A/N
Hi all.
To fit in with "my" version of events, here's a slightly modified version of the OWLs memory , seen in HP5: OP. . . Lily and James are together, my OCs are in it(duh!), and it happens in the summer.
Oh... I'm also looking for a Beta reader if anyone is interested, please email me.
Thanks for the reviews.
OWLs
"Can I get a good luck hug?" an all too familiar voice of one Sirius Black asked from behind Lenore. She turned and beamed a brilliant smile at him.
"Luck, dear boy, has nothing to do with it." Len replied. She does however give him a welcoming hug. Len smiled at the rest of the Marauders now so close to her. "I was worried that you might be late."
"Us? Late?" James asked innocently. Lily rolled her eyes at this. "We'd never be late."
"Only because Lily would never allow it." Maia teased. She moved to Remus' side, and welcomes him with a hug and kiss on the cheek. Lupin blushed a little, but still holds her close to him. "You ready? My parents are making such a big deal of this."
"Mine too. But then they're parents, that's what they do." James shrugged.
"It's just so wrong to have to sit exams in the middle of the summer." Sirius complained. He was still holding Lenore close to him. Len had her back resting against his chest. "At least it gives us an excuse to see each other." He leans down and kisses Len's cheek. "We hardly ever get to see each other as a group."
"I think that I'm ready. Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration today. Not so bad." Lily replied as she holds on to James' arm.
"Lucky you. Len and I are sitting Arthmancy also today." Maia pouted. Remus gave her a sympathetic squeeze.
"Yeah that's just because you don't like Arthmancy." Len giggled, shaking her head. "Once you get your OWL you can drop it. That's what I'm planning on doing with Potions. We sit it tomorrow." She shuddered at the thought.
"Len you'll do fine." Sirius assured her, hugging her to him. "How late do you finish?"
"About . . . Five, I think." Len turned to look at him. "Do I dare ask why?"
"I was thinking it might be nice to go for a drink and relax after." He smiled at her.
"Sounds great, I'm in." Lily replied.
"Me too." James added.
"I'm not surprised." Sirius laughed. "What about you two?"
"Sure. I'll be either in need of cheering up, or euphoric." Maia smiled. She bumped Remus with her hip. He looked at her.
"Um . . . I have to be home early." He said shyly. "My folks will have a fit if I'm out after dark." The Marauders had all expected this, it was normal for Remus. Sirius was surprised that Mr. and Mrs. Lupin hadn't accompanied him here. "But I should have time for a quick drink." Maia's smile brightens about ten times at hearing that. She jumped throwing her arms around him.
"Sure, I'm in." Peter said.
"Alright, I don't want to spoil the party. I'll go." Len giggled.
The tones sounded telling all the gathering students to quiet down. An aged witch came out of the Great Hall of Hogwarts. She looked to step up on to a podium (which had appeared at the tones).
"Welcome to you all. This will be your first OWL examination, as with all your OWLs, there will be two portions; the written and the practical. You will each be given two quills as you enter the chamber. I tell you now that they both have an anti-cheating charm on them. Any attempt to remove or tamper with the spell will result in an immediate failure. Any cheating, immediate failure. You will be sitting the written portion of the Defence Against the Dark Art in a few moments. The practical portion will be done in alphabetical order." The witch paused to take a breath. "On entering these doors, there will be no talking permitted. I wish you all the best of luck."
"See she even admits that there is luck involved." Sirius whispered to Lenore, before letting her go. They moved up with the crowd of people, who in Len's opinion looked reluctant to march through the doors.
Lenore looks about the Great Hall it had been modified for the OWL examinations. Each student had his or her own table to write at, instead of the long house tables. The Hall had also taken on a serious air to it, lacking the usually warmth that was present.
Len looked to Maia and nodded, they headed to opposite ends of the room. They had planned this. In the off chance that they were tempted to write messages back and forth to each other, unsure of if the quill would consider that cheating or not, it was best not to be tempted.
Len personally did not find that the exam was as hard as the teachers had made it out to be. In fact she found that most of the question were rather simple. She almost laughed at question ten; Name five ways to tell a werewolf.
