A/N: Thank you so much for your lovely reviews, I so enjoy reading them :)
Chapter Nine: I had found Girl Number Two
I hadn't let the boys cajole me in to talking to McDanger that very second. Instead, I waited until the next day when I knew I'd be able to find her when she wasn't stalking Remus. It just involved a minor lie that wasn't going to hurt anyone at all.
I took a deep breath before knocking on the door to the Potions classroom, shaking back my hair and flicking undone the top button of my shirt. Sluggy had never thought I was quite impressive enough for the Slug Club – even though Mafalda was in it and my Dad too, when he was at school. But Horace had occasionally let his eyes stray over me during Fifth Year Potions, in that very uncomfortable way which creepy teachers like him sometimes did. Why was it that the fanciable teachers never looked at you inappropriately? When Professor Prewett had first started, I'd left a couple of extra buttons undone on my top and he'd just nodded at me and said, "Miss Hopkirk, I believe you forgot to finish getting dressed this morning."
Sirius had laughed so hard he fell out of his chair.
Anyway, I knocked on the Potions classroom door and Professor Slughorn waved his wand so that it flung open and he gestured me inside. His eyes hovered momentarily on my chest region before he frowned and looked at my face.
"Oho! Miss Hopkirk, I haven't had the pleasure of seeing you since you dropped my subject!"
"Oh Professor," I giggled. "You know you don't let students who got an A at OWL into your NEWT class! I was dreadfully disappointed."
"Ah…yes. Let this be a lesson to you, Class! I won't accept any students who receive less than an Exceeds Expectations into NEWT Potions. No matter how charming they might be," Slughorn said, clearing his throat and looking towards his Fourth Year class.
I grinned at them and a couple of them rolled their eyes.
"Now Miss Hopkirk, how may I assist you?"
"Oh Sir, I just needed Sarah Hobbs? The Head Girl, my sister, wanted a word."
"Ah Mafalda – I just had her in here yesterday. Lovely lady, isn't she? She's already agreed to come to my party. Will you and Mr Black be in attendance? I do recall you two being quite close," he said, annoyingly ignoring my request and rambling about nothing.
"Ah yeah, we're practically joined at the hip," I said, fighting to not roll my eyes.
"Well do remind him that just because he no longer takes Potions, that gives him no excuse not to attend! I will be expecting him – after all Regulus is quite a regular," Slughorn said patting me on the shoulder.
"Yes Sir, I'll remind him," I said sighing and glancing at the class with an exasperated look. A few of them chuckled.
"So Sir, Sarah Hobbs?"
"Ah of course! Dear, why don't you go with Miss Hopkirk – your table partner can look after your Potion," he said nodding to Jenny, who was watching me suspiciously. Oh bugger, Peter was really getting the short end of the stick here.
McDanger looked confused and her eyes were narrowed with similar suspicion as she muttered something to Fringy and then walked slowly towards me.
"Oh don't worry yourself Hobbs! My sister is gentler than a banshee," I smiled.
"Miss Hopkirk! What a horrid way to describe your sister," Horace said, looking appalled. I grimaced and shook my head.
"It's a term of endearment in our family, Professor."
He still looked aghast, clutching his chest but nodded and allowed me to lead the way to the corridor with Sarah Hobbs following.
"Why does your sister want to talk to me?" McDanger asked when we came to a stop at the end of the corridor.
"Don't be dense Sarah – this has nothing to with my sister," I said in exasperation.
She raised her eyebrows. "Why are you even talking to me? You never have before."
I was surprised and then suddenly realized she was right. She'd been a fixture in my brain for almost two weeks but Peter never had introduced me to her. Good Godric, I'd never spoken to Fringy either and these two were my favourite crime-fighting duo!
"Ah yeah, well I wanted to speak to you about your relationship with Remus," I said.
Instantly, her eyes narrowed.
"What's that got to do with you?"
