~*~GREEN EYES~*~
Chapter 44- Check Mate
January slowly began to pass into February, and with each passing day Lily seemed to be able to smile a little bit more. Her grades were up to par, and she had been trying to convince everyone to start studying for final exams.
"But Lily, they're months away!" exclaimed Sirius, who would much rather spend saturday doing something less productive with his time.
"I know, but they sneak up on you. Right now you think a few months and then all of a sudden they're here," replied Lily, taking out her color coded potions notebook. Everyone gave her the look that she was crazy, and then Remus voiced an opinion.
"Hey Sirius, why don't we go up to the Marauders Headquarters and take out your motorcycle. We could fly it somewhere fun, somewhere no one will be able to see us," he said.
"Yeah, you know that would be fun. We could go to the quidditch game that's playing up north!" exclaimed Sirius.
"I would definitely be up for that," said James, putting down the book he was reading. He had covered it with some sort of magic paper, so that no one would know what he was reading, and he kept it around all the time. Lily figured that it was some sort of illegal transfiguration book, so she didn't press the topic any further when James refused to tell her what he was reading. "I need to take a break from the castle."
"Just as long as I'm back before midnight," stated Remus nonchalantly. Sirius and James looked at him knowingly, and the fact that he had to be home early was a catalyst for leaving on time and making the most of their time.
"Well one of us should wake up Peter, I'm sure he'll want to come with us," said James, although he didn't exactly want him to come. Peter had been acting strangelately, as if there was some dark veil surrounding his body and clouding his features. He seemed to bring a chill to any room that he entered.
"I'll do it," said Remus, walking up to the boys dormitory. Peter was in bed, still sound asleep. Remus tapped him lightly and, when that didn't work, shook him awake.
"What are you doing? It's early," said Peter.
"It's almost nine, so it's not that early. James, Sirius and I are going to take the motorcycle for a ride. Hurry up and get ready so you can come with us," explained Remus. Just then Peter let out a loud cough.
"I can't. I'm sick. Really really sick. Can't do anything," said Peter, not very convincingly.
"Well you should just go down to Madame Pomfrey's office. She'll give you something for the flu, a lot of people have it," suggested Remus. Peter looked as though he hadn't considered this option, and he tired to think up a fast answer.
"Well...I mean, I'm sure...Madame Pomfrey...I think *cough* that I *cough cough* just need to get some sleep. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," said Peter quickly. Remus wasn't buying it, but if Peter was going to act like this he didn't want him to come anyway.
"Okay then Peter, I hope you feel better," said Remus was he walked out the door. Peter flashed a satisfied smile, as if he had won.
"I'm sure some sleep is all I need."
***
Lily walked down to Marauder Headquarters with the boys. She really wanted to study, and the secret room offered her more privacy than any other place in the castle. They had left a few hours ago, and Lily had gotten completely through with her potions studying for the day. She had gone on to her herbology, and she just realized that she needed to check out a book from the library. She had just put her notes back in her folder when the door opened and Lauren walked in.
"Hey Lily, I need to talk to you," she said, taking a seat next to her on an armchair.
"Okay, knock yourself out," Lily replied, making room for her.
"I think Sirius is cheating on me," she stated simply. Lily looked at her in shock.
"What...why...how?" was all she could say.
"Well, he wrote me a letter and forgot about it, and then I asked for it and he told me to just go in his room and get it so I went in and I found...I found...this," she said, holding out a letter. "It's in Remus and Jeanine's handwriting, so apparently they were writing letters back in forth in some class. It's horrible, I only have half of it but I mean...well, you read it."
She handed the note to Lily, and Lily scanned it over.
Honestly Remus, I think this is a really good idea.
It could be a good idea, but....
I mean, we've been wanting him to break up with that bitch for ages.
I know I know, but I mean he is one of my best friends, it kind of seems like treachery. Besides, she won't know what's going on. No one knows that there is another girl.
Yeah, he really shouldn't have kept it a secret for so long.
