Assault Course
'Swish, swish. Swish, swish.'
I was sat in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom the next morning waiting for the lesson to start.
My un-inked quill twirled anxiously in my fingertips, the large white feather causing a slight breeze to waft against my face.
That day's breakfast had been happily uneventful, without a single emergency announcement about Ant's latest victim. I was quietly hopeful it might all be sorted now Sprout was involved.
My quill continued to roll itself between my unconscious fingertips.
'Swish, swish. Swish, swish.'
I'd arrived early and had the classroom to myself. The lesson was first time I would see Jesse since our date.
Would he have changed his mind about me after he'd had chance to think about it? Maybe his friends had reminded him how unpopular I used to be, and he wouldn't want to talk to me anymore.
'Swish, swish. Swish, swish-' I tried to fan the negative thoughts away.
"Ow," I cried aloud. The feather's tip poked me in the eye mid-rotation.
Holding a hand over my fresh injury, which was now watering, I realised a few other students had entered the class while I'd been lost in my thoughts. I froze when I saw a head of short, soft wavy black hair and darkly tanned skin amongst them.
Giving my eye one last rub, I tried to act normal, praying that Jesse hadn't seen my idiocy. When he approached our table he was already smiling.
"Don't worry, I saw nothing," he assured me with a charming grin as he put his books down and took the chair next to mine.
I threw the miscreant feather on the desk and he laughed.
"It looks sore," he noted, examining my reddened eye. Reaching a hand towards my face, he made to stroke his thumb over my injury.
Instead of casually accepting his concern as anyone else in my position would've done, I recoiled backwards; a leftover reflex from all the times I'd been forced to dodge unwanted attention.
Noticing my reaction, Jesse dropped his hand quickly.
"Sorry," he said, a line forming between his eyebrows. "After our date, I thought-" he trailed off.
"I'm sorry," I replied earnestly, "It just made me jump."
He nodded uncertainly.
My apprehensive gaze met with his warm brown eyes. Feeling like I needed to make amends, I plucked up all of my courage and reached tentatively down towards the hand I had rejected.
The heat had just started to pool in my cheeks when the sound of the classroom door being slammed back on its hinges made me flinch backwards.
Professor Military had stormed into the classroom in an even worse mood than usual.
As he was slamming his suitcase on his desk, I saw Jesse glance back at me in the dimness of the classroom.
Before I knew what was happening, his hand had met me halfway. His fingers felt warm and strong over the top of mine.
With everyone in the room oblivious to the hammering in my chest, I slowly flipped it around until our palms were pressed together, and he closed his fingers around me.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a white grin spread slowly across his face.
"Is something funny, boy?"
We both turned around to find Military's glare focused on Jesse.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look.
"Just happy to be here, sir," Jesse replied unfazed, moving our interlocked hands under the table.
The Professor grunted impatiently, throwing his books in front of him.
Though I could see Marlene watching us from the next seat along, I pretended not to notice and stared straight ahead. I didn't even flinch when Jesse shot me another grin, squeezing my hand gently, but I could hear the blood pumping in my ears.
The normally endless DADA lesson seemed to fly by, my focus almost solely on the larger body seated next to mine – his stool pushed as close to me as the wooden legs would allow.
We had been forced to unlock hands eventually due to the need to make notes, but I could still see Jesse glancing across at me from the corner of my eye when he thought I wasn't looking. Every so often I would return it, and he would smile coyly before turning away.
I felt sure that if you pulled me open right then and there, I would be glowing as brightly as a Marmite's tentacles.
I couldn't even feel too guilty about my lack of concentration; Professor Military usually spent the lesson lecturing us about the general superiority of wizards, and how Pureblood magic was stronger than any other. It was something I could afford to miss.
It was only at the very end that I was forced to pay attention. We all were.
"- in a Defense Against the Dark Arts tournament that will be held at the end of this week," Military stated.
"What did he just say?" I whispered, only now realising that something big was happening. The class had all started to murmur quietly.
Jesse's eyes were narrowed. His smile was gone.
"Attendance is non-negotiable," Military continued, "All sixth and seventh year students will turn up, or face the consequences. Yes?" he barked, his scrutiny landing on the Gryffindor, Elliot Barnes.
"Will there be a prize for the winner?" he asked eagerly.
"There will be no winner," Military snapped at him. "Do you have cloth ears, boy? Do you need me to smack the sawdust out of them?"
Elliot deflated like soufflé.
"It will be an assault course, designed to put your determination, your stamina, your magical ability to the test," Military counted them off on his thick fingers."The purpose of my lessons is to build warriors. Soldiers. Therefore I expect all of you to not only succeed at the challenges presented to you, but to excel at them."
