Chapter 10

Disclaimer: All I own are my precious ideas…ideas and my wicked sense of humour… (Which is used to depress people, I've heard…)

A/N: The reviews I have been getting for this story have been so nice! All of you wonderful people out there who have reviewed deserve five virtual hugs! It makes me just wanna keep on writing, so that I keep you guys happy! Thanks:-)

"So Argent, did you open that book for me?"

Tyson glanced up at James, and then turned back to his toast to hide his frown. "What? Oh, uh, I'll just find it for you." He began to rummage through his bag. "What the…"

James felt his stomach waver. No, he couldn't have…

"I can't find it," said Tyson, digging through his bag more urgently. "Where the – Hello Tabitha."

His voice became smoother and James looked up. Lily was standing there and looking between the two.

"Potter, Argent," she said tersely. "Which one of you has Annapelle's little black book?"

Tyson raised his eyebrows. "It's Barson's?" He turned to James. "You never told me!"

"Huh?" asked James, a puzzled expression appearing on his face.

"She's Scott's sister!" Tyson cried. He jumped to his feet and pointed a finger at Scott, who was sitting opposite him. "You took it! To give it back to that little –"

Scott jumped to his feet as well. "I never! It was Chris!"

All eyes now turned to Chris Dennis, who sat there with a sheepish smile on his face. "Um, how to get myself out of something like this…He paid me!"

Lily looked murderous. "What is going on here?" she yelled. "Who has the damn little black book?"

All eyes immediately turned to her and the Hall fell silent.

Lily went as red as her hair and her green eyes flashed. "Who has the book?" she said in a deadly whisper.

"He does!" said all the boys, pointing at one another.

Lily tossed her hair importantly. "That's it! If that book is not outside my dormitory door by 9 p.m. sharp, I don't care how it gets there, heads are going to roll!" With that, Lily turned on her heel and headed back to where she was sitting.

Tyson and Scott sat back down, and James stood awkwardly near him.

"So, uh, better give her that book then," said James nervously.

"I don't have it Potter, so I suggest you leave otherwise I will hurt you more than Tabitha ever will," said Tyson in a menacing voice.

"Okay, but who's Tabitha?"

Tyson looked at James as though he was stupid. "That girl," he said, pointing to Lily.

"Uh, that's Lily," James told him.

"See!" cried another boy sitting next to Tyson. "I told you! But you still call her Tabitha!"

"Be quiet Jon," said Tyson. He turned back to his toast and James took this as his cue to leave.

"Well, you caused quite a scene there," said Remus, when James sat back down with the Marauders.

"I'm surprised Minnie didn't get up you," said Sirius, shovelling forkfuls of scrambled eggs into his mouth.

James sighed. "Great. My one chance to learn everything about Lily, and bloody Argent lost the damn book. Or that Scott took it or that Chris gave it to someone…I dunno."

"Well, we can either stay in the school and hunt for it, or go to Hogsmeade and forget about it," said Sirius, starting on his bacon.

"Tough choice," piped up Peter.

"Well, I can't come to Hogsmeade anyway," said Remus.

"Why not Moony?" asked Sirius in a sad voice.

"Transfiguration homework."

James, Sirius and Peter roared with laughter.

"Oh, that's a good one Moony," said Sirius, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"That's not due for almost five weeks!" said James. "Loosen up Moony. Come to Hogsmeade with us. I'll bring the Invisibility Cloak…"

"Okay," gave in Remus. "But don't bring the Cloak."

James pouted. "Fine, mother," he said.

.x.x.x.

Sirius rubbed his hands together. "Please, can we go to the Three Broomsticks? I'm freezing."

Remus rolled his eyes. "You're wearing three scarves, four pairs of gloves, seven pairs of socks and two jumpers. How are you cold?"

"I just am!" said Sirius defensively. "Please Prongs?"

"Fine," relented James. They headed for the warm pub and walked inside.

"Aah," sighed Sirius. "That's much better."

Peter went to order their drinks, whilst James, Sirius and Remus sat at a table.

James caught sight of someone walking through the door. "Evans!" he called. "Come sit with us!"

Lily glanced at her friends, but they pushed her forward. After all, why would Dorcas and Emmeline give up a chance to talk to their crushes, just 'cause Lily hated James Potter?

Dorcas snuggled in close to Sirius. "Isn't it cold today?" she complained.

Sirius smiled. "Oh yeah, very. But not anymore." He winked at Dorcas.

Dorcas went pink.

