*Chapter Two*
A Griffindor Spreads her Wings...
All characters are copyright J.K. Rowling, I take no credit whatsoever for them. Please enjoy the fic...
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A young witch in sweeping black robes and a tight bun swept across the large room, her glasses falling off of the tip of her nose. She tried vainly to hold her hat on, but these attempts went unnoticed. She ran straight out of the doors, then disappeared around a corner.
A tall boy with black hair said softly, "Guess we're not due to come in after all..."
Another black haired boy - shorter than the first, nodded his head.
A redheaded girl leaned nervously against the wall, her entire body shaking. "I can't stand this! Can't they just get on with the Sorting?"
The shorter black haired boy put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't be so nervous Lily, it's just the Sorting...!"
Lily laughed, but it was abnormally high and false. "That's easy for you to say, James, you and the rest of them have a bit of an idea what to expect --"
"Of course we don't!" said Remus. "We're just as confused as you are, just --" He reached out his hand to touch her arm, and noticed how nervous she really was. "Not so full of nerves..."
None of them had been expecting what was to come, though. At that moment, the witch came strolling back through the doors, rolling a great stand along, and sitting atop it was a frayed and patched wizard's hat.
"What's that for?" asked Sirius.
James shrugged his shoulders. Lily couldn't move; she was paralyzed with fear. Perhaps she would have smiled, though, if she'd realized what the hat was for.
From the far end of the room, a wizard stood up. He was sitting at a small table, which appeared to be strictly for the staff, considering that it was filled with older wizards and witches. The long and gray haired wizard shouted across the room, "Thank you, Minerva!" The witch in the glasses bowed, then ran back to the staff table.
She left the hat and a chair upon a small stage, lit by dozens upon dozens of floating candles. At this sight, Lily forgot her fears, mesmorized by the magic. It wasn't until a large rip in the hat opened up like a mouth that Lily took her eyes off the site.
As the hat began to sway, Lily jumped back and landed in James's arms. She looked up at him, her entire weight being supported by him. "Oops, sorry..." She hoisted herself back up, then leaned forward for a better view of the hat.
All at once, it began to sing, and Lily began to wonder if she was going insane. Articles of clothing weren't supposed to talk... she began to look at her robes in a new light...
Lily couldn't help but listen to the song that it was singing, however. It kept going on about the four houses : Griffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Lily looked around and noticed that the four tables (aside from the staff table) seemed to be split among these houses, and that above each table was a flag, bearing the emblem of it's house. A gold and scarlet one for Griffindor, who's animal appeared to be some sort of lion, a bronze and blue one for Ravenclaw, whose flag bore a hawk; a yellow and black flag marked with a badger stood for Hufflepuff, and a silver and green one waved proudly above the Slytherin table, wearing an evil looking serpent. When it reached the point in the song where Slytherin was mentioned, Sirius and James hissed loudly.
Lily turned to them sharply, a meaningful expression on her face.
"You don't know the Slytherins..." whispered James seriously. "They've got a horrible reputation... they've turned out the most Dark Wizards..." His voice dropped slowly, and he ended the conversation. Lily didn't know what a Dark Wizard was, but she would ask James later... if she managed to get into his house, that was.
The bearded wizard from the staff table spoke up again, as soon as the hat was done with it's song. "Each first year will try on the hat, it will place you into your house. When it calls out the house name, please make your way to it's table."
Lily gave a huge sigh of relief. There wasn't going to be a test, instead, the hat would make it's own private decisions about her.
Slowly, the line began to step up to the hat, and each first year tried it on. It called out names, sorted students into their houses, and so on. At last, it was Peter's turn to try on the hat.
After a long pause, it shouted out "Griffindor!"
Peter smiled, then raced off towards the Griffindor table. Remus was up next. Without a second thought, he was sorted into Griffindor. He grinned broadly, then rushed off to join Peter.
Sirius waved good bye to Lily and James, as he bravely approached the hat. And, like Remus, it didn't take long to decide where he belonged. "Griffindor!" Sirius laughed triumphantly, then scurried towards the Griffindor table, picking a seat next to Remus and Peter.