I know, but what would people say if they found out. I mean, Lily will pitch a fit if she knew about any of this.
Well she is going to find out. Better sooner than later.
I guess. But you know, she doesn't deserve to be hurt like this.
Yeah, she sure doesn't.
You know, he is my best friend but he can be such a jerk sometimes, cheating on his girlfriend.
I thought you weren't sure if he actually cheated on her or not.
Well it's an easy inference to make.
Yeah I guess. I mean, she did sleep over at his house and everything. In the same room. And he told me that he was in love with her. What do you think happened?
She wouldn't do that.
Well you never know what people will do.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure something has happened the way he's been sneaking around and acting weird and stuff.
Well can you blame him. I mean he's in love. With someone that's not his girlfriend. That has to make him feel really confused.
"Oh my God, I'm sorry Lauren. But I mean, what if this isn't about Sirius?" asked Lily, trying to find the most optimistic thing to say.
"Come on, it's in Remus' handwriting, talking about one of his best friends cheating on his girlfriend. Who else has a girlfriend?" asked Lauren. Lily didn't have anything to say to that.
"I guess you're right. I'm sorry Lauren, but you know what, you really need to talk to him about this. You need the whole story," said Lily.
"Yeah, I should do that. Well, I'm going to go to the bathroom and take a bath. That should calm me down," decided Lauren.
"Oh, you should go over to the prefects bathroom, much more privacy. The password is germ free. It's on the way to the library, which is where I'm going. We can walk down there together," suggested Lily. The two girls walked out the door and had almost gotten down to the prefects bathroom when Lily noticed Peter descending the stairs toward some distant dungeon.
"Peter, how are you feeling?" she asked, wondering what it was that had gotten him out of bed.
"What?" he asked, looking completely confused.
"Well you were sick," she stated, not believing that it was true.
"Oh right, yeah I'm feeling much better," he said. Lily normally would have spent more time talking to him, but now she just wanted to walk away.
"Well that's a good thing to hear," she said, and then slipped off as quickly as she could toward the library.
***
"And it's Wilmer going for the snitch, with Bruggs coming after him. Wilmer is going at an incredible pace, but Bruggs seems to be gaining on him. They're neck and neck, Wilmer is reaching out for the snitch. Bruggs knocks him out of the way and grabs the snitch. England wins, 230-60!" the announcer's voice sounded through the huge stadium. A cheer rang throughout the audience, but the Marauders were inwardly groaning. They had planned on spending all day at the quidditch match, and it had only lasted an hour.
"Well what are we going to do with the rest of our time?" asked Sirius through mouthfulsof popcorn. James shrugged his shoulders.
"I can't think of anything, I was sure the match would take all day. Normally Austria puts up a great fight," he replied.
"Well we can always just get home early," suggested Remus. "I'm kind of tired, and I'm sure I could use the rest if we're planning on going out tonight."
"Let's go then," said Sirius. He walked towards his motorbike and the rest of the boys followed him. They got on and were home in less than twenty minutes.
"Well you guys are back early," Lily greeted them, smiling at them over her notes. "How was the match?"
"It was okay. A lot shorter than it should have been. England beat them in the first couple hours of the game," said James. Sirius opened his mouth the say something but Lauren butted in.
"Sirius, I really need to talk to you," she said, pulling him aside. James looked at Lily and mouthed the words What's going on? It was not a subject that Lily wanted to elaborate on so she just shrugged her shoulders.
"Why don't we go and play some wizard chess," she said, sitting down at an unoccupied table.
"So how was you day?" he asked.
"Fine I guess. I got a lot done."
"Yeah? Well that's good. Did you talk to anyone?"
"I talked to Lauren for awhile. And then I ran into Peter on my way to the library."
"You ran into Peter? I thought he was sick."
"So did I. Apparently he's not though. He seemed perfectly fine."
"Where was he going?"
"I don't know, down some staircase to a dungeon. He's been acting so strange lately."
"I know. I barely know what to do with him."
