By Sweet 16 Movie Buff!
----------------------------------------------------
"Don't you EVER do that to me again!" James stormed at Sirius the next day in the Hospital Wing.
The events of the evening after Jillian and he had returned to Hogwarts were blurry. His adrenaline and his fear had abandoned him, leaving him drained and exhausted of only enough energy to hold Jillian's hand as they were bustled first to Professor Dumbledore's office to explain themselves, then into the Hospital Wing to sleep. All that he could remember vividly was falling asleep, curled around Jillian, who had disappeared to take a lengthy bath that morning.
James, at the moment, was livid, his hazel eyes flaring. "You could have died and you had the inanity to go alone? Where we go, we go together! Marauder's oath, Sirius!"
Sirius knew that James's anger was not true anger, but relief mingled with a sort of hurt that he had left his best friend behind on what would have been an adventure. Actually, a nightmare was the more accurate way to describe it.
"Are you done ranting, Prongs?" Sirius asked, glancing at James as he slipped a tee shirt over his head. Madame Pomphrey had seen no reason to keep him there, so he was free to go; of course he was going with a clean change of clothes.
"Yeah, just about," he nodded, running his hand through his hair.
"Do you really think I'd want to run the risk of losing my best friend as well as . . ." he trailed off, not quite sure what Jillian was to him anymore. Together James and Sirius strode out of the infirmary and down to the Great Hall where breakfast was being held.
"Besides what would you have done in my place if it had been Lily?" he returned abruptly, changing the subject.
"So Jillian's your equivalent to Lily, heh?" James asked slyly, raising an eyebrow at his friend. He'd walked right into that.
"You know what I meant, Prongs," he snapped as he straddled the bench and picked a pear from the fruit bowl.
James shook his head slowly, almost in mock, as he loaded his plate. "No, Padfoot, I'm not sure I did."
----------------------------------------------------
"OF ALL THE IRRESPONSIBLE, CARELESS, MORONIC . . ."
". . .things you could have done without me . . ."
". . . WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? WAIT, YOU WEREN'T THINKING . . ."
". . .Why didn't you just bring a second? If you were going to duel, I could have hit him from behind and ended it - "
"TOBY!!"
"What?" Toby snapped sharply.
Carly and Toby were pacing before the pool-sized tub the prefects used for bathing, ranting at Jillian as she swum around in a sea of bubbles. Of course they were ranting at her for different reasons: Carly for her senseless recklessness, Toby for leaving her out of the adventure.
Actually, a nightmare was a more accurate description of it than adventure.
Jillian shook her head and dove beneath the water trying once more to rinse that feeling of uncleanness and filth off her. She'd washed her hair with an entire bottle of shampoo to get the mirror shards and dust out, hoping to wash the night out of her mind as well. The shatter of mirrors, the spells and shouts, the lights and the music still haunted her, clutching at her chest like a clamp. She could still see that ruddy pockmarked face leering at her in triumph.
If it hadn't been for Sirius . . .
She resurfaced, brushing water away from her face. Carly, Jillian was relieved to hear, was now shouting at Toby.
"DON'T THINK YOU AREN'T ENCOURAGING HER GOING ON LIKE THAT! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS - "
Jillian hoisted herself out of the tub to sit on the edge. Swiftly she wrapped a towel around her and wrung her dripping hair out into the pool. She flicked her hair back over her shoulder and combed her fingers through the damp tresses.
It wasn't the same as when he did it though.
"What are you smiling about?" Carly asked suddenly jerking Jillian from her thoughts.
"I'm sorry?"
"What are you smiling about? You've just barely escaped with your life - "
"Well that would put a smile on my face," Toby pointed out from her seat on the sink countertop.
"But you're always smiling so why bother?" Jillian retorted with a kind grin. Toby roared with laughter.
Carly was quite the opposite of smiling at that moment however. "TOBY WILLIAMS, CAN YOU EVER BE SERIOUS?!"
Her scolding startled Toby so badly she sat sharply in the sink basin. Jillian, laughing, rushed over to pull her out of the sink. Carly, feeling slightly ashamed for causing Toby to sit in the sink, came over to help.
"What's gotten into you?" Toby asked, safely standing on the lavatory floor. She eyed Jillian closely; "They didn't torture you into madness did they?"
