Chapter 10: Will that be on the N.E.W.T.?
After relaying her summer to her friends, Calamity, Susan, and Margaret sat down for their last journey to Hogwarts. Half way through the journey Calamity was playing chess with Margaret when Lily stormed into their compartment followed closely by James Potter. Susan looked up from her gossip magazine in surprise that they were fighting before the train had even reached Hogwarts.
"I don't know how you did it Potter, but there is no way that you were given this by Professor Dumbledore," snapped Lily holding out a Head Boy badge in front of James' face. James looked very calm for someone being accused of creating fake badges.
"Lily," James said, putting his hands in his pocket. "I'm as confused as you are. I know it's not ideal and I'm sure you and Sirius have a lot to say about it, but it is real. If it makes you feel too uncomfortable to work with someone you hate then I will turn in the badge."
Margaret looked up at the very un-Potterish response. Lily faltered.
"I don't hate you, Potter," she said still glaring at his suspiciously.
"Well if you're worried I'll be pestering you, I promise I won't," James said quickly. "We can arrange it so you run prefect meetings and I can do my duties alone if that's what you'd prefer."
"Okay," Lily said still looking at James suspiciously.
"Can I-er," he looked at his badge nervously.
"Oh, yes, here," Lily said handing it to him. He pinned it onto his chest and took a deep breath and released it, a smile appearing on his face.
"That wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be," he said cheerfully. "Let's hope Sirius is ready to accept it the same way."
"Wasn't he with you when you got the letter," asked Calamity moving her knight to take Margaret's rook.
"I didn't exactly tell him yet," James confessed. "I sort of his hid the letter."
He took another deep breathe and left without another word or look at Lily.
"That was very mature of him," Susan said. "I was sure he'd use your not hating him as an opening to ask for a date."
"We'll see," Lily said sitting down and looking at the chess board. "The school year hasn't even started. He was pretty good in the meeting,as well."
"You have to admit he's a natural leader," Margaret said. She gave Lily's scowling face a sideways look before adding, "or not. Maybe he's not a natural born leader."
"Just play, won't you," asked Lily.
The train ride, sorting, and opening feast seemed to whiz by in a flurry of sounds and smells. Calamity couldn't believe that just two years before she had been sitting under the hat, waiting to begin her classes at Hogwarts. She could tell from Susan's expression that she was also feeling a twinge of the sentimental.
"Let's just enjoy this year," Margaret urged as Lily got up with James Potter to talk to the new students and the prefects before dispersing to their given houses.
"Enjoy? With N.E.W.T.s on the way? Good luck!"
Calamity let out a sound of excitement at Remus Lupin's voice. She turned and hugged him quickly. Pulling back she inspected him- he didn't seem to have any new scars.
"I promise I'm fine, mum," Remus said with a smirk. "I want to hear about your summer."
"We'll meet you in the dorm," Susan said as she and Margaret continued on.
"It was eventful," Calamity said as they walked the stairs. She explained all that had occurred: Her time at St. Mungo's, the attack, helping Sirius, his disappearance to James'.
"Sirius mentioned that," Remus said looking at her as if he had more to say on the topic, but decided instead to turn to the Portrait of the Fat Lady. "Squiggly bottom"
The portrait swung forward to reveal the cozy red and gold room. A few students were milling around in their own food-coma haze. Calamity scanned the room and saw that Susan and Margaret must be in bed already. Sirius and Peter were lazing next to the fire, Peter's eyes half closed as if he were in deep meditation. Sirius had a Daily Prophet covering his face as if he had been reading it and lost consciousness. At the sound of the portrait closing, Sirius sat up suddenly, looking around bewildered by the usual commonroom decor. His eyes found Remus and he leaped up.
"Moony! We've been waiting for you and Prongs!" He hurried over beaming as Peter sat up in slow motion and rubbed his eyes. "Hey Calamity! How's it going."
"Fine," Calamity said simply. She wondered if his burn was fully healed. As if sensing her eyes on his burn, Sirius said, "It's all better. There's gonna be some scarring, but I figure it'll make me look more roguishly good looking. Ladies love that, right?" He winked at her and Calamity was suddenly reminded on their time in Diagon Alley.
"Maybe," she said and Sirius' smile faltered slightly. She turned to Remus. "Let's catch up later after classes, I'm beat. I want to hear about how your mum is!"
