A/N: This is an OC fic about a girl who is a year younger than the Mauraders, so it's hard to introduce her and make it seem natural. Also, she is the sister of Elle York, who is the main character in another one of my fics, Auror from the Past. The two stories are linked because of this, but you don't need to read them both to understand them. They're independant. But this sort of acts as a prequel to the other, only from the perspective of an outsider. Thanks so much for reading and I'd love to hear what you think. : )
The sky was dark outside. It had been raining most of the afternoon, and she had found the gentle noise of the droplets splashing on the window sill to be comforting, creating a atmosphere of tranquility. She couldn't help but notice that it had stopped and now she found it more difficult to concentrate. Ironically, when she had originally opened her books three hours before, she had found the noise irritating, but now it seemed as though she'd become dependant upon it to keep her focused. It aided in drowning out the noise from the common room, and now that it had ceased she could hear the voices of people still celebrating a floor below. Desperate to memorize the affect dragon dung manure has on Screechsnap, she plugged her ears and began reading aloud.
"Screechsnap is a semi-sentient plant that wriggles and squeaks uncomfortably when given too much dung manure," she read, articulating each word in hopes that it would somehow be lodged in her brain.
She repeated it to herself a few more times before closing the book and reaching for some parchment scanning what she had written about self-fertilizing shrubs. Convinced she couldn't write any more , she rolled it up and placed it neatly into her book bag. With all her work finished she took a deep breath and glanced around her room to see if there was anything she had overlooked. When she affirmed that she had finished anything, she considered going to bed early, only he wasn't tired enough to try to sleep, so she debated whether or not to go downstairs and join her house mates. Deciding it was best to make an appearance, she rationalized her decision by concluding that she wouldn't be able to sleep with the noise anyways, so she might as well join them.
She opened the door quietly, hoping that she wouldn't draw any unwanted attention. Folding her arms instinctively, she made her way down the staircase into the common room. The celebration had died down dramatically now, and the students had broken off into their usual groups and were scattered around the room. She did a quick scan and spotted her friends in their usual spot near the fire. They waved her over and she quickly made a beeline for them. Although, as she had dreaded, she had been stopped before getting there.
"There she is," called out a red-headed girl, who was now drawing the attention of the three boys she had been sitting with.
"Hey York," one of the boys called out, "come over here would you?"
She glanced back over to her friends and gave a half hearted shrug before slapping on a smile and then doing as the boy had asked.
"I swear kid," he continued, "you're the only Keeper I know who goes straight up to the dormitories after games that we win. I mean if you were sulking cause we lost I could understand, but I mean, don't you remember? We won!"
He spoke the last few words loud enough for people in the room to hear and a few people responded by clapping and shouting out Gryffindor.
"I wasn't sulking, James," she said defending herself, then her gaze dropped to the ground while she said, "I was reading."
A coy smile spread across his lips and just as he opened them to let out a remark, when his friend gave him a nudge and piped in by saying, "There's nothing wrong with that."
Remus always tended to stick up for her whenever James, or the others would tease her. They all teased one another and there was no real cruelty behind it, and him defending her like that just further set her apart from their group of friends.
"Well just promise me when we win the Cup you'll celebrate with us," he said, sinking back into his chair while casually swinging his arm around Lily's waist, who was sitting on the arm of the couch.
"But James," said the puzzled looking, mouse haired boy next to him, "how do you know you'll even win the Cup?"
"They will Pete," said a voice from behind her. She whipped her head to see Sirius Black approaching ever so coolly, looking at her the entire time as he took his seat in the armchair next to Remus. "They're the best team out there."
She smiled weakly. She had always been uncomfortable taking compliments, and this only heightened the awkwardness of the situation which she had tried to avoid altogether.
"If you do win, we'll give Elle a hard time about it," Lily said, then as if sensing she wanted a way out of the conversation she added, "Well, we just wanted to say that you played well today Nola."
"Thank you," she replied, a little too quickly, and then turned to leave.
"Don't forget about practice tomorrow," James called out after her.
