Ch.10, Bad Days and Truth or Dare

Many days passed, and the two resident couples were hardly seen without the other. Remus paid a visit to the Hospital Wing so he could go to the whomping willow, and the girls were left alone one night, because the boys had mysteriously disappeared.

" Hey, does anyone know what a saloe root does when raw?" Melissa asked, chewing on her quill while working on a Potion's essay.

" Try looking in the book under '100 magical roots and stems'" Lily said, obviously miserable.

" Sheesh, the teachers want us to study for exams, but how do they expect us to get the time with all this work?" Len said tiredly as she finished another paper.

"I don't know Len, I really don't know." Lily said distractedly. There were building piles beside each girl, the finished assignments. There was also a shortening pile of work to do. The girls spent hours on homework, and it was 12:30 when there was not much left. Melissa got up and yawned.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed. Goodnight."

Both girls said mumbled 'nights and soon Len did the same as Melissa. Lily was just about to do the same, but she fell asleep at the table.

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Several hours later, Lily woke with a start. She had heard the portrait hole open, she was sure of it. She looked around the room, but no one was there.

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"Well, Prongs, don't you think that was a close call? You should teach you're girlfriend not to fall asleep at the table. Can you imagine the trouble she would give us if we had not forgotten to take off the cloak before we came in?" Sirius said.

"Yeah." James responded absently. He was actually thinking about how beautiful Lily was when she slept.

"Hellooooo? Earth to Prongs? You in there?" Sirius said, waving a hand in front of James's face.

"What? Oh, yeah, g'night Sirius." James said. He pulled the bed hangings around him, as did Sirius on his own bed.

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Later that morning, Lily was telling the others what had happened.

" I don't mean to make you seem crazy, but are you sure you weren't imagining it?" Melissa said.

" She could be right Lils. The mind does funny things when it's half asleep." Len pointed out.

"Maybe you're right. Oh, I don't know! It's all so confusing!" Lily cried, very frustrated.

" Listen, let's go to breakfast, maybe some food will help clear things up." Melissa said.

"You know Mel, I don't see why you and Sirius don't get along better, The answer to any friends problem? Food." Lily said.

Len caught Melissa's eye. It was lucky that Lily was in front of them, because Melissa was blushing.

At breakfast, they all took their regular seats with the Marauders. As Lily told James about her experience, Len couldn't help but notice that James looked very guilty. She had no one to sit with because Remus would still be in the Hospital Wing until lunch. So, the group of them headed to Herbology, but Len was nervous. Without Remus, what sort of mark would she get? She was terrible at the subject!

When they arrived at the greenhouses, Len sat down on the ground at her normal spot. Professor Green waltzed in, holding a large handful of earmuffs.

"Right, today we will be reviewing Mandrakes! But not baby ones, we will be working on fully grown ones! Everyone take a pair of earmuffs please."

There was a sudden scramble for ones that weren't looking as if they were a hundred years old. They were all lucky, as Lily had been the one to choose the regular spot, and it was near the front. They got a pair of the newer earmuffs, even if they were covered in pink spots. Len, Lily and Melissa were shaking in silent fits of laughter at the scowling James and Sirius, as they put on fluffy powder blue earmuffs with white clouds on them. If they could have heard what Sirius had called them, he would've been smacked 4 times. One by each girl, and one from James for insulting his girlfriend. They were split into groups of four, and by some miracle, Len was not left out. James was. So, they each got one, fully grown, screaming Mandrake. They assigned each other jobs sort of, and so Melissa and Sirius struggled to hold it steady out of the pot. Lily and Len hurried and replaced the manure in the pot, and signaled for them to put it in. they did so happily. Both blushed as their hands brushed. Lily noticed it. But since they couldn't hear a thing, she would ask Melissa about it later. But Sirius noticed too.

So they continued to baby-sit the plant until it got angry and bit Len for doing something wrong. It only caused light bruising, since it hit her on her glove. She refused to go to the Hospital Wing, but her friends argued that she might be able to see Remus. Len argued back, because she had a feeling that he may not want to be seen. Of course, she didn't say that, but Sirius agreed with her. So, they headed to their next class, Potions, with Len being careful of her bruised hand. But it didn't help when James and Sirius kept levitating the wrong ingredients into Snape's potion when he wasn't looking. Of course, this didn't help because Lily and Len were sitting beside him, and therefore got sprayed with something similar to stinksap when they put in Banshee hair. But it burned like acid. Both girls screamed, and James and Sirius were given a few days of detention. Lily then refused to talk to James. On her way out, Len mumbled something about today not being her day.