Len could not resist the temptation to write; 1 - dating my best friend, 2 – good friends with my boyfriend. Len paused at this, it was still strange to think of Sirius as her boyfriend. She had of course added these points to her real answers in her code.
Len finished in about half the time given. Curious to see how the others were fairing, but not about to turn around and check and risk failing. Perhaps, a seat at the back might be better next time. She thought. She decided that it was far safer to check over her answers.
Len heard quills scratching frantically, as she relaxed having checked other everything 3 times. Again she wondered how the other were doing. Prof Flickwick, who was invigilating this one, walked past her for the 12th time. The Elderly Witch from the minister came close to Len and handed her a slip of parchment.
Len looked at it closely, a number and time were on it. Len was slightly surprised that it was immediately following the written. Len also noted a room number on it. She shrugged, it must have been her time scheduled practical. Although curious why she was being presented this way, she was not about to question things. Perhaps hers was early because of the Arthmancy OWL also scheduled for today.
Len headed off to the room without delay after dismissal, for it really wouldn't do to be late. Len and a small group, nine others were there. None of them spoke to each other merely shrugging. Again the Ministry Witch approached them.
"Glad you all made it. This will be your practical portion. You 10 will be the first group as each of you was finished early, thus you do not need any time for review before this." She told them. "You will be asked to demonstrate particular skills. Once you leave you will be unable to discuss anything that happened until all of your fellow student have completed it. Do you all understand?"
Ten heads nodded 'Yes.'
"Good, now do any of you have any question before we begin?" She asked. Len put up her hand. "Yes, dear. Miss??"
"Nightshade, mame. How exactly will you be judging this? On effectiveness?" Len asked. She got a confused look. "I mean say that there are many ways to deal with a particular . . . problem, will you be looking for one in particular, or what ever works effectively?"
"Miss Nightshade that is a most usual question." She sounded amused and impressed. "When particular skills are expected, they will be specified. Any other questions?" She paused looking at the group. "Alright then, shall we?"
It wasn't a question they all knew. They entered the room together and were split into 2 groups of 5 each. Len noted that there were two examiners. One a tall woman, with short greying golden hair, who gave her the distinct impression of being an auror. The other a stout man, with curly brown hair and beady eyes that screamed to Lenore of being a desk-jockey.
"We will start by asking you to show us particular skills." The man said. "Then each of you will have a situation to solve."
"Remember, you are going for DE- fence, not O- fence in the sits." The woman barked harshly.
They were asked to show a shield. Then both examiners tried to break it. Len's was the only one that held up to both curses. One of the boys in her group was hit with a stun spell that brook threw, cast by the woman. They were then asked to revive him. Len did so, having quick reflexes and being near the boy.
They were then asked to show a disarming charm. Which they all managed. Len noticed that the woman, who was much stronger than the man, would generally test those that showed more knowledge, or power. Len was suddenly glad that she had trained/played with Bas.
After a few more basic skills, which Len thought trivial as she'd learned them long ago. They were each given a situation. Len thought that certainly a Time Turner must have bean involved. Len was presented with the task of retrieving a flask from the other side of the room, catch was a great spider was in the way.
The web of the spider made it too difficult to Summon the flask through it. However once the Web was touched the spider would attack. Len cast a Friend spell, this worked like a charm spell but without the mind control issues, much more expectable even if less powerful.
"Might you be so kind as to please pass me that flask behind you? That way I won't have to trample on your beautiful web." Len asked nicely. The spider did pass it to her. "Thank you very much."
"Well, that was . . . different." Said the woman. Len could not gleam anything from her voice as to her feelings. As for the man and the elderly witch, who'd both watched her, neither of them showed how they felt either. Len was very disconcerted at this.
Her way worked, and there had been no need for violence. What was the problem? However she was left feeling like she'd failed. Len trudged outside to find the others, although she would not be able to discuss things with them, perhaps they could cheer her up.
She found Lily first. Lily was cursing under her breath and pacing furiously. "What's up Lily?" Len asked tentatively.
"They're a bunch of idiotic buffoons." She hissed.
"The Marauders?" Len asked. Lily scowled and paused in her passing. "I thought that you knew that already?"
"Len very funny. Didn't you see what they did?" Lily demanded. Len shook her head.
"I was in doing my practical."
