A/N: It may seem a bit fluffy, but trust me, everything mentioned in this chapter is important. (Well, not everything...)
A/N: Here you meet Lily's friends and the portrait guarding the Head's Quarters. Yes, I know, some people don't like the fact that the two Head's are sharing a common room. They have separate bedrooms, OK? XD
A/N: Heh. Anyway, this is an 'in-progress' chapter. It might undergo major changes, it might not. And shoutout to all my alerters, favouriter's, reviewers: Thanks so much! I honestly thought that I'd wait a milenium for just one review, or alerter, or even a 'Hi!'. But, when I woke up the day after I put this story on I found people liked my story :):):) THANK YOU! Yeah, I know, I sound mushy and whatever.
Lily walked through the halls, feeling as though she was a ghost.
One Prefect meeting had passed since KayCee dropped the bomb, and Lily couldn't even glance at those seated in the Ravenclaw section.
Lily couldn't concentrate on her work, as she was wondering if KayCee's betrothed (James) or her ex (Sean) knew about the child.
Lily went to the library with KayCee, researching homework, baby care, and Wizarding Betrothals.
"It says here that Wizarding Betrothals are chosen by the parents of the boy and girl. If there are many betrothals for the girl in question, there will be a 'friendly' duel between the boys'. Whoever wins... Well that's obvious!" Lily slammed down the promising book in frustration.
KayCee couldn't hide her impish grin.
"You do realise that you could easily ask me about Wizarding Betrothals," her eyes danced in the candle light and Lily rolled her eyes.
"Well, OK, so can you get out of Betrothals?" she asked, sitting across from her friend. KayCee took a deep breath and checked her nails for dirt from Herbology. Lily was growing impatient and KayCee knew it. KayCee looked up and met Lily's eyes.
"Yes, you can... but, I can't. Not now that I have..." KayCee patted her stomach. It was just starting to bulge, but it wasn't very noticeable.
"You can, I know it! They can't let you just run off and marry someone with someone else's child!" hissed Lily, bending low so that a group of fifth-year Hufflepuff's wouldn't hear.
KayCee sighed.
"Well, there is a way... but then I have to marry the kid's dad and there's no divorce. And the way to do that... it's a very ruthless ritual. The child could die," KayCee ran her hand through her long black locks nervously. Lily knew what her friend was getting at, and Lily didn't like it either. KayCee was always one for certain, never maybe or ifs. What if that Ravenclaw never wanted her in the first place? But then, James would have to marry her and raise a kid that wasn't his own. It would be cruel to all those involved.
Then, if she did the ritual and the child died, then there would've been no point in all this mess anyway.
Lily bit her lip, feeling sorry for KayCee. She somewhat knew what her best friend was going through, but didn't. After all, Lily was not a mother-to-be or a bride-to-be anytime soon. Then there was the whole father of the kid issue.
Lily was amazed at her friend's strength. If Lily was in her shoes, she'd probably break down crying everywhere.
Sighing, KayCee put her book down.
"Lils, I'm getting sick of the library."
Lily flinched as though personally wounded. But, she consented and the two headed down to lunch. A memory flitted through Lily's mind eye and she gasped.
"Are you absolutely positive that the – " Lily glanced around as they passed the Transfiguration classroom, "baby's dad is Sean Argent?"
KayCee looked at her friend, confused.
"Are you saying I'm promiscuous?"
"No, no, I'm just saying if you're absolutely positive. I mean, there was that party for the seniors a while back... are you sure you didn't have too much Firewiskey, because I remember you stumbling into my dorm with only a bra, underwear and a random cow-girl's hat," Lily whispered quickly. She never told KayCee this, because she felt that if KayCee knew, she would've brought it up the morning after.
Looking scandalized, KayCee pulled Lily's arm so that she would stop.
"And when did you plan on telling me this?" she hissed angrily as a blonde, distant-looking Ravenclaw girl skipped past. (A/N Heh, now you've met Luna Lovegood's mom!)
"It never came up," said Lily, shrugging noncommittally.
