Two whole reviews! Super cool!
::3::
Lana sat up. Lily was gone. Now who would she talk to? -Oh well,- she thought, -it won't be the first time I'll have been alone.-
After putting on her robes she grabbed her bag and threw it over her shoulder. All she had was transfiguration and then the rest of the day was free to do anything; homework, hang out (with whom? She asked herself as she remembered Lily wasn't here) or just do nothing. Who knows? Lana even considered attending the Quidditch match (Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, it was just a practice match, to see where both teams needed improvements from last year.)
Lana walked into the common room as she speculated over what to do that day and would have walked right past him if he hadn't have said something.
"Good morning, Miss Wright," James Potter said cheerily.
"And what have I done to merit a greeting from the mighty James Potter?" Lana replied.
"Why worry about meriting it? The mighty James just decided you looked lonely."
"So your good deed for the day is talking to me, thus quenching my deep loneliness," she said with visible sarcasm.
"Are you always like this?" James asked.
Lana smiled at his persistence, "Only in the mornings."
"Then let's go get some breakfast and 'quench that deep loneliness,'" James said as he offered Lana his arm.
"Sounds like a plan," Lana said as she smiled and placed her hand in the fold of his elbow.
***
Walking into the Great Hall, Lana and James were laughing feverishly. Matching wits with each other proved to be quite entertaining.
"You're quite an interesting person. . . .Artemis," James said as he sat down.
Lana stopped before sitting and stared down at him. "How'd you know my name was Artemis?" she asked.
"I have my ways."
"Good answer," she said as she sat down.
Breakfast had just appeared before them as Sirius, Remus and Peter walked in.
"Oy, Potter!" Sirius called. "Where were you this morning?"
"Need you ask?" Remus laughed. "Can't resist a pretty face can you James?"
"Haha. Very funny guys," James said, "I just decided to walk with Lana to breakfast after her guitar playing kept me up all last night."
Lana laughed as Sirius asked, "Well, if you're quite finished going through all the *fun* you two had last night, mind if we join you?"
"Oh shut up, I just listened to her play some Muggle instrument," James said sounding annoyed.
Sirius raised a eyebrow, "That's what they all say, isn't it?"
"You find it very hard to drop any subjects, don't you?" James asked in a mocking tone.
"What can you expect, he's got to have one hell of a memory to remember all those names. So forgetting something must be rather difficult," Remus said quietly.
"What names?" James asked, thinking he had an idea of where this was going.
"Oh you know, the usual," Remus said, the smile on his face growing, "just the names of everyone *he* had fun with last night!"
James and Remus died laughing as Peter sat looking confused. A little slow in picking up on jokes and anything come to think of it.
"Very funny," Sirius growled.
As breakfast went on, Lana was introduced to everyone. She found Sirius was just as charming as James but while James had a boyishly cute look to him, Sirius was more handsome and had a smile that would melt your heart. But although his looks were nice, something about him made Lana feel wary of getting too close to him. Despite this thought though, something about him was like a good thing you can't get enough of.
Lana stood up suddenly, earning some odd looks from her new friends. "Sorry, I just remembered Professor McGonagall wanted to see me before class today. I guess I'll see you later, then."
As Lana turned around she nearly ran into the Sirius who was now standing in front of her offering his arm. "Mind if I escort you? I happen to be going in the same direction."
"Not at all," she replied, taking his arm, "but why the sudden interest in me?"
"Well, any friend of James' is a friend of mine," Sirius said as they began walking out of the Great Hall.
"So I'll see you at the match, then?" James called after them.
Lana turned around and smiled, "at the match."
Once out of the Great Hall, Lana persisted with her question. "So really, why the sudden interest in talking to me?" she asked.
Sirius smiled, "Oh James and I have been looking for something to match wits with for the longest time. He does get quite dull after a while."
"Oh, so I'm just a tool for your entertainment?" Lana said sarcastically as she laughed.
"Not at all . . . .Artemis."
"How does everyone know my name?" Lana asked with fake exasperation/
"I have my ways," Sirius said slyly.
"Again," Lana sighed, "good answer." Clearly she still wanted to know how everyone knew her name. Was there some message that she missed out on announcing her name??
"Aw, don't sound so depressed there, Art. I think it's a nice name."
