Chapter 6-Professor Teddy Lupin and The Kiss Under The Stars
A/N: Well, sorry about the crap end to chappie number five. Hopefully I will not displease you with this chapter. It's more of a filler really. Introducing that charming metamorphmagus we all love. Ha ha. I know that alot of people put him in Hufflepuff as, that was Tonks' house but, I want him in Gryffindor like his dearly departed awesome father R.J. Lupin!
------------Alli--------------
Well, Kiley certainly had no right to say something like that. But, I figure I'll have to forgive him. He had put up with my madness since day one of our first year. He's a great bloke-friend but, he can be insensitive at times. Oh well, it's probably due to the fact that he's the youngest of five boys in his home. All of his brothers are tall, handsome, smart, and athletic. They've all been on their House's Quidditch Teams and poor Kiley can't even fly a broom straight.
I stop near the statue of the one-eyed witch and come face to face with Kiley. His hair's getting a bit shaggier now that I'm actually getting a good look at him. He doesn't look like he's been eating much either. In fact, his peaches'n'cream complexion is all pallid and a bit pasty now.
"I'm sorry Alli, I didn't mean what I said. I've just been a bit ill is all" Kiley says, looking upset.
"It's okay Kiley, I forgive you and, I'm sorry that I'm not spending enough time with you and Cam and Night. Jaden needs me" I say, hugging him.
"Needs you? Why?" he asks, as we break the hug.
"I can't tell you but, he does" I say to him, before walking off to find Jaden. I end up running into him in the Charms corridor, he's standing with oh great...Jared. "Hi Jaden" I say, completely ignoring Jared. He's still pretending he hates me and jumps at the chance to criticize me when proper, especially if Jaden is not around as he has taken to defending me.
"Have I got news for you" he says excitedly, as we walk down the corridor, ignoring Jared.
"What is it?" I ask, somehow I doubt it'll be good for me.
"So Tyler Jennings told me that Berger Cauldwell was told by Ark Morningstar who was told by his cousin Ero Morningstar who was also told by Samson Hatton that Billy Wood is going to ask you to the welcoming Ball" he says all this very fast and excitedly that, I barely got any of it.
"What?" I ask, looking at him a bit befuddled.
"Billy Wood is going to ask you out to the Welcoming Ball" Jaden says, simply.
"Well why didn't you just say that in the first place?" I say, noticing that Jared is looking quite jealous. I'm pretty much pretending I don't know he likes me.
"Whatever, I just want to know, are you going to say yes?" Jaden asked me, expectantly.
"Um..I don't know..Jaden.." I mutter as we walk together. I mean, what was I going to do? Billy Wood is this fit looking bloke with brown and black hair and the older brother of Cole, my ex-boyfriend of just a week.
"Oh go on Alli, no one else has asked you except for that Robbie Davies bloke" Jaden says, I know he's itching to tell me how fit he thinks Robbie is but, he can't because he's not out yet.
"Well..I guess so.." I say, I guess I will have to say yes now. Honestly, if Jared would just admit his feelings and apologize for all of the crap he's ever given me, we'd be fine. But no, it doesn't work like that in my life.
"Oh and just in case you wanted to know, I heard Robbie Davies asked Jade Wood out after you turned him down.
"No I didn't want to know but, thanks anyway" I say, I think I was right in assuming that Robbie Davies is a prostidude. Honestly, he only asked me out last week.
"Just thought to let you know" Jaden said, smirking slightly.
"Like I said, thanks but no thanks J" I say to him, making us both giggle. At this point, Jared's eyes narrow in suspicion.
"Well, the Ball's tonight and rumor has it, Billy'll ask at lunch, in front of everyone" Jaden says, making me freeze, mid-step.
"What? As if life isn't bollocks enough, now the whole school has to watch me say yes to Billy Wood. Who, is a sixth year and Cole's older brother" I groan, as Jaden pats my back in sympathy. Trying to pass his laughter off as a cough.
When we finally reach the Great Hall Jaden and I sit together while Jared grumbles and sits next to his twin. I am trying to mentally prepare myself for this monstrosity. It is at this exact moment that, Billy Wood, Keeper on the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team, decides to stroll on over casually and stand behind me. I had no choice but to turn around and stand up. I couldn't even have a bite of my steak and kidney pie yet.
"Hey Alli, can I talk to you for a moment?" Billy asks, in a slightly thicker scottish accent than Cole's.
"Uh..sure, what about?" I say, making it seem like I don't know what he's about to do.
"I know that the dance is tonight and I've actually been trying to ask you to be my date for a while but, you're hardly ever alone. So will you, be my date to the dance" He says, blushing a bit.
