A/n Thanks to my reviewers. I have actually had quite a bit of time this week to catch up on my stories!! This part takes place in their fifth year.
Before the Glimmer…
Part
III: Fifth Year Worries
Lanie awaited on the Hogwart's Express for her friends. She had not seen any of them this summer due to a family vacation in Greece. The only contact she had had with any of them was a couple owls from Lily, and one from Remus early on in the summer.
"Lanie, you got your hair cut." Lily greeted.
Lanie smoothed down her now shoulder-length brown hair. "Do you like it?"
"It's cute. Who are you tying to impress?"
"Oh, no one," Lanie smirked.
They grabbed an empty compartment in the train and began to tell one another about their summers. Lily also went on vacation with her family over the summer. She was telling Lanie about her annoying sister's grotesque boyfriend, Vernon, when the door opened and Remus appeared along with Peter. Remus gave the girls a small smile, but Lanie thought they looked troubled.
"What's wrong boys?"
"Haven't you heard? It's been all over the Daily Profit for weeks."
"We have both been vacationing."
"So, you haven't heard anything," Peter squeaked.
That was the cue for James and Sirius to come in, neither one as chipper as they usually were. Sirius was carrying his large bag, along with Shelby's. Shelby and Liberty came in behind them.
"Thank you for carrying my bags," Shelby said.
"Yeah, and thanks for not carrying mine," Liberty sarcastically commented, pulling a large black bag behind her.
"Hey, I only have two hands," Sirius said, throwing both hands up in the air for display. "James could have helped you." This caused Liberty to direct her glare to James.
"Don't look at me. I had nothing to do with Sirius' decision to carry her bags."
"Leave it to you to make a grand entrance," Lanie said to the four. "Remus was about to tell us what was going on this summer?"
"You mean, you haven't heard," James asked.
"No," Lily answered.
"Not even you Lily?"
"If you don't mind, we would like to know," Lanie said.
"There is a new Dark Lord rising up," Remus told them. "He is said to be one of the most powerful the Ministry has ever encountered. He has already preformed several mass-Muggle murders," he said with a sad tone in his voice.
Lanie was shocked. What would a Dark Lord have against Muggles?
"…Voldemort, I believe is his name. He is said to have it really bad against Muggle-born wizards. We better keep a close eye on Lanie and Lily with this Voldemort fellow around," he said, nodding at the two Muggle-born girls in the compartment.
"Yes, they won't be around much longer," they heard a voice say at the end of the apartment. Lanie looked over to see Snape come barging in.
"Snape, go away," Sirius growled.
"I'm just voicing my opinion. You better enjoy the company of Evens and Rogers while you can because they will be the first to go under Lord Voldemort's power."
"You truly are evil," Lily said, surprised to hear such words come out of a young boy's mouth.
"How can you say those things Severus," Shelby asked, so surprised that she dropped the book she was holding out of her hands. Snape rushed over to pick it up and hand it back to her. As all eyes cast upon him, he quickly stepped back and left the apartment crackling, "Just you wait and see."
As she finished up her second week of her fifth year at Hogwarts, Lanie couldn't decide what was worse. The fact that they had three classes with the Slytherins and they already had tons of homework, the fact that Voldemort was still out killing Muggle born wizards left and right, or the fact that a Halloween ball was announced that week.
It wasn't that Lanie didn't like dancing, or boys; in fact she liked both rather well. She was just worried that a certain boy wouldn't ask her to the ball…
Lanie talked about the ball with her girlfriends that night. Shelby seemed the most excited out of the four of them. Lily seemed pretty passive about the idea, and Liberty simply didn't like it at all.
"I just know who's going to ask me," Shelby shrieked.
"Sirius. Big surprise," Lanie answered.
"How did you…oh, never mind, who do you want to go with Lanie," Shelby asked.
"I don't care really. As long as we get to go and have a fun time."
"Oh, you're no fun. What about you Lily?"
"I don't mind either," she answered thoughtfully.
"What if James Potter asked you," she asked.
"Why would James ask me? He hardly ever talks to me. Have you ever noticed how much he ignores me?"
"It's simple," Shelby stated. "It's because he likes you."
"What?"
"He likes you. I'm sure of it."
"Wait a second," Liberty said as if a light bulb suddenly went off in her head. "Just the other day James was telling me how the Potters had a soft spot for red heads. His mother had red hair, and so did his grandmother. And, he said once that green was his favorite color."
"That's perfect Lily," Lanie said, hugging her best friend.
"Stop it you guys. He does not like me."
"All right, suit yourself. Liberty, you next. Who do you want to go to the ball with?"
"I don't want to go to the ball in the first place, much less go with someone."
"But if you had to, who would you want to go with," Lanie joined in, now becoming curious.
"These are unfair questions. Therefore, I decline from the game," she stated. She opened the door to the common room, and closed it quickly behind her.
Lanie didn't discuss the ball with her friends again until two weeks before hand. This was the time when everyone started running around frantically, trying to find a date. All eight of them were sitting by the common room fire, attempting to finish a Charms paper when Sirius finally brought up the subject.