Now it was James's turn to try on the Sorting Hat. He didn't look as bold as he had half an hour ago. He was now just as pale and shaky as Lily.
"There's so much pressure on me to get into Griffindor..."
Lily gave him a sisterly push and whispered into his ear, "You'll do just fine!"
James pulled the hat over his ears and waited patiently for it's decision. After a moment's pause, it too shouted "GRIFFINDOR!"
Lily screamed loudly in cheer, applauding for her friend. She had forgotten that she too had to try on the hat...
"Go on!" called James from the Griffindor table, where he was being smothered furiously by Sirius, Remus and Peter.
Lily grinned, then stepped forward. She tugged the hat over her flaming red hair. Then she heard it's soft voice where it's decision remained her private.
"Hm... You'll be a tough one, you will..."
"Really?" thought Lily, but the hat could hear her every thought.
"Naturally... you show courage..."
Lily grinned. She was sure to be headed towards Griffindor.
"But also a strong sense of wisdom, maybe Ravenclaw would suit you best..."
Lily grimaced. "But you said I was courageous, did you not?"
"Yes... strong loyalty to your friends..." Lily nodded fiercely. She must have looked quite stupid from the audience. "My dear child, that makes you a strong qualification for Hufflepuff..."
Lily shook her head. "Wouldn't I make a good Griffindor?"
"Well, naturally..."
"Then can't I go?"
The hat almost seemed to sigh, but that was ridiculous. "Choices make the girl, you remember that..." Seconds later, the hat screamed out, "GRIFFINDOR!!"
Lily ripped the hat off of her head and flew down to the Griffindor table.
"I made it, I made it, I made it!!" she shrieked, leaping into the outstretched arms before her.
"Nice job..." said James, who was grinning madly.
Remus - who's arms she had leaped into- twirled her around and shouted, "Good girl, Lily!"
Sirius sighed happily, longing for a camera. Even Peter was grinning. "You made it to Griffindor, Lily... good job."
Lily was in such bliss that she didn't know
if she could ever have been taken out of it. All she could do was smile
madly at Remus, who was clutching her tightly, and let out a loud laugh
as James waved to her from the sidelines.
Lily walked up slowly to the Griffindor common room, completely exhausted. The moving portrait caught her eye.
Lily let out a little yelp. She tugged harshly on James's robe. "L-look! That picture m-moved!"
James laughed. "Yeah, what's it supposed to do, stay in one place all day?"
Lily said calmly, "They do in the muggle world..."
"Really? How fascinating...."
Lily smiled and said the password which a prefect had so kindly given to her to the painting, and climbed through it as it opened up.
She was quickly followed by James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. "Good night..." she whispered, then began up the girl's staircase. However, she was pulled back by James.
"Do you seriously think that we're going to let you go up there? The night had only just begun!" Lily sighed, then allowed herself to be pulled down the stairs.
"Don't be such a spoilsport, Lily," added Sirius. "Not you, either, Remus." He turned to face Remus, who had also begun climbing the stairs. He groaned, then trailed back down to where the other four were sitting.
"Every one else has fallen asleep," said Sirius darkly.
"Wish we could too," said Lily. Remus nodded his head.
Sirius and James shook their heads and sighed. "Tonight, my children, is the night for mischief, and a bit of rule breaking..."
Remus leaned over and whispered into Lily's ear, "You honestly don't know those two, a little mischief for them is a lot of mayhem for the rest of the world..."
James kicked Remus. "You don't go giving it all away now, Remus. You certainly do your share of rule bending..." Remus went red in the face.
Peter sat stiffly. "Will you three get on with it?" A mildly curious look was spread across his pointed face.
"Yeah, yeah..."
"So..." began James. "Me and good ole' Sirius have been working hard on a little project that we like to call the 'Marauders Map.' Handy dandy thing, but I think we might as well get Lily's opinion on it, she'd be honest with us..."
"I don't really thing she'd care --" started Peter.
"Doesn't matter," said Remus. "Whether she cares or not. She's fast asleep." He pointed to his shoulder, where Lily's head now lay, completely wiped out.
