Evelyn groaned as she rolled out of bed. She hated mornings and was a strong believer in waking up in the early afternoon. Her brother and his friends, however, were morning people. Thus, during the summer she often awoke to sounds she couldn't always identify. This morning she heard a crash coming from the hallway just outside her door. When she opened the door she found James there with his partners in crime. They each had looks of pure innocence on their faces.
"What are you doing." She growled as she rubbed her tired eyes.
"Just saying good morning to our favorite lady in the whole world!" Sirius said as smiled charmingly down at her, clearly trying to block her view out of the door. Evelyn tried to slide under his arm but he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around so that she was looking into her room. She glared at him as he remarked, "Just relax, nothing to worry about out there," He was slowly pulling her further into the room. She put her hands against his chest and pushed him away, but when she turned back towards the hallway there was nothing there but a bag of dog food.
"What on earth…" Evelyn wondered as Sirius stood innocently inside her room glancing around at books on her floor. "Did you guys…buy….a dog?"
"I'm not at liberty to comment on that statement." He nonchalantly replied, picking up one of her novels as if it were a foreign object he had never seen before. Evelyn rolled her eyes at him, for though he wasn't openly an avid reader she knew that he did in fact read books. He had once confided in her that it was his one way of breaking free of the torment he felt while living in his parent's home, even if it was only for a few hours of serenity. "Brave New World? Written by a British man. Well done, finally you're off that French man Dumas. I don't know what in the world made you think that a French man could make anything useful."
"You are a prejudiced moron," Evie retorted, "And I quite like berets and I also happen to find French men to be romantic and quite attractive."
"Oh so you have often experienced these romantic French men?" When she blushed Sirius' face, she thought, looked quite similar to James' when he discovered that she had been kissed by Salim Patil second year. "Oh those scummy creatures. They lured you in with their stupid accents and delicious bread didn't they? 'May I place my French lips upon you, madame?'' He mocked in a ridiculous French accent that forced a laugh out of Evelyn, "Oh, so they won you over with their over politeness. Well you know what a good Englishman doesn't have to ask for a kiss the ladies beg him for one." Evelyn rolled her eyes and began walking towards the door, "Wait, Evie, I was only joking, but seriously as a concerned, older, wiser friend I think you should know that the French have countless diseases that we have never even heard of here in civilized country."
Evelyn looked up into Sirius' gray eyes and replied, "Well you know I was quite concerned about that as well, but then Pierre assured me that he was entirely clean so of course I believed him. That was some night." She signed dramatically, looking off into the distance.
"I'm telling James." Sirius stormed past her, his face red.
"No, Sirius. I was joking," She pulled on his arm, "James will freak. Listen I'll tell you what really happened." He turned back towards her, his curiosity piqued. "Remember last summer vacation? We visited France…I didn't have sex or anything," Her face turned bright red, "And you and James were off with those American girls so I had no one to hang out with."
"Oh yeah, Kelly and Sarah." Now it was Sirius' turn to sigh and look off into the distance.
Evelyn pushed him out of her room and as she slammed the door behind him she forcefully said, "Tell him and I swear to Merlin I will castrate you."
Ten minutes later she was dressed and ready to take on the world, or eat a large serving of cereal. When she arrived in the kitchen she saw her small blond-haired friend. "Hey, Petey!" He looked up at her and blushed, swallowing his mouthful of cereal quickly. "How'd you sleep last night?"
"Oh, well, you know…" He muttered anxiously, glancing down at his hands.
"Is everything ok? You've been kind of quiet lately?" She sat down next to him with her bowl and cereal as he began eating again.
"I'm fine. I just have been busy a lot lately. You know better than I do how tiring it can be hanging around with Sirius and James. Thank goodness Remus is around to keep them in check, I don't know what you do when he isn't around."
She shook her head and said, "Barely survive, Petey, you have know idea."
"Well come on now it's not like you are miss innocent here. You've got the Potter genes too. There has to be at least some time you've done something a little crazy right?"
She paused her chewing, thinking and after a moment replied, "I did paint my nails red once," When Peter looked at her in disbelief she tried to explain quickly, "It was a really bright red. Come on that's really crazy! You're a boy you wouldn't understand."
"I understand that you have done nothing worth while in your life," when she glared at him he offered, "Why don't you come to a party with us. You know, live a little!"
"I'm not really into parties, Pete." She muttered, embarrassed by her unnatural dislike of parties. She had always felt ashamed that she was different from her friends in that respect. She would much rather be at her house with a small group of friends than surrounded by drunken strangers.
"Come on, it'll be fun. I'll buy you a drink and they'll be dancing. I know you love dancing." he continued to try to persuade her but she wouldn't budge.
"I just don't want to waste my time. There could be much more fun things I could be doing."
"What's more fun than watching drunk people do stupid things?"
"Not watching drunk people do stupid things?" She retorted.
Peter laughed, "Clever. I have no response to that. You're right, you know, you always are." He sighed, giving in, "I wish you would come just once, but fine. If you don't want to I give up. I know no one can convince you to do something you've set your mind against." He looked fondly at her with his watery eyes and she smiled triumphantly at him.
"Thank you and-"
"Good morning mates!" Sirius bellowed as he trumpeted into the kitchen and plopped into the chair on the other side of Evelyn. "So what were we discussing?"
"Why morning people should be eradicated." Evelyn muttered, covering her ears with her hands in an attempt to lessen the noise launching from Sirius' mouth.
"My, my, Evie, someone would think you had a rough night last night when you start having headaches from LOUD NOISES." Peter stated, laughing at Evelyn's glare.
"Oh, speaking of rough nights," Sirius said, begging to become even more animated and excited, "Are you coming with us to the party tonight?"
Peter quickly replied, "Of course she's not, she has decided that she will not ever do anything crazy and outlandish."
Sirius looked at Evelyn in awe, "You really think this party will be crazy and outlandish? It's being help by a guy named John Smith. What's crazy about that?"
"Not everyone can be named after constellations," Peter mumbled, obviously insulted by Sirius' comment.
"Ah, sorry Pete, I forgot that you're middle name is John," Sirius patted Peter's back, then wiped away any possible tears from Peter's face and said, "Now if you're done menstruating, Vee and I have something important to talk about."
"We do?" Evelyn and Peter shared a dumbfounded look.
"Yep. I know why you don't want to go to this party. You think that all there will be is a bunch of drunken lunatics. But trust me this will be fun."
She couldn't help staring into his eyes as she hesitantly stuttered, "I don't know,"
"Come on," Sirius pleaded, "What's the most exhilarating thing you've ever done? Paint your nails an exotic color?" She blushed and ember color, "I knew it." He shook his head somberly. "That's it. No questions asked. You are coming to this party and you are going to ride on my motorcycle with me."
"But I am really afraid of heights and-"
"Hold up a second. I said no buts and the first thing to come out of your mouth is a but? Do you really want to be known as a but-mouth?" Sirius questioned as Peter laughed squeakily.
"You know what," She boldly stood up from her chair, towering over Sirius, "I will not only ride on the motorcycle with you but I will drive it too. Then we'll see who's the but-mouth won't we."