"That was uncomfortable." Sirius said as they slowly watched their friends storm off. "Again with another plan?"
"Dammit, why do we have to have friends in such huge denial?" Remus asked with frustration.
"I'll take that as a no." Sirius said meekly. "It probably wouldn't work anyway."
They both shrugged and brought the groceries to the camp site.
Arabella looked up from her sewing to see Lily huff over and join her at the log stool. James huffed behind her, sitting down on the other side of Munguldus. At the same time, the two opened their mouths and shouted at their unfortunate seat mates:
"Lily Evans is a big jerk!"
"James Potter is a big jerk!"
"Don't you feel the love out here?" Munguldus said in a fake Trelawney accent.
"Yes, yes, yes.. Don't do the cross stitch, embroider. It tends to last longer." Arabella snapped, readjusting her reading glasses. And again, Lily and James shouted at their unfortunate seat mates:
"Are you LISTENING to me?"
And this was the scene perfect David Morales and his brother Diego walked in on.
Sirius and Remus walked closer and closer to the campsite, finding two very strange strangers watching their friends fight. Munguldus had gotten up from his seat to pitch the finished tent.
"David! What are you doing here?" Lily exclaimed happily, jumping up from her spot by the fire, and giving Arabella 'V for Victory' looks.
"Diego and I were taking a few Apparation tests and we ran off-course. Lucky that we got so close to heaven, though, huh?" David said, James pretending to hurl. Also, James was imitating David's insincerity, looking like somebody on an Australian soap opera.
"Where are my manners? I have to introduce you to my fri.." She shot a glance in James's direction, while he was still pretending to hurl. "Some of my camping mates. The blonde Quidditch beauty with her glasses on is Arabella, Munguldus is the intelligent, brilliant guy pitching up the tent, Sirius over there is the magnificent prankster and Remus the wonderful, amazing guy that handles a curse like a kitten, and the guy pretending to vomit is.. Ugh.. James." Lily said perkily, except for when the subject of James came up. "Care to join us tonight?"
"Sorry, we can't.. But we have time for a nice little dinner. Arabella, care to join us?" Diego asked sweetly, making Arabella blush. She nodded, and both girls went to get their stuff and change in the tent.
"We'll be back in a few hours, need to tell the Apparation department that we're not landing on some old bloke in Australia."
James continued his 'dramatic reenactment' of his vomiting acts.
"So who's the David guy?" Arabella asked as she dug through her bag for something decent to wear.
Lily pulled on a shiny black skirt. "A Ravenclaw seventh year acquaintance of mine- He's sent me everything imaginable on this earth. He's just so adorable! But.."
"How on earth is there a but?" Arabella sputtered. Lily looked guilty. "You're not over James yet!" Arabella accused in a low voice, pointing at Lily.
"Don't point that finger at me!" Lily said with a hint of fear in her voice, so much that it squeaked.
"You're not over him yet!" Arabella said again, a little louder.
"Shush! They'll hear you!" Lily said as she buttoned her whimsical blue blouse- The one with ruffles on the neckline. "I am not over James yet.. But will you shut up about it? As if this trip is hard enough with him hating me and me running into my number one fan, he doesn't have to know!"
"Fine, fine.. Lavender top or white blouse?" Arabella asked, mumbling.
Lily put a string of pearls around her neck. "Lavender top, brings out your femininity."
As Arabella pulled the top over her head, Lily struggled with her shoes. "What about Diego, got any dirt on him?"
"Nothing really- They're twins.. And to be honest with you, for all I know, they've got identical personalities, not looks." Lily replied as Arabella pulled up her curls and got her white velvet pants out.
"Where do you think they're taking us?" She pondered as she snipped the tag of the white pants.
"Knowing David, somewhere fancy." Lily said with a smile.
"You are so using him as a rebound dude." Arabella said solemnly. "It's not even funny."
"He's nice.. I'd go out with him again and again.. But he's so.. Boring.. Every time we've eaten somewhere, it's been macaroni and butter, white, dry, tasteless chicken and water. Can't the guy get a real appetite?" Lily said, unaware that Arabella was half-listening, half-concentrating on Lily's hair.
"The rugged look has to go. Some people would never believe this is what you look like before a clean-up." She said after a few minutes. She set to work, and half an hour later, Lily's hair was in an elegant bun with curling tendrils around her face.
And in ten minutes, the two glamour girls were sitting on towels on logs by a dieing fire.
"You look nice." Sirius said to Arabella. "But lose the perfume."
"The only scent you've ever liked, Sirius, is the scent of a dog.." Lily hissed, making Sirius blush.
"You look nice, too, Lily.." Remus said, adding another log to the fire. "Okay, guys, we're running low on logs. Either two of us go and chop wood or we give up our seats."
For the rest of the time they were there, Munguldus and Sirius, against their protests, ("You guys wouldn't go chop wood." Remus explained) sat in the dirt.
David and Diego arrived on matching red mopeds promptly, dressed in black ("Major fashion mistake!" Munguldus muttered to Sirius in a quiet, yet high-pitched voice, imitating his employer. Sirius stifled a laugh.). Lily and Arabella climbed on, and Sirius approached the twins.
"Ya'll take care of my little babies, you hear? I want them back by eleven, we gots a long day of riding ahead of us, now.." Sirius said, pretending to cry and hugging both the girls. "My little girls have been growin' up."
With another sniff from Sirius, they were off, and James was the one covered in dust.
The next morning, Sirius made his famous Completely-Chocolate-Covered-Chocolate-Chip-And-Chocolate-Sauce-And-Chocolate-Syrup-Waffles, as well as some chocolate milk, and the girls came out later than everyone else, with messy hair and shiny pajamas.
"Morning." Arabella grunted as she got herself a plate.
"Scoot over." Lily said grumpily to James, then starting to shove her face with waffles.
"How was the date last night?" Remus asked.
At the same time, Lily and Arabella made their answers.
"Wonderful." Arabella said with a dreamy smile.
"Horrible." Lily grunted.
"What's wrong with her?" Munguldus pondered as he made a seat on the ground.
"He ordered the same thing again." Arabella said, making James, Munguldus and Remus gain a puzzled look on their faces.
"Macaroni and butter, white, dry, tasteless chicken and water." Lily and Sirius said at the same time.
"What's wrong with that?" Remus asked before Sirius handed him a cup of chocolate milk. "Thanks."
"He has no real appetite, I told her that from the start!" Sirius said. "You're welcome."
"And... Your point is?" Munguldus asked, getting up for another waffle.
"Oh, Lily is just looking for excuses to break up with him. She's nursing a crush on someone else.." Arabella said absentmindedly, waving a shocked Lily off.
"Really?" Sirius and Remus said mischievously, dragging out the word to its full extent.
"Who?" James demanded, speaking up for the first time.
There was silence except for bugs and the scraping of plates.
"Um.. No one.." Arabella muttered as Lily shot glares at her.
"This will be the topic of the summer.." Munguldus said with an air of Marauder charm.
"And I'll never hear the end of it." Lily muttered as the new Marauders rubbed their hands together with glee.
Two huge, gorgeous owls flew in with chocolates and flowers. Arabella was delighted and Lily groaned.
"Why am I not surprised?" Sirius asked glumly, helping himself to another waffle.