Chapter 9: Advice
"I don't want to talk about the whole Potter thing," Lily said as she and Alice entered the Great Hall for Breakfast the next morning.
"Ok, ok," Alice grinned. The Great Hall was quite busy and full of people, but they found two empty seats.
They both sat down and started eating.
"Tell me this," Alice said. "Were you glad Brandon never showed up?" Alice asked suspiciously.
Lily gave her a sharp look. "I don't know," Lily shrugged.
"You have to tell someone," Alice insisted.
"Yes, and I'll tell someone eventually," Lily said, taking a mouthful of scrambled eggs.
"Maybe me?" Alice asked.
Lily didn't say anything. "You'll find out eventually," Lily said to the least. "Do you know what's wrong with Britney?" Lily asked Alice after a while.
Alice shook her head.
Lily scowled and went back to her food.
When they both were done, they left the Great Hall.
"So what are we doing today?" Lily asked Alice happily.
"I don't know about you but I will be doing homework," Alice said sadly.
Lily laughed. "You should have done it earlier," she said in a sing-song voice.
Alice rolled her eyes. "I'm quite fine with doing my homework today, and –"
She was cut off when she saw Tess hurry over towards them. "You have no idea what I just heard in the girl's bathroom!" Tess said quickly smiling.
"I don't want to hear it," Lily said laughing slightly.
"You'll be happy you heard it once I tell you," Tess announced.
"Fine," Alice said sighing. Alice would listen to Tess talk about the gossip, so she wouldn't keep nagging them. Tess on the other hand knew everything about everyone.
"Ok, so I was in the girls bathroom on the fourth floor when I heard a very unusual story from a couple of fifth year Hufflepuff's," Tess said.
"What's the story?" Alice asked.
"Well, a certain friend of ours has broken it off with a certain boyfriend," Tess said grinning happily and her hands were held open wide in front of her.
"Who?" Lily asked slowly. Tess rolled her eyes.
"Britney! Britney and Dom broke up yesterday, supposedly he was still really angry about the whole Sirius situation, so he broke it off," Tess said.
"No way!" Alice said her mouth opened.
"Oh come on Alice, your seriously not going to believe whatever the hell comes out of that girls washroom?" Lily snapped. "That's ridiculous," Lily said to Tess. "She would have told me!"
"You seem sure of yourself," Tess said. "Besides, I don't think she had a chance with your whole James situation. She didn't talk much last night, did she?" Tess said.
"Maybe its true Lily, I mean Dom's been pretty pissed the whole time," Alice said frowning. "But, let's ask her!" Alice said, as she pulled Lily by the arm and hurried up to the Gryffindor Common Room. When they entered they saw Daisy already starting her homework, with Britney's laid out in front of her to copy.
"Daisy, where's Britney?" Tess asked.
"Still upstairs, she won't get up," Daisy shrugged, and turned back to her homework.
Tess ran up the girls dormitory stairs excited. An opportunity for gossip! She opened up the Girls' sixth year dormitory door, with Alice following slowly and Lily following lamely.
"Britney!" Tess said as she went to Britney's bed. Britney was under the covers and you couldn't see her. "Did you break up with Dom?" Tess asked.
Britney poked her head out and her hair was a mess. "Who said that?" she asked suspiciously.
"Some girls from Hufflepuff in the girl's washroom," Alice said.
"So did you?" Tess asked impatiently. Lily rolled her eyes.
Britney sat up properly in her bed. "Not entirely," she muttered.
"Are you serious? You broke up?" Alice said astounded.
Lily raised her eyebrows. "You didn't tell me?" she asked.
"Well, no, it only happened yesterday, and we didn't officially break up," Britney defended but was frowning slightly as she tried to sit in a more comfortable position with Tess sitting on her covers.
"Officially?" Tess said. "Like how?"
"Well, Dom's still pissed about the whole Sirius almost kissing me thing, so then yesterday we were talking and he said that he thinks we should take a break for a bit," Britney said confused. "But I don't get what that means," Britney said thoughtfully.
"Break-up with him," Tess said. "Since you haven't done it with him, he's probably deprived so he's using this time to get all the sex he needs till you get back together," Tess reasoned, or tried to.
