My apologies, dear readers. I have been swamped with schoolwork galore. My semester ends next week, and I go home the following week so I'll definitely have more time on my hands after that. College work is strenuous, let me tell you! I think I've had a grand total of 40 hours of sleep over the last 3 weeks! Even now I should be studying for my triple math exam tomorrow, but I digress. I simply had to get this chapter out to you all. And to reassure some of you that, yes, I am working on my Fred story. But I've been working out some kinks and changes for the future plotline that are taking longer than I originally anticipated. Fear not, it will be done.
Love & appreciate you all! Please review. As you fellow writers know, it's quite encouraging.
-La Belle Marauder
It was the day of the first Hogsmeade visit of the year. Rather than run around all morning, nervously assembling an outfit and worrying about their dates, Matilda and Evie sat on the latter's bed going through Which Broomstick, while Lily and Marlene did indeed fret.
"I don't understand how you two can sit there so calmly!" cried Marlene as she stripped off yet another rejected sweater.
"Well you see, Mar," said Tilly flipping to the page on Cleansweeps, "I'm not dreadfully concerned about my date turning his nose up at my clothes. Unless I show up with tribal face paint, a clown costume, or a dark mark I think I'm safe."
"Still! You're both just sitting there without a care in the world! We're meeting them in ten minutes," muttered an erratic Lily as she fussed over her make up in the bathroom.
"What can we say, Jeremy and Davy just don't make us all that nervous," yawned Evie.
This was by all means true. While Evie had taken the remainder of the week to speak more with Jeremy Fawcett, he was little more than a friend to her- if that. She didn't get a giddy feeling in her gut, nor did she feel her face flush at the sight of him. If anything the only true consolation in going on a date with Jeremy was the knowledge that at least someone thought of her as an actual girl with dating potential. Not to mention it did give her slight satisfaction at the irritation it seemed to give Sirius. But, Evie knew better. After a long talk with Matilda on the subject, she had decided that if by the end of the date she did not develop any feelings for Jeremy she would let him down rather than string him along. Matilda also was not particularly nervous about her date with Davy Gudgeon. In fact it appeared that she seemed to blush at the very prospect of going on a date rather than who the date was actually with. And even then, Evie had a substantial hunch that this had more to do with embarrassment than anything else.
It had only taken Evie and Tilly around twenty minutes each to get ready for the day. Evie was clad in a red jumper, jeans, and a jean jacket. She'd fixed her hair into smooth waves with a flick of her wand and only bothered with a bit of eye makeup. Tilly hadn't bothered messing about with her straight red hair and had chosen a simple green t shirt and brown jacket and slacks for the day. They were the picture of calm while Lily and Marlene fussed about the room. Marlene had been asked to Hogsmeade by Otto Bagman the same day Jeremy had asked Evie. After a couple mishaps of smeared make up and more rejected outfits tossed about, the third year Gryffindor girls were all ready to go on their first dates. With, of course, the exception of Mary McDonald who had cleared out of the dormitory two hours before.
On their way to the entrance hall they ran into James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Sirius, of course, had a date. It seemed he'd managed to stick with Rhonda Jezpeaks from Ravenclaw for more than two weeks, a new record for him. The other boys would be spending the visit together. Sirius took it upon himself to talk nonstop about his upcoming date on their way to the entrance hall, aggravating Evie all the while.
"So it looks it we're both dating Ravenclaws," said Sirius as he walked beside Evie. She gave him an exasperated glance.
"No, Sirius. I'm dating a Ravenclaw. You on the other hand are merely snogging one."
The others laughed as a scowl grew on Sirius's face.
"I don't just snog girls, you know," he said indignantly.
"That's right, you lower their self esteem as well," snapped Evie.
"What the hell's got your knickers in a twist?" he snapped back.
"Nothing, and you'd do well not to bring up my knickers thank you very much. It's not like you'd listen anyway," she said attempting to walk by him. He stepped in front of her, blocking her path down the final staircase. The others stopped and looked at them.
"No, you've got a problem and apparently it's with me. I don't know why you're acting like this. When have I not listened to you before?"
"Oh, so now you're listening to girls as well, not just snogging them?"
"Is that what this is about? Me snogging girls?" he asked.
