Whoa, its been a while! I guess I've been all wrapped up in E.O.C.T's and such, considering that they're this week. I really hope I do well on those... Anyways, it's been a fun couple of weeks. I got a new boyfriend, realized what amazingly great best friends I have and yeah, we went to Six Flags this past Saturday, so everything is all good with life. And of course, thanks to everyone who has read or reviewed or both, that always makes my day! XOXO,
L.S.
6.5: Part One; Hogwarts Life - A Gryffindor's World
"Its been a good week," James Potter sighed lightly as he plopped down onto the grassy grounds of Hogwarts, "I should've taken your advice about Evans years ago, mate. I really thought pretending was going to work last year...what a bust that turned out to be, huh? This is my best year yet, progress has been achieved I tell you!"
Sirius gracefully sat down amongst the three other Marauders and leaned against the beech tree that sat on the hill that overlooked the Black Lake.
"I don't think it was Sirius's advice that helped you," Remus Lupin responded with a soft smile upon his lips, "Sounds more like that mystery mate of his has striked again!"
"She's not a Phantom or anything, Remus," Sirius rolled his eyes in amusement as a broad grin formed upon his face.
"She obviously knows who we are," James commented as her ruffled his already messy hair before adding, "When do we find out who she is?"
"Can't say for sure," Sirius shrugged nonchalantly before changing the subject, "Anyways, back on the topic of Evans - I need to speak with her about something."
"What could you possibly need to speak with Evans about?" James inquired with suspicion written across his bespeckled face.
"Well, Evans just happens to know who my mystery mate is," Sirius informed his mates before adding, "I just need to find out how."
"Cool, anything that gives me a reason to be around Evans is alright with me," James shrugged with a grin.
"Sorry Prongs, but this has to be just between Evans and I," Sirius hesitantly replied, adding in explanation, "You obviously can't know who my mystery mate is or I would have mentioned her name by now. I just need to figure out how Evans found out that way I can prevent it from happening again. You know I wouldn't do something as stupid as make a move on your girl."
"Besides, Sirius has a girl of his own, even if he refuses to tell us who she is," Remus teased his mates, shaking his head in amusement, "It amazes me how she knows all our secrets and we don't even know her name."
"Yeah, she loves the irony of it all," Sirius informed them with a fond smile upon his face, "She's wickedly brilliant, really."
"She must be really pretty if you like her out of all the girls here at Hogwarts who want you," Peter piped up with an envious expression upon his face.
"She's absolutely beautiful, Pete," Sirius responded with a prideful expression upon his face, "I can't wait for you guys to finally meet her, I think you four will get on quite nicely."
"Looking forward to it, Padfoot," James assured his friend before, pointing to a red hair girl in the distance, "There's Evans. I'll walk you over there and then I'll give you two some privacy - put in a good word for me, would you?"
"Always, mate," Sirius agreed with an amused grin upon his lips, "Let's go."
The two dark hair boys sprinted off in the direction of the red haired girl that James had spotted. They soon caught up to the girl who was shooting them wary glances as she sat upon a stone bench with a heavy novel in her hands.
"Hey Evans," James greeted with a charming smile before inquiring, "How has your day been?"
"Fine, I suppose," Lily Evans responded hesitantly before politely adding, "And yours?"
"Seeing you has made it ten times better," James replied sincerely with a grin upon his lips.
Lily rolled her emerald green eyes in annoyance before inquiring, "I stepped right into that one, didn't I?"
"Afraid so, Evans," Sirius answered as a frown formed on his normally cheerful face, "Could I have a word with you?"
Lily raised an eyebrow as she responded, "I suppose...as long as you aren't going to try to point out all of Potter's good attributes as you did last year."
"Nope, not today anyway, I have something else I need to discuss with you," Sirius retorted as he shot James as pointed look.
"Alright then...I'll take that as my cue to leave," James hesitantly said before shooting a Lily a smile, "I applaud you're brilliance, Evans. I hope we'll see each other again, soon."
Sirius and Lily watched as the bespeckled boy returned to the beech tree to sit amongst the remaining Marauders.
