Title: Glass Hearts
Rating: PG-13
Summary (of chapter): A prank war between James and Sirius. Further development of the Marauder's Map. Bonding between Lily and James. A fight with Marlene and Sirius.
--
Sirius didn't know if he would like this Head Boy thing. He had thought about it, of course, during the holiday. But now he was starting to see what it really meant. It really meant James and Remus would always be off with other prefects and with Lily Evans. It really meant Sirius would be more often than not stuck with Peter, who, though one of his best friends, was not the easiest guy to have loads of fun with. It really meant that this whole Evans would get even worse, with dreamy looks and big smiles for no real reason. It really meant that James Potter's first priority was being Head Boy, not being his best mate.
It didn't notice it much at first. But now Lily was always pulling James aside, talking to him about stupid things. Even James said they were stupid, but he was always smiling, as though he now really knew her. Then Remus and James had more things to talk about, like the cute sixth year Hufflepuff that Sirius had never even seen (sometimes he debated if they were just making her up altogether), and the rounds schedule and making new passwords. And all of the people who had been too quiet or too absorbed in their books to try to approach James before now walked up to him and had questions and made jokes with him across the corridor about the latest prefect-y joke that Sirius was not involved in.
It wasn't that he was jealous. He was put-off. He was just annoyed.
Of course, Jewel tried to tell him otherwise. But she never agreed with him, anyway. Why should she now, of course, when Sirius's heart was on the line, when everything was at stake?
In October, they started Quidditch practice, two new players on the team. This was heaven to his tense nerves. He and James talked more then, of course, about the team and flying and how much Sophie seemed to have improved and how Mary was sort of cute, but neither of them would touch her with a ten-meter pole.
Only four weeks into the school year, the seventh years were loaded with homework. The teachers were merciless. It was like going back to fifth year, except for more advanced classes and higher expectations. Of course, Sirius didn't mind having James in those classes, but the teacher's always had something to say about being Head Boy and blah, blah, blah.
"It's only been a month, and I feel like it's been years," James said, collapsing unto one of the couches in the common room. "I'm quite done with being Head Boy."
"But then you wouldn't get as much time with Lily," Peter said, smirking.
"Oh, hang that," James said, his voice muffled. "And I'm sick of that fifth year Slytherin boy, I don't remember his name, but he's so annoying."
"How do you spell Kenill Wraspworthy?" Remus said, scratching his nose with the tip of his quill.
"Why?" Sirius asked.
"For this Charms essay," Remus said shortly.
"Charms essay?" James darted up. "Oh, hell. Oh, I hate my life. I forgot all about that ruddy thing. Is it due tomorrow?"
Remus only nodded. He was very used to Sirius and James waiting until last moment and then panicking.
Sirius and James sat down next to Remus at his table and began their essay about floating and flying charms. They didn't get done with it until about midnight, and James was snoring in his bed in a minute. Sirius, yawning, walked over to his bed and collapsed unto his mattress and the dirty clothes on top of it.
"Do you ever think our room really smells?" Peter asked vaguely.
It was the next morning, a few minutes into breakfast. Peter was sniffling about the room then looked down to his bed. "Maybe it's just my bed," he said.
"No, that lump over there certainly smells," Remus said, motioning to James. He paused for a moment, then looked at something pinned up above his nightstand. "Oh, Lily's going to kill him."
"Did he forget his rounds?" Sirius asked excitedly.
"Yes," Remus said morosely, nodding.
Sirius let out a laugh, jumping out of his bed. "Oh, don't rub it in," Remus told him. It was too late, Sirius was jumping on James's bed.
"James, Evans is waiting outside for you, she said you were late to your rounds," Sirius chanted.
"What?" James awoke. He was still wearing his clothes from the previous night. "What, what, what time is it?"
"Too late for you," Sirius said.
"Oh, shit," James said, scrambling out of his covers and past Sirius. "Shit, Lily's going to kill me."
"She doesn't have to find out," Sirius said. "In fact, unless she has a map of her own, the only people who really know about this are the four of us in this very room."
"Hell, you're right," James said. He grabbed his glasses and looked at Remus's schedule. "The other person on rounds I don't know. Thank gods." He grabbed a bundle of clothes and started to walk into the bathroom when he caught a glimpse of the look on Sirius's look. He paused. "Sirius, you wouldn't."
"Maybe I would," Sirius said.
"You git," James said, shaking his head. "She won't believe you!"
"She won't, will she?" Sirius asked.
"Well, no!" James exclaimed. "She doesn't trust you half as far as she can throw you."
"She doesn't, does she?" Sirius asked, keeping the smirk on his face.
