A/N: Okay, sorry I couldn't update yesterday, I was supremely busy! So, let's continue and thanks to all the people who reviewed.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of this except the stuff you don't recognize!
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"Sirius, are we closer?" asked Claire nervously.
"Yes, the scent is really strong," he said with a smile, after changing back into a human. Claire would have leapt for joy if it hadn't been that her feet hurt so much. She kissed Sirius on the cheek and they continued.
"How far d'you think?" she asked after about ten minutes.
"About a mile," he shrugged.
"Are you serious?" she asked happily. "That's it?"
"Yes," he said, shrugging again. It had been three days and they still hadn't found anything to eat. Of course, there were plenty of things running around that were edible, but with both of them being purebloods, how were they supposed to know how to make a fire? Sirius, of course, could eat raw meat, but there was no way he was going to let Claire starve and he not starve as well. She had protested, of course, but he wouldn't hear it. She was beginning to get sicker and sicker; and every once in a while Sirius would have to carry her on his back. She didn't like it, but it was the only thing he could do to keep her from passing out. They walked in silence until they heard something. Sirius changed into a dog and sniffed the air. He barked happily and chased his tail like a puppy. They heard a low, loud grunt from the other side, but it sounded happy. There were two female squeals of joy as a large deer and a red-haired girl stepped out of the brush.
"Lily!" squealed Claire
"Claire!" shouted Lily. They ran to each other and hugged each other. Sirius was jumping around and barking madly while James was turning back into a human. James scratched the fur behind Sirius's ears, and Sirius liked him on the face.
"Eww, Padfoot!" said James, backing away and flinging the drool off of his face.
"Sorry, guess I got a bit carried away," said Sirius with a shrug. The two girls rolled their eyes as the guys gave each other a brotherly hug and a smack on the back.
"We have been looking for you two for two days," said Lily angrily. Where were you?"
"We've been looking for you too. I guess we landed on the opposite side of the forest," said Claire with a grin. All of the sudden a huge clap of thunder was heard, a misty look grew in Lily's eyes as she looked up at the sky. Huge drops of rain fell all around them and another clap of thunder shook the entire forest. The birds took flight and disappeared in one sweeping motion. A bolt of lightning shot from the sky and almost hit one of the extremely tall trees. James grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her away with some great difficulty as she stared, open-mouthed, at the sky.
"Come on, Lils, we need to get back to the castle," he urged. She looked at him, her eyes narrowing with concentration. She nodded firmly and James became a stag. Lily leapt on his back and pulled Claire up after her. Sirius turned into a dog and ran ahead of them, constantly sniffing at the air. They ran for what felt like hours, the trees being struck behind them and bursting into flames. They heard frightened cries of animals and creatures.
"We can't leave them," said Claire loudly.
"There's nothing we can do now, Claire, we have to get our wands and warn Dumbledore first," said Lily angrily, clutching the fur on James's neck. Claire stayed quiet until they finally emerged from the cover of the trees and out onto the grounds, finally. They heard a loud shout of something Spanish from the Gryffindor tower and James and Sirius quickly became normal again. They ran through the grounds and climbed the stairs, saying the password and grabbing their wands while greeting Remus and Tanya.
"The forest is on fire," said James angrily. "The lightning won't stop hitting it and if we don't hurry, it'll burn down." Tanya and Remus grabbed their wands and they ran to the headmaster's office. They tore up the staircase and burst through his door.
"Oh, you're back," said Dumbledore genially.
"Professor, the forest is on fire, the creatures living there are in danger," said Lily with a worried expression on her face as she looked out the single window in his office.
"Well, that's terrible news," he said, picking up his wand from off the desk and walking to the window. He flung open the glass and pointed his wand at the burning forest.
"Aguamenti," he said quietly. A huge get of clear, crisp water shot from the end of his wand, dousing the flames of the forest. He said another spell with complicated arm movements and in a second, all of the trees were back to their original state and the forest was looking the same as always. The lightning and thunder had stopped and now it was simply raining.
"I don't care what anyone says," whispered Lily into James's ear. "He is definitely the greatest wizard of all time." James nodded, placing his arm around Lily. She kissed his cheek as they were about to exit the office.
"Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans, Ms. Martin, and Mr. Black are to stay here for a few minutes. Mr. Lupin and Ms. Bolanos can stay or wait outside if they prefer to do so," said the professor without breaking his warm smile. Lily and James took the two chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk and then Dumbledore conjured two more next to those as Tanya and Remus left. Sirius and Claire sat down in the two new chairs. "Now, I am sure you are wondering what shot you down out there, Ms. Martin."
"You know?" asked Claire with interest.
"I know very well, actually," said Dumbledore, still as smiley as ever. "The centaurs believed you were coming too close to their…habitat. They didn't want you too near to the colony. They aren't very trusting creatures, you see. Their best shooter can't match your flying skills though, Ms. Martin. This is why I have decided to allow you to finish out this year's Quidditch season. I know I shouldn't have favorites, but Go Gryffindor!" he said happily.
"Professor, you have no idea how much this means to me," she said, her eyes watering slightly.
"Oh, and your brooms have been located and are waiting in your dorms for when you get back. Also, it has come to my attention that the Graduation Ball is nearing and, seeing as our Head Boy and Girl are supposed to be in charge of it all, I hope you two are up to the task. I will offer no advice or guidance. This ball is for seventh years only, that is my only rule, and the usual nothing inappropriate as far as dress code, you can go in your pajamas if you two decide that's what's necessary. I hope you two have fun planning. Make sure the ball is ready by June First."
"Professor, can the prefects help?" asked Lily hopefully.
"Of course, Ms. Evans, of course. They can help, but they are to be given no ideas from this year, understood. You tell them what to do and give no hints. We want a different type of ball every year."
"So, Professor, we can do practically anything?" asked James with a grin.
"Yes."
"All right!" said James happily.
"You may go now. It's about dinner and I daresay you look like you could use some nourishment. But, please wash up first," said the professor. Then they left the office, hunger burning in their stomachs at the mention of dinner.
"James, this is great, we get to decorate for the ball!" squealed Lily.
"Yeah, too bad we can't help though," said Claire sadly.
"Oh, come on, Claire, you'll be one of the opening couples, how about that?" asked Lily, trying to cheer her up. Lily had already done this in her head. Head Boy and Girl were supposed to open the ball along with two other couples of their choosing. Lily wanted Remus, Tanya, Claire, and Sirius in the spotlight with them again.
"I guess," she sighed. "If I can go to the ball." Lily pushed that from her mind, and so did everyone around her. Claire wasn't looking for pity, she was thinking aloud, and she didn't mean to make everyone upset.
"So, I think we should get started soon," said Lily with a faux happy expression.
"I agree," said James smiling. "I think it should be formal, dress robes required."
"Definitely," said Lily happily. "And that band we had at the party from the cruise, I promised them I'd book them for the next Hogwarts event."
"Sounds good. Now, about the food…" James trailed off. They had entered the common room by now and Tanya and Remus were sitting on the couch, curious expressions on their faces.
"I am going back to the subject of dress. I think gowns and tuxedoes. How about you, James?" asked Lily, trying to get a yes.
"Sure," he said with a nod. "Moony!" he called.
"Huh?" asked Remus, turning away from Tanya, a lock of her hair intertwined in his fingers.
"Could you save us spots at dinner. We gotta wash up first, Dumbledore's orders," requested James.
"Yeah, sure. C'mon, amor (this time I'm sure, that's sweetheart in Spanish), let's go. Te quiero," he said softly. Lily looked to James confusedly. How long had Remus known Spanish?
"Y te quiero tambien," she replied sheepishly, poking his nose with the tip of her finger. Remus wrapped his arm around her waist and they walked out of the common room, talking in Spanish the whole way.
"Wow," said Claire after a few seconds. "Do you guys know what just happened?"
"No, do you?" asked Lily.
"Yeah. Remus told her that he loves her and she said she loves him back," replied Claire.
"How do you know Spanish?" asked Sirius.
"I learned it when I was younger," she replied with a shrug. It was the only thing she had, a Spanish textbook, in her room when her parents shut her in there. Sirius knew that, but the others just thought her parents had taught her. They went up to their dorms and took showers, dried their hair, got dressed and walked down to the great hall. Remus and Tanya were still speaking in Spanish.
