The next days, it was finally all right between Remus and me. It was a bit tense when we spoke to each other, but at least he was talking to me now but I noticed that he looked more beaten down than ever before.
It was during dinner, and I was almost falling asleep on the table. I had been up so many times the past weeks studying and it was taking its tool on me. I yawned and took another bite off the steak.
'I don't understand, how can all of you girls have been up all nights. I have not done any homework at all' said James relaxed and leaned back on his chair.
'That is because they actually do the homework James' said Remus
'We have had homework?' asked Sirius in what sounded like a drunken voice.
'Mhm, shocking right?' Remus added.
'Oh, by the way Becky; Dumbledore wants you to his office after dinner. Password is butterbeer' said James.
I almost chocked on the steak. Dumbledore, wanted to meet me – alone?
'UH. Dumbledore wants to meet you alone Becky' said Sirius in a perverted voice. I sent him a glare.
'Becky and Dumbledore sitting in a tree-' Peter started saying in a sing song voice
'Too far, too far Peter' said James, I couldn't argue with James on that point.
'Don't worry Becky, personally I think Dumbledore is more into boys' James continued and I gave him an angry stare too.
'Oh, that just makes me feel so much better'
When the dinner was finished and everyone was going to the dormitories I made my way to Dumbledore's office. I was getting more nervous by the second as I walked in the corridors.
Why on earth would Dumbledore want to see me alone?
I could not think of a good reason why he would want to see me – it is not like I had done something bad, nor something good that could make me be sent to his office.
Finally I got to the gargoyle and I said the password rapidly as it moved and I faced a staircase. I walked up the staircase until I got to the small room, I could feel my body tense.
With hurried steps I knocked on the big wooden door. It opened by itself and I stepped inside to the office. It always amazed me every time I was here off the things that stood lurking in the corners that turned out to be the most magical things.
'The professor wanted to see me?' I asked nervously as I took some more steps and Dumbledore, who had been watching Fenix in his cage from where he was sitting behind his desk turned to look at me and he smiled.
'Ah Becky, yes. I suppose James told you?' He asked and I nodded my head.
'Yes' I said and I sat down on the chair on the other side of the desk.
'Has James by any chance told you what he has been up to here?' He asked and I answered by shaking my head. Dumbledore looked as calm as ever as he looked at me.
'Then I am going to tell you. I assume you have heard of Voldemort?' asked Dumbledore and I nodded.
'Well, the only way to beat him is to get an army to fight against him and that is why I am going to start something called The Order of Phoenix.' When he said it, it seemed unreal but at the same time it made things so much clearer. We needed to do something now, otherwise...merlin knows what would happen.
'So, when James has been here I have informing him about this and asked for him too look for people to recruit. But there is going to be needed more than some people meeting. Have you thought about what you want to do after you graduated?' Dumbledore asked.
The fact was that I had not. I did not have any clue of what I was going to do when I was finished and the time was narrowing down by each day.
'…No' I said embarrassed and Dumbledore gave me a comforting smile.
'No worries, no worries' said Dumbledore calm. 'Well, I am going to need people at the Ministry of Magic, because there is where Voldemort is going to try and take power over the people there so I need people that I can trust. So, I would be greatly thankful if you considered the idea'
I did not know what to say. I could feel my cheeks burn up a bit. The more I thought about it, the more tempting it sounded. I could work for the Daily Mirror, write articles…
'I think I need to think about it' I said and Dumbledore nodded his head.
'Of course, I be honoured if you just considered the offer'
It turned into an awkward silence, I gave a small cough and my eyes then went to Dumbledore's blue ones to see if there was anything more he was going to say, but he did not.
'That was all, you can go off to your dormitory now' said Dumbledore and a bit relived, I rose from my chair and started to walk away, but I stopped when I was close to the door.
'Thank you sir' I said and he smiled at me again.