She turned back and replied, "I won't." Then she made her way over to the fireplace where her friends were sitting on the hearthrug. She sat down in between Alice Bones and Marlene McKinnon.
"What'd they want?" Marlene asked, trying to hide her curiosity by seeming overly casual.
"We were just talking about Quiddich," she said as she drew her knees to her chest and locked her elbows while placing her hands under legs. She knew Marlene was impressed, and didn't want to linger on the subject.
"They've been a year ahead of us for six years now and I've talked to them about three times," she said, frowning a little, trying to hide her jealousy. "You're so lucky."
"Oh, I am not," she said even before her friend could finish. She always had to justify the Marauders acquaintance with her to her friends. "James talks to you all the time during practice. Besides they only started talking to me this year, and that's just because Elle is going with Remus."
"That's not true," Alice piped in. "You started playing Quiddich in fourth year. James would always talk to you then too. Oh, and that's around the same time that Elle and Lily became mates, so you must've talked to her as well."
She shot Alice a look that suggested she hadn't expected her to side with Marlene, but her friend just smiled and continued to work. Then she sighed at the realization that her two best friends would never let her live down the fact that the students considered to be the height of cool would often talk to her. She would never understand how two of the brightest witches in her year could act so childish about a group of four boys. Then again, they'd act childish about any boys in general.
"Why were you in the dorms for so long tonight anyways?" Marlene asked, "You should've been down here with us."
"I had some Herbology to work on," she said quietly. She hadn't been lying, but she felt ashamed as though she had been. She knew what was about to come next.
"I could've helped you," Alice said, as predicted. "You know I would've. Then you could've helped me with this paper on Everlasting Elixirs. It's due tomorrow and it's taken me all night." She looked hurt as she said this and continued to edit her paper.
She knew that's what she should've done. That's what they always did. If one of them was stronger in a certain subject, they were almost expected to help. She could've done Alice's essay in about half an hour, but instead, she would've rather had been alone.
"Sorry Alice," she said honestly. "I can edit if for you now if you'd like?"
Her friends round face beamed up at her and the look of disappointment had faded as quickly as it'd come. She spent what little was left of the night going over the paper and making corrections where needed. It wasn't long before she'd finished when the three of the decided it was time to go to bed. They were some of the last few students left in the common room at that point. Alice and Nola made their way up first, followed closely by Marlene who had stopped to talk to Fabian Prewett, the boy she fancied this month, before turning in.
She changed into her pajamas quickly and got comfortable in her bed. As she was fixing her pillow, she realized that Alice was sitting on her own bed looking at her. She smiled and questioned her, looking puzzled.
"Are you alright?" Alice asked, with an uncharacteristically serious look on her face.
"I'm fine," she lied, "why wouldn't I be."
Alice looked thoroughly unconvinced and her facial expression proved it. She was the type of person who could never hide her emotion well. It was easy to tell what she was thinking just by looking at her face, which at the moment was plastered with concern.
"You've been acting strangely since morning," she explained, "ever since post arrived. Did something happen?"
Nola's stomach was suddenly tight and restricted. She knew that was why she had been distant all day, but hadn't expected anyone to notice. Now she would be forced to either lie, or explain, and she wasn't really sure which was worse. She glanced up at Alice who now looked more concerned than a few moments ago, and she decided it wouldn't be fair to lie to her.
"Not exactly," she said, reaching over to the table next to her bed.
She opened the drawer and pulled out a piece of parchment that she had received from her family owl this morning. She handed it to Alice, and her face hardened as she recognized the seal. She rolled her eyes and then opened it. Scanning the letter, she went from annoyed to angry, and when she was finished she threw it on the ground in disgusted. Nola sunk into her bed embarrassed.
"Don't pay any attention to him," Alice said, just as she had expected. "Getting an A in Herbology is fine. I don't understand why he makes such a big deal about things like this. It's a pass, and Sprout is letting you continue, and with my help you can get at least and E, maybe even an O, and just because he got an O doesn't mean that you have to, and Elle got an E on her OWLS and he didn't complain about that, and speaking of Elle, that bit about it being you're fault she's with Remus is ridiculous, and it shouldn't even matter, and-"
"Alice," she said, smiling at the sight of her friends red face. "It's fine. He just wants me to do well is all. He thinks this is the best way to motivate me."
