Disclaimer: Hogwarts and its students belong to J.K. Rowling. (Although I did make up a few students to round out the cast.)
In the Hogwarts Library
Chapter Two- Peter
"Ask her out, you twit." Easy for Sirius to say. Tall, handsome, smart—girls practically throw themselves at his feet in hopes that he'll notice them. How could he know how terrifying it is to ask a girl out when you know that she'll say, "no"? I mean, why would Jemma go out with me? I'm short, I'm a bit overweight—fat, Peter, say it, other people do. What could she see in me? O.K., she's a Ravenclaw, so maybe she prefers brains over looks. Even there I lose. I'm not stupid, I know I'm not, but it certainly seems like I am. How could anyone seem smart sitting beside James and Sirius? Top two students of the year—every year—and I look stupid in comparison.
Hexed quills. Remus and I said last year that we should hex the quills that James and Sirius were using for exams so they'd at least get a few answers wrong. There Remus and I were revising like mad, while James and Sirius were off raiding the kitchen or something, and we knew that the two of them would still get better grades than the two of us. It just wasn't fair. Of course, Remus was only joking.
It looks like she's done. If I don't speak to her soon, she'll leave the library and I'll lose my chance. C'mon, Peter, you can do this. Even Remus said that he thinks she likes me. Remus is usually right about these things.
"Hi, Jemma. What are you reading?"
"Oh, Peter—hi. Um, I was just doing a bit of background reading on transfiguration theory."
"Really? For a report or just curious?" Damn, I wish my palms wouldn't sweat when I'm nervous.
"Well, trans-species transfiguration seems to be giving me a bit of a problem in class. I thought that if I went back to the basics, I might figure what I'm doing wrong."
"Maybe I could help you." She looks surprised. Why? Do you think I'm too stupid to help a Ravenclaw? Three years of learning how to become an animagus tends to teach one a few things about Transfiguration, you know. "I happen to be good at trans-species transfiguration. At the very least, I might be able to tell what you're doing wrong. I've probably made every mistake there is and then learned how not to do that again."
She laughed, but she's smiling and nodding. What do you know—self-deprecating humor works. Remus has rubbed off on me.
"I think I'll take you up on your offer, Peter. I'm supposed to meet some friends in my common room before dinner. Would you like to walk with me?"
"Sure."
"So, what were you working on in the library?"
Just killing time until I got up the nerve to speak to you. "Oh, Remus and I were doing our astronomy charts, but then he wanted to go work on Potions so I was just getting ready to leave."
"I didn't see Remus with you."
"No, he disappeared off into the back of the library so he could concentrate better. Do the Ravenclaws really leave books open for the Grey Lady back there?"
"Yes, she tells one of us a book she's interested in, and we open it to the first page. Then first thing in the morning, and again just before the library closes, one of the prefects turns each of the books she's reading one page. They use a charm to hold the books open to the right page, unless the books can't be charmed, then they use a Muggle thing called a book weight. She usually has about a dozen open at once."
"Why doesn't she just turn the pages herself?"
Jemma giggles at my question. "She can't; she's a ghost."
"But Peeves can move things." I wish she wouldn't laugh at me.
"Peeves is a poltergeist, not a ghost. There's a difference you know."
I know there's a difference. I just didn't know that was one of the differences.
"Doesn't Nearly Headless Nick ever ask the Gryffindors to do anything for him?"
"Well, one night he hung around the common room begging us to find a way to sever his head, but that was because he was depressed. He had applied to join this club for headless ghosts but they wouldn't take him. We wanted to help; we even researched the problem," well, Remus and Sirius did, "but since his form as a ghost is determined by his form when he died, there was nothing we could do."
"Poor Nick," Jemma says sadly.
The statue of Rowena Ravenclaw with an eagle on her shoulder—we're here already.
"This is where I have to leave you," she says.
"Do you want to practice Transfiguration later?"
"Yes, I would, if you don't mind. We can meet right after dinner."
"O.K., I'll keep an eye out for you in the Great Hall. I'd better go so I don't overhear your password. You wouldn't want a troublesome Gryffindor to be able to break in and wreak havoc." Self-deprecating humor works again: she laughs, she puts her hand on my arm, and for a second I think she considers kissing me. Yes! This is a good day.
* * * * *
"Hello, Mr. Black!"
"Hello, Mr. Pettigrew. Why are you looking so pleased with yourself, may I inquire? And where are Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin?"
"The last time I saw them, Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin were both in the library. One was cuddled up with a redhead, and the other was cuddled up with a potions text. Remus said he'd meet us here by six, but if he forgets, we should go to dinner without him, and he'll hit the kitchen later. And I'm looking pleased with myself because I got up the nerve to talk to Jemma Greenleaf today."
"Good for you, Peter! How did it go? Did you make a date for Hogsmeade?"
"It went well; I think she likes me. I didn't bring up Hogsmeade yet, but she said that she's having trouble with inter-species transfiguration, and I offered to try to help."
"Good idea. James and I have certainly put you through your paces on those."
"Tell me about it. Every weekend it's like the two of you turn into McGonagall."
"At least you're getting great grades in Transfiguration this term, and with any luck, we'll have an even better reward soon."
