The Curious Cat's Careless Comrades

Right before the Party

The joke shop had just closed and the back room fixed up for the party. The girls were behind the cashier's counter inside the dim shop with the curtains drawn. The younger students and those not going to the party would be returning to Hogwarts. Those attending would be on their way. Lies, Dom, and their friends were now changing into party clothes, stumbling into dresses and passing around each others' heels. Emily's paper bag, enchanted with a near unlimited storage space, was a big hit. Emily, herself, was finished changing. She rushed to the back room at Al's call. Already, the back room was full of other students arriving.

"Ow! That's my foot!," cried a voice from behind Jo. She'd stood up from strapping some heels on and backed into somebody.

"I'm sorry!," she apologised, trying to see who it was in the dark.

"...Jo?" came the voice.

"Betty?"

"Oh, well then, all is forgiven," as Jo's eyes adjusted to the dimness, she made out Betty Thorpe's smirking face. She felt herself flush at how close the taller athletic girl was.

"Um, okay," Jo managed to squeak.

"Yeah, except who's going to want to dance with me now, what with my injured foot and all?" Jo caught on quickly, though it did help that Betty was watching her earnestly.

"Oh, well, I guess it's only fair that I dance with you, then, since it's my fault," Jo replied. This was what she needed, a welcome distraction from all that one-sided pining.

"Ahem," Jo jumped at Lies' voice, and Betty laughed, "If you'll excuse me, I have a party to check on," Lies said as she passed between them to the back door. "Go get 'em, Honey Badger", Lies whispered, winking at Jo through the dark.

"I'll cache that promise in later, alright?" Betty whispered, dropping her head closer to Jo's. Without waiting for a response, she left Jo trying to calm herself in the dark.

"Jo?" it was just Jo and Dom in the room now, "Betty's fun and one of my best friends, but she's...not exactly the stick-to-one type."

"It's just a dance, Dom," Jo shrugged, though she wasn't sure if Dom could see her. The older girl sighed.

"Alright, but Betty Thorpe has broken many-a girls' hearts," Dom singsong-ed.

"It's just dancing," Jo asserted, then reconsidered, "and hopefully some snogging, but that's it."

It was well into the party, and James Potter had found himself in yet another mind-numbing conversation. Though it's possible his mind was numb from the copious amounts of alcohol he'd consumed. Still, James was anything but a lightweight, and scanned the crowd for a new cluster of people to talk to. Normally, he'd be the life of the party, but things were a little less than normal these days. For the life of him, there was only one person, one god-awful, bossy, overconfident tiny girl, he wanted to talk to. This was especially frustrating when he had already spoken to her, and she'd promptly abandoned him for Matty Calasanz. And here he was now; stuck in a conversation with some random Ravenclaw upperclassman he didn't even recognise telling a rapt Scorpius Malfoy how to apply for a summer internship for the Daily Prophet. Who talks about that stuff at a party, anyway? James excused himself from the conversation, and his tipsy searching gaze promptly stumbled across Lies Wang.

"Matty!" James called out, purposely ignoring Lies.

"James!" roared the Slytherin Quidditch captain, drunk already, and thumping him on the back.

"What's that you were saying the other day? About how Newark's got the best arse, and Stone's got the best boobs, but Lies, over here, has the best combination of both?" Matty threw his head back with laughter, while his friends watched with shock, from him to Lies and back. Lies glared at the back of James's head.

"Potter!," Lies warned, shouting to be heard above the music.

"Lieselotte," James replied coolly, turning to her.

"Babe, come on! It's a joke! Can't you take a bloody compliment?!" Matty was still laughing, though he clumsily tried to placate his stony-faced girlfriend. Lies gently stepped away from his groping hands.

"Excuse us," Lies grinned apologetically at the other people who made up the circle. She motioned for James to follow her as she walked to the door.

"Out," she commanded, as soon as they reached the door.

"Lies-"

"Don't!," Lies turned to check who was watching, then she pulled him down by the collar and brought her mouth to his ear. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting my I-told-you-so," this was not the fun, teasing James Lies knew. She grabbed the bottle from his hand before he could take another swig.

"If you can't behave, you can't be here," she hissed. James grabbed at the bottle. Lies retaliated, and before either could react, the contents sloshed onto Lies' dress.

"Shit. Lies, I'm sorry," James tried to use the tail of his button-down to wipe at the mess, but Lies backed away. She pressed her palm to her forehead.

"James..." the look she gave him was pained, and he immediately felt sorry for everything, the dress, Matty, his behaviour. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm sorry, Lies. I honestly don't know," and he was telling the truth. He'd been trying, for years now, to be her friend, but she seemed to have only one prevailing opinion of him. He was just a nuisance. "I just wanted to help," she marched back to him, tiptoeing to hiss into his face.

"You think you can just show up all Knight-in-Shining-Armour, and what? Save the day? And I'm the pitiful fool? You're so...Merlin! You're so bloody entitled, you privileged prick," with Lies so close and so unbelievably furious, James seemed to immediately sober up.

"I shouldn't have done what I did," he said, stiffly, "I was just as bad as Calasanz. I won't bother you anymore," he opened the door a little bit, then turned back to Lies, "And I'm sorry about your dress. If it's any consolation, you still look lovely."

"Help him sober up. I'm clocked out for the night," a tired Emily told Scorpius. Beside her, the burlier of the two Hufflepuff beaters carried a passed out Al bridal style. "You can sit him down beside Scorpius," she told the boy, motioning to Scorpius sitting against the wall of the shop, watching them lethargically. The boy obliged.

