(Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all that is HP)

Chapter 9: End of exams.

The Ravenclaw common room was tranquil, the suns rays peeking in through the lead-light window. At the table in the large oval room, Jessica slept, her head buried in a book.

Stirring in her slumber, the thumping of books falling to the floor awoke her, half dazed she leaned over picking up her books. Rising up out of her uncomfortable chair she slowly floundered down the stairs to her dorm, dumping her books on the bed, she grabbed her towel, yawning she stumbled back up the stairs and headed to the showers.

Letting the warm waters wash over her, she savoured the serenity of having the bathroom to herself at this early hour of the morning.

When she returned to her dorm the other girls were more than surprised to see her up and getting dressed.

"Last day of exams" Hazel Green commented.

"Yes it is" Jessica cheerfully chirped as she pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"You know if you studied more often and didn't flutter around with those Gryffindor's you would have some of us to help you" Francine Light lectured her.

"No thanks" Jessica said pleasantly as she packed her bag, "I like fluttering with the Gryffindors". With that she left the room and headed up to the seventh floor.

Today no one was going to ruin her day, her Birthday.

Walking along the corridor Jessica came up to the Fat lady, "Good morning Ma'am"

Jessica politely greeted her.

"Morning" The fat Lady cautiously responded.

"May I enter please" Jessica asked hoping that would be all she needed.

"You may not, just because you know a few of my students doesn't give you the right to enter the Gryffindor tower".

Rubbing her chin Jessica tried to remember the password Lily had used. Jessica lifts her head as she remembered the password "Baubles".

"No wrong" The fat lady stubbornly folded her arms across her chest.

"Damn" Jessica scratched her head trying to recall any password, "Fuzz botts?"

"No".

"Cats whiskers?".

"No".

"Lemon fizz?".

"No"

Jessica leaned against the wall racking her brain for the right word, suddenly the painting flew opened and Remus popped his head out, still in his blue stripped pyjamas.

"You coming in or are you going to stand there all day" he smirked as she just stared at him.

"Yeh, .. but how" Jessica stammered, unsure how Remus knew she was even there.

"Try Pestel Myrrh next time" Remus smugly suggested.

"But how.. how did you even know I was out there?".

"Wouldn't you like to know" Remus winked at her before disappearing up the winding stairs.

Standing somewhat hesitant, Jessica slowly opened the door to the girls dorm, "Lil" she whispered.

"Jess come in" Lily said as she pulled on her shoes.

"How did you get in" Molly asked.

"I'm not really sure" Jessica looked slightly befuddled, "I tried a few passwords that didn't work, then Remus suddenly showed up to let me in... does the tower have a sneek-o-scope at the door or something?".

"No" laughed Lily.

"Maybe he is spying on you" Molly joked.

"But how?" Jessica asked raising her brow.

"Hmm merlin only knows" Molly said pulling on her cardigan.

"Anyway it doesn't matter" Lily said as she handed Jessica a present.

"Lil I told you not get get me anything" Jessica lightly scolded as she quickly opened the small parcel.

Opening the petite blue box, Jessica pulled out a silver chain, on the end of the necklace, a small glass orb held a tiny butterfly, as it fluttered its wings changed colour.

"Don't worry its just charmed" Lily explained.

"Oh thank you Lil, it beautiful" Jessica said turning around she lifted her hair for Lily to put it on.

"You'll have to wait till tonight for mine" Molly smirked, Jessica winking back at her.

"What's going on?" Lily suspiciously asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all" Jessica quietly answered as she admired her present in the mirror.

Making there way down the grand stairs for breakfast, Remus came up behind them placing his arm around Jessica's shoulder as she sat down, "Happy birthday Jess" he said placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Thanks Remus".

As they sat eating their breakfast, Jessica looked over at Remus, his secret now driving her crazy. Grabbing his folk as he attempted to have some of his scrabbled egg, she commanded his attention.

"I want to know … how you knew I was outside the common room?"

All of a sudden Jessica had the attention of James and Sirius as well. "There are a lot of things I know that you don't" Remus teased as he grabbed his folk back off her.

"That's not an answer!" she huffed now more frustrated.

"You know if you fluttered more with us Gryffindor's you'd learn more" Sirius told her.

Jessica's jaw dropped as she just looked at him, both Remus and James bursting into a fit of laughter at Jessica's flabbergasted expression.

Now certain that Remus had in someway bugged her bag, book, clothes...or something she pulled her bag up onto the table, pulling books from her bag.

"Jess what are you doing?" Lily questioned a now somewhat flustered Jess.

"Remus has a... some type of bug or something in here" she muttered flicking through each book.

With his hand firmly on her books Remus halted her search, "I didn't bug anything of yours or anyone else's" he reassured her as Lily grew more concerned.

