Hey y'all! I'm back...ish. I'm hoping to keep updating once every two weeks, at least until after the holidays. Then, maybe, more often. Anyways, a huge thank you to chcolate for reviewing! I'll table the companion story idea, unless anyone else wants to throw in their opinion?
Anyways, enjoy and, as always, please drop me a line and let me know how I'm doing!
Monday morning donned harsh and unforgiving, the skies an unrelenting grey and snow falling without rest. Sage, who still felt the exhaustion from the last week, was resigned to the fact that the rest of the year will be as dreary as the past few weeks had been. The fact that Marlene still wasn't talking to Sage wasn't improving her mood either. Indeed, Marlene was dressed and out the door by the time Sage exited the loo, hair still wet from her shower.
"When is this going to end?" Sage groaned, throwing her towel on the bed in agitation.
"She'll come around," Alice promised, glancing at the door. "Eventually."
"I hope so," Sage muttered, head downcast. She felt the injustice rising in her throat, turned, and kicked at her trunk. "I hate this! I didn't do anything wrong!"
"We know," Kylie said softly as Alice nodded. Sage let out a harsh breath as she collapsed onto her bed, rubbing her aching toes absently.
"I'll go try to talk some sense into her," Alice murmured. Sage didn't look up until she heard the door close again. Kylie was looking at her in concern and she heaved another breath before smiling gently.
"Let's get some breakfast," she said and hopped up, tossing her hair back in a high ponytail. Together, the girls made their way through the common room and down to the Great Hall in silence. It was only as they took their seats next to the Marauders and Lily did either speak.
"You look like someone kicked your crup," Sirius noted from across the table as Sage settled in on the other side of James. James gave Sage a sidelong glance and pulled the other four into a conversation, knowing that his sister was more likely to open up without an audience.
"Have you been reading my Muggle books again?" Sage asked dryly.
"There wasn't much to do after you two left," he responded, shrugging. "I also went through your albums."
"Is there any point in asking you to respect my privacy?" Sage asked, spooning porridge into her bowl.
"Nope," Sirius replied, popping the P.
"Great," Sage sighed.
"What's wrong?" Sirius tried again. Sage looked him for a moment, so focused and intent on her issues. She debated on telling him the whole thing with Marlene but what good would that do? It would embarrass her and make Sirius feel guilty. And really, what was there for him to feel guilty about? Absolutely nothing; he did nothing wrong. So she just shook her head and took another bite of porridge. "Well, if you want to talk about it, I'm here."
"Thanks," Sage replied with a small smile.
The following days were much of the same: Sage waking up feeling just as exhausted as the day before; Marlene refusing to speak to Sage and now Kylie despite Alice's best peacemaking efforts; Sage studying with Sirius and spending the rest of her free time with the Marauders, Kylie, and Lily.
The longer Sage spent with the redhead, the more she realized how fantastic Lily was. Because of their age difference, Sage never got to know Lily before now. She was always in Sage's peripheral as the Gryffindor prefect or, more often, the unwilling source of James' obnoxious affections. Sage knew that Lily was smart, witty, and quick with her wand as her insults and hexes towards James were, quite honestly, inspired. But what she hadn't realized was that Lily was kind, loyal, and incredibly intuitive.
Indeed, the last became very apparent when Sage found herself at a table in the Gryffindor common room with Lily the weekend before Christmas holidays were to start. Sirius had apparently gotten over the temporary madness that led him to believe a meaningful relationship with a girl would be in his best interests, as he had set up a post near the fire with another Gryffindor in his year, Mary MacDonald. With Kylie gone, on a date with Remus no doubt, and James and Peter in detention, Sage was completely alone with her DADA book, working on an essay that was due when they came back for the next term.
"Mind if I sit with you?" Lily asked, appearing at Sage's shoulder. Sage, who had been trying, unsuccessfully, to block out the slurping noises coming from the fire (slurping? Really?), jumped at the chance for a distraction.
"Please do," Sage said, moving her spare pieces of parchment and quills so Lily had some space as well. Lily sat and starting removing piles of books from her bag.
"So, how have you been holding up?" Lily asked.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You're in your N.E.W.T. year, after all." Lily pulled a face, glancing at the mound of books.
"I'm hanging on," Lily said dispiritedly. "But I meant with everything else."
