Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series and any of the characters. All credit goes to my hero, the wonderful J.K. Rowling! :D
Hpov
Over the next couple of weeks, my prediction that Sirius and I would be spending a lot of time together had come true. When the boys weren't at quidditch practice or getting into trouble, and we weren't studying, the girls and I found ourselves almost entirely in the their company. We all sat together at meals now, hung out with each other in the common room, and I was surprised to find that Sirius wasn't completely unbearable. He still had a tendency to act like an arrogant prat sometimes, but he did have his moments where he was actually quite fun to be around. For the first time in all my years at Hogwarts, I wasn't as worried about homework or how often I volunteered at the hospital wing. With Sirius around, I found myself having fun. At any rate, I didn't dread sitting next to him in potions any more, and while he'd stopped stealing my things, and although he kept his promise and to no longer asking me out, roses continued to pop up where I least expected them. I'd taken to keeping them now, and even looked forward to finding them. At this point if he kept it up, I'd have to find another vase.
The flowers seemed to annoy Valerie who'd been treating me to an icy silence over the past couple of days. Every time she spotted them on my nightstand she seemed to stiffen and her gaze turned into a glare.
"She's just jealous." Alice said from behind her copy of the 'Evening Prophet' when I brought it up to her in the common room. It was one of the rare times she and I were alone together. They boys had vanished after dinner and Lily was off, presumably with James, on Head Girl duties. "You know she's always been obsessed with Sirius and he's made it pretty obvious that he's after you."
I frowned. "Alice, I saw him kissing two girls just yesterday." I said not exactly sure why it annoyed me.
"Well you can't expect him not to when you won't date him." She said reasonably and I remembered my thoughts on her reaction if she knew that I owed Sirius one date.
"Are you actually sticking up for him snogging every girl in the castle?"
"I don't think he's actually doing anything wrong." She said folding the paper and looking at me. "If you two were dating it would be different. But you're not. Why should he miss out on other girls when you refuse to go out with him?"
"Do you honestly think he'd stop sleeping around with other girls if I agreed to go out with him?"
"I dunno Hal." She said shrugging. "And neither will you unless you give it a try."
I wasn't exactly sure what to say to this so I decided to change the subject.
"Are you done with that?" I asked her, gesturing towards the paper and she nodded. "Can I see?"
She handed me and the paper and I opened it at random, mainly to give myself something to do. My eyes fell on a headline that read.
'Missing Witches and Wizards Found Dead in London.'
I scanned the article. It was a follow up story to an story they'd run over the summer about five people that had gone missing, three witches two wizards, who'd just simply vanished without a trace.
"Did you see this?" I asked showing her the article and she nodded.
"It's awful isn't it?" she asked sadly.
"Yeah. Do they know who did it?" I asked having not finished the story before I asked.
"No."
"It says here they were all muggleborns." I said quietly looking at the last few lines. "Do you think it could be...?" I started my but my voice faded and even though I didn't finish my question, I knew she had understood. An uneasy silence passed between us.
There had been some strange rumors going around recently, about a group of witches and wizards going around calling themselves the 'Death Eaters' and practicing dark magic. Lily's creepy ex friend Severus wanted to be one apparently, so did most of the people in Slytherin, but I would never have guessed that anyone I'd known at Hogwarts would do anything like this. It seemed unreal.
"Frank seems to think so." Alice said gravely.
"Why?"
"Well." She said glancing around quickly before lowering her voice and leaning closer to me. "Don't tell anyone about this because I'm not supposed to know. It was the aurors who found them. They were apparently on the trail these death eaters, and it lead them straight to the bodies." She gave me a significant look. "And they all showed the signs of being exposed to dark magic."
"So they're not any closer to finding him?" I asked frowning.
"No." she said shaking her head. "I just wish there was something I could do about it."
"What can you do?" I asked her suspiciously. "If the ministry can't find him how could an unqualified witch?"
"The ministry isn't the only one looking." She said cryptically.
"What do you mean?"
Again she looked around before quickly saying. "Ok don't tell anyone I told you this, but over the summer Frank was approached to join an order."
"What, like a secret society?" I asked frowning.
"Yeah."
"Did he?"
She nodded.
"Who are they?" I asked curiously
"I'm not sure, he won't tell me, all he says is that it's a group of witches and wizards all dedicating to fighting the dark arts. Apparently, it's full of all sorts of important people."
"Like who?"
"Like I said he won't tell me." She said looking irritated. "He says I should focus on school and he doesn't want me worrying about this sort of stuff until I'm 'fully qualified.'" She said using her fingers as quotations. "But it's cool right? To think that someone's starting a resistance."
"I guess." I said frowning, although to me it sounded more like suicide. "But this has to be very dangerous though. Do they really think they can do a better job than the ministry?"
"The ministry is corrupt Hal, it has been for years." She said shaking her head. "At least these people are doing something, and sometimes actions is more affective when it's taken outside of the law. And with all these deaths and disappearances cropping up all the time, I'm starting to wonder if the ministry is really doing anything at all."
We didn't get to speak more on the subject though because the portrait hole swung open and Lily walked in looking a little disappointed.
"Hey Lil." Alice said. "Why the long face?"
"Where's James?" I asked frowning.
"Gone." She said shrugging. "Apparently he and his friends have plans tonight which means they're probably getting into trouble. What are you two doing?" she asked.
