Days in Avalon
Chapter Twenty-four: Sights in the Library
As the students worked diligently well into November, everyone was looking forward to the Christmas holiday that followed the dreaded midterm exams. As for the sixth year students, most of them could be found in the library working on their projects for Professor McGonagall's class.
"I can't believe this!" groaned Felicia in frustration. "I can't believe that the projects are due in the two weeks and I haven't even started anything!"
"Well that's what you get for sucking face with your boyfriend," said Karen not looking up from her book.
"Speak for yourself," mumbled Felicia.
"I may have been with my boyfriend, but at least we were working on our homework as well," said Karen in defense.
"Whatever," sighed Felicia as she went back to looking in her book for information. Karen gave a triumphant grin before she went back to her homework as well. Kelly and her partner were sitting down the table from Felicia and Karen, busy working away as well.
A couple of moments later, Lily walked in and sat down next to Felicia looking a little winded.
"You're running a little late there, Evans," stated Felicia.
"I had to ask Professor McGonagall a question," said Lily flatly as she pulled out her notebook and a few books.
"Ah, I was about to say," trailed Felicia.
"Say what?"
"That possibly a little bit of Potter is rubbing off on you," she said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
"Highly doubtful," said Lily coldly.
At that moment Andy walked in looking very stressed out. She walked over to the table that her friends were sitting at and threw her books on the table as she fell into her chair.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Karen.
"What's wrong? Hmm…let me see," said Andy in a highly frustrated tone. "I have a major project that's due, a partner who is constantly snogging with his girlfriend or hanging out with his mates, and oh yeah, I just got a detention from Portview."
"What for?" inquired Felicia.
"Hexing Goyle and Crabbe," said Andy simply. With that said she looked up and saw the look of disappointment on their face.
"What? They were in my way and trying to beat up a first year. Somebody had to do something," said Andy, as if the answer were obvious.
(At the same time…)
James quickly flew down the stairs of Gryffindor tower and bolted out of the common room scaring half of the students in the room.
"I can't believe I fell asleep. Oh, Evans is going to hang me for sure now," muttered James as he ran down the halls to the library. As he whipped around the corner, he suddenly collided with another person sending a mass of books and paper flying everywhere across the hall.
"Ow! Hey, watch where…you're…going," said the girl as she looked up at James.
"Oh, Merlin. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run into you like that. Here let me help you," said James as he bent down and helped pick up the girl's things.
"Thanks, that's really sweet of you, James," said the girl.
"You know me?" he said as they rose to their feet together.
"Duh, who doesn't? The famous Hogwarts prankster of all time. Thanks," said the brown haired girl before him.
"You're welcome…uh. This might be a nice time to tell me your name, miss," said James with a grin.
"Oh! I'm sorry. It's Abby Holt," she said with a smile as she extended her hand to shake his.
"Hello Abby. It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," she said with a bright smile that caused James to feel a little light headed. A feeling that he normally felt whenever he saw Lily smile at him. Lily.
"Umm…listen I hate to do this, but I have to go and meet up with someone," said James awkwardly.
"Oh, well that's fine," replied Abby with a hint of disappointment in her tone.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes. I'm fine. I t was nice talking to you."
"Nice talking to you too, Abby," answered James as he quickly ran down the hall to the library.
"Urgh, that's terrible," said Felicia to Andy as James came running to the table, startling everyone.
"Sorry I'm late. What's terrible," he asked as he took a seat next to Lily.
"Hey Jay. Nothing, I was just telling the fabulous story of how I have to serve detention with Portview next week Monday," said Andy sarcastically.
"Oh, that's nice," replied James as he pulled out his work and notebook.
"Geez, thanks for the sympathy there mate," said Andy a little hurt as she pulled out four large and heavy books from her bag.
"What took you so long?" asked Lily.
"I accidentally ran into someone and got held up for a moment. I'm sorry, I was late," said James in a rough tone. His tone surprised Lily a bit, but could tell by his eyes that he was telling the truth.
"It's okay. I was just wondering, that's all," said Lily a little hurt.
"Oh, okay then," replied James. The two sat there in a few moments of awkward silence.
"Ummm…I have that information that I said I'd get on that one spell I said I'd get," said James as he pulled out a long roll of parchment and handed it to Lily. The feeling of his fingers touching hers sent a warm chill down his back.
