Isabella's brain was still in a fog. In fact, she had no idea how she was moving. If it weren't for knowing that at the end of this journey, however long it ended up being, she would get to see her father, she was sure she would not have had the mental capacity to put one foot in front of the other.
The last twenty minutes had been a blur. She only absently remembered wrapping the proffered cloak around her, Dumbledore casting a disillusionment charm on her in case anyone saw him as he left the castle, the long, cold walk down to the entrance of the grounds as Dumbledore silently vanished her footprints in the snow, and the uncomfortable Side-Along Apparation the second they were only steps outside the front gate.
They had landed in the middle of a dark forest, whose canopy was so high and dense that the ground was nearly free from any snow, and she would not have known if it were day or night had they not had just left Hogwarts under a starry sky.
The surroundings scared her a bit. It was completely silent, save for the low mutterings from Dumbledore as he deactivated each security ward causing the air to vibrate around them. The only light was from their lit wands extended before them.
After another ten minutes of silent walking, Dumbledore finally stopped. Isabella did the same and looked around them. There was no sign of any building, cave, or other dwelling that could have housed anyone, just endless trees and darkness. Dumbledore turned to Isabella and removed the disillusionment charm.
"You are aware, Ms. Williams, of the basic workings of the Fidelius charm?" he asked, his voice low but clear.
"Yes, professor," she answered quickly. Her father had actually toyed with the idea of casting the charm on their new house when they first arrived in London but decided that it was unnecessary for the time being.
Dumbledore nodded. "Then you know that what I am about to tell you, you must see in your mind as you say it, and that it is highly classified information that I ask you share with no one—not your friends here or abroad, professors, or anyone else in- or outside the school. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," Isabella said, again with urgency.
"May I have your word?"
"My word, professor."
"Good," he said before clearing his throat. He then looked her squarely in the eyes. "The medical facility for members of the Order of the Phoenix is located at latitude 56 longitude -5 in the Argyll Forest of Scotland."
Isabella nodded once and closed her eyes, repeating the words in her head and trying not to concern herself with what the Order of the Phoenix was or how far out they really must be if this location could only be given via geographical coordinates.
She opened her eyes and looked ahead of her. As she continued to silently mouth the words, a section of a building appeared about 25 feet in front of them. It appeared to be only one story and extended outward, as if spreading from its center. Isabella watched transfixed as the trees surrounding the growing building moved with it but remained undisturbed.
After another minute, the building stopped expanding. It was a bare, grey cement building that looked no larger than a typical corner market. There were no windows and no doors.
"Do you see the building?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Good," he said, clapping his hands. "Just one more note: I promised I would bring you here as soon as your father awoke, and I have stayed true to my word, but you being here is still frowned upon. The people housed within this facility are deeply involved in the fight against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, with a number of them doing so in secret. I was able to secure agreement for you to come here only because of who your father is. Your meeting will be brief, and I again must ask that you relay nothing you see here to anyone else. You may tell your friends that you have seen your father, but you are to tell them you visited him at your home in London. Is this understood?"
Isabella swallowed hard. "Yes, professor. You have my word."
Dumbledore smiled warmly. "Sorry for the ominous lecture, but it is necessary. Now, let's get you to your father."
Isabella wanted to smile but couldn't work her mouth. She was more anxious than excited at the prospect of seeing him.
They walked toward the building, Isabella one step behind Dumbledore. Once they reached it, he raised a hand to a non-distinct area and muttered another incantation. The frame of a door glowed before solidly forming, though with no handle. He then turned to Isabella and extended an arm for her to proceed first. Not really knowing what to do, she took a step into the door, and she passed right through it as if it didn't exist, much like the brick barrier between platforms nine and ten at Kings Cross.
Once through the door, Isabella found herself in a bright, quiet, and small space. Three or four halls led off in all directions, windows lined the walls through which simulated sunshine beamed, and bare white linoleum made up the floors. There were no paintings, no plants, no decorative pieces of any kind. It had all the sterility and austerity of any hospital or scientific lab.
"We are this way," Dumbledore said, extending his arm down a corridor to their left.
Isabella followed Dumbledore down the short hall that had no doors. She was surprised at how quiet their footsteps were. The Headmaster stopped at a random blank space and repeated his actions from outside. He placed a hand on the wall and mumbled. Another door appeared, and Dumbledore stepped through first this time. Isabella held her breath as she followed. She was shocked at the contrast between the room and the hall she had just left.
It was a well-sized room, probably the size of her dormitory at Hogwarts. Dark wood lined the floors and walls while the windows were surrounded with lush navy draperies. There were about 6 other people in the room: two Aurors, two in what she knew as Healer robes, and another two whose role she did not know. They only glanced at her and Dumbledore before returning to their respective tasks.
Her eyes finally found her father, who was sitting up on a comfortable looking bed and reading reports. He had not noticed them enter.
Typical, she thought with a half smile.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Derrick?"
He looked up, and his eyes immediately found Isabella. His face broke into a large grin before reaching his arms out. A few seconds passed before Isabella realized she was running toward him, her arms outstretched too.
"Daddy," she whispered once she reached him. She wrapped her arms around him and crushed herself to him, burying her head in his chest and sobbing uncontrollably as overwhelming, consuming relief flowed through her.
"Bella, dear," Derrick said, his own voice breaking a little. "It's alright; I'm here."
She nodded into his chest but continued to cry. She had to make certain that he was here, alive, whole, and safe.
A few minutes passed before Isabella calmed down. She gained control of her breathing and finally rose up to get a good look at her father. There were tears glimmering in his eyes, but she was slightly unsettled to see that he otherwise looked perfectly healthy. There were a few more grey hairs on his head, but aside from that, he looked as if he had just woken up from an afternoon nap.
"Hello," he said, grinning.
"Hi," she greeted in a small voice. She glanced around to see that the others, including Dumbledore, had respectfully left the room.
"How are you?"
"Okay," Isabella said, her voice still quiet and week. "But much better now."
Derrick nodded. "I supposed the past month has been a little rough."
"A little," she said, cracking a half smile. "How are you feeling? I mean, does anything hurt?"
"Nope, nothing. I feel as fit as I ever had," he explained. "It's quite odd. I've been looking over all the reports from the tests they ran on me while I was unconscious, and there isn't anything out of the ordinary with them. No one has any idea what curse I was hit with or how it kept me out for so long."
"Do you think it was something they created, the Death Eaters? Like the Dark Mark?" Isabella whispered.
"No doubt it is, but it must have not been perfected if it had no serious effect on me." He then rolled up the sleeves of the shirt he as wearing. There were fading bruises and burns. "These injuries were from normal dueling, the usual curses."
"Then how did you wake up?"