"You keep your mouth shut, you ass," James said.
"Or what?" Sirius challenged.
"Or you'll regret it," James said.
"I will, will I?"
--
Sirius did tell Lily of James sleeping in over his rounds. She did yell at him a bit, but in the end, forgave him. James was still angry at Sirius for it, so he took all of Sirius's boxers and stopped up the toilet with them. Sirius put itching powder in James's drawers.
"Come on, we did that last year!" James exclaimed. "You can't do any better?"
In response to the challenge, Sirius took James's razor, toothbrush and other hygienic tools and hid them in the dirty clothes basket. James hid Sirius's books in the prefects room. Roseanne Polier found them two days later and gave themto Jewel, who gave them to Sirius. Sirius, having missed a few assignments and had a number of points taken away from Gryffindor for being unprepared for class, gave James's issue of Wild Witches to Kingsley Shacklebolt.
The war went on for a while before Lily demanded a truce between them when she found James's broomstick in her bed and enchanted to sing about Lily's chest in a voice that sounded very much like James's.
"He says it's a truce, but we all know Sirius," James said. "When I least expect it, I'll be expecting it, because he thinks I won't be."
"You know why he's doing this, don't you?" Jewel asked. The two of them were doing some homework in the library with Remus, who was absorbed in his own work. This was one of the first times Jewel has spoken to him since his conversation with Juniper. He had been slightly surprised, because Jewel wasn't the type of girl to give the silent treatment to people, but it was her sister.
"Because he's a prat," James said shortly.
"He just wants attention," Jewel said. "It sounds weird, but he'd only do it for you."
"Do what?" James asked. "Bewitch my trunk to punch me?"
"Do stuff like that for attention," Jewel said. She paused. "Never mind, it doesn't matter."
"No," James said. "What do you mean?"
"I shouldn't really be in any of your business," Jewel said, shaking her head.
"No, he's your boyfriend, it's your business," James said. "Come on, what do you mean? Sirius doesn't do anything for attention. It just comes naturally."
"Not from you, though," Jewel replied. He looked at her blankly and Jewel sighed. She sat up and began to explain it. "You're Head Boy this year, so you're really busy without him. And this is his way of bringing your attention back to him. I mean, don't get me wrong, he thinks it's fun and all. But this way you're thinking of how to get back at him instead of the next prefect meeting."
James looked at her for a moment with his mouth hanging open. "No," he said. "Sirius isn't that stupid."
"Since the two of you have been having this war, how many mood swings has he had? And then compare it with how many had the first month of school," Jewel said. James paused. "Exactly, none. He's happy when the two of you do stupid things like this."
James looked at Remus. "Remus," he said. Remus looked at the two of them. "Do you think this is true?"
"What?" Remus asked.
"This whole bit about Sirius just looking for attention?" James said.
"Oh," Remus said. He nodded. "Sounds spot on to me."
Jewel nodded with him. "Thank you," she said.
Sirius joined them just then and sat down next to Jewel. "All right," he said. "How's the homework coming?"
"Homework?" Jewel raised her eyebrows.
--
The boys were sitting in the Gryffindor common room during an uneventful evening. Three of them were trying to do homework, but Sirius had decided he was above such things. He was reading a Zonko's catalogue. In response to hearing that Hogwarts students wouldn't be visiting, Zonko's had put together a catalogue. They got half of their money from Hogwarts students. Honeydukes also had a catalogue, but Sirius had already devoured that one, ordering half of the shop.
James glanced over at Lily. She was sitting by herself by the window, writing. Maybe he was writing Dennis. He hadn't asked her about Dennis yet, but he'd been tempted.
Sirius waved his wand and a small hologram floated up out of the magazine. A witch was showing off a quill that insulted whoever picked it up. "What if we opened up a joke shop?" Sirius said.
"Right," James said. "I'll just fool around in all of my 'spare time.'"
"After school, then," Sirius said temperately.
"We're becoming Aurors," James said.
"After we're Aurors," Sirius said. The witch dissipated, her face and her quill vanishing.
James laughed. "Right, okay," he said. "You have fun with that."
Sirius set the magazine down and paused. "Hey, I've got an idea," he said.
"I don't think we should start a candy shop, either," James said.
"No, come on," Sirius said, pulling Remus, Peter and James upstairs. There was a bit of outcry, their homework and book bags left in the common room.
Sirius shut the door, locking it with as many spells as he knew. "You know how the map just doesn't do anything when people try to open it?" he asked.
The Marauder's Map, which had been started in fifth year, was a bit rusty. The map was complete, as far as they knew, but they were still working out the spells so that it would know everyone's name.
