James did a good job in filling in Rena and Colin on life at Hogwarts in
1978. They learned that Potion Master MacGreggor was very pro-Slytherin,
that the new Transfiguration Professor McGonagall was pro-Gryffindor but
didn't show favoritism, and that Professor Binns was still dead and still
as boring as ever. The quartet split up once they reached the Gryffindor
Common room, Lily and Rena going in search of a set of robes that would be
small enough while Colin and James were looking for robes that would be
long enough.
As Lily looked through her trunk to find old robes from the last year she filled in Rena on who else was in their year. "Well you have already met all the 6 th year boys. Sirius is anything but serious, and never ask if anyone else is serious in his presence or he'll butt in and say they aren't but he is." Lily rolled her eyes a bit and Rena grinned. "Remus is actually a nice guy, but he is always getting sick. Peter scares me, and seems just a bit slimy if you get my drift, but he is always under James' shadow. James is kinda a mixture of Sirius and Remus. He can be nice when he wants to, gets great marks without even trying, likes to play pranks and all he thinks about besides pranks and girls is Quidditch, he is the captain of the house team."
Rena nodded, "So what about the girls?"
"Well there are 4 of us in all, Arabella Ackerley, Cathleen Toggle and Angelina Bryce. Arabella is nice enough as is Angelina but watch your back around Cathleen. If she finds out whom you like she'll try to take him just to spite you. I bet you she'll have her eye set on your Colin before the end of the day. Here they are." Lily held up a set of robes then brought them over to Rena. "I hope they will fit."
"Well they just have to get me through the day, Professor Dumbledore said we could go to Hogsmeade after classes were out. And if not, I know a charm to shrink them a bit." Rena said as she put them on. "And he is not my Colin. That is just wrong."
"Why is it wrong if he is your Colin, you cousins?"
"No, it just isn't right. Our fathers never got along when they were in school together, that's all." Neither did our grandfathers, Rena added to herself. "Well what do you think?" Rena spun around.
Lily looked her over, "They'll do for as long as you need them. I thought I was short, you're shorter than me."
"Yeah my father keeps hoping that I'll hit my growth spurt, I don't have the heart to tell him that I won't be growing much more. Course it does make being a keeper a bit hard, but I get by."
"You play Quidditch?" Rena looked up from tying her shoes into Lily's surprised face.
"Umm yeah well see umm. We don't have a lot of students at our school so everyone who can play will play, even the girls." Rena tried to cover up her slip. Lily just nodded and looked at her strangely.
"Well we should get down to the common room." Rena nodded and followed Lily out. When they got to the common room they saw that the boys were already waiting for them. Rena burst out laughing after seeing Colin in his borrowed robes. The red haired boy's uniform was about 2 inches too short in the legs and the arms.
"Colin you can't even do a simple charm to make it fit can you?" Rena asked still giggling. Colin gave her a longsuffering look and Rena took some pity on him and performed the charm.
Lily and James watched the two visitors interact, "So what did he say about himself."
"Not a lot, he plays seeker on their house Quidditch team and she is the keeper and the captain."
"Captain? Rena didn't mention that, must have slipped her mind."
Colin came over to them and they stopped talking, "So we going down for lunch?"
James swept his hand toward the portrait hole, "After you senioritas." Lily rolled her eyes as she grabbed Rena's arm and dragged her ahead of the boys.
The trip to the Great Hall occurred without incident and soon Rena and Colin were sitting at the Gryffindor table with Lily and James's friends. The introductions when quick, with both Rena and Colin having a bit of trouble keeping themselves from shuddering when they shook hands with Peter, they were soon caught up in the conversations around the table. At least they acted caught up in their conversations. Cathleen and Angelina took it upon themselves to explain the hierarchy of Hogwarts, Rena smiled through most of their talk, with what she felt were discrete glances to where Coin was sitting with James and his friends.
"Rena isn't that correct?" Angelina asked.
"Yeah sure." Rena answered. When the girls laughed Rena looked at them, "What did I just say yes too?"
Angelina grinned, "I just asked if Dumbledore wore ear plugs. You must find something interesting at that end of the table. I asked 3 times if you were dating Colin. But I guess that question is answered." Angelina and Cathleen began laughing as Rena flushed.
