Chapter 10: An Idea

Cressida leans against the fireplace of the Gryffindor common room, thumb between her teeth. Her hair which started its day in a neat bun now hangs loosely and limp, a few thick strands framing her face unintentionally. The dimness of the room is contrasted by the ambient orange light casting over her front, and the fronts of two of her friends who are sitting on the ground in front of the fireplace.

The entire population of Hogwarts is asleep, including Mrs Norris who they had to sneak past on their way back. The ungodly hours Cressida likes to call this time. But somehow, more often than not she finds herself awake through them.

James is waiting just as impatiently as her, his knees pulled up and pressing against the inside of his elbows, wand back between his fingers drumming against his calf. She watches his Adam's apple bob up and down as Sirius takes his damn time reading the transfiguration book. It feels like they gave it to him an hour ago, but in reality, it's only been a few minutes.

Finally, Sirius looks up from the book. "I think this is bloody brilliant."

James breathes out a grin as Cressida simply sighs in resignation. She's not upset about his presumed future involvement, but she does wish they'd at least recognise the risks before agreeing. "Of course you do," she smiles, nevertheless. "James was foolish enough to think of it and you're foolish enough to agree."

"Why are you so against it?" Sirius questions her firmly.

James relaxes slightly, shoulders dropping and his wand finally coming to a rest. "She's not," he says on her behalf. "She's just worried that it'll go wrong."

Cressida presses her lips together, nodding affirmatively to Sirius. Leaving the mantle of the fireplace to join them on the floor. "I think this idea is stupid and reckless, but-" she leans sits between them, placing a hand on either's knee, "-I wouldn't be your friend if I didn't enjoy some recklessness every day or so."

"Glad to see you have your priorities straight," James praises. "The first step is the mandrake leaf. Full moon to full moon."

Sirius counts aloud. "That's what…three weeks away?" He re-reads the passages in the book. "Then we'll need a phial with silver dew, that specifically hasn't been in sunlight or touched by human foot for a week."

"And the chrysalis of a Death's-head Hawk Moth," James adds from memory. Cressida's lips tweak up in a smile. One of her favourite things is to see them in working mode.

"Mix it all together under the moon's rays and leave it in a dark place where it can't be disturbed until an electrical storm," she also adds. "Sunup and sundown, we're going to be chanting. Which means no more sleep-ins."

Their expressions turn to winces. Sirius cocks his head. "I think for our dear friend, we can sacrifice it. Besides, we can fall back asleep afterwards." The light grin falls back into place as he leans backwards against the seat of the lounge. "I dibs finding the Death's-head Hawk Moth. Slughorn will have something in his supplies."

James nods easily, spinning his wand between his fingers like a drummer. "I'll get the dew then. Reckon I could find some in the forest."

Cressida's smile falters in realisation. "Seriously?" she moans. "You're leaving me with the mandrake?" The boys cackle at her personal misfortune, well aware of her aversion to herbology. They have vivid memories of first-year classes with the screaming plant. She nearly threw it across the room in pure spite when it began to squeal. Cressida shoves their shoulders, sending both of them swaying opposite directions before balancing themselves. "Who's going to tell Peter?"

Sirius and Cressida quickly 'volunteered' James for the task. The trio stayed up for another hour without talk of transfiguration (mostly Quidditch) until Sirius reminds them that it is Sunday night and classes resume in the morning.

"Remus and I are going to the library tomorrow after Charms," she answers in response to their request to join them in something they have planned. She has no idea what exactly their plan is, but it is no secret that it will cause a commotion. "Can't wait till after that?"

Sirius clicks his tongue " 'Fraid not. Planned target you see."

"And why wasn't I involved in the planning of this?" she wonders, narrowing her eyes beadily.

Sirius shrugs easily, folding his arms over the decorative bannister topper at the bottom of the girls' dormitory stairs. "You weren't in our room last night. You wanted beauty sleep as you put it."

"It's fine though," James smirks. He looks her up and down with eyes that one might mistake for checking her out. "Looks like she needs it."

Cressida's jaw falls open, bottom lip curling over her teeth. Using the advantage of the steps' height, she wraps her arms around James' head, using her weight to pull him down. She hears his muffled cries of pain as she tucks his head between her arm and side and pulls off his glasses whilst she's at it. Keeping him in place with one arm, she places the glasses on the bridge of her own nose. The world becomes a blur, barely making out the features on Sirius' face against the darkness but she assumes he's amused.

"Do they suit me?" Cressida cocks a leg out, adjusting the frames ever so slightly.

"A bit big," Sirius comments honestly as they pay no heed to the struggling wizard. One of James' hands is on her stomach, trying to push her away whilst the other is trying to wrap around her elbow which is locked under his jaw. "But's it's sort of cute."

Their shenanigans must be louder than they realised because light floods from an upstairs dorm. Sirius (James and Cressida not able to see anything) barely manages to hold his sigh as Capaldi, the seventh-year prefect, stands at the top of the stairs, scowling down at them like a McGonagall want-to-be. "You three best get yourselves to bed before you're spending your next Sunday doing detention."

Sirius plants a broad, mocking smile. "Apologise. James just lost his glasses, but I think we've found them. We'll head straight to bed."

Cressida smiles blindly up the staircase, only recognising the person by voice. The small stream of light evaporates and she finally lets go of James' head. He huffs, shoving her off like he's the one who got himself free, and fixes his shirt. "On a positive note, you do look better like this."

Cressida instinctively goes to thank him before properly rendering his words. Growling, she snatches the glasses back off her face and tosses them at his chest. "You did too." The antagonism simmers quickly enough. "Better get to bed before we do actually get detention for this."

