Days in Avalon

Chapter Seventeen: Deal made in Hell

"Ah, I see that your partner has finally arrived," said Professor McGonagall. She started to unroll a piece of parchment in her hand and looked over what was written to make sure everything was in order.

"There's got to be a mistake," exasperated Andy.

"Nah ah, no way! There's no way I'm spending a detention with her!" stated Sirius as he rounded on Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, this is got to be some sort of joke, right?" said Andy as she came fully into the room.

"I'm afraid not, Ms. Starmenter," said McGonagall as she looked at Andy over her rimless glasses. "You and Mr. Black will be serving this detention together."

"But professor," chuckled Sirius, "You know we can't stand each other."

"All the more reason to have you two work together. You both will clean and straighten out this entire room, and polish every item on the walls and in those piles in the corner," stated McGonagall.

Andy and Sirius could do nothing but stare at the professor in complete horror and shock. As they watched Professor McGonagall look over the piece of parchment, slowly they began to turn toward each other. If anyone had walked in at that precise moment, they would have felt the room turn ice cold as Sirius and Andy gave each other their death stare. Each of them wishing the other would disappear from the face of the planet.

"Now, I'll return later on to see how you've done," said Professor McGonagall as she placed the piece of parchment on a table. At this statement, Sirius and Andy blinked out of their hateful trance.

"Wait, you're leaving me alone with her?" said Sirius in disbelief.

"Yes, Mr. Black. I am leaving you two alone while I attend to matters that the headmaster has asked me to do," said the stern professor as she made her way to the door.

"Uh, Professor? Do you think it's a wise idea to have us in a room like this?" said Andy as she got a good look at the old classroom. Piles of books and papers were scattered on a number of small desks, while a variety of medieval weapons were placed along the walls and in corners of the room.

"Don't worry, there will be no accidence in this room," chuckled Professor McGonagall as she turned to leave. "But…" she added as she turned back, "just to make sure, I'll ask for you both to hand over your wands, now."

Andy and Sirius gave each other odious looks before each reluctantly pulled out his and her wands and handed them over to the professor. McGonagall then took their wands and placed them in a small wood tackle box with a pad lock on it.

"You will get these back when I return," said Professor McGonagall as she pocketed the key. "Now you two get to work," she added before she closed the door and magically locked them in.

After a few minutes Sirius went over to the door to see that it was indeed locked. "I don't believe this," he sighed.

"Speak for yourself," said Andy as she rolled her eyes. She then turned on her heals and headed over to one of the parchment covered tables and began to roll them up neatly.

"What are you doing?" asked Sirius in amusement.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" spat Andy. "I want to get out of here and away from you as fast as I possibly can."

"Oh come on. I'm not that bad," chuckled Sirius.

"Oh I beg to differ," said Andy with malice in her voice. She then slammed her hands against the table sending a cloud of dust to the air before turning to face Sirius.

"Gods, you know…in the past five years, you have managed to get in the way of almost every plan I've had!"

"I have?" said Sirius in disbelief, pointing to himself. "You're the one who always seems to get in my way," he barked.

Andy quickly took a few deep breathes to try an speak calmly. "Look…why don't you stay on one side, while I stay on the other. That way we don't have to talk to each other, or look at each other, and none of us will get in the others way. Okay?"

"Fine," growled Sirius before heading off to his side of the classroom.

"Good," spat Andy.

With that, both Gryffindors busied themselves with their tasks at hand. Each filed the ancient rolls of parchments and paper, and straightened out the desks, chairs, and other bits of furniture. For nearly two hours, the room was silent, save for the sounds of Andy and Sirius moving papers, furniture, and swords around. It wasn't until Andy was in the middle of finishing up polishing the last few swords on her side of the room, when she heard Sirius talking quietly to something hidden in his hand.

"Alright, who in the world are you talking to?" inquired Andy, frustrated and annoyed at Sirius. By that time, he had finished up talking to whoever it was, and turn toward Andy.

"Uh, no one," said Sirius quickly. He walked over to a desk near Andy and grabbed a pile of parchments he had forgotten to file.

