I want to thank Red-Devil for all of her great reviews that have continued to stroke my ego. And of course, to Talia and Karenina, for putting up with my craziness. It's paying off now, huh? You're glad I've spent the past year and a bit with a wedding ring on my finger, you can say it.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Careers Who?
Dumbledore's promise that this Voldemort business would blow over was wrong, as three months later the Ministry still had not captured him or his band of Death Eaters.
Only during the last week of March did any news of it reach the front page of the Daily Prophet.
Early this morning the Daily Prophet has received confirmation from Austrian Ministry officials that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named was spotted in Salzburg. Austrian officials contacted the British Ministry of Magic hours after the sighting, too late for dispatched Aurors to find any trace of Him.
It is not known what He was doing in Salzburg, but it is speculated that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named was recruiting wizards to join his Death Eaters.
Lily slammed the newspaper down in a huff. "What's the point of having something like Apparition if they don't use it effectively?"
"I think it was more a matter of the Austrians not knowing how big a threat he is." said Remus, helping himself to several banana muffins.
It was the morning after the full moon and that usually meant that an all-out gorge fest the next day.
Talia watched in disgust as he stuffed two pieces of dry toast into his mouth.
"Anyways," Ophelia began, eager to get the conversation away from Voldemort. "When is the next Gryffindor ga--"
"The weekend after next." he replied quickly, before she finished her sentence. "It's against Slytherin, and after that we're onto the finals with Ravenclaw. Which reminds me Rem, once we get Slytherin out of the way, I'm pushing for four practices a week. And if course one tonight."
Remus choked on his pumpkin juice. "F-Four practices a week? But what about o-our OWLs? That doesn't leave very much time to study."
"But this is Quidditch."
"The OWLs determine our future, Prongs, I think that's a bit more important." chuckled Remus.
James looked as though he had been slapped across the face. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Four practices a week, Moony."
Lily hit her fork against her goblet. "Can we talk about something other than Quidditch? Anything, rather?"
A clear bell rang throughout the Hall, signaling the end of the meal.
They slowly gathered their books and headed for Transfigurations.
Professor McGonagall made her way to the front of the classroom, her normally smooth hair pulled back into a frizzy bun.
"Today we will be continuing our work on Vanishing Spells." she said loudly. "Take out your books, we will be doing text work."
She sat down at her desk and took out a long role of parchment, on which she began to scribble a letter.
Unlike History of Magic, Transfiguration was one of the rare classes that forced Sirius and James to concentrate on the tasks at hand.
They grudgingly opened their books and turned to the appropriate page, where a witch was demonstrating how to vanish a cauldron.
James took out his wand and proceeded to vanish his textbook.
"Mr Potter!" screeched Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet. "What-part-of- book-work-do-you-not-understand?"
He grinned. "I thought that's what we were supposed to do. Read the book, and vanish the book."
Under normal circumstances, she would have given him detention or sent him to the Headmaster's office. However, she returned to her seat and took a deep breath. "Read from Mr Black's book, I will deal with this matter later. Before your OWLs if you are lucky enough."
James frowned and took out his Quidditch play book, hiding it beneath his desk.
Professor McGonagall tucked the parchment away in her bureau and stood up abruptly. "We need to discuss your approaching Careers counseling sessions."
Confused, the class did as they were instructed and turned their attention back to Professor McGonagall.
"Next year, you will be taking a more focused course load that will help in reaching your chosen career." she began. "Of course, they grades you achieve on your OWLs will determine which classes you may or may not take. Each Head of House will be talking to you individually beginning next week. As Head of Gryffindor, I will be sending out appointment slips soon. Continue reading until the end of class, and I will expect a foot of parchment on Vanishing spells on my desk no later than Tuesday."
Lily poked Ophelia with her quill. "Careers?" she cried. "I can't think about careers right now, I'm too busy with the OWLs."
"Ouch! Are we sharpening our quills now, Lil? And why are you worrying?" replied Ophelia. "It's you. You could go into any field and exceed at it."
Once class was dismissed, they made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Sirius ran to catch up with Ophelia.
"I completely understood what McGonagall was talking about, how 'bout you?"
She sighed. "Do you need help with your homework tonight?"
"Define help.."
"Help as in I tell you what to fix in order to improve."
"Oh, see I was under the impression that you meant.. you know, you would help me." he smirked.
"Oh! Like I would do your essay for you purely out of the goodness of my heart."
"Exactly! You and I are on the same wavelength, Phe."
"Yeah right, we're so in tune with each other." she answered, shaking her head.
"Ophelia?"
She and Sirius turned round to face Colin Turner. "Yes?"
"May I talk to you for a moment? In private?" he added, throwing a glance at Sirius.
"Do you mind?"
