Chapter 11
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The rest of the day passed at a rather slow rate. After lunch the Gryffindors attended Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. They worked on transfiguring turtles into decorative bowls. The Marauders chose to neglect this task in favor of watching their turtles "race" across the floor until McGonagall came to glare at them disapprovingly. After each of them had crafted some sort of shoddy bowl, most still having appendages, they ventured to their next class, History of Magic with Professor Binns. The whole of the class fell asleep for quite a long duration during his dull lecture. Finally, classes ceased for the day and a mob of extremely fatigued students flooded the Great Hall for a delectable dinner. After each plate had been emptied of its contents, and every stomach had been filled to capacity, Headmaster Dippet stood to make an announcement. Silence blanketed the Great Hall as he stared out at the sea of students.
"That was a delightful dinner, wasn't it?" Headmaster Dippet pronounced. Cheers and hoots of joy met his assessment. "Indeed. Anyhow, I have some unfortunate news to share with all of you. However, you may consider it to be quite fortunate. I suppose it's all a matter of opinion," Headmaster Dippet explained as he rambled on. Students traded looks of confusion and apprehension as he blathered aimlessly. Eventually he seemed to be nearing a point.
"Anyway, my announcement is that I will be retiring as headmaster of Hogwarts after this year," he stated. The Great Hall's silence was broken as some students groaned and others smiled and shared in silent delight. Professor Dippet waved his hand as though to dismiss the students' reactions. "It is yet to be determined who will take my place," Professor Dippet continued. He spoke for several more minutes without any particular purpose and most of the students grew restless. He finally stopped speaking when Professor Dumbledore stood up.
"Headmaster Dippet, you will be sorely missed by the entirety of the staff and students here at Hogwarts. However, to celebrate your fine work as Headmaster, the staff has decided to throw a ball in your honor," Dumbledore stated, a twinkle in his eyes. The Great Hall was filled with a sharp and audible gasp and then enthusiastic cheering. "It will be held in two weeks. Members of the Ministry of Magic will also be invited as guests of honor to commemorate Headmaster Dippet's work. So do find yourself an escort of some sort for the evening if you so wish. Or, choose to go unaccompanied. Either way, it will be an enchanting evening, I assure you," Professor Dumbledore exclaimed, his lips curling into a smile beneath his long graying beard.
The Great Hall broke out into ear-splitting applause. Girls squealed with glee and delight, while the boys eyed each other nervously. Professor Dumbledore took his seat once more and excited banter commenced immediately.
"This ball is such a wonderful idea!" Chloe squealed as she grabbed a hold of James's arm. James looked at her uncomfortably as he subtly moved his arm from beyond her grasp.
"Sure," James replied awkwardly. Lily's mind flooded with confusion as Sirius smiled smugly at her. She couldn't possibly go to a ball. No guy had ever even truly asked her out before. She'd never even been on a date. The only thing that she knew for sure was that if Chloe didn't stop hanging on James as though he were a coat rack, she'd rip her greedy grasping hands and limbs right off her body.
"James, what color dress robes do you think would look best on me?" Chloe inquired, batting her lengthy eyelashes vigorously at him. James shrugged nonchalantly as he took a nervous sip from his goblet of water. He peered over the rim at Lilly. Her fiery red hair was hanging around her face haphazardly. Her evergreen eyes betrayed her apprehension, and her usually pale white cheeks held a blush of scarlet. James also took notice of Sirius staring at her possessively. The rancid taste of jealousy arose within his mouth, as he clenched his fists. Chloe noticed the sudden presence of rage and tenseness in his figure.
"James, what's wrong?" she questioned impatiently. "Answer my question! What color dress robes should I wear?" James turned to her with a look of slight disgust on his face. He then arose from the table and tapped Sirius hard on the back.
"Ouch! What's wrong, Prongs? Is your bridle on too tightly?" Sirius asked in irritation as he rubbed his shoulder blade.
"I'm done with dinner, how about you?" James inquired intently.
"Well, actually, I was going to stay and speak with Lily for a while," Sirius responded, glancing at Lily with a smile.
"May I have a word with you back in the common room?" James questioned.
"Now?" Sirius whined. James nodded his head solemnly.
"Can't it wait?" Sirius demanded. James shook his head. Sirius reluctantly got up and followed James out of the Great Hall and back towards the Gryffindor dormitory.
"What's wrong, James?" Sirius asked impatiently after they had left the Great Hall.
