A.N - Okay so here's chapter 4. Updates might take slightly longer, because I'm writing exams now, and then I have to go back to work. I'll do my best to get a chapter up each week! Also, there's more story alerts on this story than reviews. I'd reallyy love to hear what you have to say about this story, because I'm not all too sure about it myself. I love reviews so click the grey box at the bottom and give me one! :)
Disclaimer: I'm not J.K Rowling, and I don't own Harry Potter
Audrey spent the rest of her first day back to school happily joking and laughing with Lily and Alice. She noticed James was in a rather sour mood, but he cheered slightly when she told him in whispers of Lily calling him by his first name again. She shared a secret grin with Remus and James when they were assigned an essay in Defence Against the Dark Arts on lycanthropy, and was praised by Professor Slughorn when her potion turned precisely the same color blue as Lily's. By the end of the day, Audrey was happy she and her friends had fallen back into their old routine. Only one person seemed to evade her throughout the day.
Having every class together, it had been a difficult feat for Sirius to not talk to or look at Audrey throughout them all, but he managed it. Even during lunch he bolted his meal down and left quickly, claiming he needed to meet up with someone.
Audrey was now looking with a bitter expression towards the Hufflepuff table, where Lisa Stonewall, a dense and overly gigglish blonde was feeding Sirius bits of chicken off her fork. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as he leaned over and whispered something in Lisa's ear, causing her to giggle again and swat him playfully.
"Aud? Did you hear me?" Lily said from beside her, looking bewildered. "What are you staring at?"
"Nothing", Audrey said, whipping around to face her friend. "I was just wondering why Sirius hasn't just become a Hufflepuff by now", she said gloomily, stabbing a potato repeatedly with her fork.
Lily nodded knowingly, a grin playing on her lips. "I can understand why Sirius sitting with Lisa would bother you. I can see why his flirting, which occurs everyday mind you, would bother you now of all days, after your crystal clear denial of any feelings for him".
"Glad you understand", Audrey said quietly, not wishing to have this discussion with James sitting right across from her. "Now what were you saying to me?"
Lily sighed. "Well you wanted to see the Head's dorm. I figured you could come check it out after dinner, unless you'd rather snarl about Sirius some more".
Ignoring this last jab, Audrey nodded excitedly. "Ooh, yes, I have been dying to!" She said happily, shoving a forkful of chicken into her mouth and chewing as fast as possible.
Lily laughed and rolled her eyes. "Calm down, we're not going until I'm finished eating and because, unlike the rest of you, I eat at a normal, human pace, you stuffing yourself will not speed things up."
Hearing the end of their conversation, James turned to Remus and Peter. "Do you guys want to check out the dorm too? It's really amazing". The boys murmured their agreement and continued eating. They looked rather odd without Sirius sitting between them, making a spectacle of himself. He never sat at another table for dinner, and was only ever missing from a meal on the rare occasions when a girl convinced him to sneak into a broom closet so close to a meal time.
Audrey glared over at Sirius again, wondering if Lily was right and she honestly was the reason for his sudden coldness.
After dinner, Lily, Audrey, James, Remus and Peter marched to the Head's dorm together. Sirius had disappeared from the Great Hall shortly before dinner had ended, but the group had failed to mention his absence. Soon, the group had come to a blank strip of wall, and Lily had muttered the password.
As Remus, Peter and Audrey clambered through the entrance, all of their mouths dropped simultaneously. Audrey was amazed at how beautiful the room was, and squealed with delight as she raced up the stairs to check the bedrooms.
The boys rolled their eyes behind her and Lily just grinned, following her up the stairs. She found her lying in the Jacuzzi tub with no water running and her clothes still on.
"I'm so jealous. We're switching spots, okay? You sleep in our dorm and I'll take this one", Audrey sighed happily, now examining the various knobs on the Jacuzzi.
"As long as you're the one dealing with Ja-Potter, then that's fine with me", Lily said quickly. Audrey smirked.
"Aw Lils, you don't have to force yourself to say Potter just because I'll make fun of you", she said cheerfully. "I think you're suppressing love my dear Lily Evans".
"I think you have me confused with yourself. You know, obsessing over a boy for over four years, pretending it's no big deal that he may like you back but massacring a potato when he sits with someone else", Lily said, grinning at Audrey.
Scowling, Audrey hoisted herself out of the tub and wandered around the bedroom. "We'll see who's right. I predict you and James will be dating before I even admit to these so-called feelings for Sirius".
Lily gasped. "Audrey Bennett! You take that back right this second!" Lily raised a pillow in warning.
Audrey laughed and pranced around singing, "Lily and James up in a tree! K-I-S-S-I –", She was cut off as Lily smacked her in the face with a pillow.
Audrey shrieked and grabbed a pillow off the bed as well, hitting Lily with it and laughing. "Lily! I don't judge you! James is very attractive! You two will have beautiful babies!" She hollered, getting another pillow in the stomach by a red-faced Lily.
"Take it back!" Lily screamed. "Audrey, take it back right now! I do not like James!"