In her four poster bed she could hear the soft breathing of Susan and Margaret. She considered the Sirius situation- she was not pleased that he had left in the middle of an argument but he had answered her question, hadn't he? If he would be willing to risk further infection by using the floo network with an open wound it seemed that he was opting to stay out of her love life. She felt a slight disappointment gnawing at her stomach, but she rolled over onto it in an attempt to silence it. He made a choice and that was he prerogative. Besides, Calamity reminded herself, he has a real girlfriend, she ought to remember that. No use in dwelling on it. She nodded to herself in the dark. She was friends with Christopher after they had actually dated and kissed and talked much more than she and Sirius ever had. If she could be friends with him, she could at least be friendly to Sirius, even if he were an idiot. "Smartest idiot I've ever met," Calamity muttered.
The door opened and closed as Lily entered. There were some sounds of shuffling about as she attempted to get ready for bed.
"How were Head Girl duties," asked Calamity in a whisper, peaking her head from the curtains. "Did you split up?"
"It was fine,"Lily said, braiding her hair to keep it away from her face.
"He wasn't a big headed toerag, was he," asked Calamity.
"No, not even a bit," Lily said tying the hair together and getting into bed. "It was actually...fun."
"You sound surprised," Calamity said.
"I am astounded,"Lily sighed. "Night!"
The next day the seventh years were hit with the cold hard truth of what the seventh year would be like. In Potions they sweated over a meticulous cure to the silencing charm, the Volubilis Potion. Even Snape seemed to struggle with the detailed and time sensitive instructions. Next in Transfiguration, Professor Mcgonagol did a quick review of what felt like the last six years of Transfiguration before assigning students to practice wand motions for transforming humans into an animal of their choice or into a couch. When asked when they would be working on the practical, Professor Mcgonagoll gave them a stern look and explained that they were nowhere near ready for such a feat. Both classes assigned a large reading for homework along with two meter essays on the topics discussed in class. The rest of the classes seemed to follow suit. Classes and homework were so busy that Calamity had almost no time to consider her Sirius situation. She hardly even noticed when Hannah raced up to Sirius outside of Transfiguration and grabbed his hand, pulling him up the hall before planting a quick kiss on his cheek. She also hardly noticed when she pushed passed them a bit more roughly than she needed to in order to catch up with Remus, who had jotted down a line of notes she had missed.
By the end of the first month, Calamity was sure that she would become a regular fixture in the library with Susan, Margaret, and Lily. All perpetually scrambling through their notes and books, scratching out incorrect information. Margaret let out a loud sigh and looked up as if asking the powers above themselves, "What are we doing? What are we doing with our lives?"
Calamity looked over her Standard Book of Spells Year Seven at her exasperated friend, who had become accustomed to the saying since Monday. "We're studying for N.E.W.T.s so we can do something with our lives."
"But why," whined Margaret. "Why are we torturing ourselves like this?"
Susan made an annoyed sound and turned over her book. "Where is my quill?"
"I'm losing it," Margaret told them. "Honestly, I can't tell the difference between a stunning spell and werewolf."
"One requires a wand," Lily said scribbling something on her parchment before checking her watch."I have ten minutes before I need to meet James to plan the Prefect meeting. Hold off on the existential crisis until after that please."
Susan stopped her search and glanced at Lily, surprised. "James?"
"Yes," Lily said impatiently. "You know? Tall, messy black hair, on the quidditch team. Last name Potter."
"Oh, I'm aware," said Susan with a sly look on her face. "But I didn't know you were on first name basis with our Mr. James Potter."
"It wouldn't help us seem authoritative in front of the prefects if we were hostile to one another," Lily said, here eyes darting up from her book to glare at Susan before returning to her watch. "now I have eight minutes. Kindly hush."
Susan smirked, but remained silent until Lily stood.
"Will you be here after my meeting," she asked.
"We're going to die here," said Margaret.
"Good, I'll leave my things then," Lily said with a smile as Margaret gave an over-dramatic look of hurt. Calamity sighed and leaned back and stretching as Lily hurried out of the library.
"I think our little Lily likes James Potter," said Susan. Margaret, desperate for any break from studying, closed her book enthusiastically and leaned in.
"She's always so pink when she comes back from meeting with him," she agreed.
"He hasn't asked her out once this year," Susan said keeping her tone of conspiracy.
"Well he tried for years," Calamity reminded them. "Maybe he's opting for friendship instead."
"Lily Evans and James potter cannot be friends," Susan said decidedly. Calamity raised her eyebrow skeptically. Susan waved her away saying, "It'll take just one boyfriend or one girlfriend to put them over the edge into a jealous rage. They'll kill the whole school."
"That's a bit over the top," Calamity smirked.
"No,no," Margaret said, "I agree." Calamity rolled her eyes and stood stretching again.
"You've been cooped in the library for to long," she said. "I'm going for a walk to the owlery."
"Say hello to the outside world for me," Margaret said sadly.
"Do you want to come? I'm just sending a letter to Christopher about the N.E.W.T.s he took."
