Chapter 20: The Holy Grail
"What do you think about Astronomy club?" They were was sitting on Godrics couch by the fire in the common room. "Listen to this. Ever wondered about the fates, the stars, destinies written in the sky for all to see-but only few to know?Join the Astronomy club. Meetings every Wednesday in the East tower. See Sybill Trealwny for more information."
"Eh." Mary sighed shaking her head. She had begun pacing back and forth, and Lily was getting dizzy just watching her. "Next."
"Mary we've been through them all three times. You either want to join a club or you don't." Lily sighed. "Surely something must have screamed 'you' by now"
"I'm sorry I'm indecisive!" Mary dropped onto the couch sighing loudly. "I can't choose just one and I know I can't take them all!"
The portrait hole opened up and Fabian and Gideon Prewett rolled in very loudly as they did often. They waved towards Mary and Lily, though Lily knew they didn't know her as well as Mary.
"Why so glum chum?" Gideon asked taking the seat on Mary's left while Fabian claimed the right. Lily reluctantly moved to the floor as both boys filled the couch. She huffed and settled on the floor throwing them a dirty glance they didn't see.
"I can't choose a club!" Mary handed Fabian the phamplets and turned to him hopefully. "Wait, are you two in any clubs?"
"Nope." Gideon sighed. "Ive already got too much on my mind. Prefect duties, N.E.W.T.S., finding a date for Sluggies Ball."
"Sluggies Ball?" Lily asked curiously looking at him. "As in Professor Slughorn?"
"Yeah," Gideon explained. "Slughorn has this little club where he handpicks special students to join. We're having a Christmas Ball soon and we both need dates." he turned to Mary grinning wide. "and this little one told us she'd help us in a time of need."
"Now we're looking to cash that favor in pretty soon MacDonald." Fabian winked eyeing Mary with a smirk.
"Fine!" Mary laughed. "I guess I've avoided it as long as I can now. Besides," she looked down at the pamphlet in her hand and threw it in the air " I can't decide on a club so let's do it."
"Now now Ms. MacDonald allow us to solve this dilemma-Fabian?" Gideon grinned, tossing half the pamphlets to his brother easily.
"Alright clubs," Fabian said importantly as he flipped one open. Gideon nodded similarly and put on his square glasses, that made him look suddenly older than his brother. "What about Runes club? I hear that's fun. Molly takes it, doesn't she?" he directed this to Gideon who shrugged.
"I can barely remember the dates in Binn's class," Mary shook her head quickly. "Runes would just be worse."
"Okay then," Fabian looked down at the next pamphlet. "My turn. What about Dueling or Charms club? Not a-lot of memorizing but still fun-besides I get the feeling you're not a sit down and learn type of girl."
Lily laughed as she flipped through the divination club pamphlet. "Mary's rubbish at charms- and dueling would be a lot harder than that. What about divination Mary?"
Mary looked at Lily bewildered at the comment and blinked twice before answering." "Yeah- I guess."
Gideon and Fabian exchanged uneasy looks but said nothing. Fabian stood up suddenly, eyes following one of the girls who had just descended down the girls staircase. "Mary quick look-that's the one."
"Armonia?" Mary gasped and Gideon quickly covered her mouth before she could announce it to the entire common room. But Mary was never one be kept silenced. She pried Gideon's hand away from her mouth and yelled out loudly her clear voice ringing across the common room. "HEY ARMONIA!"
The 3rd year girl turned around and waved. Mary waved her over much to the delight of Fabian who was hyperventilating at this point. "I think we should go-Gid let's go oh merlin she's coming this way-Gid! Gid!"
"Shut it git, she'll run away at this point."
"Git."
"Just smile and be natural." Mary whispered to Fabian "I got this. Remember she likes pixie straws and Quidditch."
"How do you just know this?" Lily asked amazed at the amount of information Mary had acquired on this girl.
"I'm well informed." Mary grinned. "Armonia!"
"Hey Mary." Armonia smiled. "What's up?"
"Oh you know," she picked up the pamphlet a surprised and beet red Fabian had dropped once Armonia had neared. "Clubs- hey are you going to the tryouts tomorrow?"
"I am!" Armonia grinned adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "I'm trying out actually. For keeper."
Mary nodded and turned to Fabian. "Fabian you were right she is Keeper material."
Fabian's eyes widened and he fervently swatted himself with another one of the pamphlets, beads of sweat rolling down his face. Armonia looked confused.
Mary sighed when Fabian chose to stay silent and "We were guessing what position you would play. Fabian thought you would be the best keeper, I thought beater."
"Oh he did?" Armonia smiled and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, noticing him for the first time. "Er Thanks. Do you play?"
Gideon nudged Fabian who blinked and shook his head. "No, b-but I watch the game- you know because the houses, our houses are the same and I mean I'm-
"We'll come watch you tomorrow," Mary cut in saving Fabian from saying more. "you know to wish you luck."
Armonia laughed. "Thanks. That's so sweet. I'll see you tomorrow then."