The conversation would have gone on longer, but then Lauren and Sirius walked back into the common room hand in hand. Lauren smiled at Lily with a look that plainly stated I know something you don't know.
"Well it looks like they patched things up," Lily said. James gave her a strange look.
"What do you mean patched things up? I didn't even think that they were having problems," he seemed to be confused, and accidentally allowed his queen to be taken.
"Didn't you know what was going on?" she asked, surprised.
"No actually, I wasn't aware. Do you care to enlighten me?" he asked.
"Well if you don't know I don't think it's my place to tell you," she said, making a bishop into position. "Check mate."
***
At exactly five 'til midnight there were twenty or so witches and wizards gathered around a large bonfire in the forbidden forest. If any of them saw a werewolf, dog and stag go by, they didn't think anything of it. They certainly didn't realize that one was missing from the animals' numbers.
Peter stood on the outside of the fire, not socializing. These meetings filled him with a rush of anticipation and excitement, but he didn't feel like he quite belonged. There was just something not right, an aura that now was not the time to be here. Not that he shouldn't be here, but that he shouldn't be here now.
"Hey Pettigrew, snap out of that trace. Did you make up some of that esnicoil?" asked Frederick. Peter turned to him and handed him a bag that seemed to be some sort of crushed up plant.
"Here you go. The esnic leaves could have been riper but the mix should be potent enough," explained Peter. Herbology was the only subject that he was good at.
"I think it's great that you've come to join our side," said a blonde fifth year girl. She was extremely pretty, but there was an edge to her attitude that none of the other girls Peter knew had.
"Yeah, I guess..." Peter trailed off. A dog had just run past him, about five feet away. He was sure that Sirius wouldn't have been able to see him in this light, but he decided that he should stop taking chances. As everyone talked about the future, he decided that this would be his last meeting.
A/N- Well due to Spring Break this was nice and long. I don't know exactly what happened, but my fingers kind of took over the page, and I didn't really have any idea what was going on. That's exciting, I love it when that happens.
Disclaimer- I'm not J.K.R. She owns all. Don't sue me!
Chapter 44- Check Mate
January slowly began to pass into February, and with each passing day Lily seemed to be able to smile a little bit more. Her grades were up to par, and she had been trying to convince everyone to start studying for final exams.
"But Lily, they're months away!" exclaimed Sirius, who would much rather spend saturday doing something less productive with his time.
"I know, but they sneak up on you. Right now you think a few months and then all of a sudden they're here," replied Lily, taking out her color coded potions notebook. Everyone gave her the look that she was crazy, and then Remus voiced an opinion.
"Hey Sirius, why don't we go up to the Marauders Headquarters and take out your motorcycle. We could fly it somewhere fun, somewhere no one will be able to see us," he said.
"Yeah, you know that would be fun. We could go to the quidditch game that's playing up north!" exclaimed Sirius.
"I would definitely be up for that," said James, putting down the book he was reading. He had covered it with some sort of magic paper, so that no one would know what he was reading, and he kept it around all the time. Lily figured that it was some sort of illegal transfiguration book, so she didn't press the topic any further when James refused to tell her what he was reading. "I need to take a break from the castle."
"Just as long as I'm back before midnight," stated Remus nonchalantly. Sirius and James looked at him knowingly, and the fact that he had to be home early was a catalyst for leaving on time and making the most of their time.
"Well one of us should wake up Peter, I'm sure he'll want to come with us," said James, although he didn't exactly want him to come. Peter had been acting strangelately, as if there was some dark veil surrounding his body and clouding his features. He seemed to bring a chill to any room that he entered.
"I'll do it," said Remus, walking up to the boys dormitory. Peter was in bed, still sound asleep. Remus tapped him lightly and, when that didn't work, shook him awake.
"What are you doing? It's early," said Peter.
"It's almost nine, so it's not that early. James, Sirius and I are going to take the motorcycle for a ride. Hurry up and get ready so you can come with us," explained Remus. Just then Peter let out a loud cough.
"I can't. I'm sick. Really really sick. Can't do anything," said Peter, not very convincingly.