I look over at the Slytherin table where Cole and Scorpius are both pretty much glaring a hole in the back of Billy's head, before I look back to him. Then, Jaden nudges me in the ribs so, that I blurt out my answer. "Yes, I-that'd be great" I say, a little choked up.
"Sweet, well I'll meet you at the entrance at eight" he says, before walking back to the Ravenclaw table.
"Good going love, at least you have a date" Jaden says, making me feel a little bad. He's a closet poof and he has no date.
"Yes, I know but I'm a bit nervous. He's a sixth year and...well he's Cole's brother" I say, and we both cringe, remembering what happened earlier this week.
"Whatever, let's get you back to your dormitory so you can get ready, I don't suppose you've brought more than one beautiful gown?" Jaden said, as he led me out of the Great Hall.
"Yes, I brought three" I mutter as we both walk into the common room together. There we see Night reading a book and Cameron with his head on her lap. This doesn't mean anything as sometimes Kiley does it to me. That's how close we are..at least how we used to be.
"Hey, aren't you two going to get ready for the Ball?" I asked as Jaden cleaned the lenses of his yellow square rimmed glasses.
"Allisha, the Ball isn't for another six hours. We don't need that long to get ready" Cam said, from under Night's book. Getting a look at both of them now, I've noticed that Cam's hair is getting a little longer and Night is now wearing her hair in a short but curly blonde style. What the Hell?
"Well, I'm going to the boys dorm with Jaden so he can help me pick out my gown" I say, taking running up to get my gowns and then taking them to his room.
Hours later, we finally decided on my corsetted Violet gown. Jaden said, it brought out my eyes more and complimented my jet-black hair and milk-white complexion. Then he helped me apply the smallest amount of natural make-up. My hair was done inta a simple up-do and I was ready.
We both head down to the Great Hall with Cam and Night, who both looked like something out of that tragic muggle book Romeo and Juliet that Rose had lent me last week. I didn't see Kiley anywhere, I guess he wasn't going after all.
Jaden walked away to find one of his cousins or his brother. As I approached the entrance to the Great Hall, I got a bit nervous. What would everyone say? Last week I was dating Cole and now I'm going to the Ball with Billy. I stopped thinking so stupidly as soon as I see him. He was wearing midnight-blue robes and his black and brown hair was combed out of his face in a very handsome adult style.
"Hey beautiful, shall we?" he said, offering me his arm.
"Uh yeah" I muttered, taking his arm, and he then tucks in into the crook. Of his arm that is. I feel like we're going to a wedding or something, I haven't been to one for years.
"Hello Allisha" said a very familiar voice.
"Teddy?" I said, turning around. Yep it's him, my second cousin. I haven't seen him for awhile. What's he doing here? "What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised.
"Your old DADA professor retired so, I'm filling in" he said. The man was still as handsome as ever. At least he like me, ended up with our more agreeable family's looks.
"Really? That's great Ted! Finally, someone with a brain" I say, hugging him tightly. What? We are family, just because my Dad doesn't really like him, doesn't mean my mum, my brother, and I don't.
"Save a dance for me Alli-girl" he says, smiling. Then he walks off to greet more of his extended family, the Potters, Weasleys, etc.
Billy looks a little put off by Ted's request but, recovers quickly as we enter the Great Hall. We both find a table with a few of his friends and their dates. I kind of sit there akwardly as, I've never gotten on with these people. I see the judgement on their faces and inwardly flinch.
Honestly, I'd rather be sitting at my brother's table. Even Rose seems well off as, her cousin Albus is on the Slytherin Quidditch Team, the Captain as a matter of fact. God, what am I doing here? I could be in Hufflepuff Common room with Kiley right now, playing Chess or Exploding Snap but no, I chose to come here with Billy. God, I really must be incapable of saying no.
"Wanna dance?" he asked, as if sensing my boredom. I nodded, so as not to hurt his feelings and he took my hand. I looked around at the many couples as we swayed to the music. I was surprised to see Albus with Natalie Longbottom. She was in Gryffindor like her father and Headmaster Prof. Longbottom. A Heavily scarred but handsome tall man. He was cool, not very strict and kind. Albus and Natalie looked very happy together.
My brother was soon near Billy and I with Rose in his arms. It would have been a sweet sight, if Scorpius hadn't been burning a hole in the back of my date's head with his death glare. I glared back at him and he stopped. Finally.
After a while we stopped to get drinks. Well, I sat back down at the now empty table and that is when Cam and Night joined me. "Hello Allisha, how is everything going?" Cam said, as he pulled a chair for Night and brought it in. like a gentleman. Then he took the seat next to her. They were both wearing yellow. Wow.
"Cam, what's with all of this 'Allisha' stuff?" I asked, slightly frustrated.
"It's nothing I just feel like calling you that" he says, before he and Night laugh nervously.
