I would like to thank my first reviewer, FallenAngel, (and probably my only
one ( ). I do not claim to be a wonderful writer, but I do enjoy and
appreciate your response. I welcome constructive criticism because I want
to improve. Thank you and now on with the show!!!!!
Disclaimer (I forgot my other one.): I don't a thing. Never have. Never will. I only hope that some day, I could write my own series and make as much money and gain as much popularity as J.K. Rowling. Again, I own nothing.
Once the sorting hat had finished its song, and the wide-eyed, mesmerized first years were sorted, the Great Hall became filled with noises of slurping and munching. Dumbledore's speech this year was the same as always. Nothing new, nothing different.
"So Lily, I forgot to congratulate you. It isn't everyday one's best friend is Head Girl you know," Nadia explained with a dribble of mashed potatoes floating down her chin.
Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Sicily interrupted Lily's reply,
"Could you try for once to eat like a proper person? Honestly, sometimes it is embarrassing to be seen with you while you are eating. Whether it's gnawing on some bone or snorting milk out of your nose, or-"
"That is enough, thank you. I get the point. Thank you Nadia for the compliment," Lily interrupted.
Sicily huffed, "I was just saying that it is really annoying and very unappetizing to sit watch your friend shovel in her food and then watch half of it leave her mouth as more comes in. It is repulsing!"
"Thank you for the marvelous assessment Sicily. However, what is even more disgusting is walking on your nail chewing's!" Nadia retorted.
"How dare you! It is awful to have to wake up in the morning and smell your breath!"
"Well, I can't stand it when you chew your quill down to the point! And then watch you pick the feathers out of your teeth!!"
At this point, several bystanders of the conversation abandoned their food (too disgusted to eat) and proceeded to watch two friends bicker over whom was more repulsive. Growing tired of the squabbling, Lily sighed and stared at her plate. Just as her carrots were about to drown in the land of gravy, Lily looked up and saw two pairs of eyes staring back.
()()()()()()()()
"That is awful, and you say that Zachary Lightfoot won't be coming back?" Sirius asked.
"Nope. He went mad. Always muttering in his sleep, and then not sleeping for days, he was. I heard his muggle relatives couldn't take it anymore and chucked him into an asylum. He was a nice bloke," Remus replied quietly.
"I saw him around. He was quite annoying and very mettlesome. Gossiped more than the girls. But, yeah, I guess he was nice," assessed James.
"Do you know this guy who is behind all of this? I don't think he has a name. All I ever read is 'you-know-who'."
"Not a clue. I asked my parents and they told me 'it wasn't my concern and that I should just stay a kid'. I bet your parents would know Sirius."
Sirius scowled and said rather moodily,
"Don't mention them. I haven't seen them in a year. I don't talk to them and they don't speak to me. If you want to know anything of that sort, ask my brother Regalus who can be found at the Slytherin table amidst the other 5th years in his house."
James sighed heavily; he knew it was his mistake that he mentioned Sirius' family and by the looks Remus and Peter were giving him, they knew too. Knowing that for the next few minutes Sirius would continue to sulk, James stared down onto his plate. For no apparent reason, James looked up from his plate and his eyes fell on Lily Evans. Just as he was about to turn back to his plate, Lily looked up from her plate and at him too. Each of them stared for a few seconds before someone whispered in his ear,
"Didn't your mother tell you that it isn't polite to stare?"
James turned to find Remus and Sirius smirking at him. He looked back towards Lily but she had already turned away.
"I wasn't staring."
"Oh really?" Sirius asked while grinning, his previous troubles forgotten.
"Yes, really!"
"James, why don't you go over there and say something? Didn't you say that the two of you talked on the train?" Remus threw in.
"That was different. I was pushing her buttons then. She really didn't say anything. It was more of a monologue. What you are talking about is a conversation. Involving friendly (or otherwise) banter between two civilized individuals. I can't do that."
"Because you aren't civilized?" Sirius asked sweetly.
"No. It is because I get all tongue-tied because I never know what she'll say and I bet she would just say something that would embarrass me like it did by the lake back in 5th year and then I would run my hand thru my hair and then she would make fun of that and then I would have nothing to say and.."
"Prongs, you are rambling. Get up and go over there and say you wanted to salute her on becoming Head Girl. Then, if she replies with something mean, it would make her look awful and not you."
"Just remember, tongue in cheek. If she insults you, smile nicely and quickly walk away. That way it would save you from making a total ass of yourself," Remus instructed.
"Yeah, Prongs. Get over there and turn on the marauder charm. Do we have to demote you to fetch boy because you are unable to talk to a girl?"
"Hey!" Peter interjected. "Fetch boy is not a bad occupation!"