Derrick shrugged. "Couldn't tell you. They're still working on it, but I doubt they come up with an answer anytime soon. But what matters now is that I am awake," he said, scooting over and patting the space next to him. Isabella joined him on the bed. "Let the Healers worry about the details. Tell me how you've been."
Isabella smiled and discussed a little about class, her friends, and the happenings over the past month, deliberately leaving out her clandestine trip to Hogsmeade and everything about Sirius.
"So keeping busy, in short?"
"As always," she sighed. She was comfortable here with her dad and was already dreading the time when she would have to leave.
"And if I have my dates correct, Happy Thanksgiving," he said, giving her a kiss on her temple. "Weird, isn't it?"
"Very," Isabella said. "Remember last year and mom's first failed attempt to host dinner? Who knew you could do so much damage to a turkey with a couple of random twirls of a wand."
Derrick chuckled slightly. "Thank goodness your grandmother was there to save the day. Your mother was never good with cooking or domestic spells. I don't know what compelled her to start with a task as large as Thanksgiving dinner."
Isabella grinned at the thought of Estelle mistakenly reanimating the headless, de-feathered turkey and it scurrying throughout the house. But the thoughts of her mother didn't sadden her like before; it felt good to reminisce about the happy times.
"And speaking of the holidays," Derrick said as he reached for a piece of parchment on the table next to him that was laden with letters and reports, "I just read a letter from Allen."
"Garret's dad?"
Derrick nodded. "Yes, apparently he and the family are visiting Europe during Christmas. They'll be here for a couple of days before New Year's Eve. I was thinking of having them over for dinner one night."
The look her father was giving her flustered her a little. "That sounds fine. Garret actually wrote me saying the same thing."
"Oh, so you've been writing each other?" Derrick asked, a faint grin at his lips.
"A little," Isabella said quickly. She felt her cheeks burn slightly.
"Good, good," Derrick said absently. "It will be nice to see some friends from home."
Just then Dumbledore walked back into the room. "I apologize for interrupting, but it is time to go, Ms. Williams."
"Yes, professor," Isabella said, her voice growing tight. She reluctantly got out of bed and turned back to Derrick. Tears immediately welled in her eyes. She could have stayed with her father all night; she just felt safer around him. She was afraid to leave his side.
"I know, it seems unfair that our time is so short," Derrick said as if reading her mind. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "But you have to get back to school and continue on as if things are normal, and I need to get back to work—"
"Back to work?" Isabella interrupted.
"Yes," he said placatingly, knowing his daughter was heating up. "I am feeling quite fine, a little baffled at the whole thing, but completely sound in mind and body. There is still a ton of work to do. I may have been out for a month, but Voldemort and his Death Eaters were still working. This is not the time to take a break."
"But—"
"And I promise to not overwork myself," Derrick said. "I will write you everyday, you will be home before you know it for the holidays, and we'll decorate and bake and do whatever you want."
Isabella sighed and nodded. "Okay. Just make sure to rest please."
"I will," Derrick said, grinning. He pulled her toward him and kissed her on the forehead. "Good luck with your end of term exams and sleep well. I love you."
"Love you too, daddy," Isabella said softly. "Goodnight." It took a great deal of effort to turn and walk away.
Just one more month, just one more month, Isabella thought, relieved to just have her dad back well and whole.
She reached Dumbledore slowly, who smiled at her. He then looked over her head to her father.
"Until tomorrow, Derrick," he said, inclining his head.
"Goodnight, Albus. And thank you."
Dumbledore nodded again. Isabella looked back waved. Derrick winked at her and returned to his report as she turned and walked through the door into the white, silent corridor.
The trip back to Hogwarts zoomed by this time. Dumbledore engaged her in polite conversation about how she was enjoying school so far—the dormitory, the house system, classes, and her friends. Of course Isabella replied that everything was satisfactory and that her transition had been going well, which for the most part, she realized, was true.
Once back in the castle, Dumbledore bade her goodnight in the Entrance Hall. She had a feeling that he had no intention of returning to his office, but to the facility they had just left. Isabella reached the common room quickly and was relieved to not have run into anyone. It being after 11:00, there weren't many people still downstairs. Only two seventh year boys and one girl were studying.
Isabella wasn't tired at all. She headed over to the girls' usual spot and saw that her bag still remained. It seemed hours ago that she was studying with her roommates. They had probably wondered where she had run off to and knew they were most likely still awake upstairs, but she refrained from going to the room, knowing they would ask a multitude of questions. She was planning on sharing the details of her trip but not now; she needed to finish reviewing her Arithmancy work.
Isabella gathered her notes and settled into an armchair. Her mind worked slowly as she looked over her notes and problem sets; she could not stop thinking about her father, Garret, and Sirius. She was comforted at the thought of her father feeling like his old self, though she was not too thrilled with him returning to work so soon. However, she would not have expected anything less.
Garret had become a complicated situation in such a short time. She had gone from hoping he wouldn't trash her letter as soon as he received it to her father inviting him and his family for dinner in just a month's time, regardless of whether or not he wanted to be there. It had the possibility of being the most awkward night of her life.
Isabella didn't know what to think about Sirius. There were times when she thought that maybe there could be something developing, but that was always squashed with a distraction, like tonight, or a bitter dose of reality courtesy of Jane. She was just kidding herself; she was no better or different than his other countless admirers.
"Can Tuli get Miss anything?"
Isabella jumped at the squeaky voice. She looked up from her notes and saw that she was now alone in the common room, save for a tiny house-elf dressed in a navy blue toga-like garment. Her protuberant blue eyes were the size of tennis balls.
"I apologize for scaring Miss," Tuli said with a slight bow. "Students are usually in bed this late."
"That—that's okay—Tuli, you said your name was?" Isabella said once she had calmed down.
Tuli nodded. "Yes, Miss. We house-elves tidy up the common rooms during this time. But no need to leave on our account, Miss!" Tuli added hastily when Isabella started to rise. "I can clean around you or come back later. But is there anything I can do for you?"
"Uh," Isabella said, still a little shocked. She looked toward the dying fire. "A new fire would be pleasant, if you don't mind." She then glanced down at her work and saw she had not made much progress. She was going to be up for a while. "And some coffee, if that's not too much trouble."
"No trouble at all, Miss…?"
"Isabella."
"Miss Isabella, yes, I will relight the fire and bring you some coffee."
"Thank y—" Isabella began to say, but Tuli had already snapped her fingers and disappeared.
Shaking her head, Isabella stood and stretched. She fell heavily back onto the chair just as the creaking of the portrait caught her attention.
"James?" Isabella said when he finally came through the hole.
"Oh, hey Isabella," James greeted.
