The Seven Year Itch

Chapter 6

"AND JOE BULSTRODE CATCHES THE SNITCH! SLYTHERIN WINS!"

Lily yawned widely. She wasn't that interested in Quidditch. Opposed to her best friend.

"You idiots! You bloody idiots! Couldn't you-"

"Dorcas, it's okay."

"Nothing is okay!" Dorcas howled. "Slytherin won! They defeated us!"

"Well, technically Slytherin didn't defeat Gryffindor. The Slytherin Quidditch defeated the Gryffindor Quidditch team. If it makes you feel any better."

"It doesn't," Dorcas said gloomily. Lily took her hand and dragged her out of her seat.

"Come on. I'm hungry." They were on their way back to the castle, when they heard an all-to-familiar voice.

"...You saw how he nearly fell of his broom? That Fether's no good at Quidditch. He went to the try-outs last year as well, but of course I didn't let him on the team."

Lily turned her head testily. Of course it was James Potter, and along with him his best friend Sirius Black.

"Let's walk faster!" Dorcas mumbled to Lily. "Before Black asks me again if I'm better at Arithmancy now."

Lily burst out laughing. In their fourth year, Dorcas had fancied Remus Lupin. Remus had been really good at Arithmancy, and so Dorcas had asked him to help her. The two had gotten along really fine-until Remus found out that Dorcas wasn't taking Arithmancy at all.

Unfortunately, Sirius heard her laughter. He came over to them, leaving a very angry-looking James behind.

"Hi, girls," he said, grinning his famous smile. "What about Arithmancy, Dorcas?"

Dorcas mumbled something like, "I knew it," under her breath.

"What do you want, Sirius?" Lily asked. "Shouldn't you be with your buddy James?"

Sirius ignored her. "So what's your boyfriend doing? Adam, I think?"

"Who told you about him?" Lily demanded, her eyes flashing.

"Why, Jamesie-poo of course," Sirius asked, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at James. Lily frowned. Before she could say something, however, Sirius flashed her a smile and said, "Well, got to get going. See you, Lily. And Dorcas, I know a good book about Arithmancy. Tell me if you're interested."

With that, he turned and sauntered back to James.

"Why," Lily whispered to Dorcas, who was looking ready to curse Black with an Unforgivable, "why the hell would Potter tell Black that I have a boyfriend?"

"Maybe the jerk just wanted to annoy you," Dorcas answered. "Suits him well. Bastard."

"But he knew Adam's name!"

Dorcas shrugged. Then her face lit up.

"If you want me to, I could torture him with Crucio until he tells!"

Lily shook her head, sighing.

***

In the evening, Lily walked down to the Great Hall where she wanted to meet Adam. On her way she saw a tall man with long black hair strolling down the stairs.

"Oi! Black!" she yelled. He turned, and when he saw her, he grinned.

"Hey Lily," he said.

"Black," she said," why did Potter tell you about my boyfriend?"

Black let out a bark of laughter.

"Oh, Lily-flower," he said. "You should have heard him. It was hilarious."

"What?"

Sirius laughed again and then imitated an upset, angry voice. " 'I don't know what the hell she thinks she's doing! Snogging with that Blume lad! She's-' "

"Sirius. You forgot something!" a voice behind them said loudly. It was James.

"Thanks, mate," Sirius said, taking his jacket out of James's hands.

"Bye," Lily said hastily, walking away as fast as possible. Potter had a murderous look on his face, and she wasn't exactly feeling the urge to have his hands around her neck.

***

"What the hell did you tell her?" James hissed, glaring at his best friend.

"What you said," Sirius said, smirking.

"Why?" James spat.

"Come on, James. It's not as though you were upset because you like her!" Sirius said, his voice seeping with sarcasm. James didn't notice, though.

"Yeah," he said, faking a laugh. "I was just surprised that somebody actually likes her. I wouldn't touch her if my life depended on it!"

"Of course not, James," Sirius said again. He was again wondering how James could not notice the sarcasm. People could be so ignorant.

"I mean, look at her. How could I like such a carrot top like her? That Blume has a bad taste."

"Yeah, right," Sirius smirked. As bad as yours, or what? he added silently.

***

The weeks passed by. Adam got in several detentions with Potter, one time because he dropped his quill in his DADA-lesson.

"It's sick!" Lily exclaimed when she stormed into the Gryffindor common room one afternoon in mid-November. "When will he stop giving Adam and me detention for nothing?"

"When you graduate," Dorcas answered, throwing her books into her bag.

"You know what is weird?" Lily said, sitting down.

"What?" Julie and Dorcas asked.

"He only gives me and Adam detention. He's never punished one of you. I mean, when he started giving Adam detention, I thought it was because he was my boyfriend. But you two are my closest friends and he doesn't do anything to you!"

Dorcas looked up at Lily, chewing on her bottom lip. Julie frowned, apparently thinking.

"But maybe," she said after a few seconds, "he wants to stop you two spending time with each other. Maybe he thinks that's what will annoy you the most."

"Maybe," Lily said, shrugging.

"Or maybe," Dorcas mumbled under her breath, "maybe... Lily, what did Sirius tell you what James said?"

"What I think I'm doing, snogging around with Adam. Why?"

Dorcas thought for a few seconds, then shook her head. "Ah, nothing."

***

Christmas was coming nearer. It became icy cold and snow was falling outside. Lily and Benjy had to stop the younger students from throwing snowballs.

"Why, Benjy, why?" Lily hissed. "It's so unnecessary! They'll be doing it tomorrow again, anyway!"

Benjy shrugged. "McGonagall will have a fit if we don't do it."

"Are you going home for Christmas?" Lily changed the topic.

"Yep. You?"

"Yeah, though I wish I wasn't," Lily answered gloomily. Benjy smiled sympathetically. Lily sighed and they made their way to their Charms lesson.