*
The bell rang as I walked out of the Post Office at Hogsmeade village. I looked at my watch – Lily had decided that everyone would meet at The Three Broomsticks. It still was a lot of time left but I could not come up with anything else to keep me occupied so I decided to start walking up the main street where the pub was.
It was cold outside; the warm summer sun was away as it was turning into October. The street was filled with students; I always thought it odd so see people walking around that I had seen in school without the uniform. I heard the sound of my shoes tramping on the ground as I walked.
As I got to the building that was outside The Three Broomsticks I peeked through the window to see if there was anyone I recognised. It was completely crowded so it was a bit hard to spot but the I sighted a dark red haired girl with almond shaped green eyes that was Lily's and the tall figure with messy black hair and confident posture that belonged to James.
The weirdest thing about this? Lily seemed to be enjoying herself. I mean, at least she was not screaming at him and not waving a wand at him. That was something new, defiantly.
Then I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned around so quickly that I felt a bit dizzy when I saw Sirius' face in front off me.
'Oh hi' I said, still a bit dizzy
'Here is the plan – nobody is coming so that Lily is forced actually socialise with James'
Wow, this had James stalker obsessive behaviour for Lily all written over it.
'James idea, I presume?' I asked and Sirius put on a sheepish grin.
'No it was me actually that came up with this flawless plan' he said in what was a very un- Sirius posh voice. I raised my eyebrow.
'You do spot the tiny flaw in your oh, so flawless plan?' I asked and he shook his head in disbelief.
'And what would that be, love?'
My cheeks immediately turned red and I hated myself for it.
'After one year I can still make you blush' his voice was proud, I tried to say something but it all came out as mutter.
Why did he have to have this effect on me?
'The flaw is that Lily will figure out when no one else is coming and then she will all think it is James idea and she will go back at screaming at him, and hating him even more'
'But see here is the pure genius of my mind; James does not know about it either so it will be harder for him to screw things up, Lily will be able to tell that he is not lying when he saying he did not put people up to this'
'Sure' I said unconvinced as I was going to start walking away from the pub but Sirius' hand grabbed my jacket. I did not want to him to think I was some creep hanging after him all the time so I figured it was best to go at friendly terms.
'Where do you think you are going?'
'Back to school'
'N-uh' Sirius said and gave me a determined look. I did not say anything in return, but I continued gazing at the window at Lily and James. Sirius and mine shoulders touched as we stood watching.
Suddenly I felt being pulled down to the ground, it took me a moment to realise it was Sirius that was doing it and he dropped down, huddling too.
'What was that for?' I asked and he put a finger over his lips with a grin – signalling that I should be quiet.
'I think James saw us' He whispered and I stumbled out an 'Oh' my voice was shaky.
Sirius grey eyes looked at me as we both were huddled under the window and we both started to laugh when or eyes met.
We were still for a couple of minutes more, none seemed willing to rise.
'I'm bored' said Sirius and broke the silence. We got up at the same time as a group of excited third years stepped out of the pub.
'Come' he said and I nodded my head a bit confused as I tried to catch up with Sirius, who had started to walk up the street.
'Where are we going?' I asked
'The Hog's Head' Sirius replied calmly.
'O-what?' my voice was terrified
It was not until seconds later when I saw Sirius face crack up that I understood that he had been kidding, and my shoulders relaxed.
'Very funny' I said unhumorous and Sirius arm wrapped around my neck for a couple of seconds. It did not avoid me that there were several girls glaring jealously at me; it was a weird thing – having people look at me with envy.
'Did you really think I would take you too the Hog's Head?' He asked amused.
'…Well, I mean…you…'
'Seem like the reckless type?' He finished and I laughed.
'Something like that, yes'
'I am offended'
'So, you can say with a straight face that you have not been inside the Hog's Head?' I asked and Sirius stared at me with his gray eyes, it made me a bit weak in the knees and I was so distracted I almost tripped on a stone that lay on the ground.
