A Few Quick Responses

Agloechen ~ actually, their friends aren't entirely sure that the notes are fake...they just have a nagging sort of sensations that (to quote the chapter title) 'something's screwy.'  Thanks for reviewing!!

Everyone ~ Don't worry...Irene is going to get something bad happen to her.  I just haven't figured out who, when or what...any ideas for what?

Chapter 14

Something's Screwy

A few days later, James' mood still hadn't improved. He slumped down the hall to Defense Against the Dark Arts flanked by Sirius and Remus and followed closely by Peter.  Sirius was attempting to make conversation.  "So, Remus, who are you going to go to the ball with?"

"Oh, I don't know yet."  Remus answered.

"I think I'll take that Hufflepuff, Cristina Huzinsky." Peter spoke up.

Sirius frowned.  "I don't know who that is.  Have you asked her yet?"

Peter pinked.  "Well, no, but I—"

"Well what are you waiting for? The ball? Ask her already!" exclaimed Sirius.

"I—"

"Do you want someone else to get her first?"

"No."

"Then ask her today!  End of conversation."

"Thank you!" James said with relief.  "The ball is the last thing I want to think about right now."

"Don't worry, Prongs, you and Lily will be alright by the time the ball rolls around."  comforted Sirius.

James snorted.  "No, she'll be going with that guy she talked about in her note and I'll be going with—"

"Me." a sultry female voice said.  "How about it, James?"

James gaped at her. "Who are you?"

The girl laughed a little, tossing her long black hair behind her shoulders. "I'm Irene Simmons.  So, how about it?"

"Ah, I, that is to say, I—"

She tittered.  "Good.  So, where are you headed?" she asked, linking her arm through his.

James looked back at Sirius and Remus for help as Irene dragged him down the hall.  "Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

Sirius, Remus, and Peter were shocked.  "Did you just see that?" asked Sirius.

"I'm afraid I did." Remus answered.  "I've never seen such tactics before."

"Me either.  Poor Prongs didn't know what to do." agreed Sirius.

"She came on really strong." Peter said.

"Tell me about it." Remus said.

Sirius was still staring down the hall after James and Irene "Should we do something?"

"You mean aside from keeping Lily from finding out about it?"

"Augh! You're right! Lily cannot find out about this.  At all."

Remus nodded.  "If she finds out then the chances of them getting back together are next to nothing.  Unless of course she did write the note."

Sirius shook his head vehemently.  "No." he said.  "I can't believe she would write that.  I tried to tell James that but he just looked at me and said, 'yeah, well, she did.'"

"It's too weird."  agreed Remus.

"And then Kiara comes in screaming at James for doing something to Lily..." Sirius pondered, trailing off.

"Something's screwy." Peter said.

"And we'll find out what."  Remus declared.

*

Several days passed, but Sirius, Remus, and Peter had no luck in finding out whether or not the note was false.  After much pondering, they decided to do something they should have done in the first place:  enlist the help of Kiara and Jordan.

"So we have to find out whether or not the note is real." Remus concluded, looking anxiously at the girls.

Jordan raised an eyebrow.  "So James got a note too?"

"What do you mean, too?" asked Peter.

"Lily got one from James.  It really tore her apart." Kiara said.

Sirius's eyebrows shot up through his hair and he looked down at Kiara.  "James didn't write any note."

"Well she got one from him."  Kiara commented.

Jordan stood up.  "Let's get the notes."  she said before running up the stairs.

"Good idea." agreed Remus, standing up and running up the boys' staircase.

Soon the two returned and everyone gathered around to examine the notes.

Sirius snorted.  "She actually believed that was James?  Ridiculous."

Kiara looked up.  "I could say the same about James.  This doesn't sound a thing like Lily."

"But who would do something like this?" asked Jordan.

Remus shrugged.  "Beats me."

*

|Three Days Later|

*

Lily had also been in a unpleasant mood for the past several days.  Add the mood to ten tons of homework and you got a very, very pissed off, depressed Lily.  She was heading towards the library to try and reduce her load of homework at little.  She would have done her homework in the common room, but the chances of running into James in the library were a lot slimmer.

Her bag was stuffed to the brim with books and was causing her to walk slightly slanted due to the weight of it.  Suddenly, the seam holding the strap to the bag snapped and her books went spinning everywhere.  Lily sighed.  Things were going downhill.  Fast.

