Chapter Two: New and Partly Shiny
"Don't let anyone ever make you feel like you don't deserve what you want."
Monday, September 1st, 1977
The entranceway was buzzing with excitement and the chattering of returning students. The large mass of students was gradually filing into the Great Hall and sitting at their respective tables.
"Finally!" Sarah exclaimed as her foot touched the stone floor of the Great Hall.
Lily laughed and guided their little group towards the back end of the Gryffindor table. They were seventh years now. Seniority rules.
Sarah sat down next to Lily on one side of the table with Lane and Cassidy on the other side.
"Where are all the boys?" Lane asked, she couldn't see the Marauders anywhere.
"They probably got lost and didn't want to ask for directions," Lily replied.
"Sorry to disappoint, Lily dear, but we're here," James said sitting down next to Lily.
"Damn, too bad," Lily muttered just loud enough for James to hear though.
It didn't take too long before the returning students were settled and McGonagall placed the sorting hat on the stool. It was hard for Lily to see the hat, but she remembered almost exactly what it looked like from when she had to place it on her head.
Halfway through the sorting when Lane sat up straight. "Look! There's Ali!" Lane said, poking Cassidy in the side and pointing to a girl with brown hair and chocolate brown eyes as she sat on the stool and placed the hat on her head.
The Sorting Hat shouted, "Ravenclaw!" a few seconds after she sat down. Ali look relieved and scampered off to the table where most of the applause was coming from. Lane relaxed in her seat, "Good, she's in Ravenclaw. Hattie can look after her then."
"I'm starving," Sirius announced as his stomach rumbled.
"You're always hungry," Sarah said. "Besides, there's only a few more left. I'm sure you can wait."
"I'm not sure I can," Sirius warned.
Sarah shot him a look, "You'll have to."
"There's only one more to go," Remus said.
As soon as the last first-year had been sorted into Hufflepuff, Professor Dumbledore stood up.
"I'd like to say this: Welcome back to our returning students, and welcome to our new students. Enjoy the feast." As Dumbledore sat down, the surfaces of the tables were covered in mountains of food. He looked around the Great Hall, evidently pleased with the scene before him. The room was quickly filled with noise and the gentle chatter of students again.
Sirius shoved mouthful of food after another into his mouth. How he managed to fit it all in was amazing. Sarah watched him for a few seconds then asked, "Do you even swallow?"
He paused for a second, as if to think, then looked at her and smiled. "Nope."
"Where does it all go?" Sarah asked.
"They're all bottomless pits," Lily said, motioning to James who looked as if he had never eaten before either.
"Looks like it," Sarah agreed.
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Dumbledore stood up and all the conversations stopped. "I hope you all have enjoyed the feast. I have a few start-of-term announcements. Your schedules will be delivered to you at breakfast tomorrow. Mr. Filch has returned for another year, and he has taken the liberty of putting a list outside of his office of all the items not to be used in school. He wishes me to remind you that magic is not to be used in between classes. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden, as always. I'd like to introduce the new Head Boy and Girl. This year they are both from the same house: James Potter and Lily Evans." Everyone clapped for the two as they stood up. James waved to a few people, clearly enjoying the attention. Lily blushed and bobbed her head in acknowledgement. "After the feast, I would like you two to meet me outside of my office. That is all, enjoy your first night back," Dumbledore concluded. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Professor Dumbledore led them down a series of corridors until he stopped in front of a painting of a sprite. "This is Arabelle. It leads to your Heads' room. You'll have to make up a password. I'll leave you two to explore your new home. Enjoy," he told them and left them alone in the corridor.
"We need a password," Lily said.
"Yeah," James agreed.
"What about 'James is the hottest Head Boy ever'?" Adalyn from Ravenclaw suggested as she stopped behind the two and winked at James. Lily glared at her. "I'll see you around," she said to James and continued down the hallway.
"That's not a bad idea. What about 'Lily and James are the hottest Heads ever'?" he proposed.
"Sure," Lily agreed. "Did you get that?" she asked Arabelle who giggled and nodded.
"Lily and James are the hottest heads ever," James said and the painting sprung forward. James followed Lily into their own private common room. It was smaller than the Gryffindor common room, since it was meant just for two, although it was decorated in red and gold.
