Posted on Sunday, the 28th of March, 2013. I recently realised how annoying I find it that you can't find out how regular an author is. Therefore, I post everything with a date! Yay to all weirdos like me. Okay, this is the fourth chapter. Plenty of mystery, still the mean side of Sirius, etc etc.
This one is dedicated to Theta-McBride, who was my first reviewer and second follower. Thanks for the review by the way, it made me happy :)
There is a whole array of items that I own, but Harry Potter is not one of them.
Excuse me, Who?
Sirius Black had been having a rather nice week.
June Leto could be an amazingly efficient worker, when things were on the balance. She hardly ever complained, hardly ever said anything rude, hardly ever said anything at all.
Sirius had experienced a huge amount of curiosity as to what the letter's contents were, that drove June to do all amounts of menial labour for him. In the end he had left the letter at the bottom of his trunk, thinking that he really must keep his promise.
"Leto! Could you carry my books for me?" called Sirius cheerfully over the din of the common room. Lily watched as June got up without a word and got a hold of every one of the humongous pile of books. To Lily, this seemed strange. June was ready at Sirius' beck and call at all times, and did whatever he asked her to. She even carried his school bag sometimes.
Tiny June Leto followed Sirius as he walked with a spring in his step to the library. Her foot slipped on the staircase and she toppled of delicately.
June immediately began to pick all the books back up again. Sirius bent to help her.
June raised her eyebrows in a questioning look. Sirius promptly explained, "I do have a heart, you know."
June doubted it. Last week at the party had been one of the most humiliating experiences yet. She was used to bullies and horrible people, but this had been the most horrifying of them all.
The cake had crashed heavily on her face, even though she had done nearly all Sirius' chores for him that evening. Everyone had laughed cruelly - those who hadn't had smiled sourly, unable to make anything of the exchange.
She had overheard a conversation Sirius had with his friends that evening:
"What are you doing with the poor girl?" asked Remus good humouredly.
"Yes - I was just wondering how much you had to pay her to get her to do everything from carrying your books to fetching lemonade." James added. Unlike Remus' disguised tone, James seemed a bit worried about his friend.
"I caught her in a compromising position and threatened to open it out to everyone," Sirius said with a wink.
James laughed almost in a relieved manner, and Remus sighed at Sirius' antics. Peter grinned.
Sirius picked up the rest of the books and loaded them on June's thin arms again. June staggered, but she was prepared this time.
Sirius whistled as he went to the library.
"So Leto," he said cheerfully, "What happens in your fine life?"
June said nothing, promptly keeping all the books in their correct places with a spell.
"You know, you are very good at spell work."
June said nothing, but for a moment a prick of pride was injected in her.
"Do you speak at all?" asked Sirius.
"I-I-I'm af-afraid of peo-people laugh-laughing at my sta-stammer," she confessed quietly.
Sirius stared at her for a second, and it occurred to him that her eyes were amazingly, brightly, beautifully, golden.
Yellow was an unusual colour for a person's eyes, but once you notice June's, they seem to be the only thing that was important in her face.
Sirius must have gaped, because June asked self consciously, "Wh-wh-what's wr-wrong?"
"Your eyes," explained Sirius, unable to articulate himself further.
"W-what abo-about them?" she asked, shifting uncomfortably.
"They're golden."
"So?"
"They are..." Sirius said, holding himself back from saying a slew of embarrassing words that would kill his reputation as a bad boy.
"Why didn't I notice them before?" asked Sirius, more to himself than June.
June shrugged. She left him to contemplate for sometime.
Marlene was sifting through the books in the library disinterestedly.
"Marlene? What are you doing here?" came the clear ringing voice of Remus Lupin.
"Hmm? Oh, hi Remus." Marlene said, preoccupied with her search for some unspecified book.
"To revert to my previous question, what are you doing here?" asked Remus.
"I'm looking for something to help with my Herbology essay." Marlene explained as she pulled a book out at random.
"You can read?" asked Remus with mock incredulity.
