Chapter Ten

September 4th

Lysander nodded to Elliot Wood, his tumbling pale blonde tangles crashing about the small of his slender back loosely. Liam stood beside him; mere centimetres shorter than the tall, slender boy as his arms were folded across his well-built chest, his dark golden eyes narrowed into vicious slits of hatred as he glared at Elliot. Roxanne stood on the other side of Lysander, her dark chocolate tumbles crashing about her pale complexion as her deep mahogany eyes were defocused in boredom. Her athletic build stood tall, reaching Lysander's shoulder just barely. Her expression brightened with relief as Lily brushed passed the Quidditch Captain, emerging from their Quidditch meeting regarding the cancellations. Lily's slender arms hugged her petite figure that was wrapped in her billowing Gryffindor robes as she went.

"Lily," Elliot piped as the girl brushed passed him, her ears perking up curiously as her bright auburn eyes darted up to meet his, "I'm really sorry about Quidditch this year. I really wish I could have been the captain to appoint you as primary seeker. You would have done brilliantly."

"Thank you, Elliot." She blushed bright beetroot from behind her fiery scarlet mane that tumbled about her shoulder blades, widening Liam's dark frown, "You are a brilliant captain. I'm terrified of who will be our captain next year. They will never replace you."

"Why, thank you." He grinned, ruffling her hair playfully before waving to her three comrades after his fellow seventh years.

"Wow, Lily, could you try and control yourself a little bit?" Liam growled furiously as his eyebrows contorted together sourly, "Seriously. We are still here."

"Oh bugger off, McLaggen." She snarled, rolling her eyes in irritation, "You're just a pigheaded moron. I'm bloody glad that there's no chance of you being Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor next year."

Roxanne snickered into her miniscule hand as he shot her a dirty glare, before turning his attention back to Lily with a scowl. She held up her hand abruptly, shaking the stray strands of ginger out of her porcelain complexion as Lysander rolled his sapphire orbs at Liam's glowering.

"Don't even bother, Liam. I have no interest in your moronic blabber." She hissed before nodding to her two companions in farewell, "I will meet you guys in Care of Magical Creatures with the Hufflepuffs. Right now, I just cannot be around him."

As Lily spun on her heel, she stormed off with a glare as Liam rolled his widened, amber eyes before scoffing to himself.

"Well, isn't she a bit over-dramatic?" He spat as Roxanne slapped a hand around the back of his head, causing his golden blonde tumbles to fluster out of shape.

"And you are one to talk, Lee." She retorted as Lysander nodded in agreement, "You rarely have a second of your life free of bloody over-dramatic behaviour."

"Before we all start arguing," Lysander quipped, shooting Liam a warning glare as he opened his mouth to growl at Roxanne, "You, Lee, can stop your whining before Roxanne gives you another slap and I give you a good hex."

"Hey guys!" A peppy, feminine voice squeaked from behind the trio in a heavy, Irish accent.

Lysander's royal blue orbs darted over his slender shoulders, landing on Ailis Finnigan. Her sandy-coloured, waist length tumbles were tied into a bundle of braids, a few strands falling loose to frame her oval-shaped visage. Her large dark eyes sat on either side of a small nose dotted with bronzed freckles, the orbs focusing on Liam curiously as he ignored her presence. She adjusted her Gryffindor uniform about her average height, athletic figure with subtle curves nervously, clearing her throat through the silence.

"Hello, Ailis." Lysander beamed, punching a fist into Liam's upper arm foully.

"Oh... Hi..." Liam grunted as Roxanne waved weakly at their fellow fifth year, slightly baffled at the absence of the girl's best friend, Celine Thomas, who was practically joined to the Gryffindor's hip.

"Are you guys going to Care of Magical Creatures?" She beamed with a wide, toothy grin, "I cannot find anyone anywhere!"

"Indeed we are, Ailis," Lysander replied with a simultaneous nod, "You are welcome to walk with us."

The girl's expression brightened as she skipped to his side, her gaze lingering upon Liam momentarily before darting back to the floor in front of them.

"Actually..." Liam cooed, "I am going to bog off Care of Magical Creatures... Maybe go to the library."

"Sure, the 'library'." Roxanne rolled her eyes as he ignored her, bidding his comrades farewell before waving at Ailis awkwardly as he exited from sight.

"How have you two been then?" She piped as she wrapped her arms around her small waist softly.

"Good, good." Roxanne whispered monotonously, "Getting back into the routine of school."

"And I've been well," Lysander replied softly, "Just dealing with Lee's overdramatic mood swings and insane vanity. How's about yourself, Ailis?"

"Oh, perfectly fine of course..." She answered almost unsurely before coughing nervously into her hand, "Liam may be vain, but he is really beautiful... I mean... If you look at him, you cannot really argue to the concept that he is good-looking... Ask the girls in our year... Speaking of which... Not that it's really that important, but does Liam still have feelings for Lily Potter? Just out of curiosity..."

"Of course he does." Roxanne scoffed, rolling her dark eyes at the thought of Liam's moronic behaviour over his crush on her cousin, "He will never shut up about her and all these outrageous theories about her feelings for him and his worth as her companion."

"Roxanne..." Lysander hissed with warning before his eyes skated towards Ailis' fallen expression as if her hopes had been shattered into a bundle of miniscule pieces, "I... Well, he does still have feelings for Lily... But, you are a beautiful girl, Ailis, which is something all of us can agree on. Whereas many of us will argue that Lee is an overly proud prat. There's a boy out that for her, I promise... There's actually someone I could think of who I'm surprised isn't evening walking with us..."

Roxanne shook her head before realising who Lysander was referring to, her lips spreading into a dark smirk as she nodded in agreement to his surprise. Ailis' eyes widened with bright anticipation as she clasped her hands together as if begging for Lysander to tell her, staring up at him with idolisation.

"Who?" She squealed with excitement.

"I cannot really mention any names... But... There is a certain redheaded member of our fifth Gryffindor clan that I have noticed looking at you..."