.chapter nine.
That night, Lily didn't show up for dinner. Jena decided that she had better go see what was wrong with her, so she left them all and took a roll (Lily's favorite kind, all fluffy and warm) up to the Gryffindor tower with her. When she reached Lily's bedroom, she found her crying quite hard, her face all pink and white blotchy. Her blankets were messy and tangled around her waist, and Jena was quite shocked to find her like that.
"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned. "Are you all right?"
"Yes," she mumbled sniffily. "I just... I just..." She broke into sobs before she could finish her sentance. "I don't know what I'm doing!"
This took Jena aback quickly, and she furrowed her brow in confusion before climbing onto her friends bed. "What do you mean?" she asked offering her the roll. "Do you mean you don't know what you're doing at Hogwarts?" Lily shook her head 'no' and continued crying, but much quietly. "Did you and James have another row?"
"No... I just think that Sirius is very angry with me, and that I made a rather large mistake in my life. I ..." she hiccuped loudly. "I don't know. I'm feeling really rotten is all." She picked at the dinner roll and shook her head.
"So this is about James." Jena leaned back against the headboard of Lily's bed. "I think that everyone is just... really sick of you two bickering all the time. I know you really dislike him, but he really loves you. I mean, I know you must think he's the most annoying person on the planet but...."
"I know. That's what Sirius got angry about. He said that I was stupid and couldn't see the real James - and then he got angry and stalked off. I mean, maybe if James didn't act so stupid all of the time, maybe I wouldn't hate him so much... I could possibley even become friends with him. I don't mean to hurt his feelings or anything," she added. "It's just..."
"It's okay, Lily. James is very arrogant and everything, but deep down is he a nice person. I mean, look how much better he's gotten since last year... he doesn't hex random people in the corridors anymore -"
"Just Snape."
"Who deserves it," said Jena, pointedly. "And he's very loyal to his friends.... Look at Peter Pettigrew. He's very daft and pratt - ish, but James is very nice about it." She tucked her hair behind her ears and Lily nodded, unable to deny the fact. "And, you know what else, he even seems to be getting handsome. He doesn't ruffle his hair up all the time."
"Yes, but I rather fancy Ben. Ben is a nice guy, he respects everyone and is generally friendly. He didn't even mind too much when we beat them this weekend."
Jena sighed. "I know. Let's just say that you'll be nicer to James, and maybe consider going out with him... sometime. Maybe. Okay?" The girls' eyes met, and Lily nodded glumly. "Good." Jena hugged her and they stayed like that for a while, Lily resting her head on Jena's elbow as Jena smoothed a hand over Jena's hair. "Remus fancies me," she mumbled softly, and Lily pulled back, pulling a face.
"When did this happen?!"
:::......:::
It was a full moon that week, and Remus was feeling a bit exhausted. His eyes were tired and he was feeling a bit less than enthusiastic about going to class and doing his homework, but for some reason, Jena put up with his grouchiness. They were becoming very close, and Jena let him see her work more and more, and not just the pictures of him. She drew a picture of Jackie and Sirius talking one night in the common room, Sirius brushing back Jackie's hair as they smiled at eachother. It was nice.
There was a Hogsmede weekend a week before the dance, so the two decided they would go shopping for their costume then. They weren't sure about what they would be until they stumbled upon a costume shop. They went inside, and were looking around, giggling at the stupid costumes and the ones taht were obviously not meant for children, until Remus found a suit of armor and Jena found a pretty white dress and a tiara, so they decided they would go as Prince Charming and a Princess.
Sirius and Jackie had also gone shopping that weekend, and were browsing the same costume shop when Sirius shouted with glee. He had found a rather weathered looking cowboy outfit, complete with chaps and the wide - brimmed house. Jackie quickly found a saloon girl outfit (having been to America, she had seen quite a few western movies - she had cousins there that were obsessed with things like that) and once they tried them on, it was very apparent that they were destined for the outfits.
"This is so cool," said Jackie. "Who would have thought that we would be cow - people?" They exitted the store, bags in hand, and headed towards the Three Broomsticks, where they had decided to meet Remus and Jena later.
"I wonder if they used the term cow - people. Because that would be funny, wouldn't it?" asked Sirius, opening the door for Jackie as they breezed inside. A dreadful feeling fell upon the two, their smiles turning to frowns, when they saw that their two friends and a casual meeting had turned in a group of people eating together. James, Giselle Song, Remus, Jena, Peter Lily, and Ben Corners sat in a large booth, drinking butter beers and eating fish and chips. "They haven't spotted us, we can easily sneak away...."
