CHAPTER FOURTEEN Cautionary Exchange
Once the soft scuff of Ophelia's slippers had faded away, James took his seat beside his best friend.
"You couldn't sleep? How come?"
"Lately it seems that I can never sleep." said Sirius. "Don't know why, really."
James stared hard at him. "It's Christmas holiday, we don't have classes for the next two weeks. Cheer up, mate."
"Not to mention the formal."
"Ah, the source of my greatest stress recently." admitted James. "Do you think Evans will save me a dance?"
"I think you have a better chance of dancing with Snivellus." said Sirius.
"I thought it as hopeless. Oh well, Talia will be good enough company." He was quiet for a moment. "Besides, there will be other dances, right? Ones where I actually might take Evans?"
Sirius patted his shoulder. "Sure. And they'll be held on Mars."
"Now you're just being ridiculous. Who will you ask to the next one? Supposing of course that Dumbledore throws another one..."
Sirius frowned. "Phe."
"No. I meant out of the throng of girls who throw themselves at you daily, who would you take?"
"I-would-take-Phe." he repeated slowly.
"If you're just saying that you would take Ophelia to be polite, then I wouldn't worry about that." James chuckled.
"Prongs, I know bloody well what you meant, and I think I would be the last person to escort any girl out of pure politeness."
"Well then you--" James stopped mid sentence. Leaping to his feet, his wide eyes revealing his full comprehension. "Oh Padfoot... you're in for it now. I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me?"
"What exactly am I in for?"
"What? You didn't think about how Remus was going to take this? Oh, I'd leave Hogwarts. Lay down low at my house for a while until he calms down a bit." James rambled.
"How much Butterbeer did you have? Maybe you should lay down for a bit..." said Sirius.
"Oh no! There's no way I'm going to sleep in the same room as him now. No way!"
"Enough!" Sirius cried. "Just why exactly are you afraid of Remus? And tell me quickly because you're giving me a headache."
James looked at him as though he had just sprouted a second nose. "I'm talking about you. Fancying his little sister. As if you didn't already know."
"I don't fancy Ophelia."
"Right, right. And the Canadians will win the Quidditch Cup this year."
"I don't fancy Ophelia." repeated Sirius. "Calm down, alright?"
James flopped back onto the couch. "Well, good luck with that."
"I don't need luck. She's Moony's sister. Off limits."
"And you just remember that. She is off limits. And while we're on the subject, you best be putting Evans on that list with a big line next to her name that says 'Off Limits'."
Sirius smirked wickedly. "I dunno Prongs. I think she winked at me the other day. And she's pretty cute, too. Not to mention what a service it would do for my homework..."
"You're lucky I know you're only taking the piss. Otherwise you'd be hanging by your feet outside that window."
"Do you have the map?" Sirius asked haughtily. "I'm bored, let's go wandering."
{Yes, yes, please hold back the angry emails, like I said earlier, it has to be done...}
