Chapter 74: Life Without Arabella
"It's so strange with Bell's presence." Lily commented. It had been a week since Arabella left Hogwarts and returned to the orphanage she came from.
"We all miss her." Stefanie looked up from her work. The five girls were spending their Monday in their room, doing their homework. It was one of the rare times when all the four girls were doing their homework together.
"Speak of the devil." Samantha commented and went over to the window where Arabella's tawny owl, Crookshanks stood.
"A letter from Bell." Joey said excitedly. The four girls stopped what they were doing and went forward.
Dearest Lils, Stef, Sam and Jo,
I miss you gals so much!! Still trying to adapt to the old muggle life. But that shouldn't be much of a problem actually. Anyway it had been a week and I thought I should write you all a note or something. That means I was thinking of you. Haha.. So do you all miss me too?? Let's hope that we can meet up during the summer break or something. Just a quick word, do not send me via any of your owls all right?? I do not want chaos over here. Some of the kids here pretty afraid of 'abnormalities'. Just reply with Crookshanks, he knows when to come to me. Thanks. Can't wait to see you all.
Love,
Bell
"Let's write her a note." Lily suggested. The four girls sat down together and started writing while Crookshanks waited impatiently by the windowsill.
Dearest my dearie Bell, (Lils wrote that)
We miss you so much!! Really can't wait to see you. We should really have a gathering in our summer break. It's like more than half a year away. We are thinking of you all the time. And the four of us were just thinking about you when dear old Crookshanks brought us a letter from you. We were so overwhelmed to see him.
Lils wrote that, as you should have noticed. Her handwriting is too big and we are afraid she might use up the entire parchment before we even get the chance to write anything on it. I guess she had already said what I want to tell you, but in a more dramatic way. –Stef
Luckily my handwriting is small enough to take just a bit of space in this parchment. You know how huge Lils and Sam's handwriting are. Anyway do take good care of yourself. Hope to hear from you soon. That's about all I wanna add on. ~Joey
It's so unfair they made me the last to write, just because of handwriting size. So biased!! And besides they had already said what I wanna say and that left me with nothing else to write. Well, the only thing I can say is that I'm the one who took the parchment away from Lils and Stef took it from me. ~Saman
Love,
Sam, Jo, Stef and Lils
P.S: I haven't say enough!! There are still a lot of things I wanna tell you and just once parchment is not enough!! –Lils-
Lots of Love and Hugs and Kisses,
Sammie, Jojo, Steffi and Lilies
Arabella laughed as she read and re-read the letter from her ex-dorm-mates again. We'll meet again. McGonagall had told me to join the Order of the Phoenix and I can't tell you that yet.
"Is there anything we can do??" Sirius asked lazily. The four guys were hanging out in their dormitory because they had nowhere else to go.
"For one, we can do some studying." Remus pointed out.
"For two, we can do homework." Peter suggested.
"For three, we can prank the Slytherins." James said.
"For the first time, we had finished them all." Sirius replied.
"For once, you're totally right." Remus agreed. They had completed all their homework and assignments. They even had time to prank the Slytherins by planting some colour bombs at their entrance. It was nothing new actually but because they had yet come up with any better pranks, so they had no choice but to reuse their old pranks.
"What could the girls we doing on this cool Wednesday night??" Sirius asked casually.
"Are you suggesting what could Bell be doing??" James said teasingly.
"I'm just trying to make conversation."
"Go and find a girl if you're too bored." The three guys laughed at James comment.
"You all can gloat because you three are attached!!" Sirius said defensively.
"Excuse me, I'm still the most eligible bachelor in Hogwarts." James argued.
"You're ranked second. I'm the first."
"Since when??"
"Since always."
"Whatever. Can't be bothered to argue with you."
"That's so un-Jamesie-like." Remus raised his brows and shot James a look.
"Don't call me Jamesie."
"Why don't you write a note to Bell??" Peter suggested.
