"You look awful, Lil," Sirius said, cheerfully.
"Thank you so much for letting me know oh wonderful fountain of knowledge," muttered Lily, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail. "And you can ask you're bet friend exactly WHY I look like I've been smashed against a brick wall a couple of times." She walked away to catch up with Leah and Jonathon who were walking towards their first class.
"Hiya," she mumbled, almost under her breath.
"Hey Lil," cried Leah, without even one strand of chocolate coloured hair out of place. "What's up?" Lily forced a grin.
"Nothing besides the fact that I feel like I've slept in a wardrobe." She yawned. "I swear to God if I have another night like last night then James won't live to see graduation." Leah grinned.
"I slept great," she said. "And Jonathon made breakfast this morning." She smiled at the tall boy walking next to her.
"Lucky you," said Lily, tonelessly. "Hey Bella," she shouted. "Over here" She waved to her friend.
"Are you two friends again?" Leah asked. Lily nodded. "It's about time," said Leah, rolling her eyes.
"Lily you look . . ." began Arabella when she reached them.
"Terrible," interrupted Lily. "I know, I know." She yawned again. "Talk to James about it."
"I've got to go talk to Josh," said Arabella, half smiling. "I'll see you guys later."
"Yea, bye," said Lily.
By the time classes had finished Lily had perked up.
"That was so awesome," she said, more to herself than to James, while eating dinner.
"I know," said James, flopping down on a chair opposite her. "And thanks a million for making me dinner," he added.
"James," said Lily. "I'm not you're wife, girlfriend or even you're friend. Why the hell would I make you dinner? Especially after last night." James shrugged.
"Because you love me?" he said, leaning towards her, puppy dog eyes and charming smile in place.
"Ew James, I'm trying to eat," said Lily, pushing him away. "It's not that easy when you're making goo-goo eyes at me from across the table.
"But I can't cook, Lily," pleaded James.
"Tough," answered Lily, getting up and taking her plate with her. "Do you honestly think I give a damn?"
"But I'll starve," said James.
"I'm sure you'll manage," Lily told him, carelessly. "I'm not making you dinner. I have enough to do without acting like you're maid." There was a knock at the door. Outside stood James' little fan club.
"If I were you," Lily told them, sweetly. "I would run while I had the chance because if you're still there in 3 minutes I will be forced to harm you." She smiled at them. They stood staring at her for the best part of the 3 minutes before they realized she was serious and scattered off sharply, mourning about not being able to see James. Lily slammed the door behind them, a self-satisfied smile on her face, and walked back into the cabin, humming under her breath. James was standing in the middle of the room, just looking at Lily.
"Don't give me puppy dog eyes, Jamsie," said Lily, barely looking at him. "It'll get you no where, hun." She waltzed over to her bed and sank onto it. "If you want to have you're fan club mooning over you go to one of their cabins." She stared defiantly at James. He gave up and sighed as he dropped onto the couch. He sighed again.
"I'm so hungry," he said, loudly.
"Make something to eat then," said Lily.
"I can't cook," said James, mournfully.
"Sweetheart," said Lily, not even looking up from her magazine I'm sure even you can make something like toast. James sighed again.
"Toast has no nutrients," he said. "I'll never grow again and I'll be all shriveled and lacking self-confidence."
"How did you figure that one out?" asked Lily, slightly bemused at this stage, flipping over a page.
"I just will, ok?" said James, impatiently. "Please oh wonderful Lily make me something to eat. Please please please."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please."
"No." Lily was beginning to sound exasperated at this stage.
"Please?"
"No James I won't make you anything to eat so buzz off." James slid over to the side of Lily's bed. He joined his hands together.
"Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease . . ."
"Will it shut you up?" asked Lily, impatiently. James nodded eagerly. "Gladly," replied Lily, standing up abruptly and flinging her magazine to one side.
"Thank you petal," said James, smiling charmingly. "I'll love you forever."
"Yea yea," said Lily, crossly.
"Remus?" said Melanie.
"Yea?" answered Remus, who was busily making a salad.
"Have you seen the Pesto sauce?" asked Melanie, searching through the cupboard.
"In the fridge," said Remus.
"Right, thanks," said Melanie, extracting the little tub. The two of them had hit it off right away and had agreed to share all the cooking and cleaning. They had just sit down to eat when a sharp knock at the door interrupted them. Outside stood Leah and Jonathon. Leah threw herself on Remus.
"Hey," she cried. "I haven't seen you since yesterday."
"Yea." Remus smiled, faintly. "Do you want to come in?" Leah had already marched in and Jonathon smiled apologetically.
"Hi," said Melanie, jumping up.
"Hi," replied Leah, coolly, sitting down on the couch.
