Chapter 12- Causatum
It was breakfast and we were all gathered in our usual spots. There was talk around the Great Hall about one Amos Diggory and his absence for the past day. I was quiet as our friends even talked about it. Only James, Charlie, and Sirius knew what had happened. The four of us didn't really participate in the conversations this morning. After breakfast I went to Headmaster Dumbledore's office and missed all of my morning classes explaining what had happened with Diggory and myself the night before. I was nervous coming to Dumbledore in the first place. But I knew that Dumbledore was a fair man. And James trusts Dumbledore with his life. James walked me to his office, reassurring me the whole way. But all I could think about this morning as I sat in Dumbledore's office was when I was at Drumstrang. It was similiar, but different. As a skilled Occulumens, I know when my mind is being invaded. Dumbledore was in my mind. Probably verifying that I was telling the truth. But it was only for a second. I couldn't even block him before he was out. Dumbledore is definately a master. But with what I was thinking about, who knows how much Dumbledore knows. Tricky man. A couple of seconds of Dumbledore in my mind and he could have looked at all of my past. But I was thinking about it on my own, so it was right there for him to see up front. I shouldn't have let my emotions get my guard down.
Because it was my word that would expell Diggory, there was someone from the ministry to come in and talk to Dumbledore and I. Something about recording the 'event' for official records of some sort. Professor McGonagall was there as well, being that she was my head of house. Amos was found earlier this morning and taken to the hospital wing where he presently resided. Or so I was told by Dumbledore. I left out all mention of Sirius' handiwork. I don't even know what Diggory looked like after Charlie and Sirius went back. All Dumbledore said was that a Slytherin student found him down in the dungeons on their way to breakfast this morning. I'm pretty sure Dumbledore knew that Sirius and Charlie were the ones who were responsible for Diggory, but he didn't say anything. I left Dumbledore's office glad to be able to move on from the whole issue. I walked straight to lunch and when I arrived I recieved simultaneous hugs from James, Charlie, and Sirius.
"So how did it go?" James asked.
"Good." I said simply.
The rest of our friends were giving us questioning looks, but they didn't ask what we were talking about or why I had missed classes. Tiffany walked in the Great Hall and took a seat across from Sirius. She quietly started to fill her plate as James smirked. I looked at him but he only shrugged it off. Lunch today was quiet compared to any other day. I think it was becuase the two loudest ones of our 'group' weren't saying anything. That in itself was odd. I knew something was going on, but I was going to wait and see.
I was walking to Charms with James when I heard this loud obnoxious noise coming from behind us. We both turned around to see Sirius and Peter. Sirius was singing very out of tune and Peter was walking next to him with his hands over his ears.
"Has anyone ever told you that you sing horribly?" I asked Sirius when they approached us.
"Yes." Sirius said happily.
"He always sings when he's happy." Peter said.
"I thought he Was always happy?" I asked.
"No he sings when he is really really happy." James said.
Peter and James shared a smile while other students stared at Sirius who was singing again. I probably didn't want to know why Sirius would be 'really really happy' so I just walked on to class much like Peter had been. With my hands over my ears.
After Charms I made my way to the library with James so I could talk to Charlie before quidditch practice.
"Charlie." I greeted once I had found him sitting at one of the back tables.
"Lils." He said happily.
"A question for you..." I started to say.
"Yes." Charlie said quickly.
"Thanks." I said.
Charlie rolled his eyes before going back to his book. I walked out of the library with James next to me looking confused.
"What the bloody hell?" He asked.
"Charlie likes Leah." I explained.
"Oh. Does she..." He asked.
"Yes. I believe so." I said as we walked side by side down the corridor.
"So do you think that they will..." He started.
"If I can help it." I said.
"You know it's annoying when you do that." James said.
I laughed and stuck out my tongue. This inspired a game of catch where I ran like crazy screaming down the halls of Hogwarts and James trying to catch me. I say trying because I'm just way too fast. Heh.
Later that night I was sitting in the common room reading when Leah came down from the girls dormitory and sat on one of the couches.
"I didn't know you were here." Leah said.
"I'm supposed to meet James here before patrols. Sirius needed him for something. It's some big secret or another." I said.
"Hmm, I wonder if it has anything to do with the way he was acting this morning." Leah said.
"Possibly." I said.
I continued to read while Leah sat watching the fire. Students started to go up to their dormitories for the night and soon it was only me and Leah left in the common room. We sat their for about twenty minutes until Leah spoke.