"Would you tell me otherwise?"
"No, probably not," Sirius said as he chuckled. "You're a handful, Miss Wright."
***
After class Lana walked out the door to find Sirius waiting.
"So, what shall we do? We've got the whole day free," he asked.
"Us. . . . ?" Lana questioned.
"Why yes, Art. Didn't I mention we've got the same schedule, did I?"
"No, must have slipped your mind," Lana said as she grinned. He was just as charming as James.
"Well, now I have. So what would suit your fancy?"
"Hmmm. . . ." Lana's stomach growled, "I would like some lunch, but it's not for another hour."
"Not a problem. Follow me," Sirius said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the mass of students.
As they neared a long corridor the crowd around them thinned. Sirius let go of her hand and walked up to a large portrait of fruit.
"Sirius, staring at fruit isn't going to help my hunger."
"Watch and learn," Sirius said as he tickled the painted pear.
The portrait door swung open and he stepped in. Lana followed in as the portrait shut. She looked around and found herself in a very large kitchen. House elves scurried around; some carried trays and some running to pick up trays full of delicious foods.
One ran up the two and asked, "How may I help ye?"
Sirius thought as he ran his hand through his black hair. "Err. . . I'll have some chicken, potatoes, green beans, and a glass of pumpkin juice."
The elf turned to Lana and looked at her with anticipation.
"Me?" she asked, pointing to herself.
"Yea, order anything, they'll make whatever you want," Sirius said.
Her ears pricked up, "Well in that case, I'll have the same thing. But add a slice of pumpkin cheesecake."
"Out eating me, Miss Wright?" Sirius jokingly asked.
"Looks like I am."
Turning to the house elf, Sirius added, "Give me two slices, then."
"Touché," Lana laughed.
After receiving their plates they walked out to the common grounds and sat by the lake.
"I've never see the grounds this empty," Sirius mused.
"They're all at lunch," Lana said lazily as she lay back on the ground and looked up at the clouds. Her tail twitched slightly as she sighed and placed her hands behind her head.
Sirius looked over at Lana and letting this curiosity get the better of his asked, "So how'd you get the ears and all?"
Lana looked at him and met his stare. She tried desperately to hide the pain she felt was apparent in her eyes. It was an innocent question, and yet, like her, something seemed to be hiding itself behind those stunning green eyes, too.
Looking away, she replied, "I'd rather not. . . ."
"Oh," Sirius said nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck, "sorry."
"No, it's alright," Lana said, forcing a smile. "You're not the first person to ask. But I just don't feel like dealing with it right now."
"Oh, well, sorry. I didn't know," he said, his hand jumping to the back of his neck again.
"Really," she said, a real smile playing around the corner of her mouth. He was even cuter when he was nervous. "It's okay. Being part cat *does* have it's advantages."
Sirius leaned back on his arms as Lana closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep. She was almost asleep when she was awoken (a/n: is awoken a word?) by Sirius picking her up.
"So if you're part cat, are you scared of water?" he laughed as he tossed her into the lake.
Lana barely had time to yell before she realized what was going on and hit the water. Quickly standing up she was knee deep in water with little droplets of the cold liquid dripping off her now soaked hair. She stared in disbelief at a laughing Sirius. Without saying a word she walked out of the lake and started running after Sirius who, after taking one look at her, started running. But in all his efforts to outrun Lana he missed his bag and stumbled over it. He slowed just enough that Lana caught up with him and jumped on his back. She was laughing as he carried her around effortlessly, then, jogged over to the lake and dropped her in the water; but not before Lana grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled Sirius in with her.
"Damn! It's cold!" Sirius shouted.
Lana laughed as she stood up and pushed Sirius back in.
Walking over to her bad, Lana picked it up and started heading towards the Gryffindor tower.
"Oy, Wright!" She heard Sirius call out, "That wasn't very nice of you."
She glanced over at him as she shook his head, spraying her with water from his wet hair.
Lana smiled slightly. "You weren't exactly an angel yourself, now were you?" she said as they walked up to Hogwarts to change for the Quidditch match.
--
Well, I'm working on the next chapter, but school has me bogged (ooh, neat word!) down with work. It's almost impossible to find any free time. The next chapter is almost done, sort of. It'll be up soon. No worries!
