Wizarding Betrothal

Chapter 15: Ignoring Lessons

Lily sat cross-legged in a tangled pile of blankets and rubbed her face pathetically. She really didn't want to get out of bed. Holidays were over, classes were back in session, and she'd spent all week trying to keep up with the accelerated pace the professors were setting for the fifth years. Luckily it was Friday - if she could manage one more day of classes, she'd be able to sleep in the next morning.

Poking one of her feet out from under the covers, Lily shivered and pulled it back in again. Why did the dormitory have to be so cold? It didn't do much to encourage students to get up on time. Groaning, Lily tugged at the blankets until her head was uncovered.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Julia was kneeling by the small hearth, building up the fire.

"Morning," Lily mumbled through a yawn. It really was unusually cold.

"You don't happen to know who opened the window last night, do you?" Julia asked.

"The window was open?"

"Yeah. When Laura got up it was part-way open - like somebody was in a hurry and didn't close it all the way."

"Wasn't me." Tightening the blankets around her shoulders, Lily slid out of bed and curled up next to the fire.

"Marianne said the same thing. I can't think of who else would have been in our room last night. It's really strange."

"Maybe it was one of those home elf thingies," Lily suggested. Those little guys really creeped her out.

"A house elf wouldn't have been that careless," Julia said. She stood up to finish dressing. "It's really suspicious."

Before long, Laura emerged from the washroom with a cloud of steam. "Did you ask Lily?" she said.

"It wasn't her," Julia replied, looking up from her shoelaces.

Lily half-heartedly pulled herself to her feet and began piling blankets back on the bed. "I'm sure you'll solve the mystery, Julia. When you do, save a bit of the culprit for me. I'll come up with some horrible punishment."

"Why do I always have to figure out these kinds of things?" Julia asked. "I want to do the punishing this time!"

"Fine. Punish away! But you have to catch them first."

"Why don't you catch them?"

"Because I'm going to take a shower!" Lily grinned, and Julia rolled her eyes.

While she gathered her things for that nice, warm shower, something unfamiliar caught Lily's eye on the bedside table. A tiny jar had been perched on top of her clock. Picking it up to read the small label, Lily squinted in confusion. Why was a jar of Stinksap by her bed?

"Does this belong to anybody?" Lily waved the jar around at the other girls who shook their heads. How odd.

Funny thing was, Stinksap make her think about James. He was always falling back on that strange little joke about eating Stinksap. She remembered the last day of Christmas holiday when he was teasing her about it again. He'd had that cute sort of half-smile on his face that he got whenever he was trying to pretend to be serious but couldn't even come close. James kept insisting that he was going to buy her some Stinksap to taste, but she knew he just wanted to get a rise out of her.

"Lily," Laura called, "if you don't hurry up I'm going to leave without you again."

"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying!" Dropping the jar into her bag, Lily headed for the shower. She didn't want to be late to breakfast; Hadassah should be back from delivering her letter to James, and would expect a treat. She might even have a reply.

Dear Lily,

I'm completely stunned to know you were happy I didn't get you a vat of Stinksap for Christmas. Here I've been thinking that you were disappointed! At least you were surprised anyway.

Try not to stress too much about your OWLS. The Professors always try to scare the fifth years with lectures and too much work - it's tradition. One time Remus and I caught some of them laughing about it in the Staff Room. I'm sure you'll do fine.

I'm glad you got to meet Remus and Peter finally. They're over here right now and want me to write you that, "it was very nice meeting you," and that, "you're invited to hang out with us more often," and that they're "really sorry that James is such a prat." On the good advice of Remus, I'd like to second that last statement and ask for your opinion on the best way to make it up to you. Oh, and they also say "hi."

I won't repeat what Sirius says to tell you, but you can pretend it was "hi" too. I really don't know why I put up with him. Maybe I can sell him to one of those Muggle circuses or something. I bet they'd floo him right back after the first week. Okay, I know Muggles don't floo, but I can't remember how they send back junk they don't want.