"Right," said Andy drawly, eyeing him closely. Sirius merely scoffed at Andy as he turned to walk back to the bookshelf on his side of the room. It was then that Andy quickly picked his pocket and found a small hand mirror.

"Hey!" roared Sirius as he tried to make a grab for it. But Andy quickly dogged his hand and began to inspect the object.

"A mirror? That's what you were talking to?" scoffed Andy. 'Man he really is narcissistic.' Upon further inspection of the mirror, Andy realized she had seen a mirror just like it before.

"So, how's James doing?" smirked Andy as she extended the mirror back to Sirius. "Having fun with Lily?"

"How'd you know I was talking to him?" inquired Sirius, as he grabbed the mirror back. "And how'd you know he's with Evans?"

"Well, to answer your first question, I've seen James's cart around the same type of mirror. And to answer your second question, Lily told me that McGonagall asked her to oversee a detention tonight. You know I am her best friend after all," replied Andy with a smirk.

"Yeah, well apparently your best friend has been working Prongs like a house elf," sneered Sirius.

"Hey, she wouldn't be giving him a hard time if I was there, like I originally had planned," said Andy. Her tone of voice was growing more harsher with ever word, causing Sirius to turn back around and face her.

"But nooooo," continued Andy, "because while your precious Prongs makes a fool of himself, yet again, I have to serve my detention with you! But hey, that's all right, since I get to be blessed with your presence, instead of Jay's and be having a civil conversation with him and Lily. I reckon I have to just roll with the punches life throws at me. So tell me, what is up with your crack headed nick names that you and the rest of the guys have come up with?" Andy finished with a sour smile.

"It's a guy thing," said Sirius simply. "Why did you want to be with James and Lily tonight anyway?" he added while folding his arms in front of him.

"Well, if you haven't noticed your best mate happens to fancy my best mate, so I have taken upon myself the task of helping them get together, and help James stop acting like a complete idiot in front of her," stated Andy, before she even realized what she said.

"Yes, I know about James's little crush on Evans. I had to listen to an entire summer of him going on and on about what he thinks of Lily," said Sirius with a grimace. "Besides, who do you think gave him the advice to ask her out last year?"

"Wait don't tell me, you?" said Andy mockingly. Sirius simply nodded in response with a triumphant smirk upon his face.

"Should have known only an idiot would give that sort of advice to James," chuckled Andy. She then turned to head back to her work, but was stopped by Sirius.

"You're calling me an idiot?" gasped Sirius.

"If the shoes fits," said Andy sweetly. Sirius stood looking at her for a moment speechless, and fighting the urge to strike her. 'Oh if only she was a guy.'

"Okay genius," chuckled Sirius, "if you're so brilliant, then what would you have done tonight to get them together?"

"Well I…" started Andy as she was about to spout off the first thing that came to mind. But unfortunately nothing really did come to mind. 'That's a really a good question. What would have I done?'

"I'm waiting," said Sirius smugly. He could see by the look on Andy's face and the fact that she wasn't saying anything, that he had finally caught her in something she couldn't get herself out of.

"Well…" stated Andy again, "I-I didn't have anything concrete planned, but…" she admitted.

"HA!" barked Sirius in triumph.

"But I would have probably came up with some of James's good qualities and shown Lily for herself that he's a nice guy," stated Andy. But deep down, she admitted to herself that what she said sounded pretty lame, since she had been trying to show Lily for the past three years or so.

"Right, like that would have worked," laughed Sirius in amusement.

"Oh, and picking up girls with corny lines is the right way?" spat Andy.

"If it works."

"Oh, really? Well for your information, the only type of girls you'll get with those lines are easy little tramps," said Andy bluntly.

"Oh yeah? And just why should I, or anyone for that matter, listen to you of all people?" inquired Sirius.

"Because unlike you, you pompous pimp, I've actually had relationships," stated Andy in a matter of fact tone.

"Oh is that what you're calling those little flings you have?" chuckled Sirius. "Geez, I didn't know that cheap sluts even knew the word 'relationship'." But before he could laugh at the shocked look on Andy's face, he suddenly felt the extremely hard sting of Andy's hand coming across his face.

