AN: Wow, more chapters! Sorry about the AN in the previous chapter, for some reason it's all the way down the bottom. Anyway, enjoy!
I've no idea why I'm so shocked and angry. James has mentioned this 'betrothal' to me before. As I remember it, he was pretty angry about it and didn't want to go through with it. This surprises me because any teenage hormonal guy would never miss an opportunity to be with a girl as gorgeous as this.
It's my turn to force a fake smile now, as I politely shake Alice's outstretched, perfectly manicured hand. I have to stop myself from crushing the life out of her fingers. She's still eyeing me suspiciously when James speaks.
"Alice, what are you doing here?" I can tell he's trying to say it as kindly as he can, but I'm sure he's just as mad and confused as I am.
"I'm staying with family in England anyway, and your mother sent an owl last night saying how you'd gotten some free time and wanted to spend it with me," she flutters her eyelashes at him. The scowl's back on my face.
James' face darkens, and then he says bitterly, "Well, why don't we go and find my dear old mother, hm?" He casts Sirius an annoyed glance, and then shoots me a look of apology finally before striding out of the room, Alice at his heels.
"W-what's going on?" I ask nervously as Sirius helps himself to Remus' coffee. He sips it a few times before replying.
"Has James told you about her before?" Sirius asks me cautiously.
"K-kind of, in passing. He didn't mention her by name," I say.
"But you knew they were engaged?" He says, and I nod. "Well, that explains why you seem so calm about it," he gives me a wry smile.
"Well… why's she here?" I say, pouring myself a mug of coffee even though I don't like it much.
Sirius shrugs. "Your guess is as good as mine."
He rouses Remus and hands him the half drunken mug of coffee, and I sit in silence as Sirius explains the news to him.
A while later, after I've gotten dressed properly and returned downstairs, James comes stomping into the room. He throws a jacket at each of us and then announces, "Get up now, we're going out."
The three of us share a confused glance, and then pull I pull on the jacket, which I notice isn't even my own.
"James," I call, "This isn't my - "
But the front door slams, indicating he's already left, and the three of us hurry to pull on shoes before hurrying after him. I realise that the jacket he's given me is the one he'd given me that day in Hogsmeade. I wonder if he's done it on purpose or purely by chance. He waits for us at the iron gate, and when we approach he sets off again down the country path.
"James – Hey, wait for me!" I hear the shrill voice of Alice coming from up the driveway. She's struggling to catch us up running on the cobbles in those stupid high heels. I find myself hoping she trips.
When she eventually does catch up, she tries to wrap her arm around James'. His hands are in his pockets thought, and he doesn't react to her trying to squeeze her arm into his. Eventually she gives up.
I'm not sure where we're going, but I follow the others quietly, walking beside Sirius. He is my new 'boyfriend' after all.
"Why doesn't he like her?" I ask him quietly. I'm genuinely curious; because I'm sure any guy would love to go on one date with Alice, never mind actually marrying her. She's beautiful, though I can't comment much on her personality yet.
Of course I dislike her by default. I mean, she's just interrupted what could have been my first genuine kiss with James. This time I actually wanted it, and she's just waltzed in and screwed it all up.
"I think he just finds her really annoying," Sirius replies under his breath. "She doesn't come from a very nice family, either." I raise my eyebrows and he clarifies, "Oh, no I don't mean they're like my family. They aren't dark wizards. They're just a bit… They're very much into pure blood supremacy."
Oh, great. Someone else who hates muggleborns. This trip to the Potters' house really isn't working in my favour.
Sirius then calls out to James, who's a few feet ahead. "James, mate! Where are we going?"
"The Boar," he shouts back, and Sirius grins.
"What?" I ask him. "What's the Boar?"
Still grinning, he tells me, "The Scorched Boar is a little muggle pub. It's quite quaint actually. I hope you like uphill treks."
It's not long before I figure out what he means. As we turn a corner, there's a steep hill ahead of us, with only a muddy path beaten into the grass. As we begin to climb, I have to grab onto Sirius or Remus several times to stop myself from slipping.
Alice, on the other hand, in her rickety heels, isn't having much luck scaling the hill at all. I see that James only half-heartedly helps her once or twice, and Sirius' grin tells me that the reason he's brought us here is to annoy Alice.
By the time we've reached the pub, it's begun snowing. Alice immediately runs into the ladies' bathroom, probably to wipe the mud from her legs and shoes and to fix her hair. Remus and Sirius go and get us drinks from the bar, and James and I find a table.