"She's with the muggles. It won't be very normal to start having owls visiting her now and then." Sirius said sensibly.
"Padfoot!!" James exclaimed dramatically.
"What??" Sirius looked at James quizzically.
"That's the most sensible thing you ever said in sixteen years!!" James said with a pretended shocked expression.
"Same sentiments exactly." Remus agreed.
"Hey!!"
"Why are you all up so early??" Lily dragged herself upright on her bed. Her three roommates were all up and about busying preparing to go out. "It's Saturday morning."
"I'm going Hogsmeade with Remus today." Stefanie replied as she brushed her hair in front of the tabletop mirror.
"I've got a date with Phillip." Samantha said dreamily and continued to try different tops to match her favorite pants.
"Going Hogsmeade with Jack." Joey tried assembling an outfit for her in front of the full-length mirror.
"I'm going to stay in and sleep all day then." Lily said and fell backwards onto the bed.
"Ask James out!!" Stefanie suggested cheekily.
"That's right, ask him out, then you won't be so lonely here." Samantha added.
"Thanks but I'm happy spending my time here alone." Lily said and covered herself with her comforters.
"Don't say we didn't suggest to you." Samantha said after another ten minutes of preparation, giving Stefanie and Joey a wink. "I'm going out now."
"Bye." The two awakened girls replied, while Lily remained silent in her bed, trying to sleep again.
"See ya." Joey called out to Stefanie and Lily after five minutes Samantha left.
"Lils, see ya tonight." Stefanie said and left the dormitory not long after Joey.
Sigh. I'm alone here once again. Think I better get some beauty rest. Lily removed the comforters from her head and closed her eyes, drifting into a sleeping mood.
"I can't believe you think of that idea." Remus said exasperatedly.
"It's a good idea." Sirius pleaded dramatically. "It's the only way I can get to see Bell."
"Just fulfill his wishes." James laughed.
"I'm off to meet my girlfriend." Peter said.
"Bye."
"Enjoy your day."
"So Moony, please take me to Bell."
"It's risky. And I don't know where it is."
"Don't worry. It's somewhere along Privet Crescent." Sirius assured.
"Thanks a lot, but I have absolutely no clue where on earth Privet Crescent is."
"Give it a try, Moony. Just to please the dear old puppy." James laughed and lazed in his bed, half asleep.
"I take you back to King Cross and you find your way out from there." Remus said finally.
"Moony, I trust your teleporting skills. So just take me to the orphanage." Sirius tried to convince Remus.
"Okok, I give it a try." Remus said, giving in finally. "Tell Stef what happened when she arrive."
"No worries, I will tell her how effeminate our dear old love struck Padfoot is." James teased and earned a pillow from Sirius. With a pop, the duo disappeared from their dormitory. Although Hogwarts was protected with the enchantments of not able to apparate, Remus' power somehow out beaten it and they were able to teleport out of Hogwarts and even back and forward time at ease.
Ahh, what a peaceful Saturday today is going to be. Maybe I can get some lost sleep. James thought and lain back on his bed, drifting to sleep.
"James, where's Remus??" A familiar female voice called out and he could feel someone shaking him.
"Huh??" James opened his eyes and looked at the source of voice.
"Any idea where's Remus??"
"He took Sirius to find Bell."
"What??"
"He teleport Sirius to find Bell."
"Oooh."
"Can I get back to sleep now??"
"You and Lils are really two of a kind, always sleeping."
"Sleep is important."
"But too much is no good."
"I'm deprived of sleep." James said and covered himself with his comforters to avoid any more queries from Stefanie.
Looks like I gotta entertain myself around for awhile. Stefanie thought and lain onto Remus' bed, looking up at the ceiling. I must be dreaming, I thought I saw my picture on the ceiling. She blinked several times and looked up again. I'm not dreaming, there's really a picture of me in the ceiling. She sat upright and went to check the ceiling of the guy's beds. Aha, a picture of Bell for Sirius. She peeped into James' curtain-drawn bed and looked upwards and saw a picture of Lily looking down at her. Still deny that you don't like Lily. Stefanie gave a small chuckle when a pop behind her gave a shock.
