~
Sirius slapped James on the back. “That was simply superb, mate!” he exclaimed, looking at the stumbling figure wearing Slytherin robes. An unfortunate seventh year strode into the path of Sirius and James, made a few bold comments regarding Quidditch tactics, and was met with several well-timed hexes, rendering him both speechless and limping. James laughed as well.
“Yeah, that was fun, wasn’t it?” He glanced down at his watch. “Oh, great. I have to meet Lily at the common room portrait in two minutes for breakfast. She’ll kill me if I’m late again.”
As the pair started to jog along the corridors, Sirius asked, “Speaking of which, how have things been between the two of you lately? I mean, since you kissed her and all.”
James shrugged. “Fine, I guess. We’re both just ignoring the whole incident. We’re friends, I guess.” But his nonchalant tone was betrayed by the wishful look in his eyes.
Sirius nodded as they reached the painting. “Right, and I suppose you both think this arrangement is just fine and dandy. Because it’s not as if you like her, is it?”
James missed the sarcastic tone, and replied, “Yes, that sounds about right.”
Sirius shook his head and muttered, “Mental,” just as the Gryffindor portrait opened.
“Who’s mental?” Lily asked. “No wait, don’t answer that. I think I already know.” Her pointed look at James and Sirius was met with shrugs of indifference.
“We’re both very proud of the fact, actually,” James replied.
Shaking her head, Lily mumbled, “Mental.” She looked over at Sirius and said, “Alex already went down to breakfast, if that’s why you’re here.” Sirius nodded and joined Lily and James on their way to the Great Hall. Most of the school was already sitting around their tables when the trio arrived. Before sitting down himself, Sirius Conjured a bouquet of sunflowers and handed them with a flourish to Alex.
She smiled. “My favorite flowers! How’d you know?” Sirius and Alice exchanged sly looks. Alex just laughed, chose the smallest flower from the bouquet, and tucked it behind her ear. Alice smiled and turned back to Frank, as the Marauders tucked into their breakfast with a hearty energy.
Just then, a flurry of white, brown, and black clouded up the blue ceiling. “Post’s here!” Peter announced unnecessarily. Indeed, messages were delivered throughout the vast room. Lily held up her hand to receive issue of the Daily Prophet.
“I wonder if Ireland or Bulgaria won the game last night,” James questioned as he scanned his paper.
“Bulgaria always wins,” Sirius snorted obnoxiously.
“Oh,” James said, disappointed, as he read the scores. “Well, Ireland is bound to win some time, just you wait.”
But Lily, however, barely heard this conversation, as she was preoccupied with the much more important article she was reading.
‘The Ministry is still refusing comment on the mysterious attack on the hidden island in the Caribbean. Why… You-Know-Who would have his followers destroy a seemingly abandoned island is unknown to the Prophet at the time. However, a source inside the Ministry has revealed that there was a secret Auror training facility on the island. This is still being confirmed, but it is known that some casualties were amounted during the incident, but so far only families will be informed as to who has died.’
Lily, pale and scared, tapped Alex on the shoulder. “Have you seen this?” she asked, her voice shaking.
Alex looked over the article and shrugged. “No, but that’s awful. I’m glad T.J.’s in Scotland.”
But both their eyes were drawn to the black owls still circling the students. Dumbledore was looking up at them with a grave, almost fearful expression. These owls suddenly swooped down, landing stiffly in front of several students. As one landed in front of Alex, Lily slowly began to realize what they must be for. Alex, however, was still confused. The smile slowly slid off her face as the owl stuck out its leg. She was slow in taking the letter, suddenly fearful of its contents.
Cries were filling the Hall as other students opened the foreboding letters. Alex shook her head, in strong denial. “No, I don’t think I want to open it. I-I can’t! I don’t want to!”
Alice gently eased the letter from her hands, and glanced it over. Alex looked at her with watering eyes- eyes that knew the answer before she asked the question. “Is it- T.J.?”
Alice bowed her head in a gesture that clearly meant ‘yes.’ “I’m so sorry,” she said.
And then Alex’s uncontrollable cries joined the others around the Great Hall.
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Lily and Alice sat in Potions, whispering to themselves. “Has she left the dorms yet?” Lily questioned. The relatives of the newly deceased were given a day or two free for grieving.
“Not yet. She won’t eat either.”
“I wonder if there’s something we could do for her? Watch it! You almost put Wiggentree Bark in a goat-based stomach solution! Do you not like your eyebrows, or something?”
Alice shook her head. “Sorry. You know I can’t do Potions. But I think the best thing to do is just let her ride it out for a while. Right now, she needs her space.”
“Talking about the Muggle-lover, are you?” Snape cut in. “Pity about her brother. Terrible.” But the sneer on his face announced the sarcasm in use.
Eyeing the Potions Mistress, Sirius joined the discussion. “You got a problem, Snape?”
“Do you mean besides being in a school with your whimpering girlfriend? What’s she so sad about, anyway? Her brother was just a waste of the wizarding blood. Along with the rest of that family.”
A muscle worked in Sirius’s jaw. “You better watch your back, Snape, if you keep talking like that.”
Snape’s sneer deepened. “That sounds a little Slytherin to me, Black. Maybe the Sorting Hat made a mistake, after all.”
At the mention of this sore subject, Sirius lost it a little. Grabbing the nearest bottle, he unscrewed it and launched it into Snape’s bubbling cauldron. “No wait!” Lily yelled, as a glob of Wiggentree Bark went sailing through the air.
As the mass touched the red solution, the room went deathly quiet, then burst into showers of purple and orange. Students cried out as the burning liquid touched their skin.
“Black! Snape! To the headmaster’s office, immediately!” Professor Milles cried out.
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Author’s Notes:
That one took forever to think of! Was anyone affected by T.J.’s death? I should have kept him in the storyline longer, but for the sake of moving things along, it was his time to go. Can anyone guess what will happen next?