She immediately noticed that his hair was messier than usual and his clothes were rumpled. However, he did not look tired; rather, he seemed quite alert.
"What are you doing up so late?" he asked as he reached her.
"Finishing up some Arithmancy work."
"This late?"
"Yeah, we have a quiz tomorrow, and I got a little distracted tonight," she said.
He raised an eyebrow.
"My father woke up earlier today. I returned a little while ago from seeing him; Dumbledore took me," she explained.
"That's great news!" James beamed, and his smile was infectious. "I bet you're relieved, and my father too," he added.
"You have no idea," Isabella sighed. "What are you doing out so late?"
"Had to make sure Delilah got back safe," he said with a slight smirk.
Isabella grinned knowingly. "What a gentlemanly thing to do. And here I was thinking you were out making trouble."
"Not yet; that's next on the agenda tonight," James said.
"You mean you're not turning in?"
James shook his head. "No, just came back for a change of clothes. But it's pointless now that I think about it. I am already running late; the guys will be right chuffed with me."
"Aren't you afraid of being caught?"
"Nah. As long as we've been doing this, if we were to be caught, it's because we wanted to be," he said with a wink as he started retreating toward the portrait hole.
"Well, good luck," was all Isabella could think to say, though knowing it was rather unnecessary.
"Thanks, and you too. With the Arithmancy, I mean," he said, inclining his head toward her notes. "Though if what Sirius says is true, you won't need it. Goodnight." And with one last grin, he was gone.
What had Sirius said? she silently asked herself. She could not stop grinning. Sirius had talked about her to his friends; well, to James at least. And had complimented her…or her proficiency in Arithmancy at any rate. Had he said anything more?
"Oh, you're getting ahead of yourself," she whispered, but she still could not help smiling and wondering. Not even the loud reappearance of Tuli only seconds later startled her.
She accepted the coffee tray, thanked Tuli, and settled in again to study. But if she thought she was preoccupied before, she was mistaken. Sirius remained at the forefront of her mind for the rest of the night, but this time, he was a welcomed distraction.
The quiz could have been written in Gobbledegook for all Sirius knew; nothing was making sense.
And it was just silly. Arithmancy was not difficult for him; he had aced every exam since he began the class back in third year, and had even received an Outstanding on his O.W.L. He knew the material being tested today, but he couldn't make sense of anything written on the paper at this moment. His brain had turned to mush.
He wouldn't have minded so much had he not also had a splitting headache. In fact, his entire body was in pain—full, throbbing pain—and it was all thanks to Moony the werewolf.
It had been about a year since they had mastered transforming into Animagi, and although each monthly excursion with Remus in werewolf form presented new adventures and discoveries, the whole event had become mostly second nature to them all.
However, last night had been a particularly nasty transformation. Remus was in an inexplicable rage for most of the night, which worried Sirius from the minute he entered the Shrieking Shack, as he had not witnessed Remus act so primal since their first few transformations with him.
James had been late in meeting him and Peter again, and Peter in rat form was basically useless in helping control Remus, so the responsibility of restraining Remus fell onto Sirius until James finally decided to show up. As a result, he had been the victim of numerous full body rammings from the furious werewolf.
The sun was just beginning to rise by the time they had finally subdued him, giving them just enough time to escape back to the castle before Remus was expected back in the Hospital Wing for the day. James and Peter, both free of injury, had passed out the minute they reached their dormitory. Sirius, on the other hand, was too bruised and battered to comfortably fall asleep.
In a last ditched effort, he downed the remaining one-third of James' last bottle of vodka to dull the pain away. He had slept right through breakfast and half of Transfiguration, which resulted in a Saturday night detention from a disgruntled McGonagall. James and Peter had smirked at him when he joined them at their desk.
Fucking tossers, Sirius thought savagely. He was angry with the both of them, and Remus too. Peter for being absolutely useless, Remus for being so angry for no damn reason, and James for being so wrapped up over some girl. Sirius didn't care if James had a girlfriend—he was downright happy for anything that ended his futile obsession over Evans—but when that girl started to take precedence over his mates, especially over something as important as Remus' 'furry little problem,' something was not right. He almost wished James were still pining for Evans; at least then he wouldn't be absent so frequently.
Making it to Arithmancy had been damn near impossible. The effects of the vodka had long worn off during Transfiguration, and the walk from McGonagall's classroom had been the most strenuous and painful ever. Professor Thorpe had just finished distributing the quiz by the time Sirius slid into his seat next to Isabella. The latter said nothing but had given him a wary look before turning back to her parchment.
Isabella was another source of his frustration, though indirectly. She had been asleep in an uncomfortable looking position in an armchair when the boys returned to the common room this morning. Sirius had wanted to wake her up and help her up to her room, but James stopped him, explaining that he looked a mess with his swollen bottom lip, black eye, and tattered clothes. It would have led to awkward questioning.
Sirius had since cleaned up as best he could, but he still wondered at why Isabella had been up so late by herself. Studying for Arithmancy, obviously, but that meant she had been out later than he thought.
But doing what? Sirius thought. Talking with Dumbledore about her father? Possibly. Wandering around with the girls? Most likely not. Out with a boy—Adam possibly? Maybe, though the thought irritated him slightly. Or perhaps she had not been out late, but was waiting for Sirius to come back from whatever she thought he was doing—to review the material, of course. This made him smile a little, but then he immediately scowled. Why should he care if Isabella was waiting for him?
He glanced at her. She did look tired—her eyes were puffy, her uniform was not as neat, and she kept stretching her back as if it were stiff. But despite it all, she seemed happy, or at least, less stressed. Sirius had noticed it during Transfiguration—her easy smile and increased chattiness with the girls. He assumed it had to do with whatever news she received from Dumbledore regarding her father; he would ask her about it after class.
Trying to focus again, Sirius looked back down at his quiz. The equations had become a bit clearer now. He began to work, and gradually most of it came back to him as he proceeded. He finished only a few minutes after Isabella did.
Class ended with a lecture on a new unit, to which few people paid attention. When the bell finally rang, Sirius gingerly stood and waited outside for Isabella, who had gone to Professor Thorpe to, Sirius assumed, ask questions about the new material. She was the last to leave the classroom and appeared pleased to see him waiting for her. They began walking toward the main staircase.
"Hi," she greeted in a cheerful tone he was sure he had never heard from her. "Are you feeling okay?"
Sirius was a little taken aback at the question. "Sure, why?"
Isabella shrugged. "You just look a little rough, like you didn't sleep a wink," she said hesitantly. "You didn't make it to breakfast and almost missed Transfiguration."
So she had noticed. "Yeah, but I am fine. It's the price you pay for staying out late."
"Making trouble?"
Sirius smirked. "Would you expect anything less?"