"No! It's not. It's about your treatment of my gender as a whole," she continued, ignoring the look on his flabbergasted face, "As a girl I have the right to be upset by how you treat other girls. You use them and go through them as if they're not people at all- as if they're merely there for your amusement. And the sad thing is that they know it and yet they line up anyway. Well, FYI, Black, they're not! They're human beings and they've got feelings just like you. And it hurts them seeing you go from girl to girl, and every time you kiss another it makes them feel worse and worse. So by all means go ahead, tell yourself it's 'dating' if it makes you feel like a proper gentleman. But don't try to convince the rest of us when we know better!"
She marched passed him without another word. He stood there, too shocked to go after her or say anything in response. The rest of their friends stood by quite surprised as well by Evie's outburst.
"Bet James looks a lot better now, doesn't he?" muttered Matilda to Lily before they followed after Evie.
Evie, though in a foul mood, tried very hard not to let it show when she met up with Jeremy. She'd been to Hogsmeade before- with her family on several occasions, and also after sneaking out with the boys. She knew better than to let Jeremy take her anywhere near Madam Puddifoot's tea shop, yet he had insisted on taking her there.
"I heard from a few of the older lads that girls really like being brought here," he said as they were seated at a doily-infested table.
"The atmosphere's erm, quite unique," said Evie trying to be polite.
"I thought as much," he said as he held her hand over the table, "So where do you want to go afterward?"
She felt a little uncomfortable as he held her hand. No one had ever done so before, aside from family and perhaps James when they were younger. But this meant something entirely different, and she tried not to shy away from the gesture.
"Well, I was thinking maybe we could go to Zonko's Joke Shop. I hear it's really splendid and they've got a new array of nose-biting teacups that I'm sure James and I will have a laugh at," she said as the door chimed.
"Do you mind if we didn't? It's just that I've heard it's terribly noisy. All those practical jokes aren't very amusing," he said before the waitress came with their tea. She bit her tongue at his last statement. What kind of 13-year old boy did not find practical jokes amusing? Strike 1.
"That's fine I suppose. We could go to Honeydukes or Tomes and Scrolls? And I hope you don't mind, but I do need to go to the post office. I've been meaning to send my gran a letter," she said as the door chimed again.
"No, that's perfectly fine. Oh look, isn't that your friend Black? I must say I'm surprised he and Rhonda have lasted this long," said Jeremy condescendingly as he sipped his tea. Evie turned slightly. It was indeed Sirius. From the look on his face he was less happy than Evie to be in there. Rhonda Jezpeaks, on the other hand seemed giddy in her purple turtleneck sweater with her hands clamped onto Sirius's arm. He turned toward her, meeting her gaze before she snapped back to Jeremy.
"Well, if habit holds it won't be much longer," she said more to herself than her date.
"Very true," he laughed jovially, "I reckon that turtleneck's more to do with love bites than the weather."
Evie stiffened slightly at his remark but gave an airy chuckle nonetheless.
"Black is the type to get carried away I've noticed," he added.
"He can, but no more so than anyone else. He's got a good heart when it counts," she said tensely.
"That's hardly ever shown. He and Potter certainly think they're something, going about the place hexing people when they feel like it. I always thought Lupin was a nice bloke but he rarely says anything against them from the looks of it. And don't get me started on Pettigrew," he said as an afterthought. Evie gaped slightly at him. Who did he think he was? What in Merlin's name would make him think it was alright to bad mouth her friends to her face, let alone in general? Strike 2 1/2.
"They're great friends. I've never had a better time than when I'm in their company and we've got loads in common. James and I have known each other our whole lives. We joined the Quidditch team together and-"
"That's another thing," he interrupted, "I really don't see the merit in Quidditch. Let alone why it'd be worth the risk to a player like you."
"A player like me?" she cried indignantly as she snatched her hand back from him, "You mean a girl?"
"Well don't get sore, Evie. I mean to say that I can hardly see the merit in tossing around a ball among male players at all. But the risk that comes with being a female player hardly seems worth it," he said in what he thought was a pacifying tone, when really Evie found it all quite patronizing. He had not only put down her interests, her friends, and her sport, but he had insulted her more than he knew. This rubbed her worse than the others. He was an unknowing git! Strike 3.
"I'm sorry, Jeremy," she said standing abruptly in the small tea shop. "I don't think it's going to work out."
"What?" he asked getting up as well, "But why? I thought we were having a lovely time?"