"Who are you going to ask to this ball?" James demanded. Sirius smiled smugly and shrugged his shoulders. "I see where this is going," Sirius replied. "You want to take Chloe and you're worried that I'm not over her yet. Believe me, that relationship is done with. It will never be resurrected," Sirius stated with a slight chuckle.
"I don't want to go with Chloe," James replied with revulsion. "Just tell me who you're planning to ask."
"Lily, of course," Sirius replied self-assuredly.
"Do you really think that's such a wise idea?" James inquired.
"What on earth do you mean?" Sirius asked in shock, his brown eyes shining with suspicion.
"Lily has never been fond of any of the Marauders in that way," James explained.
"I don't know, James. She seems to have become fairly cozy with me as of late," Sirius responded.
"I hadn't notice any particular fondness for you on her part," James shot back.
"You wouldn't. You're practically blind when it comes to matters of the heart, James Potter," Sirius exclaimed scathingly.
"Listen, Sirius, I don't want to fight with you. I just wanted to suggest that you not ask Lily to be your date." Sirius scoffed at James's suggestion.
"And who is she going to go with then, James? A nice young man from Slytherin? Severus Snape, perhaps?" Sirius asked in disbelief. They'd reached their dormitories by this point and Sirius stopped to offer the fat lady the current password.
"No, of course not," James replied, rolling his eyes.
"Then who?" Sirius demanded.
"I don't know!" James exclaimed. "It's not as though guys aren't vying for her attention you know. She's caught the eye of many sixth and seventh year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs."
"Wouldn't you rather that she went with a Marauder?" Sirius asked incredulously.
"No, quite frankly, I'd rather she went with someone with better intentions," James stated candidly.
"Who are you two speaking of so heatedly?" a voice asked from behind. James spun quickly on his heel to see Lily standing there, arms crossed in front of her chest, her features bent into a look of confusion.
"Nobody," James and Sirius answered simultaneously. Lily looked slightly taken aback by their response. The two boys then proceeded to trudge off towards their dormitory to continue their conversation, leaving Lily standing alone and confused in the middle of the common room. As the sound of their footsteps climbing the stone steps faded, Chloe entered into the common room.
Thank you all so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the day passed at a rather slow rate. After lunch the Gryffindors attended Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. They worked on transfiguring turtles into decorative bowls. The Marauders chose to neglect this task in favor of watching their turtles "race" across the floor until McGonagall came to glare at them disapprovingly. After each of them had crafted some sort of shoddy bowl, most still having appendages, they ventured to their next class, History of Magic with Professor Binns. The whole of the class fell asleep for quite a long duration during his dull lecture. Finally, classes ceased for the day and a mob of extremely fatigued students flooded the Great Hall for a delectable dinner. After each plate had been emptied of its contents, and every stomach had been filled to capacity, Headmaster Dippet stood to make an announcement. Silence blanketed the Great Hall as he stared out at the sea of students.
"That was a delightful dinner, wasn't it?" Headmaster Dippet pronounced. Cheers and hoots of joy met his assessment. "Indeed. Anyhow, I have some unfortunate news to share with all of you. However, you may consider it to be quite fortunate. I suppose it's all a matter of opinion," Headmaster Dippet explained as he rambled on. Students traded looks of confusion and apprehension as he blathered aimlessly. Eventually he seemed to be nearing a point.
"Anyway, my announcement is that I will be retiring as headmaster of Hogwarts after this year," he stated. The Great Hall's silence was broken as some students groaned and others smiled and shared in silent delight. Professor Dippet waved his hand as though to dismiss the students' reactions. "It is yet to be determined who will take my place," Professor Dippet continued. He spoke for several more minutes without any particular purpose and most of the students grew restless. He finally stopped speaking when Professor Dumbledore stood up.
"Headmaster Dippet, you will be sorely missed by the entirety of the staff and students here at Hogwarts. However, to celebrate your fine work as Headmaster, the staff has decided to throw a ball in your honor," Dumbledore stated, a twinkle in his eyes. The Great Hall was filled with a sharp and audible gasp and then enthusiastic cheering. "It will be held in two weeks. Members of the Ministry of Magic will also be invited as guests of honor to commemorate Headmaster Dippet's work. So do find yourself an escort of some sort for the evening if you so wish. Or, choose to go unaccompanied. Either way, it will be an enchanting evening, I assure you," Professor Dumbledore exclaimed, his lips curling into a smile beneath his long graying beard.