"Come off it Cathleen you just wanted to know if he is free. Rena, Cathleen here is a man-eater and if Colin is free he will be her next victim, I mean boyfriend." Lily said with a bit of a smirk.
"So what is your school like Rena?" Arabella asked, trying to changed the subject.
"A lot like it is here. Different professors and some subjects are different but besides that nothing is really changed." Rena said with a shrug.
"Are all the boys as dishy as Colin?" Angelina asked with a squeak.
Rena tried not to look surprised by her question, then answered noncommittally "Some are, others aren't."
"So does Colin have a girlfriend?" Cathleen persisted.
"Come off it Cathleen are boys all you think about? Let the guy have at least one day before you start chasing after him." Lily taunted.
"At least I go for guys I like Lily. That is better than sitting around pining for James Potter."
"No you just date and drop when you get bored." Lily shot back.
"Should we stop them?" Rena leaned over to Angelina.
"Nah they'll stop on their own. It was nice talking to you, hopefully we can talk again soon."
Rena looked confused until Cathleen stood up, "Come on Angelina I feel we aren't wanted."
"Took you long enough Cathleen." Lily mumbled as they moved away. The girls turned back to their lunches as if nothing had come of it.
The boys sat at the other end of the table talking about the pranks that they were planning. Colin only listened with half of an ear as he watched the Slytherin table. One of the girls that caught his eye did so because she looked familiar. "Don't even think about it Colin that's Narcissa Snape. First off she is a 5 th year. Secondly her brother is the greasy guy over there, Servers Snape and her fiancé is Lucius Malfoy, who just graduated last year. Third she is as vain as she pretty. Fourth and most importantly she is a Slytherin." James commented, causing Colin's jaw to drop.
"That is Narcissa Ma…Snape?" Colin was quite shocked, not to find out that she was Malfoy's fiancée but that Rena was related to Professor Snape. "I wasn't thinking of anything, except that she looks a bit like Rena doesn't she."
James cocked his head to study the Slytherin girl. "Well they share the same hair and nose. I never thought I would see some one who would have that silvery blonde hair. But Rena does have it, except hers is kinda bushy. What did you almost call Narcissa though? Malfoy?"
"Well you said her boyfriend last name was Malfoy. I guess I figured that he had some claim on her then." Colin shrugged then as he bit into a roll.
"And is there a girl that you have a claim on? Maybe Rena?" Sirius asked with a smile. Before they could get an answer another girl saddled up to the table.
"Hello there, we haven't been introduced yet. I'm Cathleen Toggle and this is my friend, Angelina Bryce. I hope that James and his friends will make you feel welcome, but if not come find me." She trailed a hand along Colin's chest as she walked out the Great Hall.
After she had exited Colin turned to the others, "Are all the girls that attend here all that bold?"
"No not even close Cathleen is one of the most bold, though. And one of the easiest." Remus spoke with a sneer.
"You're just angry that you didn't drop her before she dropped you. But Remus is right she is shameless. I think she has dated every eligible guy here. She doesn't play hard to get." James spoke with a voice of experience.
"Sirius here was the only one to get away from her trap and leave before her before she left him." Remus spoke with a smile, "But don't think she'll let it happen again. She was humiliated pretty badly after that."
"Well I only dated her to get back at her for you two. And I did, didn't I?" Sirius asked with a smile. "So Colin what would you say your relationship with Rena is?"
Colin began to speak but was interrupted by the passing Lily, "Come on boys, you don't want to be late for our next class do you?"
James shot Lily a look, "Thanks for the reminder Mother. We'll see you after class Colin."
The Marauders plus two were gone before either Colin or Rena could say another word. Rena plopped down on the bench next to Colin and began picking at the cut veggies that were left on a platter in the middle of the table. "So that is your grandfather?" She asked out of curiosity.
"It would seem so. I have heard the stories that Remus and Sirius tell but I never thought they were actually telling us only a portion of what they did. Your grandmother goes here still. You look a bit like her you know."
"Father use to say I reminded him of her, when I was little. I have never been sure if that was a complement or an insult, though. I like your grandmother, she is really sweet." Rena spoke looking at her fingers.