James smiled. You had to admit, Lily was pretty cute when she was asleep. Her wild red hair was scattered across Remus's shoulder, and her thin body was curled up against his side.
"You think we should wake her up?"
"Nah, we'll carry her up."
"Carry her up?! Are you crazy?"
Remus grinned. "I'm not crazy. Not too much." He took Lily up in his arms and looked at the other three.
"Aren't you going to help me?" They all shook their heads, identical smiles across their faces. Remus shook his head. "Oh no - don't even think that --"
He turned away from the rest of the group and carried Lily steadily up to the first year girl's dormitory. He was grateful that none of the other girls were awake, as they'd have a fit. Then, as quickly and quietly as he could manage, he slipped back down to the common room.
Remus's eyes then took in the site before him. James was scooped up in Sirius's arms, his arms laced around his neck.
"Oh Lily," Sirius began.
"Remus, you dog, don't say it, I know you love me!" James broke out into laughter, but completed the last phase in the skit. Sirius lowered James's head to the ground, and attempted a fake kiss.
Remus boiled over. He stepped upon Sirius's head, causing him and James to go into a true french.
Sirius came straight back up, gasping for air. "Oh, man, Remus! You...!" A very unpleasant series of curse words was issued at that moment.
James was dropped to the ground. "Dear god, Sirius, don't you brush your teeth at all?"
Sirius grinned guiltily. James's entire face went green. "I don't want to know what was in your saliva..."
"Neither do I..." admitted Sirius.
James immediately ran for a trash can, and went violently sick.
Sirius then made a mad dash at Remus's throat. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you...!" Remus extended a fist, and Sirius rammed straight into it. He soon joined James at the trash can.
Remus glared at both of them. "You two deserve it."
Sirius glanced back up at him, then stormed up to the boy's dormitory. James ran up after him, followed by Peter. Remus sighed heavily, then trotted up to join them.
Peter lay half asleep in his bed, but both James and Sirius were glaring murderously at Remus. "I can't believe you had the guts to do that, you're supposed to be the nice one..."
Remus flopped down upon his four poster bed. "Sorry, boys, but my patience doesn't stretch as far as Lily and me."
Sirius grinned. "You can't say you don't like her, Remus."
"A little."
"A lot."
Remus blushed a light pink. "She's cute."
James added a quick, "I don't deny it."
Sirius and Remus both turned to stare at him. "What??" he asked innocently.
Sirius rolled over onto his side. "So she's a cute tomboy. Big deal. I don't see why you two are head over heels for her on the first day..."
"We are not!" shouted James and Remus at identical times.
"Are too," said Sirius devilishly.
James began to walk over to him to smack him.
"You wouldn't."
"Give me one reason why."
"You love me too much."
"Oh?" said James. "How so?"
"You kissed me."
James began to walk a bit faster.
"Wanna try it again, lover boy?"
James smiled sarcastically, then give Sirius a loud smack upside the head. He laughed victoriously, then walked away, tripping on Sirius's bed sheets.
"I win again!" shouted Sirius madly.
Remus sat in his bed, shaking his head pitifully.
As soon as the last of the noise dissolved from the Griffindor Tower, Lily Peterson crept out of her bed, and tiptoed down into the common room. She could barely make out the room by the darkness that had engulfed it, but she could tell that no one else was in it, and so she smiled, the plopped down in an armchair.
The atmosphere of her dorm made her quite uncomfortable, and she would have given anything to have been sleeping up in the boy's dormitory, where her friends' snores were echoing.
She sighed. Being a girl was unfair, she knew it. Of course, Lily did do her share of whining and pouting, but what she would have given...
Lily looked hopelessly down at the armchair,
then curled up in a small bundle. Slowly, her heavy eyelids drooped, and
she fell fast asleep, her only blankets the cloak that draped across her
shoulders.
James awoke in the middle of the night, crabby and unpleasant. "What the hell?"
Then he heard the moans from downstairs. His blood ran cold. What in the devil's name was down there?
