Elsewhere in the village, darkness crept. Peter wandered around unaware as a pair of Slytherins watched him. Peter made polite conversation with the people he ran into, but seemed slightly lost by himself. Unaware of the trouble, he wandered down a side alley as a shortcut. The two Slytherins walked up behind him, hearing the voices, he turned.
"Rodolphus? Rabastan?" The Lestrange brothers. He tried not to sound as scared as he was. "What do you want?"
"We want to talk to you, Pettigrew." The taller Rodolphus growled.
"Yes, talk," Rabastan agreed, in a low snarl.
Peter felt terribly insecure, but managed to keep his composure. He glared at them. "Why would I talk to you?"
"Because you have no one else, " sneered one of them, who kept exchanging places. "We know you don't fit in."
"Yes, you do look awkward with that," Rodolphus groped for a word, "lot."
"They are obviously busy." Peter growled back at them. "I'm not some pet they have to look after and care on."
"Oh, but you are." Rabastan traded places with his brother. "You are not in their league-"
"Whatever that may be" His brother snickering cut in.
"-There are better uses for you." And they walked off in the shadows. Peter shivered at the encounter.
He walked out of the alley petrified. Unaware he bumped right into Lily and James. He jolted to a stop and swallowed down whatever was running through his head as he tried to act like nothing had happened to him.
"Hey, mate, we were just head for a drink. Join us." James put his arm across Peter's shoulders. Peter didn't refuse but felt uncomfortable.
They walked in and Lily saw that Sirius, Remus, nor Ava were there yet. She went and found her own seat while James went to go get a drink with Peter. After a while the three came in together laughing. Lily smiled at Ava's friendship with the two. She hadn't figured the personalities to click, yet they all did. Ava had told her a little bit why she didn't trust many guys, but she seemed to get along with the marauders oddly enough. They saw her and walked over.
James came back with a drink for Lily, smiling as he saw her company. Remus and Sirius both stood up, asking if Ava wanted anything, just a water she told them. They headed off to the bar. Lily sipped her butterbeer as they all talked. Half way through she stood up and grabbed Ava by the arm, telling her they were going to the bathroom.
"What?" Ava asked her searching her friend for madness. Lily gave her friend a goofy grin.
"I have to show you the robe I saw in the window! It will be perfect for the ball. I know James and I are together but he asked me anyway, isn't that sweet?" Lily babbled on and on.
Ava tried to pay attention, but somehow couldn't help getting dazed. She finally interrupted Lily. "Did you come in here to use the bathroom?"
"Oh yeah," Lily turned and went into one of the stalls, still talking. Ava walked over to the mirrors and splashed some water on her face. After a flush, a familiar looking girl walked out of the stall next to Lily's and over to wash her hands. Seeing Ava she turned on a bright smile.
"I was just about to go find you!" Ana squealed at her. "I have been looking for you all day."
Ava just looked at her surprised. "Here I am."
"I know you're just the girl to help me, I mean, you have to be, because if you can't who can?" she babbled on similar to Lily. Ava wondered if there was something in the water at the way the girls were going crazy lately. Stupid ball.
"What do you think I can do for you," Ava asked her, cutting through all the girls chatter.
"Oh, sorry, "she giggled. "I know you are good friends with Sirius, I was wondering if you could talk to him."
"About what?" Ava grew frustrated at the girl's ditziness.
"The dance silly."
"What about it, you are going to have to be a bit more clear." Ava was becoming impatient with her.
"I want to go with him, and since you're such good friends, maybe you could feel him out for me. I mean, see what he thinks about me? If he likes me?"
"Sirius likes every girl." She said bluntly.
"Yeah but can't you suggest that I'd be good for him."
Ava doubted that seriously. She actually felt very odd at picturing Sirius with this girl. She was definitely not right for him. "I'll see, but I can't make any promises." This girl wouldn't make it to Sirius Ava thought as she watched Ana bounce out the door.
"Lily" she growled at her to hurry up. Ava stood at the mirror coming up with the numerous reasons Ana wasn't right for Sirius. The main point that came popping up was the fact she couldn't ask him herself. Sirius would never go with someone who couldn't be upfront enough to ask him herself.
