# 2
“I’ve talked to the Head Boy.” Lily heard Remus announcing this on a Tuesday evening in the Gryffindor Common Room.
Tamara and she were sitting not far from the fire, where the Marauders sat. Peter, Remus and James were seated on a comfy, lilac sofa, and Sirius was in a plush, claret armchair. There were books spread over the girls' little table. They were working on their homework for Professor Flitwick. Lily had a parchment in front of her and a quill in her hand, but she wasn’t writing anything. She was watching the four friends from the corner of her eye, although she had much to do. Tamara had already nudged her in the ribs earlier this evening because Lily wasn’t paying attention when she explained something to her.
“He told me that Dumbledore was planning a surprise Hogsmeade weekend this coming Saturday,” Remus continued.
“Excellent!” Sirius exclaimed.
“Does this mean that we shouldn’t count on you, Padfoot?” Remus asked his friend, lowering his voice when he spoke his friend’s nickname.
“Exactly. I’m going to ask Lily out,” Sirius said, stood up and headed for Lily and Tamara.
Lily hurriedly tore her gaze away and acted as if she was absorbed in her Charms essay. She looked up again after Sirius greeted them with a 'hi.' He flashed a smile at her and then said, “So, about our next date….”
“What about it?” Lily asked back in a somewhat mocking voice.
“Hogsmeade weekend this week,” he informed her. “Would you like to go with me?”
“Well, I really should stay―” Lily started to say, but Sirius interrupted her in mid-sentence.
“Come on, Lils! Even you should have some fun,” he tried to persuade her.
“Oh, all right then,” Lily gave in and then turned back to her homework. A few seconds later, she noticed that Sirius was still lingering around. “Why are you still standing around?”
“I’ve just wanted….” Sirius answered, slightly flushed, but then made up his mind and didn’t end the sentence. He turned and sauntered back to his friends.
Lily resisted the urgency to look after him and pretended to focus on her composition. She let her hair fall into her face and turned to Tamara. “Is he still looking over?”
“James or Sirius?” Tamara asked back, whispering.
“Don’t be silly! James, of course.”
“Yes, he is practically staring his eyes out,” Tamara said after looking over to the boys.
“Good,” Lily said, nodding, and this time she really returned to her books.
On Thursday evening, Dumbledore called everyone to the Great Hall and addressed them about the house rules again. At the end of his speech, he announced that he scheduled a Hogsmeade weekend. The following day, students were chatting excitedly about their weekend plans and what they would do in Hogsmeade. Tamara told Lily that she was going to stay in, and Lily spent every break between their lessons trying to persuade her to go.
On Saturday morning, Lily woke up early to get ready. She headed immediately to the bathroom, where she showered and washed her hair. She wrapped a big bath-towel around her body, made a turban out of a smaller one, and then planted herself in front of her cabinet.
“What are you looking for?” Tamara asked her still sleepily. She was lying in her four-poster and made no effort to get up.
“For something casually elegant.”
“Wear that plain, wine-red skirt and that white blouse with the little green flowers,” Tamara suggested.
“I don’t like that blouse very much.”
“Okay, then that beige top,” Tamara advised.
Lily took out the skirt and top and then laid them onto the bed.
“Do you want my make-up kit?” Tamara offered.
“You are a dear!” Lily hugged the yawning girl, who had finally got out of bed and was going to her cabinet, stifling a yawn on her way.
Lily dried her hair with a simple spell, pulled it into a pony tail, and then sat down at the edge of her bed. Tamara handed her a silver mirror. Lily took it, looked into it, and asked jokingly, Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?
Tamara smiled indulgently, and then tapped her wand on the top of a wooden box. “Alohomora!” she said the spell, and the lid opened.
Three layers unfolded themselves slowly: one for mascara, one for eye-shadow with a row for eye-liners, and one for lipsticks with a row for lip-gloss. There were so many colours and shades that Lily wanted to touch them right away, although this wasn’t the first time she saw Tamara’s magical make-up kit. Her friend tapped her wand at the glossy, dark brown mascara and then at the mirror. The eyelashes of Lily’s mirror image became brown. Lily nodded, the colour was perfect. Tamara proceeded, and Lily saw as her mirror image’s make-up got ready.
“Are you satisfied?” Tamara asked her.
“Quite,” she gave her approval with a nod. Her friend tapped the mirror a last time and murmured a spell. The chosen make-up was transferred to Lily’s face.