"Of course it never came up, I was wasted!" And with that, KayCee whirled around angrily and stomped off.
Needless to say, Lily was still keeping tabs on James, yet nothing seemed out of place. She felt her interest slipping away as she concentrated on finding her missing sock, homework, KayCee's predicament and her Head's Duties.
For some reason, the missing sock held an unknown significance to Lily. She had a feeling that something big was brewing under everyone's noses. Lily also had a feeling that James'... behaviour on that Sunday night, KayCee's drama and Lily's missing sock was all connected somehow.
Then, Lily snorted. Of course! James probably woke up after getting an owl telling him he was to marry KayCee and in a hurry to get it, he hit his knee. And the sock was just floating around somewhere, probably by Peeve's doing.
Well, that was the theory anyway.
James had given a noticeably wide berth between Lily and himself because she hung out with his betrothed, Bridget Jones and Lionel Case. For some deranged reason, she was all for believing that James felt uncomfortable being in the same room with his betrothed's friends, and of course, his betrothed.
Of course, it was equally likely that Lily was wrong.
As she was jostled by the crowd hurrying to dinner, she found a familiar mop of brown hair in front of her.
"Hey, Lionel," Lily said, grabbing his arm unexpectedly. He swung around, a wild look in his gray eyes, and his wand pointing at Lily's heart. When he realised that he was about to curse his friend, he gave a deep chuckle and stowed his wand in his robe pocket.
"Merlin, Lils, we're in the middle of a war. You know better. You can't just randomly grab someone, because chances are they'd deck you," said Lionel, shaking his head at his friend's foolishness.
"Anyway, what's on the grapevine?" asked Lily. That, despite many accusations, meant 'Hey, dude, what the hell's going on with our other deranged friends?'.
"I heard that Bridget was going to get pulled out of Hogwarts," he whispered to Lily.
"What?"
"That's what I heard from her brother, but you know how he is. He's just confused and making crazy lies since their parents died. No doubt he's still traumatized from the whole ordeal," and Lily nodded her consent.
"Yeah, well, he told me that his Grandma and Grandpa didn't approve whole heartedly of magic and almost pulled them out of Hogwarts. What can you do, eh?" Lionel looked into the distance, his eyes fogging over.
"And, I heard, that KayCee got herself a Prefect Ravenclaw, an Adonis looking guy I hear, then suddenly, she broke it off with him. Heard the whole breakup whilst walking with Bridget to Charms," Lionel said, his head still turned away from Lily, but she could hear the badly suppressed glee in his voice. Lily almost told him about the betrothal right then and there, but she didn't want to crush the poor guy. Not now.
"So, what'd you hear?" he asked, turning back to his red-headed friend.
"Oh, nothing," Lily said, her voice unnaturally high. Lionel cocked an eyebrow disbelievingly, and Lily sighed in defeat.
"You might want to sit down for this..."
Lily slipped into the vacant space beside KayCee, who was looking abnormally sad.
"Hey," KayCee said softly.
"Hi. Want some Mashy P's?" asked Lily, using the group's term for mashed potatoes. Lionel glanced at Lily, then KayCee, and looked back down at his plate.
"Did you tell anyone?" asked KayCee, her voice hardening.
"Only Bridget and Lionel. Why?"
KayCee relaxed. All day she had been expecting, for no reason at all, for some guy yelling, "THAT GIRL'S PREGGERS!" whilst pointing at her. KayCee knew that she was being paranoid, but still she thought it got out somehow.
KayCee smiled and took a very large helping of 'Mashy P's' and roast chicken, peas, corn and carrots. Then, she poured half of the gravy over the lot.
"Er..." was all Bridget had to say as KayCee dug into it.
As if in a trance, Lionel kept staring at the girl before him, eating as if it was her last meal.
He pulled at his light brown hair all through the meal, distracting Bridget so much so that she slammed her spoon down.
"What is your problem?" she almost yelled at Lionel.
"Huh?" asked Lionel, pulling at his hair again.
Bridget reached over and pulled out a few strands of his hair.
