Eeeee, you're all so great! LoL. Excuse me, just happy today.
I feel. . . Christmassy. avoids odd looks
Yeah, yeah. I know. I dunno why either. I just do.
Anywho! Got a looooong chapter for you all.
So! You know what to do.
points to review button
LoL. Shameless, I know.
Lauren.
James's POV"Lily?!" Sirius cried.
Ah. See, I was waiting for that reaction.
"Hi!" Lily replied casually, smiling her pleasant little smile that hardly ever left her face.
Oh. Except for when she was in Transfiguration.
I swear, how can she hate that subject? After everything it's taught us! Okay, maybe it's not taught her much, but whoever invented Transfiguration should be honoured.
Well, they probably already are, but you get what I'm saying.
"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked.
I saw that the other members of the team were wondering the same thing.
"I got her out of Transfiguration," I answered for Lily, sitting down on a bench and beginning to polish my broom. We were outside on the Quidditch pitch, and the Gryffindor Quidditch members were slowly gathering.
"Oh yeah. . . You're not the biggest Transfiguration fan, are you?" Sirius grinned, wrapping his arms around Lily and kissing the top of her head.
Ugh. For some reason I did not like that. So I went back to polishing my broom, even if it was a little more roughly than I intended.
Why the hell had I got her out of Transfiguration? I mean, what was I hoping to achieve because of that? All I'd done was increase my chances of getting detention.
Not that I cared much about detention. But still.
I was risking getting detention for a spoilt, selfish, stuck up brat, who at this moment was all over my best friend.
Wasn't I supposed to protect my friends from people like that?
Then again, hadn't I just described her as cute, sweet and smart?
Urgh. Okay, I'm confused. And frustrated.
And hoping to God that Sirius will let go of Lily some time soon.
Lily's POV
I love Sirius to pieces.
And I'll have to thank James again later. He really is sweet, no matter what I first thought.
Even is he was a bit distant at that emergency Quidditch meeting.
I never did find out what that was about. I wasn't paying much attention. Well, to what they were talking about. I was paying a lot of attention to Sirius.
"I still can't believe you got out of Transfiguration," Tess sighed, throwing an arm load of books onto her bed and picking up a hairbrush. "And then got to go watch James Potter train!"
I glanced at her. "The Quidditch team train," I corrected her. "Besides. They didn't train. They talked."
"Fine!" Tess grinned. "You got to watch James Potter talk."
Helen giggled from her bed, where she was sat cross legged and writing on a piece of parchment. "Yes, James Potter talking. Really great," she rolled her eyes, a smile on her face.
"You like James?" I asked Tess in surprise.
I didn't know that.
"Like James?" Tess repeated, trying to hide a smile. "No. . . Not much. A tiny bit. Well, a bit. Quite a bit. Okay, a lot. Ooh, he's perfect!"
Were we talking about the same James Potter here?
Sure, he was nice. He was an angel actually, he saved me from the torture of Transfiguration.
But... perfect?
"You think so?" I asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Ye-eah!" Tess exclaimed.
Wow. She really did like him.
Helen was overcome by a fit of giggles, staring at Tess and shaking her head.
"So. . . wow Tessy!" I laughed. I didn't quite know what to say. I mean. . . I really had no idea.
Sirius' POV
"What's up?" I asked James as soon as we got into our dorm.
There's something that comes out of 12 years of friendship. And that's the fact that you know when something is wrong.
"Nothing's up," James replied, shrugging and tossing his broom on the floor next to his bed.
"Uh-huh. And Filch just told me he's thinking of honouring me for my behavior," I said sarcastically. "C'mon, what's the matter? You've been weird all day!"
"I have not!" James cried, looking annoyed.
Yeah. Sure. You're just proving it now, mate.
I sighed and fell back onto my bed. "Fine," I said, in a voice that I knew would just annoy him even more. That's another thing that comes out of 12 years of friendship. You know each other way too much.
"Look, nothing's the matter okay? Drop it. I'm just tired."
I looked at him blankly. It was half past three in the afternoon.
"Tired?"
"Yes. I dunno. . . maybe I've had too many late nights or something."
Oh please. That was the lamest excuse ever. James Potter and too many late nights?
The boy was like me! Practically nocturnal.
Lily POV
"I didn't know you liked James..." I said thoughtfully.
"Well... I do!" Tess replied cheerfully. We were getting ready to go down to dinner, Helen already waiting impatiently at the door of our dorm for us.
"Since when?"
I mean. . . I dunno. I thought she'd have told me, at least. . .
Tess shrugged, putting on some mascara. "I dunno. . . Not long. I've only just realized today how gorgeous he is. . . I mean, when-"
"Okay, okay," I interrupted, laughing. "That was a dumb question. The point is you like him."
"Yep!" Tess said happily, starting to walk towards Helen. "And you know what the good thing about you going out with Sirius is?"
I could guess.
"You get to set me up with James!"
I groaned.