"He really does think he's in the army," Jesse muttered in disbelief.
I noticed Marlene raise her hand and Military's focus fell on her.
"Do the other Professors know you're making students do this?" she asked, her voice as assured as always.
Military's eyes stared at her coldly. "Excuse me, young lady?"
She steadied herself, jutting her jaw out. "I said do the other Professors know-"
"I do not need permission to teach my students!" he cut her off, slamming his hand down on his desk.
Marlene flinched slightly at the loud bang, but she refused to show any other sign of weakness even as he glowered at her.
"Any more questions?" he demanded of the class.
Nobody else dared to raise their hand.
"In that case, I expect you and every other Defence student studying for their NEWTs to be on the Quidditch pitch at 9am this Friday. Every. Single. One of you. Anyone who dares to miss it will have to explain themselves to me."
His look alone made it clear that no one would want to find themselves in that situation.
"Now we understand each other, you can all pack up your things and leave," he said. "Oh," he added with a slightly sadistic smile, "And if I were you, I would start practising for it as soon as possible."
.o.
"Saunderson is quite something, isn't he?" Jesse asked as we left the classroom together and walked down the corridor towards the outer door.
Thankfully Marlene had already skipped out of the class – probably to run off for another impromptu snogging session with Sirius.
So much for not letting any boy come between us ever again.
"Wonder what he's going to make us do," I wondered apprehensively, shaking the unwelcome image of them kissing from my mind.
Jesse raised an eyebrow, "Who knows?"
My pulse skipped when I felt him reach for my hand again as if it was something normal for us to do now.
"At least we'll be in it together though," he added, glancing sideways at me.
I felt my inner lamp turn on again.
As we headed outside, I noticed a few students pass by eyeing our intertwined hands, some of them openly muttering to one another. It wouldn't be long before the newest development in our relationship became common knowledge.
Jesse didn't seem to care though, it was as if he was proud of me or something.
"Where are you headed now?" he asked, a smile in his eyes as he looked down at me.
"Just to the common room," I replied, desperately fighting my shyness. "I have some homework to catch up on before dinner."
"Would you like me to walk with you?" he offered, his chocolate eyes threatening to melt me from the inside out.
"No, it's okay, it's in the opposite direction to yours," I replied.
"I don't mind," he assured me.
"It's fine, honestly."
Though it really was out of his way, there was also a part of me that wasn't quite ready for him to meet any of my friends.
"I guess I will see you tomorrow then," he said.
I let my eyes wander over his face. I still couldn't quite believe he was the same first year I'd had a crush on. And now here we were.
It was funny how time changed things like that. Made things happen you would've previously thought were completely impossible.
"See you tomorrow," I replied, smiling sheepishly at him.
Gifting me the full extent of his brilliant white smile, he let go of my hand to allow me to leave.
I walked away towards my common room feeling like I was floating on an invisible cushion of air.
.oOo.
"But surely it must be against some sort of school rule, Professor?"
Lily gazed at McGonagall beseechingly.
The week had passed quickly in a blur of lessons and homework, and with the tournament still very much going ahead the next day, and Dumbledore still not back, Lily had somehow convinced me to join her in a last ditch attempt to get it cancelled.
With our Headmaster not there, the jurisdiction on the matter fell to our Head of House as the deputy.
I shuffled awkwardly in the corner of McGonagall's office, watching on as Lily put in her most valiant effort to date.
We were both surprised to hear, however, that Military had already been to ask the Professor for her consent and she had, for some unfathomable reason, given it.
"But someone could be killed," Lily continued to protest.
"Miss Evans," McGonagall said, visibly tiring of the conversation now, "Have you by any chance heard of the Triwizard Tournament?"
Lily looked at her in temporary bewilderment as if she couldn't see the relevance.
"Yes..." she replied slowly.
McGonagall gave a satisfied nod, "Well, it will be no more dangerous than that, I promise you," she replied.
She made a move towards the door, getting ready to usher us out.
"But Professor..." Lily said, more desperate now.
McGonagall paused with her hand on the door knob.
She sighed shortly.
"Girls, believe me when I say I do not like this any more than you do," she said, glancing at both of us, "But as a teacher here, Professor Saunderson has just as much right as the rest of us to tutor his students in the way he sees fit – just as long as it doesn't pose a serious threat to anyone's safety," she added when she saw Lily's dubious expression.
"Since he has assured me there will be the proper safety precautions in place," she continued, "and no harm will come to any of you beyond a healthy bit of exercise, there's really not much I can do on the matter."
