Before the Glimmer…
Part
6: Graduations and Great Changes
"I'm telling you Lanie, it was a mistake. A big mistake! I don't know how it happened!"
Lanie sighed, it was the fall of their seventh year at Hogwarts, and Shelby still confessed her soul out to Lanie every time she spotted her alone. This time she managed to stop her right before they went down to breakfast. "I know Shelby. How many times do we have to go over this?"
"It's just, I have such a good thing going on with Sirius and I don't want to lose it. You're the only one who knows about that kiss Lanie, you can't tell anybody. I'd be ruined!"
"I haven't told anyone yet have I?" Lanie squared the other girl's shoulders around to face her. "Listen Shelby. You have went over the story thousands of times with me. Snape was having problems in Transfiguration, and you started tutoring him. You became friends and were simply engaging in an interesting conversation, when it just happened. And that was the exact moment I happened by."
"Exactly. But, you can't tell…"
"I'm not going to. I think you should tell Sirius, and I'm going to continue to coax you to do so, but I can't make you tell him. As much as I can't tell him myself." Shelby opened her mouth to answer, before Lanie stopped her. "Yes, I know, I know. Thank you Lanie. Now, come on, let's go eat before our pancakes get cold."
As they reached the Great Hall, Lanie sat down between Remus and Peter. She was careful to stay away from Bonnie, whom was sitting at Remus' other side. She could not figure out why Bonnie was so hostile towards her, she was always nice and polite to everyone else. What bugged Lanie the most about Bonnie was that Remus seemed to really take a liking to her, and that also meant Lanie had to either spend more time with Bonnie, or less time with Remus. She opted for the first.
"Nice to grace us with your presence Lanie," Remus chided as she sat down.
"Better late than never," she smirked.
"I don't know about that," Bonnie said smugly. Lanie shot her a dirty look, and turned to talk to Peter.
As they finished their breakfast and got ready to leave for their Potions class, Liberty grabbed Lanie by the arm. "I need to talk to you after class," she said.
"Why can't you tell me now?"
"It's important. Meet me in our dorm room, and don't tell anyone about this."
After a dreadful Double-Potions class, Lanie found herself in her dorm waiting for Liberty. "About time you showed up," she stated to her tardy friend. "What is so important?"
"I need your help," she said, reaching into her desk drawer. She pulled out a little vile with a small amount of red tinged liquid inside of it.
"What is that?"
"As you know, my parents died after discovering a very powerful potion. A potion that would lessen the effects of any spell cast upon the person whom drinks the potion. Once the victim drinks the potion, it will last for twenty-four hours, making themselves safe from every spell known to wizard! This is that potion."
"What," Lanie exclaimed. "I thought they lost the ingredients in the fire."
"Yes, they did, but they had three viles if the potion saved. They were stashed away in case my parents were ever attacked at home. My three younger siblings each had a vile tucked away in their dresser drawers. Isn't it ironic how they were attacked at Hogsmeade? If they were at home, they may still be alive."
"So, what do you need me for?"
"Well, one of the viles went to my brother, of course. One of them I kept. I want to give the other one to one of my friends, but I don't know who to give it to. I went around all the options in my mind and I'm still unsure…First, there's Shelby. We've been friends since we first learned to walk. Yes, she is a little flirty sometimes, but that is what makes her Shelby…Then, there's Sirius. He defiantly wasn't my favorite person at first, but he has helped me so much. I need to return the favor to him sometime…And Lily, she's so kind and gentle. I don't think that girl has a mean streak in her body…And James, who is Sirius' partner in crime. He's very smart, he would be sure to put the potion to good use…Finally, I come to Remus. He seems like a father figure to the group. He always seems to know the right thing to do in every situation we get into…You gotta help me Lanie; I'm so confused.
"I need to know, why are you asking me this?"
"Because you seem to know each one of us the best. You have a way of getting inside each of our personalities and you help us to feel good about who we are. I thought you would have the best answer."
"Thanks, it's nice to be appreciated every once in a while," Lanie smiled. She took a moment to organize her thoughts, and said, "I think the perfect solution would be to give it to the first one of us that gets married. That would take the burden off of having to decide for yourself and it would ensure that not one, but two people are able to be protected by the potion.'
"I'll keep that in mind," Liberty said, starting out the door. She stopped, and turned back to Lanie. "Oh, and Lanie? Thank you."
