Lauralie Black and the Dragons of Yorkshire (YEAR 2)
Chapter 8: Boys Will Be Boys
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Remus' body ached as he lay in the darkness of the Third year boys' dormitory.
Madam Pomfrey, in the interest of teaching them a lesson, had cleaned their wounds but had not healed them.
Remus had not realized how badly bruised he was until he attempted to lie down and sleep, at which point he discovered that he was wounded practically all over his body.
Sirius had not spoken a single word to him since they had left the library. Remus had not bothered to try to initiate conversation. It was too soon to expect Sirius to let it go.
Remus gazed briefly across the space between his bed and the crimson curtains that hid his disgruntled best friend from view.
It's going to be a long day.
* * *
Gryffindors wandering into the Great Hall nearly choked when they saw the House Points as displayed by the four large hourglasses on the left wall. Whereas the day before they had a solid lead on Slytherin, now they were lagging behind considerably.
Sirius himself merely groaned, plopping down at the table. His left eye was dark and bruised. He was sitting with Magdalene Martinez, one of the girls in his year.
"Oh cheer up Sirius," she said, pulling a pitcher of pumpkin juice towards her. "Its not the first time you've lost us points." Amusement twinkled in her eyes as she smiled at him.
"I'm just mad I ruined our lead over Slytherin," he said. "It's bad enough they'll probably get the Quidditch cup. And with James on the team we really should get it." He was avoiding meeting anyone in the eye, and therefore found himself staring at his plate.
Mags nodded. "But you'll get it next year, once Lockhart graduates and you have a new team captain. Then you'll be able to use a little thing called strategy."
"Don't think to highly of Gildie do you?"
"I doubt it truly matters," she answered. "He thinks highly enough about himself with out my help."
"You have a point there."
Lauralie, on the other hand, was not paying a great deal of attention to the hourglasses as she trudged in from an early morning Quidditch practice looking worn.
Ludo had been working them to death in preparation for the match against Ravenclaw, which was to take place just before the Christmas Holiday. Unfortunately the fact that the rest of the team looked at Ravenclaw as an easy win only drove Ludo to work them harder.
"If you don't work, and you slack because you think it will be an easy win, we'll end up LOSING."
So they had been sentenced to morning practices twice a week for the rest of the month.
In fact in their tired state, it even took the ever-observant Severus Snape a couple of minutes to pick up the change in the hourglasses.
He elbowed Lauralie gently in the arm and nodded his head towards the hourglasses.
"How'd they lose two hundred points?" she asked.
"Three guesses who's fault that is," Lucius said with a malicious smile.
Lauralie turned in her chair to look at the Gryffindor table. She skimmed down the table. Many of the students were talking and gesturing wildly, clearly upset.
She saw Sirius and Mags eating silently. She wasn't sure, but she could swear that Sirius looked like he had a bruise over one of his eyes. Farther down the table were Remus, Lily, and James. Remus had a cut above his lip and a bruise along his jaw line.
Lauralie began ticking off the list of people who had strategically positioned themselves between Remus and Sirius.
Magdalene, Lindsay, Duncan, Corrigan, Pettigrew, Potter, and Lily. She frowned. They are fighting.
Severus was looking too. "Is it me, or does it look like Black and Lupin had a lovers' spat?"
Lauralie pondered for a moment the fact that Severus referred to Sirius as Black, but used her first name. Then she answered. "Yeah, it does."
She watched Remus for a moment before dragging her eyes away and turning back to her friends.
* * *
Remus was not eating; he stared down at the food, wondering why he'd even put it on the plate to begin with.
He didn't dare look at Sirius. Or, for that matter, Lauralie. He'd glanced Sirius only once, to see that he had found a seat that put as many of their friends between them as possible.
Remus was vaguely aware that Lily was sitting next to him, with James. He was sure James was just following Lily. The other Gryffindors at the table were whispering about the new House standings.
But there wasn't much going on in his mind. The same sentence was replaying there, pushing him farther into sadness.
The first friends I've ever had, and I just had to go and mess it up.
* * *
It didn't take long for the rumor that Sirius had beaten the crap out of Remus for hitting on his sister to make its way around Hogwarts.
Rita Skeeter was in gossip heaven, and it was gossip that involved Lauralie. And anyone with half a brain knew that all of Rita's favorite gossip involved Lauralie Black.
"So how long did you let him kiss you before you clocked him?" she shouted after Lauralie as they passed between classes.
"Why don't you go play Marco Polo with the Giant Squid, Rita?" Narcissa hissed. "God she never shuts up, does she?"
"No," Lauralie answered. "Especially not in a time like this."
"A time where you saved our skin?" Narcissa asked. "She should be happy and shut up like the rest of us."
"I can't believe they were fighting over me," Lauralie said. Her voice conveyed disbelief and guilt that Narcissa chose not to address.
"And I can't believe you never told me Lupin kissed you," Narcissa said.
"No one knew, I assumed it would stay that way."
Katia and Anastasia were already in their History of Magic classroom when they walked in.
"We just heard that the fight was in the library, of all places," Katia said.
"Madam Pince must be furious," Anastasia added. "Someone said they knocked over a bookcase!"
"Where are you hearing all this from?" Lauralie asked, methodically twisting her long hair up into a bun.
"Oh, everyone is talking about it," Katia answered.
Lauralie groaned and sank down into her chair.
