(Lily POV)
I was examining the noticeboard for any new events. A lavender notice caught my eye.
I read aloud: "Masquerade Ball for the departure of Professor Mirabelle Sight? They expect us to attend a ball for the assistant divination teacher?" I asked.
This seemed to have gotten Sabione's attention, who stood and was now reading it over my shoulder.
She read the starter of the next paragraph:
"Bring a date? That's what he meant…"
"Who?" I asked, smiling.
"Regulus asked me to the ball, before, but I didn't know what he was t-talking about then…so I just said no…oh man…I turned down an offer with him!" She complained. More students approached. Potter included.
"We could both go stag," I said to Sabione.
"Ladies, please," James said for some reason. We ignored him.
I continued: "Or I'm sure Regulus will still go with you, he's a little younger than us though, isn't he?" and a Slytherin I thought, but said nothing.
"Slytherins are usually pretty alright with me, you know. S-since my f-family are kind of a thing, even if we aren't c-close," Sabione replied, confronting my unspoken reservations. Her ever present stammer provoked by the topic of her family.
"You could ask Remus?" I suggested.
"What?"
"He's always smiling at you, and he always says goodnight to you specially. Maybe he likes you," I said it even though I knew there was something going on between her and Sirius. Black was bad news, and Sabione had it hard enough.
Sabione glanced around the common room and saw the quiet boy who still sat by the fire. She walked over to him and sat beside him.
They spoke quietly to one another, and then they were both smiling, Lily watched them happily.
"Quite the little matchmaker, aren't you?" James pointed out.
"You're a toerag," I replied automatically, and Marlene appeared just to laugh helpfully on my behalf. She was great for that.
"Do you want to go with ball with me?" He asked.
"Sure," Marlene replied, and James grimaced.
"Not you, McKinnon!"
"Why not?!" She questioned in mock outrage.
"Outside from the fact that he's your cousin," Sirius replied in James's place. Marlene just smiled Sirius.
"As a Half-blood, you really should know better," Lily added, giggling at her friend.
"We're going together," Sabione confessed to Marlene and I, seated side to side on a desk facing away from the common room.
"Are you pleased?" Marlene asked, popping gum.
"I am but I can't help thinking, poor Regulus. Next time I'll ask him…maybe I'll ask him to Hogsmeade," she whispered.
"You're a greedy bugger, you know that?" Marlene grumbled. "There'll be no one left for the rest of us, Sirius, Regulus, Remus... Merlin."
"You wanted to date Regulus?" I asked Marlene, laughing.
"What's wrong with him?" Sabione defended.
"You're right," Marlene conceded. "The Slytherin child doesn't count. But still, two Black's, that's the whole set."
"I'm n-not col-collecting! Black is going with you. Sirius and I... there is no S-sirius and I." Sabione blushed at the idea.
"I only wish I could say the same," Marlene said, grinning.
"We know Marlene, you two are hardly subtle," I replied, tugging at her collar to reveal a set of hickeys. She pushed my hand away, and glanced over her shoulder to whisper conspiratorially.
"Those aren't from him, he doesn't leave any marks. He's like a sexy ghost. Plus he cleans up well, I hope there are photos."
"Ewww," Sabione grumbled, wrinkling her nose. "What about you Lily?"
"I assume you're not taking me cousin," Marlene added. I bit back my derogatory comment about Potter, and leaned even closer than Marlene had.
"I've already promised to go with someone else, the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain, Diggory."
"Who?" Marlene added.
"W-with the arse," Sabione clarified, giggling.
"Ah," Marlene nodded in understanding.