"You'll get the hang of it soon. I don't think I'm anywhere near as close."
Sirius shakes his head. "It's just that one last step. I can't quite wrap my mind around it yet, but once I do, I think I'll be able to explain it to you and James, and then you should be right behind me. Or, James will figure it out and explain it to both of us. Either way, once one of us gets it, the others won't be far behind."
Of course, no possibility that I'll figure it out first. I wish there were, just so I could surprise them, but—how does that expression go? "If wishes were horses, then beggars would fly." What a stupid expression; it never did make sense. James and Remus are back.
"Gentlemen, you'll never guess what our esteemed friend Mr. Pettigrew did today," Sirius says with a grin.
"Spoke with Jemma Greenleaf in the library," Remus says as he drops a very heavy bag beside his trunk.
"No secrets around here," I laugh. "Which one of you saw me?"
"Snape," Remus replies. "He made a point of coming and finding me in the library just to tell me that you were talking to her and asked if you knew that she's Charles Liegeard's cousin."
"Oh shit." No, I didn't know. How on earth can a nice girl like Jemma be related to a scary Slytherin like Liegeard?
"When is that slimy-haired git going to learn to keep his nose out of other people's business?" Sirius says furiously.
"Well, when a nose is that large, it is rather difficult to keep it to oneself," Remus replies.
"But he's trying to scare Peter into staying away! Whatever happens between Peter and Jemma should be between Peter and Jemma. It's not Liegeard's business, and it certainly isn't Snape's."
"For whatever it's worth, I didn't get the impression that Snape cared about it. He just seemed to be implying that Liegeard might care."
* * * * *
"Eat something, Peter. You'll keel over from low blood sugar in the middle of your date."
"From low what?"
"Just eat," Sirius urges again.
"Leave him alone. I can't eat when I'm nervous either," James says. That's true. James never eats before a Quidditch match. He just pushes things around on his plate—like I'm doing now.
"Well, it isn't a date. We're just practicing Transfiguration together." Maybe Jemma's done eating. "I think I'll go see if Jemma's ready to go."
Remus grabs my arm and pulls me back down. "Give her five more minutes. Not everyone goes off their food when they're nervous, and you don't want her to have to rush through her dinner."
"Here take these," James says as he gives me a white paper bag. A faint buzzing noise like insect wings comes from inside. "Fudge flies. If it catches up to you later that you skipped dinner, eat a few of these. Just remember to 'impedimenta' them before you open the bag or they'll fly all over."
"Thanks." Somehow the idea of fudge flies seems just right. Dinner is not appealing to me, but something sweet and chocolatey is.
"James? Where did you get fudge flies? I don't remember you buying any the last time we went into Hogsmeade," Remus asks.
"I got them from your bedside table, of course, Moony."
"That's what I thought."
Unwritten rule of our dormitory. Anything, especially sweets, in our bedside tables is fair game for us all. Anything in our trunks, like James's cloak, you have to ask first. Besides, Remus doesn't like chocolate this close to the full moon.
"Can I go see if Jemma's ready to go yet?"
"All right," Remus says, "but if she's still eating, just sit down beside her and talk with her until she's done. Don't make her feel rushed."
"Listen to the dating expert," Sirius snorts.
That was mean. It isn't Remus's fault he's never had a date.
"One doesn't have to have snogged half the school to know something about common courtesy, Sirius," Remus replies. He said it calmly, but he stared at Sirius as he said it. Remus stares at people only when he's angry.
Jemma is easy to find. I watched her come in earlier, alone and running a bit late, so I knew where she was sitting. Her plate is still full of food, so I take Remus's advice and sit in the empty place to her left.
"Hi, I finished eating so I thought I'd come over and wait for you."
"Actually, I'm not too hungry tonight," Jemma replies.
She places her flatware down on her plate. She must be as nervous as I am. Actually, it's kind of a compliment. She's nervous about being around me. This is amazing.
"Do you want to go get started on Transfiguration? I know how to get into an empty classroom on the fourth floor. We could go practice there." Jemma is silent for several moments. Maybe she's changed her mind. Maybe she's realized this is almost like dating, and she doesn't want to date me.
"I have to get something I left in my dormitory," she says. She sounds sad. I wonder what's wrong? "Could you meet me somewhere?"
"Sure." She hands me a piece of parchment with directions to a room with a hidden entrance requiring a password. Sirius found this one just last month. It's got a great view of the Quidditch pitch. He'll be disappointed that we aren't the only ones who know about it. "Yeah, I know where this is," I say.
"Don't tell your friends where you're going. I'll meet you there soon."
"O.K."
Jemma walks out very quickly. I guess she's in a hurry to get whatever it is that she forgot. A hidden room, don't tell my friends where I'm going, this is starting to sound less like studying together and more like a date.
* * * * *
Here it is, the tapestry of a wizard riding on a green dragon. The door behind it is invisible until—what's the password again? It says on the parchment.
"Fire breath." Good, now there's a door behind the tapestry. It's dark in here. Strange. I don't remember any curtains on the windows; there should be light from outside.
"Lumos." Well, that didn't help much. Now all I see is myself in the center of shadows. Moving shadows. Oh, shit—moving black cloaks—I'm not alone in here.