Pam and Redsoxfan90210, I wanted to thank you both for your continuous feedback. It keeps me going. I hope you like this next part, it's small but the good is coming, believe me.
To everyone reading, I'm going out of town for a few days so I won't be posting probably until Wednesday or Thursday. Maybe now that I'll be gone I'll get some more feedback::wink: I see the number of hits in the stats and I see the number of reviews, it's just sad. I would greatly appreciate it if you could tell me how much you like this story. Please?
Marauder JealousyThings had gone well for James Potter on his first two weeks back at Hogwarts. Lily and him had actually sustained four semi-long conversations without getting into an argument. Granted, they had been work-related conversations but still. He was happy about it. He had decided to get to know her better and see if his crush was actually something more. And in the process he had decided to show her that there was more to him than just being a prankster and a prat.
Things were looking good so far. He had even received some help from Remus without him even knowing. His friend's crush over Lily's friend, Kali had granted James some opportunities for getting to know Lily better. It seemed that Kali was set on getting a date with her crush so she had started to "hung" near or with the marauders more often. All of this enlisting Lily and Adelaide's help, of course.
"Why do you keep showing off with that snitch when you aren't even Gryffindor's seeker?", asked an annoyed Lily while she tried to take the golden ball out of James hands. He was yet again playing with it while the entire group -the marauders and the three girls- sat under a tree near the lake enjoying their free period. James smiled at Lily while catching the ball once again before it got too far. He could have been a decent seeker if that were the case.
"How do you know I'm not a seeker Lily? You don't follow quidditch".
"Because, James Potter, even if I'm not a big fan of you or Quidditch, I do like to attend the games and cheer for Gryffindor just like everybody else. So that's how I know you are chaser… and a good one if I may say so", Lily said avoiding his eyes. James's smile grew so big that his face almost split.
"Why, thank you so much Miss Evans. I am honoured". James replied while Sirius snorted. James looked at his best friend and saw him roll his eyes. Lily just dismissed James's comment with a smile. "Is there something bothering you Sirius?", James asked amused.
"Oh James, don't mind him. He's just jealous of your talent as a chaser", Adelaide said amused trying to pick a fight with Sirius. She liked to pick on the handsome boy because he was one of the few guys who made her feel like she didn't have to worry about him getting the wrong idea about her.
"My arse! I'm just as good as Potter. Just ask anyone on the team", Sirius said indignantly.
"C'mon mate, you know she's kidding", Remus intervened before things got out of control, "right Adie?", he said looking at the young witch pointedly.
"Of course I am. You should know by now Black that there are few things I enjoy more than getting you all worked up", she said smiling innocently. She cared for Sirius like she would care for a brother if she had one. She had lived next door to his family when they were little but her parents moved them after they sensed just how involved in dark magic the Black's really were. She had seen, from the very beginning just how horrible Sirius's family was to him. Sirius also felt a brotherly feeling towards Adelaide and that gave them the opportunity to develop a true friendship. One that they had just recently started to grow after several years of avoiding each other on behalf of their two best friends animosity towards each other.
"You're a doll Adelaide Vance. You just can't help it", Sirius responded with sarcasm but with a smile. Just then he noticed that Remus had involved himself in a hushed conversation with Kali while James tried to do the same with Lily. Peter had somehow disappeared from the scene at some point without anyone noticing. The strange feeling of jealousy attacked him once more. He cleared his throat loudly. "Well m'boys. I think we need to get going. We have… some business to attend, right?" He stood up expecting the other two boys to do the same. Both James and Remus looked at their companions politely before getting up too.
"Well ladies. It has been a pleasure, as always", James said with a slight bow and a wink in Lily's direction.
"We'll see you at dinner", Remus added before walking behind his two friends. He knew what Sirius wanted to talk about. Since the conversation they had had in the Great Hall at the sorting ceremony the marauders hadn't dedicated too much time to planning the course of their memorable prank. And that fact had Sirius moodier than usual. Remus also suspected that Sirius seemed to believe that this was Lily's fault.
"What's wrong with you Padfoot?", James asked catching up with Sirius. "We were having a good time out there".
"I know you were having a good time out there Prongs. Spending time with Lily is all you seem to enjoy lately", the tall dark haired boy said as Remus stood beside him. "You have even forgotten about our plans".
"You know that's not true Sirius", Remus said trying to pacify both friends. James just looked at Sirius for a moment, frowning his eyebrows in concentration. Truth was James didn't know what to do. Partially, he understood where Sirius was coming from. He was practically like his brother and with his new responsibilities as Head Boy he had barely made any time to hung out with him in the Gryffindor common room or in the Quidditch Pitch. James knew that Sirius saw this as a preview of what might happen when they got out of Hogwarts. Sirius's greatest fear was to lose his three best friends, who were his family. He had been alone in the world for so long that he knew how difficult it was. He didn't want to lose Remus, Peter and specially James to the outside world of jobs, dating and real life in general. James understood that. But he was still annoyed with the way his friend continued to treat Lily and her friends and even his own friends. James could also tell that Remus was getting fed up too.