"I wouldn't know what to expect; I've only known you for, what, 3 months now?" Isabella asked. Sirius couldn't place her tone.
"True, but I am easy to learn."
Isabella mumbled something that Sirius didn't catch, though he knew it was contradictory. He tried to ignore this.
"So was it good news from Dumbledore last night?" he asked suddenly.
"Yes!" Isabella said, perking up right away. "My father is awake. He took me to our home in London to visit him."
Sirius felt truly relieved for her. "Very good to hear. But I bet if he is anything like James' father, he already went back to work today."
Isabella bristled. "He was already working when I showed up last night. He looks fine and claims he feels fine, but I still think he should take a breather for a few days."
"Maybe, but then again, I bet Voldemort doesn't take many breaks either."
"That's exactly what my father said," Isabella said, frowning at him.
Sirius grinned. "Great minds think alike."
She rolled her eyes but smiled all the same.
"And here is where I leave you," Sirius said as they reached the main staircase. It was lunch time and no doubt Isabella would be making her way to the Great Hall to join her friends.
"You're not coming to lunch?"
"No, not really hungry. And you were right, I got hardly any sleep last night. Going to use the time to catch a nap," Sirius explained.
"Well, just make sure you're up in time for Potions," Isabella said as she started downstairs.
"Ah, old Sluggy won't miss me for a day."
Isabella raised an eyebrow, but Sirius only smirked and continued in the other direction.
He had quite the time forcing his away against the rush of students heading to lunch. A few Slytherins purposely rammed into him, but instead of following instinct and drawing out his wand, he continued onto the common room. Sleep and maybe some firewhiskey were his main priority right now.
To no surprise, the common room was empty, but their room wasn't. Remus was lying on his bed and reading his Ancient Runes textbook.
"Hey, Moony," Sirius said, rather indifferently, as he walked toward his bed. "What are you doing back so early?"
"Couldn't stand being in the Hospital Wing for another minute," Remus said, and Sirius heard resentment in his voice.
"Oh," Sirius said lamely as he stripped down to his boxers and undershirt and fell into bed.
"And I ran into James on the way back. He told me about last night, and I'm sorry," Remus said faintly after a moment.
Sirius, unsettled at the sound of his voice, glanced over at Remus. The latter had put down his book, sat up to face Sirius' bed, and looked utterly dejected. Sirius' anger toward him dissipated at once. Remus had been completely unaware of what he was doing last night. Sirius knew the attacks were not intentional; they never were.
"Don't worry about it," Sirius said dismissively.
"No, I should," Remus said defiantly. "I haven't acted like that since—since last fall. I should have better control."
"Better control?" Sirius asked, chuckling a little. He desisted when Remus did not look amused. "Really, Moony. You are not in your right mind when you transform. No one expects you to act like Remus the Prefect during the full moon. Animal instinct will sometimes take over whether you want it to or not; you are being too hard on yourself."
"That's not an excuse," Remus said, shaking his head.
"Of course it isn't; no one is making excuses because there are no reasons for them. It just is what it is," Sirius said, worried that none of what he was saying was getting through to Remus. Sirius had never seen him so distressed before. He frowned. "Is everything okay?"
"Fine," Remus replied moodily.
Sirius wasn't bothered by the curt response; he had been expecting it. He and Remus were good friends, but the four of them knew that Remus' closest friendship was with James. Sirius' penchant for recklessness beyond the normal rule-breaking and Remus' increasing apathy for it all had culminated in a more strained relationship over the past year, and he knew that he was the last one Remus would ever open up to, even behind Peter.
But Sirius still had to try. Remus was despondent, and more so than usual. Something was definitely wrong.
"Don't give me that shit," Sirius said. "Something is very obviously bothering you enough to affect your mood during a transformation. You don't want to tell me? That's fine. But you're going to need to work through it before next month, or I won't be around to take the brunt of it."
Remus glared at him, and Sirius smiled inwardly with satisfaction. He was lying of course; only capture or death could prevent him from keeping Remus company during the full moon, but he knew his words had affected his friend. Remus hated being a burden on anyone.
Remus remained silent and stared grumpily at the floor. Thinking he was fighting a losing battle for now, Sirius rolled over to face the opposite wall and try to get some sleep in.
"I'm just sick of it!" Remus bellowed after nearly five minutes of silence, and Sirius sat up with a start. Remus was angrily pacing around the room.
"I am sick of it being such a burden on all aspects of my life! My academics, my health, my friendships, my—my…" He trailed off, closed his eyes, and turned away.
Sirius had a feeling the last unspoken thought pertained to girls. He didn't know what to say.
Remus sat heavily upon his bed again, his head in his hands. "I just want a regular teenage life; it comes so easily for everyone else, for you and James," he mumbled. "You guys choose to do this every month; but I have to endure it for the rest of my life, and the thought of that becomes overwhelming sometimes." His voice broke, and he looked up at Sirius. He wasn't crying, but he was slightly shaking and paler than ever, which was saying something considering what day it was.
Sirius stared at him, completely loss at what to do. Remus was clearly breaking down, and Sirius didn't know if he was supposed to say something to console him or to remain quiet and let Remus get everything out.
The thing was, though, that Remus could never be consoled, especially regarding his lycanthropy. He had never wanted anyone's pity for his fate, but it was difficult to remain unaffected when he lost control and cracked under the pressure. Sirius had witnessed this only one time before—back in third year. He, James, and Peter, not knowing what to do, took him to the Hospital Wing where he was given a number of calming potions.
But it wouldn't be so easy this time. They were older and better aware of their needs as individuals now. And Remus, who had grown increasingly isolated, needed someone he could relate to. Since finding and befriending another werewolf while in school was essentially impossible, he needed someone to lose himself in. A positive distraction that would keep him so deliriously happy and at ease that by the time the full moon arrived, he wouldn't become so depressed about the situation.
He needed a girlfriend—something Sirius and James had thought for a while. But Sirius had believed that no girl in Hogwarts would be accepting of his condition when he eventually had to tell her, and he still held that belief today.
And as soon as it had started, Remus' outburst was over. Sirius watched as he lied back down on his bed and closed his curtains halfway. He understood that Remus did not want any comforting words from him and that they would not speak of this event ever again, between them at least. Sirius had all intention to discuss this with James, whenever he decided to spare a moment away from Delilah, that is.
But for now, Sirius would worry about nothing but himself. He turned away from Remus and closed his bed hangings, knowing he was never going to make it to Potions.
"Stop, just stop!" James yelled. He sighed as he watched his two other Chasers continue down the field toward the Keeper in a wild formation.
Practice was not going well, but what did he expect? He should have known they wouldn't hear him, for he could barely hear himself.
