It seemed like for the rest of the week Lily gloated about how she had beaten Sirius at the bet. Lily already had ideas in her head about how she would spend it. When Cory suggested that she buy something to prank James with, Lily said, "Are you mad? I can't prank! I'm a perfect!"
Cory was extremely happy for her friend, but after a while it became down right annoying. But Cory lived on and decided not rain on her parade. After all her herself had to be pretty annoying as well. All Cory could think about was Quidditch. Honestly she couldn't have believed it. She made it! She was on the team and that was all that mattered to her. Cory was left on a loud nine state of mind for many various reasons. A- She got to play Quidditch her favorite sport of all time. B- She got to be with her new found friends; James and Quinn. And C- As pathetic as it was and as much as she didn't want to admit to liking it, she got to spend time with Sirius. Granted, yes, he was a beater, but still she could get to steal more looks over at him! And that was a major up side to the whole deal of being on the Griffindor Team. But since her mind was highly preoccupied with Quidditch and Sirius the whole time, naturally she got a little side tracked. Instead of really paying attention in Transfiguration the following Tuesday, she was completely started daydreaming. She couldn't help it if the person the person she was thinking about and daydreaming about was right in front of her! What else was she suppose to think about? So because of her lack of attention to the subject at hand, she didn't realize right away that for her next group assignment she would be working with a new partner. Meaning not Lily who she would have normally worked with.
"I can't believe she would do this to us." Lily said snapping Cory out of her latest daydream which consisted of a beach, with a certain person with black hair, who played beater and was absolutely sexy and divine.
"Wh-what? What's going on" Cory asked slightly annoyed that her sinful daydream had been interrupted.
Lily rolled her eyes as they made it past the Great hall and were making their way back to the Common room and said"You were day dreaming again! My god. That's why you didn't react right away."
"What? What do I have to react to" Cory questioned her best friend.
"You have a new partner."
"What? Your my partner" Cory said, her eyes going wide and getting peeved.
"No she's not." a new voice said entering the conversation, a voice that sounded familiar. A voice that penetrated her mind and made her want to melt into a puddle I at his feet. Or possibly at some points, rip his head off for being so annoying and irritable. Cory looked up and there stood none other then the one and only Sirius Black. Cory's face turned to anguish. Yes, even though she still adored him with every fiber of her being she didn't want to do a project with a guy who confused the hell out of her. Cory and Lily looked an each other and decided at get the hell out of there. They didn't want any arguments or hatful remarks to start becaue they knew where it would lead. Anger, breaking of objects and a lot of holding back done by both parties. They were half to Griffindor tower when he and the rest of his friends came up to the two best friends. Also, Bethany and Emma came up to them as well having just come from Ancient Ruins.
"Look we need to set up a time and place to meet and talk about the project." Sirius said in his very own voice which no one else could ever have or even imitate. But Cory just kept looking forward. Honestly, she couldn't believe McGonagual would do this to her and Lily. Spilt the two up and everything. How harsh was that?
So because at that current time, both Cory and Lily were angry and fuming inside, which wasn't a good thing, the right idea would have been for everyone to just back off. But being him normal annoying self, Sirius turned persistent and started to walk backwards so he could look Cory in the eye. He walked with perfect ease. It bugged Cory like hell how he could do this with out even looking down once.
"Look, I know this isn't ideal for you because you want to work with Lily but instead your stuck with me. To be honest with you I would rather be with Evans' partner. "
Cory turned to look at Lily. She hadn't asked Lily who her partner was. "Wait, who's your partner"
"I am." came the voice of James Potter next to Cory, now walking by her side.
"You are" Cory asked turning to look at him and then looking at Lily, knowing that on the inside she was doing the biggest happy dance ever.
"Yeah he is." Lily replied for him, finding her excitement very well.
"Okay now that is settled, Cor, why don't we decide when we are going to met" Sirius said in a slightly irritated tone. This made her look at him, only people she gave permission to could call her by her nicknames.
"Whoa, who said you could call me Cor" Cory said looking at him, he was still walking backwards and she was still in a very bad mood. They eight of them were making there way up the stairs that would take them to the tower and still he could do it. How is he doing that! Cory was thinking as she made her way up the stairs.