I had fun hanging out with you over the holiday. Actually, I have fun whenever I get to spend time with you. I miss you already.

Love, James

PS: I'll bet Stinksap goes great on toast and eggs. You should try it. JP

Potions had let out early that day after a rather bizarre accident sent several Slytherins to the infirmary with furry faces. It looked horribly like a Gryffindor prank, and Lily suspected Benjamin, but he denied his involvement, swearing solemnly on his great-grandmother's wand. Regardless of who had pulled it off, the short period caused Lily to find herself a bit early for Transfiguration.

She was leaning against the corridor wall, listening to Laura rattle on about how annoying her Potions partner was.

"So she was like, 'I can't slice the lionfish spine, it'll ruin my nails,' and I was all, 'So wear your gloves,' and she went, 'My gloves don't fit right, I might slip and cut myself,' and I was like, 'Who cares? It's not like you could be less useful,' and then she got all mad and started fake crying and Professor Doge come over and lectured me about being a team player or something and took five points off, but then that explosion thing happened and her face got all white and hairy and we got to leave." Good grief. Sometimes Laura could talk the ears off a gargoyle.

"I'm sorry you got stuck with Agnes," Lily said. She wasn't really, though; Lily had been stuck with Marissa, of all people. For some reason, old Professor Doge seemed to have thought Lily and Laura needed separating. It wasn't their fault they had so much to talk about! "Did you see how furry Marissa got? I could have sworn she was turning into a puffskein or something."

Laura giggled. "Yeah, she looked a lot better than usual."

Speaking of looking good...Lily started tapping two fingers on her cheek (two hot guys moving this way.) Grinning, Laura turned around and leaned against the wall as a pair of sixth year Hufflepuffs, fresh out of Transfiguration, came sauntering past. One of the boys looked sideways at Lily and smiled. She struggled to maintain her cool demeanour, but couldn't help cracking a grin when he winked at her. At least she didn't giggle - that would have been mortifyingly immature.

The girls watched them round the next corner. "Chris Zeller or Mark Alderton?" Laura whispered.

"Mark." Definitely.

The stream of sixth years pouring out of the classroom trickled to an end, and Lily hooked her bag up over her shoulder. Transfiguration was sure to be a joy, as usual. Swinging through the doorway, Lily suddenly was nose-to-nose with her favourite person at Hogwarts - Regulus Black. Joy upon joy.

Lily stepped back and gave him a hard look. Never let 'em see you sweat, right? If he would just leave, everything would be peachy.

Regulus set his jaw and glared down at Lily, looking her over. Lily's stomach turned, but she didn't avert her gaze. He opened his mouth and Lily prepared herself for the stream of lewd insults, but they didn't come. Instead, he just shoved past her, bumping her hard with his shoulder, and - oddly enough - he skipped away down the hall. Lily tossed a parting glare in his direction; take that, coward!

By that point, a number of fifth years were stacked up outside the door, trying to get into Transfiguration on time. Laura steered Lily to their desk and plunked her down in the chair.

"That was new, wasn't it?" Laura commented. "Since when does Regulus Black skip?"

"Since never." Good point; before today she wouldn't have thought it was possible. "I'd bet it was just left over from some kind of hex." That was the only plausible explanation.

Unloading the contents of her bag onto the desk, Lily found the little jar that had turned up in her room that morning. She hadn't given it much thought yet, but now it was giving her an idea.

"Who do you think would have hexed him?" Lily asked.

"I don't know," Laura said, laying out some parchment, "but did you see that bruise on his face? He probably just got in a fight."

"I wonder who it was with." Lily was beginning to suspect someone, but it seemed so ridiculous.

Laura flipped to the right chapter in her book. "Have you heard anyone talking about a duel recently?"

"Don't ask me, Laura. You're the gossip hound."

Professor McGonagall was glaring for attention so they faced forward, dipping their quills for note taking. Laura tore a corner from her parchment and scribbled a message. When McGonagall's back was turned, Laura crumpled the parchment into a tiny ball and muttered "Mobilichartula," sending it stealthily over to Marianne's desk. Laura may have been a gossip hound, but she was nothing compared to Marianne. If anyone had the scoop, it would be her.