"Some insider information," Margaret said appreciatively, "Sure I'll escort you."
They walked in silence up the first flight of stairs. Margaret seemed to have an extra bounce in their step now that they were outside of the library. Calamity was just about to mention this when they turned down a corridor and ran into Remus, Sirius, and Peter.
"Well hello there," Sirius said. "What are two lovely ladies doing out and about in such trying times?"
"Owlery," Calamity said holding up a letter.
"She's going to see if Christopher has any secret knowledge of our N.E.W.T.s," Margaret said. Sirius' smile twitched into a frown so quickly that Calamity swore she imagined it. In a flash his smile was back.
"How is Christopher," he asked. Remus looked unsure. He glanced at Calamity, then to Sirius again as if he were preparing himself to intervene in a fight.
"Fine," Calamity said with a shrug. They stood in silence for a few moments.
"We're headed to the commonroom to finish up some Transfiguration if you'd like to join," Remus offered.
"We're pretty set up in the library," Calamity said turning to Remus with a smile. "Lily left her things with us until her meeting is done, so we'll probably head there after our owlery break."
"Next time, then," Remus said pulling Sirius and Peter away from the girls. "Don't work too hard."
"Same to you," called Margaret. She waited until they had turned the corner before turning to Calamity with a stern look on her face. "Alright, what's the deal with you and Sirius."
"What?"
"You suddenly only speak in monosyllables with him! I thought you were going to be friendly to him!"
"I am friendly," said Calamity pushing open the door and looking around for a school owl.
"I could make popsicles with all the cold air you were sending his way," Margaret said. She leaned against the window as Calamity tied the letter to the owls leg. It opened it's wings and flapped through the window.
"It wasn't that bad," Calamity said finally, watching the owl become smaller and smaller.
"Well, no," Margaret agreed. "But then you talked to Remus and then... it was really bad."
"I didn't realize," Calamity said.
"Sirius did."
"Did he?"
They moved out of the door and Margaret slowed her steps, trying to avoid returning to the library for as long as possible. Calamity gave her a look and she picked up her pace to regular speed.
"He shouldn't be bothered by it," Calamity said as they turned the corner. "He has a girlfriend."
Margaret opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off as Snape's shoulder hit hers. For a moment his robe flew open and off his shoulder, revealing a gray letter in the breast pocket, a skull and snake on the seal.
"Watch it," snapped Snape adjusting himself and glaring at the girls. Margaret glanced at Calamity. She had spotted the letter as well.
"What's that," Calamity asked pointing to Snape's hidden letter on his chest.
"None of your business," Snape snarled. He turned and marched off, robes billowing behind him.
"Should we tell someone," asked Margaret as they walked down the book cases to their table. Calamity's answer caught in her throat. Lily had returned from her meeting, but James Potter was now sitting at their table, reading through his transfiguration book as if it were perfectly normal for him to be sitting at a table with the girls. Calamity's heart dropped as she spotted that Sirius Black was sitting next to him, leafing through his own book trying to find the proper page.
"I thought you were going to the commonroom," Margaret said sitting down and moving her parchment and her Divination book closer to her spot next to Susan. Calamity quickly evaluated the table seeing that the only spot left was next to Sirius. She took the seat without speaking.
"Ran into James and he was headed to the library, so I joined," Sirius said. He glanced at Calamity. "Is that okay?"
James looked quickly up from his book at his friends tone. Calamity shrugged and opened her Herbology book, the cover hit Sirius' hand. She moved the book quickly. "Sorry," she said.
"Are you working on Herbology," Sirius said ignoring the cover. "I've been struggling with it. What's the assignment,again?"
"Flesh-eating trees & shrubs," Calamity said scanning the table of contents and turning to page 176. There was a picture of a large oak-like tree, but in it's branches had skewered a deer, who's body no seemed entangled in the leaves.
"Mind helping me out," Sirius asked hopefully.
Calamity looked up from the picture and caught James' eye. He turned back to his textbook quickly.
"How," Calamity asked.
"Er-" Sirius searched his mind quickly, but came up empty. "Guess it's just a reading issue. Never mind." He fell silent and turned back to his work, but hours later as the girls were packing up, Calamity couldn't help but notice that he was still looking at page 176, his parchment blank.
The next morning Calamity overslept and had to hurry to Defense Against the Dark Arts. She skidded into the room just in time, her stomach growling for the breakfast she had missed. Scanning the room she saw that Susan and Margaret were sitting next to one another, looking through their textbook and Lily and James were sitting behind them, chatting in a friendly fashion. Lily laughed and a bit of pink appeared on James' cheeks as he smiled. Calamity didn't have time to ponder the strangeness of this event because she noticed that the only empty seat was next to Sirius. She scanned the room again. It was definitely the only one available.
