Chapter: A Spell Cast To Last
Shalan's Say: THANK YOU FOR MY REVIEWS! Here is the next chapter and bOOOOOy am I excited about it.
&
She dropped her book on the table in front of a highly distracted Lily Evans who immediately noticed the annoyed look on her face.
"Lily," the Ravenclaw dropped down next to her with an exasperated sigh. "I am frustrated."
"I can tell," Lily furrowed her brows. "But I wonder why," they had been study partners for some time so seeing the blonde haired girl around her wasn't unusual. What was unusual was that neither seemed to want to study.
"Because Jacob Deegins told me that you were thinking about going to Hogsmeade with James Potter," Mariette tilted her head. "I told him that he was being stupid but I wanted to check with you to make sure."
"He wasn't lying," Lily buried her nose in her book to evade the look that she knew was to come.
"You? And that bloke?" Mariette leaned forward with lifted eyebrows. Lily peered over the book meekly.
"Yes, he's been pestering me since first year to go out with him and I thought that…" Mariette leaned back in her chair.
"Okay," Lily blinked. She was taking this better than her friends in Gryffindor had.
"Okay?" Lily echoed weakly.
"Yeah, I mean, you obviously wouldn't do anything you thought wouldn't be worth it, so I think it's okay, not that you need my approval of course…" Mariette smiled. A tall, slim figure dropped down between them before she could continue.
"Mariette Sabine correct? We've met before. Remus Lupin," Remus smiled and shook her offered hand. Remus Lupin. Like his friends he was in his final year at Hogwarts. He was not nearly as good looking as James and Sirius but attractive in his own, slightly disheveled, neat brown hair sort of way. His brown eyes scanned her face as she smiled.
"How have you been?" Mariette leaned on the table as he pulled out his parchment and book for Potions.
"I have been a bit under the weather lately however I am back to my normal self," Remus grinned as Lily smiled.
"Good, so how did you like Slughorn's nasty two foot essay on sleeping potions?" Mariette watched as he scanned the book.
"Ugh, I hardly got it done before… well before I was momentarily distracted…" Remus gave a wry smile in Lily's direction.
"You and the others were doing something stupid again…" Lily shook her head. Remus only grinned again and shrugged, leaning back toward his Potions notes again. Mariette had the feeling that their conversation wasn't going to be continued
&
He sighed and leaned on his hand as Professor Binns droned straight through his and James' conversation.
"So the next Hogsmeade weekend is coming up, did she say yes?" Sirius cast his gaze about the room as James looked up from his paper.
"Oh, yeah…" Sirius gave him a grim look. No wonder he had been so distracted. By the time class had been released James was talking animatedly again. Sirius laughed as they moved towards the Great Hall. That was when he saw her. The flash of white blonde hair catch the corner of his eye.
"James, I'll meet you later," James blinked as his best friend took off through the crowd.
"Where's he going?" Remus tilted his head as he reached James.
"I have no idea." James furrowed his brows.
&
She twirled her wand in her fingers as she walked, her messenger bag heavy with books and paper. She sighed lightly as she moved towards the library, hoping she'd be alone for the next hour she had after lunch.
'Diffindo infinite,' Sirius thought and tapped his wand the direction of her bag and watched with satisfaction as it split open.
"Merlin's… I can't… oh… this is…" she spluttered as she knelt down and began picking up her things. Sirius watched for a moment. The long, silvery blonde hair he had seen was now braided and wrapped once like a headband around her head. Her lightly tanned skin stood out against the white collar of her blouse that stood just above her robes. Her profile was something to be marveled at. He watched her full lips part in frustration as some of her books slipped from her arms again. Her nose was sloping and perky, tilting slightly up at the end.
He rounded the corner, acting as if he were shocked that she was kneeling there, and immediately came to her help. "Here, let me help you," Sirius smiled.
"Wha-oh…" she stared at him for a moment as he knelt down and picked up the last of her books and parchment.
"Looks like you need to get a new bag," Sirius looked up into her eyes. For a moment grey met cerulean and he felt his stomach twist on itself, she was definitely the best looking girl he had seen in a long time.