"Padfoot", James began in a calm tone, "you are right, ok? I've been neglecting our… duties as marauders and I apologise, mate. But I haven't forgotten our plans and, in fact, I've almost everything already planned in my head". He patted Sirius' shoulder and the taller boy sighed looking at his two best friends somehow ashamed.
"It's ok James, really. I'm sorry. You too, Remus. It just seems that since the beginning of the year we barely see each other anymore. I mean, even Peter is going around places without us noticing. What happened to the four of us? We used to be a tight lot".
"And we still are", Remus said. "We just have other things on our minds as well".
"Now, what do you say if we go get Peter and I tell you about our prank. I was thinking of setting things into motion after Moony here gets through his monthly activity…", James started as they walked toward the Castle to find Wormtail.
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"What do you reckon is Sirius' problem?", Kali asked annoyed after the boys had walked away. "He's always so… irritated".
"Sirius's just… well he probably isn't too happy that you two are monopolizing his friends", Adelaide said pointing at her friends with the index finger of her right hand. Her left one was cutting thin strings of grass. The three friends were still sitting under the large tree near the lake.
"But why is he so closed off? It is as if everything we do annoys him", Lily asked intrigued.
"Sirius hasn't had the easiest life, ok? He's just afraid we, or anyone else for that matter, are going to take his friends away from him… They are all he has", Adelaide explained. Her two friends motioned for her to go on. "His family is really… something. Do you know how all Blacks have always ended up in Slytherin?", Lily and Kali nodded. "Well, that's because they are really close to dark magic. Like, really close. The only other person of his family that hasn't been sorted in Slytherin is Sirius's cousin Andromeda, who was removed from the family tapestry the moment she told her mother she was in love with a muggle born. They, the Blacks, are convinced that half-bloods and muggle born shouldn't be aloud to learn magic, even if they have the ability, much less marry purebloods. Imagine how hard it must be to live with parents who frown on you for not giving a damn about blood issues".
"So he doesn't have the best family life?", Lily asked not really surprised. Many people went through the same.
"It's more than that. His parents hate him and he hates them. In fact I wouldn't be too surprised to find out that they have even hexed him… He moved out, you know? This summer he grabbed his possessions and went to live with the Potters. The Blacks erased him form the family tapestry too. At least that's what I heard".
"What do you mean hexed him? Do you mean they cursed him for liking half-bloods and muggle born?", asked Kali. She was a half-blood herself. Her mother was a pureblood but his father was a muggle.
"Probably. I'm not sure. I just know what my parents tell me", Adelaide was a pureblood but her family was very much like James family in the sense that they didn't give too much importance to it. "You know there aren't many real pureblood families left, so for a while Sirius' parents had a pleasant disposition towards my family. That's how I know about his family, but the Blacks have stopped relating to anyone who isn't… well you know… his follower. I do know though that Sirius's brother Regulus got every Black gene there is. He's just as bad as his parents. That's probably why James and the others keep hexing him in the halls", Adelaide explained looking at Lily as if to make a point.
"That doesn't give them the right to-", Lily was saying before Adelaide interrupted her.
"Look Lily, I know you have a great respect for rules and all but you have to understand. If Kali or me got ill-treated and abused every time we went home you would want to do something about it. That's all James is trying to do: help Sirius carry his burden. Respect it. You can't possibly realize how bad the situation must be for him". Adelaide's words brought silence to the group, each of them thinking for the first time about how difficult everything must be for the handsome dark haired Gryffindor.
"So what you are saying is that Sirius is probably jealous? I mean, his friends are all he has and we are some kind of threat to that?", Kali asked feeling sorry for the boy.
"I guess. That's what I think at least. So don't be so hard on him, ok? Try to understand him, even if he is a prat about it sometimes", Adelaide smiled at Lily ad Kali. "But too much talk about Sirius. I can think about other marauders who happen to… intrigue you two just as much". Kali had the decency to blush at Adelaide's comment but Lily just shrugged.
"I do not know what you are talking about Vance", she said unaffected. "You are very aware that I do not have feelings for Potter".
"Why do you assume I'm talking about Potter?", Adelaide smiled knowingly.
"And c'mon Lily. You don't call him that anymore. We've noticed", Kali said teasingly. "Besides, you have to admit that he is much more mature now than last year".
"Well yes. James has grown up and yes, he is less annoying. But that doesn't mean anything".
"Very well, suit yourself Evans", Adelaide said getting up and grabbing her backpack, "denial is a wonderful place to be at this time of the year". Kali giggled and followed her friend while Lily got up as well. The three of them walked to Charms, this time picking on Kali and her growing interest for Remus Lupin.