"Ha ha, very funny." Marlene said dryly, "I do have to do homework, you know Lupin?"
"Right. So that you don't become the outcast of the family." Remus said.
"Exactly. Outcasting isn't good for the health."
"And yet, finishing essays is?" asked Remus.
"Who are you to talk, Mr Prefect?" asked Marlene, mocking.
"I would be the one that funds nearly all the marauder pranks without getting caught." Remus said.
"Really?" asked Marlene sceptically.
"Of course. See, Sirius and James want recognition for their... work, while I prefer to manage the tricks without getting caught. Something to be proud of, McKinnon."
Marlene gave it some thought, "You know, you just might be an evil genius, Lupin." she agreed.
Remus took a gallant bow.
"Back to the case in hand: what on earth do I do about my essay?" asked Marlene.
"Take this," Remus said, loading her arms with a heavy book. "Page number 394. That'll help."
"You're the only one worth knowing, Lupin," Marlene said gladly.
"Don't I know it, McKinnon," said Remus with a wink.
They sat down on a table, and Remus opened the required page number and began to help her with the essay.
"What are you two doing?" asked Lily Evans, almost accusatory after catching them red handed in the library.
"Marlene McKinnon - reading a book with Remus Lupin!" Lily said, pointing a finger like a thunder bolt at Marlene, "Marlene McKinnon - who had never turned a page with me, Lily Evans, her best friend, finishing essays with Remus Lupin! The horror!" she finished dramatically.
"I see you have been hanging out with Sirius," said Remus dryly.
"I have him as a potions partner Remus, what on earth am I supposed to do?" Lily said, dropping her dramatic tone at once and reflecting on how she had begun adopting Sirius Black's charming persona.
"Anyway, what do you want, Lily?" asked Marlene.
"I wanted to ask you what you knew about June Leto." asked Lily.
"Excuse me, who?" asked Remus politely.
"The girl Sirius drags around everyday!"exclaimed Lily, exasperated.
"What about her?" asked Marlene as she scribbled on her parchment.
"Don't you know anything of her?" asked Lily desperately.
"No." Marlene said shortly, and blotted her paper. "Oh, bother!" she said, "Now look what happened!"
"'Oh, bother?'" questioned Remus.
"I recently started to dabble into Enid Blyton." Marlene explained.
"At your age?" asked Remus, shaking his head, "Really, Marlene."
"You know Enid Blyton?" Marlene asked in surprise
"Some of us are fond of reading." Remus said with a grin.
"Anyway," Lily cut across, "You both keep doing whatever it is you were doing, and I'll go look for June."
"Speak of the devil," Marlene said, nodding towards a little blonde figure appearing almost from nowhere.
"Bye." Lily said abruptly, and sauntered off towards her.
"She's an odd one." Marlene said, watching her leave.
"Never mind that, tell me if you ever bothered with Roahl Dahl," said Remus.
"Oye! June!" Lily called.
June looked up from her work and the corners of her mouth lifted just a little. June Leto rarely ever smiled, thought Sirius, watching from afar.
Sirius watched Lily and June talk a little, and it suddenly came across to him, that June never looked at anyone directly. Her face was always bent a little downwards, to avoid any sort of eye contact. There was a reason June Leto's face was so forgettable: she never let anyone see it.
And going on that thought, Sirius left the library, a little in thought.
"How's it going?" asked Lily.
"O-okay." June sad softly as usual.
"June, why do you keep doing Sirius' work?" asked Lily curiously. She and June had had some short exchanges during the past week, and often Lily had worked beside her when Marlene and Mary had disappeared on dates or something of that sort.
"I-it ann-annoys m-me th-that he can-can't" June said with a touch of sarcasm.
Lily said nothing, for she knew it was useless trying to take information out of a girl who barely ever talked. She made up her mind to take some drastic measures.
Right then. That's that. Cheers to that. Trust me when I say, it is going to get furiously crazy in sometime. Fifth chapter is currently done. And also, TylerMaria, did some of your irritation go? I was really hoping that I revealed enough of June to keep everyone a little at bay.