A/N: Okay, here's chapter five- one day off schedule : ( I TRIED to get it done yesterday but I had a HUGE anatomy exam to study for- 206 bones in the human body, people! You wouldn't want my work to suffer because of haste, would you? Anyway, hope you enjoy, cheers! (P.S.- PLEASE REVIEW!!)
CHAPTER FIVE
"OW!!! Get OFF me! This is an outrage- let me GO!!!"
Fiery tendrils were set ablaze, flashing in all directions as their owner struggled against her foe. Thrashing wildly, the hostage clenched her tiny fists in rage, profusely pummeling the stifling air around her. She flogged her legs aimlessly, exercising every muscle, trying with all her might to strike a piece of her attacker. The petite girl, lost in gravity, suddenly felt the air whoosh around her as she was thrown from her target- landing harshly on the mattress springs below.
"What on EAR-"
"Oh, come off it, Lily, you deserve that and you know it. Keeping things from us like that. For shame…"
Lily stared through enormous emerald eyes at her three aggressors, each wearing an expression of utter disdain, and softly swept the ragged red curtain of curls obstructing her view.
"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"
Lily's eyes found the floor, slowly scanning the regal carpet, and finally landed on her paten black Mary Jane's- feet turned inward and hanging off the edge of her ruffled ruby comforter.
"Look at us, Lily. You did this to yourself, love."
The redhead sighed and lifted her olive orbs to the ceiling, setting her lips in a slight purse. She fidgeted absent-mindedly with the corner of her bedspread, feeling the satin texture of the wine-colored duvet.
"We're waiting…" Alice said with the tap of her foot.
"It's useless, she's not in the mood to talk about it. You know how Miss Fussypants gets."
Lily snorted depreciatively but continued to hold her tongue, crossing her slender arms in a rather indignant manner. She fixed her gaze on the leaning stack of parchment at the end of her bed, not daring to look at the accusatory figures to her right.
"Fine, if this is how you want to go about it, then this is how we'll do it. But I'm going to warn you, Lily, it won't be pleasant."
"Shall you start the inquiry, Dorcas, or shall I?"
"Oh, by all means go ahead, I'm still examining my notes."
"Oh, so I don't get a say? When I'm the one that brought this to your attention in the first place? No, don't include Marlene, she-"
"FINE, sorry! For the love of Quidditch, let's just get this started! Marlene," Alice gestured broadly to the right, rolling her eyes and sharply tilting her head to the left, indicating for Marlene to begin.
"Erm, well, I don't know what to say…"
SMACK went Alice's hand as it came in contact with her crinkled forehead.
"Wait, what time is it?" Marlene asked fervently as she flitted her head about the room, russet locks whipping about her slender face.
"Time for you to stop losing the wristwatches I continually let you borrow…" Alice said through gritted teeth.
Dorcas snapped her head down to her forearm, "I dunno, 'round three or so, I suppose. Why?" she inquired adjusting her spectacles, skewed atop her button nose.
"Got a- Quidditch!"
And with that the fourth member of their party was skidding around the corner, her hand grasping the door frame for leverage, the tips of her long brown hair visible through the entrance as they lashed in her wake.
"Didn't she have Quidditch yesterday?"
"Guess Potter's working them extra hard for Saturday. Bringing us back to our original discussion…"
"To be fair we never actually started it-"
"Well we tried!" Alice said, clearly losing her patience. "Anyway, Lily, Marlene told us the darnedest thing yesterday, didn't she, Dorcas?"
"Why, yes, would you care to know what we heard?" a small smile played on Dorcas' lips as she taunted a noncompliant Lily, casting Alice a knowing glance all the while.
The Head Girl's face promptly turned the colour of her hair, forcing Lily to bury her head in her hands. A hint of bottle green could be seen poking through her fingers, but was quickly hidden when the aperture snapped tightly shut.
"Well, I heard that a Mister Potter is going to be playing the position of seeker during the Hufflepuff-Gryffindor match. Don't you find that odd, Dorcas?"
"I find it especially odd considering he's been a chaser for three or four years, don't you?"
