Rating: PG13

Pairing: T/L

Disclaimer: I own nothing but this antiquated Dell, which is not earning me any money by posting my drivel here.

A/N: How many of you are thinking "It's about time!" Well you are right, LOL, but I can't help it. Thanks to everyone for the reviews, which I dearly lurve, even more than….PUDDING! (LMAO and pointing at Dani) To anyone new, thanks for checking this story, please check my others as well...One is Loooong, the other is short....I promise they are both good.

Special thanks to my beta, RFRAngel92, who fit me into her dashing social scene, LOL, and to those of you who haven't read her story yet…SHAME ON YOU! grins Go read, and review ...Please?

HAIKU DRIVEL

Chapter Four

Ray walked into the school with a purpose. Today, the world would know once again how he felt about Lily, especially one Travis Strong. He refused to sit back and let life happen to him, like riding on a carousel, taking the repetitive ups and downs in a dizzying uni-directional path. He was gonna be the guy pulling all the levers, nevermind the fact that most ride-operating carnies were under-educated, hygiene-challenged morons, who were one physical abnormality shy of being in the "freak" tent. Ray shook that tangent thought out of his head as he rounded the corner leading to the "morning" stairwell.

The foursome usually gathered at the bottom of the steps to return notes, exchange pleasant "good mornings," or make plans for RFR. He slowed somewhat as he saw Lily sitting between Travis and Robbie. His courage dwindled as he looked upon the safer boundaries of their friendship. They were laughing softly, smiling brightly, and just genuinely enjoying each others' company. Then Lily leaned in closer to Travis as he dug through his pack. With a frown, Ray remembered the reason for his plan and regained his resolve.

"Hey, MAN!" He heard Robbie call out to him. He recognized the teasing smirk and the reference to his fire-drill bond with River Pierce.

Ray plowed up the steps between Robbie and Lily making sure to jostle Robbie somewhat in the process. "Shut it!" He maneuvered himself a step above and slightly in between Lily and Travis and slid on his backside until he had effectively separated them. "Morning, Lil-ster!" She was absolutely glowing today and Ray's throat tightened.

"Hey Ray!" She smiled, "Got that double assignment done for Ms. Willoughby?"

Ray looked down at his sneakers, careful not to give anything away. "Yup."

Travis congratulated him. "I knew you could do it, Ray. Anyone who can snap out a comeback like you do can surely handle a haiku…or two," Travis finished with a chuckle.

Ray silently seethed for a moment before Robbie interjected, "Travis was just about to share his poem; you going to enlighten us too?"

Ray ignored the question and steadied his gaze on Travis. "Let's hear it, Swami."

Hearing his tone, Lily cocked an eyebrow at Ray, but he just shot her his classic "what?" look. Travis carefully unfolded a piece of paper and succinctly read the poem.

Three friends found; bonds formed.
Wanderer by circumstance
Finds his guiding star.

The moment stretched long and tight, imminently breakable under the burden of guilt Ray suddenly felt. He wondered how it would feel to have finally found friends and then have them yank your world from under you. And like a dry, old, rubber band, that moment of reverie snapped when Lily reached across Ray to lay her hand on Travis' knee.

"That's beautiful, Travis." She whispered.

That one little gesture confirmed Ray's course of action; however, he played dumb as he leaned forward, forcing Lily to bring her hand back to her side. "So, Swami, what does that mean exactly?"

Lily spoke, softly but with certainty. "It means that he's found "home," here with us…in Roscoe."

Ray wasn't sure what upset him more. The meaning behind the haiku, the fact that Lily had grasped it so easily, or the lingering look and rising color in both of their faces. Travis had looked away first as he fidgeted with the paper. Ray's jaw tightened as he wondered if the "guiding star" was actually Lily. Just another starring appearance in Travis Strong's infamous love haiku's.

Robbie then reached behind Lily and slapped the back of Ray's head. "So, what did you write to appease the savage Wildebeest?"

"Yeah, Ray, how did all the focus work for you?" Travis asked.

The warning bell rang, shrill and ominous. Ray stood and stretched before turning to look at Travis directly. "You'll have to wait and see, Swami." Travis caught the tone in Ray's voice that time and narrowed his eyes while sliding his jaw to the side in a ponderous stare. Ray decided to save the showdown for later and turned on his heel, heading for class. He could feel all three of them watching his retreat and he smiled.

Travis had been wondering all through first period what Ray had alluded to with that odd tone in the morning stairwell. It had seemed to be laced with animosity or perhaps just challenge. He supposed he would find out soon enough as he would hear Ray's haiku in Ms. Willoughby's class in just a few moments. He shuffled a few items in his locker to find the right notebook and stowed them in his bag, giving a lingering look toward the CD lying prominently in the front, Lily's single. The casual onlooker might think it was there because he liked the song or because it was partly his creation, more simply Travis kept it there for her photo. He'd always loved that photo. Lily thought of the surface and worried about skinny arms or an unusual nose. What Travis saw was that twinkle in her eye…that slight hint of knowledge that she possessed talent and power and beauty that she hadn't yet allowed the world to see. It was mesmerizing. Even more hypnotic, was that with the creation of that single she had allowed him to see it first.

The warning bell rang and he smirked. Once again, he had been distracted; he headed toward class to see what Ray was up to. If anything, it should prove entertaining. He settled into his seat and awaited Ray's arrival, which usually involved a top speed slide through the door just as the tardy bell sounded. Not today though, today Ray strode through the door in plenty of time, smiling and joking with his friends. When he turned toward Travis, the smile dropped and that look of challenge from the morning stairwell replaced it. It was all an interesting conundrum but there was nothing for Travis to do but wait for it to unravel.