"Sirius and James were bored. So they decided to pick on their favourite target."
"You mean Snape." Len replied calmly. This was again a common occurrence. "Again, no surprises. So why are you so pissed?"
"Well, Snape was just minding his own business, and James and Sirius go over and start. They hang him upside down and . . . well that was just too much. So I go over and demand that they stop, because everyone else is too busy laughing to do anything." Lily huffed. "Len it was disgusting."
"Are you talking about seeing Snape, or James' behaviour?" Len asked seriously. She felt her own temper starting to rise.
"Their behaviour." Lily replied. She'd stopped pacing now and was looking at Len. "I mean that I do care for James, despite his immaturity, most of the time. However right now, I want to hex him off the planet. That was so wrong."
"If you want to hex James', why are you pacing, causing a rut in the ground?"
"Because, Snape was so grateful for my help, he up and calls me a mudblood." Lily fumed. "Then James demands an apology for me. I want nothing to do with the entire mess. I tell him so and left. I've been pacing since."
"Well . . . I can see why you're agitated." Len replied. "That was horrible. Why are they like that? I was just starting to like Sirius."
"They suck. So how was it? Are you allowed to say?" Lily asked.
"Hmm . . . I don't think it was that bad. Most of it." Len replied. Apparently she could be that vague. "But it would be wrong of me to say anything else, even if they hadn't charmed me so I couldn't."
"Why'd you go so early?" She asked.
"Something about how we finished early, so we didn't need any review time or something." Len shrugged. "You think Maia has managed to distract Remus from studying?"
"Don't know. But I'm still too upset to go check. I don't think I could stand him right now." Lily replied. It took a few more minutes of ranting before Lily was ready to go and find Maia.
They found James playing with the snitch as the approached, and Sirius making a valiant attempt to annoy Remus into stopping his review. Maia was trying equally hard to distract Remus into paying attention to her. Remus was diligently trying his best to ignore them.
"Len, help me convince him to stop!" Maia pleaded. She was pulling on his arm. Sirius however gave up bugging Remus and got up and went over to her. He smiled at Len and went to hug her. Len dodged out of the way.
"Oh, no you don't." Len replied looking cross at him. "Lily told me what you two boneheads did. That was just . . . wrong."
"Come on, Len. It was nothing." Sirius replied. "Just a joke."
"Just a joke, huhn? Well than I could do that to you?" Len replied still furious.
"I didn't see you jumping up to defend the little grease ball." James countered.
"I was sitting my practical." Len replied defensively. "Or I would have. Why? Why did you do that?"
"We were bored." James and Sirius shrugged. At the same time Remus actually looked up, "How'd it go? Was it hard?" he asked.
"Hey! I've been trying for a half and hour to get him to do that." Maia pouted.
"It went alright, I think." Len replied. She chose to ignore James and Sirius, before she cursed them. Sirius hugged her. Len let out a sound of disgust, and pulled free. "Lily was right, you guys are acting like jerks. Leave me alone until you can behave like civilized people, . . . or at lease your age. Leave me alone." Len started to walk off. She turned and waved at Lily, Maia and Remus (who's nose was back in the book).
Len headed back inside. Most everyone, not writing was outside. Which meant that the halls were nearly empty. She walked to the fourth floor, absently. Nobody was here. It was too far from the Library and the Examination rooms. She heard something like smothered crying.
Len followed it to an unused room. Snape was in a corner, curled up in a ball, the distinct sound of sobbing was easily identified.
"What do you want?" Snape asked looking up from the floor. His eyes though hidden by his hair were rimed with red. "Came here to gloat? Didn't you get a good enough laugh outside?" He sneered miserably.
"I – that is, I think what they did was disgusting." Len replied softly.
"Right! That's why you jumped in with indignation." He snapped back to her. "Why don't you just go and join your boyfriend, in his retelling of things?"
"Alright, for one I was sitting my practical, and didn't see what happened. Two, I'm absolutely disgusted with Sirius right now and don't want to be near him." Len took a deep breath, to calm herself. Snape's eyes had remained focused on her. "And three, after the way you 'thanked' Lily for her help, I'm not entirely sure I should be taking your side against them."