James really didn't want to find out, but his spirit of adventure got the better of him. He crept down the stairs of the boy's dormitory, and pinpointed the sound.
In a little armchair, something was moaning uncontrollably. He would have run back upstairs, but the tuft of red hair that extended from the chair's arm revealed the one that was making the noise.
James smiled, then pushed Lily to the side a bit, careful not to wake her up. He had a certain way with sleep talkers...
"What's wrong?" he whispered into her ear.
"The Dark Lord, he's coming..." she said unconsciously. James laughed. He didn't have the slightest clue to what she was talking about, but it sounded arrant nonsense to him.
Apparently, though, it wasn't to Lily, because she seemed to be in a great deal of pain and misery. All at once, without her slightest bit of knowledge, she wrapped her arms around James, whispering a plea into his night shirt.
James tried to pull away, but her grasp was too tight. He gave a helpless sigh, then grinned.
"Oh well, I'm not gonna wake her up just for
this..." He leaned against the chair's back, and laid Lily's head upon
his lap. Then he, too, drifted into a deep sleep.
"Oi! Remus! Peter! Come down her!" Sirius fled up into the boy's dormitory, knocking against Remus's and Peter's heads.
"What do you want Sirius?" asked Remus lazily.
"I agree, it's the crack of dawn..." said Peter miserably.
"You won't want to miss this!" said Sirius gleefully. He pulled Peter and Remus up, then hauled them down the stairs.
They both stood open mouthed at the site before them. Remus grinned.
"I can't believe he made fun of me..."
"Neither can I..." An evil grin spread across his face. "I'd kill for a camera..."
Peter sniggered. "You're evil..." Sirius grinned. "I take great pride in that fact...!" He watched them both from the corner of the room, an evil smile playing across his lips.
Remus gave a small sigh. "Should we wake them?"
Sirius laughed. "You want to get the love feast over as soon as possible, don't you Remus? You just can't stand that Lily and James are gonna make -" Sirius stopped suddenly. A strong hand was clamped tightly around his mouth.
Remus let go of him and went over to them. "No, Sirius, and I pride myself that I'm not quite as sick as you are." He shook James's shoulders. "Wake up James, you've got a surprise waiting for you.
James awoke slowly, rubbing his eyes, then looking down at Lily. Then he caught a view of all his friends, grinning madly. James jumped out of the chair. Lily - who's head had been resting atop him - fell clumsily to the floor.
Lily's bright green eyes opened quickly, sparkling with malice. "What the hell are you all looking at?!" She turned to James. "Why'd you knock me off of my chair? Got something against me?" She rubbed a spot on her head fervently.
"I'd say he's as far from that as possible," said Sirius, much to the displeasure of James, who kicked him harshly.
Remus chortled. "Lily, you do realize that James was - eh - under you, yes?"
Lily took a long a sick stare at James. "Why you...!" She couldn't think of the word. "PERVERT!"
Lily ran across the room in her pajamas, making a grab at James. "Pervert! Pervert!" She whopped him atop the head multiple times.
Remus sighed heavily. "They looked so cute last night..." Remus then received a complimentary slap from a small - but awfully strong - redheaded girl.
Lily - looking quite disgruntled - then stood in front of them all, half of her audience nursing injuries she had given them.
"I thought you people were better than this...! Turns out I'm wrong, you're just like the rest of them..." Her chest heaving with emotion, she raced up the steps to the girl's dormitory.
"What a girl charmer you are, James..."
James shot a vicious look at Sirius. "You shut up, I can't believe she got so ticked off at us, we didn't do anything..."
Sirius coughed. "Maybe it's just me, but I do believe that someone slept with her last night." He turned a meaningful glance at James, who looked bewildered and hurt.
"I was just helping her, it's not like I could've gotten up, she grabbed onto me --"
Remus choked. "Excuse me? I don't believe we've heard this part of the story..."
"Good thing too," whispered James.
"Oh, come on now, James. I guess that was a bit stupid of us not to ask... after all, people don't just randomly crawl into bed with each other..."
"It was an armchair."
