Chapter 10

'Don't.'

The one word was more effective than whacking Sirius with a book like James would have done.

It was Potions, and Sirius was in a slightly… hyper mood. Leah had stayed silent for more than long, but Sirius grinning and waving a bowl of dragon blood precariously over her carefully brewed potion stirred her into action.

Of course, she hadn't just said "don't" normally. She'd said it disdainfully, and given him a weird look.

'I was just fooling around.' He said hastily, and kept the bowl down. 'What d'you keep writing in that book of yours?'

'Nothing.' She replied curtly.

His shapely eyebrows arched themselves in mock surprise.

'Nothing I can discuss with you.' She corrected, putting the book safely in her back.

'Not very advanced in the diplomatic field, are you?' It sounded like he didn't expect an answer, and so Leah didn't answer.

Sirius turned to his potion- it was individual today, and he had produced a puke-colored THING instead of the correct periwinkle blue tranquilizing potion.

He wasn't bad at potions- he could make his own potions- like the tentacle-spouting one he'd made and dumped into Snivelly's morning pumpkin juice last year… But he was moody, too, and his potion-making went with his mood.

Scowling, and not in the mood to follow the stupid book which HAD NOT HELPED AT ALL, he dumped the dragon blood into the potion.

There was a resounding bang and Sirius fell back, coughing.

Leah jumped out of her seat in shock and let her eyes flick from Sirius's face to the potion which was now hissing feebly.

'What? Are you going to help or just gloat?' he asked finally, 'My potions turned…' He shuddered, instead of finding a describing word.

Leah raised her eyebrows at him, but leant over his bowl, covering her nose. 'It can be mended.' She said, 'Dragons blood? That's what you so stupidly put in.' It was a statement, and not a question.

He didn't take offense to the "so stupidly" part.

'Yeah. Now what?'

'Go get me the antidote to Dragon's blood.' She said calmly, stirring it a bit. 'Stop standing there and- oh. You don't know what it is.'

'I've forgotten.' He said casually.

'It's dog's blood.' She said.

Sirius shivered, 'No wonder.'

Leah waited. He moved away, and returned with a small vial.

'Now you put it in. Only three drops…' She directed, 'Stop making faces.'

'I thought you had a dog yourself.' He said darkly.

She pursed her lips up, 'It's not his blood, is it?'

'Could be.'

Leah went pale, and though she knew that it couldn't be Zinc's blood, she wondered if the blood had belonged to some OTHER unfortunate kid's pet dog. She wiped her brow, 'Don't…'

Sirius softened, seeing she was looking worried. 'I was just yanking your wand.' He dropped the blood into the potion, 'Now what?'

She checked the book, 'You forgot the fourth instruction. One Phoenix feather, dipped lightly and then taken out, followed by a toad's tongue.'

Within moments, his potion was back on the right track.

'Nice.' Sirius muttered, carrying out the last instruction. He grinned, and leant back, 'Rest at last.'

Only, she'd ALREADY turned back to that thieving, stealing notebook of hers. Seriously. That book had to be cursed. It kept drawing her attention away from him.

He held up his potion's notebook, and flipped through it, uninterestedly. Something slid out of the pages and fell on his lap. Frowning, he reached out. This picture wasn't his… He looked at the name on the book. This book wasn't his.

'Here. This fell out of your book.' He said, tapping Leah on the shoulder.

She looked up, slightly annoyed. 'What-?'

'I thought your book was mine… this fell out of it.'

Leah looked at the picture, and then snatched it out of his hand.

'Who's that?'

'My mother.' She replied, stuffing it into her bag. Then she snapped, 'Why do you ask so many questions?'

Sirius looked at her for a few seconds and then replied, 'You don't talk otherwise.'

Leah opened her mouth, and shut it again, at a loss of words. No one usually answered her when she snapped at them. Finally, she managed, 'Well, yeah.' For the sake of proving him wrong.

'See?! Well, yeah barely let's people continue decent conversation.'

Leah looked at him.