"I'm okay," Sage shrugged, looking at her book. "I'm trying to move on from it."
"The attack or whatever you had with Sirius?" Lily asked conversationally.
"The atta—" Sage started, then realizing what Lily had just implied, looked up from her book so quickly that she got a crick in her neck. "What do you mean, what I had with Sirius?" She asked, massaging her neck.
"Well, it seemed like you two were getting really close," Lily shrugged.
"Oh Merlin," Sage growled, leaning back in her chair. "There's nothing going on between Sirius and me."
"But you want there to be," Lily stated.
"Ho—wha—no!" Sage stammered quickly, causing Lily to smile. "He's just a friend."
"Then why did you look like you were ready to curse Mary MacDonald into next week before I sat down?" Lily asked, her smile turning into a smirk as Sage looked at her, gobsmacked. It was true that Sage had entertained the notion of hitting either one of them with a horn-tongue hex when she noticed that Mary had her hands curled in Sirius' hair but she didn't think she was that transparent. As if she could read Sage's mind, Lily continued. "You and James have very similar vindictive looks. It's a little disturbing, to be honest." Sage snorted.
"Okay, say you're right. What can I do about it?" Sage repressed the urge to gesture towards the fire. "He obviously doesn't feel the same way." Lily glanced at the intertwined couple with a thoughtful expression.
"It's funny, we all thought he did," she said softly. "Even James picked up on it. I mean, that night, you were inconsolable. James swears that Sirius kept saying your name just before they shipped him to St. Mungo's."
"He what?" Sage gaped. Lily sighed and leaned forward, gesturing for Sage to do the same.
"Look, this is what I know," Lily said quickly. "Sirius regained consciousness that night but he wasn't completely lucid. He wasn't making any sense, but he kept saying something over and over. And James swears it sounded like your name."
"Well, okay, but what does that prove? I mean, I was the only one there," Sage stated, unconvinced.
"True, but he does seem more relaxed around you," Lily continued. "He doesn't put on that unflappable ladies-man front when you're around. He seems more," Lily paused, searching for a word. "Human."
"He seems that way around the other three too," Sage shrugged. "Because we're his friends."
"But he has changed," Lily pressed on. "This is what, the second girl he's snogged this term? And it's already November."
"The second girl that we know of," Sage grumbled.
"Well, he hasn't been exactly discreet in the past," Lily challenged.
"Maybe he's getting more mature," Sage shrugged.
"Or maybe he wants you," Lily argued. Sage bit the inside of her cheek, considering this for a moment.
"Then why is he over there with Mary?" Sage whispered.
"That," Lily sighed, leaning back in her chair, "Is what I'm trying to figure out."
"Don't bother," Sage said, shaking her head and turning back to her textbook. "It doesn't matter. He's free to snog who he wants."
Lily hummed, eyeing Sage. She knew by the line of Sage's shoulder that to push this conversation would be pointless, so she changed the subject. "So, how's the Defense essay coming along?"
The two girls worked in silence for a few hours, both eager to get as much of their homework done before the holidays started. Finally, as the sunlight was fading, James and Peter came through the portrait hole. The boys spotted Lily and Sage easily and made a beeline to their table.
"Are you two really working? It's Christmas holiday!" James crowed, swooping down to give Lily a kiss on her cheek.
"Remember this when you're bitching about all the homework you have to do in twelve hours," Sage grumbled, shutting her DADA book.
James stuck his tongue out at his sister and straightened. "Well, nerds, why don't you take a break and get some dinner with some cool kids, huh?"
"Oh, who are we having dinner with, then?" Lily joked and James' hand flew to his chest, faux-wounded.
"Food does sound good," Sage hummed, shoving her books in her bag.
"I need to grab something from the room," Peter said, turning to go up the stairs. Sage caught his wrist just as he passed her chair and shook her head.
"You don't want to do that. Sirius took Mary MacDonald up there about half an hour ago." Peter looked from Sage to the stairs with an expression that was part disgust, part jealousy.
"Well, let's leave them to it," James said, holding out his elbow out to Lily in an overdramatic gentlemanly fashion. "Shall we?" Lily giggled and looped her arm through his, pulling her bag over her shoulder. Sage and Peter followed the couple to the Great Hall, exchanging a few amused eye rolls whenever James did something particularly cheesy.