::3::
Lana sat up. Lily was gone. Now who would she talk to? -Oh well,- she thought, -it won't be the first time I'll have been alone.-
After putting on her robes she grabbed her bag and threw it over her shoulder. All she had was transfiguration and then the rest of the day was free to do anything; homework, hang out (with whom? She asked herself as she remembered Lily wasn't here) or just do nothing. Who knows? Lana even considered attending the Quidditch match (Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, it was just a practice match, to see where both teams needed improvements from last year.)
Lana walked into the common room as she speculated over what to do that day and would have walked right past him if he hadn't have said something.
"Good morning, Miss Wright," James Potter said cheerily.
"And what have I done to merit a greeting from the mighty James Potter?" Lana replied.
"Why worry about meriting it? The mighty James just decided you looked lonely."
"So your good deed for the day is talking to me, thus quenching my deep loneliness," she said with visible sarcasm.
"Are you always like this?" James asked.
Lana smiled at his persistence, "Only in the mornings."
"Then let's go get some breakfast and 'quench that deep loneliness,'" James said as he offered Lana his arm.
"Sounds like a plan," Lana said as she smiled and placed her hand in the fold of his elbow.
***
Walking into the Great Hall, Lana and James were laughing feverishly. Matching wits with each other proved to be quite entertaining.
"You're quite an interesting person. . . .Artemis," James said as he sat down.
Lana stopped before sitting and stared down at him. "How'd you know my name was Artemis?" she asked.
"I have my ways."
"Good answer," she said as she sat down.
Breakfast had just appeared before them as Sirius, Remus and Peter walked in.
"Oy, Potter!" Sirius called. "Where were you this morning?"
"Need you ask?" Remus laughed. "Can't resist a pretty face can you James?"
"Haha. Very funny guys," James said, "I just decided to walk with Lana to breakfast after her guitar playing kept me up all last night."
Lana laughed as Sirius asked, "Well, if you're quite finished going through all the *fun* you two had last night, mind if we join you?"
"Oh shut up, I just listened to her play some Muggle instrument," James said sounding annoyed.
Sirius raised a eyebrow, "That's what they all say, isn't it?"
"You find it very hard to drop any subjects, don't you?" James asked in a mocking tone.
"What can you expect, he's got to have one hell of a memory to remember all those names. So forgetting something must be rather difficult," Remus said quietly.
"What names?" James asked, thinking he had an idea of where this was going.
"Oh you know, the usual," Remus said, the smile on his face growing, "just the names of everyone *he* had fun with last night!"
James and Remus died laughing as Peter sat looking confused. A little slow in picking up on jokes and anything come to think of it.
"Very funny," Sirius growled.
As breakfast went on, Lana was introduced to everyone. She found Sirius was just as charming as James but while James had a boyishly cute look to him, Sirius was more handsome and had a smile that would melt your heart. But although his looks were nice, something about him made Lana feel wary of getting too close to him. Despite this thought though, something about him was like a good thing you can't get enough of.
Lana stood up suddenly, earning some odd looks from her new friends. "Sorry, I just remembered Professor McGonagall wanted to see me before class today. I guess I'll see you later, then."
As Lana turned around she nearly ran into the Sirius who was now standing in front of her offering his arm. "Mind if I escort you? I happen to be going in the same direction."
"Not at all," she replied, taking his arm, "but why the sudden interest in me?"
"Well, any friend of James' is a friend of mine," Sirius said as they began walking out of the Great Hall.
"So I'll see you at the match, then?" James called after them.
Lana turned around and smiled, "at the match."
Once out of the Great Hall, Lana persisted with her question. "So really, why the sudden interest in talking to me?" she asked.
Sirius smiled, "Oh James and I have been looking for something to match wits with for the longest time. He does get quite dull after a while."
"Oh, so I'm just a tool for your entertainment?" Lana said sarcastically as she laughed.
"Not at all . . . .Artemis."
"How does everyone know my name?" Lana asked with fake exasperation/
"I have my ways," Sirius said slyly.
"Again," Lana sighed, "good answer." Clearly she still wanted to know how everyone knew her name. Was there some message that she missed out on announcing her name??
"Aw, don't sound so depressed there, Art. I think it's a nice name."