Fabian dropped onto the couch as Armonia left and Gideon let out a laugh. "You should have seen your face- I never knew Fabian had this side of him," he told Mary "he usually acts like he's not affected by girls."
Fabian narrowed his eyes. "I was just caught off guard."
"Always a gentleman, my brother." Gideon laughed. "Can't even speak to a girl without her permission."
"Well tomorrow after the tryout's he's going to have to." Mary decided. "Besides, it's what I do best."
She winked and both boys left discussing plans for the ball and tryouts tomorrow. Mary turned to Lily who had graciously taken her seat back on the couch and shrugged. "They should have a a matchmaking class- you would get an 'O.'" Lily told her honestly.
Mary smiled. "Yeah."
The portrait door swung open and Lily braced herself for the twins to steal her seat once more and let out a sigh when she was it was just Marlene and Dorcas walking in, arguing.
"I can't believe James would do that." Marlene was saying as she headed towards the staircase. "It's all because of Sirius. No matter how you look at it he's a Black and he's ruining James."
"Just because he's a Black...?" Dorcas said her voice trailing
"Because he is a Black!" Marlene protested. "They're all evil. How many Black's do you know that aren't in Slytherin besides him?"
Dorcas gave her friend a slight nudge. "Lighten up Mars, maybe you'll see he's not that bad."
Marlene sniffed. "Maybe you'll see how bad he really is." She walked up the stairs and Dorcas turned back heading towards Lily and Mary.
"There you are!" She grinned taking a seat between them. She looked at Mary, "I think your bow is how I'm going to find you this year-that and whoever is the loudest in the room."
Mary laughed and touched the crimson headband on her head. It had easily become her signature thing this year. "My dad gave it to me. I'm never taking it off."
"Good." Dorcas smiled. "That way I'll never fail to find you. Oh are you guys looking at clubs too?" she had spotted the pamphlets they were looking over strewn on the floor "Marlene and I can't decide. Well, I can't. Marlene says she doesn't want to join any clubs this year."
"Same here." Lily said. "I can't decide between Runes and Charms. Mary can't decide either."
"What do you think I should take?" Mary asked Dorcas with wide eyes.
Dorcas looked over the list thoughtfully and shrugged looking at Mary. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"
Mary sighed and answered truthfully. "I don't know."
"I met with all the club leaders and none- none of the are me.I just don't fit anywhere!" Lily told Dorcas that morning as they walked towards potions. She she had spent all week going to every single club she had decided could be potentially something she would join, only to find out that nothing appealed to her ."Not even Charms was something I would join. Maybe I'm just not cut up for a club this year." Lily finished shaking her head. "I'm never going to be prefect at this point."
"Don't say that Lily," Dorcas said gently. "I'm sure theres a club for you somewhere. You just need to find it."
"Incoming!" Irma Waters said running past a crowd of first years who stepped back as she prowled through. Her purple hair was longer than last year(Lily was not a fan of the huge hairstyles phase that was going around the school) and she had a large eagle quill stuffed behind her ear. Her bag suddenly caught Lily's bracelet as she ran past her and Dorcas, and Lily was forced to jog along with the prefect.
"Oh!" Irma said when she noticed Lily struggling to keep up with her. "Sorry-I didn't notice and I'm already so late."
"Late for what?" Lily asked politely beckoning her bracelet that clung to Irma's bag.
"Holy Grail." Irma said breathlessly as she freed Lily's bracelet from the strap of her bag. With that she waved to Lily and continued on her sprinting to the "Holy Grail."
The potions door looked threatening as Lily pushed on it. She had never been late to a class so when Lily entered she put her head down, making sure her hair covered her face, hoping she would go unnoticed.
"Nice of you to join us, Ms. Evans." Professor Slughorn grinned up at her as she entered the room. The class looked up eagerly from their potions at the new distraction that had entered the room.
"Sorry Professor I'm-sorry!" Lily said nervously and scrambled to her seat next to Severus.
"Where were you?" He asked moving over his textbook and bag so she had room for her stuff. Lily noticed the cauldron that was bubbling and stood up immediately. Severus grabbed her hand she stood up. "I already got the ingredients-what happened?"
Lily smiled. "Nothing Sev. I just go stuck on my way here. What's the potion again?"
"Confusing Concoction."
"I didn't do the reading on that." Lily realized suddenly remembering she hadn't done any reading. She had been so occupied with clubs that she had totally forgotten about everything else. Lily put her head down and sighed. "I forgot to do my charms homework-what's wrong with me?"
Severus looked her in the eye. "What's wrong Lily- and don't say it's about Charms. Because I know it's not."
Lily looked at Severus. "I can't find the right club. There's nothing that works for me." She looked up at him hopefully. "Which one are you joining-maybe I can join with you?"
"None of them." Severus said as he dropped a red beet into the cauldron. The potion bubbled a little- clouding Lily's vision. She dropped her book in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want to join a club." Severus explained. He handed Lily the vial of Lace wing flies that she then added to the potion. "I just want to study and get good grades."