"No.." he frowned. "I'll just wait... over there.."
Ophelia followed Colin behind a pillar.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes everything is fine. I was just wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade this weekend?"
"Well I usually would but I'm going home for the Easter holiday. I'm going to a Who concert."
"Who?"
"Right, so you know them."
"Phe, come on!" called Sirius. "We're going to be late."
"Well see you later."she said, returning to Sirius.
"What did Turner want?"
"He was acting very oddly; asked if I was going to Hogsmeade, when he knows full well I go every trip."
"What?"
"I know, very strange. But I told him I was going to the con--"
"He just asked you out!"
"Colin? No, we're just mates. He was really nice to me last fall during all... that. He wouldn't do that."
"He would and he did."
"Hmmm..."
"Hmmm what? You didn't say yes, did you?"
"How could I? I didn't even know what was on, and then you interrupted. Which reminds me; since when does Sirius Black care about getting to class early?"
"There's a first time for everything." he growled, taking his seat between James and Remus.
Ophelia sat down next to Lily and Talia.
"What are you two arguing about now?" asked Remus.
"What?" they cried in unison.
"He asked her out."
"I didn't say yes, did I?" she hollered.
"You didn't say no either." grumbled Sirius.
"Relax, Padfoot." James mumbled quietly. "Phe's not on Turner's Off Limits, remember?"
"So what? You're upset with me because a boy I have no interest in asked me out in a manner which led me to believe he only wanted to hang out?"
"No Phe, I'm not upset with you, I just--"
"Mr Black and Miss Lupin," barked Professor Riley. "Would you be so kind as to continue this outside of my class?"
They quickly apologized and took out their quills and books.
Lily was muttering under her breath, still plagued by the mention of the approaching careers sessions. "No, no, can't do that... Is that even a profession... Now there's a thought, I would make a great Ministress of Magic..."
"Today we will begin the study of Dark wizards." began Riley. "Enough of this creature-nonsense."
Lily's hand shot into the air as she snapped out of her trance. "But sir, I thought the Ministry was confident in their ability to catch Voldemort?"
The professor shook his head. "I'm afraid if they were going to catch Him they would have done so by now. The only defense we have in this classroom is to arm ourselves with the knowledge of how the previous Dark Lords were defeated."
Ophelia let her head fall to the desk and she closed her eyes. She highly doubted this.. Voldemort would be remembered in a few years.
Once class was let out, Talia nudged her awake, and they headed back to the common room.
Sirius hopped in front of her. "I was a prat.
"You rival Snivellus sometimes."
"Orchideous." he said, making pink flowers leap from his wand.
"Aw, you should apologize with flowers more often." she grinned.
Oncce they had slipped past the Fat Lady, Ophelia sank into the soft cushions. "I give up. I'm just going to live off Noah and Helena for the rest of my life."
"I'll join you." said Remus. "Can we please talk about something other than careers for a bit?"
"Like the concert?" suggested Sirius. "Did you get our tickets, Phe?"
"Er.. about that. Are you sure you and James want to come?"
"Yeah. I love the Who."
"It's just.. we'll be going with Muggles. Are you sure you can behave yourselves?"
"I'm offended, I would never.." He couldn't keep a straight face any longer. "We'll try our hardest."
"Then yes I got your tickets."
Remus glanced at the grandfather clock against the wall. "I have to get to practice now or James'll have my head mounted and put on the wall at Sirius'."
Sirius rolled his eyes and took his spot on the couch. "Thanks mate." he called after him. "Is he coming?"
Ophelia laughed loudly, so much that her stomach began to hurt. "Remus go to a Who concert? You're taking the piss, right? Rem hates Muggle bands."
"So it's you, me, James, Lily, and Talia?"
"No, Tal's coming home but not to the concert. She and in Ian will be hanging out at the Manor. But Becca's coming with us."
"Remus' girlfriend?"
Ophelia frowned. "I don't know if she ever was, they dated a bit, but I think that was it."
Sirius grinned and plopped a roll of parchment into her lap. "Alright, well I'll just let you do your mag--"
She grabbed his sleeve. "You're not going anywhere, because I'm only helping you."
"What if I gave you flowers?"
"Really? Flowers? Well that.. doesn't change a thing. Sit." Ophelia held out her hand. "Empty your pockets."
"What?"
"Empty your pockets." she repeated.
He pulled out a deck of Exploding Snap and a pair of James' old glasses that were jinxed with a Sirius' eyes, to make it look as though he was paying full attention.
"That's great, Sir, real mature." she chuckled, stowing them away in her own robes. "Now copy this down..."
At one o'clock in the morning, Sirius' essay was completed and they retired for the night.
The next day, they would be boarding the Hogwarts Express for King's Cross and Pete Townsend.