"What? No!" Jillian frowned. Was she really acting that differently? "What makes you say that?"
"Usually when Carly's scolding you, you're apologizing profusely or arguing right back, not cracking jokes."
"She has a point," Carly admitted, "You're rather giddy for a near death experience."
"I don't know," Jillian shrugged, walking over to her clothes, folded neatly on a stool; "I'm alive. I have two terrific friends - "
Toby dug her toe into the tile in a playful imitation of a bashful schoolgirl, "Aw, you're too sweet."
She slipped into a dark teal camisole, grinning at them; "Term is almost over. I've managed to land Lucius in more trouble than he could have ever imagined and I'm just . . . happy. Now come on, the sun's shining, the weather's beautiful, let's spend the day outside."
"But what about finals?" Carly eyed Jillian warily. Had she forgotten that there last round of tests was coming up next week?
"We can hold off studying for one more day don't you think?" she recurred gaily, slipping her sandals onto her feet.
"Even Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Jillian paused at the door; she sorely needed to study for Defense Against the Dark Arts. "Well, maybe we can study outside."
----------------------------------------------------
Many of the other students had gotten the same idea as Jillian for the grounds were swarming with students sitting out in the yard or splayed out in the grass, enjoying the sunlight when Carly, Toby and Jillian emerged from the front doors.
But as they made their way to their favorite spot underneath the shade of the beech tree, Toby stopped dead in her tracks, scowling.
"What's wrong?" Carly asked with a frown.
"They wouldn't dare," Toby fumed.
Jillian and Carly followed her gaze to the beech tree. Beneath the tree's appealing shade sat four Gryffindor boys. Jillian smiled as she saw Sirius reclining against the beech's trunk, dozing.
"Aw, come on, Toby, its just Sirius and his lot . . ." Jillian trailed off. Where had Toby disappeared to?
"Oh no," Carly groaned.
"What?"
The dark-skinned girl was trotting towards a cluster of another girls with renewed purpose. Jillian leaned before Carly, clearly confused, "What's she talking to Harriet Yember for?"
Harriet Yember was a tall, stocky Hufflepuff sixth-year, renowned for her same-sex tendencies. Toby gesticulated grandly as she talked to Harriet, motioning to the tree and Sirius, too far away for Jillian to understand what she was saying.
Suddenly Harriet barged passed Toby, straight for Sirius. The large girl grabbed a fistful of the dozing boy's shirt and pulled him up to his feet. Before Jillian, Carly, or even Sirius could react, Harriet Yember had her lips pressed to his. Sirius's eyes went wide as he realized what was happening.
Jillian couldn't help it; she laughed. She actually collapsed to the yard in whoops of mirth. Carly clutched her middle as she bent over double.
When Harriet at last stopped kissing Sirius, she let him drop amongst the roots, "There you are, Black. Maybe that'll put to ease any questions you have about how we kiss. Though I've kissed girls that have been better than you."
"What?"
"Williams said - " she motioned to Toby who was rolling on the grass in hysterics, her feet flailing wildly in the air, but never finished her sentence.
"TOBY!" Sirius roared, getting to his feet and galloping right at her.
"Uh-oh," Toby was on her feet in an instant, running as fast as she could across the yard, screaming at Carly and Jillian, "Quick! Drag 'em out from under the tree! Go, I'll keep him busy! NO! BLACK, NO WANDS!"
Toby sprinted across the yard, Sirius pacing rapidly behind her. They ran around the yard, shouting and screaming at one another, much to the amusement of the students who seemed desperately in need of a break from studying.
Jillian shook her head, laughing hard, "She could have done it the easy way."
"What like this?" Carly gasped as they made their way over to Remus, James and Peter. "Hey, could we sit with you guys?"
"Please," Jillian added.
"Be our guests," Remus motioned for them to make themselves comfortable.
----------------------------------------------------
"So what did you tell her, Williams?" James asked once Toby and Sirius had returned from a short wrestling match Sirius had easily won.
Toby shrugged, flipping to another page of her textbook, "Sirius was curious how lesbian's kissed."
"Which I wasn't," he snapped darkly, throwing a glare at Toby who just smiled wickedly.