"Even better. Be a good lad, James, and tell us!" A look unlike the usual glint in Sirius's eyes had occupied his face. His eyes drooped, his lip pouted, and he began to whimper.
"Oh, shut up Sirius," began Peter irritably. "You look like some sort of sick dog..." Sirius gave him an unpleasant smile.
"Very funny. Very, very funny."
James gave an exasperated sigh. Did they even care anymore? He could never tell, they never stayed hooked onto one subject for more than fifteen seconds...
"Please tell us James?" asked Remus. James rolled his eyes. The conversation was on.
"All right, I can see that I won't get anywhere else otherwise..." The crowd of boys sat in a circle around James, much like young schoolboys. He couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Well, o'course, I was up in my four poster, nicely asleep, when some little girl who has somehow crept back into the common room lets out this piteous groan. I wake up, then go down the stairs to see Lily asleep on the armchair, talking in her sleep."
Sirius elbowed Remus and added, "Bet you anything it was 'bout you!" Remus went red in the face.
"Ah-hem!" said James. "Do you or do you not want to hear this?" Every boy nodded. "Okay then. So, anyway, I was wondering what she was saying, so I crept over to her and asked her what the matter was..."
"She was asleep, moron," said Sirius dully.
Remus counted matter-of-factly, "Actually, Sirius, people are semiconscious in their sleep, and can have short or simple conversations..."
James clucked his tongue impatiently. Remus and Sirius flushed. "So," began James for the third time. "I asked her what was the matter, and she told me that the 'Dark Lord' was coming. I laughed at her, but she didn't seem to share the same view. She stared to moan again, and carry on pitifully. I felt sorry, and leaned over to comfort her, but instead she grabbed the front of my night shirt --" Sirius whistled. James punched him in the nose. "Okay, I'm going to finish telling you this crap before it kills me. So, she grabs me by my shirt and pulls me down to the armchair, then she somehow flips over and she's on top. I decided not to wake her, and..." He glanced around at the three blank faces. "That's pretty much it."
Sirius grinned at Remus. "You've got hot competition, Lupin." Remus buried his face in his hands.
Peter groaned. "That's it?"
James looked at him curiously. "What do you mean? Look, Peter, neither of us are in any way attracted to another..."
Sirius gave a sarcastic snort.
Lily sat up in her four poster, crying miserably. A tall blonde girl approached her from the other side of the first year girl's dorm.
She sat down beside of her. "Hey, Lily. What's the matter?"
Lily glanced up at her. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"
The blonde girl smiled. "My name's Anne. I know about you because, quite frankly, rumors are spreading like wildfire that a cute little redheaded girl has squeezed her way into the group filled with the hottest boys in the school." She grinned at the hurt expression on Lily's face. "What I believe? You've got a lot to offer, and why shouldn't they be hanging all over you?"
Lily smiled. "Thanks... but they're just the problem."
"How so?" asked Anne kindly.
"Well, they're boys. What more is there to it? They're just starting to treat me like a girl instead of a friend, and a downright 'tomboyish' one at that."
Anne clapped a hand to Lily's shoulder. "It's not a bad thing, but it's obviously not what you want. Don't worry, they'll get over it, that's just how all guys act in the beginning... it gets better. Who knows, maybe you'll start to like them that way too!" She winked, then strode off out of the door.
Lily felt comforted by the kind girl's words,
but she couldn't help thinking that her last sentence would never come
true. How wrong she was...
Lily awoke after her afternoon nap staring into a pair of electric blue eyes. Lily jumped up, hitting him in the nose, and giving a small shriek.
"Remus?!"
Remus rubbed a hand against his swelling nose. "Yeah, it's me, you didn't have to knock against me so hard..."
"What in heavens name are you doing up here in the girls dormitory?"
Remus grinned. "Coming to make peace..." He looked around. "It's not like I haven't been up here before..." He gave a small snigger at the surprised look on Lily's face. "Long story, I'd rather not go into it --"
Lily was still just as blank as she had been before. "So... what are you doing?"
"Well, I was going to apologize before you hit me in the nose, now I think you owe me one...!"