"We were in the middle of eating," Remus told them, gesturing to the table.
"Oh sorry for interrupting you. I'm sure you want to get to know each other," said Leah, not sounding sorry in the slightest.
"It's ok," Remus assured her, sitting back down.
"Of course Jon made me dinner. Insisted I didn't lift a finger." She smiled at Jonathon, as if she was eternally grateful. Remus smiled patiently at her. "He's really nice." Jonathon smiled.
"Will you excuse us for a minute?" Remus asked, pulling Leah after him. Melanie and Jonathon shrugged and smiled, politely.
"What's wrong with you?" hissed Remus.
"What's wrong with me?" repeated Leah, looking amazed. "What's wrong with you?"
"Me? You're the one whose acting like an idiot," Remus said.
"I am not. You're completely making me act like an idiot," disagreed Leah. "Oh look at us. We're acting like a couple. We're eating dinner together." She glared at Remus.
"Yea?" said Remus, narrowing her eyes. "Well you're the one saying Oh Jon is a sweetheart. He makes me dinner and insists I don't do anything. I mean you're not married or anything." The pair had a blazing row before Leah turned and stormed out of the room screaming that they were over.
"Yea?" called Remus to her retreating back. "Well that's fine with me." He slammed the door after her and turned back to where Melanie was sitting, looking shell-shocked, and smiled at her. He sat down and returned to eating. Melanie was just staring at him.
"Sorry," said Remus, his mouth full of pasta. And that was that.
Arabella leaned dangerously over the back of the couch that Sirius was sitting on.
"Whatcha reading?" she asked.
"A book," replied Sirius.
"What book?" Sirius showed her the book and went back to reading it. Arabella forced a smile.
"Oh," she said. "Is it good?"
"It's ok," said Sirius.
"What's it about?"
"Stuff."
"What sort of stuff," Arabella tried again.
"Just stuff," Sirius said, beginning to sound impatient.
"Ok. Are you hungry?"
"No."
"Thirsty?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm sure," Sirius said, flaring up.
"What's wrong with you?" cried Arabella.
"Nothing," snapped Sirius.
"Sirius I'm not a fool. What's wrong with you?" she demanded. "You've been so cool to me ever since the bloody ball and I don't know what I did to deserve it." Sirius didn't even look up. Arabella tore the book out of his hands and flung it onto the ground, angrily. "Listen to me," she hissed. "I'm trying to talk to you." Sirius stood up.
"Well maybe I don't want to talk to you," he said, eyes flashing. He strode away from her but Arabella followed him.
"You can't avoid me forever, Si," she added. Sirius' face softened but immediately hardened again.
"Look Bella," he said. "Arabella," he corrected himself. "You hurt me badly and that's not something I'm gonna forget easily."
"Sirius," said Arabella, her mouth opening and closing like a fishes. "I didn't mean it."
"Well why do you keep doing it then?" he demanded. "Every time I see you with Joshua it tears me up inside." He gulped and looked at his shoes. Arabella looked like she wanted to cry. There was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," Arabella half whispered hoarsely. Outside stood Joshua. He threw his arms around Arabella, while Sirius stood behind her, arms folded. He looked smugly at Arabella, who was glancing back at him, before disappearing into the kitchen. He heard low voices from the other room and gulped down the lump in his throat. He grabbed a jacket and stormed past Arabella and Joshua, deciding to go and see James and Lily.
"Sirius," Arabella called after him. He ignored him, buried his hands in his pockets and kept walking.
"James was happily twirling spaghetti around his fork when Sirius arrived. Lily was reading the latest issue of Teen Witch determined that she was never going to do anything for James again and kicking herself inside for giving in to him. Sirius flung the door open and marched in, a grumpy look on his face.
"Hey Si," said Lily, barely looking up from her magazine.
"Hey buddy," said James, gaily.
"Hi," growled Sirius.
"What's up?" James asked, stuffing his mouth with pasta.
"Go ask Arabella," retorted Sirius, flinging himself into an armchair.
"Uh oh," sang out Lily, argument lover. "What's going on?" Sirius gave his side of the story, making sure to include plenty of profanity. He had barely finished his story when Remus burst in, face like a thundercloud.
"Girls," he spat. Lily stood up.
"Um, I'll see you guys later," she said, quietly before slipping out. She speed walked to Arabella's cabin to find herself and Leah inside, giving out about various things.
"I mean he's my boyfriend," Arabella was saying. "What does he expect me to do?"
"Hiya," said Lily.
"Hi," snapped Leah and Arabella simultaneously. Lily held up her hands.
"Don't bite me," she warned. "So what's the gossip?" She sprawled out in front of the fire while Arabella and Leah repeated their stories, more than happily.
