Siriusly Deluded

Ch. 6: Preparations

Two days later, Lauren and Sirius still hadn't talked. She was still angry with him for being such a prat, and all because he was jealous that Snape was her partner and he had alienated himself from her when he told his friends about...that night so long ago.

Lauren and her friends were eating breakfast in the Great Hall. Karen, whom Lauren suspected had noticed that something bad had happened between her and Sirius, was sitting beside her. Every few minutes, Karen would turn to face Lauren, open her mouth slightly, but close it again.

Lauren was glad her sarcastic and blunt friend couldn't bring herself to say whatever it was she had on her mind. Frankly, she didn't want any advice. It was nice to know that Karen cared, but still...

Suddenly a letter dropped onto Lauren's plate. She hadn't even noticed that the owls had arrived to bring the mail.

Lauren picked up the letter, wondering who could have sent it.

She opened it up and started reading:

Messer Sirius Black...

Lauren almost stopped reading it the second she saw his name. She wasn't ready to make up with him yet. But her curiosity got the best of her and she continued.

...requests the presence of Miss Lauren Walker at the Hogwart's Astronomy Tower next
Friday night at 9 o'clock in the evening.

P.S. Semi-formal attire is suggested.

P.P.S. Mr. Black also hopes that Miss Walker can forgive him for acting like an
insufferable, bloody git when he could have just told her how he felt.

Lauren took a deep breath. Even though she was still angry with Sirius, this gesture was really sweet. She was rather flattered, since he had remembered how much she liked astronomy and had basically admitted that he had liked her, well, forever. 'I told him that such a long time ago...' she mused, a slight smile playing on her lips.

She turned to her friend. "Er, Karen...I'm so sorry for being in such a bad mood these past few days."

"Something happened with Sirius, didn't it?" Karen questioned, though she already knew the answer.

"Yeah, but it's okay. So, anyways, I was wondering if you would come with me to shop tomorrow when we go to Hogsmeade." Lauren looked at Karen expectantly.

"You mean you're not going with Sirius?"

"No, I think we need a little time apart," Lauren said.

"Of course I'll help," Karen replied, "but, what are you shopping for?"

"You'll see," said Lauren mysteriously. Then she read the letter again, a peculiar expression on her face.

Karen rolled her eyes. Lately, her friend had been acting a little...weird.

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Sirius was watching as Lauren received the letter and read it instead of crumpling it up and throwing it back at him. He thought he saw the glimmer of a smile on her face. He took that as a good sign. He looked at the other Marauders, whom he had told not to even dare a glance at the Ravenclaw table and gave them a grin.

Remus looked back at him with a strange emotion on his face...Was it pride? 'Maybe he's proud of me for finally being able to have real feelings about someone...like he did...' Sirius gulped at his recollection of the previous year's events. That was yet another reason why Sirius hadn't wanted to fall in love. It was so complicated, so painful. He didn't think Remus would ever get over it, but the Marauders had helped him through it, and Remus had proved his strength.

Sirius wasn't surprised to see that James hadn't even waited for him to give the verdict. He was shocked, though, when he saw him sitting close to a blushing Lily Evans, whispering in her ear. How could he have missed that long-due development? He definitely planned on asking good ol' Prongs about it. Later. He was still watching Lauren, who was now talking to that black-haired girl again. Karen, he believed her name was.

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The next day, Karen and Lauren were walking through the streets of Hogsmeade. They had already been to the Three Broomsticks and after drinking a Butterbeer each, had headed out into the bustling wizarding town.

Lauren stopped when she reached the store she had been heading towards. The red sign read, "Madame Divine's Dresses for All Occasions" in fancy gold letters.

"This is it, Karen. Let's go inside." Lauren pushed open the door to the shop, excited at the prospect of getting all dressed up.

"Alright, I need something semi-formal to wear on...well, to wear on my date with Sirius," Lauren finished quickly.

"I should have known that was what this was about," Karen teased, smirking at Lauren.

For the next ten minutes, the pair of girls rushed around the store, picking out every dress that looked like it might be appropriate.

"I think this might be the one," Lauren called out to Karen from inside the dressing room.

"Really? Let's see it then," came Karen's reply.

Lauren looked at her reflection in the mirror once more, then opened the curtain that separated her from her friend and stepped out into the store.

Karen had barely looked at her before she looked Lauren straight in the eyes and said, "If you don't buy that dress this second, I will get it myself."

Lauren laughed at her friend's reaction. She headed straight back into the dressing room and changed into her own clothes quickly.

After she emerged, she headed straight over to the counter and made her purchase. Lauren was smiling during the whole walk back to Hogwarts.

It almost made Karen sick. 'It's sweet, really,' she had to tell herself, repeatedly.