“Thank you,” Lily said, then dressed and went to her cabinet to check her appearance a last time in the big mirror on the door of the wardrobe. Pleased with what she saw, she went back to her bed and grabbed her bag.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to Hogsmeade?”
“I'm pretty sure, Lily. I have to catch up with Transfiguration. McGonagall already gave me a lecture about how important Transfiguration is when you want to become a Healer.”
“Okay then,” Lily said, and then left for the Common Room.
Sirius was already there, but he wasn’t alone; Peter was with him. Lily heard yesterday that the captain of the Quidditch team scheduled an extra training because the Gryffindor Team lost the match last weekend against the Hufflepuffs. Valerie Vane asked Remus out, so Peter had to spend the Saturday alone.
“But what should I do alone in Hogsmeade?” Lily heard Peter asking.
“I don’t know, Peter,” Sirius answered, somewhat irritated. “Try to chat up that Larissa girl.”
“She doesn’t even know I exist,” Peter complained.
“Make her notice you!” Sirius told him. “Make a plan! Whatever!” he said exasperated.
“But Sirius….”
“Should we cancel this, Sirius?” Lily asked the young man, reaching the last step of the staircase.
Sirius spun around and gasped as he took in Lily’s appearance.
“No, of course not. Peter is a big boy, he can take care of himself, can’t you, Peter?” he turned to his friend.
“I can,” Peter said, nodding, and left for the boys' dormitory.
“You look stunning,” Sirius complimented Lily.
“Thank you. You look good, too,” Lily returned the compliment. Sirius wore blue trousers with a deep blue shirt.
“Well, how about breakfast, then?” he asked and, after Lily’s nod, they went down to the Great Hall. They met Remus and Valerie there, and after breakfast, the four of them lined up for the Hogsmeade trip. Lily noticed happily that Tamara changed her mind, but she couldn’t see Peter anywhere.
“He’ll be all alone in Gryffindor Tower,” she mused aloud.
“You mean Peter?” Sirius asked back. “Yes, probably, or he’ll go to the library,” Sirius said, and then flashed a smile at someone whom Lily couldn’t see.
“How did Remus acquire that really nice purple spot around his eyes?” Lily dared to ask, as Remus and Valerie were chatting with Celia and Nita, the other two Gryffindor sixth year girls.
“You don’t really want me to tell about that,” Sirius said, throwing a quick glance at her, and then returned his attention to McGonagall, who was telling off his brother for some reason.
“Just try me,” Lily said, and then looked at him inquisitively. She clearly didn’t notice the episode; her line of sight was obstructed by a big Slytherin boy.
“Okay, you wanted to know,” Sirius said, his attention back to Lily. “Snape insulted Peter. He told him he is practically a Squib and has no right to study at Hogwarts.”
“But Peter is not that bad. He is good at Charms.”
“I know. I don’t know what gripped Snape; he usually doesn’t go for Peter. Anyway, James and Remus heard the remark and made him pay for it. A fight broke out, and finally Sprout spotted them. Lucky for them, she really likes Remus, so they didn’t get any detention. She only docked a few points from Gryffindor and Slytherin.”
“But Peter didn’t seem injured this morning,” Lily said, frowning.
“Because he ran away. That must be the reason why Remus accepted Valerie’s invitation. After James told us that he had to go to a training today, Remus went to Valerie and asked if the invitation still stood.”
Lily didn’t know what to say, but she suddenly didn’t feel any pity for Peter anymore.
They arrived in Hogsmeade, and because Lily had to buy a new quill, Sirius went with her to the stationary shop.
“Okay, what do you want to do today?” Sirius asked her after stepping out of Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop.
“You asked me out, you have to entertain me, Sirius Black.”
“Sure, I just wanted to know if you had any special wishes. You see, I’m a polite guy,” he said, smiling half seriously, half mischievously.
“Okay, to tell the truth, I have always wanted to go to the Hog’s Head, but then never did. I wanted to go with the girls, but they simply refused, and I don't think it is much fun alone,” Lily explained, and then looked at him expectantly.
“That’s no place for a girl like you, Lily,” Sirius said earnestly.
“I know, I know,” Lily said, brushing his worries aside with a wave of her hand. “But I want to know why not. And I want to see it with my own eyes.”
“Okay, I guess, if you are going with me, then we could stop by.”
“Good,” Lily said, nodding, and then flashed a thankful smile at Sirius. Ten minutes later, she wanted to step into the pub, but Sirius hindered her.