The Great Hall broke out into ear-splitting applause. Girls squealed with glee and delight, while the boys eyed each other nervously. Professor Dumbledore took his seat once more and excited banter commenced immediately.
"This ball is such a wonderful idea!" Chloe squealed as she grabbed a hold of James's arm. James looked at her uncomfortably as he subtly moved his arm from beyond her grasp.
"Sure," James replied awkwardly. Lily's mind flooded with confusion as Sirius smiled smugly at her. She couldn't possibly go to a ball. No guy had ever even truly asked her out before. She'd never even been on a date. The only thing that she knew for sure was that if Chloe didn't stop hanging on James as though he were a coat rack, she'd rip her greedy grasping hands and limbs right off her body.
"James, what color dress robes do you think would look best on me?" Chloe inquired, batting her lengthy eyelashes vigorously at him. James shrugged nonchalantly as he took a nervous sip from his goblet of water. He peered over the rim at Lilly. Her fiery red hair was hanging around her face haphazardly. Her evergreen eyes betrayed her apprehension, and her usually pale white cheeks held a blush of scarlet. James also took notice of Sirius staring at her possessively. The rancid taste of jealousy arose within his mouth, as he clenched his fists. Chloe noticed the sudden presence of rage and tenseness in his figure.
"James, what's wrong?" she questioned impatiently. "Answer my question! What color dress robes should I wear?" James turned to her with a look of slight disgust on his face. He then arose from the table and tapped Sirius hard on the back.
"Ouch! What's wrong, Prongs? Is your bridle on too tightly?" Sirius asked in irritation as he rubbed his shoulder blade.
"I'm done with dinner, how about you?" James inquired intently.
"Well, actually, I was going to stay and speak with Lily for a while," Sirius responded, glancing at Lily with a smile.
"May I have a word with you back in the common room?" James questioned.
"Now?" Sirius whined. James nodded his head solemnly.
"Can't it wait?" Sirius demanded. James shook his head. Sirius reluctantly got up and followed James out of the Great Hall and back towards the Gryffindor dormitory.
"What's wrong, James?" Sirius asked impatiently after they had left the Great Hall.
"Who are you going to ask to this ball?" James demanded. Sirius smiled smugly and shrugged his shoulders. "I see where this is going," Sirius replied. "You want to take Chloe and you're worried that I'm not over her yet. Believe me, that relationship is done with. It will never be resurrected," Sirius stated with a slight chuckle.
"I don't want to go with Chloe," James replied with revulsion. "Just tell me who you're planning to ask."
"Lily, of course," Sirius replied self-assuredly.
"Do you really think that's such a wise idea?" James inquired.
"What on earth do you mean?" Sirius asked in shock, his brown eyes shining with suspicion.
"Lily has never been fond of any of the Marauders in that way," James explained.
"I don't know, James. She seems to have become fairly cozy with me as of late," Sirius responded.
"I hadn't notice any particular fondness for you on her part," James shot back.
"You wouldn't. You're practically blind when it comes to matters of the heart, James Potter," Sirius exclaimed scathingly.
"Listen, Sirius, I don't want to fight with you. I just wanted to suggest that you not ask Lily to be your date." Sirius scoffed at James's suggestion.
"And who is she going to go with then, James? A nice young man from Slytherin? Severus Snape, perhaps?" Sirius asked in disbelief. They'd reached their dormitories by this point and Sirius stopped to offer the fat lady the current password.
"No, of course not," James replied, rolling his eyes.
"Then who?" Sirius demanded.
"I don't know!" James exclaimed. "It's not as though guys aren't vying for her attention you know. She's caught the eye of many sixth and seventh year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs."
"Wouldn't you rather that she went with a Marauder?" Sirius asked incredulously.
"No, quite frankly, I'd rather she went with someone with better intentions," James stated candidly.
"Who are you two speaking of so heatedly?" a voice asked from behind. James spun quickly on his heel to see Lily standing there, arms crossed in front of her chest, her features bent into a look of confusion.
"Nobody," James and Sirius answered simultaneously. Lily looked slightly taken aback by their response. The two boys then proceeded to trudge off towards their dormitory to continue their conversation, leaving Lily standing alone and confused in the middle of the common room. As the sound of their footsteps climbing the stone steps faded, Chloe entered into the common room.