Chapter Fourteen

September 13th

Lysander took his seat alongside Lily Potter and Hugo Weasley, his tumbling pale platinum blonde tangles falling about his lower back, the front strands pinned back out of his porcelain complexion. Jealous growls erupted throughout the fifth year Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, Lysander craning his head to the side to gaze at the intruder through his large sapphire orbs. Mackenzie Goyle stood in the hatchway, kissing Aiden Cooper, a sixth year Slytherin, on the cheek before whispering a soft farewell. She turned her attention to the room, her fair-skinned features contorting with confusion at the envious glares that had directed themselves at her newly appointed boyfriend and her attractive figure. Her cheeks involuntarily blushed deep scarlet as she scurried towards her comrades, her big mocha-coloured eyes fixated on the floor beneath her feet. Her robes swept about her sort, curvaceous figure as her unruly, dark chocolate brown curls bounced about her slender shoulders erratically. Lysander would admit she was beautiful, perhaps not out loud, but he would admit it to himself.

She took her seat slightly in front of Lysander and his comrades, brushing her slanted bangs out of her eyes as she greeted her companions. Lorcan wore an expression of deep irritation, Lysander chuckling at his brother's expense. He broke his gaze from the Slytherins, returning it to the front of the room as the professor called for attention, beginning the lecture with a cheerful expression. Lysander folded his fingers over one another, creating a platform on which to rest his curved chin as he pursed his lips together, listening intently.

"Did you guys hear?" Hugo piped whilst shaking his vibrant persimmon mop out of his crystal blue eyes, "We are getting our first Hogsmeade weekend this weekend. I am bloody excited."

"Are you going to invite little Ailis to come with you?" Roxanne teased, her dark orbs twinkling mischievously as a smirk spread across her fair-skinned, attractive features.

"Yes, because that would be completely logical." Hugo retorted sarcastically before sighing to himself, his gazing falling to his hands which were folded upon his lap, "I do want to invite her though..."

"Go for it, Hugo." Lily grinned, patting her cousin over the shoulder with a smile, "You had better hope though that Celine doesn't follow after Ailis like a puppy, as per usual."

"This is true," Lysander added whilst scribbling down notes from the lecture, "But, I'm sure Ailis would ask her to give you two... Some alone time."

"Oh shut up all of you!" Hugo hissed furiously, his freckled complexion reddening to a shade of deep beetroot.

"Alright then," Roxanne complied, running a hand through her tumbling, darkly coloured curls before turning her attention to Lysander with a impish expression, "Would you invite anyone to a little alone time in Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"Not really." He shrugged in response, rolling his royal blue eyes as Liam raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "There's no one I really want to invite to have 'alone time' with. I'll probably juts spend the day with Lily and you."

Lily held her petite hand in the air, waving it towards Lysander defiantly whilst shaking her fiery red mane in disagreement. Her mahogany eyes twinkled apologetically as her cheeks burned with a rose pink colour.

"Actually... I'm busy this weekend..." She squeaked.

Her comrades gawked in disbelief. Lysander grinned widely as he prodded his pointer finger into the girl's ribs, tickling her playfully.

"Oh are you now? What might you be doing, little Lily?" He teased as Roxanne rolled her eyes, resting her jaw in her hands.

"None of your business!" Lily challenged, whipping her nose into the air before bursting out into soft giggles.

Hugo and Roxanne shook their heads vigorously before demanding she tell them to which she hissed in refusal.

"I will never tell you. You three will just have to wait until this weekend to find out." She quipped as a figure entered the room, interrupting the lecture awkwardly.

All eyes drifted to the hatchway as the fifth year Gryffindor grinned smugly.

"How nice of you to join us, Mister McLaggen." Professor Piece grunted sarcastically, gesturing for Liam to take his seat.

"I knew you'd appreciate my attendance, Professor Piece." He beamed in response before sauntering down the aisle between the desks.

Eyes remained upon his tall, athletic build as his curved lips wore a smug smirk that earned him scowls from the on looking Slytherins. He ran a hand through his sandy blonde tangles, shorter bangs sweeping across his forehead, tickling over his dark, golden-amber eyes. Lysander bit back the urge to roll his eyes as Liam strolled to them, taking his seat upon the other side of Lily. Lily's complexion caught Lysander's attention out of the corner of his eye, her cheeks blushing deep scarlet at Liam's presence as she whispered a soft hello, her rose petal lips forming a small smile as she hugged her petite body.

"Well, well, well..." Lysander smirked to himself, "Maybe I have figured out your little plans for this weekend, Potter."

Lily's dark auburn orbs snapped up to meet Lysander's electric blue ones, widening in bewilderment before her eyebrows drew together, narrowing her eyes into dark slits.

"Shut your mouth, Lysander." She whispered furiously.

"Don't worry."

"Good, because those two," She gestured towards her cousins who were deep in conversation with one another, "Would never let me live it down."

"Good morning." Liam beamed proudly as he leant back in his chair.

He threaded his fingers through one another before clasping his interlocked hands behind his head, his elbows resting in the air coolly as he slouched backwards.

"You are going to fail your bleeding Ordinary Wizarding Level exams at this rate, McLaggen." Roxanne sneered.

"Whatever." He shrugged carelessly before nudging Lily playfully, "Lils will still love me either way."

"Bugger off." She snarled, slapping his limb away from her, "I don't love you and I will hex you into bleeding oblivion if you fail, you twit."

"Sure you don't, Lily." Lysander piped sarcastically, earning himself a curious look from Roxanne and Hugo, "Not even one little bit."

"What does he mean by that?" They inquired in unison as Lily fumed furiously, slapping the back of her hand into Lysander's slender chest.

"He means nothing. He's just trying to get under my skin." She retorted.

"And succeeding." Lysander added as Liam cleared his throat.

"Back to me," He growled, irritated by the lack of attention being paid to him, "I will never fail my exams. I'm bloody brilliant; I can afford to miss classes. Unlike you, Roxanne."

"Piddle off you git." She snarled.

Lysander shook his head at Liam in scolding before turning his attention to Roxanne, rubbing her back in comfort. She was determined to get Outstanding marks in most of her subjects in her Outstanding Wizarding Level examinations, despite her brother, Fred's lack of interest in the examinations during his fifth year. She often stayed late after class whilst asking professors for extra credit or tutoring, desperate to achieve the same level of work as Hugo and Rose Weasley, her cousins who had apparently inherited their mother's insane intellect. Liam, however, took her extra work as a manner of 'sucking up' to professors, earning her several taunts from him whenever the opportunity presented itself.

"Don't worry, Roxanne." Lysander whispered with a small smile meeting his pale lips, "You will do brilliantly on your examns."