"Right. She is just a girl. I can do it." And with that, James got up from his seat and calmly made his way over to Lily. The walk seemed like forever.
Once he reached her, he opened his mouth to say "Congratulations" but what came out was entirely different,
"Could you hand me the pitcher of pumpkin juice? Our end ran out."
Lily eyed James warily but handed him the pumpkin juice and turned around to talk to her friends. James continued to stand there.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Still feeling someone's presence behind her, Lily turned around and faced James.
"Is there anything else you need? Tarts, pies, an incentive to go away?"
James stood there and shook his head 'no'.
"Then what do you want Potter?" Lily spat.
Out of nervousness, James fingers ventured into his pocket to grab hold of his trusty snitch.
Lily's eyes narrowed and looked James up and down.
"You shouldn't play with yourself in public, Potter. It doesn't look right."
James wondered what she was talking about but he quickly understood. He hastily removed his hand from his pockets and into his hair. His face had gone a nice shade of pink. Close to the shade of Lily's face back on the train when James had walked in on her commencement speech. This was revenge and Lily was enjoying every minute of it.
"I just want to say congratulations on becoming Head Girl and I look forward to working with you this year."
Taken slightly aback, Lily replied,
"Thank you. The same to you."
James sighed and ventured back to his end of the table.
"Well?" Peter inquired.
"Nothing. I just congratulated her and then came back."
"You were over there quite a while and that is all you said?" Remus posed.
"I asked for the pumpkin juice." James answered simply.
Sirius chuckled,
"You hear that everyone? James asked for the pumpkin juice. Next, he'll ask for her hand in marriage."
"Take back that pumpkin juice and say something else. Like, 'I was wondering Lily if you would like to join me for a butterbeer our next Hogsmeade outing."
James shook his head 'no', but the harassment from his friends convinced him to go back. Once he reached Lily, his friends watched the transaction take place.
She turned around again, he handed her the pumpkin juice and said something, she replied with a firm answer (Peter could have sworn it was 'no'), then he said something and she replied, then he grinned and before the other marauders knew it, mashed potatoes were decorating his shoes and his robes were sprayed with backwashed pumpkin juice.
On his way past his table, Sirius asked innocently,
"Did she say yes?"
"Only if hell would freeze over and the earth split in two, and flobberworms ruled the earth. Twice."
With that, James exited the Great hall, leaving a trail of mashed potatoes and his fellow marauders laughter behind him.
Disclaimer (I forgot my other one.): I don't a thing. Never have. Never will. I only hope that some day, I could write my own series and make as much money and gain as much popularity as J.K. Rowling. Again, I own nothing.
Once the sorting hat had finished its song, and the wide-eyed, mesmerized first years were sorted, the Great Hall became filled with noises of slurping and munching. Dumbledore's speech this year was the same as always. Nothing new, nothing different.
"So Lily, I forgot to congratulate you. It isn't everyday one's best friend is Head Girl you know," Nadia explained with a dribble of mashed potatoes floating down her chin.
Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Sicily interrupted Lily's reply,
"Could you try for once to eat like a proper person? Honestly, sometimes it is embarrassing to be seen with you while you are eating. Whether it's gnawing on some bone or snorting milk out of your nose, or-"
"That is enough, thank you. I get the point. Thank you Nadia for the compliment," Lily interrupted.
Sicily huffed, "I was just saying that it is really annoying and very unappetizing to sit watch your friend shovel in her food and then watch half of it leave her mouth as more comes in. It is repulsing!"
"Thank you for the marvelous assessment Sicily. However, what is even more disgusting is walking on your nail chewing's!" Nadia retorted.
"How dare you! It is awful to have to wake up in the morning and smell your breath!"
"Well, I can't stand it when you chew your quill down to the point! And then watch you pick the feathers out of your teeth!!"
At this point, several bystanders of the conversation abandoned their food (too disgusted to eat) and proceeded to watch two friends bicker over whom was more repulsive. Growing tired of the squabbling, Lily sighed and stared at her plate. Just as her carrots were about to drown in the land of gravy, Lily looked up and saw two pairs of eyes staring back.
()()()()()()()()
"That is awful, and you say that Zachary Lightfoot won't be coming back?" Sirius asked.
"Nope. He went mad. Always muttering in his sleep, and then not sleeping for days, he was. I heard his muggle relatives couldn't take it anymore and chucked him into an asylum. He was a nice bloke," Remus replied quietly.
"I saw him around. He was quite annoying and very mettlesome. Gossiped more than the girls. But, yeah, I guess he was nice," assessed James.
"Do you know this guy who is behind all of this? I don't think he has a name. All I ever read is 'you-know-who'."