"Thank you so much for letting me know oh wonderful fountain of knowledge," muttered Lily, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail. "And you can ask you're bet friend exactly WHY I look like I've been smashed against a brick wall a couple of times." She walked away to catch up with Leah and Jonathon who were walking towards their first class.
"Hiya," she mumbled, almost under her breath.
"Hey Lil," cried Leah, without even one strand of chocolate coloured hair out of place. "What's up?" Lily forced a grin.
"Nothing besides the fact that I feel like I've slept in a wardrobe." She yawned. "I swear to God if I have another night like last night then James won't live to see graduation." Leah grinned.
"I slept great," she said. "And Jonathon made breakfast this morning." She smiled at the tall boy walking next to her.
"Lucky you," said Lily, tonelessly. "Hey Bella," she shouted. "Over here" She waved to her friend.
"Are you two friends again?" Leah asked. Lily nodded. "It's about time," said Leah, rolling her eyes.
"Lily you look . . ." began Arabella when she reached them.
"Terrible," interrupted Lily. "I know, I know." She yawned again. "Talk to James about it."
"I've got to go talk to Josh," said Arabella, half smiling. "I'll see you guys later."
"Yea, bye," said Lily.
By the time classes had finished Lily had perked up.
"That was so awesome," she said, more to herself than to James, while eating dinner.
"I know," said James, flopping down on a chair opposite her. "And thanks a million for making me dinner," he added.
"James," said Lily. "I'm not you're wife, girlfriend or even you're friend. Why the hell would I make you dinner? Especially after last night." James shrugged.
"Because you love me?" he said, leaning towards her, puppy dog eyes and charming smile in place.
"Ew James, I'm trying to eat," said Lily, pushing him away. "It's not that easy when you're making goo-goo eyes at me from across the table.
"But I can't cook, Lily," pleaded James.
"Tough," answered Lily, getting up and taking her plate with her. "Do you honestly think I give a damn?"
"But I'll starve," said James.
"I'm sure you'll manage," Lily told him, carelessly. "I'm not making you dinner. I have enough to do without acting like you're maid." There was a knock at the door. Outside stood James' little fan club.
"If I were you," Lily told them, sweetly. "I would run while I had the chance because if you're still there in 3 minutes I will be forced to harm you." She smiled at them. They stood staring at her for the best part of the 3 minutes before they realized she was serious and scattered off sharply, mourning about not being able to see James. Lily slammed the door behind them, a self-satisfied smile on her face, and walked back into the cabin, humming under her breath. James was standing in the middle of the room, just looking at Lily.
"Don't give me puppy dog eyes, Jamsie," said Lily, barely looking at him. "It'll get you no where, hun." She waltzed over to her bed and sank onto it. "If you want to have you're fan club mooning over you go to one of their cabins." She stared defiantly at James. He gave up and sighed as he dropped onto the couch. He sighed again.
"I'm so hungry," he said, loudly.
"Make something to eat then," said Lily.
"I can't cook," said James, mournfully.
"Sweetheart," said Lily, not even looking up from her magazine I'm sure even you can make something like toast. James sighed again.
"Toast has no nutrients," he said. "I'll never grow again and I'll be all shriveled and lacking self-confidence."
"How did you figure that one out?" asked Lily, slightly bemused at this stage, flipping over a page.
"I just will, ok?" said James, impatiently. "Please oh wonderful Lily make me something to eat. Please please please."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please."
"No." Lily was beginning to sound exasperated at this stage.
"Please?"
"No James I won't make you anything to eat so buzz off." James slid over to the side of Lily's bed. He joined his hands together.
"Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease . . ."
"Will it shut you up?" asked Lily, impatiently. James nodded eagerly. "Gladly," replied Lily, standing up abruptly and flinging her magazine to one side.
"Thank you petal," said James, smiling charmingly. "I'll love you forever."
"Yea yea," said Lily, crossly.
"Remus?" said Melanie.
"Yea?" answered Remus, who was busily making a salad.
"Have you seen the Pesto sauce?" asked Melanie, searching through the cupboard.
"In the fridge," said Remus.
"Right, thanks," said Melanie, extracting the little tub. The two of them had hit it off right away and had agreed to share all the cooking and cleaning. They had just sit down to eat when a sharp knock at the door interrupted them. Outside stood Leah and Jonathon. Leah threw herself on Remus.
"Hey," she cried. "I haven't seen you since yesterday."
"Yea." Remus smiled, faintly. "Do you want to come in?" Leah had already marched in and Jonathon smiled apologetically.
"Hi," said Melanie, jumping up.
"Hi," replied Leah, coolly, sitting down on the couch.