The wind tonight was the worst of the season. It was persistent, freezing, and whip-like. The gusts were so strong at points that James would have thought a hurricane was approaching had it not been for the fact that they were in the middle of the North Country.
The day had started out alright. It was the first clear day with no rain, sleet, or snow since the bad weather started back in mid-November. There was still snow packed on the ground, but the sun actually shone for the most of the day, and James had decided this would be the best time for the team to get their first real practice in since their last game. He informed everyone of the impromptu session earlier today at lunch.
But by the time the sun began to set, the winds had kicked in. They had been bearable until about thirty minutes ago, when they turned into gale force status. Everyone had started to complain right away; James' own face was painfully numb and his hands were sore from the hard grip he assumed to keep from falling off his broom.
James knew he should give it up as a bad job. The Quaffle, Bludgers, and Snitch were being tossed about by the wind so forcefully that no one could keep track of them, and the plays he was trying to run were made useless. And besides that, the team was playing with no real effort. They had already been annoyed with James for calling the practice at such last minute, for it was Saturday and only two days before the end of term exams started; everyone was preoccupied with studying and the upcoming holidays.
James continued to watch as the team continued to move in random directions chasing after balls they would never get a hold of. Their next game wasn't until late February. They would have plenty of time to practice in the new year.
"Alright, bring it in!" James yelled. No one heard him. Cursing, he took out his wand and sent red sparks into the air, which immediately gained everyone's attention. James drew a finger across his throat and pointed toward the stands. The team gathered there within seconds.
"I think it's time to call it a night," James said once the team had steadied themselves on the ground.
"You think?" spat Corrine Yates, a fourth year Chaser, as she removed her wrist guards. "That was the most pointless practice ever. I could have been reading up on Charms."
James glared and opened his mouth, but Ted Knowles beat him to it. "Oh, shut it. The only thing you and your silly friends would be reading is the new issue of Witch Weekly for advice on what to get your non-existent boyfriends for Christmas." He ignored her look of outrage and turned to James. "It wasn't so bad. Nice to get on the broom after such a long break."
"Yes, well, that was intention," James said quickly, hoping to forestall Corrine's retort. "Didn't want people to get too sluggish. Just everyone try to get a little flying in over the holidays to keep your form. I'll get in contact with you all on the first day back to setup practice times for January. Thanks for the effort tonight and good luck with exams."
Everyone muttered their good-byes and trotted off to the changing rooms. James sighed and turned back to the field, searching for the rogue balls. After a few minutes and some quick wand work, he finally corralled them into the chest.
As he walked toward the changing rooms, the chest levitated behind him, he felt the first wave of fatigue wash over him, but his night was far from over. Tonight he and the boys would be pulling off their first prank in what felt like ages.
James would have loved to first spend a couple of hours in private with Delilah, but she had more or less cut off their alone time starting last Thursday night. He had been expecting this, for it was exam time, and she had gone into full Ravenclaw mode. The only thing keeping James sane was her promise of her undivided attention as soon her Ancient Runes exam was complete next Thursday afternoon.
Though if he had been allowed to see her, he probably would have declined it. He and the boys had not spent much time together outside of the full moon and homework; his time with Sirius in particular had dropped significantly, and James knew that Sirius was getting irritated. It had started with the last full moon, and in the three weeks since then, Sirius had been quite shirty with him.
James didn't think that Sirius had sufficient reason though. True, James had been spending a lot of time with Delilah, but not much more than what he spent with previous girlfriends. The only difference now was that Sirius didn't have a girlfriend of his own to waste time with, making James' absence more noticeable.
But still, James didn't think he deserved the muttered snide remarks that came from Sirius whenever he left or came back from seeing Delilah. James even went so far to ask Remus if he thought he was spending a lot of time away from them, to which Remus assured him that he personally didn't think James was, and that Sirius' reaction should be expected.
That was certainly true. Sirius was selfish and temperamental to a fault and had always wanted everyone's attention, whether he cared for them or not. James knew this and was shocked with himself for not considering it.
Nevertheless, James knew Sirius' patience was wearing thin, and he didn't want to go into the break with such stupid tension between them, especially since they lived together now. Regardless of how much they were acting like a bunch of sodding girls, James would make it right because Sirius' pride would never let him.
James changed quickly and rushed through the castle to the common room. It was a quarter to 6:00 and dinner would be starting soon. Most of their work would have to be completed while most students were busy eating.
Their victims tonight would be the Slytherins, of course. James and the boys had all felt that they were never properly punished for what they did to Mary MacDonald, and though they knew only a select few were responsible, the curse was so bad that the whole house should have to suffer.
Their punishment would involve the use of a few tricky little charms that Remus had discovered while perusing their Charms textbook. They had not come across it in class yet, as it was not taught until well into Seventh Year, but after a few practice incantations, they all had it down. It would just take a few added tweaks and enhancements to make sure the Slytherins could not simply vanish or end the spells' effects without a little effort so that it could stick around for a while and make its full impact.
"Ready?" James announced as he entered their dormitory. Remus was reading the Charms textbook and taking notes on what James hoped was for their prank, Peter was watching the Marauder's Map, and Sirius was absently guiding a paper airplane around the room with his wand. He looked bored.
"How was practice?" Sirius asked as he let the plane crash into the window. It fell into a crumpled ball on the floor.
"Dreadful," James said he headed toward his bed and stashed his broom underneath. "The winds are as bad as I've ever seen, but it'll be a picnic compared to what the Slytherins will get."
Sirius instantly livened up and grinned mischievously.
James chuckled to himself and rolled his eyes. He is just too easy sometimes, James thought.
"Who's taking the cloak?" James asked as he dressed down to a t-shirt and trousers.
"I think Peter should. You're disillusionment charm is still a little unreliable," Remus said, looking apologetically at the former.
Peter only shrugged. "It is," he agreed. "I don't mind."
"Remus, you should use the cloak with him. We'll be better off in pairs," Sirius said.
"Fine with me."
"All set?" James asked once they had appeared ready. The prank involved all wandwork, so there weren't any extra items needing to be stowed and carried.
With assuring nods from everyone, Sirius and James took turns casting disillusionment charms on each other. This had become a necessity since the beginning of Fifth Year, when it became apparent quickly that the bodies of four growing boys could no longer comfortably fit and sufficiently hide under the single invisibility cloak.
Sirius and James led the way out the common room, their outlines only visible to ones who know to look for them. With dinner having started just a few minutes ago, several students were still in the halls on their way to the Great Hall. The boys had no trouble secretly navigating through crowded halls, though; they had done it so many times before that it was second nature to them nowadays.
James caught sight of Delilah as she came from corridor leading to the library. Despite her limp ponytail, dark under-eye circles, and overall slumped posture, she looked as lovely as ever. James smiled her direction but left it at that. He could not get distracted, or Sirius would probably throw a fit. Besides, a few celibate days wouldn't kill him.