"Don't fret, LB," Anastasia consoled. "It's just gossip, everyone will forget it in a couple of weeks."
"Why do boys have to be so bloody ridiculous?" Lauralie muttered. "I mean what's the point of this whole 'You kissed my sister I shall now give you a bloody nose' mind set?"
"Oh, its really quite simple," Narcissa answered. "They are boys and they are stupid. So there is no point behind their actions."
The Gryffindors were filing slowly into the room. Lauralie met Lindsay McConaugha's eyes for a brief moment before Lindsay deliberately shifted her eyes away.
Lauralie spent the rest of the class ignoring Professor Binns' monotone lecture and instead trying in vain to catch the other girls' eye.
At the end of class, after Lindsay had left far quicker than usual, Lauralie was sure.
Lindsay McConaugha was avoiding her.
* * *
"I think that was the longest day I've ever lived through," Lauralie said, taking a seat at their usual table in the library. "Where's Lucius?"
"I don't know," Severus answered. "He was called out of Defense Against the Dark Arts for some reason, and I haven't seen him since then."
"You don't think something is wrong do you?" Narcissa asked, sounding anxious.
"I hope not," Severus answered. "Have you all heard some of the nonsense circulating the rumor mill?"
"Some, we heard they knocked over a book case," Lauralie said.
"Oh, and that Lestrange is the one who caught them and took off all those points," Narcissa added.
"And that Sirius is jealous because he's in love with Remus."
"I always questioned your brother's sexuality," Narcissa said, giggling. "Way too buddy buddy with Potter and Lupin if you ask me."
"But the consensus is, they were fighting because of me," Lauralie said with certainty. She sounded thoroughly miserable. "And I think Lindsay McConaugha is avoiding me. Usually we get along just fine, but today she wouldn't even look at me."
"She's a Gryff," Narcissa said. "She's probably hacked off and blaming you for their loss of points."
"I suppose."
Severus opened his mouth to say something but never got it out because at that moment Lucius turned up looking dismal.
"What happened to you?" Narcissa asked.
Lucius gave a dark look. "Dad's been injured."
"Oh no, what happened?"
"You know they've been following those bloody dragons right?" he said. "Well they've been trying to keep them hidden from all the Muggles. Something went wrong, they wouldn't give me details. All I know is he's rather burned and broke his arm and a couple ribs."
"But he'll be OK?"
"Oh of course. Still it isn't good," Lucius said. "They can't keep the dragons under control. No one knows where they are going. Its really quite insane."
"That is weird," Narcissa said.
"What are they going to do?" Severus asked.
"They have no choice but to keep trying," Lucius said. "That's their job. Besides, Dad doesn't want to give up. Damn dragon lover, doesn't know what's good for him."
Lauralie's heart slipped even further down in her chest. She began piling her books into her bag.
"Where are you going?" Severus asked.
"I'm going to the Great Hall to find Sirius," she answered. "I want to talk to him."
Severus looked like he wanted to ask why the hell she would want to do that but he held his tongue.
"I'll see you guys in the Common Room later."
* * *
Lauralie popped her head into the Great Hall where the remainder of students were still eating dinner. She searched the Gryffindor table for her brother but didn't see him. Remus was in there with Peter Pettigrew. But no Sirius.
"Looking for someone?"
Lauralie nearly jumped out of her skin. "You startled me Magdalene."
"Sorry," she said with a laugh.
"Have you seen Sirius?" Lauralie asked. "I kinda wanted to talk to him."
"He's already gone up to his dorm," Mags answered. "He's not in too good of a mood."
"I can imagine," Lauralie said.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"Can't, Skeeter is hovering around the corner."
There was a muffled curse from around the corner.
Magdalene laughed. "OK then, walk with me, we'll talk."
They began to wander up on of the staircases. Passing by Rita Skeeter as they went. Magdalene waved in sarcastic cheeriness.
"So what's on your mind, Lady Slytherin?" she asked after they were a safe distance from where Rita was still lurking.
"Its this whole fight thing," Lauralie answered. "Were they really fighting because of what happened? I mean, with Remus and I?"
"Yes, so it seems," Magdalene responded. "I know your brother doesn't seem it sometimes, but he is very protective of you, perhaps too protective. Because I am not entirely sure he realizes how capable you are of standing up for yourself."
"That's one of the things that infuriates me about him," Lauralie agreed. "No matter how old I get I'm still his little baby sister."
Magdalene nodded. "Sirius, as wonderful as he is, is quite stubborn and hard-headed at times."
"How upset is he?"
"Very. But he'll get over it, they always do. This isn't the first time one of the guys has ticked off the other. And of all four of them, Sirius has the shortest temper."
"Don't I know it." They walked in silence for a few minutes, passing the Library, and then the Hospital Wing.
They changed topics and spoke about Quidditch, and classes as they came full circle. They paused at the spot where they would have to part ways.
Lauralie turned to walk away.
"Hey Lauralie," Mags called. Lauralie turned around. "You shouldn't blame yourself. No one else does."
Lauralie smiled weakly. "Thanks Magdalene."
"Anytime."
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Author's Notes: Whee. Thanks again to Toria, my wonderful Beta.
No, the line I showed you about the Dragon didn't make it in this chapter, probably won't turn up till late next chapter.
Next Chapter: Slyth Vs. Ravenclaw, LB finally catches up with her brother, Lily and Sirius have a heart to heart.
And much much more!