"I think he gets a little worse each time he speaks to me," Lily voiced her thoughts, shaking her head as she replaced her bookmark to the novel she was reading to save her page.
"He tries, but he's really just rubbish when it comes to romance," Sirius defended his mate with a grin before changing the subject, "You sent an owl over the summer."
Lily raised an eyebrow at Sirius, crossing her legs as she responded, "Yes, yes I did. I sent multiple owls to various people. I do believe that's how most witches and wizards keep in touch."
"You know what I'm talking about Evans," Sirius retorted with a deep frown upon his lips, "You sent a specific owl to a certain girl and I want to know how you knew about she and I."
"Are you referring to Vu-" Lily began to inquire, but Sirius's hand becoming wrapped around her mouth interrupted her query.
"Are you dense, Evans?" Sirius hissed as a scowl formed on his face, "There are reasons why I hadn't outright said her name."
"I'm obviously quite brilliant," Lily responded with a triumphant smile, "That's what Potter meant by that last comment, correct? I know who you're consorting with and the Marauders don't!"
"Obviously, why else would James have voluntarily allowed me to have a moment alone with you?" Sirius rolled his eyes at the girl in annoyance before inquiring, "I want to know how you knew and why you sent that owl!"
"You both hide it remarkably well, Black," Lily informed him with a grin, "I had no clue that you were even seeing someone in secret until I accidently stumbled upon your mystery girl in the abandoned girls bathroom."
"What were you doing in the abandoned girls bathroom, Evans?" Sirius questioned, raising an eyebrow at the red haired girl.
Lily rolled her eyes and responded, "It happens to be the closest bathroom to the Library, Black."
"Okay, even as such, that explains nothing," Sirius informed her with a deep frown upon his lips, "Seeing her there doesn't connect her to me in anyway."
"I'm not finished, Black," Lily retorted in annoyance before continuing, "It was about three days after your suspension. Of course, Professor Dumbledore never made an announcement about your punishment for that incident, so the poor girl had no clue where you were. Must have worried herself sick, she certainly looked a triffle ill that day."
Sirius scowled as he interrupted Lily's rant, "You're rambling, Evans. Please finish your story."
Lily rolled her eyes at Sirius's impatience, but complied, "Yes well, she was crying and I linked the two events to one another after a night's rest. Obviously, I never actually entered the bathroom, it's rather rude to just interrupt someone's solitude when they're upset, don't you think?"
"You know, I never pictured you one to ramble on and on," Sirius informed her with a pointed expression.
"Funny, Black," Lily retorted, clenching her fist in irritation, "I'm telling you all of this as a favor, so you might want to keep your big mouth closed."
"Alright Evans," Sirius rolled his eyes with annoyance and impatience, "Thanks for the favor, now I need to know the rest of the story."
"You're welcome," Lily responded curtly before launching into the story once more, "Now, as for the owl, I began to feel really guilty about how upset she had been. The more I thought about, the more I began to believe that she obviously had a right to know. I probably should have mentioned something to you before hand, but then, I don't think she would have ever learned."
"You know, Evans, they say you're supposed to trust your first instinct," Sirius informed her with a frown, "So, before you go opening that big mouth yours about my business again, come and talk to me, okay?"
"Yeah, okay," Lily nodded understandingly in agreement, before inquiring, "Why are you only talking to me about this now?"
"I haven't had the chance before now," Sirius explained before questioning, "You haven't mentioned anything to anyone about the two of us, right?"
"You and your mystery girl? No, I haven't," Lily answered with a grin before inquiring, "What's with the secrecy?
"I'm pro-muggle, something that enables pureblood ponces to label me as a blood traitor," Sirius informed her, sighing as he added, "Long story short, she wasn't sorted into her rightful house and so, to survive we're indifferent to one another during the year."
"Oh, so you two talk all summer?" Lily guessed with a small smile upon her lips at the thought.
"No," Sirius corrected her with a grin, "We go much deeper than that. We meet two certain nights at a specific location and hang out until an hour before dawn."