"Why are you here?" His voice was cold. His eyes burned black. He rose with grace and surprising speed. He stood right in front of her, rigid. His lip curled maliciously. However, Len was not afraid.
"Why? I heard . . . sounds from in here I was curious." Len replied. "As for being in the school I wanted to be alone, to think." She watched him flinch. "Now, you can believe me or not, as is your choice, but I do think that was wrong of them."
"I don't want your pity." He snapped back.
"It's not pity." Len stood her ground. She knew many others that would not have. That most would have let Severus sink into his misery. However, Len felt that she needed to try. "I don't pity you. And I can't really empathise either."
"Then what are you doing here?" Snape regarded her with interest. "Hmmm . . . Perhaps you are trying to distract me for your boyfriend, while he sets me up. Or detain me, so I miss my practical. I know, you're trying to . . . to . . . use me again."
"Use you?" Len asked confused. He grabbed her arm. Len remembered him grabbing her like this at the Fundraiser. Panic shot through her. Here there was no one to help her.
"Yes, use me." He sneered. "After all, your Potions OWL isn't until Friday. Perhaps you reconsidered your strategy of . . . breaking ties," it sounded choked out to Lenore, "so early." He looked furious.
"Severus, I don't know what you're talking about." Len replied as evenly as her growing panic allowed. "If you are referring to the events of the . . . last time we met," Len swallowed hard. "I did not intend to break ties with you. I merely meant to distract that little prat Malfoy. I thought that you would have figured out that it was a ploy, to allow you to maintain your reputation as an evil little git. However, I obviously didn't do it right." Len wrenched her arm free.
She took this opportunity to step back and put some distance between them. "I know that these are just words. And there is no reason to believe them. However, try to use your logic and be objective. I never lied to you. I never told anyone about you helping me, but Maia, who told no one. I thought that we were friends." Len pleaded with him. He just watched her, coldly watched her every movement.
"Eri, you can't let them win." Len replied quietly. "If you hide in here, they'll win. I'm not suggesting that you rush out to the courtyard or anything, but you can't let them win. You can't let this shake you up. You have to focus and smoke them on your practical. Beat them on the Owls. Do what you do best. Ignore them! It makes them madder than anything else." Len chuckled. Her eyes looked so sincere, so concerned.
"Miss Nightshade, you should be an actress." He replied evenly. "You are very convincing."
"I'm sorry you feel that way." Len sounded sad. She sighed deeply and turned to leave. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back. She looked at him, he saw fear flash in her eyes.
"If it was a ploy, why did you stop writing?" Snape managed to keep his voice neutral.
"I heard what you said to your father." Len sounded like she would cry. "I . . . I didn't know if . . . that is I wasn't sure . . . you'd read it. Or even want me to." She looked miserable.
"So you go running into Black's arms?" He again tried to keep his voice neutral.
"Not running." Len tried to pull her arm free, but he wouldn't let go this time. "Sirius was very supportive, and kind."
"You told him?" Snape demanded coldly.
"No! Maia wrote Remus about what happened. She left you out of it, I think. She mainly wanted to complain about Malfoy." Len replied. Her panic was again rising. As she couldn't get free. Tears started to roll down her checks.
Snape noticed and instantly released her. He tried to push his concern down but didn't quite manage to do so before he'd wiped a tear off her cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Are you alright?"
Len nodded absently. She was backing away toward the door. Again Len was trying to put distance between them. Her eyes watching him, like a scared animal. He made no move towards her. "You have a funny way of treating people who are just trying to help you." Len turned and ran down the hall after that.
Severus sat on a desk and reconsidered things, again.
He had at points considered that Lenore had done exactly what she had just told him. Had she really meant to protect him? Had she really tried to distract Malfoy? He wondered if anyone could be that innocent and pure.
However, he had seen Black draped all over her earlier. He could just imagine Black's response to the exchange that had just taken place. Yes, the source of more laughter, he thought with a sneer.
Snape considered things trying to be objective. However, his bitterness towards the Marauders kept clouding things. As did his personal experience that no one ever did anything without having some reason, some personal gain.
She never asked for help. a small voice reminded him.
"Only because I was ready and brought it up first." Snape countered.