"But you don't need motivation Nola," she said, calming down a little, "you're one of the top in the class."
She laughed out loud when she said this, responding, "I'm not, and you know I'm not. Potions. That's all I've got going for me. I'm decent at Transfiguration too I suppose. But Charms and Herbology," she paused, "It takes me twice as long as you and Marlene to master those classes."
As she said this, Marlene entered the room. Nola shot Alice a look that was meant to let her know that what they had been talking about was to stay between them.
"Fabian Prewett has got to be one of the densest boys in our year," Marlene said, striding over to her trunk and beginning to undress. "I mean I've been making an effort to talk to him every night before bed for how long? About two weeks its been, and has he mentioned anything about us going together? No." The two girls listening smiled at one another as she continued to answer her own questions. "I mean would it kill him to comment on how adorable I looked while scoring three of the goals during tonight's game? Apparently it would because he didn't even mention anything about it," she paused, "You don't think he's got an eye on someone else do you? No. Of course not. He couldn't. I mean he must know that I fancy him, but it just seems too good to be true. He probably knows that I don't usually like red hair, and assumes that I would never be interested in him. That's got to be it. You're right you guys, he's probably just shy. Well, goodnight then."
With that she pulled her light off and snuggled into bed. Nola and Alice exchanged one more smile before turning out their lights as well and going to bed.
As tired as she was, Nola couldn't seem to get that letter out of her head. Perhaps she hadn't been studying hard enough. She had been spending an awful lot of time on leisure activities lately. As long as she spent more nights the way she did tonight she would be able to make them proud. Then her thoughts strayed to the part of the letter concerning Elle. She smiled knowing that her parents were happy that unlike her sister, her friends had thus far all been pureblood. That was the one area where they would always be disappointed in her sister. As long as she avoided having a muggle born as a best friend, and a Mudblood as a romantic interest, she'd live up to her parents expectations in that area of her life. This thought comforted her and easing her mind, which made it much easier to sleep.
She woke the next morning feeling optimistic. She had double potions and Transfiguration after a free period, and then, as James had reminded her the night before, she would head over to the Quiddich pitch for a few hours and get some practice in. Breakfast had passed quickly, mainly because they had been entertained watching Marlene's attempt to make small talk with Fabian while he was trying to finish up his Potions essay. It was refreshing to finally see a boy reject her advances, although it limited the topic of conversation between them.
"I mean, I bring up the topic of Hogsmeade and he doesn't even mention that he's going to ask me. I mean how long am I supposed to just wait around for him to get up the courage to ask me? Does he honestly think that I should ask him?" She stopped dead center in the hall as she said this. Alice and Nola stopped and looked at her questioningly, unsure why she had stopped. "Hello? I'm talking to you two. I just asked you both a question."
"Oh, sorry." Nola said, trying to sound sincere.
"Of course not," Alice responded, "he should know that it's his job to ask you." She smiled hoping that she had come up with the response that Marlene usually would've given herself, and when she continued ranting, she shrugged at Nola looking relieved.
Marlene continued on like this as they made their way down to the dungeons. Nola and Alice took turns alternating between agreeing with her, and began a pattern of giving generic responses like, "You're absolutely right." or, "Are you serious?" Unfortunately they were caught when Marlene had stopped talking and Alice said, "How stupid is he?"
"What?" Marlene questioned, "I didn't say anything about Fabian just then." Alice blushed and dropped her gaze to the ground. "I stopped because Elle is coming over, and it looks like the Marauders are too." She spoke the latter part of the sentence with a hint of panic and excitement in her voice and Nola just smiled and approached her sister.
"I expect you got the monthly motivational post yesterday, did you?" Elle asked once they'd met.
"Yes, I did. You as well?" she asked, although distracted watching Marlene throw herself and Sirius.
"Of course. What'd you get this time?" she said, also noticing the spectacle of her friend being harassed by the younger girl.