"Yeah…" she tore her eyes away from his. "I can just," she tapped the bag, "Reparo." She blinked when it did nothing.
"Boy that's weird," Sirius grinned, "I guess that spell doesn't work on bags like that," she shrugged as they rose to stand. He was taller than she had thought, she blinked as she looked up at him. "I guess I can't escort you to Ravenclaw tower with these books…"
"No, I don't guess you can," she lifted her eyebrows. "I can always use a spell to take them with me. Thank you for helping me, Mr.-"
"Black, Sirius Black." He bowed his head lightly. He saw her mouth for a silent 'O' and wondered what was wrong.
"Well thank you very much Mr. Black-"
"Sirius."
"-I think I will be on-"
"Do you go to Hogsmeade?"
"-my way back to… I beg your pardon?" She stopped. He grinned.
"Do you go to Hogsmeade?" He lifted his eyebrows.
"I –uh- suppose I am," she whipped her wand through the air and her books and scrolls flew towards hers, "good day." She turned on her heel and walked away.
"She's slick," Sirius blinked, never having been blown off quite like she had before.
"You loose your guts Sirius?" He turned as Lily walked up behind him, also loaded down with books.
"What?" He blinked down at her. The red head simply smiled and continued walking then, as if on an afterthought, turned to look him in the face.
"You're going to have to be more tactful than that Sirius, she's pretty so she's used to getting asked out. She's not like the usual girls you go for so don't underestimate her…" Lily then walked up the stairs towards the common room.
"Not… like the usual girls?" Sirius blinked. What did that mean?
&
"So she told you she's not like the 'usual girls'?" James furrowed his brow. "What the bloody-"
"Perhaps she means that Sabine is out of your league?" Remus draped his towel on the heater. James stopped toweling down his damp black hair as Sirius' mouth dropped.
"Out-" Prongs choked.
"Of my-" Sirius looked green.
"-league?" James could only stare at Remus openmouthed. Remus looked from James to Sirius who were both giving him identical looks of 'I-had-never-even-considered-that-before'.
"What, are you two telling me that you have never considered that a girl might not like you?" Remus lifted an eyebrow.
"Well, it has, yeah…" James seemed to be contemplating this.
"Only when it hurts, like when Melody Anderson used the Furnunculus Hex on your-" Remus shot Sirius a look to silence him.
"Let's leave that memory in the past, after all, I don't even know why she attacked me like that, I was only leaning over to catch my mouse!" James shuddered lightly. "McGonagall was outraged, do you remember that?"
"Let's not change the subject from Sirius's problem!" Remus folded his arms and leaned against the four-poster.
"I guess you're right," Sirius sighed. "Oh well, I guess there are plenty of other girls out there," he shrugged, unconvincingly to his best friends.
"Yeah, you've got a target fix on her, you better go after her Padfoot!" Remus lifted his eyebrows.
"I dunno Remus, there's something odd about her… maybe my Animagus form could pick it up… but she seems a little, I dunno, different… you know?" Sirius shrugged.
"Due to your insistence on being vague, no, I do not think either of us know, Sirius-" Remus retorted, making James snort.
"Oh, stuff it would you both?" Sirius threw himself down on the bed and jerked his curtains closed. He closed his eyes and attempted to ignore the laughter that was now echoing in his ears, the sniggering between Moony and Prongs was annoying enough without his own thoughts bothering him.
'You'll just have to try harder Padfoot.' He told himself, taking a deep, calming breath. He buried his head in his pillow and drifted off to sleep.
&
She folded her arms behind her head and stared at the silver and blue drapes on her four-poster. She twisted a strand of her long blonde hair around her finger as she thought about his question.
"Do you go to Hogsmeade?" She chuckled as his voice echoed in her head. Boy what a question. She couldn't hardly think of anyone that didn't go to Hogsmeade. She toyed with the bottom of her nightdress momentarily.
'Is it worth getting caught?' She really needed a nighttime stroll to clear her head. She sighed. 'If I'm careful I'll be okay…' She swung her legs out of bed and pulled on her cloak, pulling her long blonde hair out.