"Oh yes, that's right. You and James are all ready well versed in that aren't you?"
"Toby . . ." Sirius growled in warning.
"And what did she say?" Jillian asked smoothly, though her lips twitched in a restrained smile. James snorted back a laugh and even Remus seemed amused, finding solstice in an upside down book.
"She'd kissed girls that had been better," Peter supplied. Quickly he scrambled back as Sirius moved to throttle him.
But as Sirius stood he felt a tug on his sleeve. Jillian was urging him to sit down, a smile playing across her mouth.
"Ease off, now, Sirius. He wasn't harming anything by it. Besides," she tugged him gently back to the ground to sit among the roots. She lightly pecked him on the cheek, "I don't think you're such a terrible kisser."
He grinned down at her and caressed her lips with his, "Then that's all I care about."
"Good," she snuggled into the crook of his arm, "Then you won't mind if I use you as a pillow while I study, will you?"
"As long as it doesn't interrupt my nap," he sighed, folding his arms behind his head.
Then as his eyelids began to flutter closed, Jillian mused aloud, "Now when did Merpeople rights come into question?"
"Jillian," Sirius growled.
"Sixteen-ninety wasn't it?" she continue to drawl, her fingers snaking up to his armpit in a discreet attempt to annoy him.
Jillian let out a whoop as Sirius pulled her over his shoulder and began to tickle the crook of her knees.
"Oh! That tickles! Stop! Oh, I was TRYING to study - "
James went into an uproar of laughter as Jillian uselessly tried to reach for behind Sirius's ears (his only real ticklish spot) and failed miserably. Then he saw her pulled out her wand.
"Oh no you don't, McKee!" he snatched it easily out of her hand, "Don't think I'm going to let him handle you on his own again."
"JAMES!" Lily gasped.
"Not in that way, Lily."
Suddenly Toby stood up, striking a noble pose, "Do not fear, Jillian, for Toby Williams will come to your – whoa!"
She glared over at James as she now hovered in the air upside down. Coolly she crossed her arms over her chest, "Oh, yeah, real mature, Potter."
After James's Hover Jinx, none of the group got much studying done.
----------------------------------------------------
THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER, FOLKS! SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER!
Oh, it's all ending so fast . . . excuse me ::runs out of the room to look for a hankie::
----------------------------------------------------
I NEED SOME HELP COMING UP WITH ANOTHER STORY . . .
I'm sort of stuck between two ideas. One is a cute Remus/OC one that I'm not quite sure how to go about. I was thinking of making it a switch bodies fic between Remus and Sirius, but the plot is kind of shaky.
The second is a James/Lily fic where Lily's best friend has this friend in Rome that invites them for a Bacchanal being held there. I saw Phantom of the Opera at the Hippodrome in Baltimore and it was so forking COOL! I fell in love with the play and the characters and it gave me the idea for this fic . . .
I just don't know which one to do. Both will take a while to write, but I'd like your guys' opinion on it.
----------------------------------------------------
THANK YOU'S
Moon Burst – Jillian was rather a rather large idiot, wasn't she? Hey, but nobodies perfect, ya know? I'm so glad you liked Sirius and Jillian getting back together, it was sort of predictable and I'm sorry, but I just couldn't resist. The next chapter (and sadly the last chapter) always makes me smile, so I hope you like it.
Kirie Himuro - ::sits at computer, typing, plate of cookies within easy reach:: You know, if you keep giving me cookies, I might end up gaining fifty pounds ;). It's cool though. Thank you so much for commenting on the house of mirrors, I personally thought it was terrible when I read it for myself. A cool idea, but horribly written, but thank you for making me feel better about it. And don't be sorry about not reviewing, I understand isn't the center of the world, I just don't quite know what is ::baffled look::. I'm just joking.
Sugarcult Babe – Right now I'm listening to "Stuck In America" from their Start Static CD, my theme song :). Thanks so much for reading this, you have no idea how much I appreciate it. Reviews like yours let me know people like and read my stuff, and it makes me feel good about myself. Thank you so much!
----------------------------------------------------
THANK YOU TO ALL MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS! YOU ARE ALL WICKED TOPS IN MY BOOK!
(I told you, I have a weird taste in vocabulary, sorry)