They each go up their respective stairs, Cressida glimpsing over before they sneak back into their own dorms. James gives her a foul gesture as he walks backwards through the door. Sirius shakes his head at his friend, leaning forward against the railing. He mouths something to her. A smile that she cannot help but grow appears. Pleased at her reaction, Sirius waves her goodnight before joining James.

Xx

Cressida stares blankly at the textbook in front of her. She wants to concentrate desperately, and it's not even her own fault this time. Remus came along with her for company, but she may as well have asked Sirius to come.

Lily Evans was also in the library when they entered, and being only Remus and Cressida, she was more than happy to have a quick but quiet conversation with them. However, once Cressida pulled out her book and sat down at the table, Remus and Lily didn't register her cue and now sit opposite her, avidly conversing about the modern studies of arithmancy.

Cressida stares just above the black words, turning the page with a blank stare. Not that she's read the words on the previous one, or the one before that, but the action is the only thing tricking her brain into thinking that she could actually be studying.

What tips her over the edge is when Mary McDonald prances over. "Lily," she greets in a volume barely acceptable for the library standard. The girl with dark ringlets smiles simply but kindly at both Remus and Cressida. "Hey guys."

Giving up completely on the task she'd originally come here for, Cressida slams the cover of the book shut, leaning back in her seat with folded arms. "Mary," she smiles tightly. "Why don't you join the party?"

"Actually, I was just coming to find Lily. You were supposed to meet Marlene and me before Charms club."

Lily's mouth peels open. "Oh, I completely lost track of time!" The sound of her chair scraping against the ground sends goosebumps up Cressida's back. Lily quickly packs her belongings away whilst offer them a quick goodbye. "I-I'll see you guys in potions tomorrow morning, yeah?"

Cressida simply nods, raising a hand to wave. "Sure will," Remus grins.

In a flash, the dark curls and red-waves disappear out of the library entrance. Already feeling useless sitting there for over an hour with no work done, Cressida slides her things back into her bag. "Let's go to dinner." Sure, they might be early, but at least they'd be out of the horrid paper-filled chamber. Remus follows her without argument.

A small itch of her is jealous that Remus is able to talk with people outside their small group of friends with such ease. Cressida can talk with the Prewett twins easily enough, as well as converse with the Quidditch team but that's where her circle ends. A tight-knit circle that she's content with most of the time but every now and then she'd get a hint of desire for the popularity. James and Sirius have enough friends for all of them, but to her pleasure, none have ever grown so close to invade their ring. And Cressida likes it that way.

"Do you not like Lily?" The question comes so abruptly that Remus has to ask twice before she comprehends what is being asked.

Cressida blinks. "No, of course I like her. It's just… Lily is so unnaturally kind to almost everyone that it makes me wonder how she does it. And it irks me at times she's so naturally gifted at magic, she's so bubbly a-and… The only time I see her show any displeasure is around James. She can't be human, right?"

Remus laughs at her last question, making an expression of somewhat agreement. "I mean, I see why James likes her. She's unobtainable and we all know how James loves his challenges."

Cressida huffs out a smirk as they turn a corner onto the main south corridor. "Don't I," she agrees. Before she can say anymore, a large explosion sounds from nearby in the castle. Startled, Cressida reaches for her wand, steadying her stance as Remus does something similar. A few other students look around cautiously, pulling their books to their chests. "What was that?"

"No idea."

Just as her heart begins to beat far too rapidly against her chest, three thundering pairs of feet skid around the corner where they are headed. James, Sirius, and a tagging-along Peter are sprinting towards them. On each of their faces is an iconic beam that mixes a grin and a smirk.

"Come on!" They don't slow down as they come closer to the flabbergasted study-pair. Cressida quickly figures out that this must have been whatever Sirius and James had been planning on doing that she had elected to miss out on. James' rough hand clasps around her upper arm, barely slowing down. "This way."

Stay, and risk getting caught near the scene. Even though she and Remus have nothing to do with it, they'd be dooming themselves by association alone. Run, and they may stand a chance.

Sharing that thought, Remus quickly starts sprinting with them back the way they came, Cressida's arms pumping by her side. Familiar - and welcome - adrenaline spreads through her limbs and the sound of all five of their laughs echoes through what feels like the entirety of Hogwarts.

"What did you do?!" she cries as they begin to slow to a speedy march.

"Filch had some confiscated fireworks," Sirius cackles breathlessly.

"We thought we'd put them to good use," James finishes. "Turns out they were the muggle type. A little more dangerous-" He never gets to finish his words and it seems rounding corners today is just full of trouble. All five of them halt in their steps, grins faltering but not disappearing. "Professor."

Professor McGonagall stands in front of them, hands clasped in front of her stomach. It almost looks like she was waiting for them to run right to her. Mice in traps. "I think I have more than enough reason to believe you lot were involved in that parade?"

James, taking the lead, argues, "And it was a beautiful show. Can't blame us for wanting to liven up the place, can you?"

McGonagall is a fair and just woman. Emphasis on the just. Her head tilts down, and beady eyes glare at them over the rim of her spectacles. "Then I'm sure you'll be happy to liven up the dungeons tonight. Professor Slughorn had a particularly disastrous few classes with the third years and it needs to be cleaned up before tomorrow morning's lessons."

Cressida holds her groan, knowing there is no way she'd be able to weasel her way out of detention. At least they all have it. Blaming James, who surely led the plan, Cressida peaks at him. Ever so slowly, her hand outstretches towards him, but pauses as she makes direct eye-contact with Sirius on his other side. He only presses out his lips, making a gesture to continue. Cressida bites her smile down, finish her small task as quietly as possible.