"Then how is it Sirius knows what was said to me in my dorm?".

"What?" Lily now questioned her head quickly turning to look at Sirius.

"I'll let Sirius explain that" Remus opting to slip out of that explanation.

"Thanks for that Moony".

"Well …. Padfoot?" Jessica raised her brow at him. She too knew things he didn't know she knew.

Laughing cheekily at her, "Ah well played Jess, I'll let you in on a little secret... Later" he grinned as the bell rang out.

The day seemed to fly by, thoughts now on Defence Against the Dark Arts exams, for now the secret stayed just that a secret.

Nearing the end of the day Jessica threw her quill down on the desk as she finished her test papers. Stretching her tired back, she leaned forward resting her head on her palms, she looked over at Sirius in the row in front of her, she watched as he lounged back on his chair tilting it back on two legs.

"Mr Black!" Professor Flitwick called to Sirius, indicating for him to sit up properly, with a thud the chair hit the ground.

Just over from her Remus reread his paper looking slightly worried, "Quills down" Flitwick called.

Within seconds hundreds of rolls of parchment flew to the front of the hall, and with it the OWLs were finally over.

Jessica quickly threw her bag over her shoulder and headed to the back of the room, Joining Lily, Pip and Molly, the girls made there way out of the hall and out into the brilliant sunlight.

Walking through the courtyard they made there way down to the lake. Jessica slipped off her shoes and socks paddling in the cool waters, Lily and Molly quickly joining her, Pip sat on the grassy shore, glancing over her shoulder at the group of boys sitting under the tree a short distance away, the glint of a golden snitch catching her gaze.

"Its over … Yeah its finally over" Jessica celebrated, splashing water in Molly's direction .

"Hey,... you are asking for it" Molly quickly retaliated.

Lily sat down on the grass pulling her shoes and socks back on, then flopping down on the soft green grass, she laid there laughing at the sopping wet antics of her two friends.

Just up the grassy slop a crowd was gathering, laughter and jeers caught the attention of the girls especially Lily.

Coming out of the water dripping wet, Jessica quickly pulled on her shoes and socks as Lily got to her feet and stormed up the bank.

"Leave him Alone!" She bellowed.

James and Sirius both looked over at Lily, James quickly messing up his already untidy hair.

"Alright Evan?" James tone more subdued.

"Leave him alone" she repeated, looking at James, her loathing of him was clear to see, "What's he done to you?"

"Its more that he exists" James said elbowing Sirius, "If you know what I mean".

Jessica quickly joined the growing crowd, Pip headed over near Remus, his head firmly in his book, giving a clear indication he didn't want to know what was going on.

"You think you're funny" Lily said coldly, "But you're just an arrogant toerag, now leave him alone".

"I will if you go out with me?" James said hopefully.

As the curse started to wear off, Snape inched his way towards his wand, soapy suds still spewing from his mouth.

"I would never go out with you, even if it was a choice between you and a great ugly squid" Lily flatly told him.

"Tuff luck mate" Sirius said briskly turning back to Snape, "Oi!"

Too late, Snape had managed to grab his wand, in a flash blood splattered James robes, a gash on his cheek bleeding profusely. With another rapid flash Snape was hanging upside-down, his robes falling over his head.

"Let him down!" Lily furiously ordered. But Jessica couldn't help but notice a slight smirk to her lips.

"Certainly" James said with a flick of his wand Snape fell into a crumpled heap.

Disentangling himself from his clothes, Snape quickly got to his feet his wand at the ready.

"Petrificus Totalus" Sirius now had Snape as rigid as an ironing board.

"Leave him alone!" Lily shouted her wand out and ready to take action, Jessica moved over to stand by Lily, her wand now tightly in her grasp.

"Evans, don't make me hex you" Said James.

"Remove the curse" She ordered

Muttering the counter-curse, Snape staggered to his feet. "You're lucky Evans was here Snivellus".

"I don't need help from a filthy little Mudblood like her".

"What did you call her?" Jessica snapped, stepping forward. her wand firmly pointed at the dishevelled Snape.

"It's... alright" Lily grabbed Jessica's shoulder pulling her back, "I won't bother in future, and wash your pants Snivellus" she coolly told him.

"Apologise to Evans" James roared.

"You're as bad as he is" Lily shouted, "You make me sick!" Lily turned on her heels and headed back up to the school.

Jessica looked over at Sirius, he gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, she then followed Lily up to the school.

"Lil" Jess called as she ran across the courtyard, "wait up".

Finally catching up to her friend, Jess could clearly see Snape's words had hurt Lily more than she had let on as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Have I got a night planned for us" Jessica brightly said throwing her arm over Lily's shoulder.

"Merlin help me" Lily more cheerfully joked as the pair disappeared inside.