But even as he tried to convince himself of this, his mind went back to their last private moment together—she had used her mouth on him for the first time, and it was simply glorious. His whole body tingled at the thought. He couldn't wait to be alone with her again.
Within a few minutes, they boys had made it down the marble staircase, across the Entrance Hall, and through the doorway that led down to the dungeons. They slowed their pace to decrease the sound of their footsteps. The empty corridors and cold, stone walls amplified every sound ten-fold, but the low torchlight worked in their favor, making it more difficult to see the disillusioned boys' outlines.
Peter muttered the password, which he learned after tailing a couple of Slytherin Second Year girls the day before, when they reached the entrance portrait. They were happy to find the common room empty, but knew it didn't mean there couldn't be students in their rooms.
"We'll start here?" James asked in a low voice when he saw Sirius near him and Remus poked a hand out from the cloak to give a thumbs up. "Go on, then."
Remus cleared his throat slightly. "Tempestas nimbosus," he said quietly but clearly.
Grey clouds slowly formed above them from thin air. As they grew in volume and swirled around, a light rain began to fall. They all quickly cast impervious charms on each other to shield themselves from the rain. They then separated and repeated the incantation at a few more areas in the room, so that in no time, the entire ceiling was covered with rain clouds.
"Alright, Wormtail, you take care of the girls' dormitories as fast as possible, yeah?" James said, once they had converged at the center of the room again. "Then come help us with the boys'."
Nodding, Peter stepped out from the cloak, transformed into a rat, and scurried through the door leading to the girls' rooms. Theirs would be the easiest since the boys had decided to keep the curses simple. They wanted the majority of their effort spent on the boys' rooms, the Sixth and Seventh Years' in particular.
James, Sirius, and Remus took off for the boys' side. They made quick work of the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Years' dorms, creating storms similar to that of the common room, only a bit harsher. Over Regulus' bed, however, Sirius conjured a particularly nasty thunderstorm. A strike of lightning lit one side of his bed curtains on fire that was almost immediately put out by the rain.
"Nice work there, Padfoot," James praised with a clap on Sirius' head that was meant for his shoulder.
"Yeah, thanks," Sirius said a little petulantly as he rubbed the back of his head. "You know I always ensure that little Regulus gets the best."
They were soon in the Seventh Year dorm. Their plan for this room was entirely different.
Sirius extracted a small vial of sand from his pocket and poured it on the floor. Combined engorgement and duplicating charms cast on the small pile had them standing on top of a meter of sand that covered the entire floor within seconds.
James then pulled out a large sack of Ingrid Ingleton's Instant Daylight Powder from Gambol and Japes. However, instead of using the suggested pinch sufficient enough to light a room for hours, he dispersed the entire stock into the air. The resulting light and heat were so intense that the sun itself could have been sitting in the middle of the room.
Remus retrieved his parchment full of notes, read hastily, and pronounced, "Tempestas flabra."
Gusts of wind sprang up from nowhere, carrying the sand with it. Although they could not feel the hot, dry air swirling around them, the blinding light caused their eyes to water, and they quickly retreated toward the door. Once opened, a small avalanche of sand spilled through the doorway into the corridor. James had to vanish it away to close the door, leaving the desert of sandstorms behind them.
"Thank Merlin for the impervious charm," Sirius muttered as they made their way to the Sixth Year room. "Good suggestion, Moony."
"I thought it would be useful the minute you mentioned turning the room into the Sahara," Remus said.
"Too bad we couldn't get a couple of camels in there, though," James said sadly.
"As hot as that room must be, they'd probably be dead by the time Dolohov and Goyle got in there," Sirius said.
"Good point," James said laughing.
They were finally at the Sixth Year dorm, the home of their greatest enemies: Snape, Avery, and Mulciber. They had saved the most destructive plan for them.
While Remus began repeating the rain charm, Sirius consulted the list of the other weather spells and conjured hail over the beds. James looked around for the best source of water and grinned when he saw the sinks through the open bathroom door.
"Reducto!" he shouted in turn at the 3 sinks. He then did the same to the shower stalls behind him.
Water exploded from the broken pipes and quickly flooded the bathroom and surged into the room. His feet began to feel like ice within seconds as the water rose over his ankles, indicating that his impervious charm was beginning to wear off.
"How high should we let it get?" Sirius yelled over the roar or the gushing water and crashing tiles.
"I think knee deep is good," James suggested as he looked down again. It was rising fast. He sloshed back to the bathroom just as the cold water reached his knees. "Reparo!" he said, pointing at each sink and shower, and within a few minutes, they were all repaired and the flooding had stopped.
"Alright, Remus, which spells are which?" Sirius asked as he handed the list back to the former.
Remus grabbed the parchment and glanced over it. "A simple crystallos will freeze the water, and adding gelum to the other weather spells will increase their intensity and chill factor," he explained as he demonstrated the wand movements. "But I think we should get on a bed first."
Sirius and James nodded before recasting impervious charms and hopping on a bed. All three pointed their wands at the water below them and said, "Crystallos."
Almost immediately, the entire floor was covered in a span of sleek ice. The wooden posts of the beds and legs of the armoires creaked as the water froze around them.
"Wonderful," Sirius said impishly as he took a tentative step onto the ice. He was able to keep his balance despite the rain falling onto the ice. "But what's that noise?"
James had heard it too. It was a squeaky and scurrying noise. "It's Peter," James said as he rushed toward the door. He opened it quickly and saw Peter in rat form scuttling on the floor. The rat tried to climb the wall of ice but kept slipping. James picked him up, looked down the corridor, and closed the door.
Peter transformed the second James put him down but slipped when his feet made contact with the ice. He had not recast his impervious charm, and his clothes began to soak through from the rain.
"Finished the girls' rooms and tried to get over here as fast as I could, but it's a mess down there," Peter said, panting slightly. "The clouds have sort of created a complete weather system, and the rain is really coming down. Bit windy too." He began to shiver and Remus promptly cast a warming charm.
"Thanks," he muttered. "Also, a couple of younger students were making their way in as I cleared the last steps. They were surprised but also though it was funny. They were laughing, but I'm sure more and more students are making their way back, so we should finish up."
They continued to work, but it was getting more difficult as the room became a disaster. There was now snow falling in the bathroom and gale force winds similar to those outside blowing throughout the rooms. A couple of bedposts snapped, causing the beds to collapse. Rainwater that had collected on top of the ice was now sloshing around in great waves. The wind knocked the water jug and glasses off their table and glass shards flew everywhere. The boys ducked just in time.
