Once again thanks for your reviews, both good and slightly iffy!
*****
Chapter 7 : Say what?!
'Bugger.
'Sorry what? Why bugger? Not bugger! It was only James, therefore not bugger! Sorry it was POTTER, not James! Oh BUGGER!
'What just happened anyway? You just had a normal conversation with that egotistical nitwit! He took a bit of offence at something you said, but so what? It's only Potter! You've been letting your guard down too much over the past few weeks. He's been slowly creeping in, trying to gain your trust, but you know he's only going to hurt you again, made a prat out of you in front of everyone. He needed to be put in his place anyway!
'He's prejudiced that's what it is! He's prejudiced against muggle-borns! And he's just trying to set you up again. He's always drawn attention to you in front of other people, every time you've met in the past 6 years, he's always finished by screaming at you "Evans will you go out with me!" But then why didn't he tonight? He's sensed it hasn't he? He's sensed that the phrase had slowly started to repulse you less and less. He's noticed the way you smile slightly now, every time he says it. He's thinking of a new way to tease you, because he never really meant it anyway, he doesn't really like you does he?
'Maybe he's not teasing you. Maybe he really is trying to get closer to you, but why? Ah, one word, Caitlin. He asked for Caitlin remember? He asked you to speak to Caitlin, tell her he wanted a word. That's what it's about. He's after Caitlin! I mean she is the prettiest girl in the school, why didn't you think of that before? He probably thinks that now Sirius and she have been broken up for over a month she's fair game. And they were sharing secrets, secrets even Caitlin wouldn't tell you. Weird though. Potter's cocky, but you wouldn't expect him to try and score with his best friend's ex-girlfriend.
'Lily now is not the time to start worrying about boys. Especially Potter. You've got an important year ahead of you. Important exams. Just put all this out of your head and knuckle down. 8 more months and you'll be rid of him completely!'
Lily must have sat questioning herself for over twenty minutes. The Arithmancy homework remained unfinished in front of her. She tried to complete it, but soon realised that she needed her red quill, which she had let James borrow. She turned round and gazed at his bedroom door.
'Best not to wake him' she told herself.
'That's not the real reason your not going in is it?' said another voice deeper inside her.
'Fine then I'll go in and ask for it back! It's not as though he needs his beauty sleep is it? – Oh my God did I just think that?!' She knocked tentatively on the door, but received no reply. She pushed it open slightly, and saw the room was in complete darkness. Deciding to give it up as a bad idea, she thought it would be far better just to go and borrow Caitlin's. She didn't mind waking her up.
As she walked down the spiral staircase she was surprised to hear a familiar voice, echoing up towards her.
"Get away from me you ugly mongrel!" Caitlin was trying to sound annoyed, but Lily could make out the amusement in her voice. "And don't make those puppy dog eyes at me!" As Lily reached the bottom of the stairs she could see Caitlin silhouetted against the fireplace. She was sitting on a sofa, her back to Lily. There didn't seem to be anybody else with her.
"Caitlin who are you talking to?" Lily inquired. Caitlin sat bolt up right in her chair, she didn't turn round to face Lily, and her head was tilted as though she was looking into her lap.
"Oh hi Lily!" she said loudly. "What are you doing up so late?" She still didn't turn round.
"I was just coming to ask to borrow your red quill, I need to finish our Arithmancy essay," Lily said walking slowly towards her.
"Oh I was doing that myself. Of course you can borrow my quill, did you loose your own?"
"No I lent it to Potter, I – " She stopped mid-sentence. She had now got close enough to see why Caitlin hadn't turned round. Sirius Black was on all fours on the floor in front of her, his chin resting on her left thigh. Caitlin had her hand cupped behind his right ear, as though she had been scratching it. Sirius was deadly still, and his eyes, wide eyed with shock, stared out in front of him. He seemed to be under the impression that if he didn't move Lily wouldn't notice him. Caitlin turned round to face Lily, still not taking her hand off Sirius' ear.
"You lent him a quill? Are you high?" she said, barely managing to stifle a giggle. She seemed to be the only one in the room who found the situation highly amusing.
"Uh yea – I mean yes, I lent him a quill, no I am not high, and Sirius I can see you by the way!" She thought it useless to go on pretending. "What are you doing?!" Sirius didn't move, he seemed too busy searching for an explanation.
"Uh would you believe me if I told you I was an hallucination? Due to the fact you were high?" he offered lamely. Both Lily and Caitlin gave him pitiful looks. Caitlin tried again on his behalf.
"He wants to go out with me again. I told him to get on his knees and beg." She spoke as if Sirius wasn't in the room. He got up, threw a scornful sideward glance at her and turned his attention to Lily.
"James has got his own red quill you know Evans." He had achieved his intention. Lily's mind was taken off was she had just seen, it was now racing with thoughts of what jinxes James was currently putting on her quill. How could she have been so stupid?!
"Yes well I'll get mine back from him in the morning. So if I could just borrow yours until then?" Caitlin quickly handed her a quill. "Thanks. Good night."
"Good night Evans." Sirius was now also trying to stop himself from laughing. As Lily reached the stairs she heard Caitlin burst into giggles. Sirius gave a laugh like a bark. Annoyed that she had let Sirius get the last laugh, she remembered something.
"Oh Cait, Potter said he wanted a word – in private," she added for effect.
"Oh right sure," Caitlin replied, composing herself slightly. Sirius seemed to be highly put out. Satisfied, Lily walked back to her homework. It was a low blow, but it was worth it just to see the smile wiped from Black's face!