She had gathered up all the books except one, which was peeking out a doorway to an empty classroom.  She put her bag on the floor and went over to get the book.  As she neared the doorway, she heard noises that sounded suspiciously like a major snogging session was occurring in that room.  Terrific, she thought wryly. That'll help my mood so much.  As she slipped around the doorway to pick up her book, she noticed the people on the desk.  James. Merde.  She grabbed her book and flew out of the room, praying she hadn't been seen.

*

Jordan had been peacefully reading Hogwarts: A History on the couch in the common room when she was startled by a loud THUD! by the portrait hole.  She looked up to see Lily standing there with her overflowing bag of books at her feet.  Lily looked at her, then at the bag for a couple seconds, then her face crumpled.  Jordan threw her book to the side and leapt to her feet.  "Lily!  What's wrong? What happened?" she cried, rushing over to her and leading her back to the couch.

"He's...such...an...ass!" Lily choked out, between sobs.

"Shh, shh." Jordan said.  "Tell me what happened."

"Him, kissing, some girl, empty classroom."  Lily cried.

Jordan's eyes widened.  "But Lily, are you sure it was him?  He didn't write the note."

Lily snorted through her tears.  "Yeah right.  He was with the girl he was talking about in his note.  It can't just be a coincidence."

"Lily, work with me here.  What if this is last time all over again?"

"It's not."

"But what if it is?"

"Trust me, Jordan.  The note and then this?  I was stupid, but now it's over.  I'm going to bed."  Lily got up and went up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

Jordan slid down on the couch.  So much for not finding out.

*

Remus came through the portrait hole a couple minutes later and, upon seeing Jordan sprawled on the sofa, asked, "What happened?"

"Lily found James and Irene snogging in an empty classroom this afternoon.  She's not a happy camper."

"Fudge." Remus said, sinking down into the nearest armchair.  "That screws up a lot of things."

Jordan exhaled.  "Tell me about it."

"Well, Lily saw things she wasn't supposed to..."

Jordan put up her hand.  "Haha.  Seriously though, what are we going to do?"

Remus sighed. "I wish I could say I knew."

*

|Two Days Later|

*

"Go to the ball with me, Lily?"  asked Daniel Phritt.  Daniel was a tall, snotty Ravenclaw with wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. 

Lily opened her mouth to say no, but at that moment she caught sight of James and Irene.  James was watching Daniel with some disgust until Irene turned his head towards her.  Lily steeled herself, noticed James peeking their way again and said, "Yes."

"Excellent." Daniel said.  "I'll meet you in front of the Great Hall at eight then?"

"What?" Lily tore her gaze away from James and Irene.  "Yeah, sure."

Daniel bestowed a kiss upon Lily and walked away.

Kiara came up next to Lily. "What was that?"

"My date for the ball."

"You're—you're—you're going with HIM!?" yelled Kiara.

Lily shot Kiara a look.  "Yes. I am."

"But, Lily..." Kiara pleaded.  "He's an asshole."

"He's perfectly fine."

Jordan stuck her head between them.  "Actually, Lily, I have to agree with Kiara on this one."

Lily threw her hands up in the air.  "First, James, now you guys!  Why is everyone picking on me?" she cried, before running off in the other direction.

Jordan let out a low whistle. "Well.  That went well."

Remus and Sirius walked over to them. Sirius slung his arm around Kiara.  "What went well?"

"Daniel Phritt just asked Lily to the ball and she said yes."

Remus dropped his books.  "What?"

Kiara nodded, wrapping her arms around Sirius' waist. "Yup.  Then she got mad at us for telling her he's an asshole."

"Which he is." interceded Jordan

Sirius ran his free hand through his hair.  "Well.  This'll be interesting."

*augh! Writer's block sucks!  Ah, well, I have a vague idea of what's going to happen in the next chapter.  Very vague.  lol, anyway, cliffhangers!!

J The Ball:  What will happen?

J Irene:  Will she get what she deserves?

J James and Lily:  Will they get back together at the ball?

J Rebecca:  Will she leave the JPFC for good?

Anyway, read! Review! Review! Review! I'm almost at two hundred!! ::cheers:: you guys rock!  And the usual chatterings:  if anyone can help me get a livejournal, please please please please let me know!  And if you want to be notified when I update, leave your email!  Love you!*