"It's in the rooms too!" a voice yelled as someone ran down the corridor just outside the door. It was barely audible over the roar of the storm.
"I think that's our cue to get going," James said. He jumped off the bed and ran to the door. Before opening the door, he looked back and saw Sirius' outline nod. Peter transformed, and Remus was hidden.
James opened the door and water poured into the hall. There were shouts of disbelief as he hopped off the ice. He saw Peter take off down the hall, barely ahead of the charging water.
"What the fuck?"
James looked toward the main corridor and saw Snape and Avery. They were both sopping wet, and James couldn't help but laugh. The current chaos ensured it wasn't heard.
"What's going on here? Who started all of this?" Snaped demanded.
"No one knows," a small boy answered. "It was like this when we returned from dinner."
Girls' screams then erupted from the common room. James followed Snape and Avery as they turned back to investigate.
Peter was right. The common room was a total mess. The fire had died and it was cold and dreary. Loose parchment was torn and smattered all over the room, and everything from the silk hangings on the walls to the paintings to the furniture was completely soaked through.
Numerous girls had jumped onto the chairs and tables and were pointing at the floor.
"What?" Avery yelled.
"It's a rat; we saw a rat!" a couple of them screamed back.
"A rat?" Snape said, and James was sure a blood vessel popped in his eye. "It's those fucking Gryffindors, I know it," he spat.
"Black and them?" Avery asked. "How do you know?"
"I just do!" Snape snapped. "But if he's still here…"
Snape then ran wildly through the common room just as Dolohov came through the entrance. James saw Peter scurry through; Dolohov had not noticed but was staring at Snape in alarm.
"Seal the entrance! They're still here!" Snape growled as he reached the portrait hole.
"What the fuck?" Dolohov said as he looked up at the ceiling in wonder.
"Black and the rest of them," Snape explained as he drew out his wand.
James was suddenly grabbed on his shoulder, and he nearly jumped.
"It's me," Remus whispered. "Sirius is here too. What should we do?"
"I say we just blast them out the way," Sirius snarled quietly. "They can't see us."
"I think that's our only option," James agreed.
"With what then?" Remus asked.
"I think a couple of stunners should do well," Sirius suggested.
"Right," James and Remus said together.
"On three," James said as they walked toward Snape and Dlolohov. "One, two, three!"
"STUPEFY!" the three of them shouted. There was a multitude of screams as the bangs rang through the common room and Snape and Dolohov were blasted aside. The force of the three combined spells also blasted the portrait off its hinges.
The three of them raced through, but before James could take off down the corridor, someone grasped his arm and pulled him the opposite direction. He looked around and saw nothing but Sirius' outline do the same.
"Sorry," Remus whispered hastily as he pulled them against the wall, "but they'll think we will have took off toward the main floor and chase us up to the common room. Let's just wait here."
"Good thinking," James said as they retreated a bit further down the hall. They were a good ten meters from the gaping hole leading into the Slytherin common room through which a great deal of sound was coming. A couple of older students did come out and started heading toward the Entrance Hall.
More students coming from dinner saw the destruction and began running toward it, including Lestrange and Mulciber.
"What's going on?" Mulciber demanded of a fourth year boy who had poked his head out the hole.
"Someone started storms in our rooms. Severus and Antonin tried to stop them, but they were stunned."
"What do you mean by storms? And stop whom?"
They boy shrugged. "He never said, and we didn't see who cast the spells."
"I bet it was those fucking Gryffindors," Lestrange muttered as he and Mulciber entered the common room.
"What the fuck?" one of them yelled when they discovered the mess inside.
James and the others laughed silently.
The next twenty minutes they stood there were quite entertaining. More yells and screams came from the common room as each student fresh from dinner entered. There were grunts of frustration when a simple 'finite' did not stop the freezing rain and howling wind. A number of students quit trying altogether and stood outside the common room. While most older students were able to perform drying spells on themselves, Prefects had to assist the younger students who shivered uncontrollably in huddled groups. As the mass of students in the corridor grew, James, Sirius, and Remus moved further down the opposite direction, making sure to stay in shadow.
The word had finally somehow got to Slughorn, who waddled his way down the hall looking furious. All of the students waiting outside followed him in. Fifteen minutes after he entered the common room, he exited, pursued by a revived Snape who was red with fury.
"But professor," Snape was all but pleading, "I know it was Black and Potter and the rest."
"How many times do I have to tell you: if you do not have proof, there is nothing I can do!" Slughorn said irritably as he began to repair the entrance.
"But—"
"Not another word, Mr. Snape," Slughorn interrupted sternly. "Now, I apologize for not being able to get rid of the storms in your dormitories. Whoever cast them knew what they were doing. You're just going to have to wait them out in the common room. But you're a smart one. Try to figure it out." He gave a final flick of his wand, and the portrait sealed into place. "I'll send word to the houseelves to help with cleaning up. Goodnight."
Snape watched Slughorn leave, looking absolutely murderous. He mumbled the password and went back inside.
"Excellent!" James exclaimed as soon as the corridor was empty. "Did you see Snivellus? Thought he might wet himself when Slughorn brushed him off."
"Yeah, but they know it was us," Remus said as he parted the cloak slightly. "They'll get us back in their own way eventually."
Sirius scoffed. "Small price to pay. It'll make things more interesting at the very least."
"Indeed!" James said, his adrenaline still racing. "Let's get back up to Peter. I'm sure he's worried."
Since they missed dinner and were starving, they made a quick trip to the kitchens, where they were given sandwiches, chips, and custard tarts. Soon after, they reached the packed Gryffindor common room and went straight to their dormitory.
"It's about time!" Peter said, sounding relieved once they were inside and fully visible. "I couldn't get out the map because Andy was in here, and he just left a minute ago. What happened?" he asked, accepting a sandwich from Remus.
They relayed the story of everything that occurred after he had escaped. Peter's face grew worried as they continued.
"You don't think Snape knows about us being Animagi, do you?" he asked.
"As much snooping as Snivellus does, I am sure he suspects something, but not enough to squeal to Dumbledore, or he would have investigated already," Sirius said.
Peter didn't look convinced.
"So Snivellus may suspect something and the Sytherins will be retaliating soon," James began flippantly through a mouth full of chips. "But who gives a hippogriff's arse? The Slytherins are drowning in rain, snow, and sand, and the Marauders are back on top!"
"Here, here!" Sirius said as he extracted a bottle of whiskey out his trunk. He poured a generous measure for them all. They raised their glasses to each other and downed their drinks.
James was in high spirits. He and Sirius were fine, at least temporarily, Peter was reassured, and even Remus appeared genuinely content and relaxed.
It was just like old times, and it felt great.