"Don't you ever call me that again," huffed Andy as she poked a threaten finger into Sirius's chest. The force of her poking him caused him to back up until his back was to the wall as she advanced on him.

"You can call me a slut, a jezebel, a mudblood, hell you can even call me a bitch. But don't you ever call me 'cheap'. You actually think that I'd let even half of the guys I go out with to even get to second base? Hell no! I'm a high priced witch, Blackie, who wouldn't even let a guy go 'all the way' with out the promises of love, honor, and cherish for all time, and also a nice little piece of ice that would fit on this finger here," she said as she pointed to her left ring finger. "Because my family didn't raise a fool!"

"OW…" groaned Sirius as he rubbed his jaw, feeling the heat radiate off his the side of his face. He could see in Andy's eyes that she meant business. Never before had anyone backed him into a wall that wasn't a family member. Sirius saw Andy's nostrils flaring and her breath quickening due to her rage. Normally when he saw a girl acting like this he would back off, but he decided to still have a little fun with her instead. "Geez Sparky, I didn't know you cared so much to only slap me."

Andy simply gawked at the boy standing in front of her. She couldn't believe what she was hearing as her temper started to hit an all time high and kept on rising.

"Awww…is the little princess going to have another fit?" said Sirius in a mock baby tone. "Oh, wait, you can't do anything since you don't have your wand," he chuckled merrily.

Andy began to walk away from him trying to be the better person until something on the wall caught her eye.

"You're right, I don't have my wand," she started as she head toward the wall. "But I could use this!" Within the blink of an eye, Andy had swiftly pulled off one of the swords from the wall and pointed directly at Sirius.

"Hmm…very funny, Sparky," chuckled Sirius as he raised his hands for show, while Andy began to calculate him. "Okay, fine you've made your point."

"Ooohh wrong choice of words, Blackie," chuckled Andy as she raised her sword to strike him.

"Uh-oh! Whoa!" yelled Sirius as he duct in time, causing Andy's sword to hit a desk, breaking it into two pieces.

"Whoa! Hey! W-what do you think you're doing?" squealed Sirius as he ducted and pivoted from Andy's attacks.

"Getting rid of the PAIN IN MY ASS!" growled Andy as she made yet another attempt at striking her prey. Just as quickly as he had dodged her attack, Sirius managed to grab a near by sword and used it to battle Andy.

The sounds of metal hitting metal rang throughout the old dungeon classroom as Andy and Sirius had an all out war break out between them. Usually when they got into their little rows, at least one of their friends or teachers would come along to break up them up. But being that it was in the middle of the night, and locked in a dungeon together, both of their tempers hit an all time high. Both of them deep down knew that the only way this was going to end, was when one of them ended up hurt or worse.

Each of them tore threw the classroom, turning over and destroying desks and chairs to slow up the other. Sirius would run down the aisles weaving in and out to avoid Andy's blows, while Andy ducked under desks and behind stone pillars to avoid the edge of Sirius's sword. Finally, when there really was nothing else to use as a cover or distraction, Sirius and Andy began a full blown hand-to-hand combat.

Although they were concentrating and planning the next move the other would make, both Gryffindors couldn't help but be amazed at the other's technique.

"Hey…you're pretty good at this," grunted Sirius as he blocked a jab.

"Thanks, I was just about…to say…the same thing to…you," strained Andy as she made another attempt to strike Sirius. He quickly ducked out of the way and rolled to the ground. Once he was on the ground, he took his leg and swept it behind Andy's causing her to fall backwards to the ground. But before he could get up to get her weapon, Andy quickly scrabbled for it and rolled back on to her feet.

"Hey where did you learn how to fight like this," grunted Andy as she tried to trip him up by quickening her pace.

"Well, unfortunately…my…parents…taught…me. Thought…it would…make me…a better…Black…You?" strained Sirius.

"My gran, taught me. She thought, it…was…a great…way…to handle…intense…situations," said Andy trying to throw him off.

"Wouldn't it just be better to talk it out, or better yet…get a boyfriend to help you ease those intense situations," huffed Sirius with an impish grin on his face.

"Urgh, you know it's crude comments like that, that won't get you a real girl," grumbled Andy. "I still don't know how James, Remus, and Peter can stand you."