"Thanks, Gabe," said Emily, not noticing the way the boy – Gabe – lingered by the door.

"Em, I was hoping, since you don't have to babysit Potter anymore, you might wanna dance? With me?"

"Oh," Emily bit her lip. She never knew what to say. "Maybe next time, Gabe? I'm...I'm exhausted, and I was hoping to talk to my friends."

"Oh, okay, then. Sure...," Gabe replied, returning to the party. Just as he was about to shut the door, Jo slipped past him, Betty in tow. They let the door close behind them.

"Emily!," cried a flushed and giddy Jo. "Why'd you do that? He was fit. Did you see those arms?" Jo asked Betty, looking up. The older girl nodded, just as giddy as Jo.

"Like I said, I am clocked out for the night," Emily grinned with satisfaction, stretching her arms wide, and taking a deep breath. "And I was looking for you and Lies. Pretty much how I spotted Al passing out while swapping spit with Gracie Newark," Emily pulled a face.

"Newark. Good job, Al," Jo nodded appreciatively at Al's unconscious figure.

"Except for the passing out bit," Betty clucked and shook her head. Emily noted her hand in Jo's, and then her gaze flicked down to Scorpius who was openly staring at the same thing.

"Betty, could you go look for Lies? I'd really like to talk to her and Jo. Please?" Emily asked as nicely as she could, hoping she didn't sound rude.

"It's a best friends thing?" Betty asked, looking down at Jo to include her in the question. Both Emily and Jo nodded. "Alright, I'll just..." Betty motioned to the door, and with Jo's nod, left them to look for Lies.

"You two need to talk?" Emily asked Jo, who nodded soberly. "I'll be waiting up front," Emily instructed, walking off to the front of the shop.

"Scorp..." Jo began. At the sound of her voice, Scorpius stood up and brought her into an embrace. "You're freezing!"

"Yeah, it's a bit cold out here," Scorp said, chuckling.

"So, you know"

"I'm sorry I'm reacting so horribly. I was just...surprised," Scoprius finally released her, and she watched his face cautiously.

"I would've told you eventually. Tonight was a surprise for me too," she smiled up at him sheepishly, then brought her hands up to warm his ruddy cheeks.

"I'm...just wondering? What about Casper Larkin?", he let her warm him, then brought her hands down, needing to concentrate.

"I liked him. A lot. I'm still getting over him, honestly. It's harder because he's actually a pretty good guy, and he and Charlie are so disgustingly adorable," she laughed ruefully.

"And Betty Thorpe?" Scorpius watched her face shifting expressions as she thought. He still hadn't stepped back, though he'd let his arms fall to his sides.

"I like her too. It's not a serious thing. I mean, before today, I hadn't even known she was interested, but I like her," Jo blushed. Something in Scorp's chest flared, warming him up as he saw how happy Jo seemed.

"James was right," Scorpius mumbled, smiling to himself.

"James Potter? Al's brother?"

"He said you might be bi, but I thought that was wishful thinking," Scorp shrugged, then flushed when he realised the implications of what he'd said. Jo didn't notice.

"You told him?"

"I'm sorry, Jo. I shouldn't have, but I was confused, and venting, and just a tiny tiny bit tipsy, maybe?" Scorp rushed to apologise.

"Oh no,"

"Jo, I'm sorry. I had no right,"

"No, it's not just that. The others inside, at the party. They saw too, didn't they? They'll spread it around. They'll tell their parents. They're parents will tell my parents!"

"Jo, I'm sorry," Scorp didn't know what else to say.

"It's alright," Jo sighed. There was nothing to be done, but hope that no one would care enough. "Just...you can't do that, alright? You can't out people for them," Jo pointed a stern finger at him. Scorpius nodded, avoiding her chastising gaze.

"I would've told you. Eventually. I mean, even Lies and Emily found out by accident, you know?"

"Really? Can I ask?" Scorpius looked up.

"They caught me with the girl next door over Christmas break," Jo laughed.

"Look at you, Miss Popular," Scorp teased. Jo rolled her eyes.

"Hmm, let's check my track record, shall we? There was Wells from spin the bottle last year, my neighbour who goes to boarding school and was probably just bored over break, and Betty Thorpe. Wow, I am quite the heartbreaker, aren't I?" Jo replied, playing along. Just then, Lies stepped out, pausing when she noticed Scorp and Jo in the middle of something. She cast an inquiring look at Al passed out against the wall.

"Lies, Emily's waiting for us out front," Jo told her. She glanced back up at Scorpius. "Get back in there, alright, Mr. Popular? You've got a room full of adoring fans just waiting to dance with you. Clara Stone, in particular, keep her away from Betty for me?" Scorp laughed.

"I'll see what I can do. Can't just leave Al here," Jo gave his hand a squeeze before following Lies to the front of the establishment.

Emily had been freezing her tush off on the cold stone steps of the joke shop, troubling thoughts swirling round and round. She just about jumped when she heard the footsteps and voices approaching.

"You two seemed...okay," Emily recognised Lies' voice.

"Why wouldn't we be? He's one of my closest friends," that was Jo, and judging by the subject matter, Emily guessed Lies had overheard Jo and Scorpius talking.

"He seemed a bit torn up a while ago," Lies again, as the pair rounded the corner.

"Emily," Jo greeted her. Lies immediately turned her focus to Emily.

"Hey, Em. It's a little too early for a post-party run down, isn't it?" Lies asked. Emily stood up and faced them, all seriousness.

"I fancy Al," she announced.

Well, duh. So, not much of a cliffhanger, I guess :) Now watch me shamelessly beg for reviews: PLEASE