"She seemed a bit full of herself." Colin commented.
"Yeah," Rena smiled as she stood up pocketing something, "I figured that is where you got it from. See you in the common room." She bolted out of the Great Hall.
Colin ran after her, "I'll get you Renita Mallory."
As Lily looked through her trunk to find old robes from the last year she filled in Rena on who else was in their year. "Well you have already met all the 6 th year boys. Sirius is anything but serious, and never ask if anyone else is serious in his presence or he'll butt in and say they aren't but he is." Lily rolled her eyes a bit and Rena grinned. "Remus is actually a nice guy, but he is always getting sick. Peter scares me, and seems just a bit slimy if you get my drift, but he is always under James' shadow. James is kinda a mixture of Sirius and Remus. He can be nice when he wants to, gets great marks without even trying, likes to play pranks and all he thinks about besides pranks and girls is Quidditch, he is the captain of the house team."
Rena nodded, "So what about the girls?"
"Well there are 4 of us in all, Arabella Ackerley, Cathleen Toggle and Angelina Bryce. Arabella is nice enough as is Angelina but watch your back around Cathleen. If she finds out whom you like she'll try to take him just to spite you. I bet you she'll have her eye set on your Colin before the end of the day. Here they are." Lily held up a set of robes then brought them over to Rena. "I hope they will fit."
"Well they just have to get me through the day, Professor Dumbledore said we could go to Hogsmeade after classes were out. And if not, I know a charm to shrink them a bit." Rena said as she put them on. "And he is not my Colin. That is just wrong."
"Why is it wrong if he is your Colin, you cousins?"
"No, it just isn't right. Our fathers never got along when they were in school together, that's all." Neither did our grandfathers, Rena added to herself. "Well what do you think?" Rena spun around.
Lily looked her over, "They'll do for as long as you need them. I thought I was short, you're shorter than me."
"Yeah my father keeps hoping that I'll hit my growth spurt, I don't have the heart to tell him that I won't be growing much more. Course it does make being a keeper a bit hard, but I get by."
"You play Quidditch?" Rena looked up from tying her shoes into Lily's surprised face.
"Umm yeah well see umm. We don't have a lot of students at our school so everyone who can play will play, even the girls." Rena tried to cover up her slip. Lily just nodded and looked at her strangely.
"Well we should get down to the common room." Rena nodded and followed Lily out. When they got to the common room they saw that the boys were already waiting for them. Rena burst out laughing after seeing Colin in his borrowed robes. The red haired boy's uniform was about 2 inches too short in the legs and the arms.
"Colin you can't even do a simple charm to make it fit can you?" Rena asked still giggling. Colin gave her a longsuffering look and Rena took some pity on him and performed the charm.
Lily and James watched the two visitors interact, "So what did he say about himself."
"Not a lot, he plays seeker on their house Quidditch team and she is the keeper and the captain."
"Captain? Rena didn't mention that, must have slipped her mind."
Colin came over to them and they stopped talking, "So we going down for lunch?"
James swept his hand toward the portrait hole, "After you senioritas." Lily rolled her eyes as she grabbed Rena's arm and dragged her ahead of the boys.
The trip to the Great Hall occurred without incident and soon Rena and Colin were sitting at the Gryffindor table with Lily and James's friends. The introductions when quick, with both Rena and Colin having a bit of trouble keeping themselves from shuddering when they shook hands with Peter, they were soon caught up in the conversations around the table. At least they acted caught up in their conversations. Cathleen and Angelina took it upon themselves to explain the hierarchy of Hogwarts, Rena smiled through most of their talk, with what she felt were discrete glances to where Coin was sitting with James and his friends.
"Rena isn't that correct?" Angelina asked.
"Yeah sure." Rena answered. When the girls laughed Rena looked at them, "What did I just say yes too?"
Angelina grinned, "I just asked if Dumbledore wore ear plugs. You must find something interesting at that end of the table. I asked 3 times if you were dating Colin. But I guess that question is answered." Angelina and Cathleen began laughing as Rena flushed.
"Come off it Cathleen you just wanted to know if he is free. Rena, Cathleen here is a man-eater and if Colin is free he will be her next victim, I mean boyfriend." Lily said with a bit of a smirk.