'I have not been inside the Hog's Head' he said as serious as he could, but it was easy to tell that he was lying.
'Liar'
'You got me there'
It got silent again, as we continued to walk up the street until Sirius steered to the left in one of the small alleys next to a store. I had never walked on the path and was starting to get a bit nervous. It continued to a narrow road with trees until the tree's disappeared and we were standing on a cliff, there was a lake under and around there were mountains. It was absolutely stunning, and so peaceful.
'Wow, Sirius – this is beautiful. How did you find this place?'
'I have my ways' He said with a smirk.
I sat down on the rocky ground, and Sirius did the same thing shortly after.
'I have missed you' he said suddenly and I looked at him confused. 'Well when you were with Remus we did not spend so much time together, just the two of us and I have missed that'
Suddenely the lake looked clearer and the mountains looked every more breathtaking.
'I have missed you too'
*
The sky was dark as it had turned into night, and the common room was full with people. I was buried in a Transfiguration essay as I was sitting in front of the fireplace. It was confusing, and I bit the quill in my mouth.
'Where-were-you?' It was Lily's angry tone that almost made me jump off surprise
'What?' I asked confused, knowing very well that Lily meant the incident at Hogsmeade but I figured this would earn more time. Lily looked at me unconvinced.
'You know what I am talking about, you and everyone left me alone for twenty minutes with James'
I was busy
No, everyone would know that was a lie
I forgot?
Nope, Lily would know I would not have forgotten a thing like that. Especially when she reminded everyone about the whole day.
I felt sick
No, that would not work too. I would need to do some serious acting for that, something that I was miserable at doing.
'Someone kind…of stole me away. I tried to get away from it, but I couldn't' I said. This was just partially a lie; if Sirius had not stood their and taken me away I would have gone inside.
I could feel Lily eyeing me suspiciously to see if I was lying, but judging by her look I could tell that she did not completely believe me but it looked like she decided that the excuse was fine so she went back to talking to Mary. I continued with my homework, that I did not get.
'Becky, do you need help?' Remus asked, and I nodded my head. He was sitting on the couch and he went down to the floor where I was sitting.
'You bit your pen…you always bite your pen when you do not know what to do' he said and I stared at him confused.
'Oh' was all I could get out.
'So, what do you need help with?'
I was so involved with the work that Remus was helping me with that I did not notice when Sirius walked in through the portrait and he slouched down on the couch.
'I have just been dumped'
I tried to concentrate on the text because I could feel Remus eyes looking at me, trying to see some reaction on me of the significance of the words just said but I was determined not to let that happened.
'Wait, Marlene dumped you?' asked Peter confused.
'Yes, SHE dumped me' He said shocked.
'Did she say why mate?' asked James and Sirius waved with his hands
'Some bullshit she can not be in a relationship with me because I am not ready to commit' there was a silence hanging in the air after he said that
'You know, I…think I got this now Remus. Thank you, I am going to go to bed now' I said.
I could not hear on this talk, it was driving me mad. Fine, Sirius did not have a girlfriend anymore, and I did not have a boyfriend but it would still remain the same. I would still always secretly long for him, and he would never notice me.
I AM REALLY REALLY REALLY SORRY OKAY????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As I have been saying, IB is a killer and it is eating me alive and I have been busy with life basically, turned 17 two weeks ago. But I am really truly sorry it has taken this long. :/
By the way, the next chapter will be very juicy...I think. Or at least the chap after that.
Okay, so here is the deal; I am going away for vaccation now, and I won't be able to update as much during this break then...But after the year shift, in the beginning somewhere I promise you guys there will be an update. I am planning to do a one shot Christmas story, but I would need to finish that tmrw and I do not know if I can do that.
Ah well.
THANKS for being patient, reviewing, alerting, favoursing & reading the story!!
Btw, any tip on good Americans stores for a 17 year old girl?;P
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR 3