"Yeah," Peter said.
"We should have it insult the person who tries to do it," Sirius said. "I mean, it obviously won't know every person, but we could put insults in there for the people we do know, and then just make up other ones for the people we don't. Like if it's a girl-sounding name, the map will spit out insults about her chest and her skin, because girls are always sensitive about those."
"We could," Remus said, an idea coming to his head. "It could be activated with any sort of spell pointed at it. I mean, we don't have many more spells to add to it."
"It is rip-proof and spill-proof," James said. "We just have to make sure it wouldn't fight against . . ."
Soon, they were huddled in their dormitory on the floor around the Marauder's Map. Remus had a few books with him, of course, and Peter offered insults.
They were up pretty late with the sodding thing. They had only put in a few insults so far, mostly about each other. James finally pointed his wand at the piece of parchment. "James Potter demands you to reveal yourself," he said.
Nothing happened. "Ruddy thing!" Sirius exclaimed.
Two hours of tweaking and spells and experimenting passed before James received results. "James Potter demands you to reveal yourself," James repeated.
This time, words started to appear on the words. Peter gasped, his hands flying to his mouth. Sirius bit down on his lip and Remus crossed his fingers.
Remus's handwriting appeared first. Mr. Moony presents his compliments to James Potter, and believes that he shouldn't be demanding anything of a piece of parchment.
"Yes!" James said.
"That's not really an insult, is it?" Sirius asked Remus.
James's handwriting began to skirt across the parchment, as if they were watching him write. Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that James Potter is a stupid prat.
Mr. Padfoot does not believe he has heard a more ridiculous name.
Mr. Wormtail bids James Potter good day, and advises him to take a long bath because he smells like a dungbomb.
The four of them were laughing and cheering and sharing high-fives all around. Sirius finally said, "Go on, try it out with a different name!"
"I, Lily Evans, would like you to show your secrets," Remus said, pointing his wand at the map.
Mr. Moony advises Lily Evans to bugger off.
Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and will also claim that Lily Evans would do well to bugger off the face of the planet.
Mr. Padfoot would like to add that no one else would mind if she buggered off, either.
Mr. Wormtail presents his compliments to Lily Evans, and will not be sorry not to see her again.
"All right, you lot," Sirius said seriously. He continued for a while, but it was only another hour before they were asleep on the ground of their dormitory, the Marauder's Map covered in insults.
--
James stifled a yawn. Lily raised her eyebrows at him. "Long night?" she asked.
"No," he lied.
Lily smiled, rolling her eyes. The two of them were in the prefect room. Lily was doing work, and James was pretending to do work. He watched her over the rounds schedule, her red hair tucked behind her ear. Her lips pursed as she moved her quill over the parchment, James tilted his head. A smile came back unto her face, and she raised her eyes to meet his. "I can feel you look at me," she said.
"I guess I need to get better at that," James said, smirking.
Lily blushed a little bit.
"Are you going out with that Healer?" James asked.
A look of surprise came unto her face. "Dennis?" Lily said.
"Yeah," James said. "Are you going out with him?"
Lily bit her lip, looking down at the parchment in front of her. She shook her head. "No," she said. "Why?"
James tried not to let his relief show on his face. "Juniper told me she heard that," he said.
"Well, I told her that," Lily said.
"Why?" James asked.
Lily cleared her throat. "Well, I told her we were sort of going out," she said. "We did go on a few dates this holiday, and I wrote him a few times. But it's not serious. It's just . . . we're just friends now."
"You didn't really look like just friends at that restaurant," James said.
"Neither did you and Juniper," Lily said, narrowing her eyes.
James smirked. "Well, we are now," he said.
"I heard," Lily said.
"From who?" James asked.
"Everyone knows," Lily said. "You come off looking like quite the git."
James sighed. "I am a git," he said. "I don't know - I never thought she would think I was serious. I mean, we've been flirting since . . . since a long time."
"She's just a girl," Lily said with a shrug. "Usually, if you snog a girl and flirt with her a lot, she thinks you want to go out with her."
James let out a heavier sigh, running his hands through his hair. "Yeah, Jewel was pretty mad at me," he said.
"I would be, too," Lily said.
"But you're not," James said, more a question than a statement.
"It was nearly a week ago, and I'm still talking to you," Lily said. "Usually my reaction time is a little bit quicker."
"Just a little bit," James said.
Lily let out a small laugh. "Look, are you going to help with these rounds or not?" she asked.
James stood up and sat next to her in the empty seat. "What do you need?"
