"Now, honestly," Lily asked self-consciously over her shoulder, her eyes still on the mirror, "how do I look?"
"The stars shine just for you, luv." Honestly? Ava felt like she told her for the millionth time. She DID look wonderful, but who cares? She could be wearing nothing, and James would be just as happy, if not more so.
"You sound like Sirius." Lily laughed at her. "All his star talk."
Unaffected, Ava shrugged. He did like the stars, but then again, so did she. So it was compliment. Ava grinned wickedly, "So, James propose yet?"
"What!" She almost fell over at the speed of her turn. "What did you say?"
Ava laughed at her and stuck her tongue out. Lily glared at her revenge. She turned back to the mirror to giver herself one last check over.
"He will eventually, you know that right?" Ava told her. She caught the roll of eyes in the mirror. "Oh, come on. We all see it. You are in love!" She hopped up and danced about grabbing Lily, who was laughing at her foolishness.
Lily turned back to the mirror one more time. Ava fell back onto the bed. She rolled her eyes with an exaggerated sigh. "You look fine. I've told you a million times. And one now."
"Fine." Lily turned away from her image. She gave her friend a critical look over, her hands on her hips. "You're not dressed."
Ava gave her a shocked look and looked down at her front, she touched her hands to her chest with a dramatic sigh of relief. Lily just glared. "You know what I mean."
Ava just raised an eyebrow at her. She didn't care what she looked like, why worry when robes just covered everything up anyway? Lily shrugged exasperated.
"It wouldn't surprise me if someone managed to go in the buff." They broke into laughter. Lily eyed her friend again as she lay on her bed. She went over to her trunk that was semi-packed rather neatly, and lifted something off the top and chucked it at the girl. Surprised, some material snapped Ava in the face. She sent an odd face to Lily asking 'what's this?'
"Just try it on." Push, needle, nag.
With a customary roll of the eyes, Ava took off her shirt and tossed it back on the bed, but however left her jeans on. She didn't take a look at what Lily had given her. She just put it on as she was really only doing it for Lily's amusement anyways, not her own. Lily smiled at her hopefully, "Please?"
"Fine." Ava agreed to wear the top, Lily enjoyed it much more than she did, so Ava got in the habit of humoring her. She turned to look at herself in the mirror. After all, she mused, she didn't want to be completely embarrassed and unpleased at and with Lily. A smile crept to her lips though as she surveyed her appearance, the light catching her silver necklace as she touched it. A smile crept to Lily's as well.
"Sirius and you are pretty serious…" she drifted off with a raise or two of the old eyebrow. "Wedding bells in the near future?"
Resisting the urge to glare, she just shot out a harsh 'Ha!' as she turned around to face the other girl. Lily was just trying to get her back for her earlier comment and throwing her off about James. "Try the not happening future."
"Come on, admit there is as much chance as it happening to you as it happening to me." Lily prodded. Seeing Ava's withering look, she prodded on. "And why not?"
"Well, first. I have no delusions of grandeur, dreams, or goals-call it what you will- about marriage. Not interested.
"Second, Sirius and are friends first, then just recently," she emphasized the words, "together. Fun and happy is the way it will stay.
"Third," she ticked off a finger while Lily sighed loudly with a big-eyed hint to get on with it. "James has been in love with you for seven years. I have known Sirius for seven months. Not quite the same."
"Ah, but you two have eyed each other for those seven months," Lily laughed at her.
"You're right, what the hell!" Ava sarcastically spouted with false enthusiasm. Lily just laughed at her outburst, Ava eventually joining in. She didn't know how or why they got onto such a serious-no pun intended- subject. Probably the fact that they were both trying to goad the other into surprise. Ava kicked herself into action upon seeing the time. "Time to go luv."
Lily hopped up and threw her robe over her shoulder, her eccentric friend following suit. She smiled inwardly as they walked down the hall; she had never met anyone like Ava. She certainly was an interesting person. They made a nice pair, Lily mused. Balanced well. She slowed down as she started to look around her, the pictures on the wall catching her eye. Glancing around at the walls, stairs, everything that had been her home for the past seven years, she took it all in.
Noticing her friend stopping, Ava went back over to see. She looked at Lily and saw the sad way she looked around, her own eyes following. It seemed redundant to say the words that came to her mouth-you're going to miss it aren't you-luckily she stopped herself.