Lily tried not to watch while Marianne opened and replied to Laura's message. It was hard enough to get away with passing notes in McGonagall's class; staring would only draw attention to it. At the next window of note-passing opportunity, the crumpled paper floated back to Laura who read it, and then passed it over to Lily.

M - Any duels this week? - LT

L - None. But word is that Black was roughed up. He's not saying who. - M

Seeing that Professor McGonagall was on a roll with her lesson, the girls bent over their parchment so that their heads were conveniently close together.

With a hushed voice, Laura said, "It's not like him to pass up a chance to rat somebody out."

Lily faked like she was scribbling some useful information while she whispered, "No, it's not." However, he didn't tell on James and Sirius when they paid him that little visit last summer either. And then there was another weird thing: "I don't think he's ever missed a chance to say something nasty to me."

"He hasn't," Laura confirmed. Until then, anyway.

Over the Christmas holiday, Sirius and James had hinted at plans to 'encourage' Regulus not to talk to Lily anymore. They wouldn't tell her much of anything on the subject, but she could tell that they were plotting something. With Regulus looking like he'd been in a fight, and then skipping an opportunity to insult her, it seemed like maybe the guys had carried out their plans after all. There was also that weird, entirely James-like jar of Stinksap in her room, and then that unclaimed prank on the Slytherins in her Potions class. It almost looked like they had paid a visit to Hogwarts in the middle of the night.

There were way too many holes in that theory, though. First of all, they would have had to break into Hogwarts. Hogwarts was supposed to be one of the safest places in the world; it wouldn't be so safe if a couple of guys could break in whenever they wanted.

Second of all, assuming they did break in, they would have had to get into the Slytherin dormitory to find Regulus. Gryffindors couldn't just walk over to the Slytherin dormitory. Not only was it hidden, but it probably needed a password just like every thing else in the castle.

Thirdly, pulling off that prank in the Potions lab, and dropping off the Stinksap in her room would have required some serious cross-castle mobility. It wasn't impossible to get around with out being noticed, but it was difficult. Pringle always seemed to be everywhere at once - only the best sneaks could avoid him. Maybe James could have gone undetected, but he still wouldn't have been able to get up the stairs to the Gryffindor girls' dormitory.

It just didn't make any sense. There had to be more plausible explanations. If she thought hard enough, there was sure to be some good reason why, for example, Regulus had avoided talking to her in the doorway earlier. He almost looked too scared to talk to her...

"Maybe I've grown enough this year to look intimidating," Lily whispered.

Lily looked over at Laura to see her friend shaking with laughter. Okay, okay...so Lily knew she wasn't intimidating; she wasn't really serious about that anyway. Laura covered her mouth and was beginning to squeak with traitorous giggles, despite her best efforts to remain silent.

"It's not that funny," Lily whispered, feeling indignant. It wasn't like she was a pushover or anything.

At that point, Laura lost it. She started laughing with loud choking breaths, holding her ribs and, unavoidably, drawing the attention of the professor.

"Is there something you'd like to share with the class, Miss. Thomas?"

After a few deep breaths, Laura managed to spit out, "Lily thinks she's intimidating!" before dissolving, once again, into a fit of giggles, laying her head down on the desk. Other students were starting to giggle too. Were they laughing at her or at Laura?

"I do not," Lily defended weakly. Whoever they were laughing at, it was all Laura's fault! How humiliating. Lily slouched down in her seat as Professor McGonagall loomed over them.

"Miss. Evans, please trade places with Mr. Mitchell," Professor McGonagall ordered. "And five points each from Gryffindor for disrupting the lesson." Oh boy, was Laura going to get it after class!

Lily gathered up her things in a jumbled armful and trudged past Josiah as he made his way to sit in her place. Benjamin was grinning when Lily lowered herself into the seat next to him. At least somebody was happy.

"Hi," he whispered.