"Lily?" She asked me.
"Yeah?" I said without looking up from my book.
"I need some advice and I have a confession of sorts." She said.
I closed my book and looked at her. She was holding a pillow from one of the couches in her lap and her legs were folded underneath her.
"It's your brother." Leah said.
"I know." I said.
"Wait, what do you mean you know?" Leah asked.
"What I said." I said.
"Am I that obvious?" She asked sliding deeper into the couch.
"Well, only when you're together, and when you stare at him in class with this glazed look in your eyes, oh and then when he's talking to anyone and you agree with everything he says..." I said.
"Ok, ok, I get the point." Leah said.
She sighed loudly.
"He confuses the hell out of me!" Leah said angirly.
I sat my book down and walked over to the couch sitting next to her.
"I like him. I really do, and it's not like any of my other boyfriends. I care about Charlie. Like I know that if we dated, and it didn't work out, that we would still be really good friends." Leah said.
"Well, are you dating?" I asked her.
"I don't know." Leah said.
"What do you mean you don't know?" I asked.
"Well, we spend almost all of our time together. And, he keeps trying to kiss me." Leah said.
"He tries to kiss you? Does he miss?" I asked unsurely.
Leah laughed.
"No. I always pull away, or just hug him or something." Leah said.
"Why do you pull away if you like him?" I asked.
"I don't know. I guess I'm just nervous. I don't want Charlie to be just another fling. And what if I mess up? Charlie means a lot to me and I don't want to mess anything up." Leah said.
"Well that's good because I think you mean a lot to Charlie too." I said.
Leah looked at me and smiled.
"Don't hold back just because you're afraid. Trust me on this one. If you do, you'll only regret and wish you would have been upfront from the beginning." I said.
Leah looked at me curiously but didn't say anything.
"I'm going to go find him." She said jumping up from her position on the couch.
"It's midnight." I commented while looking at the clock on the mantle.
"Oh, right." Leah said sadly.
"He's in the room of requirement. Be careful not to get caught." I said picking up my book and turning it back to the page I had marked.
There was no motion so I looked up.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" I asked.
Leah shook her head and smiled. She ran towards the portrait hole.
"Thanks Lily!" She shouted before exiting the common room.
I smirked. Now to work on Remus and Ashley.
"Ready for patrols?" James asked.
I turned around to see him coming down the boys staircase.
"Yes. Let's go." I said closing my book again and sticking it in my bag.
James and I walked hand in hand down the dark halls of Hogwarts as we patrolled.
"So, Charlie and Leah eh?" He asked.
"Yeah, I think so." I said.
"Well, good luck to them. I hope they work out." James said.
I smiled at him.
"What?" He asked.
"What?" I said.
"Why were you smiling?" He asked me.
"Nothing, but I hope Leah likes what Charlie has planned for her in the Room of Requirement." I said.
"What's he planned?" James asked.
"I think he's had it decorated romantically and he's going to officially ask her out." I said.
"Oh. Good thing they're both friends with the Heads." James smirked.
I rolled my eyes. We approached some broom closets that were usual hide outs for students out past curfew.
"Would my lady care for the honor?" James asked bowing and geturing towards the door of the first closet.
"If you insist good sir." I said mocking James' silly antics.
I opened the door and there was nobody inside.
"Too bad Lils, this is usually a big spot. I guess you don't get any points on this one." He said.
I closed the door as we walked a little ways to the next closet. James and I play this game every time we patrol. We take turns on opening the doors to the most likely hideouts and if we find people in them we get so many points based on who we find. If its a younger student we get 10 points. If its a couple we get 15. And their house depends if we get an additional 3 points for each Slytherin, 4 points for each Hufflepuff, 5 points for each Ravenclaw, and 6 points for each Gryffindor. If it's a student or students above fifth year we also add 15 points. So basically the biggest points are if we find a couple of Gryffindors. And James added a point system on how comprimising their situation is when we find them. If any clothing article is missing its 20 points for each one missing on each person. And we get 50 points if we can bust one of our friends. That's James for you though.
We came up to the next door and it was James' turn so I leaned against the opposite wall and watched as he quietly turned the handle and threw the door open.
What I seen was shocking to say the least.
"James! Lily!" Ashley screamed, she was closest to the door.
James lit his wand to see who she was with as Ashley covered the top half of her body.
"Remus?" James said surprised.
Remus smiled sheepishly as he picked up his shirt and Ashley's too.