"Same as last. Nagged about Herbology," then she moved in closer and lowered her voice, "congratulated on my choice of friends, and blamed for yours."
"Oh yeah," she said, nodding toward Marlene, "you picked a real winner there." She smiled as she said this and Nola knew she was joking. "I'm surprised I didn't get a Howler this month. I just wrote and told them about Remus last time. But all dad did was express his disappointment, and really left it at that."
She could overhear Alice talking to Lily and Peter and she sensed they were running out of things to say. People could only stay interested in Abyssinian shrivelfig for so long.
"We'd better get going though Elle," she said, noticing her sisters disappointment, so she added, "meet me in the Great Hall after two periods. I have a free one. Alright?"
"Alright. I'll see you then."
Nola waved at Lily who gave her the same look Elle had in regards to Marlene's attempt to impress Sirius.
"So we'll see you at practice tonight right Marlene," James interrupted, saving Sirius.
"Oh, right," she said, caught off guard, instantly becoming flushed. "Definitely. I'll see you then." Everyone present smiled and all avoided eye contact with her. They said their goodbyes and they were back on the path to Potions, only now, the topic had changed from Fabian Prewett to Sirius Black.
They joined the queue outside the Potions classroom and it was obvious to Nola that Alice was uncomfortable. Unlike her, she knew her friend had never really enjoyed potions. If it wasn't required to become an Auror, she knew that she never would've taken it. Double potions combined with Slytherin was enough to make her friend dread this morning.
"You'll be fine," Nola whispered, in attempts to give her some optimism, "Slughorn said we'd brewing a Euphoria Elixer today."
"So, that sounds tough," she said, with an anxious look on her face.
"It isn't," she admitted calmly, "I brewed one with Dad last year as part of my summer training. Just stick close with me."
The door swung open and students began to file in.
"Has there ever been a potions class where I haven't?" Alice said, walking extremely close to Nola as they entered into the classroom.
They took their seats at the table and Slughorn started class immediately. Routinely, he started out by asking the class questions about the ingredients listed on the blackboard. He had called upon Nola to answer all but one of the questions. She had been the only one to raise her hand for the ones she had answered and when another Slytherin student volunteered, he thought it only fair to chose him, even though she had known the response to that one as well. She had earned a total of thirty points to Gryffindor in the first twenty minutes of class. Then they set out to prepare the potion. As expected, she needed to watch over Alice's every move. Marlene asked her for her help occasionally, but had a pretty good handle on what she was doing. There was one point where Nola had to summon Alice's ashwinder eggs to her when she'd had knocked them off the and they were about to land in the fire. Of course, Alice had no idea that they were highly flammable and just thought Nola was showing off.
She and Alice finished their Elixirs early. Hers was a bright sunshine yellow, which was expected. But despite the aid she gave her, Alice's was a pale beige. Slughorn did his rounds and awarded her ten more points for her successful completion.
"Excellent work Nola," he told her beaming. "Although I've come to expect it. I knew right from first year that you were a natural. Just like your dad. Maybe even better. Although don't tell him I told you. Being a top healer I'm sure he prides himself on his potion abilities. Excellent. Just excellent. Would you mind circling the classroom for me and see if any other students need assistance?"
She dreaded this part of class. The odd time when she finished early Slughorn would ask her to do this. Out of fear of disappointing him, she'd always oblige, but it was pointless. No one else in the class ever really wanted her help. There were a few students from Gryffindor, and the odd one in Slytherin, but most of them gave her a hard time. She always gave him the answer though.
"If you want me to Professor, I will," she said forcing a smile. She received two sympathetic looks from her friends and began to walk around the classroom.
As she surveyed her peers cauldrons, she assessed their potions and tried to see what they had done wrong. She attempted to stay on her houses side of the room for as long as possible spending an awful lot of time at Kenneth Thomas cauldron, trying to explain to him that he hadn't properly powered his graphorn. When she could sense his annoyance with her she moved on stopping only briefly to speak with Fabian about how much lionfish spine he'd added before realizing that Marlene was staring at her, giving a nasty look from across the room. To her dismay, his was the last Gryffindor cauldron left and there was still at least twenty minutes left in class.
