Beautiful Mistake Chapter Seven

A Coward

Chloe,

How are things at school? I know term hasn't even started, but I have been worrying about you. Ryan is good, he slept soundly through the whole night which is a good sign and Aunt Addison has been having a blast taking care of Ryan. She told me so when I got home from work. I know your worried about us, but don't be. I'll write you tomorrow if I have time. I don't think I will be able to send one of these every day.

Lots of love,
Mum

"There's James, are you going to talk to him?" Kathy's high voice interrupted Chloe's thoughts and she looked up to see James near the double doors, his raven hair even more wild than usual while his eyes searched the Gryffindor table for Lily. Behind him stood Peter and Remus, who were talking to James, though he seemed to ignore what ever they were saying. Meanwhile, Chloe noticed, Sirius was missing.

"I do not have anything to say to him, so I don't see why I should." Lily said, pouring some pumpkin juice into her goblet. Chloe watched as James finally saw Lily, and started to walk towards them.

"Lily, I think you're being a little over-dramatic. Why don't you just go over and talk to him?" Kathy asked hopeful from across Chloe.

"Yeah, Lily, put the poor boy out of his misery." Nadine commented, though it went on ignored.

"I've already told you, I am talking to him. I just don't have anything to say to him right now." Lily finished with a sharp look before turning her attention back to her breakfast.

"You should have something to say to him." Kathy mumbled under her breath.

"Kathy, just drop it." Chloe advised just as James reached where they sat.

"Lily, could I have a word in private?" James asked, his voice low. It seemed everyone in the Great Hall was watching, though they were all doing an astounding job of hiding it.

"No, I'm busy right now." Lily replied loudly, not even bothering to look at James.

"Please Lily," James said even lower.

Lily whipped around to look at James. "I told you, I'm busy. Maybe later," she finished and turned back around.

James, seeing that there was no way he would speak to Lily without creating a scene, gave up. Turning around he headed down the table closer to the double doors and sat where Remus and Peter were. Remus offered him a sympathetic smile, though when his eye meant Chloe's they rolled.

Grinning, she turned back to her letter, and read it once more, before slipping it into her robe pocket. She was glad her mother wasn't having too difficult of a time with Ryan, but it did not lessen the worry that filled her heart. Pushing her plate of untouched food, she looked to Lily.

"What subjects are you taking this year?" She asked, hoping to sound normal.

"Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense, Ancient Runes, and Herbology." Lily listed automatically. She looked up from her plate, smiling. "What are you taking?"

Smiling back, Chloe replied. "The same, except I think I will take my chances in Astronomy instead of Ancient Runes." Chloe laughed.

"Well, have fun with that one. I never liked the subject, far too temperamental. If you put one star out of place the rest of it is wrong." Lily said, and turned back to her food only to push it away just as Chloe had.

"Oh yes, because Potions isn't any different. One drop of the wrong substance and you may find yourself stuck with tentacles instead of arms." Chloe grinned widely.

It wasn't long after before the Head's of each house went around to their tables to hand out schedules. Once Chloe and Lily received their own, they were happy to see that they both had Herbology first.

"Great, an easy course to start off with; I can already see this year being a good one." Lily exclaimed, seeming to put all thoughts of James Potter into the back of her mind.

Once Nadine and Kathy were finished eating, the quartet left the Great Hall and headed down to the furthest Greenhouse, number three. Happy to see that James had not taken Herbology, Lily returned to her own happy self. There were only two Ravenclaw and Slytherin students each who had taken the course, and a handful of Hufflepuff students. Meanwhile, a few minutes before the class started Remus Lupin and Sirius Black entered the green house, taking the furthest seat from the girls. Chloe tried to ignore them, and paid attention to Professor Sprout, the new Herbology Professor.

After a fifteen minute lecture on safety as well as what they would be covering that year they were split into pairs and were assigned to pick belladonna while wearing dragon hide gloves. When they were finished Professor Sprout assigned them an essay due at the end of the week on the uses of belladonna. As Chloe followed Kathy, Nadine, and Lily up the steep hill back to Hogwarts, Remus pulled her back. She looked around for Sirius, but found him no where to be seen.

"Don't worry, he didn't stick around when I told him I wanted to talk to you." Remus assured her.

"Well, that's nice." Chloe said sarcastically.

Remus gave her a meaningful look, and the two began climbing the stairs again, the girls and the rest of the class far ahead. "So I saw you reading a letter this morning, was it from your mother?"

