That Year We All Changed...

Chapter Five: Madam Pomfrey's Magic Once-a-Month Pills

Quidditch practice went horribly wrong the next day, and many people came up with many reasons as to why it ended up like that: teenage hormones, feminine bodily functions, Ellie's recent attachment to one Remus Lupin... the list went on and on.

Practice started off well enough, with the sudden appearance of a very tired-looking and wind-blown Ellie, looking like she had just finished her essay five minutes ago, with only enough time to throw on some half-way decent, non-pajama clothing and try to look half alive before she had sprinted all the way from - presumably - her dorm to the Quidditch pitch.

And it all went downhill from there.

James couldn't seem to get a grasp on the Snitch - he mentioned something about feeling feverish and sweaty, although all those gathered believed it was because Lily, along with Peter and a few other Gryffindors, was gathered around the pitch.

Much to the team's annoyance, Sirius acted like a woman, squealing and ducking every time a bludger came his way. However, this didn't seem to have an effect on his ability to hit them out of the way. It was just really annoying.

And Ellie... well, she was driven mad with frustration and jealousy as she watched Remus converse with his fellow chasers, Ashleah Fowl and Elise Jimenez. The three chasers had always been on good terms, and it had never bothered Ellie before. But her deep affection towards him, with a little help from her feminine episode, was making her insanely envious.

The fact that it was thirty degrees out didn't help, either.

Dennis Ossil, the other beater, and the team captain, saw all this going on, and eventually called the practice to a halt half an hour early.

"I know we need some more practice," he stated, as they all crouched together in the locker room and tried to warm up. "But it's obvious that today is one of our off days. Why don't we take off early today, and we'll start off fresh, tomorrow afternoon?"

Everyone bobbed his or her head in agreement. This worked out very well for James and Sirius, in fact, because they had yet to start their History of Magic essays. Ellie was fuming mad at Remus, and he had no idea why she was sitting on the separate edge of the bench, acting like she was fuming mad at him, so they were both glad to be able to get away from each other. Plus, it wasn't just that time of month for Ellie, either...

"I have to get back to the dorms early," Remus stated, leaping off the bench and jumping into the shower. His sudden rush alarmed everyone, but, as with most things, they brushed it off.

"Hey, guys..." Ellie stopped James and Sirius. "Will you guys wait for me?"

"Sure." Sirius nodded and bounded off toward the showers.

Ellie walked into the girl's side of the locker room and stripped off her sweat-drenched and dirt-stained tee shirt. She stopped and watched as Ashleah tied her sneakers on. With a scowl, she turned and marched to her locker...~*x*~ "Thanks for waiting for me, guys." Ellie grinned at the taller boys as she dashed out of the locker room. "Are we gonna go now?"

"No, we still have to wait for Moony," James replied, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Moony...?" Ellie asked slowly.

"That's those stupid nicknames they all have for each other," Lily explained, coming up behind her friend.

"Oh... yeah." Ellie rolled her eyes. The anger she felt toward Remus seemed to be melting away with time and separation. "I forgot."

"Where's Peter?" Sirius asked, turning to Lily and frowning. The redheaded rolled her eyes and shrugged melodramatically.

"As if I actually pay attention to where your little friends are?" she asked, trading an exasperated look with Ellie. Actually, Ellie's look was much less exasperated than Lily's, and much more amused.

Remus came barreling out of the locker room. "Alright... I'm ready!" He glanced anxiously at the sky and had taken a few steps in the direction of the castle when James grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him back. "What's the matter with you, James?"

"We have to wait for Peter!" James pointed out, glaring his friend down. Remus shot him an impatient, knowing look, and the two stared each other down for a few moments.

"Uh... guys? Why are you staring at each other?" Peter asked quietly, glancing from James to Remus and back to James again.

"No reason," James replied, grinning at the shorter boy. "Remus and I were just having a friendly tiff."

Ellie snickered, and everyone turned to stare at her. "Sorry... tiff. It's just such a silly word."

"I see you're in a better mood," Remus remarked quietly, walking beside her as the group slowly made their way up the hill. He continued glancing over his shoulder at the slowly setting sun the entire time.

"Yes... my shower helped with that..." she admitted feebly. "And some of Madam Pomfrey's Magic Once-a-Month Pills..." She pulled a glass bottled filled with light brown pills out of her bag.

"I really didn't need to know that," Remus stated.

"No one ever said that you did." Ellie smirked. "But you seemed curious, so I deemed it worth knowing."~*x*~ "Let's see what we've got in the Prophet," Sirius stated, propping his feet up on the table and spreading the newspaper open in front of him. He grinned down the table in the direction that Ellie and her friends were sitting, but found that the brunette wasn't looking anywhere in his direction.

James glanced down the table, following Sirius' line of vision. "What're you staring at?" he asked his friend.

"Oh... nothing." Sirius flashed a killer grin and returned to his paper. "Let's see... the Weird Sisters are performing in Sheffield... those weird protesters have been seen flying all over on brooms again - stupid Americans..."

Remus glanced at his watch. "Oh, would you look at the time?" He grinned weakly at his friends. "I have to get going. I'll see you guys later, right?" They all nodded somberly in unison. "Okay." He dashed out of the Great Hall.

Ellie glimpsed him running out, and glanced around at her friends. "I'll see you guys later today, okay?" They all nodded, and she stood and rushed out of the Hall behind Remus. "Remus? Hey, wait up!" He continued to ignore her as he disappeared out of sight. She stopped at the doorway and leaned against the frame. "I'm never gonna get him to notice me."