Lily went up the four steps to the left side of the room and opened the door with the plaque "Head Girl." her room was beautiful.
"Lily!" she heard James call.
"Never mind! I'm already here!" Sarah said as she walked into Lily's room. "Lily! This is awesome!"
"I know!" Lily replied.
Sarah wandered over to a door on the other side of Lily's room. "Where's this go?"
"I don't know. Open it," Lily told her.
Sarah opened the door and walked into a bathroom. Damn! I wish I was Head Girl! Another door. Where does that one go? A closet? She opened it only to find James Potter. "Hey James. Nice room," she said looking around.
"What is this?!? My best friend and my…" Sirius faltered only for a second, "Sarah! Together!" Sirius held a hand over his heart.
"Oh shut it you prat," she started to walk out of James' room. "Besides, it's not my fault he's better looking," she added, just loud enough for them to hear her as she closed the door behind her.
Sirius Black gaped at the spot where Sarah had been standing. "Wha…? She…Did you…? You…said I was…Did you hear her?!?" Sirius finally managed to sputter.
James smiled. "Yes, I heard her."
Sirius started to pace James' room. "Well?"
"Well what?" James asked him, clearly amused.
"What am I going to do about…" he broke off and motioned to the bathroom door.
"What? Do you have to use the water closet, mate?" James laughed, not making it any easier for Sirius.
"No! Sarah!" he shouted.
"Nothing, I suppose. You heard her, she likes me better," James said casually.
"She can't like you. She likes me. Lily even said so," Sirius said. "Anyways, what's the password?"
"It's: Lily and James are the hottest Heads ever. Wait. How'd you get in?" James questioned him.
"Let's just say if a good-looking guy ever wants to come in, it's no problem."
"Then how did you manage to get in?" Lily asked from James' doorway to the bathroom they shared.
"Very funny Lily," Sirius said dryly.
"His ego can only take so many hits a day," James said as Sirius collapsed onto a chair.
"What do you want?" Sirius asked her.
"Hmmmm…I don't remember," Lily said and walked back into the bathroom.
"Wait! Lily!" Sirius called her. Lily turned around. "Does Sarah like me?"
"I don't know. She said she hated you like, a minute ago, before she left, but there's no way of telling when hate just covers up another emotion. There's a fine line between hate and love." She walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, returning to her room.
"So there is hope," James said, thinking about what Lily had just said.
"There is," Sirius repeated, thinking about Sarah.
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Tuesday, September 2nd, 1977
"This year will be extremely difficult. I will prepare you for your N.E.W.T.S at the end of this year. You must be prepared to face the real world and all of its dangers. I expect-" this is where Lily stopped listening. Instead she got out a piece of parchment and wrote to Sarah. I hate the first day. All the classes are lectures on expectations, and about NEWTs. Boring.
I know. I think I'm going to fall asleep.
Me too. What's the point? We know what's expected of us and whatnot. Ha. Sirius is sending you dirty looks.
Bastard. He needs to be taught a lesson.
What did you say to him yesterday that got him all mad? James said something about how Sirius can only take so many blows to his ego or something.
Oh, that. I told him that James was hotter than he was.
Haha. How did he take it?
I dunno. I left after that.
Oh so that's why you just left then.
Yes. Sirius was being a prat. How's James?
Uh, fine I guess. How would I know?
Well, you do sort of live with him now.
Don't remind me. He's been sort of…weird lately.
Weird how?
He hasn't asked me out yet, but it's only the second day of school. I haven't seen a prank yet. And he's just not acting so arrogant, I guess.
And this is bad?
No.
So you like it then?
I'm just saying that he's different. Seriously, Sarah. You make it sound like…I don't know. I was obsessed with him or something.
You? Obsessed? Never!
Shut up Sarah. You're just as bad as them.
No I'm not. And you know it. Or else you would try and hate me. But you love me so much! Haha.
Yes, and you're lucky too. I don't know how I put up with someone as crazy as you.
Look at Hayley's hair. It's so cute.
Yea. I like it. How'd she do it?