"Do you lovely ladies have dates for the ball yet?"
"Nope," they all answered at once.
"Shelby, would you…"
"I'd love to go with you Sirius!" She rushed up to hug him.
"Great," he said, trying to pry her arms free from himself. "Now all we have to do is find the rest of these losers dates," he grinned.
"You guys don't have dates either," Lanie asked James, Remus and Peter. "I would suggest you start looking."
"Like you're one to talk," Remus said, raising an eyebrow towards her. Lanie found it incredibly cute. Then he nodded his head towards James who looked more nervous than Lanie had ever seen him.
"Er, Lily, can I talk to you," he asked dragging her to a corner.
"It would be a first," she spat, but she did follow him.
"You two weren't kidding. He does like her," Lanie said excitedly.
"You four have been talking about us," Sirius said, overdramatically pulling his hand over his mouth in mock surprise.
"Yes, it is shocking for anyone to find you interesting, isn't it," Liberty said. Sirius chose to ignore her comment, and stare at Lily and James returning back.
"We, er, are going to the ball together," James announced. Lanie smiled knowingly to her friend.
"Well, now four of us have dates," Sirius exclaimed. "Now there is only four more to go."
"Oh forget it. I don't even want to go to the ball," Liberty spat. "No one will want to take me."
"Lots of guys would want to take you," Remus told her.
"Yes, why don't you take her Remus, then you'll both have dates," Shelby exclaimed.
Remus stole a quick glance at Lanie, and gave her a small smile. Then, he looked to Liberty who looked half-hopeful. "Yes, I suppose I could," he answered much to Lanie's dismay. She thought she heard a small tinge of sadness, or perhaps, disappointment in his voice.
Lanie knew what was coming next, and slightly regretted it. Sure enough, Shelby opened her mouth and directed herself to Lanie next.
"Oh, then you and Peter could go together. Wouldn't it be perfect? The whole gang together."
Lanie looked at Peter who was madly blushing. 'Great,' she thought, 'he has a crush on me.' "Well, okay," she said, unwilling to hurt his feelings. "It's only a dance. I didn't have anyone particular that I wanted to go with anyway."
The day of the dance, the girls were hastily getting ready. Lanie tried on her new dress robes her parents had gotten her for Christmas during fourth year. They were gold and shiny. She pulled part of her hair up in a ponytail, and checked in the mirror one last time before Lily dragged her away, and down the stairs.
All eight of them met up and walked together into the Great Hall. The decorations were all in orange and black. Streamers filled the walls and ceilings, and a table stood in the middle packed with appetizers and refreshments. Sirius and Shelby went right out on the dance floor, while the rest of them found a table to sit at.
After a few minutes, James finally lead Lily out on the dance floor, thanks to a lot of coaxing from Sirius. Lily gave Lanie an embarrassed smile as he led her away during a fast song.
"Well," Remus said, breaking the silence at the table. "Anyone want to dance with a pro?"
"We have to find one first," Lanie teased, jeering her head around the room.
"Come on Remus, I'll dance with you," Liberty told him, leaving Lanie alone with Peter.
"Umm, Lanie, would you mind," he asked in his squeaky voice.
"All right Peter," she said walking with him towards the dance floor.
"I, er, got you this Lanie," he said, holding up a daisy.
"Oh, it's beautiful Peter. Where did you get it?"
"I got it at our last visit to Hogsmeade." He continued to talk to her, and Lanie surprisingly came to enjoy his company. Before she knew it, the ball was over and Peter was bidding her good-bye.
"Oh, and Lanie," he said before she went up.
"Yes?"
"You look very pretty tonight." Then he turned and left. Lanie was very flattered, but she couldn't help but wish it were someone else who danced with her, and called her pretty tonight. 'You're just fooling yourself. He only likes you as a friend. Besides, Peter's sweet. Maybe I should be thinking about him,' she thought as she collapsed onto her bed.
Lily came in just a few minutes after Lanie. "Lanie I'm so sorry. Was it too cruel of us to leave you with Peter?"
"No, it's fine Lily. How was your date with James?"
"I don't think I'd call it a 'date'," she blushed. "But, I had fun. James kept telling me about some prank they were planning on Filch tomorrow. I think he and Sirius have a one track mind; do they ever think of anything besides practical jokes."
"James must think of you," Lanie teased.
Lily responded by throwing a pillow in her face. Lanie was about to retaliate when Liberty and Shelby entered.
"Sirius asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him," Shelby squealed. "Aren't you guys surprised?"
"Um, sure we are Shelby," Lanie said, but none of them were really surprised at all.
They chatted for a little while longer before they went to sleep. Lanie tossed and turned long afterwards. She didn't know what she was going to do about Peter. He seemed sweet, but did she really like him? And, what about…'him'?
A/n Sorry for skipping around so fast, I just really want to get this series done because it is going to tie in with my Glimmer Within a Trial series, so I'm just hitting on the key parts.
So, what did everyone think of the movie trailer? I thought it looked really goodJ November can't come too fast!!