"I don't understand, why all the secrecy during the summer as well?" Lily inquired with confusion written across her face.
"My family would approve of her - actually, they'd think she's way too good for me," Sirius began his explanation, shaking his head in amusement as he continued, "Her family, on the other hand, would have immense problems with our relationship. I'm considered a blood traitor, remember Evans?"
"It's really a romantic story," Lily sighed wistfully, an amused smile upon her lips, "You're not such a bad guy, Black. Especially not if you're willing to commit to mystery girl and deal with all the pressure of the secrecy."
"Thanks Evans," Sirius responded with a grin on his lips, "It's easy to see why James is so infatuated with you."
Lily raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head in amusement, "I'm just going to take that as a compliment and say nothing more about it."
"Good idea," Sirius replied, chuckling before glancing over at the other Marauders, "Speaking of which, your lover boy is going to chop me into a million pieces and feed me to the giant squid if you don't quit smiling at me."
Lily raised an eyebrow, "But you're his best mate! Doesn't he trust you?"
"Of course he does," Sirius nodded in confirmation before adding, "I don't think you realize just how important you are to him. I'm talking about he'd throw himself in front of you if an Unforgivable Curse was sent flying your way. He's not such a bad guy, Evans, he just can't control his feelings for you."
"I'll keep that in mind, Black," Lily responded pensively, watching as Sirius turned to leave, "Tell him I said 'hi', that should make him forget that I smiled at you."
"Will do, Evans, will do," Sirius called over his shoulder as he continued on his way.
When Sirius finally reached the beech tree moments later, he plopped himself down on the grass beside his eager best mate.
"So!" James inquired with anticipation before he narrowed his eyes, "Why was she all smiling at you near the end of that conversation, Padfoot?"
"If you'll shut your mouth, Prongs, I'll tell you what I can," Sirius informed him with a grin of amusement.
Remus rolled his eyes and replied, "This is nothing, Sirius. You should have seen and heard him while you were away."
"Yeah!" Peter pipped up in agreement, adding, "He was cursing you and complimenting Evans all at once."
"Shut your mouths and let Padfoot talk!" James shushed his friends with an impatient expression upon his face.
Sirius chuckled and responded, "She was smiling at me, because of my mystery mate. She thinks it's a rather romantic story. Don't worry James, I put in plenty of good words for you. In fact, Evans told me to tell you that she said 'hi'."
James grinned with an ecstatic expression upon his face, his hand flying to his hair to ruffle it once more. Remus rolled his eyes at his eyes as James began to ramble on about his progress with Lily once more. Peter, on the other hand, listened to James's rant with eager ears.
"Come on, mates," Sirius announced as he stood, interrupting James mid-rant, "What do you say we take a trip down to the kitchens for some snacks?"
"Great idea, Padfoot," Remus agreed, closing his novel as he stood up and stretched as well, "I'm starving and I've been craving a bar of chocolate since lunch."
"Mm...food sounds like a delicious idea," Peter swiftly stood, rubbing his stomach with a pensive expression upon his face.
"Food? Food! How could you three think of food at a time like this?" James demanded with a look of incredulity upon his face.
"A time like what, mate?" Sirius inquired with confusion and curiosity, shifting his weight from one foot to the other with impatience.
"This! A time when I've finally progressed to the next stage of my relationship with Lily," James announced dramatically, adding, "One wrong move could force us back into that love-hate relationship!"
Remus rolled his eyes in disbelief, "Honestly James, I'm sure Lily wouldn't care if we went to get something to eat! It's not like she's going to stalk your every move now."
"Fine," James stood as well, stretching languidly as the four headed inside, "But if my relationship rockets into failure, I'll blame you three."
"Your relationship would be much more interesting if it was between you and a rock, Prongs," Sirius teased his mate with an amused grin upon his face.
Okay and now you've had a glimpse of what could be dubbed as my opinion of the Marauders' World. If...that made any sense at all, that is. Anyways, I plan to do Vulpe's life next and we'll see how the two compare, shall we? I hope you guys enjoyed! XOXO,
L.S.