Lily forced a grin in response. She really wasn't in the mood to be friendly to anybody at that moment. At least she was sitting by Benjamin, though. It could have been worse - she could have been sent to sit by Matt.

Benjamin set up her ink for her while Lily reopened her book, trying to find the right page. What lesson were they on anyway? She leaned over and looked for the page number on Benjamin's book.

"Unit four," he whispered. "The introduction."

"Thanks."

Professor McGonagall was droning on again, and Lily tried to focus. It was something or other about Vanishing vertebrates. There were a few vertebrates Lily would love to Vanish - starting with her laugh-happy best friend. Too bad she couldn't concentrate well enough to learn the spell.

Lily was picking apart her quill when a sheet of parchment slid in front of her.

If it makes you feel any better, I find you terribly intimidating.

Lily rolled her eyes and glanced at Benjamin. He was staring determinedly at McGonagall's diagram on the board. Dipping her quill, she wrote him back and shoved the sheet towards him.

I didn't know you were such a chicken.

Only around you.

Not very Gryffindorish of you.

I can't help it.

Okay, so why am I so frightening?

You aren't frightening. You're intimidating. Gorgeous women are always intimidating to guys.

Whatever, Ben. That still doesn't explain why I'm so intimidating.

Whatever, Lily. You're the prettiest girl I know.

Don't be stupid.

I'm not! But speaking of stupid, did you hear about the Ravenclaw Keeper?

Delia Peasegood? What about her?

Out for the rest of the season. Her parents thought it was bringing her marks down.

No way!

Yes, way! They're looking for a replacement.

They should get Bobby Quirke.

Are you nuts? Bobby couldn't catch a Quaffle if it was attached to his hand with a Permanent Sticking Charm.

Exactly. In fact, they should get a whole bunch of horrible players.

Nice strategy. You think we can talk them into adopting it?

If they're all as stupid as Delia...sure!

Not likely. This is Ravenclaw we're talking about.

Too bad. Do we have any chance of winning the cup from them this year?

Depends on how their new Keeper matches up against our Chasers.

When will we find out?

We play them in two weeks. Josiah and I are working up some signs and stuff for the game.

Can I have one?

Sure, if you'll sit with me at the game. The signs all go together. Cool. That'll be fun. I'll show you our plans tonight.Sounds good. BTW, if I fail my OWLS because I can't do Vanishing Spells, I'm blaming you for distracting me in class.

So you find me distracting? I had no idea! Now you know how I feel around you.

Hahaha. So hilarious.

And you think I'm funny too? Cool! I'm on a roll!

I never said you weren't funny. You're also crazy.

And the compliments keep coming! Next you'll be telling me you think I'm insanely attractive.

Lily rolled her eyes and looked over at Benjamin, who was smirking at his textbook. How was she supposed to respond to that? He was certainly a good-looking boy, but it would never do to go and tell him so. A faint blush began creeping into Benjamin's cheeks as she continued staring at him. How cute! Even though he wasn't watching her, it seemed that she certainly had his full attention.

Happily for Lily, she was saved from answering when Professor McGonagall announced the end of the class. Hallelujah! The weekend had finally arrived. Perfect timing, too!

"You want to walk down to dinner with me?" Benjamin asked while he packed up his things. "After we eat I can show you the banners we're trying to charm for the game."

"Sure." Standing to leave, Lily lifted her bag, but Benjamin caught the strap out of her hand.

"I'll get it," he said, smiling nervously.

"You don't have to do that." No guy had every tried to carry her books for her; it was kind of embarrassing.

"I know I don't have to," Benjamin answered. "I want to." He shouldered the bag along with his own, and headed for the door.

"Umm...okay." Not that he gave her much of a choice.

What was she supposed to do with her hands? Lily tried putting them in her pockets, but still felt awkward. Without the heavy weight of her books at her hip, walking out of class just didn't feel quite right. Maybe she was forgetting something.

Lily couldn't shake the nagging sense that something was wrong. Up ahead, she could see her friends motioning for her to hurry up. Oh well. Whatever it was, she would think about it later.