"Would you tell me otherwise?"
"No, probably not," Sirius said as he chuckled. "You're a handful, Miss Wright."
***
After class Lana walked out the door to find Sirius waiting.
"So, what shall we do? We've got the whole day free," he asked.
"Us. . . . ?" Lana questioned.
"Why yes, Art. Didn't I mention we've got the same schedule, did I?"
"No, must have slipped your mind," Lana said as she grinned. He was just as charming as James.
"Well, now I have. So what would suit your fancy?"
"Hmmm. . . ." Lana's stomach growled, "I would like some lunch, but it's not for another hour."
"Not a problem. Follow me," Sirius said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the mass of students.
As they neared a long corridor the crowd around them thinned. Sirius let go of her hand and walked up to a large portrait of fruit.
"Sirius, staring at fruit isn't going to help my hunger."
"Watch and learn," Sirius said as he tickled the painted pear.
The portrait door swung open and he stepped in. Lana followed in as the portrait shut. She looked around and found herself in a very large kitchen. House elves scurried around; some carried trays and some running to pick up trays full of delicious foods.
One ran up the two and asked, "How may I help ye?"
Sirius thought as he ran his hand through his black hair. "Err. . . I'll have some chicken, potatoes, green beans, and a glass of pumpkin juice."
The elf turned to Lana and looked at her with anticipation.
"Me?" she asked, pointing to herself.
"Yea, order anything, they'll make whatever you want," Sirius said.
Her ears pricked up, "Well in that case, I'll have the same thing. But add a slice of pumpkin cheesecake."
"Out eating me, Miss Wright?" Sirius jokingly asked.
"Looks like I am."
Turning to the house elf, Sirius added, "Give me two slices, then."
"Touché," Lana laughed.
After receiving their plates they walked out to the common grounds and sat by the lake.
"I've never see the grounds this empty," Sirius mused.
"They're all at lunch," Lana said lazily as she lay back on the ground and looked up at the clouds. Her tail twitched slightly as she sighed and placed her hands behind her head.
Sirius looked over at Lana and letting this curiosity get the better of his asked, "So how'd you get the ears and all?"
Lana looked at him and met his stare. She tried desperately to hide the pain she felt was apparent in her eyes. It was an innocent question, and yet, like her, something seemed to be hiding itself behind those stunning green eyes, too.
Looking away, she replied, "I'd rather not. . . ."
"Oh," Sirius said nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck, "sorry."
"No, it's alright," Lana said, forcing a smile. "You're not the first person to ask. But I just don't feel like dealing with it right now."
"Oh, well, sorry. I didn't know," he said, his hand jumping to the back of his neck again.
"Really," she said, a real smile playing around the corner of her mouth. He was even cuter when he was nervous. "It's okay. Being part cat *does* have it's advantages."
Sirius leaned back on his arms as Lana closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep. She was almost asleep when she was awoken (a/n: is awoken a word?) by Sirius picking her up.
"So if you're part cat, are you scared of water?" he laughed as he tossed her into the lake.
Lana barely had time to yell before she realized what was going on and hit the water. Quickly standing up she was knee deep in water with little droplets of the cold liquid dripping off her now soaked hair. She stared in disbelief at a laughing Sirius. Without saying a word she walked out of the lake and started running after Sirius who, after taking one look at her, started running. But in all his efforts to outrun Lana he missed his bag and stumbled over it. He slowed just enough that Lana caught up with him and jumped on his back. She was laughing as he carried her around effortlessly, then, jogged over to the lake and dropped her in the water; but not before Lana grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled Sirius in with her.
"Damn! It's cold!" Sirius shouted.
Lana laughed as she stood up and pushed Sirius back in.
Walking over to her bad, Lana picked it up and started heading towards the Gryffindor tower.
"Oy, Wright!" She heard Sirius call out, "That wasn't very nice of you."
She glanced over at him as she shook his head, spraying her with water from his wet hair.
Lana smiled slightly. "You weren't exactly an angel yourself, now were you?" she said as they walked up to Hogwarts to change for the Quidditch match.
--
Well, I'm working on the next chapter, but school has me bogged (ooh, neat word!) down with work. It's almost impossible to find any free time. The next chapter is almost done, sort of. It'll be up soon. No worries!