“I think it would be better for me to enter first,” he put his hand onto Lily’s. Lily looked down at their hands, and Sirius pulled back his hand hastily.
“Okay,” Lily said hesitantly. She was only half convinced, but she knew if she really wanted to see the Hog’s Head from within, then she had to play according to Sirius’ rules.
They stepped inside, and for a very long minute, every guest was staring at them. Sirius grabbed Lily’s hand and led her to the counter.
“We would like to have two Butterbeers,” Sirius told the barkeeper, who looked slightly familiar to Lily. Especially his eyes.
Lily took a place at a nearby table, and Sirius joined her with their beers.
“Is he always this gruff?” she asked, whispering.
“Yes, always,” Sirius whispered back, after he swallowed his beer. “I don’t think that he is the amiable type of man.”
Lily giggled at his remark and then took a sip.
“Well, I don’t think that he usually serves beer in this bar,” she said, showing Sirius her fingerprints in the dust, which had settled onto the beer bottle.
“Take a look around,” Sirius told her. “These men don’t drink Butterbeer; they like Ogden’s Old Firewhisky.”
“Have you ever tried it?”
“Yeah, once,” Sirius said and shuddered. The headache afterwards was something to remember for a lifetime.
“Alone or with”“
“With James and Peter. Remus wouldn’t come. Peter barely took a glass and was out for three hours. This was good because he was able to bring us back home when he came round,” he said, and then let out a bark-like laugh. “In those three hours, we emptied two bottles of Firewhisky. We were sloshed for the rest of the night,” Sirius told her.
“And how was it the day after?” Lily asked curiously.
“I don’t even want to think about it, Lils,” Sirius said with a painful smile. They drank their Butterbeers in silence, both of them deep in thought. “Are you done?” Sirius broke the silence some minutes later.
“Pity we had to leave, I think they were getting used to us,” Lily told him as they were on their way to the next destination, which Sirius kept secret from her. “Where are we going again?” she asked for a second time, pressing him to give away their destination.
“I haven’t told you yet, Lils,” Sirius informed her and smirked. “But you’ll see,” he smiled mysteriously.
“Okay, so what was the most embarrassing moment in your life?” Lily asked him suddenly.
“What? Why are you asking this?” Sirius asked, perplexed.
“I just want to get to know you better,” Lily explained after she shrugged her shoulders.
“By asking me about something like that?” Sirius asked incredulously.
“Well, that would tell a whole lot about you.”
“And would you―in return―tell me about the most embarrassing moment in your life?”
“It’s only fair trade,” Lily agreed.
“Um, okay,” Sirius nodded. “To tell the truth, it was when I have asked you out.”
“Really?” she asked back.
“Yeah,” he said with a nod. “I can think of something else if you don’t believe me….”
“No, it was just…. Well, flattering on a second thought, but first I thought it rather strange.”
“Strange in what sense?” Sirius asked and stopped in front of the Shrieking Shack. “Strange like creepy, or strange like unexpected?”
“The latter,” Lily told him and earned a smile from Sirius.
“Okay, and now to you, Lils.”
Lily, after pondering about whether she should tell the truth or not, decided for the truth.
“Well, it was here at Hogwarts in our third year,” she began, “and I was talking to Tamara about how I really don’t like Transfiguration, especially because I don’t like frogs and mice to work with. I couldn’t see why McGonagall was making us deal with such ugly creatures. I was theorizing that maybe she has thought it fun to watch us girls squeaking. On top of that, I imitated her telling off Celia for complaining. And as it happens, Professor McGonagall was standing right behind us,” Lily said, and the memory still made her blush.
“Did she say something about it?” Sirius asked curiously.
“No, nothing.”
“She was probably at a loss for words. I think she had never been criticized before,” Sirius chuckled. “I liked her lessons from the beginning.”
“And you like her, too, don’t you?” Lily asked back.
“I really adore her,” he confessed with a smile, which indicated that he was slightly embarrassed for being found out. Lily thought it was cute. “I think she is the best thing that could have happened to me,” he said then earnestly. “She taught me honesty and loyalty. Something my parents neglected to do,” he admitted. “We are here,” he announced then, clearly not wanting to talk about the subject anymore.
“The Shrieking Shack? I think it’s forbidden to go in there,” Lily voiced her worries.
“Have you ever heard Dumbledore mention it in his speeches?” Sirius asked back.