Len returned to the courtyard. She was furious now. She found Maia, still trying very hard to distract Remus from his review. "Maia, you done your practical?"
They all looked up at her. Lily seemed to have forgiven James, because they were sitting together. Lily looked concerned noting Len's posturing. Sirius looked up at her sheepishly, considered saying something, then decided not to, as Len was obviously pissed about something. Peter caught her displeasure and quickly looked away, not wanting to be the target of her wrath.
"Yeah." Maia replied looking up. "Ummm . . . want to walk?" Len nodded, Maia jumped up and waved to the others. "Later."
"Do you think that was because of us?" Sirius asked the group.
Lily's eyes followed them. "Not entirely." She got up, "Hey, mind if I join you? I've finished too." Len shrugged, then waved her over.
Once they were away from most of the other students. Len cut the silence with, "Boys suck!"
"Oh Len what now?" Maia asked concerned.
"Boys suck! The whole lot of them!" Len stated again.
"Fine, why do boys suck?" Lily asked.
"Why can't they just listen? Why do they make everything so difficult?" Len fumed. "I mean, really . . ."
Lily looked at Maia to see if she understood Lenore any better. Maia just shrugged. "Len backup a second. Are we talking about any boy in particular, or just in general?"
"Both. In general they suck! And in particular . . . he's just being irrational. And they say women are the irrational ones." Len gave a little laugh.
"Not, Sirius." Lily reasoned, as Len had not been around him before this particular outbreak. "Not Malfoy, you'd not want to discus this alone if it were. Unless . . . Len he didn't . . ." Lily's voice trailed off in horror.
"No, not Malfoy." Len replied. "And no, this is a rage-rant, not an assaulted-rant." Len flopped down on the grass and leaned her back against a tree. "It's just . . ." She took a deep breath. "I thought that I knew somebody, but I turned out to be dead wrong."
"Oh!" Maia seemed to understand instantly what that meant. "So you mean . . ." Len nodded. "But remember . . ." Len shrugged. Lily felt left out, she didn't understand this half conversation thing.
"That was still no reason for . . ." Len looked down.
"Get over it." Maia replied. "He's not worth your time. If he's going to treat you like this, he's not worth it. Besides you're with Sirius, right?"
"Right, but I can still have guy friends." Len protested.
"Len, most guys aren't just friends with girls." Lily added.
"I've been telling you for months that he fancied you." Maia replied, sounded sagely. "Trust me, I know that look from a guy."
"It's not like that." Len replied. "I don't know why I care. I mean he's just a snobby git."
"Right!" Maia comforted. Putting an arm around her friend's shoulders.
Lily thought about it a moment. "If you're not talking about Malfoy, then . . . no! You aren't really talking about Snape!" She asked in disbelief.
Maia looked up at her, and smiled. Len met Lily's eyes, "See this is why we like you Lily, because you're smart enough to keep up with us."
"Len are you saying that you like . . . Snape?" Lily asked still confounded by the thought. Len shrugged.
"He's not like you think." Len replied. "Or at least I thought he wasn't. I mean, he can be really . . . nice. He actually has a good sense of humour, if a little dry."
Lily continued to look at her shocked. Then it seemed that the pieces started to fit together. "He was your tutor." Len and Maia both nodded. "Was he the reason that you held off Sirius?"
Len shrugged again. "Maybe in part. However it was mainly, Sirius. I mean he freaked me out after the ball." Len paused in thought a moment. "Man, I just have no luck with guys do I?"
Both Maia and Lily laughed. "Hey, I'm dating the Werewolf."
"Yes, but he's a sweet werewolf." Lily giggled. "At least your boyfriend isn't an ego maniac." Lily countered.
"Ummm, I am dating Sirius. He qualifies as that. And immature, and frivolous, and . . . damn sexy." Len giggled.
"I agree." Maia smirked.
"Yes, I'll give you that." Lily smiled. "We'll just never admit it."
"So my question is; why do we put up with them?" Len asked.
"For me, I put up with James because under it all he's really a great guy. He treats me like a queen." Lily replied smiling. "I put up with his friends because well, they really aren't that bad, they just like people to think they are."