"Well you should just go down to Madame Pomfrey's office. She'll give you something for the flu, a lot of people have it," suggested Remus. Peter looked as though he hadn't considered this option, and he tired to think up a fast answer.
"Well...I mean, I'm sure...Madame Pomfrey...I think *cough* that I *cough cough* just need to get some sleep. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," said Peter quickly. Remus wasn't buying it, but if Peter was going to act like this he didn't want him to come anyway.
"Okay then Peter, I hope you feel better," said Remus was he walked out the door. Peter flashed a satisfied smile, as if he had won.
"I'm sure some sleep is all I need."
***
Lily walked down to Marauder Headquarters with the boys. She really wanted to study, and the secret room offered her more privacy than any other place in the castle. They had left a few hours ago, and Lily had gotten completely through with her potions studying for the day. She had gone on to her herbology, and she just realized that she needed to check out a book from the library. She had just put her notes back in her folder when the door opened and Lauren walked in.
"Hey Lily, I need to talk to you," she said, taking a seat next to her on an armchair.
"Okay, knock yourself out," Lily replied, making room for her.
"I think Sirius is cheating on me," she stated simply. Lily looked at her in shock.
"What...why...how?" was all she could say.
"Well, he wrote me a letter and forgot about it, and then I asked for it and he told me to just go in his room and get it so I went in and I found...I found...this," she said, holding out a letter. "It's in Remus and Jeanine's handwriting, so apparently they were writing letters back in forth in some class. It's horrible, I only have half of it but I mean...well, you read it."
She handed the note to Lily, and Lily scanned it over.
Honestly Remus, I think this is a really good idea.
It could be a good idea, but....
I mean, we've been wanting him to break up with that bitch for ages.
I know I know, but I mean he is one of my best friends, it kind of seems like treachery. Besides, she won't know what's going on. No one knows that there is another girl.
Yeah, he really shouldn't have kept it a secret for so long.
I know, but what would people say if they found out. I mean, Lily will pitch a fit if she knew about any of this.
Well she is going to find out. Better sooner than later.
I guess. But you know, she doesn't deserve to be hurt like this.
Yeah, she sure doesn't.
You know, he is my best friend but he can be such a jerk sometimes, cheating on his girlfriend.
I thought you weren't sure if he actually cheated on her or not.
Well it's an easy inference to make.
Yeah I guess. I mean, she did sleep over at his house and everything. In the same room. And he told me that he was in love with her. What do you think happened?
She wouldn't do that.
Well you never know what people will do.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure something has happened the way he's been sneaking around and acting weird and stuff.
Well can you blame him. I mean he's in love. With someone that's not his girlfriend. That has to make him feel really confused.
"Oh my God, I'm sorry Lauren. But I mean, what if this isn't about Sirius?" asked Lily, trying to find the most optimistic thing to say.
"Come on, it's in Remus' handwriting, talking about one of his best friends cheating on his girlfriend. Who else has a girlfriend?" asked Lauren. Lily didn't have anything to say to that.
"I guess you're right. I'm sorry Lauren, but you know what, you really need to talk to him about this. You need the whole story," said Lily.
"Yeah, I should do that. Well, I'm going to go to the bathroom and take a bath. That should calm me down," decided Lauren.
"Oh, you should go over to the prefects bathroom, much more privacy. The password is germ free. It's on the way to the library, which is where I'm going. We can walk down there together," suggested Lily. The two girls walked out the door and had almost gotten down to the prefects bathroom when Lily noticed Peter descending the stairs toward some distant dungeon.
"Peter, how are you feeling?" she asked, wondering what it was that had gotten him out of bed.
"What?" he asked, looking completely confused.
"Well you were sick," she stated, not believing that it was true.
"Oh right, yeah I'm feeling much better," he said. Lily normally would have spent more time talking to him, but now she just wanted to walk away.
"Well that's a good thing to hear," she said, and then slipped off as quickly as she could toward the library.