"Oh you don't like James, hmm? James just isn't enough for you, is he? You're sure you don't love James?" Audrey waggled her eyebrows, laughing when Lily turned beet red.
"I meant Potter! I don't like Potter!" Lily hollered, smacking Audrey again with the pillow.
"Fine, fine! You win! You don't like James", Audrey panted, throwing her pillow down in defeat. Lily chucked hers down too, glad the subject dropped. There was a pause, then –
"But you do love him", Audrey cooed, hiding a laugh as she dodged the pillow Lily chucked at her.
Before Lily could throw another pillow in Audrey's direction, they heard a small cough from the door way. Turning quickly to their left, the two girls saw James, Remus and Peter standing in the doorway awkwardly.
"Um, how long have you three been there?" Lily asked, trying to sound nonchalant. James shrugged, suppressing a grin and Remus and Peter looked away.
"Too long", Peter mumbled, causing Lily to blush.
"Around Audrey's erm, singing", Remus clarified, admiring the doorframe carefully.
Lily groaned, and threw Audrey a death glare. She smiled meekly back.
"Well, I'm going to bed. It's been a long day. You can all leave", Lily said tiredly.
The boys immediately jumped and raced down the stairs. Audrey gave Lily a big hug and, laughing quietly, left the room too.
September at Hogwarts passed by quickly, with the blistering winds of October roaring around the grounds before the students knew it.
Being in their final, and NEWT, year at Hogwarts, the seventh years were piled high with work. James had an exceptionally full plate, and the pressure was mounting.
On top of the larger than usual homework load, James also had his responsibilities as chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team to fulfill, as well as Head Boy duties. He was always rushing around, needing to be somewhere or other, and, to their great horror (and Remus' joy), the Marauders had actually found him once in the library. James had hastily explained his need to finish his Charms essay, but that hadn't stopped Sirius.
"How dare you!?" Sirius roared, his fist slamming onto the table James was scribbling away at. "What did we say about the library, Prongs? If you're in here with a girl, and no books within the immediate vicinity then it's acceptable. This", he gestured frantically to the books, quills, and numerous pieces of parchment surrounding James, "is not acceptable! Who do you think you are, Moony or something?"
Remus rolled his eyes and was about to defend James when Madam Pince bustled over, looking alarmed.
"Mister Black what did I say last time? You are banned from this library! Get out before I call the Headmaster", she shrieked, pointing a bony finger towards the door, her eyes popping.
Sirius yelped and scurried out, but not before glowering at James. Peter followed him fretfully, but Remus sat down heavily by James, watching him struggle to get his things together.
Deciding it was useless, James let his head drop onto his arm and moaned. Remus patted his shoulder comfortingly, waiting for him to speak.
After a moment James lifted his head off his arm, staring at Remus hopelessly.
"Moony, what am I gonna do? It's only October, and I have so much to do! I never should have been made Head Boy, everyone was right. I can't keep up with everything! On top of school and Quidditch it's just so much!
"Granted, Lily does most of the duties, but she demands all the time that I help out. She's driving me crazy, Moony! She doesn't notice that I'm trying to not be the prat I had been to her for the past six years. I'm trying to show her the side of me you guys see, just like you guys told me too. But she doesn't buy it; she thinks I'm up to no good, no matter what! She is the first person who would say I'm not right for this Head Boy stuff and I'm starting to think she's right. I'm not cut out for it, it should have been you not me", James finished his rant dejectedly and dropped his head once more.
Remus was now shaking his head, although James couldn't see, as his vision was muffled by his arm.
"James, don't take it out on yourself like this. You just need some balance; you're more than capable of fulfilling all your duties this year. Quidditch practice is three times a week, right? Well, you get Lily to make all your patrolling times on days without Quidditch. You'll have to use Sundays for homework, and do what you can in between. This is new, and this year is going to be different for all of us, but you can handle it James. You're going to be fine", Remus said confidently.
James lifted his head off his arm once more, smiling slightly. "You know, Remus, you're right. I can handle this because I'm James Potter!" He faltered slightly when Remus rolled his eyes. "Er, I mean, I can handle this because…even though I may be James Potter, it's my, er, good looks and courage that gets me through things? No? Erm, my confidence and natural skills?" His smile turned to a frown of confusion as Remus shook his head, trying to hide his smile.
"Give me a hint!" James pleaded now, "Come on, Moony, why can I do this then? Quick-wit and a way with the women? Abnormal brilliance and determination? Quidditch talent and pranking abilities?"
Remus sighed, and got up silently, walking out of the library. James stuffed everything in his bag and hurried after him.
"Lean physique and good humor? Mysterious nature and brilliant wand work? Radiant smile and –"
"Will you stop!?" Remus finally shouted, completely exasperated. "You can do this because you're a smart wizard, we can help you find balance and Sirius, Peter and I will help you out when you need it! Now for Merlin's sake will you desist?"
James nodded, pondering. "So what you're saying is, it's all because of you and your brilliance that I'm going to be a good Head Boy?"
Remus mulled that over, then nodded once. "I'm satisfied with that one", he said, smirking. James rolled his eyes and the two laughed, meeting up with Sirius and Peter, far away from the library.