"Sirius! Jackie!" shouted James loudly, motioning them over cheerfully. "Come on!"
"Shit," said Sirius under his breath, putting a hand on the small of Jackie's back to guide her over to the table. "Hi everyone."
"Hi," they chorused, as the two new additions pulled chairs over to the table.
"What have you got in the bag?" asked Remus, nodding at their packages.
"Our costumes," said Jackie. "They're top secret - we're definitely going to win the contest," she added confidently. She flicked her long blonde hair over her slender shoulders and took a sip out of Lily's butterbeer. It filled her with warmth.
"No way you're going to beat us," said Ben, his arm around Lily's shoulders. He knew that James was very jealous of him, no matter how much he pretended to be interested in Giselle. And he showed that interest by snogging her every five seconds.
"Oh, I'm sure we will," said James.
"No, we're going to win," said Ben, his voice light. Lily pulled a face at him and rolled her eyes. "We're being very original. Right, Lils?" She nodded absently, taking a very big swig of her butter beer so she wouldn't have to talk. Giselle was simply content to sit there with James arm around her shoulders, being pretty and not speaking.
"So um... what about those Cannons?" asked Remus awkwardly. "Doing pretty well, right?"
"Yeah. I hate the Cannons," said Ben slowly.
"Hate the Cannons? Are you kidding me?" asked James, outraged. "You can't hate the Cannons! They're really very nice people and a nice team..."
"I rather prefer the Tornadoes," he said defensivley.
"The Tornadoes? They haven't won a match since before I was born," said James.
"It doesn't matter if they win or lose, it's how they play. They play well, 'cept for their bloody Seeker," said Ben, and the other occupants of the table (except for Giselle, who was busy flipping her hair being cute) seemed to get the sense that the conversation was no longer about Quidditch.
"Their seeker is horrible and so is their Keeper."
"Oh yeah?" asked Ben, face flushed.
"Yeah," said James, cool as a cucumber.
"Hey, look at that!" exclaimed Jena suddenly. "Is that a ... polar bear?"
:::......:::
A/N: Ooh, the suspense of it all!
Disclaimer: Nope.
Please Review!
That night, Lily didn't show up for dinner. Jena decided that she had better go see what was wrong with her, so she left them all and took a roll (Lily's favorite kind, all fluffy and warm) up to the Gryffindor tower with her. When she reached Lily's bedroom, she found her crying quite hard, her face all pink and white blotchy. Her blankets were messy and tangled around her waist, and Jena was quite shocked to find her like that.
"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned. "Are you all right?"
"Yes," she mumbled sniffily. "I just... I just..." She broke into sobs before she could finish her sentance. "I don't know what I'm doing!"
This took Jena aback quickly, and she furrowed her brow in confusion before climbing onto her friends bed. "What do you mean?" she asked offering her the roll. "Do you mean you don't know what you're doing at Hogwarts?" Lily shook her head 'no' and continued crying, but much quietly. "Did you and James have another row?"
"No... I just think that Sirius is very angry with me, and that I made a rather large mistake in my life. I ..." she hiccuped loudly. "I don't know. I'm feeling really rotten is all." She picked at the dinner roll and shook her head.
"So this is about James." Jena leaned back against the headboard of Lily's bed. "I think that everyone is just... really sick of you two bickering all the time. I know you really dislike him, but he really loves you. I mean, I know you must think he's the most annoying person on the planet but...."
"I know. That's what Sirius got angry about. He said that I was stupid and couldn't see the real James - and then he got angry and stalked off. I mean, maybe if James didn't act so stupid all of the time, maybe I wouldn't hate him so much... I could possibley even become friends with him. I don't mean to hurt his feelings or anything," she added. "It's just..."
"It's okay, Lily. James is very arrogant and everything, but deep down is he a nice person. I mean, look how much better he's gotten since last year... he doesn't hex random people in the corridors anymore -"
"Just Snape."
"Who deserves it," said Jena, pointedly. "And he's very loyal to his friends.... Look at Peter Pettigrew. He's very daft and pratt - ish, but James is very nice about it." She tucked her hair behind her ears and Lily nodded, unable to deny the fact. "And, you know what else, he even seems to be getting handsome. He doesn't ruffle his hair up all the time."
"Yes, but I rather fancy Ben. Ben is a nice guy, he respects everyone and is generally friendly. He didn't even mind too much when we beat them this weekend."