"Really? Well I don't understand how Lily and the rest of your lot can stand you," spat Sirius as he advanced on Andy.

"Oh really mature, Black!" roared Andy. "And you think you could help James get Lily?"

"Well, yes as a matter of fact?" stated Sirius.

"How?"

"Simple. Teach him a few moves, coach him in how to talk to the opposite gender, and presto!" said Sirius with a smirk.

"You mean turn him into a copy of yourself?" said Andy with disgust. "Over my dead body! The world can barely handle one Sirius Black as is."

"Oh, and I suppose you believe that every guy you go out with follows that whole 'be yourself' routine?" sneered Sirius.

"Please!" scoffed Andy.

"Good. I was going to say I didn't think you were that brainless," snide Sirius.

"What as brainless as you? Sorry I don't think that's possible. Not everyone can be a stuck up mommy's boy like you," spat Andy.

She quickly saw something stir in Sirius's eyes, and knew she had crossed some sort of line. Their swordplay escalated to a new height, with steel crashing into steel faster than before and their pacing quickening. As both were getting lost in the task at hand, none of them noticed that they were both slowly growing closer together causing their blades to crap one another until suddenly they felt both something hit them.

Completely stunned at what each had felt, they pulled away from each other and saw that each of their swords had been run through the other. But was more amazing was the fact that there was no blood and neither really felt any different.

"You stabbed me!" shrieked Sirius finally regaining his voice.

"So did you!" replied Andy in the same tone.

"These must be training swords they used back when the school was first open," said Sirius as he pulled Andy's weapon out of him with ease, leaving just a rip in his clothes from were the sword was.

"Must be," grunted Andy as she pulled Sirius's sword out of her. After taking a few breaths, she looked around the classroom that was now completely ransacked.

"Oh great! McGonagall is going to kill us," groaned Andy as she and Sirius served their mess.

Sirius looked around the destroyed furniture and tattered pieces of parchment that were now scattered throughout the floor. As he looked along side one of the walls, he noticed the box that McGonagall had placed their wands in. Amazingly enough, it seemed to survive their battle.

"Hey I got an idea. Do you have a hair pin?"

"Yeah. Why?" asked Andy, not sure of what he was getting at.

"Give it here," he ordered. Andy simply scoffed at him, but complied with his request as she pulled out a hairpin from her hair, and handed it over to him.

Sirius quickly went over to the locked box and began to pick the lock with Andy hovering over his shoulder.

"Do you even know how to pick a lock?" said Andy in skepticism. No sooner did the word leave her mouth did Sirius hear a tiny pop and opened the lid of the box to retrieve the wands.

"Apparently so," said Andy slightly impressed at Sirius's work.

"I know you wish you were me," replied Sirius with a sly grin as he handed over Andy's wand.

"Hardly," spat Andy as she took her wand and began to mutter spells to clean up the mess.

Within fifteen minutes or so, Andy and Sirius had the room back to its original state, and possibly cleaner than before their little swordplay. As they finished up the last of their cleaning spells, Andy began to hear something out side the room.

"Do you hear something?" she asked Sirius. He nodded in response and headed toward the door to hear someone coming down the hall.

"It's McGonagall. Quick!" he yelled. With that, they both quickly muttered the last of their charms to get everything in order. Just as they were about to put their wands back in the box, Andy realized that Sirius's clothes were still torn as well as her own.

"Wait a sec. 'Reparo'!" muttered Andy as she pointed her wand at Sirius, then to herself, as well as the lock that Sirius had picked. Right as Professor McGonagall muttered the spell to unlock the door, Andy and Sirius threw their wands in the box, locked it, and split up as if they were finishing up their work.

"Well…I see that everything is in order," said McGonagall as she inspected the newly clean room. She was slightly suspicious as to how everything looked so clean when only two students had been working at it for only three hours or so. She looked at the box that held their wands, and saw that the lock hadn't been tampered with.

"Very well then, you may go," said McGonagall as she returned the wands to their rightful owners. Not needing to be told twice, both students quickly made their way out of the classroom grinning madly at their success of fooling their teacher.