"Not a clue. I asked my parents and they told me 'it wasn't my concern and that I should just stay a kid'. I bet your parents would know Sirius."
Sirius scowled and said rather moodily,
"Don't mention them. I haven't seen them in a year. I don't talk to them and they don't speak to me. If you want to know anything of that sort, ask my brother Regalus who can be found at the Slytherin table amidst the other 5th years in his house."
James sighed heavily; he knew it was his mistake that he mentioned Sirius' family and by the looks Remus and Peter were giving him, they knew too. Knowing that for the next few minutes Sirius would continue to sulk, James stared down onto his plate. For no apparent reason, James looked up from his plate and his eyes fell on Lily Evans. Just as he was about to turn back to his plate, Lily looked up from her plate and at him too. Each of them stared for a few seconds before someone whispered in his ear,
"Didn't your mother tell you that it isn't polite to stare?"
James turned to find Remus and Sirius smirking at him. He looked back towards Lily but she had already turned away.
"I wasn't staring."
"Oh really?" Sirius asked while grinning, his previous troubles forgotten.
"Yes, really!"
"James, why don't you go over there and say something? Didn't you say that the two of you talked on the train?" Remus threw in.
"That was different. I was pushing her buttons then. She really didn't say anything. It was more of a monologue. What you are talking about is a conversation. Involving friendly (or otherwise) banter between two civilized individuals. I can't do that."
"Because you aren't civilized?" Sirius asked sweetly.
"No. It is because I get all tongue-tied because I never know what she'll say and I bet she would just say something that would embarrass me like it did by the lake back in 5th year and then I would run my hand thru my hair and then she would make fun of that and then I would have nothing to say and.."
"Prongs, you are rambling. Get up and go over there and say you wanted to salute her on becoming Head Girl. Then, if she replies with something mean, it would make her look awful and not you."
"Just remember, tongue in cheek. If she insults you, smile nicely and quickly walk away. That way it would save you from making a total ass of yourself," Remus instructed.
"Yeah, Prongs. Get over there and turn on the marauder charm. Do we have to demote you to fetch boy because you are unable to talk to a girl?"
"Hey!" Peter interjected. "Fetch boy is not a bad occupation!"
"Right. She is just a girl. I can do it." And with that, James got up from his seat and calmly made his way over to Lily. The walk seemed like forever.
Once he reached her, he opened his mouth to say "Congratulations" but what came out was entirely different,
"Could you hand me the pitcher of pumpkin juice? Our end ran out."
Lily eyed James warily but handed him the pumpkin juice and turned around to talk to her friends. James continued to stand there.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Still feeling someone's presence behind her, Lily turned around and faced James.
"Is there anything else you need? Tarts, pies, an incentive to go away?"
James stood there and shook his head 'no'.
"Then what do you want Potter?" Lily spat.
Out of nervousness, James fingers ventured into his pocket to grab hold of his trusty snitch.
Lily's eyes narrowed and looked James up and down.
"You shouldn't play with yourself in public, Potter. It doesn't look right."
James wondered what she was talking about but he quickly understood. He hastily removed his hand from his pockets and into his hair. His face had gone a nice shade of pink. Close to the shade of Lily's face back on the train when James had walked in on her commencement speech. This was revenge and Lily was enjoying every minute of it.
"I just want to say congratulations on becoming Head Girl and I look forward to working with you this year."
Taken slightly aback, Lily replied,
"Thank you. The same to you."
James sighed and ventured back to his end of the table.
"Well?" Peter inquired.
"Nothing. I just congratulated her and then came back."
"You were over there quite a while and that is all you said?" Remus posed.
"I asked for the pumpkin juice." James answered simply.
Sirius chuckled,
"You hear that everyone? James asked for the pumpkin juice. Next, he'll ask for her hand in marriage."
"Take back that pumpkin juice and say something else. Like, 'I was wondering Lily if you would like to join me for a butterbeer our next Hogsmeade outing."
James shook his head 'no', but the harassment from his friends convinced him to go back. Once he reached Lily, his friends watched the transaction take place.
She turned around again, he handed her the pumpkin juice and said something, she replied with a firm answer (Peter could have sworn it was 'no'), then he said something and she replied, then he grinned and before the other marauders knew it, mashed potatoes were decorating his shoes and his robes were sprayed with backwashed pumpkin juice.
On his way past his table, Sirius asked innocently,
"Did she say yes?"
"Only if hell would freeze over and the earth split in two, and flobberworms ruled the earth. Twice."
With that, James exited the Great hall, leaving a trail of mashed potatoes and his fellow marauders laughter behind him.