"What? Remus is my mate! And you're following him around like a sad puppy," I said shaking my head. "Listen, I understand – he's really the perfect bloke – but he's not interested and he's too polite to hurt your feelings anymore. So, it's really best if you just give up," I said giving her a friendly pat.
She didn't look happy. Actually she looked a bit scary as she glared back at me.
"It's none of your business!" she snapped.
"Of course it is! Sarah, he's tried to let you down gently – why don't you just hold your head up high and find another nice bloke to go out with? You're perfectly lovely and I think Bertram Aubrey fancies you," I lied blatantly. I knew this was getting a little out of hand, but I was feeling a little awkward under her furious glare.
"You just want to keep all those blokes to yourself!" she said angrily. "You've already got Sirius Black, why do you need Remus too, you tart?"
I was shocked and annoyed. Howdare she call me a names? I couldn't help it that I was friends with the Marauders – she didn't have to act so bloody jealous. I was trying to be nice!
"Look," I said, losing the kind tone I'd been using. "He's not a bad boy – he's not playing hard to get. He just doesn't fancy you. Have some self respect!"
And then, she hexed me!
She wasn't very good – I think she meant to give me the twitchy ears hex but only my left ear moved feebly for a moment before I raised my wand and sent the most disgusting curse at her I could think of. She let out a great cry and her face was covered in painful, throbbing green boils. How was that for dangerous?
"MISS HOPKIRK!"
Oh shit. Slughorn had burst from his classroom looking horrorstruck and was bumbling over to us like a crazed walrus. Promptly, he bent over Sarah but she shied away from him and burst into tears. I twirled my wand and frowned. I had probably overreacted. That hadn't been nice of me at all – but she'd said I was a tart and that wasn't exactly winning her any Nice Girl awards either.
"I am absolutely shocked at you, Miss Hopkirk! I knew Mafalda would never interrupt a student's education for a simple conversation. You are completely irresponsible and frankly, I'm disgusted! You will see Mr Filch for detention at eight o'clock tonight and I'll be having a word with Professor McGonagall and your sister about you! And don't think I won't write to Othello either!" he threatened.
Oh bloody hell – really – he was going to write to my father? Over a little boil hex? Some people were just completely unreasonable.
"Now get out of my sight! Come along dear, let's get you to the Hospital Wing," he said, putting an arm around Sarah and glaring as he pushed past me.
After heading back to Gryffindor Tower to sit in my dormitory and sulk for the remaining hour of my Free, I collected my bag and set off for Transfiguration feeling a little worried. Remus would not be happy about this. Now I'd probably have to wait until after Christmas to try to set him up with another girl and we'd hardly have any time left to get through the rest of the chart. I suppose I'd have to move Marlene up since she was a Seventh Year and was under time constraints. I got to Transfiguration early and sat at the desk I usually shared with a quiet Ravenclaw called Greta Catchlove. She gave me a polite nod and went back to reading her book, moving subtly away from me as I sighed and waited for my friends to enter the room.
Lily and Dorcas arrived first and Lily ignored me because she still hadn't forgiven me for my big mouth, and Dorcas just nodded because she wasn't a very friendly friend at all. I was beginning to feel a bit invisible when the Marauders burst into the room.
"Kate, you legend!" James laughed thumping me on the back.
"We've just seen Hobbs," Sirius grinned. "Excellent work."
Only Peter ignored me and headed off towards his table without a word – I suppose Fringy must have given him an earful. Oh well, better add him to the list of apologies I'd have to make. Remus didn't look as pleased as James or Sirius, but at least he didn't walk away.
"Was that really necessary Kate? Green boils? She yelled her head off at me," he said.
"You gave Sarah Hobbs green boils?" I heard Dorcas yell from behind me, but I was still wincing at Remus and couldn't deal with her wrath too.
"She had it coming – she called me a tart," I shrugged.
Sirius and James laughed and Sirius squeezed my shoulder.
"Oh lay off her, Moony – at least Kate's got Hobbs to leave you alone finally!" James grinned. "You'll even be able to watch the Quidditch without her skulking about trying to catch your eye."