"A lovely time?" she gaped at his oblivion. Now he had really set her off, "You dragged me to drink tea in a place that obviously caters to neurotic fairies or lobotomized housewives after I told you I didn't want to come here. You dismiss practical jokes and good humor when that's expressly what I spend most of my time involved in. You insulted my best friends, to my face nonetheless! I mean who does that?" by now the whole tea shop was looking at them, "James and Sirius do not hex people whenever they feel like it. We hex Slytherins and other slimy gits for being exactly that! And don't you dare insult and dismiss Remus and Peter when they've obviously got more integrity in one bloody cell than you do in your whole being."
She went to leave but turned back, pointing at his clueless face, "And for the record, Quidditch is the best damn sport in the world and girls can play just as well as boys can if not better! You'd do well to remember not to continually insult the next girl you will undoubtedly drag to this grotesque den of rainbows and sunshine on steroids. I mean really? It looks like a unicorn threw up!"
With that she bolted out of the shop and onto the high street. It was when she was rounding on Honeydukes that she heard a voice calling after her. Thinking it was Jeremy she quickened her pace, but the hand that grasped her shoulder belonged instead to Sirius.
"You said quite a mouthful back there," he said with a small grin. She felt herself become slightly overtaken by remorse. She had insulted him when really, he'd not meant to do anything wrong. He was a cheeky git, but he was her friend. How was she supposed to admit to him that his open and chronic snogging hurt her when she couldn't very well admit her feelings for him?
"Which time?" she shifted uncomfortably. They stood quietly and unsure for a moment, not certain what to say to each other.
"I'm sorry," they said at the same time, then chuckling lightly.
"What are you sorry for?" she asked.
"Well, I'm sorry that I erm insulted your gender. I'll try very hard not to do that, I assure you," he said with a cheeky grin, "But really I'm sorry that my attitude towards girls insulted you. You're my best friend, Evie, and I'd hate for you to have that low of an opinion of me when it comes to anything."
"Aside from your potions skills, you mean?" she laughed. His bark-like laugh made her smile even brighter.
"Well yes, I could care less what ol' Sluggy deems my masterful talents in the subtle science," he smiled at her.
"I'm sorry too, you know. I was quite hard on you back at the castle," she said before a thought occurred to her, "Wait, why aren't you back at the doily mill with your date?"
He gave a sheepish smile before explaining how he'd taken off after her after her argument with Fawcett and after the comments Jezpeaks had to say about it. "Now I couldn't very well stay with a cow that would insult my friends when you'd taken off because of the same thing, now could I?"
They hugged quickly and deemed that neither apology was necessary. They set off together for the sweetshop up the road. Both were loaded with bags from Honeydukes by the time they reached the post office two hours later. After Evie sent off the letter to her grandmother she turned to a display of owls that the office had on sale.
"Oh, Sirius, look at this one!" she cried as she sped towards one of the caged owls. The one she cooed over and petted was a ginger owl with small gold streaks and freckles on its feathers. Sirius noted that it was made up to look like a Gryffindor mascot, but kept his mouth shut. He knew Evie grew tired of her family's incessant favoritism of anything bearing Gryffindor colors, which is why her preference of that owl surprised him. Some things apparently could not be changed.
"Are you going to get him?" he asked. She looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I don't know. I have been wanting my own owl for some time now. I hate relying on the school owls. What do you think?" she turned to look at him.
"Well, I think that we should both get him. I need an owl myself and we can share custody of him if you like. How's that sound?" he asked. To his delight she beamed at him. The owl, which Sirius dubbed Mercury ("Get it, Evie? Messenger of the gods!"), was with them when they met up with the boys in Zonko's and when they went for lunch at the Three Broomsticks, where it took much convincing to persuade James not to go over to Lily and Bertram Aubrey's table ("But that's my soul mate!" he had cried.).
The girls gave Evie sympathetic expressions and comforting words that night when she told them about the date. She assured that that she wasn't all that broken up about it and didn't understand why they made that big a fuss about it when Jeremy had been the one that had really liked her, not the other way around. Their dates had gone well and so perhaps they thought it a shame for Evie not to have a new boyfriend like they did. But Evie didn't mind, not really. She'd never been the type of girl to swoon or gush, but as she lay in bed that night she couldn't help but smile. She'd had a rather superb day and she didn't feel the need to put a label on it or analyze it. Across the tower in the boy's dormitory, Sirius Black fell asleep feeling exactly the same way that she did. They both had pleasant dreams that night.