"What about the worksheets I gave you?" I had to ask, my curiosity getting the better of me despite the fact my voice came out as timidly as I felt, still hovering in the corner of her room as if I was merely a spectator in a Pensieve.
I couldn't afford to make her any crosser than she already was; I was treading a fine line as things were.
"Yes!" Lily exclaimed, grateful I had brought it up, before looking guiltily at McGonagall's disapproving glare at her sudden outburst. "What about the anti-Muggle worksheets he gave out in class?" she continued at a much more sensible volume.
McGonagall pulled her mouth into a straight line.
"As I told Miss Morland at the time, they are being looked into," she replied simply. "Now if you don't mind, I have a tea and biscuit waiting with my name on it."
.o.
"Thanks for coming with me, anyway," Lily said despondently as we made our way back to our Common Room.
It had been obvious we were getting nowhere within the first five minutes of being in the Professor's office, but I had to hand it to Lily for her tenacity.
Saying the password to the Fat Lady, we both stepped through the large portrait hole in unison.
"Well?" Sally asked immediately when we approached where she, James, Sirius and Marlene were sat around the fire, getting up slightly from her chair.
Our expressions must have said it all, because she sat back down heavily with a disappointed expression on her face.
"Well if Lily can't convince McGonagall to call it off, then no one can," she said grimly.
"Looks like we're stuck with it," Marlene shrugged.
While we had been gone, she had climbed onto Sirius's lap, her short, but toned legs hanging casually over the side of his chair. Her arm was wrapped around the back of his neck, holding his head close to her chest.
I took a seat with Lily on the two-seat sofa opposite, resisting the curl that threatened my lip.
Though I now refused to look at them, I had seen enough to notice his hand resting near the top of her tanned thigh, which was exposed in a pair of high-waisted short-shorts.
Safe to say, they had been practically unbearable to be around for the entire week.
Though Marlene tended to be the instigator of their 'public displays of affection', Sirius didn't seem to be quick to tell her to stop.
I felt my unruly gaze pull back to his hand, still gripping the top of her thigh. His eyes caught mine, and his fingertips bit into her flesh slightly.
"Ouch," Marlene cried in response, "Careful." She pouted her bottom lip.
I cast my eyes away in disinterest before I could see anymore, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of thinking I cared, because I most definitely didn't.
"I think you're all overreacting anyway, if you ask me," James said from his position on the other armchair. "Reckon a tournament could be a laugh. Make a nice change to have a practical Defence lesson for once. Mison's classes were all theory and Patronuses."
He said the word Patronuses like it was something sissy and not worthy of his super masculine time.
"Mison was a good teacher," I stated, feeling a spark of annoyance that James would disrespect him like that just because he had dared to stick to our recognised syllabus.
And he had been a genuinely nice person, which counted for a lot with me when the alternative was a barking monster who treated us like soldiers instead of students.
I caught myself for thinking of him in the past-tense.
"Oooh," James cried with a smirk, looking to Sirius to share his laughter, "Looks like someone had a soft spot for him. Tell me, was it his height or just his dashing good looks that did it?"
I flickered my eyes at him, not bothering to answer.
"Doesn't matter anyway, I suppose," he said. "It doesn't look like he's coming back to class either way."
The anger simmering in my chest erupted.
"How would you know?" I demanded scornfully.
He looked at me as if not sure whether to laugh. "Are you serious right now?" he asked. He looked at Sirius, "Is she serious?"
Sirius gave a disinterested shrug of one shoulder.
"Merlin it's like you've regressed back to your old ways ever since you started seeing that Mederos kid," James shook his head in distaste. "All attitude and no sense of humour."
"Kid?" I scoffed, "he's the same age as us."
"Or maybe it's since Sirius started going out with Marlene," he continued knowingly. "Not jealous, are you, Chezza?"
"James," Lily frowned at him.
I was pleased to see James look suitably abashed, like a small boy being told he wasn't allowed to have dessert.
"Cheryl's got her sexy Spanish boy," Marlene said, playing with a strand of Sirius's long hair. "She doesn't need my man."
She looked over at me with her ice-blue eyes, "Do you, Mori?" she asked me to confirm it.
"James is just winding everyone up," Sirius dismissed her before I could reply. "Aren't you, mate?"
James nodded. "Yeah, sure," he said noncommittally.
Thankfully, Marlene seemed appeased by that. "Good," she said.
Placing the palm of her free hand on Sirius's face, she guided his head around to face her. Not caring that we were all watching, she brought her smiling lips to his and began to kiss him.
Judging from the way his tongue intercepted hers, Sirius did not look like he was about to stop her.
"Wow," James commented. "A little warning next time."