Remus did look at bit relieved at that, but shook his head at me.
"You could have just spoken to her like you said you would."
"I did!" I retorted. "I started off very calm but then she started shrieking like a Crowing Codswallop and I couldn't deal with it."
James and Sirius chuckled and left us to it, heading over to their seats in the back still discussing the pure disgustingness of Sarah's face. Remus' mouth was twitching at the Crowing Codswallop joke and finally he sighed.
"Well, thanks anyway – even if it was horrible."
I grinned and he rolled his eyes and headed off to his seat. Greta Catchlove sniffed loudly and I saw that she'd shied away from me even more. Excellent – now I was scary on top of annoying. I'd really have to start on that apology list.
I went off to my detention that evening fully expecting for Filch to make my life utterly miserable. Minerva had already told me how disappointed in me she was, and Mafalda had pointedly ignored me when I tried to wave at her during dinner. To my shock, however, it was actually one of the easier detentions – only polishing the trophies. I suppose the only torture would be, having to see my friends' names on a gazillion of them. I had also expected to be alone because the teachers knew how much that drove me crazy, but to my relief Emmeline Vance was also in the trophy room when I arrived.
Filch gave us some horrible speech that I didn't take any notice of, and that Emmeline rolled her eyes at, before he confiscated our wands and left us to it promising to check on us every half an hour to make sure we weren't mucking about.
"H'lo Em," I said in a tired voice as I picked up the first shield.
Argh – 'James Potter certificate for distinction in OWL Transfiguration.'
"Hiya Kate," she replied as she started to polish a trophy. "What did you do then?"
"Hexed that Fourth Year twat, Sarah Hobbs," I muttered and she laughed.
"Oh – Scary Sarah? Well done," she said with an approving nod.
"And you?"
She rolled her eyes. "McGonagall heard me slagging off Lizzy Cole."
I didn't answer because even if I had just sort of slagged off Sarah Hobbs, as a general rule, I didn't much like gossiping behind other girls' backs. Unless they called me a tart – then they deserved worse.
"You don't like her either, right?" Emmeline said. "There was that Boggart."
I glanced at her and saw that she was grinning. "You were there too," I reminded her. "And I think that Boggart was confused to start with."
"Right…" she said. "Actually, I shouldn't really have been slagging her off in the first place – I'm just a bit jealous of her, I suppose. She took my place on the Quidditch team."
"I thought you quit."
"Yeah, but I didn't expect everyone to gush over her like this! I thought they'd miss me at least. I mean, I was pretty good," she said pouting.
I laughed and patted her on the back. "Don't worry – James was furious when you quit, he thought he'd never find anyone as good as you."
She looked doubtful but grinned as we picked up the Quidditch Cup and groaned at the dirt. It was filthy!
"D'you reckon Filch dirties them up before detentions? There's no way this could have happened on its own!" she said as we scrubbed at the dried mud.
"He definitely does," I agreed. "Ugh look, I think that's chewing gum. Not it!"
I touched my nose and she scowled at me, squealing as she scraped it off with her fingernails and then mimed puking into the cup.
I laughed at that and smiled. Emmeline was a laugh. I hadn't always gotten along with her because we had both, at one time or another, been girlfriends of Sirius. But we'd had a detention together last year as well, and had worked out our differences when she made a joke about how when Sirius tried to tickle you, he actually dug his fingers in so hard – it was more like knives stabbing you. Very unattractive.
She was actually a lot like me – but had a bit of a better filter than I did. Although, maybe instead of just letting words fly out of her mouth without thinking the way I did, she just talked behind people's backs instead. I suppose that wasn't wonderful – but no one was perfect. The only question was – was she right for Remus? What kind of things did she like besides Quidditch?
"So Emmeline, what's your favourite book?" I asked idly.
She raised her eyebrow at me and shrugged. "Witch Weekly?"
Bugger it all.
"Music?"
She was looking at me very oddly now but seemed to decide to go with it.
"I like Artemis Proctor, Jane Wolff. Oh Celestina, of course."