Ms. Willoughby settled everyone down immediately with her announcement that the haiku assignments would be read aloud in class. While most of the class groaned out their disapproval, Travis noticed Ray's sinister little grin, the one that usually preceded major trouble. How in the world could Ray Brennan turn seventeen syllables into a scintillating and quite possibly scandalous recitation? Amazingly enough, Ray didn't bolt out of the gate either; he waited suavely to be called upon. Travis had sat through several awful haiku's ranging from hockey to cafeteria pudding, with the one exception of a poem on winter's first snowfall. Ms. Willoughby called upon Travis first however. He dutifully recited his creation resulting in a few smiles from the girls and an oddly parental smile from Ms. Willoughby, which caused him to shiver. He glanced over to Ray. If possible, Ray's gaze upon Travis had turned colder and he finally raised his hand.

"May I read mine next, Ms. Willoughby?"

His unexpected manners stunned her into acquiescence. "Certainly, Mr. Brennan."

Unlike the others who had stood by their desk to recite their work, Ray actually walked to the front of the class, amusing both students and teacher.

"Well, I could only think of one thing that could inspire me to such great things. The one thing there is never enough of. Yes, my friends, the Big L. Cupid's Creation…destined devotion…passion…."

At Ms. Willoughby's warning cough, Ray finished grandly…."Loooooovve."

The girls snickered and Ray enjoyed the attention. He cleared his throat and shook out his sheet of notebook paper. His next words grabbed attention just as effectively but affected only one person with magnitude.

She reverberates
through my mind, my heart, my soul
beautiful music

Ray breezily sung out the words that Travis had written privately, words that had served as an outlet for confused emotion. Ray had taken something that intimately belonged to Travis and broadcast it has his own. He felt angry, confused, betrayed, and yet still there was guilt. He knew that Ray realized who the haiku was about. Even people in this classroom could recognize the target if not the originating source. He heard whispers…"It's got to be her…Lily."

Now he understood the odd exchange at the stairwell this morning. Travis rose quickly from his seat and issued a quick request to the teacher. "I need to be excused Ms. Willoughby, I feel sick." He glared at Ray as he approached the front. He was shocked as Ray stopped him abruptly with a hand that gripped a little too hard on his shoulder.

"Oh, but Ms. Willoughby, I have one more and Mr. Strong will be anxious to hear it."

Now even she was confused by this obvious confrontation. The whispers had ceased and the focus now centered solely on the friction being created between the two boys. Ray let go of his shoulder but didn't bother with the pretense of the notebook paper as his next words were blatantly directed at Travis with a steady stare.

Love betrays friendship
Competition is pointless
Her heart spoken for

Travis could no longer think clearly. He felt weak and exposed, but not to the other students, for they had little idea about him as a person to begin with. It was Ray who threatened him. It was Ray who held the power to take away all that he treasured in Roscoe. He turned quickly on his heel, savagely pushed the door open and was chased down the hall by the voices, the onset of gossip. Travis did not look back once as he continued toward the school's exit.

A/N: Here we gooooo!!!! Don't own these either, but I sure do miss them…Hurry UP, JK!!! This is for you, Rogue! Because we need to be brave, LOL!

Harry woke suddenly, not because of pain in his scar or any loud outburst. Actually it was the silence that woke him, after a moment of tension he realized what was missing. Ron's snore. He thought for a moment that perhaps it was just a late bathroom visit but then noticed that the invisibility cloak had been taken from his trunk. Ron always left things ajar, a clueless and easily tracked thief.

The timing hit perfectly to sneak out unnoticed; the prefects would be at the other end of the castle. Honestly, you would think Ravenclaws would be a little less predictable in order to catch malfeasants. After several of their favorite haunts proved to be fruitless, Harry was surprised to find Ron in the library of all places. He could only see a hand sneak out from under the cloak every so often as it reached for the inkwells stored in the center of the great wooden tables. Harry couldn't think of any pressing assignments that would have Ron so petrified as to be studying instead of sleeping.

Harry crept right up to him before whispering softly, "Ron."

The cloak flew back and Ron's quill fluttered across the table. Ron's wide eyes narrowed quickly once he spied the source. "Merlin! You needn't scare me like that. It's creepy enough in here at night, you know."

"I would think it creepy to you at all times considering how you avoid it so. Why are you in here, Ron?"

"Never you mind! I was just um…studying."

Harry spied no open texts, just the parchment under Ron's clenched fist and the discarded quill. Harry casually picked it up and held it out to Ron. As Ron lifted his fist to take it, Harry quickly snatched the roll away.

"HARRY! Give that back!"

Harry's eyes widened as he realized that Ron was actually writing a story. He didn't get to take in much just that it was definitely not a homework assignment. Ron quickly grabbed the parchment back. "Mind your own, Harry!"

"Is …Is that for that muggle thing? You actually wrote something?"

Ron quickly rolled up the parchment, still aggravated. "Yes! Yes, I did. And you'd be wise to keep your piehole shut. I don't want Hermione to know."

Harry smirked, "I'm sure she'd have no clue as to who "TheRedWeasel" is."

Ron balled his fists and spoke through clenched teeth, "And if you even give her a hint..I'll…I'll…"

Harry raised an eyebrow at Ron's empty threat and Ron softened. "I don't know, mate. I just started and now it's like I can't stop and it…it helps you know? I can sort of lay out my problems like a story and these people write back. I mean, I know they don't know it's me and all, but when they write me back it's like..it's like…"

It dawned on Harry the word Ron was looking for. "Magic?"

Ron looked happy and relieved as they turned toward the exit, "Yeah…Magic."

Come on, people. Make me believe in magic! LOL