"Oh wow," said Lily breathlessly. She was completely amazed at the length an in depth research that her partner had done.
"James this is great!"
"You don't need to exaggerate. It's just a report," chuckled James at Lily's reaction.
"I'm not exaggerating. This is really good," said Lily as she scanned the parchment some more.
"Thanks," blushed James. "But it probably doesn't compare to your work. I mean you probably have most of the project done already while I've been goofing off."
Lily looked up in shock. She couldn't believe that James was actually sorry for not doing something, like helping her out. Lily wasn't sure what caused this sudden change in him, but for a moment, she understood what her best friend had seen in him.
"James look,…I'm sorry for blowing up at you at times. It's just when I get under a lot of pressure…" she started, but was suddenly interrupted.
"I know you," said James raising his hand to stop her. "You don't need to explain."
'Wow, maybe I was wrong about him,' she thought.
"So…what have you finished so far?" asked James thinking a change in subject might be best.
"Oh…umm…well…I finished the research on how the wizards in the middle ages use to transfigure the whole water into wine in order to trick people into believing it was a miracle from the Christian God. And right now I'm finishing up finding information on how the wizards perfected the art of transfiguring themselves into birds. So now with your information on the weaponry they use to transfigure, plus the info on the art of transforming into a large mammal, the only thing left to do is write a final draft of the bird transfiguration, an intro, conclusion, and practice the required transfigures," said Lily brightly.
"Wow…just like I said," mumbled James.
"Well…there still is a lot to do. I mean I do need your help. This is our project after all," said Lily shyly.
"Okay then…what can I do?"
"Whatever you want, it's your choice," said Lily sweetly with an infectious smile.
(At the same time….)
"Hello there, darling," said Sirius to Felicia as he walked up to the table. Felicia's eyes light up with delight upon hearing his voice.
"Darling? What is this? The 1930s again or something?" snorted Andy as she continued to take notes on her project.
"I'm sorry princess; I forgot that her royal highness demands to be addressed to. How stupid of me to greet my girlfriend first," exaggerated Sirius.
Andy continued to stare at her work but paused her writing momentarily as if deciding whether she should act on impulse to hex, or hit him.
"Keep talking there Blackie, because the more you flap that trap of yours the more likely we'll fail this project," she growled.
The smirk that was on Sirius quickly dissolved into a frown when the words left her mouth. He gave Felicia a quick peck on the cheek and told her he'd talk to her later.
"Alright, so what's on today's agenda?" he asked in a pleasant tone.
"Hopefully getting this project done, if that's okay with you?" fired Andy still not looking up from her book.
"Geez what crawled up your…"
"I'd really rethink about finishing that statement," snapped Andy. She glanced up and saw the surprise look on his face, and decided to tell him what got her so peeved.
"If you must know, I just got a detention from Portview."
"For what?" he asked in disbelief.
"Defending a first year from some Slytherins."
"Bastard," he said under his breath.
"Tell me about it," she said with a sighed. With that Andy closed up her book and looked at the nightmares she had been carrying all day long.
"What some help?" offered Sirius.
"N…yes. Thanks," rethought Andy. The two of them each took two books and headed off to the shelves to take them back for the librarian.
As they traveled up and down the rows of shelves, one of them noticed that their other project seemed to be working out well.
"Wow, they're actually talking to each other," said Sirius as he looked through the shelves at the table his best friend was sitting at.
"Yeah, degrading each other as usual. Remember, when those two talk, it always leads to trouble," said Andy as she lifted one of the heavier books back onto the shelf.
"Actually they seem civil," remarked Sirius looking over his shoulder at her.
"Really?"
"Yeah, it looks like she's complimenting him," he said in a surprise tone.
"What? You're kidding me? Let me see," whispered Andy as she went over to where Sirius was standing. She looked through the same opening that Sirius was and saw that he was right.
"I-I don't believe it! They're actually getting along," she said in amazement.
"I guess impossible things do happen," chuckled Sirius.
"With the right help of course," chimed Andy as she looked up and locked eyes with her partner. Both of them couldn't help but smile at each other.
"Come on let's get this project done with," chuckled Andy.
Disclaimer: It's all J.K Rowling's work. I just own the characters I made up and this story idea. Everything else belongs to her.