1 Chapter 25- The Earful and The Rumor



Early the next morning, more like later that morning, Chester walked into the common room to a sleeping Tara and James. This time he was ready. He ran back to his dorm and got a camera and quietly walked back to the couple. He took a few pictures until...

"MOMMY! LIGHTENING." Yell James waking himself and Tara up. Chester had enough time to run back to the dorm and put his camera away.

"Tara, wake up..."

"I'm awake you idiot. I think the whole house is awake cause of your fear of lightening."

Tara, James, Amber and Chester all made their way down to breakfast. The great hall was buzzing about the same thing. Tara went over to Kerri, a fellow Gryffindor chaser, what was going on.

"Well, what I've heard, Kristy Gosse, the Ravenclaw Quiddich captain was seen with Paul, the commentator in our house, at the lake late last night." She said.

"Who saw?" asked James.

"Paul's best mates Aidan and Mark. They reckon they got the hots for each other. They were giving each other funny looks yesterday at the end of the match."

James had an odd look on his face. He broke out in a song.

"Kristy and Paul

Sitting in a tree

k-i-s-s-i-n-g

First comes love

Then comes marriage

Then comes a baby in the baby carriage!" he sang.

The entire great hall started to laugh. Well, almost everyone. Kristy and Paul stalked out of there so fast it was a blur.

"I once new a guy named Paul

Who took a very big fall

His eyes were all misty,

From meeting Kristy

Then they went and kicked a ball." Sang James louder then before.

"Well, James, we heard...I mean, saw your night last night with Tara." Said Kerri.

"Kristy and Paul sitting in a- WHAT!" exclaimed James wide-eyed. Tara was in the same state as James. "How...why, how do you know. How did you see?!"

"Well...I'm in your house and you two were acting like you were a 'thing.' Then we saw pictures of you guys sleeping this morning."

Behind Tara and James, Chester and Amber were snickering.

"You had something to do with it didn't you." James yelled at Chester.

This made Chester laugh even harder.

"You did didn't you." Yelled James even louder. Chester made a mad dash to the common room with James chasing after him.

"So Tara, what really happened last night?" asked Amber.

"Nothing, I was falling asleep on the couch and I was sitting beside James. He innocently put his arm around my shoulders and I innocently laid my head on his shoulder. I must have slept when everyone was out of the common room and his arm was still wrapped around me. Then he started singing some song I don't know then he asked me to be his girlfriend AGAIN and I woke up and said no and the fell asleep again and this morning James woke up yelling. 'MOMMY LIGHTENING'"

"Did he really? I wish I was there to hear that." Said Amber.

The story of the night before was around the school in no time... not as fast as the Kristy and Paul incident. The Gryffindor's first class was Defense against the Dark Arts.

Professor Shirley was sitting at her desk when James, Tara, Amber and Chester made their way into their normal seats. Shirley was surprised that they were there so early, class started in 25 minutes.

"What are you four doing here so early?" she asked.

"We...err, wanted to get away from a mob of people asking us questions about...," said James.

"About what?"

"Something last night-could you help me with the homework I didn't understand it." Said James quickly.

"What else went on last night that I don't know about. All I know about is Ms. Gosse and Mr. Brown had a night out last night but what else happened?"

"Your like a giddy little schoolgirl you know that right?" said James.

"Yes, I do, no what happened!" whined Shirley in the most non-teacher way.

"Jeez, if your not going to tell her I will." Said Chester stepping up.

"Oh dear god." Sighed Tara.

"James and Tara had a sleepover last night in the Gryffindor common room and I found them sleeping on the couch together this morning." He rambled

"Tsk, tsk. Your how old? Why, for the love of god WHY!" said Shriley.

"Emmm, Professor? We didn't do anything. I sang her to sleep, that's all then my arm got stuck and I didn't want to wake her up so I fell asleep with her."

"Right...your arm got 'stuck' that's what they all say." Said Chester.

"IT DID!"

"Riiight, we all believe you." Said Amber.

"James, can I talk to you for a sec?" asked Tara.

"Yea, ok. Anything to get me away from these people who don't believe me." Said James.

The two walked over to one of the corners in the room.

