September 12th
1:23 a.m.
Great Hall
Hello, Eduardo,
It was at dinner that Lily passed me a note with an extremely secretive glance before she swiftly departed, presumably for her Head Girl rounds. Now, I have to say, I was extremely excited. I don't often get notes since me friends are quick to blurt things out anyhow, or people just generally don't find me important enough to share their news. So it was, Eduardo, with trembling hands that I ripped into the parchment to sample some hopefully delicious bits of gossip.
Instead, I was treated with : Emergency girl meeting tonight in the dormitories. It's about Valerie.
Valerie? Valerie? What could Valerie have possibly done, I asked meself, Ed. I mean, her acid tongue does get her into a few scraps to be sure, but she's usually quick to charm herself out of them. And not only that, but the girl is tough stuff. The very finest. If ever there was an Amazon Warrior Queen walking through Hogwart's Halls, then I'd vote for Val. She's a bit frosty, you know, should you get on her bad side.
So I stuffed down me Shepards Pie and glanced around, hoping Remus wasn't watching with expressions of varying disgust. He wasn't, which both pleased and disappointed me.
Couldn't he tell that this ravishing beauty was in need of a confidant? A trusted friend? Oh, I don't know.. a soul mate?
Probably not. The insufferable swot.
Oh, right, to carry on. It was with this that I stuffed me biscuit in me mouth and tottered off. After making a quick stop - (to me storing place. Can't have it in the dorm you see, as people would be grabbing what's not their's) - I was pushing open the door to our shared room, fingering the object I'd been quick to snatch.
"Hope this isn't a real emergency," I greeted, hopping onto Lily's bed, who was busy comforting a sullen Valerie. "I've only brought one bottle of Firewhiskey, see."
Eduardo, the Irish have always been victims of negative stereotyping. I mean, people think that we’re all drunks and brawlers. And sometimes that gets you so mad, all you want to do is get drunk and punch somebody.* And as true as this is it becomes a bit of an inconvenience, especially when one's best friend just lost her boyfriend to a man-eating, horse faced, good for nothing skirt lifter by the name of Sally Hampson.
Surprisingly, Lily grabbed the bottle from me (which I had admittedly Engorgified) took a sip, and saluted it to Valerie, who looked equally alarmed to see Lily drink anything stronger than butterbeer. Grinning, the redhead (who I decided was under the Imperius Curse) opened her mouth and bellowed a familar Irish drinking toast:
"Here's a toast to your enemy's enemies!"
I didn't mention that it was I who taught her that, as I thought it might've ruined a 'moment', so I instead sent Valerie a wink. "Sally Hampson's enemies? Oh, I know them well."
Valerie, blessed child, wiped away some traitorous tears before sitting up. "Do you think those enemies might get drunk tonight?"
Ah, and we did.
September 13th
11:45 a.m.
Gryffindor Common Room
Eduardo!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can tell by me amount of exclamation marks that I am more concerned about sharing some news with you than be grammatically correct. In fact, for good measure, let me add:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You see, Eduardo? I can be happy. D O'Keane can be the sunniest child on this end of the earth. She can laugh, she can skip, and she can smack Remus Lupin with her ever-loving lips. That's right, love. And I was even wearing my strawberry lipgloss. Me best stuff.
Truthfully, me morning started royally awful. I had a splitting headache, no sleep a't'all, and my hair was frizzing. I compensated that by spending extra time on me makeup, and for a Saturday, I looked all right. Me owl, Dennis, was waiting (quite surprisingly) in the common room for me with a Muggle-made envelope tied 'round his left foot. I already knew it was Da, and since I was quite angry at him, snubbed it for all two seconds before curiosity took over. I knew what it was about of course. Here was the time when he apologzied far too many times and would offer to buy me something that sparkles to make up for it.
Eduardo, I cannot claim to be always right - just look at my History of Magic essay mark - but this was quite the spin. The bleedin' bastard told me that her name was Fiona, told me that she was six years his junior, told me she was a delightful cook, and TOLD me that I was expected to attend her family's Christmas Dinner.