Lily was having a very tough time concentrating on her Care of Magical Creatures notes. Not that the material itself was challenging, but pretending that it was and appearing as if she were working turned out to be trickier than she had thought.
It was difficult to pretend when Elias was only centimeters away from her. This was their first time in such close company since deciding to cut down their alone time to study for exams. The urge to kiss him after four days of limited contact was almost too much to overcome. The only thing stopping her at this point was the fact they were in the very full library.
Lily was shocked and relieved when she received Elias' note earlier today about wanting to study together. She only had Care of Magical Creatures left tomorrow, by far her easiest class, while Elias had Ancient Runes. They met after dinner, where Elias gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, grabbed her hand, and led her to the library. Lily was hoping he would first lead her to their balcony or the Room of Requirement for some quick private time, but had been disappointed.
And this disappointment addled Lily a bit. Since their first night in the Room of Requirement, the physical part of their relationship had progressed very rapidly. The only things left for them to do together were sex and for Elias to use his mouth to…on…
Lily blushed furiously at the mere thought. She was anxious and excited and scared over that more than having sex with Elias, which she wanted very, very deeply. She was keenly aware that she was moving fast and falling hard for him, but it didn't cause her to panic like she thought it would. She felt so comfortable with him, never pressured.
When she admitted this to Keira last night, the latter became concerned.
"Are you sure your feelings are genuine and not just infatuation?" Keira had asked.
"Yes," Lily had answered without hesitation. Their development was fast, yes, but it felt natural to her. And it wasn't just physical, either. She and Elias were very compatible; they could talk about anything.
The physical aspect was progressing with the emotional and intellectual aspects, which was the main difference between her and someone like Jane. Keira had agreed, but still cautioned her to move at a comfortable pace because it was easy to get swept away with something that seems so right, especially after her experience with Severus.
Lily had ignored that muttered last half of Keira's warning, though she knew it was valid.
"So you're still not going to tell me, are you?"
Lily looked over to see Elias doodling absently on his notes. Apparently, he wasn't really studying either.
Although his question seemed vague, Lily knew exactly what he was referring to. Elias had sprung this question in various forms over the past few weeks at random times, hoping to catch Lily off guard.
"I don't understand why it is such a concern to you. Why does it matter?" Lily asked, avoiding a direct answer as usual.
Elias shrugged, still doodling and not looking at her. "It's how guys are. I just want to know who my girl's previous boyfriends were. You don't have to tell me everything, but it's something I'll always be curious about and won't stop asking about."
"Wait, wait, wait," Lily said, shaking her head as if she didn't hear him right. "Your girl?"
Elias finally looked up at her in confusion. "Yeah, as in you."
"Well, you never formally asked me to be your girlfriend," Lily said wryly, a little fact that nagged her every time his hands began to move under her clothes.
"I just thought it was assumed since our first talk in the Room of Requirement and especially considering all that's happened since then," he said in a low voice.
Lily blushed and looked around them, making sure their conversation remained private. They were sitting at a small table meant for two, but the closest table was still only a couple of meters away.
"Besides," Elias continued, "the book said that it was important, but you told me not to take so much stock in it."
The irony of her advice made Lily laugh before she could stop herself. A few students looked at her, but she ignored them and quieted immediately.
"Of course my own advice would come back to bite me in the arse," she whispered sheepishly. "But I think that knowing to ask would be common sense for any guy."
"Maybe, but, again, you didn't appear to be so concerned with our status whenever I—"
"Shh!" Lily said, putting a finger to his lips and giggling a little.
Elias said nothing but took her finger into his mouth and sucked on it. She immediately extracted it and swatted him on his arm. She then turned away and tried to concentrate on her notes, refusing to look up in case anyone saw them.
"Calm down. No one saw us," Elias said, chuckling a little. "We still haven't resolved our issue."
"What's that?" Lily asked, her eyes still on her work.
Elias grabbed her hand and squeezed it to get her attention. She finally looked up at him and was met with a serious but endearing face. Her whole body relaxed.
"Despite the miscommunication, you are my girlfriend, right?"
Lily smiled. "Of course." She then leaned in and kissed him firmly but pulled away before they got carried away. They were still in the library, after all.
"I think we're done pretending to study, don't you?" he asked in a suggestive voice that sent Lily's heart racing.
"I agree, but I need to ask you something first."
"Go on."
"Petunia is getting married over the hols," Lily said.
"You've mentioned it," Elias said with a smirk.
"Yes, well, I was hoping you could be my date," Lily said. She smiled at him hopefully.
Elias hesitated for a moment. "You want me to visit your home over break to attend your sister's wedding?"
Lily nodded, confused over his reluctance.
"And your parents will be there?"
"I would hope so, considering all things," Lily said, now unsure of whether this was a joke.
Elias chewed his lip a little. "And you don't think it's a little soon for me to meet them?"
"Ah," Lily said, understanding finally. "I won't introduce you to my parents as my boyfriend, just a date."
"I'm sure they'll be able to catch on."
"True, but it'll be Petunia's day, and trust me, she will make sure our parents' attention will be completely on her," Lily explained. "Though my dad might interrogate you for maybe five minutes instead of thirty."
"Great," he muttered.
"Don't worry," Lily said smiling. "I'll make him promise to go easy on you."
"Alright," he said after a moment, and Lily was happy to see him loosening a bit. "Weddings usually equal good food and good wine. Should be fun, especially with such good company." He leaned in and gave her a lingering kiss that Lily broke only when she heard a giggle to her left. She turned sharply and saw Loretta Bloom, the school's premier gossip, whispering with her friends.
"Time to go," Lily said, turning back to Elias, who was already packing his bag.
"Couldn't agree more," Elias muttered. A few minutes later, they were heading out the library.
"So I'm just taking you back to Gryffindor Tower, right?" Elias said as they reached the main staircase.
"That's fine," Lily said, unaffected. "I have to get this Care of Magical Creatures stuff down. I'm still not getting it."
"Ah, well maybe you just need to relax a bit," Elias suggested. "Your brain won't grasp anything if you're rankled."
"Have any ideas on how to accomplish that?"
"A few," Elias said slyly, "but they require a far quieter and more private place than a common room."
"Then lead the way," Lily said eagerly, and Elias whisked her in the opposite direction to the empty classroom on the fourth floor.
A/N: A very big thank you to those who have taken the time to review my story thus far. I am very flattered.
I apologize for such a seemingly rushed chapter with short sections for the characters, but there were a few things I wanted to wrap up with the fall term before I get to the chapters concerning their Christmas and New Years holiday break.
I am hoping to post a new chapter every few (3-4) weeks, but I can't promise much since my school and work schedule have really kicked into gear. I really appreciate those who continue to follow the story and will do my best to update regularly without compromising the quality I am happy with.