Chapter 5: Intervention
Thursday, September 9, 1977

I was staring into my oatmeal, pushing the berries I threw in around with my spoon.

Two more days.

And I almost kissed James last night.

It's all I can think about. I even dreamed about him and I being all romantic and cute together. And a lot of snogging. And shagging.

So much for distractions, right?

Curse these teenage hormones.

James was still asleep when I came down for breakfast. I would have woken him up but ever since Petunia gave me a black eye out of a jerk reflex from me waking her up one Christmas I have given up the habit.

"Ugh, I don't want to go to History," Emmeline whined next to me. "It's going to bore me to death."

"Then you can keep Binns company for all eternity, seeing how he died in there, too," Dorcas teased. Emmeline threw a muffin at her.

"Hey! That's a waste of a perfectly good muffin!" Marlene exclaimed, watching the apple and bran goodness sail between her and Dorcas and land on he floor behind them. She looked around. "Where are the guys?"

"I thought it was a bit quieter than normal," Dorcas mused.

"I know James was still sleeping when I came down. It's still a little early, so maybe they're all still sleeping?"

As if we summoned them, my suggestion was immediately shot down when we saw the four waltz through the giant doors.

"Speak of the Devil..." Emmeline joked.

"...and the Devil appears," Dorcas finished.

"Along with his Minions of Mischief," Marlene added with a smirk.

"Which is which?" Emmeline asked her.

"Depends on the day," I answered for her. "I think they rotate out the honor."

We were all laughing when they walked up to us. "What's so funny?" Sirius asked through a yawn.

"You wouldn't understand, Black," Dorcas told him, "especially this early in the morning."

"Can't argue that," he said as they sat next to us.

James sat on my left. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Bad experiences waking people up in the morning. Sister slugged me once a few Christmases back. After having about two hundred photos of proof of the nasty black eye documenting the experience, you tend to have a constant reminder why you shouldn't do that unless specifically asked."

"Ouch. I promise, if you woke me up, I won't hit you," he said.

I smiled at him. "I'll remember that if I ever think you're going to be late for class."

"I had a giant lump on my head one Christmas. Brother gave it to me. Hit me with something, I don't remember what. I'm hiding right off the frame in all the photos," Sirius stated.

"That's just it. These are two hundred Muggle photos. Frozen in time so everyone can see my shiner." I mimed punching myself in the eye.

"Wow, Muggle photos are boring," he added.

Emmeline looked at me playing with my berries still and leaned over, "You really need to try and eat that, or you won't make it through Binn's latest torture session."

I sighed. She was right. Time to eat before entering one of the Seven Circles of Hell.

We couldn't use the notebook in History to keep us sane since we were doing a review quiz that he claimed he "didn't want to do first day of class." Felt silly doing a review of what we learned sixth year three classes in. Then in Charms we took turns casting Confringo at torches (while Flitwick cast Aguamenti at the objects that were unfortunate innocent bystanders for some students). At least Charms was amusing with the random objects catching on fire (who knew clean stone was flammable?).

Now Marlene, Dorcas, and I were in Divination, analyzing each others dreams.

Well, we're supposed to be analyzing each others dreams. Instead we're laughing at our phony dream diaries and talking about my date on Saturday.

"Marles, you seriously wrote that you were flying on a neon pink polar bear through Easter Island and painted glasses and mustaches on all the statues? Mims is just going to think you're mad," Dorcas said, thumbing through Marlene's diary.

"We're still supposed to analyze these, real or not. Give us something we can work with!" I exclaimed, flipping through my Seeing Beyond the Visual Truths text. "There isn't anything in here about polar bears, let alone neon pink ones."

"We'll make something up or say that I need to stop having cinnamon cocoa before bed. Right now I have a question for you." She turned to me to continue, "It's about Saturday."

"What?" I looked up at her from the tome. What about Saturday would be important to her?

"What are you going to wear?" she asked, a serious look on her face.

"I haven't thought about it?"

"Are you really asking a question?"

"I really haven't thought about it," I honestly answered, looking back at the book. "Let's say Marles is feeling defiant against Slughorn, hence the drawing on old faces. Leave the pink polar bear as a side effect of a Laughing Potion overdose."

"Don't change the subject. It's important we figure this out now," Marlene stated seriously.

"We?" I raised my eyebrow at her. "It's my date, so no 'we' involved. Plus, I'm not changing the subject. I'm multitasking," I said in all honesty.

"It needs to be 'we' because we know you well enough that either you'll wear jeans and a baggy shirt or be freaking out on Saturday morning because you didn't figure it out sooner."

"You do wait until the last minute and then freak out, Lils," Dorcas added.

"Don't encourage her," I told her. Sighing I continued, "I have that emerald green paisley floral sundress. How's that?"