Lily grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that..." She leaned over to her bedside cabinet, and pulled out a small white tube. She squeezed out some of it's creamy contents onto her finger.
"What's that?" asked Remus.
Lily smiled warmly. "Don't fidget now..." She leaned over to him and rubbed it across his nose. The pain immediately stopped. Remus looked at her in bewilderment.
"What was that stuff?"
"Muggle medication."
"Works like a charm!" Remus laughed. "I could have just gone up to the nurse, though, Lily..." He couldn't help but releasing a grateful smile to her.
Lily smiled back. "But you were right here, and you wouldn't have gone anyway if I hadn't smacked you."
"It was an accident."
"Doesn't matter." Lily took him by the hand. "Now, I've apologized, what about you?" She shot him a hilarious look.
Remus had forgotten all about it. "Yes, of course, Lily..." He held a hand behind his head. "Well, the rest of the boys and I have been talking about you, and we're dreadfully sorry about what we did --"
"What James did."
"Only James?"
Lily nodded.
"Okay, whatever, that's not the point. We're so sorry for offending you, and they're all down there praying that you'll forgive us. I am too, as a matter of fact...!"
Lily laughed as Remus gave her the droopiest and saddest eyes he could manage. "Oh, all right, of course I forgive you!"
"Good then!" said Remus proudly, his eerie eyes beaming. He snatched her hand in his own, and marched with her down the stairs. Lily laughed out loud as she saw the sight laid before her eyes.
Sirius, James and Peter all sat closely together on the floor, their knees to their chests, all pale and nervous looking. Did they really care about her that much...?
The three other boys looked up at Remus - then they saw Lily, and their faces broke out into smile. "We've got her back!" shouted Remus, and he ran over to the others. Meanwhile, they ran over to Lily.
James decided to wring her hands.
"I'm so sorry, Lily, I really didn't mean to do anything to--" He was silenced. Lily had her arms around his neck. She drew away, her face beaming. Then, taking a step back, she slapped him.
"I don't know whether to kiss you or kill you," Lily admitted, her face burning. Sirius laughed, and hung himself over Lily's shoulders.
"There's a girl!" He poked his tongue out at James, and erupted into giggles.
For almost two hours, all that the tight group could do was talk, apologize, and in Lily's case, cry. The whole ordeal was altogether far too overwhelming for her dear little heart. All four of the boys' hearts melted at this; for the only thing that can do this is the innocence of a girl, and Lily was an excellent example to prove this point.
At last, Lily's face red, she fell down to the ground, panting with exhaustion. She looked out of the tower, the stars the only light.
"I think we've spent a little too much time down here..."
James laughed. "I agree, Miss Lily. But alas, we cannot yet march off to bed!"
Lily groaned. "Oh no, not this again...!" She turned desperately to Remus. "Do they really do this every night?"
Remus nodded. "Sorry, Lily..." Lily fell to the ground.
"Oh well, better get used to it.."
"You'd better..." said Sirius, a grin now playing across his face. "Last night you fell asleep during the middle of our conversation, quite rude... poor Remus, had to carry you all the way up to the girl's dormitory..." He let out a pitiful sigh, as he eyed Remus.
Remus's face was bright red. "I hadn't told her, Sirius! Do keep things as trivial as this quiet!"
"Trivial?" laughed Sirius. "I can't help but recall the passion that drove Lily into your arms..!" Lily's face was now burning. She wasn't angry, but relieved and embarrassed that Remus felt friendship this strong for her.
Remus also began to grin. He had begun at the word 'passion.' Sirius took note of this smile, and recoiled. "Oh no, Remus, don't tell her... you wouldn't!"
"I would!" said Remus plainly. "Last night was an event of wonders, Lily..."
James and Sirius bared their teeth, each looking very venomous. "Don't you dare tell her...!"
Remus laughed a cold laugh that wasn't at all himself. "Why shouldn't I? What exactly have you done to protect my reputation?"
James had pushed Sirius to the side, as he was clenching a fist, and James didn't want to have to take Remus up to the nurse at eight o'clock at night for a whole mouth full of missing teeth.