“No,” Lily shook her head hesitantly. “But that doesn’t mean””
“He forbade us to go into the forest and to wander around in the castle after curfew, but you think he forgot to forbid this?” he asked, indicating the building with a movement of his hand.
“No, you're right. But aren’t there”” Lily wanted ask, but Sirius interrupted her.
“You're not afraid of ghosts, are you?” he asked her in amazement.
“No, of course not,” Lily answered indignantly. “I’m a Gryffindor, just like you,” she added.
“Well, then nothing stands in our way. Besides, after the Hog’s Head, this will be a walk in the park.”
Sirius took a look around and then cautiously bent down. When he stood up again, he had a key in his hand. Lily didn’t ask how he knew where the key was lying; she didn’t want to know.
“Okay,” Sirius said, after stepping in, “I’ll give you the tour. The stairs are a bit shaky, but don’t worry, I’ll be right behind you.”
“I thought you're giving me a tour. Why would you stay behind me?” Lily asked suspiciously.
“To catch you if you fall,” Sirius explained calmly.
Lily decided, again, that it was best not asking any questions for which she didn’t want to know the answer.
“Do you know something about this building?” Sirius asked her.
“Just the one thing Nearly-Headless Nick told me after a Halloween in our fourth year. He said even the ghosts feared to go in here.”
“Well, it was built five years ago, and since then it has been said to be haunted,” Sirius told her.
“I know that. But the question is, why?” Lily wanted to know.
“One day I’ll tell you, but this isn’t the day, Lils,” Sirius said secretively.
“Okay, keep your secrets,” Lily said, pouting a bit, and then stopped in the middle of her track. “What was that?” she asked, turning halfway back.
“What was what?” Sirius asked back.
“A low whistling,” Lily whispered.
“I didn’t hear it,” Sirius shrugged his shoulders. “Could we go on, please, these stairs are a bit wayward.”
Lily nodded and then went on, but one minute later she came to a halt again.
“Did you hear it this time?” Lily asked him and turned. She was so fast that Sirius couldn’t hide his smile. He tried to put on an innocent face, but it was already too late.
“So it was you!” Lily accused him and took a step back to be closer to Sirius. His face sobered as he saw how infuriated Lily was.
“I…. I didn’t…” he stammered.
Lily was now staring into his eyes; their faces were only an inch apart. The look in Lily’s eyes almost made him cringe. But then”to his utmost bewilderment”she laughed out loud.
“You should have seen your face!” she said after her laugh subsided, still chuckling a bit.
Sirius laughed too, and Lily noticed again how his laugh sounded like a bark.
“You are very good,” he had to admit.
“I had many occasions to practice,” Lily said, thinking about the times when she and James had an argument. Then she turned again and continued to climb the stairs. Once there, she looked around. The place was a bit creepy, but she thought it looked… somehow cosy, too. And then she heard an unearthly sound, which made her jump.
“Stop it, Sirius!” she told him off, but Sirius looked really innocent this time. “It isn’t funny anymore.”
“It wasn’t me,” Sirius denied the accusation. He was looking around investigating. “Draw your wand and stay here,” he told her then, sounding grave; his voice indicated that he was holding back his fury.
Lily couldn’t guess why he seemed to be irate. But she drew her wand and stayed there. For almost a minute. Then she spotted a room with a door slightly ajar. She ventured in there and gasped. The space looked like the Common Room in Gryffindor Tower. There was a spindle-legged table (just like the ones in Dumbledore’s office) between a plush, puce-coloured couch and a yellow armchair. A larger, shabby table stood in the corner, and it was heavy with books. The couch and the armchair were standing in front of the fireplace, and there was a single book lying on the ground in front of the couch. Lily just wanted to pick up Turn into Yourself, by Trance Voormeer, when she heard a noise, probably coming from the staircase.
She hurried out and saw a large, black dog chasing a rat. Her heart was beating frantically as the dog reached the rat and took its tail between his teeth. The rat squeaked and the dog let go of it. The little animal scurried away, but the dog remained there. He eyed Lily for a moment, and then set off towards her. Lily backed into the room, but the dog followed her in.
“Good dog,” she whispered, her voice breaking. Gryffindor or not, she was pretty frightened.
The dog let out a short a bark, and then came closer to Lily. Lily wanted to take one more step back, but collided with the back of the couch. She had no choice but to await what the dog would do. There was another bark, and the dog came even closer. He nudged Lily’s hand with his nose; and Lily couldn’t help it, she giggled at the sensation. Relieved, she bent down and scratched the dog’s head.