This was proven at lunchtime when Melissa, Len and Sirius were standing in-between an angry Lily and a moping James. Then, Len slipped on something on the floor, and fell into it. Everyone in the Great Hall but her friends were laughing since she had landed in a pile of sticky buns. These were no normal sticky buns, since they were made by house elves, who had exaggerated them a bit. Len's hand was stuck to the floor. She went bright red as a very familiar hand offered to pull her free. She smiled as Remus hauled her to her feet. She was still red.

"Well, nice to see you Len." Remus said cheerfully.

"Nice to see you too. You wouldn't believe the day I've had. First, I get bitten by a Mandrake, then me and Lily get soaked with something vile in Potions thanks to those two, and I've had to play peace maker between Lily and James for said reason. And then I fall and get laughed at by the entire school, so, you're the first good thing in my day." Len said, and then laughing at the pitiful look on his face.

"Well, I'm glad I made you feel better. So, the Hogsmead weekends coming up for Valentines Day, you want to go?"

"Of course I do. Did you really think I'd say no?" Len said, while giving Remus a quick peck on the cheek.

"Great. So I'll meet you in the Great Hall okay?"

"Deal. Now, I'm starving."

Remus laughed as she started searching for something without meat in it. She smiled and took a piece of toast, and put jam on it. He took a sandwich from the magically refilling platter that Sirius and James seemed to be trying to empty. But then the warning bell sounded, and so they stopped.

On their way to COMC, Lily and James seemed to be missing holding each other's hands. They reached the paddock, and all sighed as they saw the Professor already there. They filed into the area, but then he started lecturing them.

" This year, you are sure to encounter Thresals in your exam. These are the creatures that pull the Hogwarts carriages. Many of you can't see them, does anyone know why?"

The Griffindor expert in this subject raised his hand and said, " The only people that have seen Thresals, are the ones who have seen death."

"Very good, ten points to Griffindor! Now, I am going to bring you a very large picture of a Thresal, and I want people to try and guess what it looks like and draw it from the description in the textbook."

As he brought out the picture, Lily, Len and Melissa glanced at each other. They took out their quills and started drawing. By the end of the allotted time, no one in the class except for a Slytherin had better drawings than Lily, Len, Melissa and Remus. They handed in their drawings, and left the class, with the Marauders giving them strange looks. Lily looked extremely grave. Len looked sad and on the verge of tears. Melissa didn't look as sad as either of them, but looked sad for them. James spoke up.

"Lily, how come you can see Thresals and never told me?" he asked. He immediately regretted doing this, as her eyes hardened, and she responded quickly and curtly.

"I don't want to talk about it." And with that, she set off to the castle at a quicker pace, and before she followed, Len gave them a look that told them to tred carefully on this subject.

"Melissa, what was that all about?" James asked.

"Lily has never talked much on the subject. All three of us can see them. Ever since third year for both Lily and Len. Fourth year for me. I saw a squirrel die, so I'm not that sad on the subject. We don't even know who or what Lily saw die. She never talks about it. I wouldn't ask her again if I were you." Melissa said fastly before she too set off after Lily.

The Marauders stared. James and Remus because their girlfriends lived with such a burden. Remus thought he would ask Len about it later.

When they got to Transfiguration, they saw that the girls had the charmed parchment on their desks. Unfortunately the private message option had worn off, so they had to make due with the normal (Lily Len Melissa James Sirius Remus) (stuff in brackets is what happens in the classroom)

'Kay, you guys know the rules. Do we all know what McGonnagle is teaching?

Yes

Yes

Yep

Yeah

Yeperoo.

Okay, what do you want to talk about?

No clue.

We could discuss ideas to prank the Slytherins!

Or I could dump you in the lake…

Lily!

Sorry Mel.

Ha! You couldn't dump me in the lake even if you tried!

You want a bet?

Lily!

Lily calm down!

( All three girls and Remus are trying not to laugh at the look of confusion on James and Sirius's faces, which only made them more confused)

How about we discuss… okay, I don't have a clue. Any RESONABLE ideas?