If I knew, my hair wouldn't be looking as horrible as it is now.
Please, Sarah. Your hair looks fine. Lane can probably do it like that.
Yes! Lane is awesome at that stuff! Look at my picture.
Lily looked at the picture Sarah had drawn. It was of McGonagall giving her speech with all of the class snoozing around her. The people looked real. Lily found herself sitting next to Sarah in the picture with a piece of paper between them.
That's really good Sarah.
It's ok. Not the best.
You should be an artist, Sarah.
And give up my dreams? Never. Drawing's only for fun. Do you know what I want to learn how to do?
Now what?
Learn how to play the guitar.
What? Do you even have a guitar??
My dad has one. At home. I found it. But I didn't ask him about it.
Why not?
It um….wasn't really a good time to ask.
Why?
It just wasn't. I do believe the Head Boy is looking at you Lily.
Big deal. What do I care?
Lily, I think you should go out with him.
Riiiiiighhhhttttttttt. This is coming from the girl who thinks Zane Ashby is hot.
Lily! He totally is!! Lane, Lia, Celia, and the rest of the female population thinks so too! It's not my fault he doesn't have black hair and hazel eyes, doesn't go to our school, and isn't Head Boy…
Stop Sarah. I DO NOT like James. We're barely even friends. And Zane is not hot. Never. Ever. Not even in a million years.
Sure. I'll remember that.
You better.
I will. Those words will come back to bit you in the arse.
Which ones?
All.
Ok, Sarah. Whatever you say.
You just watch Lily Evans.
I will, my dear Sarah. What happened to your hand?
What's wrong with it?
That scratch thing there.
My dad's owl scratched me there.
Oh.
Look at my nails Lily! They're FINALLY growing.
Haha. Good for you Sarah.
I know. Too bad that spell didn't work…
That was a disaster! The rug wouldn't stop growing! I seriously thought it would like, strangle us.
Strangle us? A rug?
It might've. If I didn't remember how to stop it. It could've blocked all of the airways.
Lily, darling, we're witches.
Right. Good job Sarah.
I know... Oooh! She's done talking! Yay!
The bell's going to ring.
Bells are annoying.
But they're liberating.
Lily grabbed the piece of parchment they were writing on and stuffed it into her bag as they made their way to History of Magic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sarah swatted at Sirius' hand. "Stop touching my hair," she said and resumed talking to Lia who was sitting next to her. Sirius tugged a piece of her hair again. "What do you want?" she asked him.
"Nothing," he replied with a smile. She turned her back to him, and he tapped her on the shoulder.
"What, Sirius? What do you want?" Sarah asked him again.
"You."
Sarah stifled a laugh. "Sure." She resumed talking to Lia when Sirius ran his finger up and down her spine, giving her chills. "Do you like to annoy me?"
"Yes," he answered, cocking his head to one side. "You're hot when you're angry."
"Yeah well, you're hot all the time, Black," Sarah answered just as the bell rang. "I'll talk to you later, Lia."
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"She's not up there," Sarah said as she walked down the stairs from Lily's room. She slipped and fell down two steps. "Ow!" Sarah cried out as she hit the floor.
"Are you ok?" James asked her, offering her a hand. She grabbed his hand and stood up.
"Yeah, I'm fine. If anyone could fall down two steps, It'd be me!" Sarah laughed. "OW!" Sarah yelled again when she put weight on her left ankle.
"You're obviously not ok," James told her and scooped her up and carried her to the couch where he set her down.
"James, I'm fine, really." She tried to stand, but plopped down on the sofa again. "It only hurts a little bit," she told James who looked at her in disbelief.
"Stay here, I'm going to get a bandage," he told her as he walked up into his room.
"I'm not bleeding or anything," Sarah muttered. James came down with an ace bandage and started to wrap it around Sarah's left ankle when she grabbed it from him. "I can do it myself you know," she told him and wrapped her own ankle. James smiled at her independence and sat down next to her.