“So, you are a big softie,” she whispered and patted its back. “You are magnificent, but I guess you know that,” she told the dog, and this remark earned a grunt. Then the dog ran out of the room.
A few seconds later Lily heard Sirius shouting her name.
“Coming!” she shouted back and stepped out of the room.
Sirius looked at her inquisitively, but Lily didn’t know why.
“Why were you in there?” he asked, and Lily thought she heard a slight accusation in his voice.
“I…. Is it forbidden?” she asked, sarcastically, finally letting her Gryffindor-pride take over her. She had been letting Sirius be in charge on this date, but now she had enough.
“I thought I told you to stay here,” Sirius told her.
“There was a big, black dog…” Lily started to explain―explaining herself was a conditioned reflex from her childhood―but then made up her mind. “You know what? I don’t think I should explain my actions. You were the one who left me alone in a creepy, probably dangerous, house!” she said, sounding defiant.
“I’m sorry.”
“Me, too,” Lily said, her anger gone. “You went to investigate, and I’m a witch with a wand, I’m capable of defending myself. I hate it when people want to boss me around.”
“I didn’t want to sound like that. I was just worried for your safety,” he explained and Lily generously forgave him.
“There was a big, black dog, and first I was afraid, but he was harmless.”
“Okay. Do you still want to take a look around?”
“Yes,” Lily said, nodding, and she followed Sirius downstairs. She didn’t want to question him about that room; she knew that Sirius wouldn’t answer her query.
The tour ended ten minutes later, and then Sirius escorted her to the Three Broomsticks. On their way, he was joking about how Lily was frightened of the whistling sounds he'd made; and Lily reminded him of how scared he was of her false anger. They stepped into the pub still laughing. Remus and Valerie were there, and they asked Lily and Sirius to sit with them. Some time later Tamara joined them, too. They had a wonderful time; Sirius’ joking made everyone laugh. Around three o’clock, they went back together to Hogwarts.
“And how was it?” Tamara enquired. They were alone in their dormitory; Valerie, Celia and Nita were in the Common Room.
“Well, it was good. Very good, indeed.”
“Good for you,” Tamara said, and Lily heard a slight disapproval in her voice.
“Does it bother you that I’m going out with him?” she asked her friend.
“No, not at all,” Tamara said, shaking her head.
“Really?”
“Really,” she confirmed. “And if it did, would you stop dating him?” she asked as an afterthought.
“Well, no. Sorry,” she said, and was really sorry. But this was probably her last chance.
“Why not? You aren't in love with him, are you?”
“No, I’m not,” Lily answered honestly. “But dating Sirius Black fits perfectly into my plan. Besides, it’s great fun with him.”
“Fun? At Madam Puddifoot’s?”
“He didn’t bring me there,” Lily said, and then stood still for a moment. She contemplated this. Both Tamara and Celia told her that their second dates were at Madam Puddifoot’s. “We were in the Hog’s Head, and then in the Shrieking Shack.”
“Really? How odd!” Tamara voiced Lily’s thoughts. “And what was so much fun?”
Lily told her about how Sirius made witty remarks about the Hog’s Head’s innkeeper, and then about the funny noises at the Shrieking Shack. But she didn’t tell her about that room in the house. She felt it was someone else’s secret, and she knew it would feel like betraying Sirius.
“And he laughed a lot,” she added finally. “And that always makes me laugh.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I guess because it sounds like a dog bark,” Lily said, and then realization struck her. The book on the floor in that room! The big, black dog! The injuries the four friends had once a month. How could she have been so clueless? After all, she figured out Remus’ secret in their fifth year. After that she knew why they called him Moony when they thought no one was around. She contemplated the other nicknames she'd overheard. She didn’t have to think about it, which one of them Padfoot was. Wormtail―that pesky rat, Peter!―was in the Shrieking Shack today. And Prongs…? Why did they call James Prongs? Well, she decided, it was something she had to find out later.
“Do you think it would be that much fun with James, too?” Tamara’s question brought her out of her shock about her discovery.
“I don’t know,” Lily responded. “I hope so.”
“But Lily, how could you date one of his best friends?” Tamara asked, this time clearly disapproving. “I only hope that your plan won’t backfire on you, and instead of making him jealous, you make him to hate you.”
“I hope not, Tamara, I hope not.”
TBC
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