They spotted Kylie and Remus tucking into their plates about halfway down the Gryffindor table and quickly took their seats. Dinner was already in full swing, students chatting excitedly about their holiday plans and basking in the last class-free day of the year. Sage had just loaded her plate with food when she noticed Marlene hovering over Remus' shoulder across from her seat.
"So how does it feel to be tossed aside, hmm?" Marlene asked smugly, causing both Remus and Kylie to start and turn around.
"What are you talking about, Mar?" Sage asked tiredly, looking down and chasing a bit of potato around her plate.
"Sirius! With Mary MacDonald! Merlin, didn't take him long to ditch you, did it?" Sage glanced up at Marlene's vindictive smile.
"For the last time," Sage said through gritted teeth, "I am not. Interested. In Sirius."
"Oh? Why is it that you spent the night in their dorm, then?" Marlene's voice was getting louder and the Great Hall quieted, sensing a particularly juicy scene erupting.
"Godric, Marlene, do you really think anything happened? That's also my brother's dorm if you hadn't realized. I needed to get away from your complete insanity for a night." Sage took care to keep her voice level though her hands had curled into fists.
"Mar, you're getting bang out of order," Kylie growled. Marlene shot Kylie a glare before turning back to Sage. She sneered again, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning onto one hip. Sage didn't know what she was about to say but knew it couldn't be anything good.
"If you're so uninterested, why were you moaning Sirius' name in your sleep last night?" Marlene asked with a cackle. Sage felt a line of heat making its way through her body at the memory of that particular dream. It was a wonderful dream but nothing she cared to share with anybody, let alone the entire school. She felt the starting of tears, not in her eyes, but in the lump in her throat. Kylie jumped up, wand raised, only to be interrupted by none other than Sirius himself. Sirius pushed Kylie aside, rather gently, and stood directly in front of Marlene, lowering his face to inches from hers.
"You know why I don't want you, Marlene McKinnon? Because you're a petty, stupid little girl who can't take a hint. And because you turn on the only friends you have because you're too bloody thick to see that the problem is you," he growled. Marlene's lower lip trembled and he straightened, looking over the table and right at Sage. Sage shook her head and stood quickly, hurrying through the still-silent Great Hall. She felt, rather than heard, someone come up behind her and steeled herself for another fight. Sage whirled around to see James and Lily, both wearing expressions of extreme concern. Sage opened her mouth to assure them that she was fine, maybe even crack a joke.
Instead, she burst into tears.
"Sagey, don't cry," James said weakly, glancing at Lily as Sage covered her face in her hands. Lily pushed him forward and he tentatively wrapped his arms around Sage's shaking body. He wasn't used to seeing his sister cry; aside from the night she and Sirius were attacked, this was probably the first time since she broke her collarbone when she was 6 that she openly cried in front of anybody. Sage melted into James' embrace, no matter how tentative it was. And when she buried her face in his shoulder, his arms tightened around her middle. Soon, her sobs slowed and she pulled away, mopping at her cheeks with the arms of her robe.
"I just don't know what I did to make her so mad," she hiccuped.
"You didn't do anything," Lily assured her, pushing a curl from Sage's sticky cheek. "Sirius is right, she's petty and completely self-unaware."
"Merlin, Sirius," Sage groaned. "How am I ever going to look him in the face again?"
"Padfoot gives zero shits about what comes out of Marlene McKinnon's mouth, trust me," James said bracingly. "In fact, he was about to chase after you when Kylie punched Marlene."
"Ky punched her? In front of all of the professors?" Sage asked, then thought about it. "Actually, never mind. I'm really not surprised."
"Yeah, well, better her than me," James grumbled and Sage laughed softly. More footsteps sounded in the corridor and the group turned to see Remus and, to Sage's dismay, Sirius advancing on them.
"Are you okay?" Sirius asked as soon as he was in earshot.
"I will be," Sage shrugged. "Where's Ky?"
"McGonagall swooped down as soon as her fist landed and hauled her to her office. I think she said something about a month's worth of detention for Muggle dueling," Remus answered, smiling.
"You look oddly happy about that," Sage observed.
"Honestly, I have never been more attracted to anyone in my life."