Chapter 13: A Party to Bore

Though Cressida had thought her troubles would lie in hearing about her loss of the Keeper position from the other students of Hogwarts, it is her friends who are the ones constantly reminding her of it. She's sure they have the right intentions, wanting to emphasise their anger in her place but she really rather wishes they'd just let her wallow silently.

Andrews hasn't said anything to her, and she doubts he will. He'd probably get enough satisfaction by coming to training in the Keeper's uniform alone and watching James glower at him. Not only because James is just as, or even more so pissed at him than her, but he's one of the most competitive players currently at the school and Andrews doesn't hold up to his standards.

But for now, the day is warmer than it has been in the near two months they've returned to Hogwarts as she and Sirius wandering down the stone steps towards their outdoor Care of Magical Creatures class.

"Your birthday is coming up," Cressida says, holding her books to her chest. Wanting to soak in the nice weather, her cardigan is left lying over her bed, leaving her in an untucked white blouse and loosely tied tie. "Any thoughts to want you want?"

"Firewhiskey," Sirius answers immediately, chuckling at her exasperated expression. Like her, he's left his grey jumper behind, and his white sleeves are folded up just above his elbows. His collar is half propped up and his tie is barely hanging on. "Seriously though, just some alcohol and a good night is all I want."

Cressida considers it. She wants to do something special for him but he's not the type to underplay an event for the sake of modesty. If that is all he wants, then that is what he wants. "Good thing it's a Friday then," she muses. "How many people do you want around?"

He clicks his tongue, holding out a hand as he begins to count to himself. "Four," he declares. Cressida pinches her brow in confusion before realising he's only counted her, James, Remus and Peter.

"Sirius, are you sure?" she questions slowly. "Because I'll be making sure whatever you want happens and I don't want to cancel any major parties James might be thinking of throwing if you want one."

"Trust me, Cress. I love a good party but not for my birthday. Why should they get to celebrate my life when they aren't a part of it?" Cressida pauses mid-step, dumbfounded. Sirius walks another few before realising his companion isn't next to him anymore. He looks back at her, raising his brows. "What?"

Slowly her legs begin to move again as she shakes her head. "Sometimes you say the stupidest things and other times you say something that sound like they would come from wise old grandparents or something."

"I think I'd be an amazing grandfather," he gloats with a pull at his lips that some may mistake for a smirk, but Cressida can tell the sincerity behind it.

Cressida smiles in agreement, having no doubt that Sirius would do his absolute best. She knows the struggles he faces in his own home, and he'd have to be under the imperious curse to want to put anybody else through it. "You'd have to have grey hair to qualify as a grandparent," she goads. "I think it would be quiet the look on you."

Sirius' nose shrivels up. "I will be dying my hair. Either the muggle way or hope someone invents a potion by then."

Xx

"Come with me. Please."

Cressida laughs silently, shaking her head determinedly while she lays about near his pillow. "I'm good," she draws out. James clenches his eyes shut, hunching over the end frame of his bed with his head hanging between his shoulders. "Just don't go." But she knows why he is going to. She honestly admires his stubbornness. "Is it all really worth speaking to her for like two minutes?"

"It's better than nothing," Remus inputs from his bed. A book lays abandoned in his lap as the attention of the entire dorm has turned to James. Sirius is on his own bed as well, head hanging upside down over the side closest to James and Cressida, arms stretched upwards…or downwards. "Besides, it would look better if you didn't come with a date if you're trying to woo Evans."

"Unless of course, you're trying to make her jealous," Sirius points out. "But I doubt that would be the case unless she's secretly been in love with you." He pulls himself back up, rolling onto his stomach. "But she is that stubborn so it wouldn't be too much of a surprise."

James points a steady finger at Sirius. "Jealously could work," he deliberates. "But I just want someone that's not boring as gillyweed to be there. Someone that will talk to me as well."

"I don't want to spend my night around said people," Cressida decides firmly. There are many things she'd rather do than spend the night at one of Slughorn's parties. And at the top of her list is; do nothing for the rest of the afternoon. "James, you're you. I'm sure you can find some topic of interest that you share with someone there." James' makes a whinging expression, pushing off the end of the bed. "Merlin," she mutters. "Take Sirius if you're that desperate."

"You can bring a date," James emphasises.

Cressida raises her brow. "So?"

He must realise that he's getting nowhere, or maybe it's the glance at the dorm's clock telling him he needs to leave but James huffily grabs a light coat and leaves them to laze around. Cressida does feel a little sorry for him. He's doing all this for a girl after all, who gives him nothing in return. But he's the one deciding to go to these things.

"I'm offended that he didn't consider me as a date," Sirius speaks up after a few minutes of silence.

"Don't worry, he just doesn't want anyone prettier than him there," Cressida teases back.

"I'm not upset anymore."

"Do you think Lily will talk to him?" Peter questions.

Remus finally closes the book that he hasn't looked at in over an hour and places it neatly on his bedside table. "Out of pity," he snorts. Then, after a moment of thought, he adds, "Maybe you should have gone with him, Cress."

Cressida scrunches her eyebrows together. "Don't try to guilt-trip me into going. James will be fine on his own, he's just a drama queen. Besides, you said it would be best if I didn't go either."

"I know…" Remus trails off, glancing around the room. Peter is the only one sitting fully upright, leaning against the bottom bedpost. Sirius is still laying on his stomach and Cressida is propped up against the back headboard. "But maybe James would enjoy himself without worrying too much about Lily. Now it's the only thing he's going to be thinking of all night."

"And if go," Cressida answers back slowly, "that won't change, and I'll be left alone while James trails after her like a puppy. He'd ditch me in a heartbeat there." The words come off more bitter than she intended. James' infatuation with Lily is nothing new and not anything she wastes her thoughts on unless directly helping James but the longer it goes on, the more petulant the subject becomes.