She ventured over to the Slytherin side of the room, and was welcomed by viscous looks, though she appeared unaffected. Rather than asking her questions about their potions, they seemed more interested in taking shots at her.
"Maybe one day we'll be able to make a Hair-Raising potion," she head a curly haired Slytherin girl say, "and then you can add some life to that pin straight hair of yours."
Instinctively she ran her fingers through her hair trying to give it some body, but stopped when the only thing it did was provoke the three girls to cackle obnoxiously. She smiled and laughed at herself. She knew her hair looked fine and they were only trying to get a rise out of her. She continued to walk and passed the cauldron of one of the Slytherin Chasers. She lingered for a while, debating whether or not she should tell him that he should be alternating his stirring technique, but when she opened her mouth to speak he growled, "Keep walking."
With only two cauldrons left, she prepared herself to be given two quick dirty looks and make her way back to the other side of the room, but the boys didn't seem to object as much to her presence. This was probably because she was somewhat acquainted with them both. Her father was friends with their parents, since they were both pureblood, and they met briefly each year at different functions. They were also in Slughorn's club, which she only rarely attended, to the Professors dismay.
"You're adding too much hellabore Barty," she told him politely. "It's a lot harder to measure the syrup than it is the powder though, so it's a commonly made mistake."
"Right," he said in a neutral tone, "thanks then."
"What's that you were saying about peppermint?" asked the boy next to him. When she looked at him, she was amazed at how much he resembled his brother. They had always been similar in appearance, but up close, they were near identical.
"Oh, just that if you add it, or even fluxweed to it at the end, it helps counteract the side effects," she answered, thrilled that he was actually interested in what she had to say.
"Right," he said nodding, "that makes sense. I could do with avoiding the excessive singing."
She smiled at him, even though she was unsure whether or not to do so. But when he smiled back she thought she might as well continue the conversation.
"I think Slughorn's pretty upset that you didn't land in Slytherin," he continued, abandoning his potion for the time being. "I mean I try my best to hold up this lots reputation, but it's kind of hard when your hand is permanently in the air."
She could feel herself flush, uncomfortable about being complimented in this fashion.
"But not nearly as upset as he is that you never attend his little parties," he added.
"I didn't really think he'd notice," she lied. She had heard Lily and her sister both tell her that Slughorn always questioned them about her whereabouts.
"Oh, he notices. He asks anyone he thinks knows you where you are and why you aren't there," he told her, "he does the same thing with your sister too."
Her smile faded a bit, though she tried to maintain it. She had hoped that it was only her who had gotten Slughorn's special attention, and furthermore, that it had only been her he'd noticed. But she was still flattered, nonetheless.
Slughorn then called the class to attention and told everyone to submit their potions. She smiled at the two Slytherin and made her way back to her table where she was instantly interrogated.
"You were being a little to friendly to those Slytherin's don't you think?" Marlene asked, looking over at them.
"Don't stare Mar," she said, moving her head to block her view, "and who cares if they're Slytherin. I mean we're all pureblood. Shouldn't we hold allegiance to that rather than being divided by our house?"
Alice and Marlene both looked uncomfortable.
"I guess so," Alice said weakly, "but I mean, I'd rather be friends with a half blood or a muggle born than some of those Slytherin girls." She cracked a smile and the three girls laughed as they watched the girls in question scowl at them while they submitted their potion.
"Well," said Marlene, once again staring at the boys Nola had been talking to, "I guess if you're going to make friends with any Slytherin's in our year Barty Crouch and Regulus Black are the two best ones. Maybe I'll give up on Fabian and go for one of them."
Alice and Nola exchanged one of their usual glaces and shook their head as they left the classroom. Before leaving she glanced back over her shoulder and noticed Regulus looking at her. He nodded politely as she smiled and waved before leaving. She made her way up to the Great Hall to meet Elle and inform her that she could add another pureblood friend to her list which was sure to make her parents proud.