Emmeline, meanwhile, sat opposite Remus and was trying to think of a topic starter. "Uh, I was going to write my Transfiguration essay today," she said, thinking that it was a lame topic. "But Lily and Dorcas forced me to come."

To her surprise, Remus chuckled. "Same here," he said.

Emmeline brightened and she and Remus chatted about the topics they were going to write about.

Lily, however, was stuck next to James. "Shouldn't you be at the castle looking for that book?"

James shrugged. "I'll look later."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Argent and all of his friends are looking for it."

"Good for them," said James, drinking his Butterbeer that Peter had just brought over.

Lily narrowed her eyes suspiciously. It was almost as though James didn't care about the book even though it held almost every piece of information about her, his long-time crush. But if he didn't think that he had it, who did?

.x.x.x.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I mean castle, Tyson, Jon, Scott and Chris were all urgently looking in their dormitory for Annapelle's little black book.

"Ugh, Tyson, what happened to these robes?" said Scott disgustedly, holding up some robes with a murky yellow mixture stained into them.

Tyson and Jon chuckled. Then they hi-fived.

"That was a good night," said Tyson. "Hey, where's Gilderoy? He should be helping us. I mean he likes Lily so much…"

Tyson looked at Jon, then Scott, then Chris. They all stared at each other, wide-eyed.

"GILDEROY!" Tyson bellowed.

"Is there a problem chaps?" said a voice.

Gilderoy Lockhart emerged from the dormitory bathroom, his hair charmed to its perfect wave and wearing a turquoise bathrobe with matching slippers.

"Have you, by any chance, seen a little black book other than yours?" asked Tyson.

Gilderoy looked thoughtful. "Possibly. Actually, yes. I thought it was mine, and I was taking it somewhere, but when I tried to open it, it appeared to be stuck. Then someone else offered me twenty Galleons and a night with Ashleigh Wend, so I gave the book to them."

The other four boys stared at Gilderoy with open mouths. Then Scott spoke.

"Ashleigh Wend?" he repeated. "You got ripped off there, Lockhart."

Gilderoy looked superior. "That's what you think, Barson."

"So, uh, who gave you the money then?" asked Tyson.

"I dunno," said Gilderoy dismissively. "Some second-year."

"Girl or boy?"

"Boy, but then my memory is hazy. I had three Firewhiskeys with Joan Argot afterwards."

Tyson didn't really care if Gilderoy had had three Firewhiskeys with Dumbledore and then spent the night with him. All he had to do was find this second-year and get that book to Tabitha.

.x.x.x.

"Look, we really should get going," said Lily, pinching Emmeline, so she would take the hint.

"Oh yeah…" said Emmeline. "We have some important…uh, shopping to do."

"Mind if we join you?" asked James, as Lily, Emmeline and Dorcas stood up, Dorcas with quite a bit of tugging from Emmeline.

"Yes, actually, we would mind," said Lily. "Good day, Potter."

Lily lead her two friends out of the pub, and into the chilly air outside.

"What shopping Lily?" asked Dorcas. "It had better be important 'cause me and Sirius were really connecting."

"Yeah, by your lips," said Emmeline.

Dorcas frowned. "Just 'cause all you could do with Remus was talk doesn't mean you have to be jealous of me and Fuzzy Bear."

Lily and Emmeline exchanged glances.

"Fuzzy Bear?" repeated Lily. "This is the first time you've even spoken to him, yet you've already given him a pet name?"

Dorcas looked defensive and she tossed her hair. "It is not the first time."

"Dorcas," said Emmeline. "That time in potions in second-year, when you had to say sorry 'cause you spilt your Swelling Solution all over him, does not count."

Dorcas didn't say any more.

"Ooh," said Emmeline, looking into a store's window. "Wow, I need a new quill…"

"Emmeline, I will not let you pay fifty Galleons for a quill made from…what is it made from?" said Lily, also staring through the window at it.

Dorcas, meanwhile, had wandered off towards the Shrieking Shack. She wrapped her scarf more tightly around her neck and looked up at the old, haunted building.

"Psst!" hissed a voice from some nearby trees.

Dorcas turned but there was no-one there. She shook her head, thinking she was hearing things, and looked back at the Shrieking Shack.

"Meadowes!" hissed the same voice.

Dorcas turned around, a hand was clapped over her mouth, and Dorcas saw no more.

.x.x.x.

I decided that this story needs a bit of action! Don't you think? What do you think might happen? Ooh…I'm having a hard time thinking of an idea myself. But I'm always open to my reviewers' ideas (as RavieGrint will already know!), so feel free to send them to me in your reviews! Virtual hugs and a big slice of virtual cake to all who review!