the wrong way!" Sirius said. "Aha!" He flipped the map up the other way and sighed.

Izzy poked her tongue out at him. "Why don't we just go back to King's Cross and start again?"

"Fine." Sirius agreed reluctantly. "This is all your fault."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Um, Sirius?"

"Yeah."

Izzy whirled around quickly. "Where's the station?"

"By the name of Merlin's saggy y-fronts, we're lost!"

Reviews? Now, I know you probably think, hey unrealistic! Just chuck'em out there into the world by themselves, why dont you, but that's kind of the point. They want them to be able to handle themselves in an all Muggle world, not in their little magic bubble known as Hogwarts. Also, the teachers are on hand if they need help, so never fear, Izzy and Sirius shall be fine. :)