"Don't be stupid," Alice snapped at Tess and turned to Britney. "She's being stupid!"
"Yeah, well, thanks anyways," Britney mumbled. "But I want to sleep," she said and she went back under her covers to sleep, but didn't get much of a chance since Tess pulled the covers off of her.
"Don't stay in bed!" she snapped with an obvious tone.
"Why not?" Britney asked.
"If you don't go downstairs then Dom will know you hurting about him. But, if you go downstairs he'll see you don't care and he'll want that," Tess said urgently.
Britney seemed quite delirious as to what was really happening, she did look very tired.
"Tess, just let her sleep," Alice tried.
"No, Britney has to learn now," Tess said as she grabbed Britney's arms and dragged her out of bed. She stood Britney up properly, who was in her pajama's and looked like anyone did once they woke up. Tired and messy, unless you were Lily who always looked perfect.
Britney looked at Lily pleadingly who just shrugged and sat on Britney's bed. Britney opened her mouth, but was pulled into the washroom with Tess and Alice.
Lily sat there waiting for a bit, she went to her trunk and got out her book to start reading it. There were a few shouts coming from the washroom, when Britney stormed out and sat on Lily's bed. Britney looked angry. And if Tess was trying to do one of her make over's, she didn'tfinish Britney. Britney glared at Lily.
"What's our promise, again?" Britney snapped. Lily thought confused and looked at Britney cluelessly. "If Tess does one of her little make-over stunts we get each other out of there!" Britney said desperately.
"Sorry," Lily said. "But you still didn't tell me," Lily reasoned, putting her book down and pulled her legs up to her body, wrapping her arms around her legs.
Britney gaped. "You can't be serious," Britney said. "Your angry because I didn't tell you that Dom and I are on a break, right?" Britney asked. Lily nodded. "It was sort of hard, as you locked yourself into the bathroom for most of the night," Britney said more in a whisper now, Tess came out looking very irritated. Lily giggled. She didn't realize what Britney was in so much distress about. Half her hair was done up, her make-up was done and she had her pajama shirt on and was wearing one of Tess' very short skirts. Tess grabbed Britney roughly by the arm and dragged her off the bed.
"Britney, just let me and Alice finish up with you," Tess said irritably.
"Look, this is nice and all, but I don't want to," Britney said. "I don't want to do this, I want to sleep."
"Britney you can't," Lily said from her bed casually.
"Why can't she?" Tess snapped.
"It's Sunday, and she has her meeting with her grandfather," Lily shrugged. "Come on your going to be late," Lily said quickly standing and leading Britney out of the dormitory. "We'll see you later," she said opening the door and going out the door with Britney behind her. Lily closed the door silently behind her.
"I wanted to sleep not go see my grandfather. You could have lied and said I have a fever or something," Britney mumbled, so Lily could barely hear.
"Sorry," Lily whispered. "But you do know how ridiculous you look at the moment?" Lily giggled again.
Britney frowned and looked at herself and rolled her eyes. Lily pulled out her wand and fixed Britney's hair, who scowled. "My hair's straight," she said.
"You look pretty," Lily said smiling.
"I don't like it like this, though," Britney said.
"Let's just go," Lily said skipping almost down the stairs to the common room.
"You're quite happy, then," Britney said watching Lily. "You and James." Britney said blankly.
"Excuse me," Lily snapped. "No, no I'm not happy about that," Lily shook her head at the nonsense of such a thing.
"That's ok, you can tell me once we get out of the common room alive," Britney said, as she waited at the bottom of the stairs for Lily.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked as she stood beside Britney and saw people staring at them. The whole common room was staring at the two of them.
"One for you dating James, one for me and Dom breaking up, and another for my appearance," Britney said to Lily, to explain all the staring.
"I didn't date Potter," Lily said loud enough for the students in the common room to hear, but none took their eyes off the two sixth year girls. "Tell them off, Brit," Lily mumbled.
"No, let them stare," Britney said and she almost strutted through the common room to the portrait hole exit. Britney made a hand movement for Lily to come. Lily smiled weakly and hurried over to the exit hole. They both exited quickly.
"What's their problem anyway?" Lily snapped. "How did they know me and Potter were together yesterday?"