"But Sev," Lily protested as she stirred the potion clockwise thrice and counter-clock wise twice. "You need to join a club if you want the chance to be a prefect."
Severus laughed. "I don't want to be a prefect, Lily." He looked up where she was looking shocked. "Wait- you do?"
Lily nodded, embarrassed. "Why is that funny?"
"It's not." Sev laughed. "It's just hard to see Lily Evans ordering everyone else around."
Lily turned away. "Fine. Sev."
"Lily-" Severus started apologetically. As she walked towards the ingredients cabinets knowing perfectly well that Severus had already gotten everything they needed, she knew Severus didn't mean it but she was so tired of everyone telling her she was crazy to think that she was preparing to be a prefect. Why was it so funny that she would be prefect? Why did Severus- her best friend- even think that she couldn't do it?
"Hey Evans."
Lily literally growled as she turned to James. "Why didn't you give me the cards earlier?"
"What?" Lily asked confused by the sudden question.
"The chocolate frog cards." James said. "You saw me this morning but you didn't give them to me."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Lily said haughtily. She had finally decided on another vial of leech stings and turned around, continuing to ignore James.
SPALT.
She paused, the sticky feeling of dragon saliva dripping down her back. There was a chorus of 'oooooh's' from the class followed by a deafening silence. Lily turned around slowly. James stood their looking pleased with himself, the vial of dragon saliva on the ground near him.
Severus looked up at her expectantly.
Lily walked to her station, grabbed her books and stuffed them in her bag calmly. She threw the bag on her shoulder, glared at James, and with all the dignity she could mutter she walked out of class.
Every step she took she imagined it was James Potter's face. And then Severus's and then all the students that had tried very hard not to laugh in the back of the classroom.
"Yikes-who did that to you?"
Lily turned around to see a Ravenclaw boy with brown hair approach her cautiously. She relaxed her eyebrows, and relaxed her angry expression so she didn't look like she was going to murder him.
"Potions accident." Lily said looking down. She should have just ran when she had the chance. She should have just thrown the leech stings at James in reciprocation. She didn't have to take the high road when it came to him. James Potter was a toe-rag.
The boy nodded like he understood. "That persons an idiot. No one should throw anything at a pretty girl like you."
Lily looked up and blinked. The boy turned her around and pointed his wand at her back. "May I?" He asked. Lily nodded. She felt the wand touch her back and heard the boy whisper. "Scourgify!"
Lily touched her back, where the Dragon Saliva had vanished. She looked up at the Ravenclaw in amazement. "Thank you."
"Now since you've obviously skipped class- I don't think it's safe for you to be wandering the halls." The boy said taking her by the shoulders. "You're a 2nd year right?"
Lily nodded. "Good-you can come with me. I'm Lucas by the way."
"Lily." Lily replied. Lucas lead her to the door all the way at the end of the hall. There was no marking on the door to indicate what it was for so when Lucas opened the door Lily had no idea to what to expect. The room was airy, with a clear view of the Hogwarts grounds was visible for everyone to see. There were pieces of parchment flying in the air, along with quills that wrote on their own in mid-air! The tables were pushed all the way to the ends of the room- save for one large table where a couple of students sat. The table was messy, filled with bottles of ink, quills, parchment, news papers cuttings, jugs of Pumpkin juice and danishes.
"What is this place?" She asked looking towards Lucas in amazement. "Irma?"
The familiar sight of the prefect comforted Lily. Irma waved them over. "Hey Lucas- about time you showed up. Hi. Did he drag you here too?"
Lucas grinned at Lily. "I wouldn't say that. I just rescued this fair maiden."
Irma rolled her eyes at Lucas. "Well now that you're here- You and Lucinda are working together on the main story this week. She's got something crazy going on-make sure you fix it."
Lucas saluted her and and walked over to the 3rd year who was scribbling over a parchment furiously.
Irma turned to Lily and smiled. "I'll show you around." She led her to the wall at the far right where several news headlines were taped against the wall along with threads and pushpins. "This is our idea boards- where we get our daily inspiration from." Irma pointed to a Hufflepuff boy who was manning a small station where he tapped his wand on every parchment that passed, before it flew up into the air to dry. "That's Zach. Just joined, but he's the best at copying spells."
"And this is Lucinda," The girl who was scribbling over the parchment earlier smiled as they passed. "And you already know Lucas."
Lucas looked up from the parchment he was proof reading. "Her knight in shining armor."
Lucinda pointed to two older boys hunched over a pile of old newspapers in the corner "That over there is Damion and Aloyde. Damion has the best stories- make sure you don't tell Lucinda I said that though."
"I can hear you, you know." Lucinda said rolling her eyes from the other end.
Lily marveled around the room. "So, what is this place?"
Irma looked down at her. "I thought you would have guessed by now. This," she beckoned the room. "is the heart of Hogwarts, where all gossip starts, where all the leads point to, where the stories are published. The Holy Grail news room."