Marlene broke away, still smiling like the Kneazle that got the cream.
In an instant, she was up on her feet leading Sirius away to the boys staircase without any explanation.
Once again, he did not look like he was going to turn her down.
We all stared after them in disbelief at how absolutely shameless they were acting. Even James seemed somewhat taken aback by it.
"Lucky bugger," he muttered so quietly that I wasn't sure if I'd heard him correctly.
Sirius and Marlene's relationship made me realise how absolutely naive I had been to have ever imagined, however briefly, that he might've genuinely wanted me.
Our kiss outside the Great Hall, the moment we'd shared out on the school grounds – it was all child's play in comparison with whatever he was doing right now with my friend.
No wonder the Marauders used to laugh about how inexperienced I was.
"You two had better have finished before we come up to bed!" James called after them.
.oOo.
The next morning gave us the tiniest sliver of sunshine, and after nothing but grey clouds for weeks now it was a welcome sight.
Propping myself up against one of the long wooden poles of my four poster bed, I clambered my pale winter legs into a pair of black sports shorts.
What with McGonagall still refusing to use her temporary Headteacher powers to put a stop to Military's reign of terror, we had no other choice but to put our big girl pants on and get ready for the tournament that day.
It would start in less than an hour's time.
Dorcas begrudgingly forced her heel into a pair of discoloured old plimsolls, wiggling it until the back popped into position. She had looked extremely anxious all morning.
"I still can't believe we actually have to do this," Lily muttered exasperatedly, pulling her plain grey t-shirt over her head.
The sheer inadequacy of our clothing was a glaring sign as to how unprepared we all were to be taking part in an impromptu 'tournament'.
Having grabbed anything remotely sporty from the bottom of our trunks, we all ended up leaving the bedroom that morning dressed a bit like Muggle primary school children getting ready to do a P.E. lesson.
It wasn't a particularly flattering sight for any of us.
"Is this top too tight?" Marlene asked as we trudged down over the grounds towards the Quidditch pitch, thrusting out her boobs as if to check.
"Yes," Sally answered honestly.
Marlene glanced down, eyeing her assets before giving a shrug.
"I hope it's not too hard," Dorcas said in a small voice, staring at the approaching Quidditch stands apprehensively.
"Don't worry, we'll all be there to help you if you need it," Lily reassured her.
We all murmured our agreement as we made our way through the huge archway that led into the Quidditch Pitch playing area.
As soon as we emerged on the other side we were instantly met with the noisy chatter of at least one hundred 6th and 7th year students, all gathered in hoards around the circular edge. It was pretty daunting.
I peered around at all of the familiar faces I had seen around the school but never once spoken to.
It was the first time all of the Defence Against the Dark Arts NEWTs students had been together in one place before. Military hadn't been kidding when he said it was compulsory for us all to attend.
I let my focus move over the make-shift assault course he had produced for us. I had to give him credit; he really seemed to have gone all out, no effort spared.
There was a tank of water, fire, a blanket of something aggressive looking, and in the very centre a huge contraption that looked worryingly like ginormous swinging axes.
The pitch seemed filled to the brim with impossible looking tasks for us to somehow get through.
A sudden hush swept over the students and we looked up to find Military in the stands, stood in the open-air seating space normally reserved for the Quidditch commentator. He had the microphone grasped in one of his meaty hands.
"Students!" he barked, though he already had everyone's attention, "Your day of reckoning is here."
Lily and I exchanged a look as he gestured down to the frightening arena he had created.
"In front of you now are a series of challenges specifically designed to test your skills, stamina and resilience. Defence Against the Dark Arts was first introduced to prepare you should the time to face your enemies arise, but, rest assured, your enemies will not come quietly! They will not give you the opportunity to revise a spell or study a book."
Military gazed around him like a dictator, enjoying the position of power he had given himself.
"You must be equipped with good, solid practical knowledge to have a hope of survival. This is what I offer you today!"
Putting the microphone down, he made his way out of the commentator booth and started the descent towards the pitch.
Once out amongst the students, his 5ft-something frame was physically dwarfed by most of the 6th and 7th year boys, but regardless of his lacking stature, every student seemed to recoil back from him as he passed.
He came to a stop near a flagpole topped with a small triangular red flag, set into the normally untouched ground specifically for that day's event. It marked the starting point of the course.
"Seventh years first, form a line starting here!" he ordered at the top of his voice. It became abundantly clear that he had definitely not needed the help of the microphone.
"Sixth years, follow on behind them, orderly queue!"
"So..." Marlene said, looking boldly around with her hands on her hips as everyone moved to follow his instruction, "Are you ready, ladies?"