He had two legs, two hands, no snout, no fluffy tail or paws. Clearly human. So why did she keep thinking of dogs when she saw him? OK, his laugh was very bark-like… and those eyes were… weird- they were warm sometimes, cold and rock-like others... And even his teeth were nice and sharp, but not DOG like…

'What? Do I have something on my face?' Sirius asked, and added, as innocently as the Hogwarts Casanova could, 'Could you get off for me?'

He did have something on his face. A stain from the miniature explosion of his potion. Leah said, 'It's up here.' She pointed at her own face.

Sirius missed purposely (Leah didn't know that. She just thought he was stupid and couldn't follow simple signs).

'Could you? Here… use this.' He said, handing her a tissue. Reluctantly, Leah reached out with the tissue and dabbed at where it was. (Under his right eye)

She averted her gaze the whole time. She wasn't going to let her stupid stomach go flying around like it had turned into the tooth fairy or something.

She dabbed a little harder, and then sat back, crumpling and chucking the tissue away, so that it hit James on his head.

The victim spun around and looked accusingly at the direction from which the tissue had flown, and then saw Leah's apologetic face and the anger faded.

'Accident.' She muttered quickly and checked her watch, 'Oh, the period just got over. Could you clear my cauldron out too, Black?' She didn't wait for a reply as she snatched up her bag and pushed past him, 'Don't mess up!' she called, and hurried out of the room.

*

Leah had her schedule planned- At exactly six, after tea, she was to go down and put up the tent, remind Zinc that she'd pick him up at ten, and then get ready for the stupid sit-around-a-table-chatting party.

Not that she had anything against sitting around a table, chatting, but it was easier when it was only Ian and Kyle.

It was tea now, and Leah was sipping hot coffee, and selecting a biscuit from one of the many golden plates.

'I can't wait for the party!' Angie was gushing, 'the food's very nice- not to mention I've got a date. Kyle asked me, you know… Leah, your twin's really sweet sometimes.'

'To others.' Leah pointed out, biting into a fat sugary biscuit. Jam gushed into her mouth… yum.

'He's sweet to you too.' Angie said, 'I mean, today when we were sitting at the lake, he walked all the way over to us to give you his jacket because it was cold and he SAW YOU SHIVERING. But whatever… I'm just so happy one of my best friends can tell me all about my date!'

'I don't think Leah wants to.' Lily laughed.

Leah nodded.

'Hasn't James asked you, Lils?' Marlene demanded.

'Even if he did, I'd never go with that jerk.' Lily snapped, 'I'd rather die.'

'She caught him and Sirius hexing Severus Snape again.' Alice whispered to Leah, 'But she couldn't do anything. She's supposed to be in a fight with Snape.'

Leah had learnt that Lily and Snape used to be childhood friends, until he called her a Mudblood last year. And meant it.

'Did Sirius ask you?' Angie demanded, looking at Leah, 'You should have seen his face when you were wiping it in Potions…' She trailed off, seeing Leah staring at her. The biscuit had stopped halfway to Leah's mouth, and her eyes were blinking at Angie blankly.

'There was a stain.' She said defensively, 'And it was under his right eye.'

Angie stifled a giggle, and Alice looked at her warningly.

'Anyway,' Marlene said, changing the subject, 'what're you wearing to the party, guys? I'm wearing that maroon one-'

'Oooh! My favorite- the velvet, you mean?' Alice asked, 'It looks gorgeous on you, Marlene. Your neckcan really carry it off.'

They actually knew what kind of necks could carry it off. Leah, thought, vaguely. Not that her own dress sense was bad… it was pretty good. After all, she was an author who had to make a lot of public appearances.

'And Lily's wearing that emerald one which goes with her eyes. Aren't you, Lily?' Angie asked, 'I'm wearing my ashes-of-rose pink one- Leah, what about you?'

'I laid it out on my bed.'

Marlene drew a horrified breath. 'That? Leah, the color combination is amazing- but this is a PARTY. Not a… a get-together. There will be some partying and boys.'

Leah shrugged, 'I don't care. I'm not going to be partying or whatever-ing boys.'

Marlene widened her baby blue eyes, and stuck out her lower lip, 'Leah… can I please root through your clothes and chose something else?'

