The Neon Bible

Suzie was at the Gryffindor table, tying her shoes and talking to several people at once when Sirius entered. She didn't so much as give him a glance.

Sirius hoped that it wasn't a fluke, that she hadn't been just fooling around with him for a pick-me-up. He sat down next to her. Suzie's eyes flickered in his direction, but she remained silent. "Suzie, you can't not go to the dance!" Lily snapped at her friend.

"I very well damn can." Suzie combed through her knotted hair with her bandaged fingers roughly. "End of discussion." She added before Lily could continue on with her whining spree.

"There're a lot of guys that would murder to attend anything with you." Murmured Lily.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that I'm actually happy for once in my life. There's no Simon to fuck it up and there's not going to be another Simon… ever." Suzie grabbed her books and stalked off, her loose tie slipping off from her neck.

Sirius followed her out, picking up the tie on his way. "Suze!" he shouted upon spotting her in the courtyard.

"I take it back, Black." She didn't look up from her book, which was stationed on her lap. Tears began to prickle at her eyes.

Sirius put a comforting arm around her, squeezing her shoulders. "Time is the key. Here." He dropped her tie in her lap and got up, leaving Suzie alone. She sighed shakily and turned the page in her book. At the moment, reading was the only thing that could stop her from making a really big mistake: letting Sirius in.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend. The 7th year's Admission's Ball was in three weeks. People were frantically scrambling. Would Sherry O'Neil be going with Rodger or Lionel? Would Georgina Franklin go with her girlfriend or not go at all? Would a nip-slip happen? Never mind what you should wear, there were much more urgent things to think about!

"Lily, just say yes to James." Suzie pestered.

"No." she was sticking to her first answer.

"I'm in no mood, Lily. I'm also prepared to pay you."

"Let me wear your new dress and it's a deal." Lily tried to stare down Suzie but failed as Suzie's gaze wasn't focused on her at all, but the shaggy-haired, gray-eyed Playboy across the street throwing snowballs at his fellow Marauders.

"Never mind. You and Sirius reconcile and I'll say yes to James." Lily desperately wanted Suzie's smile to reappear, for her spunk to be in abundance, not a ghost.

"Fine." Blank-faced, Suzie got up and strutted to Sirius. A snowball nearly hit her in the head, but she stopped it in midair without a noverball curse. The snowball fell, shattering on the harsh ground.

"I apologize, for whatever I did, Sirius. Let's be friends again so Lily and James can go to the stupid, idiotic 7th year's Admission Ball." She stuck out a bare hand; her fingers were surprisingly warm considering the icy weather. She turned on her heel, going back to her book and her bench.

James was going ballistic with happiness. Lily was a little confused by his enthusiasm, but she wasn't complaining.

The Admission's Ball was speeding up too quickly for Suzie's taste. It would only bring back bitter memories of Simon and of haunting dreams of what her life could be with Sirius as something more than a 'friend'.

She did Lily's hair in ringlets tied elegantly back from her pretty face in a sloppily, but artistically done bun. She put Lily in an emerald green to show off her fire engine red hair. Lily was in charge of her own makeup, but she was clueless about what shoes to wear. Suzie suggested trainers, no one would see them under Lily's floor-length gown, plus they added cushion and comfort.

"Sirius' going to the Ball with Olivia Turner." Lily said.

Suzie bit down on her pencil harder. "That's great for him."

Lily stopped looking herself over in the mirror and sat down in front of Suzie. "You're going to stay locked up in here for the entire night, aren't you?"

"Uh-huh." Suzie said, popping a candy in her mouth.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Suzie got up from her bed and left the room, slamming the door so hard the walls shook, Lily's photographs slipped to the ground in a cluster.

"Miss. Donnelly!" Professor McGonagall shouted when she caught Suzie stuffing her desk with dung bombs. McGonagall grimaced at the putrid smell, but Suzie stood straight and made for the door.

"Do you have a date for the dance?" her professor stayed in control.

Suzie nodded.

"You should tell him that you're not going to be able to go to the Ball. You are to report here at five o'clock sharp and will scrub the desks, without magical assistance. You are to continue with your task until you are finished or until it is nine o'clock P.M. Good evening Miss. Donnelly." Suzie pretended to look as if she were crushed.

Outside McGonagall's office she smiled to herself. Lily would not be able to pester her any longer.