***
"And it's Wilmer going for the snitch, with Bruggs coming after him. Wilmer is going at an incredible pace, but Bruggs seems to be gaining on him. They're neck and neck, Wilmer is reaching out for the snitch. Bruggs knocks him out of the way and grabs the snitch. England wins, 230-60!" the announcer's voice sounded through the huge stadium. A cheer rang throughout the audience, but the Marauders were inwardly groaning. They had planned on spending all day at the quidditch match, and it had only lasted an hour.
"Well what are we going to do with the rest of our time?" asked Sirius through mouthfulsof popcorn. James shrugged his shoulders.
"I can't think of anything, I was sure the match would take all day. Normally Austria puts up a great fight," he replied.
"Well we can always just get home early," suggested Remus. "I'm kind of tired, and I'm sure I could use the rest if we're planning on going out tonight."
"Let's go then," said Sirius. He walked towards his motorbike and the rest of the boys followed him. They got on and were home in less than twenty minutes.
"Well you guys are back early," Lily greeted them, smiling at them over her notes. "How was the match?"
"It was okay. A lot shorter than it should have been. England beat them in the first couple hours of the game," said James. Sirius opened his mouth the say something but Lauren butted in.
"Sirius, I really need to talk to you," she said, pulling him aside. James looked at Lily and mouthed the words What's going on? It was not a subject that Lily wanted to elaborate on so she just shrugged her shoulders.
"Why don't we go and play some wizard chess," she said, sitting down at an unoccupied table.
"So how was you day?" he asked.
"Fine I guess. I got a lot done."
"Yeah? Well that's good. Did you talk to anyone?"
"I talked to Lauren for awhile. And then I ran into Peter on my way to the library."
"You ran into Peter? I thought he was sick."
"So did I. Apparently he's not though. He seemed perfectly fine."
"Where was he going?"
"I don't know, down some staircase to a dungeon. He's been acting so strange lately."
"I know. I barely know what to do with him."
The conversation would have gone on longer, but then Lauren and Sirius walked back into the common room hand in hand. Lauren smiled at Lily with a look that plainly stated I know something you don't know.
"Well it looks like they patched things up," Lily said. James gave her a strange look.
"What do you mean patched things up? I didn't even think that they were having problems," he seemed to be confused, and accidentally allowed his queen to be taken.
"Didn't you know what was going on?" she asked, surprised.
"No actually, I wasn't aware. Do you care to enlighten me?" he asked.
"Well if you don't know I don't think it's my place to tell you," she said, making a bishop into position. "Check mate."
***
At exactly five 'til midnight there were twenty or so witches and wizards gathered around a large bonfire in the forbidden forest. If any of them saw a werewolf, dog and stag go by, they didn't think anything of it. They certainly didn't realize that one was missing from the animals' numbers.
Peter stood on the outside of the fire, not socializing. These meetings filled him with a rush of anticipation and excitement, but he didn't feel like he quite belonged. There was just something not right, an aura that now was not the time to be here. Not that he shouldn't be here, but that he shouldn't be here now.
"Hey Pettigrew, snap out of that trace. Did you make up some of that esnicoil?" asked Frederick. Peter turned to him and handed him a bag that seemed to be some sort of crushed up plant.
"Here you go. The esnic leaves could have been riper but the mix should be potent enough," explained Peter. Herbology was the only subject that he was good at.
"I think it's great that you've come to join our side," said a blonde fifth year girl. She was extremely pretty, but there was an edge to her attitude that none of the other girls Peter knew had.
"Yeah, I guess..." Peter trailed off. A dog had just run past him, about five feet away. He was sure that Sirius wouldn't have been able to see him in this light, but he decided that he should stop taking chances. As everyone talked about the future, he decided that this would be his last meeting.
A/N- Well due to Spring Break this was nice and long. I don't know exactly what happened, but my fingers kind of took over the page, and I didn't really have any idea what was going on. That's exciting, I love it when that happens.
Disclaimer- I'm not J.K.R. She owns all. Don't sue me!