Leah looked at Marlene's face, and then the slight but perfect makeup, the neat, pretty hairdo… and that puppy-dog look. She had full faith in Marlene's fashion choice and there was no way she could say no when her friend was looking at her like that.

'OK.' She breathed finally, 'Do what you want. Just…'

'Consider you?' Angie said, 'You can totally trust Marlene, Leah. She'd never choose something ridiculous… like that golden silk one in your cupboard.'

Leah nodded. She didn't really care.

She'd just found one of Zinc's favorite biscuits in the pile. She waved a hand dismissively, and when she was sure the girls were distracted, she leant over and rooted through the cookies until she'd found a handful of Zinc's biscuits. Then she stuffed them into a napkin and into her pocket.

Downing the remaining coffee, she crammed some mints into her mouth and got up. 'I think I'll go take a walk before the party.' She said and hurried outside. She'd put the tent in the empty place not far from the Willow. The tent and the pillows and blankets. They were exactly where she'd left them.

Within a matter of seconds, she'd put the tent up (using her wand) and arranged the pillows and blankets cozily inside it. An Invisibility spell completed her task. There. She was all set.

Smiling, she looked up at the setting sun. Then she hurried back upstairs.

She almost had a coronary when she found Sirius Black shoving at Zinc's door, to no avail.

'What… what're you doing?' she asked, when he noticed her and said hi in disgruntled tones.

'I wanted to dump my broom in here.' He said, 'But it's jammedor something…'

'I know it is.' She said, 'I've tried too. There's another cupboard…' THINK, LEAH. WHERE IS THERE ANOTHER CUPBOARD? She vaguely remembered dumping her muddy boots in there one time. 'Down the corridor. Turn right.'

Sirius had regained his composure by now. He smiled beguilingly at her, 'I'll see you at the party. Until then, thanks.' He doffed an imaginary hat and went down the corridor. Leah waited till he'd turned the corner. Then she muttered the password and flung the door open. Zinc pounced on her.

He'd obviously been scratching at the door when he'd heard Sirius pull and push and kick.

Thank god she'd put a spell on the door so that SIRIUS couldn't hear or feel anything.

'Phew, Zinc. Close shave.'

Zinc looked at her.

'No, I don't think Black is meant to find out about you. God, why do you adore him so much?' She asked, 'its just coincidence that… that he keeps knocking at our secret's door.'

Zinc sighed, as if to say, it's sad. You're not half as romantic as Kyle.

'I should think not.' Leah sniffed, 'Here. Your biscuits.'

Zinc nuzzled her lovingly, and scoffed down biscuits. Leah nuzzled him back and then poked her head out to make sure the coast was clear. It was. Relieved, she hurried outside and back into the common room.

*

The dress Marlene had chosen was a dark blue silk one with a ruffled skirt, with glossy net (in the ruffles of the skirt) and a tight bodice. She'd thrown in a dark, intricately knitted shawl for effect, and a skinny shiny bracelet with tiny black beads. Alice had donated that one- the bracelet.

'Like your outfit?' Marlene asked, 'Well, go put it on even if you don't. You barely have any time- you're hot and sweaty and-'

'Oh, just go have a wash, Leah.' Lily interrupted. She looked very pretty in the dark green gown of hers. Leah did so. When she came out, Marlene and Angie literally snatched her head in order to put her hair "right".

Once they finally let go, she put on the dark blue slippers and threw the shawl over her shoulders. She barely threw her reflection a second's glance, but Angie held her in front of it to take a good look.

She looked the same as ever- dark hair, unsmiling mouth, and steely dark eyes. But when Angie planted a big kiss on her forehead and said, 'I'd rather go out on a date with you, hon.' in a deep, masculine voice,

Leah laughed, and then she realized that people were actually right when they said she looked nicer when she smiled. Suddenly, the icy surface melted, and the eyes turned warm and chocolaty, but did not lose their intensity…and it was a very interesting transformation, actually. One that she could describe sometime in a book… She snatched said book out and started scribbling it down at once.

The transformation disappeared.