Chloe nodded. "She was just telling me how Ryan was."

"And how is he?" Remus asked.

Raising her brow, she grinned at Remus. "I didn't think you cared so much."

Remus, looking bashful said, "Well I am his Godfather aren't I? Don't I have a right to know how he is?"

Laughing a little, Chloe nodded. "I suppose your right. It's strange having someone outside of my family knowing about him, that's all. It's rather freeing actually." Chloe laughed.

"I understand." Remus smiled, looking to the sky. "So you and Lily have become friends, can't say I didn't see it coming."

"What does that mean?" Chloe asked bewildered.

"Well," Remus started sounding thoughtful, "Though you two were never that close before, I knew once you returned to Hogwarts that would change. Kathy and Nadine didn't really seem to care all that much that you were gone. But Lily, she would ask me how you were. She never bothered me when I told her that you and I have gotten in a fight, and weren't talking any more. She didn't ask about details, just said she was sorry. We sort of became friends." Remus finished, looking at Chloe with wise eyes.

It sometimes surprised Chloe how old his eyes appeared, especially when he was thoughtful. She couldn't understand what ever led her to not being able to trust him. He, after all, had the greatest secret to keep. Leaning towards him, she put her head on his shoulder while they walked. "I am so sorry Remus, for everything. I should have trusted you rather lie. It makes no sense how you can still be friends with me."

"I know you are sorry, and that's why I am still your friend. Besides, it was both of our faults. If I hadn't been so caught up in trying to be best friends with Sirius and James, and stopped to listen to you things would probably be different. Now, we should just put it behind us now." Remus told her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Wow, Remus you have become quite grown up." Chloe smirked, and continued. "Changing the subject, where was James in Herbology? I thought he would have taken every subject Lily was. You know, just like he has every other year."

Remus offered a small smile before answering. "Yes, well, Lily can thank me for that. I convinced him to take Care of Magical Creatures. He always seemed to enjoy tricking Professor Kettleburn into telling the story of how he had a Chimaera tear off his right arm." Remus said, smiling wider at his own 'joke'.

Laughing, Chloe shoved Remus a little. But as always, Chloe could not block out the nagging question that sang loud and clear in the back of her mind. Had Sirius said anything to Remus the night before? Though she felt it was unlikely, as Sirius seemed not to care all that much upon seeing Chloe, she couldn't help it. "Has Sirius said anything about me?" Chloe asked, a little weary of the answer.

"I was waiting for you to ask." Remus smiled. "You always try to put on a tough show, but I know you care about him more than you let on."

"Shut up, Remus, and just give me the answer." Chloe grumbled.

Chuckling a little, Remus let go of Chloe once they entered the Entrance Hall. "He did mention something, how you looked older; wiser since the last time he saw you." Remus explained and stopped short. "Well, I have a free period now and I am sure James wants to talk about some plan to get Lily back on good terms with him. See you in Potions," Remus grinned as he parted.

Sighing, Chloe saw Lily walking with Nadine and Kathy just a little down the first floor headed to Lily's next class, Ancient Runes. Knowing that Nadine and Kathy had taken Divination, she knew that she would now be alone for the next hour. Walking up the marble staircase, she decided that maybe she would get a head start on her Herbology essay.

Upon entering the Library she suddenly felt at home. Spending a few seconds to talk to Madame Pince about how she had been at Beauxbatons, she headed to her usual spot in the back where she would normally study with Remus. It hurt her a little that Remus had not chosen to spend time with her and instead with James, but she assumed that things had changed for Remus since she left, for one, he now spent a lot more time with his male friends. Sighing to herself, Chloe pulled out every book she could find on belladonna and began reading.

Twenty minutes passed, and Chloe still sat undisturbed in her spot at the back of the Library. She had managed to write an introduction for her essay, and was now looking for some additional information. This poisonous plant is widely distributed over Central and Southern Europe; it is not common in England.

Chloe's thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of footsteps. Her vision went misty as she concentrated on the footsteps; she heard the small giggle of a girl.

"It's a bit early for a snog, don't you think Sirius?" The girl giggled again.

Freezing, Chloe quickly registered the fact that Sirius, and some girl were standing on the other side of the bookcase just in front of the table she sat at, probably about to turn the corner.

"It's never too early." Sirius' playful tone stung in Chloe's ears.