"Ooh, I've always loved that dress on you!" Dorcas said as she scribbled my answer to Marlene's dream on our group's parchment. "Emmeline has a cute hip-length, tan, moleskin jacket. I can see if she'd lend that to the cause. You may need a light jacket."

"I like the way you think!" Marlene stated, grabbing my dream diary. "What about shoes?"

"I have loafers I like to wear with it," I said.

"No, I have tan boots that would match the coat," Dorcas said. "They're really comfy, go to the knee, and don't have much of a heel so you won't kill yourself or your feet on the way to Hogsmeade."

"Lils, what's an 'airplane' and why are you upside-down in on in your fake dream?" Marlene asked.

"It's a form of Muggle transportation. Flying. Has seats like a car with seat belts."

"Ah, okay, let's say you're scared that you'll have to go back to a Muggle life after Hogwarts because you know you won't fit in anymore and nothing will be how you remember it," Marlene suggested. I nodded, and Dorcas documented.

"Wear your golden hoop earrings. You know, the ones I got you for Christmas last year," Dorcas said, without looking up from the paper. "And that green knit hat Em gave you. I think it's a similar enough shade of green."

"And leave your hair loose," Marlene added, reaching for Dorcas's dream diary this time. "I remember James mentioning it once that he wished you wore your hair down more often. You tend to keep it up a lot."

"Because it's long and I don't want it in the way of my schoolwork," I said defensively. I played with my red braid. Even braided it went well below my shoulder blades.

"Well, just wear it down, okay? You'll have the cap on and no classwork," Marlene flipped through Dorcas's diary, finally finding last night's entry. "Yours is easy. 'I dreamt that I kept losing at dueling. I felt to the floor and couldn't move. That's when I woke up.' You eloquent writing ability aside, this could just be that you're scared of failing and defeat in life and school."

Dorcas scribbled away. "That's it! Finished the assignment and designed Lil's ensemble for Saturday. Productive class!"

I smiled at her comment. I must admit it felt good having their help, too. "Definitely one less thing for me to think about," I said. "Do you guys want to head to the library? I want to go over our Defense homework before tomorrow and finish that blasted Potions reaction paper."

"Sounds good," Marlene said. "I think I remember Em saying something about heading over there after Muggle Studies. We can get our group translations finished for Runes, too."

"It's so cool that we get to be in groups and do a story from The Tales of Beedle the Bard. I loved those stories growing up," Dorcas sighed as we gathered our belongings. "And we got a good one, too!"

"I know! I love the story of the three brothers!" Marlene added.

I just stood there. They'll find out eventually that I have no idea what they're talking about.

We were finishing up our Potions reaction papers for the Laughing Potion when Emmeline came in.

"Good timing," I told her as she sat down. "We just finished up fluffing our Potions reaction papers. How was Muggle Studies?"

"We covered Muggle sports. I got bored, actually. Sure, I love Quidditch and sports in general but when you have a bunch of quays starting to posture over sports, you get bored," she admitted. "Regardless, I come ready for some translations. I need stimulation before I slip into a boredom-and-testosterone-enduced coma." She flopped into the fourth chair at the table. She turned to me, "James told me to let you know they took over the common room. Doing what, I don't know. Nor do I think I want to."

"Honestly, I don't know nor care to know, either," I said through a laugh. "So, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, huh?" I opened my text to "The Tale of Three Brothers."

"This should be simple, since we all know where to head with this. Just a matter of getting the words right," Dorcas said with a little more enthusiasm than I expected. The girls nodded in agreement.

I slumped in my chair a bit. It didn't go unnoticed.

"You don't know 'The Tale of Three Brothers,' Lils? Are you serious?" Marlene asked, her voice a blend of shock and concern.

My childhood wasn't that bad. Sheesh.

I pointed to myself and said, "Muggle-born, remember? I grew up with Mother Goose, Peter Rabbit, and Winnie the Pooh and things."

"Who and what?" Emmeline asked.

"My point exactly," I said. "Just bare with me, okay? I'm the strongest in Runes translations, anyway, so it shouldn't be too hard."

We started translating, and it was a cool story. Teaches about selfishness and moving on after grief and all that. We got as far as the brothers receiving their gifts from Death when we realized that we didn't have much time until dinner was over.

As usual, our stomachs overthrew schoolwork. We made it to the Great Hall in record time and sat with the boys.

I leaned in closer to James while grabbing some roast beef and potatoes. "Common room still in one piece?" I asked.

"Yes, I was just helping the guys with their Arithmancy homework," he replied.

"I never want to see another number ever again," Peter said from across the table.