"I'm so sorry," he tells me as we sit down and I pull off my wet scarf. I give him a weak smile. "There's good news and bad news," he continues.
"Better to get the bad out of the way first," I sigh.
"Right," he clears his throat. "The bad news is that this is all my mother's doing. She doesn't want you to get in the way of my engagement, or something."
My heart sinks. So that's what it is? James' mother feels threatened that I'll destroy their pureblood reputation?
"That's why she's invited Alice over. So she and I can spend time together and I can forget about any silly little ideas I have about you."
"Is that what she said?" I ask quietly.
"Not entirely, but I can assure you that the general message was practically the same," he pulls a grim expression. "The good news," he continues, "is that Alice is going home tomorrow morning."
I sigh with relief. But I still feel uncomfortable going back to James' house when I know that this is how his mother feels about me. My head sinks into my hands.
"There's, um, something else, too," James says, and I peek up at him. "The next opportunity we get, I believe we have some unfinished business."
He grins cheekily and I smile back, trying not to blush. The others return a moment later with our drinks, and Alice comes back looking a little cleaner, but I can tell she's really annoyed.
"That's a lovely necklace," she says to me, pointing at James' gift. "Where did you get it?"
I quickly glance at James and then say, "Oh, um… it was a gift. From a friend."
"Coloured glass, is it? They'd almost pass as emeralds, you know. Sadly, only the best can afford such things…" I don't correct her. Instead I just plaster another artificial smile on my face. "I, of course, have got endless jewels at home, in France you know…"
She drones on for ages about her own possessions, her life and school in France. At some point she must realise that no one has been listening for a while, because she eventually shuts up and doesn't say much for a while.
Then she asks, "So, Lily. How long have you and Sirius been together?"
I don't answer right away, and I start to panic. I'm not good at lying, or holding up facades. Sirius answers for me though, and I'm grateful.
"Six months," he says, and wraps a muscly arm around my shoulder. I can't make eye contact with anyone as I'm not feeling comfortable like this, and I don't think James likes it either judging by the glare he shoots at Sirius. His arm drops to his side soon after.
"Quite a long time then," she says. "Not as long as James and I, we've been together… How long now, honey? Two years?"
"That's just how long we've known each other," James mumbles.
"Yes – well, all the stronger our relationship will be!" She plants a kiss on his cheek. James childishly wipes it off when her back is turn and I supress a giggle.
We eat dinner at the pub too, which James pays for, and it's late by the time we get back to the house.
"Escort me to my room, James?" Alice asks him sweetly when she hands him her coat.
He rolls his eyes and nods, heading up the stairs. I'm tired too, so I say goodnight to Remus and Sirius and follow the other two upstairs.
"No – Alice you're in here tonight," I hear James say as I reach the landing.
"Why aren't I in my usual room?" she says indignantly.
They both spot me standing at the top of the stairs and I give a small, awkward wave. I know they're talking about my bedroom; Dotty had said it was the biggest guest room. I'm not sure if it'd be rude to just ignore them and head inside or not, so I wait.
"Her?" Alice says. "But that's my room, James. You know it is! Now I'm going to have to sleep somewhere small and cold and dirty…"
"Don't be such a brat," James grumbles at her. "You know there are no small rooms in this house."
Alice turns to me. "Well, go and enjoy your stay in my lovely bedroom then," her voice is bitter and I can't help but feel she's being a little dramatic. It's only a bedroom.
I mutter a quiet "goodnight" and then slip inside. For some reason I find myself standing by the open crack in the door, watching James and Alice say goodnight. I'm not sure what I'm expecting to see.
"I miss you," Alice says in her sickly sweet voice, fondling the collar of James' jacket. "You never write to me anymore."
"I'm just busy," James mutters.
"Doing what? Busy with her?!" Alice hisses, and I hold my breath. James doesn't say anything. "I see the way she looks at you, James."
My eyes open wide. What way do I look at him? How has she noticed it and I haven't?
"She probably only wants you for your money," Alice croons. She's pulling gently at the hair at the nape of his neck now. I feel the blood rise to my face.
James doesn't say anything. Alice sighs.
"Goodnight, James," she whispers. Then she reaches up on tip toe and kisses him on the lips and I watch in horror as he kisses her back. It goes on for a second or for ten minutes, I don't know. I'm angry. I'm confused. I'm upset.
Like I said, I'm not sure what I was expecting to see, standing at the door. It definitely wasn't that.