Hahahahahaha. That would've made a nice joke. I laughed at that one, really. Except, I soon realised he was serious. Completely, even. I cannot remember the last time me Da was completely serious. Didn't know he had it in him.
So, if you know me, (and you do) you can imagine the cuss words that were flowing from me lips. It would've been a shame to hold them in, since if there's one thing I can do to help me fellow man, it's to teach the first years some advanced vocabulary. So it was with this, cursin' a blue streak, that Remus Lupin -
..Had to wipe off a drool stain there, Ed. Don't mind.
- walked into the Gryffindor Common Room looking appropriately ruffled. I didn't notice at the time since I was busy biting into a red pillow which had a curious stain on it. (More on that later). Fact is, I didn't even see the bloke until he was right behind me laughing his bleedin' head off.
I turned around. As entertaining as this way for him, my jaw was starting to hurt, and my tongue was not too pleased with polyester rubbing against it. I believe I stared at him blankly for quite a while, before saying something incrediably witty as 'hello', or 'how's it goin', there?'
He asked me if I was all right, I said yes, he said that's good, looked at my letter, then to me. I told him my subscription to Witch Weekly had ran dry as I didn't want to bring up me family to him. Next thing I'd be spoutin' off some rubbish tale of my childhood.
Then Eduardo, (and this really is the best part) I jumped up, grabbed his face with both hands, and kissed him as if my life depended on it.
And then I ran away.
Just call me D O'Keane - Hogwart's residential rockstar.
Later
8:59 p.m.
Gryffindor Common Room
Hello, Eduardo,
At lunch, Lily gave me an assignment with Teddy and Valerie looking at me eagerly. Truthfully, I was a bit miffed that I had to do it, since me Charms homework wasn't getting any lighter, but Lily said that she really didn't want to talk to the Marauders (by that, she means James) and that she would let me copy her homework if I did it. I was going to push harder, as I realised that she really didn't want to do it, but she just gave me that 'do you really want to go there' look, and I chose to back off.
We Irish, we prefer to get what we can out of a situation until our arses get kicked for it. I consider meself quite learned to have gotten out of it before I could get hexed. Smart girl, I am.
So mid-way through lunch I slipped from our end of the table towards James and Sirius. Remus and Peter were thankfully absent, because I really didn't want to stutter through a conversation with Remus, and Peter mostly stared at me (any girl, really) until he got caught for it. The boys looked a little surprised to see me, and James tentatively said, 'top of the morning to ye', looking ready to bolt should it be called for. I swear, when I returned the customary reply, it looked like that he would wet himself, he looked so pleased.
"I need a favour."
I have never seen two sets of eyes turn so manipulative in my entire life. It was shiver-worthy, truely. Lily told me they would look like that, but I wasn't any more prepared for it then I would've been if the whole staff had run down the aisles starkers.
They stared at me until I realised they were waiting for me to elaborate. "You see, I'm in need of your services. There's this person that I want to get back at for doing something.. wrong. (I didn't want to embaress Valerie by saying too much). And I figured you were the lads to turn to, as I need.. well, ultimately, it's a prank I'm in need of."
Two faces sported identical grins. "We can help you," replied Sirius.
"But we'll need something out of it, as well," continued James, steepling his fingers and gazing overtop them importantly.
I faltered here. I had no money to offer them, or anything else of value. "Well, what do you want?" I asked - a cautious question.
Before I knew it, they were huddled together, whispering and turning to look at me every few seconds. I blushed crimson, because I knew if it was too bad, then the others would skin me alive for making a bad deal. After what seemed like twenty minutes, they turned to me.
Sirius was first. "9 o'clock, every night for this week, I expect you to meet me in the common room where you'll give me a back rub. Homework has been rather stressful lately." He gave me a coy smile.
That wasn't bad at all. I could do that.
James instead grinned. "I expect you to help me get a date with Evans."
Pause, then: "Deal!"
Oh, I was so dead.
A/N:
* = quote from Black Donnellys, a show I do miss. =(
That Bloke Remus Lupin by Meryl Montgomery
Chapter Notes: All credit to J.K. of course. =D
D is my ownmonstercreation.