"What are you looking at??" Remus whispered into Stefanie's right ear and held her on her waist.
"Let's get going. I've got something to ask you about." Stefanie said with a cheeky grin on her.
Guys,
Do you guys have any interesting pranking ideas?? We ran out of it. The last prank we last did was just hanging some guys upside down at the Entrance Hall because they crossed our paths.
Signed,
F4
James laughed at the note from his Asian friends and left it by the table for the rest to read it. It should be midnight for them now. Must be in need for a great prank. James took the Marauder's Map to check the coast. His stomach was growling in hunger for skipping breakfast.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." James pointed at the old parchment without the need of a wand. The lines crawled on the parchment and dots began to appear at various spots. Lily is alone in her dormitory. James noted that the dot labeled Lily was not moving at all. Maybe she's still asleep. James chuckled to himself. He fetched his invisibility cloak and left the dormitory. He, for one, did not need a wand with him at all times, unlike the other wizards.
James held a bagful of food in his hand and brought headed up the girls' dormitory in his invisibility cloak. Hmm.. Is there a password for the girls or something?? He thought as he tried to push open the door but to no avail. He took out his map and muttered the password underneath his breath. A speech bubble appeared at the dot labeled James Potter with a speech bubble saying 'Girls rule'.
"Mischief managed." The lines disappeared from the map and then he turned to the door and said the password. Luckily Stef told Remus and he updated it onto the map.
James crept silently into the girls' dormitory and headed towards Lily's bed. He had been inside the girls' dormitory many times enough to know which bed belonged to whom, and besides there's only one bed with the curtains drawn. Look so cute when she's asleep. So huggable looking. Ahh.. What am I thinking??
33333333333333333333
Ahh.. body aching. Lily tossed and turned around her bed for awhile before opening her eyes a little.
"Hmmmm.." She stretched herself on the bed and rubbed her eyes gently a little to adjust to the sunlight that shone through from the window. What time is it now?? She turned to take a look at her pink Baby-G watch on her bedside table. One p.m. "No wonder I'm so hungry." She said to no one in particular since no one else was in the dormitory besides her. At least that was what she thought.
After lazing around for what felt like ten minutes, she finally dragged herself out of the bed and headed towards the bathroom, grabbing her bath towel and some clothes along the way.
Finally she gets up. I'm about to doze off if she continues to sleep throughout the day. James fidgeted a little in his invisibility cloak. He had settled himself comfortably at a corner of the girls' dormitory. Afterall, he had come up for some afternoon entertainment. Ha.. Bathing time. Maybe I can try to peep. James tiptoed across the room floor and tried to push open the door but it refused to bulge. Why on earth did she lock the door when no one else is in the dorm with her?? He moved to the side of the bathroom door, just in case Lily might open the door and trip over him. If I have Moony's power, I probably will be teleporting myself to every bathroom now and then for some entertainment. Too bad Moony is such a 'decent' man.
From the side of the door, he could hear the faucet being turned on and Lily started to bathe. How I wish I could be inside to watch her shower. Ooo.. That's a luxury. James thought to himself dreamily and he was starting to feel horny.
Maybe I can do a body scrub today. Lily got her body scrub and started massaging it onto the body. It's such a treat to get the whole bathroom to myself for the entire afternoon. She turned on the faucet again to rinse off all the micro-particles. Maybe I can do a mask. Nah, it's not like there's a bathtub here or something. She rinsed off any leftover soap on her body and towel-dry herself.
After wrapping the yellow bath towel around her body, she head towards the basin to brush her teeth. Hmm.. So many pimples. Like any other girls, she definitely pampered herself well in the bathroom once in a blue moon. Unknown to her, there was a guy just outside the bathroom, in her dormitory having his imagination running wild.