"I haven't been with Remus that long, but I want to be. He makes me fell, wanted and loved. Not like some trophy like other boys." Maia smiled. "So why did you finally agree to go out with Sirius?"
"I guess . . . well, he's just been so patient and considerate." Len admitted. "I mean I haven't actually been so nice to him all this year. Yet he still . . . I don't know . . ."
"Adores you?" Lily offered.
"Waited for you?" Maia added.
"You know, all year he was trying to find a way for you to notice him." Lily smiled.
"He's Sirius Black! How could anyone not notice him. He won't let you." Len replied.
"Then why did it take you so long to notice, he adored you?" Lily asked, trying to hide her rising laughter.
"I told you I got scared." Len protested.
"Lenore, he's fancied you over, nearly two years now." Lily replied. At Len's shocked face Lily smiled widely. "He's been trying to get your attention for ages."
"Really?" Maia asked. She thought back as if trying to remember it.
"Yes. When he found out that I'd become friends with you two he constantly pestered me with questions." Lily giggled. "And hear I thought that you were the smart ones."
"Well then why'd he go out with all those other girls?" Len asked cautiously.
"Same reason Remus did, while flirting with Maia." Lily smiled. "He didn't care if they said 'no'. He knew that none of them would last."
"That doesn't make any sense?" Len said, shaking her head.
"It does in guy logic." Sirius replied from behind them. "Ummm, sorry to interrupt, but it's lunch time. Did not want you 3 to miss it."
"And how did you get nominated to find us?" Lily giggled. "You never miss meals."
"We actually split up to look." He replied. "Now I can go and eat. Since I found you and told you."
"How much did you hear?" Len asked, running in front of him to bar his progress. Len noticed that the corners of his mouth pulled, as if trying to cover a smile.
"Why did you say something that I shouldn't have heard?" He asked innocently. His eyes danced with delight. "Maybe you should ask me, and I'll tell you if I heard it?"
"Right!" Len shook her head, trying not to laugh. "Because that would be the easiest way to make sure you know."
He smiled. "Perhaps." Lily and Maia, still behind him were now laughing.
"Just how long have you been standing behind us Mr. Black." Len asked again, impeding his path to the castle.
"Not long." He smiled. He glanced over his shoulder at the girls. "Just since you all agreed that I was, how did you put it 'damn sexy'." Len blushed. Maia started to laugh. Lily let out a strangled noise. Sirius took this moment of chaos to take Len's hand and kiss it. Before scooping her up and carrying her over his shoulder towards the castle.
Len looked back and saw Lily and Maia running after them. "Will you please put me down?" Len asked. Although she noted that Sirius was incredibly careful with her. She was resting just so, which prevented the jarring of his running pace to knock the wind out of her.
"Can't you'll slow me down." He teased. "Besides, you didn't ask nicely."
Len heard laughter coming from ahead of them. She tried to look in front of them. But Sirius noticed the movement, and swung her around in one fluid motion, so she was now cradled in his arms.
"I take it that you found them. Hunh, Sirius." James laughed. Peter and Remus were also waiting on the steps. Fortunately for Len, most of the others had already gone in to eat.
"I've got mine." He smiled, looking down at Len in his arms. "Yours should be along shortly." He glanced over his shoulder to see Lily and Maia running toward them. "Looks like they can't wait to see you."
"Sirius, please put me down." Len asked. Her cheeks were red. They felt on fire. She was not going to go into the Great Hall being carried like this.
Sirius looked at her. "If that's what you really want." Len scowled at him. He set her on her feet carefully. "You're not mad are you?"
"Not really. Slightly annoyed." Len replied. Shaking her head at him. The other two girls had caught up with them.
"About time. We were getting worried." James teased.
They all entered the hall. It was set back in its normal configuration. Just at the doors Sirius turned to James. "You'll never guess what the girls said about me." It wasn't a shout but it drew the attention of several people.
James knew Sirius well enough to know that this was going to be good. "What did they say?"
The three girls looked at each other quickly. Len poked Sirius, and gave him a warning look. He smiled and proceeded to continue. "Sirius don't." She warned.
He winked at her. "They said that . . ."
He never got to finish that thought. Len kissed him soundly to prevent him from saying another word. She would have cursed him, but with the ministry people present she thought better of it.