--
"Look, we only have a week until the Slytherin match," James said. "In fact, we only have six days. Only three more practices. We're good, but we're not great. I don't want us going in shotty. And I don't want us going in cocky to just get shot down."
Marlene looked at her watch. He had been going for about ten minutes. She cleared her throat loudly. James continued as though he hadn't heard her. She rolled her eyes at Karl. "Problem, Marlene?" James asked.
"We've got homework," Marlene said.
"If you've put it off for Sunday night, it's not my fault, is it?" James asked.
Marlene rolled her eyes again. "You've been talking for ten minutes," she said.
"We don't want you going soft on Regulus," Sirius said.
Marlene looked at Sirius incredulously. "What?" she said.
Sirius shrugged carelessly. "We all saw how chummy you were with him at the Hobgoblins concert," he said.
There was a number of things she could say - firstly, what was Sirius doing reading Witch Weekly? And drunkenly touching someone's shoulder did not qualify as chummy. Marlene glared at him. "He's your brother," she said.
"Hardly," Sirius scoffed.
Marlene crossed her arms. "So, what are you really saying, Sirius?" she asked. "You think I'm going to go soft on some guy I hardly know because we hung out at a Hobgoblins concert?"
"You seem to be talking to him a lot this year," Sirius said.
"We were assigned to a Potions project together," Marlene said coolly.
"A likely story," Sirius said.
This wasn't even worth her time. Marlene looked at James. "Can we go now?" she asked.
"I just want us to win," James said. "Slytherin's really good this year, and this game will be one of the most important." Marlene held back a sigh. Slytherin was all right, but they had lost two of their best players. If anything, Hufflepuff was, surprisingly, their competition. But of course this was an important game because it was Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and that was all James and Sirius cared about.
James went on for five minutes more, though Marlene heard little of it. Once he had dismissed them, Marlene was the first one outside. The others filed out, all of them relieved James had shut his mouth. Marlene stormed off. Sirius had been a bit snotty to her recently. When practice had first started, he was normal, but now, he acted like she had done something to him personally. But what was it, really? She was associating with his brother.
She passed the Great Hall, jogging up the grand staircase. Who did he think he was? Honestly . . .
She stopped by the library, returning a book due in two days. She had learned her lesson early; Madam Pince did not react kindly to late books. Then she made her way to Gryffindor Tower. Amazingly, she saw James and Sirius ahead of her. How had they gotten here so fast?
"I mean, why's she hanging out with him?" Sirius asked.
"She said they had a Potions project," James said.
Marlene caught up with them. "What, you don't believe me?" she asked. "What is your problem, Sirius?"
"Excuse me?" Sirius asked.
"I just wasn't aware that anyone who acknowledged your brother's existence earned your contempt," Marlene asked. "He's your brother!"
"Like I said, hardly," Sirius said, glaring at her.
"He was born to the same parents, and the two of you grew up together," Marlene snapped. "I wasn't aware that there were any other criteria."
"Luckily for you, you have loving brothers who care about you," Sirius said.
"So you don't think he cares about you?" Marlene said indignantly.
Sirius rolled his eyes, looking like he thought this conversation was a complete waste of time. "This is none of your business," he said. "You said yourself that you hardly knew him."
"It's a pretty strong claim to say that he doesn't care about you," Marlene said, raising her voice.
"Yeah, well, what do you care?" Sirius yelled.
"Okay, guys," James said.
"Butt out!" Marlene and Sirius said in unison.
"Why do you care so much about how I feel about my brother?" Sirius asked.
"Why do you care so much about how I feel about your brother?" Marlene asked.
"You don't know him!" Sirius exclaimed. "Did you know he was arrested last Christmas for being at a Death Eater attack? Did you know he was there when someone was killed?"
"So, you don't want me to work on a Potions project with a kid who got caught up with some of his stupid friends?" Marlene said.
"Oh, don't blame this on his friends," Sirius said harshly. "He knew what he was doing. You haven't seen his bedroom - Toujours Pur. I'm surprised he doesn't treat you like dung for how much your family is fighting against everything he believes in."
"I am, too," Marlene said. She fell silent. "Look . . . my dad almost became a Death Eater." The two of them looked at her like she had just told them she had seen Professor McGonagall in bed with Severus Snape. "And he always told us that this world isn't just black and white. He told us that people are never beyond forgiveness. He told us that people aren't good or bad, there's just good choices and bad choices."
Sirius slowly shook his head. Marlene paused. "That's why I care," she said. "Because I agree with my dad."
--
A/N: Thank you for the reviews and the followers!
Next chapter: An update on Frank Longbottom and the Order of the Phoenix. And a kiss that no one expected.