Puke. Come ON Emmeline – just give me something to work with!
"Why are you interrogating me anyway, Kate?"
I sighed and stopped polishing to lean back against the cabinet. She did the same, waiting for my confession.
"Not sure if you know…but I've been trying to set Remus Lupin up with some girls. And Sarah Hobbs was the first disaster – I need someone much better to introduce him to, or he'll give up on the plan altogether!"
Emmeline started to laugh and held her hand up when I threw her a look of confusion. She doubled over and giggled for another minute or so before I flicked a bit of polish at her and she regained her wits.
"Sorry, but Sarah and Remus seem like a total mismatch," she grinned. "I mean, I was surprised when I noticed she was following him everywhere, but now I know it was a set up – it's even worse!" She went off into gales of laughter again and I couldn't help but crack a smile of my own.
"Well it was Peter's suggestion. You're mine."
She stopped laughing and raised her eyebrows. "You want me to go out with Remus?"
"Sure, why not?"
She shrugged and bit her lip, all traces of humour gone from her face now.
"I mean, you two have had conversations before. I noticed that you were talking a lot at the beginning of the year – what was that about?" I asked.
"Oh – he saw me at a Werewolf Rights rally over the summer and we were talking about that. We've got similar views on the topic."
Werewolf Rights? That was random. I mean it was a noble cause of course, and I'd never, myself, understood the prejudice against werewolves who hadn't hurt anyone – but I had no clue that Remus and Emmeline were such fervent advocates for their rights.
"We both know people who were bitten," she explained. "And we both know it wasn't their fault. Although, Remus seems to think they still ought to be controlled carefully during Full Moons – I didn't particularly agree with that view. I reckon if they're good people, they already do it themselves."
I nodded in agreement even though we were really getting off topic. But this was excellent – she and Remus did have things in common and they'd already been able to debate and enjoy each other's company. Emmeline was perfect!
"But Kate, I don't think me and Remus would work," she said, biting her lip again.
"Why not? Obviously you two get along and have interesting conversations already! Don't you find him attractive?"
She shook her head. "Of course I do! He's handsome but he's also quite funny and gentle. He's a brilliant bloke."
I elbowed her and picked up another trophy polishing it with a little glee. I had found Girl Number Two and this time I was sure it would stick!
"But Kate…what about Sirius?"
I stopped polishing and looked up a little dangerously. "What about him?"
She raised both hands and shook her head frantically. "No, no…not like that. I just mean, well – I used to go out with him. I'm sure they've got a Marauder code or something concerning ex-girlfriends."
I chuckled at that and handed her another shield. "Sirius won't care. You know him – he can hardly get his head out of his arse long enough to remember he has a girlfriend half of the time."
She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that's true."
"So…would you go out with him? Remus, I mean?" I asked, carefully and crossing my fingers behind my back. Please say yes. Please.
"Yes. If he asked me out, I think I would."
Bollocks. No. No.
"Erm…see the problem is," I said tucking a piece of hair behind my ear and wincing as I got polish in it. "He's so shy."
She laughed and nodded. "Yeah…so, what? Are you suggesting that I ask him out?"
"Well not if you don't want to. But if you could make the first move…it would wildly improve my chances of success!" I pleaded, smiling and showing all of my teeth.
She studied my face for a moment and then shrugged. "Sure – maybe at the Quidditch after-party, I'll have a go at flirting with him."
I clapped my hands and threw my arms around her, laughing at she patted me on the back.
"Oi! What d'you call this? Get back ter work!" Filch yelled.
I was in high spirits after detention and so, I decided it was time to plead with Lily and beg her to forgive me. Oh, and Peter and maybe McDanger…but probably not. When I got to the Common Room, I waved goodbye to Emmeline and headed straight to Lily and Dorcas. They were sitting at the desks by the windows doing – two guess what – homework. I glanced at the sofas where the Marauders were playing Snap and held back a sigh. Without a word, I silently got out my Herbology homework and sat down at the desk with my girlfriends.