Sarah didn't know why she did it. She blamed it on the fall (it had messed up her brain more so) and on James, sitting there smiling at her. Sure she had thought about it before, (what girl hadn't?). But that was before, when she was a little 2nd year. She did not know what came over her. She didn't know what possessed her to kiss James. But she did know that she was out of there in a flash, despite her throbbing ankle. She could hear his footsteps getting closer. There was a door on her left. Sarah opened it, only to find Sirius and Kirsten, a 6th year Gryffindor, snogging.
"You're disgusting," she glared at Sirius. "Shove over," she told them as she fit herself into the broom closet with them.
"But Sarah, there isn't enough room," Kirsten said, pleading to Sarah with her eyes. This was her time with Sirius, not Sarah's.
"Shut up. This is not a good time," Sarah said. Sirius moved closer to Kirsten making more room for her on his left. Sarah sat down next to him.
"So Sarah, what brings you to my broom closet?" Sirius asked.
"It's nothing," Sarah dismissed his question.
"Is it a guy?" Kirsten asked her.
Sarah didn't reply.
"So it is a guy!" Kirsten exclaimed. "Who?"
Sarah glared at Kirsten. Sirius felt for Sarah's hand and held it, out of Kirsten's sight. Sarah pulled her hand out of his. She got up and stuck her head out of the closet for James. He wasn't outside of the closet.
"You, Sirius, are the most despicable man-whore I've ever had the unfortunate-ness of meeting. And you, Kirsten, can do better," Sarah told them, and with that, she left.
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"Boys are stupid. I can't believe it. One moment he's flirting with me and the next I find him snogging Kirsten in a broom closet! What am I supposed to make of that?" Sarah asked Lia. She didn't dare tell Lia why she found Sirius in the broom closet. Lia didn't have to know everything. Or the whole school would.
Lia shook her head sympathetically. "I don't know," she responded.
"Oh well. Thanks Lia," Sarah said and left Lia's dorm in Hufflepuff for her own. Thankfully, she didn't see James or Sirius. She trudged up to their dorm. Lane was sitting at her desk working on something. "LANE! My best-est friend! You know I love you, don't you!"
"What do you want, Sarah?" Lane smiled.
Sarah sat on her bed. "Well, today in History of Magic, Sirius was being really annoying, like always. And he was flirting with me. Then after Herbology, I went up to Lily's dorm. And she wasn't there…then when I left I fell down those stupid stairs. I hurt my ankle and everything and James brought me a bandage to wrap it and I did. Then I…kissed him. And I left, and I heard him try to follow me, so I opened a door to hide in a classroom or something and I find Sirius snogging Kirsten! And I don't know what to do!" Sarah cried in anguish.
"Who do you like?" Lane asked her.
"I don't know. I thought I sort of liked Sirius, but he's just a big flirt. And I've never really thought about James like that. Until…well, I kissed him. He's not a bad kisser, you know," Sarah told her.
"You've got a problem," Lane told her.
"I know. And you're the problem-solver. So what should I do?" Sarah asked her again.
"I don't know. What about Lily?" Lane queried.
"Who knows. You know, she doesn't have any claim on him, or anything. She's not going out with him. Oh what a mess that would've been…if she was. But she's not."
"See where James takes you," Lane told her. This might work. If Lily sees Sarah and James together, she might get jealous and realize that she does like him.
"What?" Sarah asked Lane in disbelief.
"You're right. Lily has no claim on him. If you like James, go for it. See what happens," Lane repeated.
"Thanks Lane."
"Anytime." I just hope it works.
Sarah left their dorm, thinking things over in her head.
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Lily saw it the second time too. Sarah had been talking, and they slowly moved closer and closer together. Until Sarah and James were snogging. Again. She went back into her room and read. Sometimes their pretend world was better than her own. With friends who didn't snog the Head Boy with no warning. The picture of her and Sarah caught her eye. She got up and placed it face down on her dresser. She went back to her bed and read.
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Sarah stared into the empty fireplace, it wasn't cold enough to need a fire yet. Lily had seen them kiss, Sarah was sure of that. Lily didn't like it. It was times like these when she was glad that she could read minds. Knowing that Lily didn't like Sarah and James kissing bothered her. She was supposed to be loyal to her best friend. If loyalty was your best quality, you'd be in Hufflepuff. Not in Gryffindor. Sarah told herself. Still, she felt bad.