"There, was that what you were trying to achieve?" she asked angrily.
"What is your problem?" asked Lionel, bewildered, as he felt the spot where some strands of his hair had been prior to Bridget's hair pulling.
Bridget tossed her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder and refused to look at him.
Lionel sent a confused glance at Lily and KayCee who mouthed, "Girl things," and Lionel nodded, going back to his peas.
Lily felt for Lionel. He chose to hang around the Gryffindor girls who's time of the month had crazy mood swings, and then they had even crazier mood swings outside of that time of the month. Sometimes Lily wondered if Lionel wished that he had some guy friends in their small group.
The rest of the dinner passed without incident. As they were walking passed the bathrooms, Bridget dashed off.
"Hey, Lils, could I stay over tonight?" asked KayCee. Lily nodded and KayCee grinned. Lionel fidgeted, and Lily smiled and nodded to him too, and he also grinned. (A/N: I know what you're thinking, that having a random guy in the Head's common room is weird, but whatever. They trust each other.)
"What about Bridget?" asked Lily.
"She'll know where we are," replied KayCee. They walked in companionable silence and when they reached the Head's Quarters, they were met with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew pacing outside the portrait.
"Hey guys," KayCee said, smiling. Lionel nodded in acknowledgement. Lily however just stood there, arms folded.
While Bridget, KayCee and Lionel got on fairly well with the Marauders, Lily point blank refused to cooperate with them, except for Remus.
"Remus, what's wrong?" Lily asked, turning to the Werewolf Marauder. Yup, that's right, she knew.
"It seems that we are locked out," came the weary reply. It was three days before the full moon and it was definitely taking its toll on the sandy haired guy.
Lily frowned.
"Blank! Blank! Where the hell is that stupid man?" asked Lily irritably. Blank, the man who was supposed to be in the portrait that guarded the Head's Quarters, was missing.
"We sent Mary the Shepherdess to look for him a while back, but she hasn't come back yet," explained Remus. They all glanced at each other and sat down outside, waiting for either Blank or Mary, or both.
Half an hour later, panting met their ears and they turned to a dishevelled Bridget.
She smiled brilliantly at them all and when Lily gave her a look that asked 'business taken care of?', and Bridget nodded.
Bridget flipped her silvery-blond hair and stretched her legs before sitting beside Lionel and mumbling an apology.
It was an interesting bunch. Remus, the werewolf, Sirius and Peter, the illegal Animaguses (although none except for the Marauders knew that), Bridget, the adopted Veela, KayCee, the pregnant Irish girl, Lily, the Muggleborn, and Lionel, the guy crushing hard on the Irish girl.
Sirius bobbed his head to an imaginary tune, Peter picked at his robes, Remus pulled out a pocket book and started to read, Lily plaited Bridget's hair, KayCee kept feeling the bulge hidden under her robes, Lionel stared at KayCee and blushed when someone caught him, and Bridget was humming tunelessly.
"Aye, you lonely kids, you missed me?" asked a voice above all of their heads.
"Blank!" growled Lily dangerously.
"'E was mighty hard to find," curtseyed Mary before she stepped into her portrait next to Blank's.
"Thank you, Mary!" chorused everyone except the glowering Head Girl.
Blank held his arms up in defence and it was then she noticed his flannel shirt and loose trousers were torn. She softened, and asked Blank what happened.
"Well," he started with relish, "I was snoozing in me frame when this rabid dog came up behind me, growling. 'Course, I ran for it, but the mangy beast tore me shirt and pants. So there I was, mooning the monks at their fancy dinner table 'cause the dog wouldn't let go of me trousers! I dragged 'im along 'till he smelt the steak and he started chewin' on it, while the monks did all their chanting or whatever. I ran and kept running 'till I couldn't run no more. Then, Mary shows up and walks me back here and that stupid dog's gone too. Dunno where it went," Blank scratched his head and sat on his hammock that was painted behind him.
"So," Lionel clasped his hands together, "Scenery."
Blank bowed and the portrait opened and everyone tumbled in, bagged several spots and slept until dawn broke.