"Ms. Erza-Mahoney," said Professor Banner in an impatient tone. "Do you mind?"
"Sorry, professor," she said hurrying to the table as Professor Banner continued her lecture.
Calamity's stomach growled again as she hurriedly brought out a parchment. An apple appeared at the top of her parchment. She glanced at Sirius.
"A peace token," he muttered.
"We are at peace," Calamity said, rubbing the apple on her robes to clean it quickly before taking a stomach made a happy sound.
"Doesn't seem like it," Sirius replied, watching Professor Banner as she demonstrated an elaborate wand motion, then continued on her explanation of when, how, and why you should be prepared to use the incantation on a vampire. "it seems like you're mad at me and being cordial because you have to be."
"You would prefer I was rude," asked Calamity scratching her quill on her parchment as she jotted down the notes. She'd have to ask Lily for the others she had missed.
"No, I'd prefer you act like we are friends, which we are," Sirius muttered. "I mean, I thought we were. After this summer and all."
Calamity felt her quill tip snap from the extra pressure she put on it. She pulled another from her bag quickly. "Look, Sirius, I'm sorry if I'm not all cheerful and chipper around you. Last thing I recall is that we had been in Diagon alley and got into a bit of an argument about your need to know who and when I'm dating someone despite already having a girlfriend. Then, in the middle of it, you disappear for the rest of the summer without so much as an owl of explanation. I get it, we are friends or acquaintances, or whatever, but I do not owe you anything and you don't owe me anything." She looked down at her parchment to see that her notes had changed from a list of areas where Vampires could be found to what she had been saying to Sirius. His eyes fell on the notes as well as she scratched them out, skipping a few lines to pick up where the Professor was speaking.
"Is it about Hannah,because we-" Sirius began, but Calamity cut him off.
"This is not about Hannah. this is about you. You made a choice and I am trying to respect your choice, but you are making it very difficult for me to do that. I am trying to take notes."
Sirius fell silent for the rest of class. Calamity felt like she should feel more relief than she did.
Lily sat down next to her at lunch, handing her a letter.
"Came during breakfast," Lily said. "Sorry for not waking you, we thought you'd already left. You looked like a bundle of blankets."
Calamity shrugged and scanned the letter. "It's from Christopher, he says that his N.E.W.T.s were a few years ago, so it's a bit hard to remember, but he definitely recalls that Flesh-eating trees were required for the Hebology N.E.W.T.s. Also, any dangerous and illegal plants that are needed for anti-poisons will probably show up . Potions practical could be on love potions, shrinking solution, Felix Felicis, Amortentia, Hiccoughing solution, Draught of Living Death, Elixir to Induce Euphoria, Wit-Sharpening Potion, Volubilis Potion, Antidotes, or Wiggenweld potion."
Margaret let out a moan,"Wiggenweld? I hate Wiggenweld."
"It's necessary," Susan conceded. "If their going to teach us to put people to sleep, they'd better teach us how to wake people up!"
"What about Transfiguration," asked Lily.
"He was pretty bad at Transfiguration, but he remembers human transfiguration. He says he can't remember to what extent. Also, Defense Against the Dark Arts has got to cover withstanding the Imperius Curse and some of the dark magical creatures, especially with the news the way it is."
"I suppose that's a bit helpful," Lily said waving at the marauders approached.
"Where are you off to with such a determined look," asked Susan looking at James.
"Quidditch pitch. I want to start planning for our next game. I figure you'll all be rooting for Gryffindor."
"I'm planning to root for Slytherin," Susan said, "Just to cause some drama."
"Where's your fourth limb," asked Margaret.
"Dunno, he was pretty upset," replied James "Did you say something to him?"
"Nothing except to stop talking to me while while I was taking notes," Calamity said grabbing a sandwich.
"Did he told you that he broke up with Hannah," asked James. Remus elbowed him, but James ignored him, still looking at Calamity. She kept her face neutral as she took a bite of her sandwich.
"No, that's news to me."
"Happened after our first Transfiguration lesson, I think," James said looking to Peter for confirmation. Peter nodded. "He got a shiner from it too. She was yelling something about knowing he liked-"
"Let's go and let these ladies enjoy their lunch," Remus said hurriedly. He gave Calamity an apologetic look before they all disappeared from the Great Hall.
Margaret turned to Calamity as if she were about to say something, but Calamity held up her sandwich, halting the speech.
"I can't believe they only have pastrami today," Calamity said determinedly. "After the way their working us I want a buffet of sandwiches."
The girls did not bring up the topic of Sirius Black for the rest of the day.