"Tess. . . I-"
"Oh Lily, pleeeeease?" she whined.
Great. She was using my own personal weapon against me.
"Tess," Helen sighed. She shook her head, looking amused.
"What? Look, who was there for you when you broke your ankle?" Tess demanded, her hands flying to her hips.
That was two years ago. She's gonna hold that against me forever, isn't she?
"I know but-"
"Who always helps you out with your homework? Who stuck up for you when you had that huge fight with Kimberly? Who-?"
"Okay, point taken," I said, defeated.
James' POV
Jesus. All Sirius went on about was something bothering me.
Nothing was wrong!
So I wasn't really that bothered about needing a new Beater. Normally I would have been, but like I told Sirius; I was tired.
Exactly.
Well. Not just that.
This new Lord What-ya-ma-call-it guy was beginning to scare people. Not that many people, he still wasn't that big.
But I'd been warned ages ago that I might be in danger. I'm not sure why, because Dumbledore told my parents and they seemed to think it was best I didn't know.
What am I? Five?
But whatever the reason, I was in danger because of him.
"Is it about that You-Know-Who person?" Sirius asked, as the Marauders walked down to dinner.
I made a noise of frustration. I was mainly annoyed that he knew me so well, but whatever.
"No!" I said.
We all went down to dinner and sat in our usual seats at the table.
Which meant sitting opposite Lorredana and her friends.
Wonderful. So now I finally got to find out what was going on with Martine or whoever! Highlight of my week, that is.
And there was Lily and her gang sitting a little further down the table. But she didn't notice us, thank God.
"So..." Lorredana smiled, looking between me and Sirius. She must have guessed something was wrong, as we weren't really talking much, which was unusual for us.
"What's up with the Marauders?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.
I sighed.
Sometimes she just wants to know too much.
"Nothing is up with the Marauders," I muttered. "Okay?"
This caused both of her eyebrows to raise. "Okaaaaay..." she grinned. "Then what's up with Jamesie?"
I set my jaw.
What is it with the name Jamesie? I mean. . . seriously?
I glared at her. And she took the hint.
"Erm. . . right. So. . . Sirius!" she smiled, turning to him.
Sirius smiled back. "Yeah?"
"You're going out with some girl in sixth year, aren't you?" Lorredana cocked her head to one side, looking at him intently.
Was wondering when she was gonna ask about that.
"I am," Sirius replied, quite simply.
"Hmm..." was all Lorredana murmured. She turned to one of her friends (Tamzin, was it?) "Sirius Black. . ." she said, sounding quite amused. Then she looked back at him, smiling slightly. "So. You're totally off the market then?"
Oh please. I rolled my eyes, digging my fork into my food.
Sirius however, didn't seem the least bit fazed. "Sure am," he grinned.
Lorredana did that little shrug thing again. "Oh well. What's she called again?"
"She's called. . . Lily!" Sirius grabbed someone's wrist, which was walking past our table, and grabbed them towards us.
"Umm. . . hi," Lily smiled, laughing a little at Sirius.
"Hey Lils," Remus smiled.
Lily glanced quickly over her shoulder towards Tess and Helen, who nodded and walked over to some sixth year Hufflepuffs.
"Ooh," Lorredana nodded. "So you're Lily. Yeah, I've seen you around. Hi!"
"Hey," Lily replied.
"I'm Lorredana by the way. Lorredana Carbanaderna."
Yep. Seriously. That's her name. No joke.
Lily smiled and nodded. I think she already knew this little piece of information.
"And this is Martine. . ." Lorredana started pointing out her friends. I rolled my eyes again, doubting that the reason Sirius had dragged her over was to meet Lorredana and co. ". . . Tamzin. . ."
"So Lil," Sirius interrupted, making Lorredana sigh. He suddenly dropped his voice to a whisper. "You ever been in the Shrieking Shack at night?"
Lily looked at him, confused. "No. . . I've never been in the Shrieking Shack at all. It's creepy. And haunted."
"It's not haunted," I said, then decided to shut up. I didn't want to drop Remus in it, after all.
"It is-" Lily started, but Sirius cut her off.
"It's not. But it's fun. C'mon, we can all go! Tonight. You, me, James-"
Excuse me? When did I come into to this?
I looked at him and shrugged. "Okay," I agreed. Then I smiled at Lorredana. "But Laurie's gotta come too."
Lorredana rolled her eyes a little at her nickname - she hates it. Very proud of the name Lorredana Carwhateverner, she is. Even though I can't pronounce it to save my life - but she seemed pretty happy to be invited.
"Great," she grinned.
Lily frowned a little bit. "Lorredana?" she repeated.
What was that in her voice? Disappointment?
Did she not like Laurie or something? A little intimidated by her?
Well, ha.
Or relief?
Yeah, maybe she was just glad other people were going to the Shrieking Shack. More protection from the big bad ghosts.
Wimp.
She cast another quick glance in the direction of Tess and Helen again, then sighed slightly.
"Okay," she said, smiling a second later. "When?"