A look of pleading in his eyes, James said hurriedly, "Please, Remus, don't..."
Lily stood up suddenly. "Okay, James, if you and Sirius really don't want me to know, I won't. It must be pretty damn bad."
Remus shot two looks up at her. Both were amazement, the first being of her respect, the second being her fine use of language. "Lily, I didn't know you had it in you."
Lily blushed. "I didn't mean to, it sort of slipped... I just ruined my reputation for being ladylike, yes?" Each boy sitting beside of her nodded, and she sighed futilely.
She sat back down. "So, James, what is it that you've been wanting to ask me?"
Relief spread through James's body. Finally, they were getting of the subject of his and Sirius's... er...
"Yes, well, me and Sirius --" He had to punch Remus to shut up his muffled laughter. "We've been working on a project called the Marauders Map."
"What does it do?" asked Lily lazily.
James went red in the face. "That's what we're trying to tell you, Lily."
"Sorry."
"All right, anyway, it's just a simple map... actually, very complex." James pulled out a piece of blank parchment from within the depths of his robes.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Whoop de do. A piece of parchment."
James glared at her sternly. "Not just a piece of parchment, girl." He took out his wand. James tapped the wand to the parchment, then mumbled the words, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Instantly, as though ink was spreading through the wand, shapes and letter formed across the parchment, making a very descriptive map of Hogwarts School.
Lily's eyes were wide in wonder. "You two have only been here for three days, how do you know the layout of the school?"
Sirius laughed. "We've been sneaking in throughout the summer..."
Lily laughed, a grin across her face. She then slapped Sirius lightly against the arm. "You dog!"
Sirius smiled. "Thanks, I'm flattered."
Lily then took the map in her hands. There were passages even seventh years knew not about... as wondrous as this was, however, there was one more thing fascinating.
Little black dots were scattered throughout the school, each labeled with a name. "Are those all the students and teachers at Hogwarts?"
James beamed proudly. "What do you think?"
"It's amazing!" said Lily shamelessly.
"And," added Sirius. "To wipe the map from the view of prying eyes, simply state the words 'mischief managed.'" He followed through this action with his wand, and the forms of ink instantly disappeared.
Lily applauded. "You two, for people that have absolutely no intellect whatsoever... you're geniuses..."
"Thanks, Lily."
Remus, however, was nearly drooping to the ground. "Can we please go to bed now?"
James nodded. "Sorry, Remus..." James trotted up the stairs, followed by Sirius and Peter. However, Remus stood up, but remained in his position. He then turned to Lily.
"What?" she asked innocently.
Remus took a look at her, then asked, "Would you like to take a walk with me?"
Lily laughed at his shyness in asking that simple question. "Yes, of course. What's the catch?"
"We go tonight. Outside. More romantic that way!" he added as a joke. Lily burst out into giggles.
She then strode up the staircase. "See you later tonight, Lupin."
"You too, Peterson." And, with that, the two disappeared from each others sight.
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And so, part 2 is over. It actually wasn't so bad, but, as I said before, it is pretty short. ::hums:: I'll be working on making them longer, it's just... the longer I make them, the harder I try, and the more confusing it gets!! Okay, sorry, I will try... ^^
None of it belongs to me, sorry to say... Ah well. I've already stated it, but it really takes up room on the page and makes my chapters look more lengthy. ::lol::
Okay, yes, Remus was in this alot, and he's going to be all over the next one too!! I love Remus! But don't worry, I will in turn take each male character and put him in the spotlight, because it's just too difficult to do them all at once, you see? And now, every Remus fan here is cheering for me! ::bows:: Okay, I'm really going to shut up now...
A big "Thank you!" to everyone who reviewed my story, thank you for advice, compliments, ect... I have no plot in mind, so if you would be so kind as to get me going in the right direction, I would be eternally grateful. Keep reviweing, and reviweing, and reviewing... I've got to stop that. Flames welcome, but it would be oh-so nice if you could put in a good word for me! ^^ Okay, see you, I will be posting more up soon!
~arch angel