"I didn't want you to leave last night after the song and err...question, so I leaned on your arm so you couldn't move it. My plan worked perfectly...except for the part now. I didn't want this to happen."

"Well, we're in this mess together. We can do it."

Meanwhile during their conversation, Chester was calling at singing to James.

"My best friend is in love

With an angel sent from above

His eyes are usually glazed

And he always looks phased

Cause the girls as pretty as a dove." He sang.

"I'm an angel." Said James in a girlish voice.

"No, I am, you're his best friend." Corrected Tara.

"Aww, but I'm the one that needs the wings and halo."

"No, you have a horns and a tail, that's all."

"Oh your nice." Said James sarcastically.

"I know, I was made perfect."

"HA!"

"What?"

"Nothing." Said James looking away from Tara.

"No tell me!" said Tara pinning James to the ground.

"And look, round 2." Called Chester.

"SHUTTUP." Yelled Tara and James together.

Five minutes the room began to fill with students. Tiffany and her gang of girls walked over to Tara.

"Malfoy. What do you think you are doing? James is going to be mine and you know that. Leave us Gryffindors alone you…you DEATH EATER!" said Tiffany right in front of everybody.

The words were ringing in Tara's ears. She was not ever going to be a Death Eater. She never wanted to be the bad Malfoy.

"Just so you know Finny James is my friend. One of my best friends actually! Just because your blonde and what you think pretty doesn't mean you can get any guy you want! I would be surprised if Peter would go out with you." Said Tara pointing to a fellow second year.

"CAT FIGHT!" screamed Chester.

"What! I'm not fighting this...this snob. Not even if I was paid. All she is, is a little dumb twink that doesn't know the difference between broomsticks!" shrieked Tara. James gasped at the last part with the broomsticks.

"LADIES, LADIES SETTLES DOWN!" said Shirley over all the noise. "Will you PLEASE be quiet and let us start our lesson?"

What Shirley hadn't realized that the girls were fighting for the whole lesson and bell rang to go to break.

"Tara? Tiffany? Can I talk to you two please?" asked James once leaving the room.

"Look. I don't want you two fighting over me. I'm flattered. Tiffany, I'm sorry to burst your bubble but I don't like you...like that. Tara already knows that I really, really like her. 12 is too young to be a couple now so we're waiting. You'll never get me. Get that through your head. And Tara, you got some nice fight in you."

"Thank you." Said Tara, hugging James. Tiffany was starring at the two wide eyes, looking like she had just seen a ghost. She stalked off up to the Common room.

"That was harsh how she called you a death eater eh?"

"You're telling me. I heard that her family used to be into all that Dark Arts stuff...I have a feeling that some part of her family, they still are. She has everything to become a Death Eater too."

"That gives me an idea." Said James evilly.

"Oh no, this can't be good." Said Tara.

The two of them walked to the common room together. James stood up on one of the tables and cleared his throat and yelled. "TIFFANY IS A DEATH EATER!!! EVIIIIIL EEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVIIIIIIILLLLLLLL! SHE BRINGS EEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

Tara couldn't help but laugh with the rest of the Common room.

After the rest of their classes, the Tiffany thing was around the school and to the teachers as well. Tiffany wasn't seen for the whole day nor was she seen for the rest of the week. She hadn't turned up in any of her classes and she wasn't in the common room or dorms. 2 weeks after her disappearance, the teachers had cancelled classes for a search party. Some teacher, including Professor Shirley thought it was absurd canceling classes to find one student. Tiffany's followers were there. They looked healthier then they usually did too. They looked quite happy that Tiffany wasn't there to pester them and boss them around.

On the Monday of the second week James had thought of something. His father had given him a map of Hogwarts that he had gotten when he was in school. James didn't want to but he felt it was a good idea. He went up to Dumbledore's office with the map tightly clamped in his hands.

"Sir?"

"Yes Mr. Potter." He said gently.

"I thought this might come in handy to find Tiffany, sir." Said James walking up to Dumbledore's desk.

"Ah, the Marauder's map. I remember this when I was watching over your grandfather and you father."

"Yea, but I think it might come in handy, even though I don't like Tiffany as much as the next person, I just want to...err...go back to classes."

"Right then. I trust you know how to work it."

"Yes sir. I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

"Really now?"

"Sure, why not."