"Yeah, it's going to be a rough term," Remus said. "Usually I'm quite good with the work. This was tougher than usual, which is why we needed the extra head," he said, pointing at James with his fork of vegetables. "He's a natural because of all the Quidditch plays and stats."

James shrugged and continued eating his Shepherd's Pie. "You guys have been working on Runes for a while. Hard one?"

"Not really. It's 'The Tale of Three Brothers.' It's only taking a while because we have to get everything perfect because it's such a common story. Except for Muggle-borns like me. I'm learning a new story as we translate. We got to the gifts before we noticed the time."

"That's a good one!" Sirius commented. "Can't believe you haven't heard of them."

"It's not common to read wizard stories to Muggle children," I chuckled. "Sometimes I wish I had an Invisibility Cloak. How nice would that be..." I started daydreaming. James choked a little on his pie. "You okay?" I asked him, patting his back.

"Yeah, just fine," he replied. "Went down wrong, is all." He smiled at me, but it wasn't the same smile I'm used to seeing. Odd one, that boy.

"I plan to acquire a copy of it all translated so she can read all of them," Marlene said with pride.

"Good. She needs to. She's a witch, after all," Sirius stated, shoveling more food in his mouth.

I scanned the table for my dinnertime comfort food. Then I find them on a silver platter, as if calling for.

"Ah, yes. Pumpkin cupcakes!" I grabbed two and took a big bite, "Vanilla icing with nutmeg? I love those house elves..."

Dorcas raised an eyebrow at me. I saw her mouth "distraction?" at me. No one else noticed, thankfully. I nodded. She rolled her eyes.

And I call her my best friend.

After I finished my cupcakes (and stashed four for later), I realized we still had half the story to translate. "Hey, guys? We have to finish a translation."

I had three groans in reply.

"It's that or skip lunch tomorrow," I told them. All three were on their feet instantly. "Well, that was easy," I told James under my breath. I placed my hand on his shoulder on the way out and gave him a slight squeeze. He placed his hand on mine, letting me gently pull mine out from under his as I walked away.

My hand is still tingling where his skin was against mine.

I finally fell through the portrait hole into our common room about two-and-a-half hours later, our Runes translation finally complete. I think it would have been easier on us if I've heard it before but at least the girls didn't hold it against me. I guess they liked seeing me hear it for the first time. Plus they've all heard different versions, so there were a few arguments on translation. Who cares if it was "midnight" or "twilight," anyway? It was dark. Done.

Add the five minutes it took me to say "Wronski Feint" correctly and I was beyond exhausted. I think I said "Wronki," "Wocky," and "Wonky" in that momentary lack of lip control. I don't think the Library Lady appreciate my "You know me, please just put me out of my misery and let me in? You know I know the password," plead.

I walked in, dropped my satchel in one of the armchairs, and flopped down unceremoniously on the couch.

Didn't realize it was occupied.

James wrapped his arms around my waist as I squealed in shock, trying to jump back on my feet. I was suddenly awake, that's for sure. He was laughing.

"Look before you leap," he said between laughs.

"I'm so sorry," I said, still struggling. "I was just so wiped out after finishing our Runes translation. I just wanted to lay down and enjoy more of my pumpkin cupcakes."

"Why didn't you say so?" he said, rolling over on his side and placing me in front of him, keeping his arms around my waist. "This works out fine. It's a big couch, we can share."

The exhaustion of Runes homework came over me again, so I became too tired to care. I pulled my wand out of my robe pocket and pointed it at my satchel. "Accio cupcakes." My cupcakes that I took from dinner in my napkin rose up out of my satchel and floated to the space of the couch in front of me. James is right. The couch is plenty big to share.

I handed him a cupcake. "And if you say that 'you don't like these,' I don't know if I can hold high hopes for Saturday," I joked. "These are seriously the best cupcakes in the world. Muggle or wizard."

"I know. These things are the best," he said as he took a bite.

Good sign. "Just do me a favor and don't get crumbs in my hair."

"I won't. Waste of perfectly good pumpkin cupcakes."

Wasn't my top reason for not wanting crumbs or icing in my hair, but it is a very good point. "You can have a second if you want. I really didn't need to grab four of them."

"Since we'll be having the gang over tomorrow, we won't be able to talk about Saturday. Still just want to wing it?"

I swallowed a bite of cupcake, "Yeah. I know I'll like to get lunch at the Three Broomsticks, maybe a Butterbeer. Besides that I'm up for ideas."

"Wicked. It's going to be a good day." I felt him tighten his arm around my waist. It felt so good, so I placed my arm on his and grabbed his hand lightly. I wanted him to know I was happy.

"We can hit up Honeydukes. Get some sweets to leave in the common room?"

"Sounds good."

We kept talking about Hogsmeade into the night, eating our cupcakes.

I fell asleep in his arms.