Lily stopped and looked at her, giving her a small and sad smile, "Seven years is a long time."
Feeling slightly awkward Ava didn't say anything, but gave an encouraging nod.
"I'm really going to miss it." Lily murmured more to herself.
"Me too." Ava surprised herself as well by saying so. Lily looked over with open eyes and smiled. "It's been my home for the better part of seven months. More than another place has been, but that's thanks to you. You're definitely the best to come out of this, and there is so much more."
"Like Sirius?" She grinned at her.
"No." Ava shook her head. "Guys come and go, but good friends are harder to find."
Lily, with a surge of energy, threw her arms around Ava, hugging her tightly. "Listen to you waxing poetically."
"Oh, don't worry, its over. I'm not one for too much touchy-feely." She suddenly became aware of what they should be doing. With a quick "Eep" she pulled Lily along towards the main hall. They kept losing track of time and with the ceremony starting quite soon, they would never make it if they kept that rate.
"Constant Vigilance." And Moody paused dramatically. He eyed the students along the front rows. He kept his voice to a normal tone. Those who wanted to hear what he said would listen, and hear his words.
"How long have I spouted this? And how long have you disregarded it?" he snarled. His voice lightened with a small harsh smile.
"The time will come when your senses of justice, ethics, morals, whatever they may will be tested. And what will you do when your pillar crumbles to the ground? Sure as not remember my old chant. But look to your left, look to your right. Do you know the person who sits next to you, really know?"
While most of the students did turn their heads to look, some just eyed their neighbors from the corners of the sight. Sitting alphabetically, most only knew their neighbors on an acquaintance level; their friends and housemates dispersed through the crowd. Sirius didn't even have to look to his right, for their sat his foul cousin. He turned his head to his left to see Kate Blanchard giving him a pretty smile eyes lit up. He gave her a flirty Sirius smile with his eyebrows dancing suggestively. He didn't even know the Ravenclaw-blast Moody, he was right- but a little smile wouldn't hurt.
Peter looked to his left to see a couple of people between him and James. He looked around them to see what his friend was doing. Anything fun?
Remus didn't look around. He couldn't look at anyone. True that he knew them, well most of them, being the resident gentleman and all. But none could say the same about him. They thought they knew him, but they didn't. He could count on his marauders, and Lily, but the rest…?
Ava cocked her head to the right where Jeremy Adams sat, his handsome half smile on her, which she returned willingly. With a turn to the left she saw Raven Atlas, a dark-eyed Slytherin. As if he felt her eyes on him he turned his eyes to her ready to glare but broke into a silent laughter when he saw her crossed-eyes at him. She had to beat down her laughter as well; she really didn't think he was going to turn towards her. His laughter turned into a gorgeous smile sparkling at her. She bit her lip as the edges of her lips crept upwards. Cripes! Maybe all slytherins aren't bad…
Lily sat happily placed among the E's. She knew everyone and everyone knew her. She had no secrets. Well, maybe some. But she was more interested in what Mr. Moody had to say. She had a feeling riding her that it would behoove her.
James didn't bother to look around either. He somehow managed to listen to all of what the man said and absorb it, and also found a way to inflate a ball he had from a muggle born fifth year. Apparently, it was a muggle tradition that graduates toss a beach ball around at the ceremony. James tossed it up and off towards Sirius' section. Maybe it would hit that git Reilly Cavender unsuspectingly. Bloody slytherin.
"So, yes I see you have eyed your neighbors. But appearances can be deceiving. Thoughts and actions are divided by a deep rift. Trust in your self is far more profitable than faith in a stranger. Know your true friends.
"Whatever road you walk, know that it will be thorned. Rocks and water often block the way, but perseverance will overcome obstacles and challenges.
Moody went on to give more valuable yet cryptic words. Many times a professor's cough would cut in to derail him. But he, and Dumbledore, felt things needed to be said. A dark cloud loomed over the future-they had to know. This latest clan of Slytherins was quite worrisome. The worst since you-know-when, not that they knew that then.
The graduates all walked across the stage, received their diplomas and tossed their hats. James let his snitch go that he had nicked for the occasion. It fluttered through the hats that came crashing down on everyone's heads. Parents and the rest of the school clapped as the group left to change to meet them later in the hall.
::Short but had to have things said. You know how theses things go…A little response would be nice, Folks, so if you happen to feel so inclined….