"What's going on guys?" I ask, sensing the tension.
"Alli, Norah and I have been seeing eachother for two years now and we want your's and Kiley's approval" Cam says, the only surprising thing is that she let him call her Norah. I guess times are changing us all. I am a boy magnet, Kiley's become a rude berk, and two of my bestfriends are officially dating.
"Uh okay sure, just tell Kiley and we'll be good" I say, surprising both of them.
"Uh okay, yeah. Well excuse us, we're going to dance some more. Come on Cam" Norah says. Wow, I'm going to have to get used to that.
"Here you go Beautiful" Billy says, handing me a drink and sitting next to me.
"Thanks Billy" I say taking a sip and smiling awkwardly. He looked a bit uncomfortable as well, it was probably the dress robes. As he opened his mouth to say something, Teddy showed up like, out of nowhere. How does he do that?
"You promised me a dance young lady" he says, smiling. I look at Billy, who's just gone a bit red and smile apologetically, when I take Ted's hand. He's a great dancer, I wonder who taught him. We're burning up the dance floor when Teddy says, "I'm getting married, to Victoire and I want your family to come to the wedding".
"Oh Teddy congrats!! I can't believe it! That's wonderful!" I yell out above the noise. I'm so excited!! Teddy's finally getting married! Crap...what if they decide to get married in France, I'll have to stay with my grandparents. Urgh...I think I'm going to be sick. When the song finally ended, Teddy let go of me and bowed. He really is quite a laugh.
"I'll see you in class on Monday, now if you'll excuse me, I believe Lily, Molly, Lucy, Roxanne, Dom, and Rose are all waiting for their turns, haha" Teddy says, leaving to go find any one of the girls. You really do have to love him for that.
"Hey Billy, um sorry about that, Teddy's my second cousin and I don't see him alot" I say to him, in order to well..placate him.
"It's alright Alli, um will you take a walk with me?" Billy asks, holding out his hand to me. Deja Vu anyone?
"Sure" I say, taking his hand as we walk out of the Great Hall and out into one of the beautiful courtyards. As we reach one of the stone benches, Billy goes completely silent. Hmm.
"Alli, I really like you alot. I suppose you could say that I've liked you since my fourth year. I just didn't know how to go about talking to you and whatnot" Billy said to me, as we both stare up into the beautiful night sky. You could really see the stars from here. Then he took my hand again and I turned to face him. Oh crap, I've never been good at this whole 'rejecting people' thing. I mean, he was so nice and really cute but, I don't-oh god! He's going to kiss me!
Before I could do or say anything, his lips crash against mine. Merlin, I'm starting to feel like the slag Kiley accused me of being a few days ago. It wasn't a bad kiss, he was really good. It was actually quite nice. I've always wanted a kiss under the stars. Only, I'd imagined more sparks and an actual feeling. Well, crap. How am I going to break it to him that I feel nothing but friendship for him. Arghh!!
"So, what do you say Alli? Fancy being my girlfriend?" he asks, oh for Voldy's sake. Cole asked me the same thing when we went out. What is it with these Wood boys?
"Um..I'll get back to you on that" I say, using my mother's excuse for everytime Grandmother asked her to come for tea, in Paris. "I just need to think, you know I just got out of a relationship" I say to him, looking sorry.
"Alright, Until tomorrow then" he says, taking my hand and we walk back inside. Strange, it felt as if we were being watched the entire time. Hmm, I must be inheriting a form of paranoia from Grandfather. After the Ball, he walked me to where Hufflepuff House was located and we hugged. It wasn't an awkward hug either. It was nice. "Goodnight Beautiful" he says, kissing my cheek softly before he walks off in the direction to Ravenclaw Tower.
I walk into the common room, itching to take the dress and shoes off. As soon as I walked in, I let out a high-pitched scream. "What are you doing you plank?" I say to Kiley, who'd been sitting in a midnight-blue armchair, in the dark.
"Just wating for Cam, he's not back yet, and neither is Night" he says, looking at me with no expression, except for his eyes, they looked hurt.
"Oh, didn't you hear? She goes by Norah now" I say, about to walk away.
"I saw you at the Ball, with Billy Wood" he said, making me stop.
"Okay, so?" I say, turning to face him.
"I saw you kiss him. So what, Jaden Weasley's not good enough for you?" he says, making my blood boil in an instant.
"What are you talking about Kiley? Jaden and I are just friends" I say, now I know I wasn't being paranoid.
"Oh really? Then, why are you always with him? It's just like when you were with Cole Wood, that berk in Slytherin. Now you're going with his brother" Kiley says, in a nasty way.
"I'm not going with anyone, you know you're being a really shitty friend" I say, slapping him across the face, and then stomping off to my dorm.