She stepped out of the Ravenclaw common room and proceeded down the hallway towards the stairs, a sleek Siamese cat trotting along behind her. She stretched lightly as she walked through the empty hallways, mounting the ever spiraling stairs towards the Astronomy tower… the stars always calmed her.
"Walking around at night really helps to clear one's head… doesn't it?" He watched her jump about a foot in the air. "Sorry, I couldn't resist seeing you again…" a sincere smile fell across that devilishly handsome face. He couldn't help his breath escaping his chest as he looked at her. She was bathed in the moonlight, her calf length white night gown was partially exposed beneath the deep blue cloak she wore. Her white-blonde hair shone like the moon in the bright light of the waxing gibbous.
"Seeing me?" She arced a graceful eyebrow. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed her before…
"Unless there's another pretty girl that is walking about that I don't know about," she watched his gaze then emitted a squeak as she noticed she was only partially covered. She drew her cloak about her as he smiled at the modest gesture.
"No, I don't think so… but how did you know I was out of my dormitory?" She furrowed her brow. He shrugged.
"I just had a feeling," he took a step towards her. "Listen… I'd like to make it up to you… ripping your bag and all," sensing she wasn't going to draw back he mounted the step below hers, "Hogsmeade is coming up in a couple of weeks and I wanted to know if you'd let me buy you lunch and maybe a new bag?" His silver eyes met her azure.
"Oh… gosh you are persistent aren't you?" She nearly stomped her foot. With nowhere to go and no excuse she was cornered and frustrated.
"Yes, I'm rather… dogged if you know what I mean…" he smiled at his own secret pun. She seemed to contemplate him for a moment then sighed.
"Okay. One date. You buy lunch and I can get my own new bag," she waved her hand dismissively.
"I'll buy lunch and I'll buy you a new bag," he continued with a grin. She stared at him a second, as if attempting to change his mind via intense gaze.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, yes!" She nearly threw her hands up in submission. He was ridiculously determined. He stepped aside, giving her room to pass by him on the way down.
"By the way, if anyone else asks you to Hogsmeade… tell them you're taken and if they have a problem with it to come and talk to Sirius Black," he grinned as her shoulder brushed his chest in passing. She turned too sharply to keep from touching him and stumbled on the steep stairs. "Whoa!" He grabbed her to keep her from falling and lost his footing himself. He jerked her against his chest as they tumbled down the stairs, protecting her head from the stairs. He hit the ground on his back, barely keeping his head from smacking against the stone floor of the landing.
He could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she lay still for a moment. "Black, are you okay?" She sat up quickly, her cheeks brilliantly red and her hair tossed over her face. She pushed it back hurriedly as he sat up with a groan.
"Yes, yes I'm perfectly fine…" He grinned unconvincingly. She had heard them -him- impact the ground, neither had had the time to cast a cushioning charm.
"No you're not, you should be taken to the hospital wing!" She placed a hand against his chest as if to push him back down.
"Mariette, you're Head Girl, you're going to get into a ton of trouble if you head up to the hospital wing with me," he was wheezing lightly. She assumed he had bruised a number of ribs against the sharp stone steps.
"But-I…" she was shocked that this trouble maker was worried about getting someone in trouble. He shook his head.
"No buts… head back to your dormitory, trust me, Madame Pomfrey can heal almost anything…" he took the offered hand, babying his chest with his other arm. She helped him to his feet, listening to the light groan that was forced from his lips.
"Okay…" she felt so amazingly guilty that she had caused another person to be hurt.
"Go on… another detention won't hurt me," he gave a bark of a laugh and cringed to pay for it.
"But…"
"No buts… just remember… if anyone asks… if anyone has a problem with it… tell them to come talk to Sirius Black," he grinned devilishly. She watched him limp off towards the hospital wing, her eyes somewhat sad.
&
Yep… that's chapter two… I now have a skull splitting headache rather similar to Harry's when he's seeing Voldemort's visions… me and my migraine are going to sleep… I will post chapter three tomorrow some time… READ AND REVIEW PLASE!!
Shalan