"So what is your school like Rena?" Arabella asked, trying to changed the subject.
"A lot like it is here. Different professors and some subjects are different but besides that nothing is really changed." Rena said with a shrug.
"Are all the boys as dishy as Colin?" Angelina asked with a squeak.
Rena tried not to look surprised by her question, then answered noncommittally "Some are, others aren't."
"So does Colin have a girlfriend?" Cathleen persisted.
"Come off it Cathleen are boys all you think about? Let the guy have at least one day before you start chasing after him." Lily taunted.
"At least I go for guys I like Lily. That is better than sitting around pining for James Potter."
"No you just date and drop when you get bored." Lily shot back.
"Should we stop them?" Rena leaned over to Angelina.
"Nah they'll stop on their own. It was nice talking to you, hopefully we can talk again soon."
Rena looked confused until Cathleen stood up, "Come on Angelina I feel we aren't wanted."
"Took you long enough Cathleen." Lily mumbled as they moved away. The girls turned back to their lunches as if nothing had come of it.
The boys sat at the other end of the table talking about the pranks that they were planning. Colin only listened with half of an ear as he watched the Slytherin table. One of the girls that caught his eye did so because she looked familiar. "Don't even think about it Colin that's Narcissa Snape. First off she is a 5 th year. Secondly her brother is the greasy guy over there, Servers Snape and her fiancé is Lucius Malfoy, who just graduated last year. Third she is as vain as she pretty. Fourth and most importantly she is a Slytherin." James commented, causing Colin's jaw to drop.
"That is Narcissa Ma…Snape?" Colin was quite shocked, not to find out that she was Malfoy's fiancée but that Rena was related to Professor Snape. "I wasn't thinking of anything, except that she looks a bit like Rena doesn't she."
James cocked his head to study the Slytherin girl. "Well they share the same hair and nose. I never thought I would see some one who would have that silvery blonde hair. But Rena does have it, except hers is kinda bushy. What did you almost call Narcissa though? Malfoy?"
"Well you said her boyfriend last name was Malfoy. I guess I figured that he had some claim on her then." Colin shrugged then as he bit into a roll.
"And is there a girl that you have a claim on? Maybe Rena?" Sirius asked with a smile. Before they could get an answer another girl saddled up to the table.
"Hello there, we haven't been introduced yet. I'm Cathleen Toggle and this is my friend, Angelina Bryce. I hope that James and his friends will make you feel welcome, but if not come find me." She trailed a hand along Colin's chest as she walked out the Great Hall.
After she had exited Colin turned to the others, "Are all the girls that attend here all that bold?"
"No not even close Cathleen is one of the most bold, though. And one of the easiest." Remus spoke with a sneer.
"You're just angry that you didn't drop her before she dropped you. But Remus is right she is shameless. I think she has dated every eligible guy here. She doesn't play hard to get." James spoke with a voice of experience.
"Sirius here was the only one to get away from her trap and leave before her before she left him." Remus spoke with a smile, "But don't think she'll let it happen again. She was humiliated pretty badly after that."
"Well I only dated her to get back at her for you two. And I did, didn't I?" Sirius asked with a smile. "So Colin what would you say your relationship with Rena is?"
Colin began to speak but was interrupted by the passing Lily, "Come on boys, you don't want to be late for our next class do you?"
James shot Lily a look, "Thanks for the reminder Mother. We'll see you after class Colin."
The Marauders plus two were gone before either Colin or Rena could say another word. Rena plopped down on the bench next to Colin and began picking at the cut veggies that were left on a platter in the middle of the table. "So that is your grandfather?" She asked out of curiosity.
"It would seem so. I have heard the stories that Remus and Sirius tell but I never thought they were actually telling us only a portion of what they did. Your grandmother goes here still. You look a bit like her you know."
"Father use to say I reminded him of her, when I was little. I have never been sure if that was a complement or an insult, though. I like your grandmother, she is really sweet." Rena spoke looking at her fingers.
"She seemed a bit full of herself." Colin commented.
"Yeah," Rena smiled as she stood up pocketing something, "I figured that is where you got it from. See you in the common room." She bolted out of the Great Hall.
Colin ran after her, "I'll get you Renita Mallory."