"People talk," Britney said. "It's Hogwarts, they love rumors, they love to know when people have break-ups too. In your case, there has been a continuing battle between you and James, and just the thought of you and him dating is just forbidden." Britney said quickly. "And a good gossip opportunity for the girl's bathrooms. So, ifI were you, I'd avoid the girl's bathrooms for the next week."
Lily shook her head confused.
"Well, just talk to James. You want to, he wants to," Britney said smiling and titling her head to the side looking at Lily.
"How do you know Potter wants to talk to me?" Lily said almost angry at how forward Britney was being.
"Come on, it's James. The boy's been in love with you since he was eleven. Of course he wants to talk to you," Britney said sighing.
Lily stopped and frowned deeply. "I can't," she said nervously, in a high voice. "It's too weird. It's Potter. I can't," Lily said to Britney, putting her hands to her head and rubbing her temples slowly.
"Oh Merlin," Britney said watching Lily. She scowled and continued walking ahead of Lily.
"What?" Lily asked quickly, a student who was walking pass, jumped at Lily's sudden outburst and glared at Lily. She gave an apologetic look and hurried after Britney. "What?" she repeated as she caught up to Britney's speed.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Britney said loudly. "I didn't mean for you to act like this!"
"I'm still confused," Lily said.
"Your letting James Potter get to you! You let James Potter go out with you! You let James Potter kiss you! You're letting James Potter to be with you!" Britney said it as obvious, she hurried down a flight of stairs, passing a few first years. Lily followed Britney to the bottom of the stairs, but didn't say a word.
"Just a few seconds ago you were saying I should talk to Potter," Lily said finally.
"Yes, but look at the way your acting," Britney said. "You're acting like a little Marauder follower, who's madly in love with James," Britney said, heading in the direction towards the kitchens.
Lily swallowed hard. "Oh Merlin," she muttered.
Britney walked up to the picture with the big bowl of fruit and tickled the pear. Britney entered swiftly into the kitchens.
"So, what should I do?" Lily asked Britney, she too entered the kitchens, and was immediately sorrounded by house-elves.
"Pumpkin pie, chocolate chip cookies, vanilla cake and butterscotch ice cream," Britney told the house-elves and they all hurried in different directions. "What should you do," Britney repeated pondering.
Lily looked at Britney as she took a seat down at one of the replica house tables. Britney sat down opposite of her.
"You shouldn't let James get to you, like he is," Britney, as the food she asked for were placed in front of the two girls. "You should just be…relaxed. No falling over him… play hard to get, or something. James likes a challenge."
Lily gaped. "I haven't been falling over him, ever! I've always been a challenge! I don't even like Potter! He's an arrogant toe rag!" Lily said, taking a piece of pumpkin pie.
"Well, once James sees something he loves he'll do anything to get it," Britney answered shrugging. "Like once, my dad bought me a kitten, and it was the cutest thing ever, and James came over every day to see this kitten. He loved it. He would never leave. He then ended up stealing the kitten which is now a cat, which is now his," Britney said taking a final bite of her pumpkin pie, and moving towards the ice cream.
"He stole your kitten?" Lily asked shocked.
"It's ok, it peed on my favorite doll so then I hated it," Britney answered smiling, with her mouth full of ice cream.
"Ok," Lily said slowly. "How has that helped me? All I know now is Potter's a cat stealer!"
"Yeah, but he loved the cat, and stole it. That's how much he loved it. He wouldn't leave it alone." Britney said.
"That's one example," Lily said, grabbing the chocolate chip cookies and crumpling them up over her pie.
"Well, James had a crush on my cousin when we were six," Britney said thoughtfully. "When we played house, she was the wife and he was the husband. That got me angry, so I bit my cousin," Britney said.
By the look on Lily's face, Britney started thinking of more examples.
"James loves Hogwarts, and he comes here every year because he loves it," Britney said, finishing off her ice cream. "Ok, well, James loves you, and he's doing anything he can and trying his hardest to get you," Britney said finally.
"He's not trying hard enough," Lily muttered.
A/N: Well, I updated quite soon. I don't think I'll be updating like this again for a while, I was in one of those writing moods. Now, I'm not going to update again until I get 32 reviews. But, thank you so so much for the reviews guys:D
R/R!