"Well, this is a bit embarassing." Remus said.
I just stood there much like James, looking on dumbfounded.
"Well, er, we'll be going now." Ashley said grabbing Remus' arm and dragging him down the hall.
James and I just stood there as we watched them round the corner.
"Well, that was..." I started.
"Brilliant!" James said grinning.
"Yeah, I'm glad they got together on their own." I said smiling.
"Yeah but do you know how many points I get?" James said.
I rolled my eyes.
"Let's see that's a couple so its 15, plus they were both Gryffindors and thats 6 points each. That gives me 27 points. Then they were both above fifth year so thats 15 points each. That there gives me 57 points. And they were both missing shirts so thats 20 points each. That gives me 97 points. And the best part, they were both our friends! That's 100 points to add. So the grand total is 197 points! Beat that Miss Evans, with your measly 24 points. Ha!" James shouted.
He started jumping up and down and doing some type of victory dance. I had had enough. I pulled out my wand and hit him with a trip jinx. James did a faceplant on the floor. I started laughing as he looked up at me astonished.
"Oh, that's how you want to play is it?" He asked me mischieviously.
I stopped laughing when I seen the look on his face, like he was about to launch an attack. I took off sprinting down the hall as James got up from the floor and ran after me. I skidded around the corners of hallways as James chased me. I rounded one corner and hit smack dab into someone. The both of us sprawled across the floor.
I heard James coming around the corner and he tripped over us and it sent him to the ground as well. So the three of us were tangled in a mess of flying limbs as well all tried to get to our feet.
"What the bloody hell!" James mumbled as he rolled off of the unidentified person and got to his feet.
James pulled me up as the other person was bent over dusting off.
"Miss Evans, Mr. Potter. On a highspeed chase for late night wanderers are we?" Professor Stigma said.
"I am so sorry professor!" I said.
"No, its quite alright. I was just making sure miss Collins got to her common room without any troubles." He said.
I looked over to the other side of the hall to see Sarah standing there.
"It's pretty late for a tutoring session don't you think?" James said.
I elbowed him to be quiet.
"Well, we'll just be on our way. Goodnight professor." I said pulling James' hand and glancing at a smirking Sarah.
Once we were safely out of earshot I gave James a look. He returned it.
"What was going on back there? What do you know that I don't?" He asked.
So I had to explain everything.
"You walked in on them and thought it was me and Sarah?" He asked.
"Well, when I heard them I thought it was you and Sarah. But then it just all came out." I said.
"I dont know if I can think of Stigma the same." James said.
"Oh believe me, it's hard to listen to the lectures when you get flashbacks of him making out with one of your best friends." I said.
James cringed.
"Ew, Lils." He said.
"Exactly." I said.
"So first Remus and Ashley and now professor Stigma and Sarah?" James said.
"Shhh, you can't tell anyone about Sarah." I said.
James nodded.
"Those girls sure do have a strange taste in men." James said.
"James! Remus is your friend!" I said.
"Which is why I'd know." James said laughing.
I rolled my eyes.
"You keep doing that and they might just get stuck." James said.
"Oh I'm sure." I said.
I stuck out my tongue.
James laughed at me as we continued our patrol.
"Hey James, you and Sirius aren't planning something are you?" I asked.
"Yes." He said.
"Something big?" I asked.
"Yes." He said.
"And it's just the two of you?" I asked.
"Yes." He said.
"Are you going to tell me what it is?" I asked.
"No." He said.
"Why is that?" I asked him.
"Because you will just have to wait and see tomorrow morning along with everyone else. And, if I tell you, then you're techniqually an acomplice. And we can't have that on your record now can we?" He said.
"I just hope you don't get in too much trouble. I wouldn't want you to get expelled. It wouldn't be the same without you here." I said as we walked.
"Hey." James said stopping and facing me.
"I wouldn't do anything that would make me leave you." He said seriously.
I smiled.
"That's good, becuase I kind of like having you around." I said.
"I bet. Probably had them all following you around at Drumstrang too eh?" He joked.
I froze. The promise I had made to myself, I had to tell him. I looked around and nobody was in the halls that I could see.
"Lily? What's wrong?" He asked.
Well I suppose now was as good a time as ever.
"James, I need to tell you something about Drumstrang." I said.
"What?" He asked.
I closed my eyes as the images rushed to my head like they had that night with Diggory. I couldn't handle it.
"Lily!" James shouted.
All I remembered was James worried face as the darkness consumed.