"¿Tanya, por qué usted está hablando en español?" asked Claire. (Tanya, why are you speaking in Spanish?).
"He enseñado que Remus para hablar lo, Claire, y lo es muy bueno. Es más fácil para mí esta manera, de que es todo." She answered. (I have taught Remus to speak it, Claire, and he is very good. It is easier for me this way, that's all.)
"¿Así pues, qué usted dos ha estado hablando?" asked Claire. (So, what have you two been talking about?) Sirius, Lily, and James were changing looks of confusion at what they were talking about. Lily was curious. James was slightly bored, knowing that anything important would be revealed eventually. Sirius really wanted to learn to speak a language only he and Claire could understand so they could have secret conversations too.
"¡La bola de la graduación! Claire, soy así que excitado. Remus y yo podemos ayudar a adornar, el ver como somos prefects, y todo. ¡No puedo esperar para ir a hacer compras otra vez, él debo ser diversión!" said Tanya excitedly. (The graduation ball! Claire, I'm so excited. Remus and I can help decorate, seeing as we are prefects, and all. I can't wait to go shopping again, it should be fun!)
"¿Podemos ir de nuevo a hablar en inglés ahora, esto estamos consiguiendo fastidiosos?" asked Claire with a sigh. (Can we go back to talking in English now, this is getting tiring?)
"Si," said Tanya happily. (Yes.)
"Thanks," said Claire gratefully.
"So, Claire, what other languages can you speak?" asked Sirius with a grin.
"Practically everything. I know Portuguese, Korean, Russian, Dutch, German, and French," she replied happily.
"Vous parlez français?" asked Sirius with his grin still in place. (You speak French?)
"Naturellement. Comment savez-vous le parler?" asked Claire with some interest. (Of course. How do you know how to speak it?)
"Ma mère faite chacun de nous apprennent à le parler parce qu'elle envoie les enfants à Beauxbatons parfois," he replied with a shrug. (My mother made each of us learn to speak it because she sends the children to Beauxbatons sometimes.)
"Ok, arrêt avec les autres langues!" interjected Lily. (Okay, stop with the other languages) Lily could speak a few words in French, having had to start learning it in her Parochial school in London before she found out she was a witch.
"Très bien, Lis," said Claire. (Fine, Lily.)
"Thank you," she sighed. Everyone around the table laughed except for James and Remus and Tanya because they couldn't speak French at all and it we all very confusing about how Lily went from angry to good-natured so fast. It was a redhead thing though.
"Okay, so, we begin planning tomorrow and we buy our dress robes next Hogsmeade visit, okay?" assured Lily.
"Yep," said James. The rest of the table was nodding silently. After stuffing their faces so fast that Lily and Claire rivaled James and Sirius, they headed back up to the common room and each couple sat down on a couch. Lily and James took the one in front of the coffee table. Sirius and Claire were on the one facing Lily and James, and Tanya and Remus were in the one looking at the wall, but also facing the coffee table.
"Je t'aime plus que toute autre chose en ce monde," said Sirius quietly, taking back of his hand and running it along the side of Claire's face, from her temple, down to her jaw, and back up to her forehead again. (I love you more than any other thing in this world.)
"Le sentiment mutual," Claire laughed. (The feeling's mutual.)
"James, I love you so much," whispered Lily softly across the room, resting her head against James's chest. She felt instantly safe.
"I know, I love you too," he replied, running his fingers through her hair, sending shivers up and down her spine. Her heartbeat accelerated and her pulse quickened. Would she ever get used to this?
"Usted es tan dulce," whispered Tanya to Remus. "Usted aprendió el español todo para mí." (You are so sweet. You learnt Spanish all for me.)
"No era nada," whispered Remus, kissing her cheek. (It was nothing.) After a few hours of crazy discussion in every imaginable language from Claire, Spanish from Remus and Tanya, a bit of French from Lily, English from James, and French from Sirius, they all went upstairs and went to bed, so tired from the day's events that nothing was going to wake them up.
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A/N: Hey, I already have the dresses picked out for the ball, and I am so excited. It's going to be so fun, this ball! We got, say…five months until the ball. Alright, read, review and you guys are awesome.