Lily finally wandered out of the stall, still talking. They made their way back to the table, Ava's eyes all but glazed over now. The boys hearing what Lily was talking about made conversation with one another, abandoning Ava to the girlishness that was overcoming Lily.
Finally, after seeing Ava almost fall into water out of boredom, her eyes dulled by Lily constant chattering, James took pity on Ava and took Lily by the arm, listening to her talk and walked with her back to the castle. Ava almost feel off of her stool in relief. "This ball is craziness!"
Remus laughed as he patted her on the back and left with Peter to go talk to the girls that bought them drinks across the room. Sirius declined and said he was headed back to the castle soon to rescue James from his mistake of taking on Lily by himself. He sat talking with Ava for a little before they headed back out side.
Once they were walking back to the castle, Ava couldn't help but think of what Ana had said to her. Although she didn't see it happening, she said she would see about it. So she, much to her disbelief, brought up the ball. "So thought about who you're going to take to the dance?" Ava asked Sirius trying to seem random.
Surprised, he shrugged. "Hadn't really thought about it. Thought you were tired of it already."
She laughed. "That's what I said to Devon. She's been breathing down my neck about getting a 'good one'" her fingers gestured quotations. "But yeah I am tired of it."
He looked sideways at her. 'Then why bring it up' he seemed to ask her. She leveled with him.
"I ran into someone who wants to go with you, but is too shy to ask."
"Ah." Sirius nodded. It made sense, he couldn't see Ava bringing up the subject unless she had a reason. "Who?"
"I shouldn't say. But I will say she's not right for you. I mean, she couldn't even approach you herself?" Ava waved her hands at the stupidity of it.
Sirius laughed. "So who is right for me?"
Ava considered this. She didn't know who was right for him, but she knew who wasn't. "I'll find you the right girl."
Sirius looked at her in surprise. She was even surprised herself at her suggestion. "You wont have to worry, I'll just bounce some names off of you and you can pick."
He smiled, "alright."
"Deal" both said and they shook hands.
"Hmm, how about Lori, she's a dish." She picked a girl she liked at random.
"Dated her. She with Heath now anyway."
"Nicole?"
"Dated in fifth year. Pissed her off because I spent more time with the boys."
"Geez, you were right when you said you were either related or dated." Ava went through girls in her mind. "Isobel's going after William. Raquel's a bit of a snob. Julia can't pick one guy long enough to dance. Ana, well Ana's not right, neither is Carly, Jolene…"
Sirius stared in wonder at her. She was serious about this. He felt a certain happiness at her concern for him finding the right date. But felt slightly off for some reason he couldn't quite place his finger on.
"Wow, you probably think I'm awful. All these things I'm saying about my friends." She gave him an embarrassed look.
"Nah, just looking out for my best interest is all." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she laughed.
"What about Tishey in Hufflepuff, or Christine in Ravenclaw?" She tried some more.
"Dated, dated." He smiled his own embarrassed sheepish smile. She laughed.
"Well, I guess it doesn't have to be today. But I'll let you know when I find her."
"Well, ok." Sirius, giving her a look implying she had a deadline, joked with her.
They reached the Castle and made their way to the house room. Upon entering they found James on his side on the couch in a daze. Lily was talking to a girl who sat in the chair next to her.
"Ok, you get him, I'm going in." Ava looked at Sirius with a pained expression on her face. The way James saved her from the past hour's talk was really sweet, she could at least do the same for him. So she jarred him back to consciousness and tilted her head in Sirius direction. James looked over to see his friend waiting for him and slowly stood up, Lily still completely unaware. James gave Ava a small squeeze on the shoulder before walking over to Sirius who then turned and they both left the room. Ava sat back taking James' seat, steeling herself for what was ahead.
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Fallenistari- yes definitely a Sirius fan. I have to write down my ideas or they won't leave me alone, run with them for my own peace of mind. I guess you like it…So thanks.
Marieke-Sirius is amazing. Very fun too.