"We were in the middle of eating," Remus told them, gesturing to the table.
"Oh sorry for interrupting you. I'm sure you want to get to know each other," said Leah, not sounding sorry in the slightest.
"It's ok," Remus assured her, sitting back down.
"Of course Jon made me dinner. Insisted I didn't lift a finger." She smiled at Jonathon, as if she was eternally grateful. Remus smiled patiently at her. "He's really nice." Jonathon smiled.
"Will you excuse us for a minute?" Remus asked, pulling Leah after him. Melanie and Jonathon shrugged and smiled, politely.
"What's wrong with you?" hissed Remus.
"What's wrong with me?" repeated Leah, looking amazed. "What's wrong with you?"
"Me? You're the one whose acting like an idiot," Remus said.
"I am not. You're completely making me act like an idiot," disagreed Leah. "Oh look at us. We're acting like a couple. We're eating dinner together." She glared at Remus.
"Yea?" said Remus, narrowing her eyes. "Well you're the one saying Oh Jon is a sweetheart. He makes me dinner and insists I don't do anything. I mean you're not married or anything." The pair had a blazing row before Leah turned and stormed out of the room screaming that they were over.
"Yea?" called Remus to her retreating back. "Well that's fine with me." He slammed the door after her and turned back to where Melanie was sitting, looking shell-shocked, and smiled at her. He sat down and returned to eating. Melanie was just staring at him.
"Sorry," said Remus, his mouth full of pasta. And that was that.
Arabella leaned dangerously over the back of the couch that Sirius was sitting on.
"Whatcha reading?" she asked.
"A book," replied Sirius.
"What book?" Sirius showed her the book and went back to reading it. Arabella forced a smile.
"Oh," she said. "Is it good?"
"It's ok," said Sirius.
"What's it about?"
"Stuff."
"What sort of stuff," Arabella tried again.
"Just stuff," Sirius said, beginning to sound impatient.
"Ok. Are you hungry?"
"No."
"Thirsty?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm sure," Sirius said, flaring up.
"What's wrong with you?" cried Arabella.
"Nothing," snapped Sirius.
"Sirius I'm not a fool. What's wrong with you?" she demanded. "You've been so cool to me ever since the bloody ball and I don't know what I did to deserve it." Sirius didn't even look up. Arabella tore the book out of his hands and flung it onto the ground, angrily. "Listen to me," she hissed. "I'm trying to talk to you." Sirius stood up.
"Well maybe I don't want to talk to you," he said, eyes flashing. He strode away from her but Arabella followed him.
"You can't avoid me forever, Si," she added. Sirius' face softened but immediately hardened again.
"Look Bella," he said. "Arabella," he corrected himself. "You hurt me badly and that's not something I'm gonna forget easily."
"Sirius," said Arabella, her mouth opening and closing like a fishes. "I didn't mean it."
"Well why do you keep doing it then?" he demanded. "Every time I see you with Joshua it tears me up inside." He gulped and looked at his shoes. Arabella looked like she wanted to cry. There was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," Arabella half whispered hoarsely. Outside stood Joshua. He threw his arms around Arabella, while Sirius stood behind her, arms folded. He looked smugly at Arabella, who was glancing back at him, before disappearing into the kitchen. He heard low voices from the other room and gulped down the lump in his throat. He grabbed a jacket and stormed past Arabella and Joshua, deciding to go and see James and Lily.
"Sirius," Arabella called after him. He ignored him, buried his hands in his pockets and kept walking.
"James was happily twirling spaghetti around his fork when Sirius arrived. Lily was reading the latest issue of Teen Witch determined that she was never going to do anything for James again and kicking herself inside for giving in to him. Sirius flung the door open and marched in, a grumpy look on his face.
"Hey Si," said Lily, barely looking up from her magazine.
"Hey buddy," said James, gaily.
"Hi," growled Sirius.
"What's up?" James asked, stuffing his mouth with pasta.
"Go ask Arabella," retorted Sirius, flinging himself into an armchair.
"Uh oh," sang out Lily, argument lover. "What's going on?" Sirius gave his side of the story, making sure to include plenty of profanity. He had barely finished his story when Remus burst in, face like a thundercloud.
"Girls," he spat. Lily stood up.
"Um, I'll see you guys later," she said, quietly before slipping out. She speed walked to Arabella's cabin to find herself and Leah inside, giving out about various things.
"I mean he's my boyfriend," Arabella was saying. "What does he expect me to do?"
"Hiya," said Lily.
"Hi," snapped Leah and Arabella simultaneously. Lily held up her hands.
"Don't bite me," she warned. "So what's the gossip?" She sprawled out in front of the fire while Arabella and Leah repeated their stories, more than happily.