HARRY POTTER AND THE BREATH OF LIFE
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other known character from the Harry Potter series. I do own the plot and a few characters.
Chapter 13 – The Marauders seventh year – The NEWTs
June arrived sunny and warm. But to the seventh years it was for the worse. Because of the upcoming exams the weather came as a bad thing instead of the usual good mood that the coming of the summer instigated on people. Students were seen in the library with fifty books pilled in front of them. Every seventh year were killing themselves with study. Well, almost every seventh year. James and Sirius were not part of the studying group. They spend their time reading William's prank book – for the fifth hundred time – and planning additions to the pranks shown in the book. They were planning a major end of year prank. The mother of all pranks. Their last prank. The rest of the Marauders, Remus and Peter, were studying hard like the rest of the mortals. Yes, the mortals, because James and Sirius were immortals, gods of Hogwarts, those special and rare people who did not need to study and were capable of achieving Outstanding in every class. The rest of the students were common mortals, some of them incapable of scrapping an Acceptable on History of Magic or Herbology. But there were those who managed to be placed between the gods and the mortals. The semi-gods were Lily, Iris and Remus. Students with phenomenal abilities at a specific class. Charms and Herbology, Potions and Divination and DADA and Transfiguration respectively. These semi-gods had no need to study for those classes but appeared to have some difficulties with the rest of the classes. And on this particular moment Iris was having trouble with Transfiguration.
No matter how hard she tried she simply couldn't transfigurate a large box filled with cushions into a chest of drawers. And that was draining her completely. Sirius offered to help but she declined. She wanted to do it for herself.
Sirius and Iris's relationship changed during the course of the year. Slowly but noticeably Sirius began to take a step back. They weren't seen hugging or snogging in the common room as often as before. They didn't kiss as much and weren't together as much either. But that was by day. Occasionally Sirius would borrow James's Invisibility Cloak and they would go to the Shack. In there their relationship seemed untouched and the same. There were no steps back, nothing. There were just two bodies joined together in love. The sounds of pleasure they made were simply the sounds of the ghosts of the house that were enjoying themselves. No one ever knew. It was their secret.
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Five days before the start of the exams Lily went to the common room to look for Iris. She wasn't there. Sirius was sitting on a couch with a Transfiguration book on his lap.
" Hey, Sirius. Have you seen Iris?" she asked.
" No. She is probably outside." He answered rather vaguely.
Lily frowned at him but took his lead. She was heading outside when William arrived.
" Hi, Lily." He said happily.
" Hi, Will. Do you know where your sister is?"
" Yeah. She's outside by a tree near the lake. Why?"
" No reason. I just wanted to talk to her. Thanks."
" No problem."
Lily left the Gryffindor Tower and ran outside. As William had said, Iris was sitting under a tree facing the lake. She had a book and a notebook in front of her.
" Hey, Iris." Lily said when she got near her.
" Hey, Lily. What's up?"
Iris looked different. Her eyes were a bit swollen and she looked pale. There was something wrong and Lily had to find out what was it.
" Ok, spill. I know there's something wrong. Is it Sirius? Because if he
did something to you…"
" Lily, stop." Iris interrupted. " It's not what you think. I'm tired, that's
all."
" Really?"
" I'm having trouble with Transfiguration and I'm trying too hard. But don't
worry, I have already talked to Professor McGonagall. She is going to give me a
hand."
" So it has nothing to do with Sirius?"
" No."
" So why are you and Sirius separated?"
" Ok, imagine this." Iris started changing her position to a kneeling down one.
" You and James have a 2 year relationship and you went to the next stage. With
me so far?"
" Yes. I think I am." Lily answered smiling.
" So how do you think you would act when you're near him?"
" I don't know. Maybe I would want to kiss him all the time." Lily said
nervously.
" My point exactly. I can't stay two minutes near Sirius without wanting
to kiss him. I need to concentrate for the exams and I can't if he's around."
" I see. So you told him to back a bit?"
" Yes. It was hard but I think it's for the best. We haven't broken up.
We are taking it slow."
" So you've already passed to the next stage?" Lily asked happily.
" Maybe."
" Maybe is not an answer. Yes or no?"
" Yes."
" Huhhhhhhhhhhh! When was that?"
" In the holidays. At his house."
" Wow! That is so nice. I'm going to tell you a secret."
" Ok. Go ahead."
" James is so not what I thought. He is kind, sweet, has a great sense of
humour, makes me laugh, he's cute. I'm in love with him."
" Oh my God. Have you told him this?"
" Not yet. I'm waiting."
" You're waiting for what?"
" For him to say it first."
" That figures. Well, I'm sure he will say it. He likes you. I know that."
The two girls laughed a little. When
they calmed down they headed back to the castle.
At night Iris asked for James's Invisibility Cloak. She and Sirius hadn't used it in two months and she decided to use them now. Sirius was sitting in his favourite chair and looked like he was sleeping. She approached him carefully, the cloak hidden behind her back.
" Sirius?"
He opened his eyes and looked at his girlfriend.
" Yes?"
" We need to chat." She said matter-of-factly.
" Chat about what?"
" About…stuff."
" All right. Chat away."
" Not here."
" Where then?" he asked.
Instead of answering she showed him the cloak. His mouth formed a smiled and he rubbed his hands together.
" So you want to chat about something we're not supposed to chat about?" he asked with a spark in his eyes.
" Yes."
" And in a place we're not supposed to go to?"
" Pretty much."
" I think I'm going to enjoy chatting."
He got up, grabbed her by the
middle and kissed her softly. But then he stopped.
" I though we had to stay apart because you wanted to concentrate."
" Well, right now I want to concentrate on something else." She said grinning.
He nodded and kissed her again. Then he took the cloak from her and they left to the Shack.
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The NEWTs arrived and there was nothing they could do to stop it. Not even hexing the examiners like Peter had suggested a few days earlier. The first exam they had was Transfiguration. The theory exam included every thing since the beginning. It was pretty hard. Later in the afternoon came the practical exam. It was even more difficult. But by the end of the day the Marauders, Lily and Iris were happy with their actions during the exam.
Two days later was the Charms exam. Lily relaxed a bit while watching the others study. The exam was difficult but once again they were happy with it. The next day was Sirius, Iris and James's exam of Divination. They did well but it wasn't a very important exam. The week after that brought the Potions exam. Everybody except Iris and Sirius panicked. And truthfully it was the hardest exam. Sarah was there watching from the door. She smiled at them while they made their potions. Next came Lily's Herbology exam. She thought she did well. The last exam came on Friday. It was the DADA exam. With that exam none of them thought they would have a problem. Lupin, Sirius and James were comfortable, Lily and Iris were doing all right and Peter was having difficulties. The practical exam was a "piece of cake" according to Sirius. Everyone agreed. The weekend was a festive one. The seventh years were over with their exams. The week that followed the exam week, however, brought to the students a sense of nostalgia. Soon it was all over. No more Hogwarts.
Chapter over. Like others write, I'll follow the example:
TBC.
Cheers.