After many long hours of studying for N.E.W.T.S. and many days of worrying, the gang was exhausted. Before they left Hogwarts for the last time as a student, a Farewell Ball was held in honor of the seventh year students. Peter was quick in asking Lanie to the ball, and she excepted considering all her friends had dates. She and Lily spent most of the day fixing each other's hair, trying to get it perfect for the last time the gang would be together in Hogwarts. Lanie thought it was kind of sad in a way. Even though she knew they would be together again, it wouldn't be the same.
"You look perfect Lily, James is going to drop dead when he sees you," Lanie mused.
"I best not go then…I really don't want him to die."
"Well, maybe he won't drop dead. He'll just drop."
"Oh, that's okay then," she smirked. "Lanie, you don't mind going to the dance with Peter, do you?"
"Don't be silly. Peter is a great guy…"
'Yeah," Lily said, seeing right through her friend. "But he's not…"
"Look, I'm over him. Besides, Peter has put in such an effort to be nice to me. I couldn't say no."
"As long as you're happy," Lily sighed.
The Great Hall was marvelous. The color of all four houses meshed together to make a bright and colorful room. Each wall had the symbol of one of the houses covering it. They sat down on a table by the wall with a large lion posted onto it. It wasn't long before Sirius and Shelby were off gallivanting by themselves, nowhere near the dance floor. Peter asked Lanie to dance, and she excepted seeing as Remus and Bonnie, Liberty and her date, and James and Lily were all on the dance floor already. Lanie was surprised when no more than five minutes later, Shelby and Sirius came bursting through the doors.
"I'm sorry Sirius, I just can't," Shelby said, storming in.
"Can't you think it through? Just a little," Sirius pleaded.
"It's not going to work Sirius. Can't you see that?"
"You always seemed perfectly happy with me before."
"I am…it's just that…there isn't anything there."
"What do you mean nothing there? If there is nothing there, why did I just ask you to marry me?" Lanie gasped along with the others at his comment.
"Because you feel obligated. After all, we have been going together for over two years. Admit it Sirius, we are nothing more than friends. There just isn't any spark."
"What's spark," he asked, his face distorted in confusion.
"Something that we don't have. Tell me the truth Sirius, do you love me as anything more than a friend. Do you feel anything more for me than you do for Lanie or Lily? Or even Liberty for that matter? Do you?"
"Not really. But what does it matter?"
"It matters a lot." Sirius said nothing more, but pulled Shelby into a tight hug. Once he released her, they smiled at each other and broke apart to opposite ends of the dance floor. Everyone within hearing distance looked stunned. Whispers started to break out. 'I thought they would never break up.'
"I can't believe it," Peter whispered to Lanie.
"The strangest part is that they don't seem to upset."
The shock of Sirius and Shelby died down when Snape got on top of one of the tables and started singing the Hogwart's school song at the top of his lungs. The Professor's tried to pull him off, but he wouldn't budge, just kept singing. Filch finally had to hose him down. Lanie caught smirks on the faces of Sirius, James, and Remus as Snape got pulled out of the Great Hall kicking and screaming.
"What did you guys do to Snape," she accused as she walked up to where Sirius, James and Remus were conversing.
"Nothing, nothing," Remus smirked.
"We can't help that Snape decided he was thirsty right after we put an enchantment on his pumpkin juice," Sirius replied.
"That wasn't funny," Shelby said, walking up to them.
"I thought it served him right," Liberty said as she and Lily joined the group. After that, things suddenly began to quiet down as no one knew what to say next.
"So, er, Lanie. Would you like to go back out and dance?"
"In a little bit Peter. I am a little tired right now."
"So um, Sirius, Shelby, what went on a little bit ago," Liberty finally got the guts to ask what was on all their minds.
"It was nothing, really," Shelby answered. "We just decided we are better off as just friends."
"I'll say," James answered, "if Lily refused to marry me, I'd be devastated…er, not that I am ever going to ask her or anything…" But it was too late, James had just laid his emotions on the table.
"You mean, you actually imagine us getting married in the future?" Lily's green eyes were widened in shock.
"Well, er, do you?"
"I don't know. I mean, you never seem very interested in me."
"Of course I am Lily. Why else would I ask you to the ball?" After that moment, Lily and James seemed to develop a deep understanding with each other. That was the night they officially became 'more than friends.'
A/n I have one chapter left, and it is sitting on my computer, just waiting to be posted up. I haven't gotten many reviews, so I'll tell you what, as soon as I get five reviews (which really isn't many). I'll post the last part of this series and I'll post the next chapter to A Glimmer Within A Trial. So, please enjoy, and reviewJ