Audrey slammed her Charm's book shut with a dull thud, grimacing. She was sitting in the library with Lily and Alice, working on their Charms essay. Audrey hadn't even noticed James sitting on the other side of the book case until Sirius had stormed in and made a scene.
Lily looked uneasy as she, too, closed her Charm's book, but Audrey knew their minds were on different matters.
Lily was wearing the expression she'd been using the past month any time James showed weakening when she yelled at him; before, it had always been a game, and he had been fine to yell back, or promise to stop whatever had bugged her – as long as she went out with him.
Now, James was different. He had yet to ask her out all year, only rarely made comments towards her looking beautiful or gorgeous, and had even stopped sending her love letters at breakfast time.
The most noticeable of all changes, however, was that James had stopped fighting back. He'd finish something when she demanded he did, do something when she asked and even try and help out when she wasn't asking for help. He was doing everything he could to show her that he wasn't the same boy that had driven her crazy.
The uncomfortable look on her face made Audrey think Lily was finally understanding that James wasn't as bad as she made him out to be. She certainly looked upset; Audrey assumed it was because of what James had said, about trying so hard, but she couldn't be sure. This was one thing Lily wasn't going to talk about.
Audrey was feeling uneasy as well; she guessed it showed on her face, too. But she wasn't feeling uneasy about James, although she did feel a pang of hurt for how much he was trying, and how little progress he seemed to be making.
No, Audrey was uneasy because of James's best friend – Sirius Black.
Although he had acted strange during the first day back to school, over the next month Sirius had been right back to his old self. He and the Marauders had no problems, and he even made sly jokes towards Lily now and then.
The only difference in Sirius was the lack of attention he was paying to Audrey. Since Audrey had known him, the two had been very close. It started because of their friendship with James, but it became more than that, and Sirius became another of Audrey's best friends.
Since that first day back, Sirius had yet to speak to Audrey. He didn't seem to be angry with her, or if he was he wasn't showing it; he seemed to be more unaware of her existence, his eyes sliding over her automatically whenever she happened to be around him.
At first, Audrey had been totally confused. She'd tried to engage him in conversation, and he would respond politely but be off at the first opportunity he could. It was driving Audrey absolutely mad, and had Lily not been so preoccupied with James these days, or trying to deny any feelings towards James that were not disgust and horror, she hadn't picked up on her best friend's anxiety about Sirius.
"Okay, really though, what is up with you two? Why are you moping around now?" Alice sighed, closing her Charm's book as well. "I swear, every time James or Sirius is around you two become all quiet and upset."
Lily and Audrey whipped around to face Alice.
"Weare not moping!"
"I'm not quiet or upset! And if I was it certainly wouldn't be because of those two!"
Alice eyed the two girls shrewdly. "Look, I don't know what's going on, but you two better figure it out. I have to go meet up with Frank, but you two better have this resolved next time I see you!" Alice tossed her books into her bag and flounced out of the library.
Lily and Audrey glanced at each other looking grim. Lily decided to break the silence.
"So…you fancy Sirius then, hmm? Admitting it yet?" She asked, smirking.
"Fancy James much? Or are you waiting for the perfect time to tell us?" Audrey shot back.
"I don't fancy James," Lily growled quickly, folding her arms.
"Well, I don't fancy Sirius," Audrey said, folding her arms as well. Lily sighed.
"We're not getting anywhere. Okay, so what's up then? Why are you always glaring at him, and why's he never talking to you?"
Audrey was taken aback. "I didn't think you noticed any of that. You never said anything."
Lily shrugged. "Well, you didn't look like you were open to the conversation, and I've been a little distracted…" She trailed off uncomfortably.
"Well, I don't know why he won't talk to me. We've maybe said three words to each other since term started," Audrey shook her head gloomily. "I tried at first, but he was acting so…formal. It wasn't like him, and he won't even look at me now."
Lily sighed sympathetically. "He likes you Audrey. It's way too obvious. Why else would he ignore you?"
"I don't know, but I don't think you're right," Audrey argued. "I'll try and get it out of James; I haven't mentioned it to him yet."
Lily opened her mouth to say something back, but must have thought better of it, because she closed her mouth quickly.
"So…what's with you and James, then?" Audrey asked.
"What do you mean?" Lily hedged, picking at a loose strand on her robe.
Audrey rolled her eyes. "I mean, why are you not constantly fighting? Why do you look upset every time he gives in? Why haven't you noticed all his attempts to show you he's not half bad?"
Lily opened her mouth but again seemed to think better of it and closed it firmly. After a few moments, Audrey sighed.
"Listen, Lils, you can deny feelings for James all you want – maybe you don't even have any. But you can't deny that he's an amazing guy, and he's trying so hard to show you that. Give him a little more credit, yeah?"
Before Lily could reply, Audrey shoved her Charm's book and parchment into her bag and strode out of the library.
Lily sat unmoving at the empty table for a few minutes. Finally, she stuffed her book into her bag and, wiping away the single tear that had managed to escape, she left the library quickly, looking down the whole way.