I glanced at Alice and we exchanged a look, silently agreeing not to tell Lily about the article. She always got so upset when someone mentioned Death Eaters.
"Nothing really." She said quickly. "Just debating the likelihood of Sirius being able to behave himself if Hallie ever agreed to go out with him."
"Are you considering it?" she asked curiously her eyes bright. While nothing was official yet, she and James had been on several dates now and I could tell she was thinking about possible double dates in the future.
"No." I said forcefully and I could see she looked a little disappointed. "And since when is everybody on board with this whole me and Sirius thing?"
"I've always been on board with it." Alice pointed out.
"Yeah but she hasn't." I said pointing to Lily.
"Well," she said sounding as if she were choosing her words carefully. "I dunno Hal, that was before I saw you two hanging out together."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," she said again. "Now don't take this the wrong way Hallie. Because you're brilliant and I would never change you but you've always been a little… What's the word I'm looking for?" she asked appealing to Alice.
"Intense?" she supplied and Lily nodded.
"Exactly, you've always been so focused on school."
"Lily I want to be a healer." I said frowning. "That requires top grades."
"And that's perfectly fine." She said quickly. "But honestly Hal, sometimes we worry that you're pushing yourself too hard and that you're not really happy. But ever since he's been around… You've been different."
"So?" I said flatly.
"So?" Alice asked incredulously. "Hallie over the last couple of weeks you've been happier than we've ever seen you."
"And you think it's because I've been spending time with Sirius?" I asked incredulously and they exchanged cautious looks before Lily said.
"Well, yeah."
It amazed me how two simple words could hit me like a pillowcase full of bricks. No one said anything for a while, and her sentence hung there awkwardly until Alice decided to break the silence.
"I know what we need." She said happily.
"What?" Lily and I asked in unison.
"A girls night." She declared.
I groaned and Lily giggled excitedly.
"It will be great." Alice continued. "No homework or studying from now until tomorrow. We can do our nails, talk about boys, and pig out on junk food."
"Do I have to?" I asked I had a Transfiguration essay I really wanted to finish tonight so I could spend sometime in the hospital wing tomorrow.
"Yes, you have to." she said threateningly.
"You know I'm not one for the hair braiding and nail painting and stuff." I complained.
"Oh relax Hallie, it will be fun." Lily said.
"Fine. But if I do this will you guys agree stop bothering me about Sirius?" I said mainly talking to Alice but including Lily for good measure.
"I agree to nothing." Alice said grinning evilly.
"Of course you don't." I said annoyed but standing and following them up towards the dormitory.
That night I had a weird dream.
I was in a football jersey with Sirius's face as the logo on the front. I was standing in front of James, Remus, and Peter who were sitting at a table in the middle of a football pitch. They were all glancing back and forth between clipboards and me.
"This is applicant number three hundred and fifty four," Peter said in a matter of fact tone. "Her name is Katie Benson and this is her first time applying for the position."
"How do you know that's my name?" I asked, but they ignored me.
"Ah yes, she is one of my favorites." Remus said making a note and acting as if I wasn't even here. "He really is quite fond of her."
"Let's just hope she lasts longer than the others." James said laughing good-naturedly as if they were commentators announcing for a sports game.
"Where am I?" I asked looking around. "What's going on?"
"You're at tryouts." Remus said kindly.
"For what?"
"Read the sign." James said impatiently pointing towards the far end of the pitch where Sirius was, surrounded by a crowd of adoring girls, standing under a huge banner that read 'Sirius's girlfriends.' He smiled at me with that charming, irresistible smile, and winked causing all of the girls around him to giggle and sigh happily.
"So Katie." Peter said drawing my attention back to the table. "Why do you want to be Sirius's girlfriend?"
"I don't." I said frowning.
"Don't be ridiculous, you're here aren't you?" Remus said rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, stop playing hard to get Kate." James said still sounding irritated. "It was cute for a while, but at this point it's only gonna hurt your chances."
"What?" I asked totally confused.
"Why do you think you would be a good fit for Sirius?" Remus asked pleasantly rather as if this was a beauty pageant and I was auditioning for a role on Miss Universe. "What makes you think you're qualified for this position?"
"I'm not!"
"C'mon on Hallie," James said, but his voice was different now. It sounded scared. "He doesn't have time for this."
"What?" I asked confused as the scene dissolved around me. My vision was fading to black but James's voice was as loud as ever, in fact, it was getting louder, the fear more pronounced.
"Hallie, Sirius doesn't have time for this. Wake up."
"Huh?" I asked confused as my eyes flew open and I realized someone was shaking me.
"Hallie wake, up we need your help."
"James?" I asked confused but his hand flew to my mouth.
"Quiet." He said whispered urgently. "I don't want to take anyone up. Can you promise that?"
I nodded and he let go.
"James what the hell?" I hissed realization hitting me that some how he'd managed to sneak into the girls dormitory. It was dark, but I was just able to make out his figure silhouetted next to my bed by light of the full moon outside. "How did you get up here?"
"I don't have time to explain." He said whispered quickly sounding desperate. "I just need you to come with me."
"Why?" I asked sitting up.
"Come on." He said grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the dormitory.
"What is going on?" I asked trying to pull out of his grip but he wouldn't let go.
"Sirius is hurt." He said shortly, his voice strained. "He's hurt really badly."