Chapter 13: Boys Will Be Boys and Girls Will Be Girls
"Hon, I already told you I can't come to Hogsmeade with you," replied Alexis as she piled biscuits onto her plate. Sirius pouted in disappointment. Alexis shook her head at his consistent perseverance.
"I'm going shopping with the girls to get things for the ball," she explained yet again to her relentless boyfriend. "It's your chance to hang with James, Remus, and Peter."
Sirius talked, studied, and fooled around with the Marauders frequently (when he wasn't snogging Alexis), but they were seeing Peter less and less. The Marauders hadn't pulled any pranks in a month: a feat the foursome had never dreamed would become reality.
"I guess you're right," Sirius said as he passed the hash browns to Peter.
"Time to get going then," announced Lily. "We're off to the shops!" That being said, the girls leapt up excitedly and headed towards Hogsmeade, all speaking in excited voices about the day ahead.
"Girls will be girls," Remus sighed.
"And boys will be boys," said Sirius. "I say that today the infamous Marauders re-group at the Three Broomsticks to plan a prank." James, Sirius, and Remus stood and walked out of the Great Hall. With a last bite of his hash brown and a worried glance towards the Slytherin table, Peter scurried after his friends.
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Snow was swirling furiously in the small town of Hogsmeade. Wizards and witches were bent over with the effort of sauntering down the narrow streets. The Three Broomsticks was packed with people eager to be warmed up by Madam Rosmerta's famous butterbeer. Her turquoise heels clicked wildly as she worked to serve her many customers. She lifted four steaming mugs of butterbeer onto a table where four young boys sat in deep discussion and ambled away through the numerous chairs and table.
"It will put the finishing touches on the already perfect event." The boys, also known as the Marauders nodded their agreement.
"Is the dance really gonna be that good?" asked Sirius doubtfully as he tipped his chair back on two legs and sipped his butterbeer.
"Lily organized the whole thing, do you think it's gonna be good?" said James, a snicker escaping his lips.
"I thought the Head Girl and Boy were supposed to plan the Holiday Dance," said Remus. James flushed.
"Yeah, well, you know Lily," James fidgeted.
"No that's your area of expertise, isn't it Potter." Snape loomed over the boys menacingly. His shadow was cast around the whole of the table and seemed to make the butterbeers colder.
"But I thought you'd had training in the subject too Snivellus," retorted James. Snape looked taken aback for a moment. Then said,
"You've obviously been mistaken, but there's no surprise there. You're always showing off. You're so full of yourself. So I'm sorry to pop your overly conceited bubble, but you are not the center of the universe," Snape snarled and he stalked off to the exit of the door to the Three Broomsticks and out into the storm brewing outside. James and the rest of the Marauders were left in utter silence until Sirius said,
"Somebody is not having a good day."
"You can say that again," James sighed. Peter glanced worriedly at the door and suddenly grabbed his stomach.
"Uh, guys? I'm not feeling too good. I think I'd -uh- better see Madam Pomfrey. I'll catch you later...I guess," Peter stuttered and without another word followed Snape's footsteps out the door.
"Can you say quick exit'?" supplied Remus as he downed his mug of butterbeer. "That storm is getting really bad. We ought to get the girls and head back up to the castle." In response, Sirius too finished his butterbeer and James nodded his agreement. The three Marauders left the warmth and comfort of the Three Broomsticks.
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"Here Jo, try this one," said Alexis as she handed Joanne a blue and white wreath of flowers. She placed them delicately on top of her dirty blond hair and turned towards the mirror.
"I think I want something more elegant," observed Joanne. "And it doesn't go with my dress robes."
Lily and Alexis pushed aside shopping bags in order to reach the shelves and shelves of tiaras, jewelry, hats, and accessories at Madame Somnium's Shop of Gems. Alexis gasped.
"Lily! Would you look at these!" she said. Lily looked over her friends' shoulder and followed her eyes to a pair of emerald earrings that glittered when the light hit them. She lowered her gaze to the necklace that sat under the earrings. The golden chain contained a single emerald in the shape of a heart. Lily reached out for the price tag and a frown crossed her face. The tiny bell on the door to the shop jingled merrily and three windswept boys stumbled inside.
"Close the door!" scowled Madame Somnium from behind the counter. Her tall thin frame was heavily draped with jewelry and her face was thick with make-up, giving her the impression of an ugly bat. "You're letting the warmth escape!" she cried. Alexis shivered as a pair of fleece-covered arms wrapped their way around her.
"Sirius you're all wet!" she squealed as she wiggled out of his icy embrace. She squinted out the snowy window. "Is it really snowing that much?" she questioned.
"Well it sure is coming down hard," said one of the boys as he removed his red hat, revealing a mat of messy black hair.
"That's why we came to get you," explained the final traveler as he brushed the tiny snowflakes off his coat. "As time goes on, it's gonna get harder and harder to make our way back up to the school."
"Where's Peter?" asked Joanne as she watched the snowflakes in Remus' eyebrows flutter up and down when he blinked.
"Wasn't feeling well," answered James as he sat himself in one of the many straight-backed chairs next to the door. "What did you buy?" James asked incredulously as he surveyed the pile of shopping bags strewn around the room. Alexis giggled.
"Stuff," she replied, a twinkle in her eye. When James opened his mouth to question further Alexis said,
"You'll see," she turned towards Joanne. "Boys.."
Before any of the boys could retort, Joanne turned to Lily, who'd been uncharacteristically silent during the conversation. The price tag of the emerald jewelry was still cupped in her hand.
"Are you gonna buy that or what?" Joanne sighed impatiently. Lily's frown lines deepened.
"They'd be perfect," Lily said. "But I've only got enough money for one. I'll just get the earrings and then we can go." Lily went up to the register to buy the earrings as Sirius and Remus stepped outside.
"Prongs, you coming?" called Remus as he opened the door.
"I'll be out in a minute," said James.
The girls made their purchases and gathered their bags to wait outside with Sirius and Remus. James bounded out of the shop moments later to find his friends heavily laden with shopping bags. James doubled over with laughter until Lily tapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't think you're exempt from the fun, Mr. Potter," she said as she dumped all but two of her bags into his arms. To her amusement, James staggered a bit before regaining composure with the mountain of bags.
"Lead the way," he sighed. With Lily in the lead non-verbally melting a path through the snow, the gang trudged back up to Hogwarts. James, Sirius, and Remus looked at each other through their luggage and silently agreed: Girls will be girls.
A/N: Thanks to my betas dramaanjelsj, Kaity445, musikgrl242, and Madam Bones for their excellent beta abilities and the uncanny ability to make me laugh enough to fall out of my chair in the computer lab. The next chapters are titled the Holiday Dance Parts I and II. Please review and I'll have the next chapters up very soon!
Loathing or Love? by Miss Radcliffe
Chapter Notes: A/N: I was so delighted at the number of reviews I got from the last chapter! Especially because I hadn't updated in so long. Thank you to all those who reviewed! True to my word, I've submitted this chapter as soon as I could. Here it is and I hope it meets your standards. Enjoy!
Miss Radcliffe