"I did." he said in an all too 'I know all and everything' voice which pissed the hell out of her even more. And he seemed to catch on to it too. So of course he smiled his 'I'm amazing, don't you want me?' smile. Which of course she did. Want him.
"Well don't call me it." Cory said.
"God" Sirius said in a very frustrated tone, "why not"
"Because" pausing to give the fat lady the password "Pizzicato Prince" then she continued" I only let my friends call me Cor or Cory."
"Oh and we're not friends" Sirius said. Cory though he was playing around when he said it but then she looked at hi and realized he wasn't kidding. He had to be kidding.
"Ahhh let me see..." Cory said in a mock seriously thinking tone"you stare daggers at me, you don't trust my best friend's word, you said pretty much that you had no faith in my Quidditch skills oh and yea, you bet against me."
By this time they had all reached the girls dormitory. Remus and Quinn were sitting on the couch and Cory noticed that Flo was tucked safely in Remus' arms. This translated to the fact that finally the two had wised up and realized they were perfect for each other. But James still stayed at Sirius' side being the good best friend that he was. Also he could have just been there to hold Sirius back… Cory wasn't sure. Bethany and Emma headed up or more Emma dragged Bethany up the stairs to try and give Cory and Sirius some time alone. Which in a way Sirius and Cory should never be left alone. One of them in matter of five minutes would end up dead. Or possibly they would start making out…Another matter Cory couldn't be sure of. Lily stayed and stood on the first step waiting for Cor to join her. But then James asked Cory"Can I call you Cor or Cory"
This was simply too perfect to pass up. Yes, Cory really liked Sirius it was just too much fun pissing him off. So she said"Sure James." She paused then looked at Sirius but was still talking to James, "Sure you can."
Sirius' jaw dropped open and then he glared at his best friend. Cory did a little humph/laugh and went up the stairs, with Lily leading the way.
Later on that night Cory and Lily went back down stairs to the common room to finish up some of the last bits of their homework. Soon after them Bethany and Emma came down too and sat with them. Cory and Bethany were finishing up, while Lily and Emma was still hard at work making sure everything was absolutely perfect when Cory noticed a shadow fall over her book. She looked down at the shoes and slowly made her way up the persons body. Finally she reached the face. James Potter looked down upon Cory and said in a friendly tone"Hey friend."
He then reached out his hand and on which was a piece of parchment. Cory took it and then he walked away. Lily's face shot up"What does that say"
"I don't know. I'll read it then give it to you." Cory took a deep breath thinking she knew exactly who it was from already. Inside it read;
Be at the pitch at 9:30.
That was it. She looked across at the Marauders, but they were all in a deep conversation and were hunched over a couple of spell books and a big piece of parchment. No answers coming from there. She slipped the paper over to Lily and acted like nothing was going on. Cory pretended to keep reading while really keeping her eyes on Lily for her reaction. She was rereading and rereading the note. She finally looked up and without a word got up and so did Cory. The two friends gathered their books and both headed upstairs.
"What is this about" Lily asked Cory once inside the dormitory and checking to see if any of the other girls were there. None. Perfect. Lily and Cory, when ever they had something serious to discuss, preferred there to be no one else present.
"I don't know. What do you think" Cory replied to her best friend and then questioned her.
"I'm not sure..." Lily said and trailed off into deep in thought as Cory did as well. Was it really from James? If it was, what could he want? Why didn't he just ask to talk to Cory alone or something? All this and a lot more questions swirled around in her head.
"I don't think it's from James." Cory said finally after five minutes.
"What? Then who is it from" Lily questioned her coming over and sitting on Cory's bed with her. In truth Cory had a thought; Sirius. But that was her heart's desire talking not her brain. Even though he made her mad and she acted like she hated him. She did still, despite what She wanted, and were strongly attracted to him.
Damn her brain. She cleared her throat and responded. "Sirius."
"WHAT" Lily yelled and snapped up off of Cory's bed staring down at her best friend.
"Calm down, Lily. Jeez it's just a thought. I'm not sure, just guessing. He can never leave anything alone."