***** Verdict please. Good or bad? And does anybody have any suggestions to make it better?
*****
Chapter 7 : Say what?!
'Bugger.
'Sorry what? Why bugger? Not bugger! It was only James, therefore not bugger! Sorry it was POTTER, not James! Oh BUGGER!
'What just happened anyway? You just had a normal conversation with that egotistical nitwit! He took a bit of offence at something you said, but so what? It's only Potter! You've been letting your guard down too much over the past few weeks. He's been slowly creeping in, trying to gain your trust, but you know he's only going to hurt you again, made a prat out of you in front of everyone. He needed to be put in his place anyway!
'He's prejudiced that's what it is! He's prejudiced against muggle-borns! And he's just trying to set you up again. He's always drawn attention to you in front of other people, every time you've met in the past 6 years, he's always finished by screaming at you "Evans will you go out with me!" But then why didn't he tonight? He's sensed it hasn't he? He's sensed that the phrase had slowly started to repulse you less and less. He's noticed the way you smile slightly now, every time he says it. He's thinking of a new way to tease you, because he never really meant it anyway, he doesn't really like you does he?
'Maybe he's not teasing you. Maybe he really is trying to get closer to you, but why? Ah, one word, Caitlin. He asked for Caitlin remember? He asked you to speak to Caitlin, tell her he wanted a word. That's what it's about. He's after Caitlin! I mean she is the prettiest girl in the school, why didn't you think of that before? He probably thinks that now Sirius and she have been broken up for over a month she's fair game. And they were sharing secrets, secrets even Caitlin wouldn't tell you. Weird though. Potter's cocky, but you wouldn't expect him to try and score with his best friend's ex-girlfriend.
'Lily now is not the time to start worrying about boys. Especially Potter. You've got an important year ahead of you. Important exams. Just put all this out of your head and knuckle down. 8 more months and you'll be rid of him completely!'
Lily must have sat questioning herself for over twenty minutes. The Arithmancy homework remained unfinished in front of her. She tried to complete it, but soon realised that she needed her red quill, which she had let James borrow. She turned round and gazed at his bedroom door.
'Best not to wake him' she told herself.
'That's not the real reason your not going in is it?' said another voice deeper inside her.
'Fine then I'll go in and ask for it back! It's not as though he needs his beauty sleep is it? – Oh my God did I just think that?!' She knocked tentatively on the door, but received no reply. She pushed it open slightly, and saw the room was in complete darkness. Deciding to give it up as a bad idea, she thought it would be far better just to go and borrow Caitlin's. She didn't mind waking her up.
As she walked down the spiral staircase she was surprised to hear a familiar voice, echoing up towards her.
"Get away from me you ugly mongrel!" Caitlin was trying to sound annoyed, but Lily could make out the amusement in her voice. "And don't make those puppy dog eyes at me!" As Lily reached the bottom of the stairs she could see Caitlin silhouetted against the fireplace. She was sitting on a sofa, her back to Lily. There didn't seem to be anybody else with her.
"Caitlin who are you talking to?" Lily inquired. Caitlin sat bolt up right in her chair, she didn't turn round to face Lily, and her head was tilted as though she was looking into her lap.
"Oh hi Lily!" she said loudly. "What are you doing up so late?" She still didn't turn round.
"I was just coming to ask to borrow your red quill, I need to finish our Arithmancy essay," Lily said walking slowly towards her.
"Oh I was doing that myself. Of course you can borrow my quill, did you loose your own?"
"No I lent it to Potter, I – " She stopped mid-sentence. She had now got close enough to see why Caitlin hadn't turned round. Sirius Black was on all fours on the floor in front of her, his chin resting on her left thigh. Caitlin had her hand cupped behind his right ear, as though she had been scratching it. Sirius was deadly still, and his eyes, wide eyed with shock, stared out in front of him. He seemed to be under the impression that if he didn't move Lily wouldn't notice him. Caitlin turned round to face Lily, still not taking her hand off Sirius' ear.
"You lent him a quill? Are you high?" she said, barely managing to stifle a giggle. She seemed to be the only one in the room who found the situation highly amusing.
"Uh yea – I mean yes, I lent him a quill, no I am not high, and Sirius I can see you by the way!" She thought it useless to go on pretending. "What are you doing?!" Sirius didn't move, he seemed too busy searching for an explanation.
"Uh would you believe me if I told you I was an hallucination? Due to the fact you were high?" he offered lamely. Both Lily and Caitlin gave him pitiful looks. Caitlin tried again on his behalf.
"He wants to go out with me again. I told him to get on his knees and beg." She spoke as if Sirius wasn't in the room. He got up, threw a scornful sideward glance at her and turned his attention to Lily.
"James has got his own red quill you know Evans." He had achieved his intention. Lily's mind was taken off was she had just seen, it was now racing with thoughts of what jinxes James was currently putting on her quill. How could she have been so stupid?!
"Yes well I'll get mine back from him in the morning. So if I could just borrow yours until then?" Caitlin quickly handed her a quill. "Thanks. Good night."
"Good night Evans." Sirius was now also trying to stop himself from laughing. As Lily reached the stairs she heard Caitlin burst into giggles. Sirius gave a laugh like a bark. Annoyed that she had let Sirius get the last laugh, she remembered something.
"Oh Cait, Potter said he wanted a word – in private," she added for effect.
"Oh right sure," Caitlin replied, composing herself slightly. Sirius seemed to be highly put out. Satisfied, Lily walked back to her homework. It was a low blow, but it was worth it just to see the smile wiped from Black's face!
***** Verdict please. Good or bad? And does anybody have any suggestions to make it better?