Dorcas looked up but Lily determinedly kept her eyes on her parchment. I noticed that she was pressing down quite hard on the page and the nib of her quill looked stretched to the breaking point.
"Um, Lily?" I said timidly.
She said nothing.
"Please forgive me! I am so sorry that I embarrassed you on Halloween. And I didn't mean to blab it all out to James – it was very rude and selfish of me," I said, peeking carefully at her whilst keeping my head ducked respectfully.
She stopped trying to break her quill and sighed, looking at me.
"Stop bowing like that – you look ridiculous."
I held back a smile and nodded meekly, sitting up straight.
"Kate – you need to start thinking before you speak! I mean, I don't care if Potter was upset, but what if I'd wanted to keep Archie and me low key for a while, didn't it occur to you?"
I nodded. "I'm so sorry."
She exhaled and leaned back in her chair, chewing on her cheek before finally she nodded.
"I forgive you."
"I'll never do it again!" I promised.
Dorcas scoffed. "Yeah, right."
I threw her a look but she stared back evenly.
"How was Charms Club then?" I asked Lily, and frowned when her face fell.
"Flitwick shut it down," she explained. "One of the First Years knocked another out with a flying desk when he was trying the Levitation spell."
"So Flitwick reckons it's too dangerous to continue," Dorcas said.
JOY!
"That's awful," I said squeezing Lily's hand. "Poor you."
"What about me?" Dorcas snapped.
I blinked at her. "Dorcas, who was supervising the spell?"
She looked surprised and bit her lip. "Me."
"You see? You just have awful luck with levitation. Don't worry though, you're quite a good student most of the time," I said, patting her hand.
"I got 8 O's for OWLs, Kate!" she snapped.
"Okay, okay," I sighed. "Stop showing off."
"Did you apologize to Potter?" Lily asked. "I've noticed he's not angry with you anymore."
"Nah, but he can barely hold a grudge," I shrugged, looking over to where he had won the Snap round and was now laughing at Sirius' ashen face.
"Really?" she said. "He hasn't spoken to me since Wednesday."
"Hmm…" I replied, watching Peter as he looked at his friends' game with a sad and depressed expression on his face. "I'll ask him why. And I've got to apologize to Peter. Ugh this is exhausting."
"Well, maybe if you weren't such a mug all the time, you wouldn't have to make apology rounds constantly," Dorcas suggested.
"Oh mug-off Dorcas," I said as I went to join the Marauders.
"All right Legend?" James said as I settled on the armrest of Peter's chair.
"Don't encourage her," said Remus, smiling when I glared at him.
"Pete," I said, batting my eyelashes at the poor bloke.
"Go away Kate."
"Peter please! I'm so sorry about hexing McDanger and I'm sorry that Fringy is mad at you too…but none of that is your fault! I take full responsibility."
"Tell her that!" he snapped glancing over at Jenny. She was fussing over Sarah, who was wearing a full head bandage. I coughed to cover up the bubble of laughter brewing.
"Of course I will Peter, don't worry I'll sort it out," I said, patting his arm.
"On second thought," Peter said, looking alarmed. "Forget it."
"Yeah Kate, maybe you ought to pack in the problem solving for a bit," Sirius said yawning.
"What are you saying?" I asked in disbelief.
"That you should hang up your Nosy Badge for a day," Remus explained, laughing with Sirius and James.
"Nosy!" I said. "Oh, speaking of – James, why are you still mad at Lily?"
He frowned. "Why did you say 'speaking of' when you mentioned being nosy?"
Sirius chuckled. "You don't think it's because of that snout on your face, do you?"
James clutched in nose in alarm and looked at me in shock. "Kate!"
"I didn't say it! Now – tell me, about Lily–"
The boys exchanged the infamous silent conversation and before I could imagine what they were saying to each other, they all yelled in unison.
"GO AWAY, KATE!"
A/N: Kate's moving the plan along! Next chapter will be the Quidditch match and the subsequent party. Thanks for reading - hope you enjoyed.