It was true. He never could. "Yeah that's sure a fact... but why didn't he just come and talk to you"
Cory said"He probably didn't want everyone in the house to know that he was actually speaking kindly to me."
"Maybe...are you going to go"
"I'm not sure...what do you think I should do" She figured she might as wel ask her best friend. Also it was good to ask someone especially because Cory had no idea what to do herself.
"Well. As much as of a jerk he can be, Sirius isn't someone to rape you or anything, so we won't have to worry about that kind of stuff. But in terms of one of you coming back alive if you two get into a fight or something is something we have to worry about." she said as sat back down at the end of Cory's bed and folded her legs Indian style.
"Very true. But it still couldn't be him..." Cory said stating her greatest fear out loud.
"I think it's him Cor. I really do. You know what? Go. Go and see what happens."
Cory thought about this. Do I want to go? Yes. But what if it wasn't him? Only one way to find out, she thought. "Okay I think I'll go."
"Good." Lily said with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, what's the worst that could happen"
"Well. You could kill him or you could fall in love with him..." Lily said and started to think about things.
"Rhetorical comment Lily" Cory said throwing a pillow at her, which she ignored.
"In a few days I could neither be wearing black for a funeral and comforting James while you sit in Azkaban for murder or I could be planning out your wedding..." she continued.
"LILY..."Cory said warningly.
But she kept going"Either way James is involved so..."
That was enough Cory practically jumped her but she got away and ran down to the common room. No one was there, or so they thought, and the two figured everyone had all went to dinner. Cory chased her best friend around a bit, and then finally took out her wand and Lily did too. Both girls were laughing quite hard as Cory pretended to threaten her. "I swear-laugh-I will-laugh-hurt-laugh-you, Lily Evans"
"Oh really-Laugh- Well bring it on, Ash-laugh-. I can-laugh- take you"
They both composed themselves and looked around the common room. Over Lily's shoulder Cory saw four pairs of eyes looking at them. Lily noticed where Cory was looking and tuned around. It was naturally the Marauders. Who else would stay in an empty common room at night?
"Oh god." Cory murmured and looked at Lily who was still staring at them. Cory couold sense how awfully embarrassed Lily was so she said"Ah Lils lets go, or I'll die of starvation. Come on."
She looked at her and nodded and the two practically sprinted out of the common room. Once outside and the had gone down a couple of hallways, Lily stopped and leaned up against a wall and groaned in embarrassment.
"Lils just relax. Okay? Lets just go to dinner. It'll be fine, if you want tonight when I go to see either Sirius or some random person, I'll make up some random lie. Okay"
She had her eyes closed and had her headed turned up towards the ceiling. She opened her eyes and put on a half smile and spoke to Cory"But then that'd make you look like some psycho..."
Cory pulled her off the wall and put an arm around Lily's shoulders and started walking towards the great hall for dinner. "I have a news flash for you Lils, they probably already think I'm a psycho."
Lily laughed at this and they headed towards dinner. Once in the Great Hall they made their way over to the Griffindor table and sat down. They ate and starting having funny conversations about anything that wanted. But even if the mood of the table was fun, Cory was caught in her own thoughts. Even while she was eating and half contributing to a conversation she was having with Emma, Bethany and Lily, her mind was on other things. Is it really him I'm meeting tonight? What if it isn't? What if it's some random person? She wasn't sure. There were so many things that tumbled though her mind that before she knew it they were all on their way back to the common room. With every step she took she thought of what could happen. It plagued her. Finally they were back in the common room and it was 8:45. None of the Marauders were back yet from dinner where she had last seen them. This slightly worried her. Also it made her a little happy. It could be Sirius then. She looked at Lily, if she was going to go then she would have to go now. Lily nodded her head with encouragement and Cory slowly got up from the chair in which she was sitting in. Cory made her way over to the portrait before turning around one last time to look at Lily. Lily smiled at her and gave Cory thumbs up. Corny, but it made Cory smile and she knew that was what Lily had been going for. And with that, Cory stepped out of portrait hole and faced the fat lady.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Cory said to the fat lady but more to herself. Turning she left to go met her mysterious person.