Remus shrugs half-heartedly. "Maybe he wouldn't," he continues to suppose. "Maybe he'll actually forget about Lily for the night. And he'll let himself enjoy the night."

"That's a cause for celebration," Peter giggles.

They chuckle softly but the quietness of the night seems to be pulling all of them. Cressida and Sirius share a short-lived exchange through their eyes. "How long do you think he'll be mad at me for?" Cressida questions, her voice barely above a whisper.

"James?" Sirius confirms. "I don't think he's upset to begin with. If he is, it won't last the night."

The conversation about James and the party ends there and none startup. They each do their own quiet thing, whether it be reading or doing homework due the coming day, or playing with James' snitch as Cressida does. It opens its wings, stretching them around and even hovers near the bed once she lets it go but it never flies away as it would through a game. They must know somehow.

She knows at some point she should return to her own dorm, but all her muscles want to do is fall asleep in the spot she is. At one point, it seems like everybody else is asleep, but James hasn't returned, and Cressida wants to make sure he isn't upset with her before she goes to sleep.

Her eyes move towards a movement in the bed left of James'. Against her presumptions, she finds Sirius awake, though under his covers and looking half asleep already. The movement seems to have been made to grab her attention as he makes a gesture with his head to come over.

Cressida quietly places the snitch back in James' draw and crawls out of the bed. Sirius shuffles backwards slightly to make more room for her and Cressida quickly glances at the other two occupants of the room. As far as she can tell, they're fast asleep.

Sirius closes his eyes again, but his lips sit comfortably in a smile. "I've done your D.A.D.A homework. It's on the desk."

"Thank you," Cressida whispers. They both know there is a small piece of information that they picked up on earlier that evening but they're both hesitant to bring it up in case their observation was wrong. Cressida decides to speak first. "Remus seemed a little…" Despite her initial confidence in questioning, it dies down quickly.

But Sirius nods to her relief. "I saw it too." He shits around, turning onto his side, flicking his head around to toss the loose hair away from his face. "Do you think he does?"

Cressida shrugs as much as she can laying on her side. "I mean…they get along really well and they could chat for hours if nobody interrupted them." She quickly glances at the bed on the opposite side of the room. "But he's friendly with most people and Lily is too," she counters her own argument quickly. "Maybe we're just overreading it."

"I hope so," Sirius sighs. "For all our sakes." His eyes close over again but he keeps speaking. "James should be back by now."

Cressida has already noted that. He should have returned to the dorm at least an hour ago, unless Slughorn has permission to keep them up past curfew but that'd be unlikely. "I'll go look for him if he doesn't return by midnight. You can go to sleep, pretty-boy. I'll wake you if there's anything to worry about."

Already listening to her words, he speaks drearily and Cressida wonders if he's even conscious enough to know what he's saying. "Pretty-boy? I can live with that."

Cressida smiles to herself, resting her temple against her propped-up fist. "Must be a hard burden to have your looks," she agrees more for the sake of amusement for his half-asleep replies.

"It is. That's why you and I would never work together."

Cressida tips her head slightly. "No?" she wonders.

Sirius grumbles an affirmative. "We're both too good looking and it would send everyone into a jealous frenzy." Cressida snickers at his delirious talk. "Not to mention we'd drown under the weight of responsibility from being everybody's idols."

"I think you're taking it a little too far."

Sirius turns onto his back again, on the verge of sleep. "Probably."

Xx

After another half an hour, James still hasn't returned so Cressida slips on her boots and creeps down to the common area. The fire has long burnt out, leaving no light but the small one she risks from her wand. The invisibility cloak is folded over her arm, ready to be used but before she gets the chance, the portrait door swings open.

It startles Cressida, her chest pressing tightly against her lungs. But relief floods her as James' unruly hair creates a silhouette that she instantly recognises. "You're back late," she berates. "You had us worried."

James only smiles tightly, squinting at her wand light so she lowers it to her side. "Sorry. Fabian and Gideon were sneaking around the Ravenclaw entrance and I wanted to see what they were up to." He twists his lips around, giving away some regret at his actions. "You're right, I shouldn't have gone."

Cressida quite honestly didn't expect him to say that. "I'm sure it couldn't have been too bad." James shrugs, wandering over to the lounge in front of the dead fireplace. He doesn't make any gesture for her to join but still, she joins him, fitting in the small space between him and the armrest. "Boring, or just…?" She trails off, not sure what she was actually going to ask. "Well, I'm sorry I didn't come then if it would have made your night better."

"Probably would have bored you too," he sighs with a short and pitiful laugh. "In all honesty, the event wasn't that bad it was just-"

"Lily?" she guesses. James doesn't answer her, and she questions whether he was intending to tell her at all, but his face gives away the answer easily enough. A frog grows in her throat, making it feel swollen. To remove the jitters, her fingers wring around each other, pulling tightly on the ligaments. "It must be hard," she acknowledges quietly. "To feel that way for someone who doesn't mirror it."

"It's soul-sucking."

Cressida is constantly put-off by his actions this day. She doesn't know what to respond to them – if he's angry at something or just weariness showing sides that he's kept hidden. Because James has never said something so dry and flat about Lily Evans before. For all the chasing and rejection, never once has he backed down to the point where it's hurt him.

James clicks his teeth together at the silence, starting to shift as though he wants to leave. But Cressida quickly folds her arms around his neck, resting on her knees. It takes a moment for him to return the gesture but when he does, she can feel how much he needs it. She could never replace what Sirius is to him, but she knows that Sirius cannot take her spot either. "She doesn't see you yet," Cressida whispers over his shoulder. "She doesn't see you."

His face lifts from her shoulder, resting his chin over it instead. "I think she does. And that's the problem."