Water on, water off. What could she be doing?? Next time I gotta get inside there to hide. Get to watch girls' bathing and doing whatsoever thing inside is really a great pleasure for my eyes. James thought as his imagination of Lily bathing flashed through his mind.
Done. Lily dried herself with a wand and then gave a final splash of warm water onto her face.
CcrrRaaaAcCcckKk!!
The bathroom door opened and Lily appeared looking totally refreshed. And fully clothed. To James' disappointment, there was no extra treat for his four eyes. Hmm.. Maybe she might un-strip now or something. James thought hopefully as he tried to move silently back to his original location, since there was practically no reason for any girls to be standing next to the door of the dormitory.
Where's my moisturizer?? Lily hunted her wardrobe for her body moisturizer, and then she decided to accio it to her instead.
"Accio moisturizer." The moisturizer in the glass container flew across the dormitory from Samantha's bedside table. Sam borrowed it again. Lily smiled at the thought and was not bothered by it. She began to apply it onto her arms and legs and the covered parts of her body.
Strip!! Strip!! Strip!! James was chanting mentally. He was watching intensely at the way Lily was applying the moisturizer over her hands first, and then she proceeded to her legs, pulling up her already short shorts even shorter, showing her panty slightly. Yellow. Nice colour. James was grinning idiotically underneath his invisibility cloak. For a moment he had actually forgot that he was supposed to be hiding. Well, his horniness had obviously taken control his brain. Pull higher!! Higher!! James was repeating mentally once again.
"Pull higher!! Higher!!" A soft male voice was chanting from a corner of the room.
Lily arched her brows to detect the source of voice. That voice sounds so strangely familiar. Someone is definitely in this room, and he, must be a guy, is invisible. Lily continued to pretend to apply her moisturizer, and acting as if she had not heard anything out of the ordinary. Who can be invisible and yet know the password this dorm?? The Marauders!! James!! Ok, where is he?? Lily turned slightly onto her bed and re-applied the moisturizer onto her hands as she tried to hear the voice.
Drats!! Don't turn around. James thought sulkily. He tried to bend forward to get a closer look, totally oblivious to the fact that he was hiding in his invisibility cloak.
Aha, now I know where you are. Lily was smirking inwardly. Look like you gave yourself away.
James' hands were now visible because of his movement. To Lily, it appeared to be two hands supporting some invisible weight on the floor, moving towards her bed.
She pretended to finish applying and then turned back to her wardrobe to keep her moisturizer. I'll get him back for doing this.
"My, my, my. I'm so hungry." She said loudly to no one in particular but she knew James had heard it.
Someone finally realized that she's hungry. Hmm, I got some sandwiches here. James suddenly remembered the sandwiches he brought up for Lily. Oh, I'm supposed to be invisible. He was trying to find an idea how he could appear without being realized that he had been inside the dormitory.
BbbbbaaAaaaMMmmm!!
"Wah!!" Lily turned around in shock. Her dormitory door banged opened but no one was there.
"Surprise!!" James said as he pulled off his invisibility cloak revealing himself and a bag of food.
"What a surprise!!" Lily arched her brows suspiciously but decided to play along first. "Why are you here?? And how did you know our password??"
"Remus told me the password, and of course from my map, I know you're still here. So I purposely went to the kitchens and brought you some sandwiches."
"Awww, isn't that sweet??" Lily said in a dramatic voice and grabbed the bag of food from James' hands. Might as well play along now. Get back at him next time. Hm.. The food better not be drugged. "Hey, you eat some too."
"Definitely, I'm hungry as well." James said as he helped himself to a chicken mayo sandwich.
"Looks good." Lily agreed. After making sure James ate more than half the sandwiches, she helped herself with one chicken mayo.
"So, why are you here on this beautiful Saturday afternoon??"