Sirius's Top Ten
J.K. Rowling owns every character, aside from Oliver, Cassidy, and another friend you'll meet...
To my darling reviewers: Thanks for the great encouragement!
This one's longer!!
PandoraInABox (and other curious readers) - I guess I apologize for the incorrect timing. Dippet shouldn't be there, and he's going to be gone by Chr- oops, I've said too much. Anywho, I apologize again. Ask anyone who knows, I really have no sense of time.
Chapter 5: Everyone Paired
The weeks leading up to the Ball were filled with excitement and anxiety. Everyone was trying to find dates, and it became a regular occurrence for a girl to burst out in tears during meals, having been put down. Of course, Lily was removed from this anxiety, since she already had a date, and found watching Cass try to find one.
"This is so difficult." Cass complained one morning, two days before the Ball was to take place, munching angrily on her toast.
Lily laughed. "You could always enter Sirius's draw."
"Never!"
Sirius, due the large amount of invitations to the dance, had all girls interested in going with him write their names on slips of parchment in a bowl that sat by the main staircase in the Entrance Hall. At last count, at least one hundred girls had entered, although it looked like several more slips of paper had been added overnight.
"Why not? I mean, you're not going with Oliver, are you?" Lily teased, but Cass flushed, and Lily's eyes widened in amazement. "You're kidding me! What did he say?"
"No, obviously. I asked, but he already has a date. Her name's Abigail. She's a Ravenclaw in our year."
"I'm sorry Cass." Lily replied truthfully. "I'm sure you'll find someone."
It was at that time that Sirius stood up on the bench, and yelled loudly to get the attention of the Hall. As the room fell silent, James and Remus entered, struggling under the weight of the large glass bowl, which resembled a enlarged fish bowl. It was quite large now, at least two feet off the ground, and three feet wide in diameter. As the bowl clunked to the ground, the boys were breathing heavily.
"Attention, please." Sirius said with grin, girls throughout the hall straightening up in their seats with anticipation. "I'd like to announce the winner of the draw. The prize, of course, is to be my date for the Yule Ball. So... let's get on with it then!"
Sirius dipped his hand into the bowl, snatching a piece of parchment and unfolding it. His eyes glittered with mischief.
"The girl who will accompany me to the dance is... Cassidy Flemmings."
The Hall was silent, and Cassidy looked completely shocked, as did Lily. Sirius grinned, and blew Cass a kiss.
"Thanks for your attention!" Sirius said before promptly sitting down.
"I thought you said you would never enter!" Lily said in exasperation, still shocked.
"I didn't though!" Cass said in disbelief, before her face flushed with anger. "SIRIUS BLACK!"
"Oh yes, beautiful date of mine?" Sirius yelled back from his end of the table, before walking up to Lily and Cass, James and Remus in tow.
"How did I win your stupid draw if I didn't even enter it?" Cassidy asked, her face flamed with anger, her tone implying that she was trying to control her anger.
"I have no idea, muffin." Sirius said innocently.
"I refuse to go with you." Cass replied coldly.
"But you won the draw! I can't risk my reputation by drawing again. Can you imagine? 'Okay, I get to draw again because the first girl said no.' No one ever refuses to date a Marauder."
"Lily did. She and James aren't dating." Cassidy replied shortly.
"Yet." James muttered quietly to Sirius, who smiled.
"Pardon me, boys?" Lily asked.
"She has a point, Padfoot." Remus said, conveniently changing the subject.
"Shut-up, Moony." Sirius muttered angrily. "Well, Miss Flemmings, I must inform you that you have no choice in the matter. I will see you on Friday night, promptly at 7 o'clock."
Cass opened her mouth to argue, but Sirius was already leaving the Great Hall, followed silently by Remus. James, however, sat down next to Lily.
"I can't believe him." Cass complained, although really she was somewhat pleased.
"At least now you have a date." Lily reasoned.
"And Sirius isn't that bad." James said with a grin.
"Oh please. You're opinion on this matter doesn't count. He's your best friend, and you'd say that even if he was an ignorant prat, which he - "
"Isn't!" Lily interrupted her friend's rant with a bright smile.
Oliver entered the Hall with a tall brunette on his arm. She was pretty, with dark brown hair that fell to her mid-back, with olive-toned skin and deep brown eyes. He leaned over to kiss her, but she turned her head at the last moment and Oliver got a faceful of hair.
"He got over you quick, Tig." Cass commented as she watched the scene unfold. "That must be Abigail."
Lily nodded silently, but James sat in slight confusion.
"You mean Oliver Field has a thing for you Lils?"
"Had a thing for her you mean." Cass corrected him.
"It was just a tiny thing..." Lily found herself explaining, at an exceptionally fast rate. Why did she care that James knew how Oliver felt? We're just friends.
"Quick, look away, they're coming over." Cass hissed, turning her head to face them, looking very conspicuous.
"Hi Cassidy. James." Oliver greeted them, leading the girl over to the Gryffindor table. "Lily." he choked out slightly.
"Obviously, he still has a thing for you, Evans. I can see why." James murmured in Lily's ear, which caused Lily to smile, somewhat. James never had really complimented her in that way, which slightly worried her. Oliver was gaping at her though, and she could see the uneasiness in the Ravenclaw girl's face.
"I'm Lily. This is Cassidy, and this is - "
"James Potter." the girl said with a smile. "I'm Abigail Scott. Nice to meet you all."
"The pleasure is ours." James said with a grin.
The group then fell into an awkward silence. Oliver was still staring at Lily, James was staring at him defensively, Abigail looked upset at being ignored, and Cass was still fuming that she had to go to the Ball with Sirius.
"So, Abigail... Are you going to the Ball with Oliver?"
"Yeah..." Abigail replied hesitantly.
Lily smiled brightly.
"That's great! You could get ready with us if you like." Lily offered.
"I'd love to, but since we're in different houses..."
"Never stopped me before." James said with a sly grin.
"James!" Lily exclaimed, giving him a shocked look, to which he could only shrug.
"Great then, we'll get ready together!" Cass said, ending whatever argument might have started.
Abigail and Lily nodded.
"James and I will come and get you in the Entrance Hall an hour and a half before the Ball. Alright?" Lily asked.
Abigail nodded again, and Oliver remained silent.
"Well... I s'ppose we aughta go to class. I'll walk you Abigail." Oliver offered, finally pulling his eyes from Lily.
"Thanks Oliver. Nice meeting you two." Abigail said with a smile to Cass and Lily. "I think we'll be great friends."
With that, Oliver led Abigail out of the Hall, and James frowned at Lily and Cass.
"I like her. She seems nice." Lily commented.
"Yeah. Definitely the wrong type for Oliver." Cass agreed.
"Do you do this every time you meet new people?" James asked curiously.
"What? Comment on them?" Cass replied. "Yeah."
"What did you say when you first met me?" James asked with a sly grin.
"Oh, you don't want to know." Lily said with a mysterious smile.