Neither of them spoke until they were half way back to Gryffindor tower.

"You think the other detention is over with?" asked Andy, breaking the silence.

"Probably."

"Great, now I get to hear how bad James messed up this time. I hope it isn't like last time," sighed Andy. She could already image hearing Lily going off about James.

"Yeah. Prongs will probably be up waiting to tell me about how Lily went off on him or something like that," sighed Sirius. "I can just hear it now about how he can't believe he even thought that he liked her and how he wished he'd never had met her."

"Lily will probably be wishing the same thing," stated Andy.

"Yeah, I'd hate to admit it but the two are a lot a like. I mean if anyone really did take a look at them, they'd see that really are made for each other."

"That maybe true, but trying telling them that. Geez, those two must be the most stubborn people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

"Tell me about," said Sirius agreeing with Andy. "If only someone could show them that they really should be together."

"Right like that would happen. The only way that would work, is if someone forced them to sit down and take a good hard look at each other," chuckled Sirius.

"Yeah or if they were tricked into working together," chuckled Sirius. The moment he said that something popped into his head that caused him to stop dead in his tracks. Sensing Sirius's sudden halt, Andy stopped a couple of feet away and turned back to him. She could see that he's mind was reeling something as a wicked smirk began to form on his lips.

"What are you thinking?" she asked not really sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"I think I just got an idea," said Sirius quietly.

"Really? Did it hurt?" said Andy sarcastically.

"What if…we helped them out," said Sirius ignoring Andy's comment.

"I thought that's what we were doing," stated Andy.

"No, no. I mean what if we teamed up together to help them," said Sirius with his eyebrows raised.

"Together? As in you and me working along side each other?" said Andy giving him a skeptical look. Seeing Sirius nod eagerly caused Andy to break out into a fit of giggles.

"Ha ha…oh man, I thought you were crazy before, but this is ludicrous," laughed Andy as she started to continue onward.

"Why?" asked Sirius as he ran up to catch up to her and getting in her way. "Think about it. Who knows them better than we do? No one, right? And who is good at tricking people into getting things done the way they want it done? Again, both of us. So if we could trick our best friends into somehow working together, that would force them to spend time together. Which in turn should cause them to see how perfect they are for each other."

"Hmm…yeah and there are just a couple of tiny problems with that," said Andy pinching her fingers together to show something tiny.

"What's that?" said Sirius looking toward the ceiling, not aware of any problems with the plan.

"Oh the mere fact that both James and Lily will see right through it, and that it will never work out. And…oh yeah we can't stand each other!"

"James and Lily will only see through it if they suspect us working together to try and get them together. Second, it will work if we plan it correctly. The two of them will never know what hit them. Now as for the fact of not getting along, I'm willing to put our differences aside t help out a friend in need," said Sirius with a charming smile.

"You're really serious about this?" said Andy in astonishment.

"Of course I am. Come on think about it. If we worked together, we could get them together faster than on our own," stated Sirius.

"Well you do make a point," concluded Andy as she rubbed the back of her neck. Sirius could see that he was wearing her down and that she was seriously considering going along with the idea.

"So do we have a deal?" said Sirius as he extended his hand to her.

Andy's mind was reeling with the idea of working with her enemy, and she could already hear bells, alarms, and whistles going off in her head telling her that this was a bad idea. But then again, she could see where he was coming from, and it was true that no one knew James or Lily better than they did, and the fact that they were both good at manipulating things in order to get there way.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," sighed Andy as she looked to the heavens for help and strength. "Okay. It's deal," she said as she took his hand and shook on in.

"Good. So when do you want to meet up to start working on the plan," said Sirius.

"How about the twelfth of never," mumbled Andy in a low voice. She suddenly had this slight sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I'll let you know."

"Fine then. I'll be at your beck and call," said Sirius with an impish grin. Andy simply rolled her eyes and made a disgusted noise as she continued to make her way to the portrait of the fat lady.

'Why do I feel like I just made a pack with Satan himself,' thought Andy.

'Oh Gods, I just made a deal with Beelzebub,' groaned Sirius inwardly at the realization of what he had just done hit him.

"This should be very interesting."

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this story. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.