Jena sighed. "I know. Let's just say that you'll be nicer to James, and maybe consider going out with him... sometime. Maybe. Okay?" The girls' eyes met, and Lily nodded glumly. "Good." Jena hugged her and they stayed like that for a while, Lily resting her head on Jena's elbow as Jena smoothed a hand over Jena's hair. "Remus fancies me," she mumbled softly, and Lily pulled back, pulling a face.
"When did this happen?!"
:::......:::
It was a full moon that week, and Remus was feeling a bit exhausted. His eyes were tired and he was feeling a bit less than enthusiastic about going to class and doing his homework, but for some reason, Jena put up with his grouchiness. They were becoming very close, and Jena let him see her work more and more, and not just the pictures of him. She drew a picture of Jackie and Sirius talking one night in the common room, Sirius brushing back Jackie's hair as they smiled at eachother. It was nice.
There was a Hogsmede weekend a week before the dance, so the two decided they would go shopping for their costume then. They weren't sure about what they would be until they stumbled upon a costume shop. They went inside, and were looking around, giggling at the stupid costumes and the ones taht were obviously not meant for children, until Remus found a suit of armor and Jena found a pretty white dress and a tiara, so they decided they would go as Prince Charming and a Princess.
Sirius and Jackie had also gone shopping that weekend, and were browsing the same costume shop when Sirius shouted with glee. He had found a rather weathered looking cowboy outfit, complete with chaps and the wide - brimmed house. Jackie quickly found a saloon girl outfit (having been to America, she had seen quite a few western movies - she had cousins there that were obsessed with things like that) and once they tried them on, it was very apparent that they were destined for the outfits.
"This is so cool," said Jackie. "Who would have thought that we would be cow - people?" They exitted the store, bags in hand, and headed towards the Three Broomsticks, where they had decided to meet Remus and Jena later.
"I wonder if they used the term cow - people. Because that would be funny, wouldn't it?" asked Sirius, opening the door for Jackie as they breezed inside. A dreadful feeling fell upon the two, their smiles turning to frowns, when they saw that their two friends and a casual meeting had turned in a group of people eating together. James, Giselle Song, Remus, Jena, Peter Lily, and Ben Corners sat in a large booth, drinking butter beers and eating fish and chips. "They haven't spotted us, we can easily sneak away...."
"Sirius! Jackie!" shouted James loudly, motioning them over cheerfully. "Come on!"
"Shit," said Sirius under his breath, putting a hand on the small of Jackie's back to guide her over to the table. "Hi everyone."
"Hi," they chorused, as the two new additions pulled chairs over to the table.
"What have you got in the bag?" asked Remus, nodding at their packages.
"Our costumes," said Jackie. "They're top secret - we're definitely going to win the contest," she added confidently. She flicked her long blonde hair over her slender shoulders and took a sip out of Lily's butterbeer. It filled her with warmth.
"No way you're going to beat us," said Ben, his arm around Lily's shoulders. He knew that James was very jealous of him, no matter how much he pretended to be interested in Giselle. And he showed that interest by snogging her every five seconds.
"Oh, I'm sure we will," said James.
"No, we're going to win," said Ben, his voice light. Lily pulled a face at him and rolled her eyes. "We're being very original. Right, Lils?" She nodded absently, taking a very big swig of her butter beer so she wouldn't have to talk. Giselle was simply content to sit there with James arm around her shoulders, being pretty and not speaking.
"So um... what about those Cannons?" asked Remus awkwardly. "Doing pretty well, right?"
"Yeah. I hate the Cannons," said Ben slowly.
"Hate the Cannons? Are you kidding me?" asked James, outraged. "You can't hate the Cannons! They're really very nice people and a nice team..."
"I rather prefer the Tornadoes," he said defensivley.
"The Tornadoes? They haven't won a match since before I was born," said James.
"It doesn't matter if they win or lose, it's how they play. They play well, 'cept for their bloody Seeker," said Ben, and the other occupants of the table (except for Giselle, who was busy flipping her hair being cute) seemed to get the sense that the conversation was no longer about Quidditch.
"Their seeker is horrible and so is their Keeper."
"Oh yeah?" asked Ben, face flushed.
"Yeah," said James, cool as a cucumber.
"Hey, look at that!" exclaimed Jena suddenly. "Is that a ... polar bear?"
:::......:::
A/N: Ooh, the suspense of it all!
Disclaimer: Nope.
Please Review!