How about we play truth or dare?

No!

Why not?

How about Truth or Dare Three Reprieves?

How exactly do you play that?

It's just like normal truth or dare, but you get three reprieves if you don't want to do or admit something.

Well… okay.

Yay!

Fine.

Okay.

You're outnumbered Lil.

Ok, fine, I'm in.

Okay, since it was my idea, I go first. James, t or d?

Dare.

You are so dead. Okay, you have to dive in the lake, with nothing on but swimming trunks.

Are you crazy? It's freezing out there!

A dares a dare James. Or, you could use a reprieve.

No way, I know Sirius, he's trying to get me to use all my reprieves! I'll do it. Okay, my turn. Lily, truth or dare?

No way am I choosing truth with you…dare!

Okay, you have to go to Hogsmead with me on Valentines Day.

That's your dare? I'd have gone to Hogsmead with you if you asked normally!

I know but I couldn't think of anything.

Okay, my turn. Sirius, truth or dare?

Oooh dare!

Now you're going to regret making my boyfriend jump in the lake. Okay… you have to flirt with…McGonnagle!

Good one Lily!

I didn't know you had it in you.

Has anyone seen my camera?

Lily, I admire you.

Hey, I'll flirt with anybody, sure thing. Now, it's my turn. Len, truth or dare?

I don't trust you one bit with dare, so I'll have to go with truth.

Good, there's one thing I've been curious about for a while. What do you girls do when you disappear for the night? I think you call them GNs?

…Reprieve.

Oh, s---. I was really hoping you would answer.

To bad. My turn now. Melissa, truth or dare?

Dare!

Hmmm…I'm not good with thinking up these things. How about you have to… don't kill me for this, it's your own doing. You have to declare undying love for Snape, at the Valentines Day feast!

You're good at this Len, remind me to pick truth with you…

Your evil! There's no way I'm doing that!

Remus, you have a very smart girlfriend.

Well Mel, you can always use a reprieve…

I still say your evil. Alright, I'm using a reprieve. My turn, Remus, t or d?

Um… dare I guess.

----, I was hoping you would say truth. Okay, you have to… kiss Len in front of the whole school.

You think that that's revenge?

I don't mind if Len doesn't.

Not at all.

'Kay, Len, truth or dare?

Hmmm…truth.

Oh Remus, ask the same thing I did!

Nope, sorry Sirius. Okay, Len, what did you feel in first term when you found out I had a crush on you?

I didn't know what to feel. Surprise mainly, but maybe a little hope.

Really?

Yeah. Now, my turn. Lily, truth or dare?

After what you tried to make Melissa do, there's no way I'm choosing dare. Truth.

Oooh, Len, say what-

Sirius, do you really think I would do that when I used a reprieve on the subject? Okay Lily, what did you really think of James in fourth year?

What's this all about?

You'll pay Len, I swore you to secrecy!

Yes, but you never swore yourself to secrecy did you?

All right, all right. I thought he was hot.

Really? Then how come you always rejected me in the other years?

You'll have to wait you're turn. It's mine now. James, truth or dare?

Dare! ( evil smile from Lily) why do I think I'll regret that?

Because I'm daring you to not ask me anything about the above statement that I thought you were hot in fourth year. Ha!

Ohhh… Okay, Remus, T or D?

I don't trust you with dare, so I'll go with truth.

Okay, do you know what the girls do on GNs?

Yeah, but I'm not telling you. Len swore me to secrecy.

----, that was going to be my next question.

Okay, I'm running out of ideas… Len, t or d?

Truth.

Okay, as I said I'm running out of ideas, so what are you most afraid of?

This is going to sound childish, but I'm afraid of the dark.

Really?

Don't tease me okay? I can't stand it.

No problem. You're turn.

McGonnagle!

Scatter!

"Well, Miss Candel, if your paying so much attention, what stage of becoming an animagus is the one where you can see what animal you will become?" Mcgonnagle said.

Len faked concentration. "The last one?"

"Good, you were listening. Now, I expect you all to have 10 inches of parchment done on the subject of the steps of becoming animagus. To be handed in on Monday. You are dismissed." She said curtly.

On their way out, both groups were trying to conceal grins of expected ease. Only Remus knew the truth.