Realizing how close she was to being put in an awkward situation, Chloe quickly, and quietly began to put her things away. Leaving the books she knew she needed for her essay, she swung her bag over her shoulder, and turned the opposite way she knew Sirius would come. Reaching the end of the bookcase, she went to turn just as Sirius and the girl came around the other side.

"Oh," the girl laughed. "Sorry, we'll go down a little further."

Knowing there was no point in pretending she had not been seen, Chloe turned to face Sirius and the girl. She quickly recognized the girl to be Allison Wood, a Hufflepuff sixth year. Ignoring Sirius, Chloe shook her head. "Don't worry about me, I was just leaving." She once again turned to leave.

"Of course she was, that's her favourite thing to do." Sirius said coldly.

Chloe stopped in her tracks. She was not going to take that tone, and turning to look at Sirius she gave him her hardest of looks. "I believe that's yours."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius retorted loudly. "You're the one that left me, and left the country for a matter of fact."

Storming closer, Chloe breathed in loudly. "Well if you weren't such a coward that would never have had happened." Chloe seethed.

"Don't call me a coward." Sirius argued back, stepping away from Allison.

"Too late, I already have." Chloe finished, giving one last nasty look at Sirius before storming away and down the aisles of bookcases.

She didn't slow down until she reached the front of the Library where Madame Pince smiled happily at her. "Found everything you needed, dear?"

"Yes, and much more." Chloe smiled at her, before exited the Library. For the first time, she was thankful she had Potions next, knowing she would see Remus and be able to vent to him all about Sirius.

"I don't think he came to the specific spot on purpose, Chloe." Remus said attentively while stirring the potion they were currently brewing together.

"Oh yes he did. Just like Lily purposely chose Severus for her Potions partner." Chloe grumbled as she cut some roots.

Remus groaned. "That has nothing to do with what were talking about. Besides, Lily has been partners with Severus since first year. Not that that means their friends."

"Yeah, well we may all know that, but James doesn't look so pleased." Chloe nodded to where James stood in the back of the Potions classroom along with Sirius who didn't look any happier.

"Why did you have to call him a coward, Chloe? That's the worst thing you could say." Remus winced as if he had a horrible headache.

"All the more reason to call him one," Chloe smirked. "Besides if he doesn't like that truth than that's his problem." Chloe fumed while she chopped the roots into fine pieces.

"I think that's good, Chloe." Remus intervened quickly taking knife from her hands, and dropping the roots into the potion. "How 'bout you sit down while I finish the potion."

Chloe rolled her eyes, taking in a deep breath, but listened to Remus and sat down. She couldn't believe Sirius. Was that all he had to say to her after nearly two years of not speaking to each other? Well, not including the short greeting they had the night before. Was he really so arrogant to not realize how much he had hurt her? It couldn't be possible. Even if she had been the one to end things, he should realize that it wasn't just her fault; it was his own.

When it seemed the class had done as much as they could for their Potions, Professor Slughorn pushed himself out of his seat and did his rounds, only saying something when he thought it was needed. As he came to Chloe and Remus' table he gave an approving nod before moving on to Lily and Severus' table.

"Another fantastic potion," Slughorn grinned and gave five points to each houses. "You two make a great pair." Slughorn finished before moving on.

Chloe heard the sound of a knife colliding into hardwood, but Slughorn seemed to not hear it. Chloe knew it had been James throwing his knife into the desk, and glancing back for a second she saw him yank it back out just in time for Professor Slughorn to see nothing.

"Clear your cauldrons, and pack up." Slughorn announced returning back to the front of the classroom.

Chloe stood up again putting her copy of Advanced Potion-Making back into her bag and gathered her potions kit together while Remus got rid of the contents of their cauldron with his wand.

"Please promise me you won't be as aggressive as you were today in Charms." Lily said coming over to Chloe's table.

Chloe looked up, and gave a small smile. "You noticed that?"

"Hun, I don't think anybody had a choice." Lily grinned, "Well, that's if they didn't notice how angry both Sirius and James looked. Did something happen between you and Sirius?"

"It's a long story." Chloe replied just as the bell rang.

"Well, I've got all Charms to listen." Lily said, helping Chloe with her things and leaving the dungeon classroom with her.

A/N: I am so sorry that it took me so long to update. I do hope you liked the chapter, and found it a little amusing. I had fun writing some of the bits. Thanks for reading, and please review!