As It Was and You Were

Chapter Eighteen

Combat

The next day, the notices about the Christmas Eve Ball had gone up overnight. Students gathered in small groups around the noticeboards, multitudes of girls squealing over who was taking who, travelling in packs, giggling when they made the slightest eye contact with a member of the opposite sex. Quite pathetic really. A few of the cynics in the school, scoffed at the antics of the population, and went about their business.

Lily however seemed rather unperturbed at the announcement, merely smiling and shaking her head. Sirius had asked Cordelia to be his partner in a matter of minutes, after breakfast. Walking to Transfiguration, the exchange went a little bit like this:

"Cordelia," he nodded, hands in his pockets "Nice out isn't it?"

"Quite nice. How are you Sirius?" she smiled at him.

"Very good, you?"

"Much the same,"

"Well. I was hoping you would accompany me to the Christmas Eve Ball, that is, if you were staying for the break," they paused walking.

"Turns out I am. I accept," she walked off, a smile on her face.

"Thankyou," Sirius remained standing. As soon as she had left his sight he punched the air. He let out some whoops and ran at the wall and did a back flip off it, accidentally hitting a fourth year Ravenclaw in the head with his foot.

Turns out the exchange went exactly like that. It really did. It's amazing isn't it? Sirius said thankyou. Wow.

Cordelia arrived at Transfiguration in a flutter. She sat down next to Lily.

"Sirius just asked me to the ball," she opened her book, feigning calm.

"He has? Already?" she was shocked.

"Yes. Rather quick in action isn't he?"

"Surprisingly. What did he do? Confetti? Dancing elves? Walking around on an extra set of legs?"

"He can do that?"

"Oh yeah. Fifth year, he was really tired of walking from class to class so he added another set of legs to walk on. They ended up being a pair of stork's legs and Binns gave him detention for improper use of a wand," Lily slammed a heavy text book on her desk, causing the entire class to overturn their chairs in fright.

"No I meant confetti. You're allowed confetti?"

"Well, it used to be banned but years and years ago some mad student campaigned for the use of confetti in courtship and he won. I don't who it was but their initials were A.P.W.B.D. Bit long,"

"Definitely," The girls could talk no longer for the teacher had just walked in demanding silence.

--

It was during lunch break three days later, that Remus Lupin gathered some Gryffindor courage to ask Claire to be his partner for the Ball. If you were sitting in the Hall, eating your mashed banana, hot potato, fruit salad and cold spaghetti. Whilst glancing around in between bites you would have seen a pair of arms push Remus into the doorway, him protest then catch a glance of Claire, square his shoulders, breathe in deep and walk toward her.

What happens next you would not be able to hear because you're sitting at the Ravenclaw table, down the other end, so all of a sudden you become one of the Gryffindors and are sitting within metres of the conversation. You can hear now.

"Um… C-Claire? Could-could I have a word with you please?"

"Alright," she smiles at Cordelia; Lily is nowhere to be seen. More of that later. They walk out of the room.

"Bugger," you hiss under your breath. They're moving, so you follow them and strategically place yourself behind a column.

"What do you want?"

"I was um… wondering if you were staying for the holidays?"

"Yes I am. Regrettably,"

"In that c-case, would you be interested in um… accompanying me to the B-Ball?" he seemed relieved that he finally said it.

Claire's cheeks flushed slightly. "Yes. I'd like that,"

"Brilliant," he smiles and chuckles slightly. "I'll see you later. I have to work," he waves goodbye. Claire waves back and her grin gets visibly wider and she skips, that's right, skips, back to her seat.

"Ahh….. young love," you sigh. You think about all the love that's in the world. All the flowers and the chocolate. Wait… you're missing something. You don't have any of the love. Where is the love? You begin to cry. There is no love for you.

--

Lily was sitting in the library at one of the larger tables, books spread around her, inked quills, torn parchment and used empty ink bottles littered the table. If anyone so much as shifted a piece of parchment to make room for their book, she looked over at them and growled, teeth bared. After that display of complete oddity, the disturber walked away quickly.

Lily continued her working writing down near to one and a half feet of parchment of notes from the chapter. Not finding it useful anymore she returned the book to the shelves. She had been neglecting her work lately and it had begun to pile up. She thought she may as well do it all in one go.

She perused the shelves looking for the spot the book had been taken from when through a gap in the books she saw a pair of eyes and glasses staring at her. Realising it was James she huffed angrily and put the book back in the gap.

"So you're still angry at me?" The voice came from the other side of the shelf.

"Yes," she replied to it.

"What exactly did I do?" It travelled down the shelves and James appeared at the end of the row Lily was in.

"You existed," she said simply and walked away, grabbing a nearby book and consulting its pages.

"Your face existed," grumbled James he turned and went out to the tables sitting a distance away from Lily, he pretended he was working when really he was just seething about how utterly ridiculous women were. Which they are. Just ask me.

Watching her and also glancing around the room he saw Madam Pince abusing two fourth years who had dropped some books on the floor, a second year who was sneaking Honeyduke's Finest into his mouth every now and then and a group of third year girls who were all clustered together and giggling, looking over at Michael Richardson and giggling even more when he looked around for the noise that seemed to be following him everywhere.

He lifted a stack of books off the table and took them to the borrowing desk. The girls giggled even more as he strained to lift the pile. Madam Pince was now hexing the two fourth years who had clumsily gathered the books, dropped them again and now possessed a pair of elephant ears. She wasn't about to get to the desk anytime soon.

He turned around, leaning against the desk, glancing about the room. He caught James glaring at him and James looked away to where Lily was situated. Michael followed his line of sight and turned around to the desk quickly and appeared to be muttering to himself, his cheeks flushing red. James snorted disbelievingly.

"Those two?" he asked aloud.

Madam Pince had attended the desk and was now filling out some parchment and the back of the books. He spoke to her quickly and she nodded walking away. He returned to his table to retrieve his belongings.

Seeing the back of Lily he walked hesitantly toward her faltering after a few steps and turning away, shaking his head. He turned back and seemed torn, teetering on his feet. He finally walked forward slowly and rested a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly so she could see him out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh. Michael? What are you doing here?"

"Well I... I.."

Oh no he is not going to do that. A look of incensed comprehension dawned on James' face.

Well yet another chapter. I am currently working on the wording for the next part of the conversation. Unfortunately I was in a bit of a serious mood when I wrote this so... not so many laughs as I would like. But its just... too sweet. Reviews please. I'm in the mood for constructive criticism. Cheerio.