"Why, I certainly do! Do you find it at all odd, Lily?"
A palpable silence filled the room as Lily felt an invisible pressure squeeze all the air out of her lungs, engulfing her body in translucent flames. Her palms began sweating profusely, dripping languidly down her petite fingertips and soaking the crisp pallid cuffs of her robes. A million scattered thoughts raced through her mind like a cannon, buzzing and flashing to the point of insanity. A cyclone was lumbering through her head, bearing down on her with the tumultuous force of the Hogwarts Express.
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT!! I'll tell you! Itoldpotterhecouldgowithmeifhecaughtthesnitchinsteadofbenjyatthequidditchgameonsaturday. You lot already know, you just had to humiliate me," Lily finally spat, not meeting her predators' gaze.
Two witches beamed back at her, eyes gleaming in triumph, exchanging identical looks of pure satisfaction. The pair seated themselves on either side of the frenzied redhead, bouncing jovially on the mattress and doing their best to conceal their caroused grins.
"Now, now, love, that wasn't so bad- was it?"
"It's not like we weren't going to find out anyway, the whole school already knows."
"The least you could do was tell us yourself-"
"Which we sort of made you do-"
"But we knew wouldn't divulge-"
"So you really forced us to take action-"
"But we really wanted you to tell us yourself-"
"And you did! Sort of…"
"And we're very proud of you!"
"Despite the fact that you lost your dignity-"
"Well, some of it remains, but you did drop a few pegs-"
"Just a couple notches-"
"An ounce or two really-"
"A trifl-OOF!!"
"Ha ha ha h-OW!! You don't have to hit us!"
"I think I recall hearing 'you know you deserve it. For shame…'" Lily mocked with a grin, satin pillow in hand.
"So, really, Lily, finally decided to give Potter a chance?" Dorcas drawled as she awkwardly pulled herself in to a sitting position, readjusting her opal frames, "The prospect of one gorgeous Quidditch player's affections not good enough for you anymore?" she added, twisting a strand of flaxen hair around her finger.
"Yeah, you're life is truly in shambles. If I were you, I'd just up and get myself snuffed."
"What is the point of living-"
"Oh, shove it, the pair of you. You're both simply jealous. I can see the traces of envy just oozing out of your eye sockets."
"Who wouldn't be jealous? Two Quidditch gods engrossed in a heated battle of skill and lust, bronze muscles gleaming in the blazing sun, sweat dripping gloriously from their sculpted abdominals toward their hard-"
"ALICE?!!?!!"
"Brooms, people, brooms. Honestly, girls, get your minds out of the gutter."
"Anyway," Dorcas deferred, shooting a disapproving glance at the bawdy brunette to her left. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
"I don't know what you're talki-"
"Merlin, Lily, it's not like we haven't noticed you peeking over your potions book at him every night in the common room-"
"Or taking two hours to smear on lip gloss before patrols-"
"You certainly didn't bother to take the time to curl your hair when you did rounds with Remus-"
"Or borrow my perfume-"
"Or change your clothes-"
"Or hog the mirror-"
"Or change your clothes again-"
"OH, SHUT UP! I do not like him, okay? There is nothing vaguely romantic about mine and Potter's relationship! It is strictly professional and that is how it is going to stay. You can take this information or leave it, but it is not uncommon for the Head Boy and Girl to accompany one another to a stupid dance, alright?"
"It's just so 'damsel-in-distress,' Lily, I mean you've turned yourself in to a bloody trophy!"
"This time last year you wouldn't have given the poor lad the time of day."
"Nonsense! Just because now I'd give him the time of day doesn't mean I'm going to give him my clock," Lily scoffed, turning her back on the two pairs of rolling eyes behind her.
"Was that supposed to be funny? Some sort of clever euphemism, was it? Bravo, Lily. Well done, love."
"Oh, sod off."
"Haven't you got patrols again tonight?" Dorcas asked Lily with a twisted smile, her chocolate brown eyes alight with laughter.
"Why, it just so happens I do," the Head Girl snapped, hands planted on hips and chin held high.
"And haven't you patrolled every night this week?" Alice posed, her pink lips pulling at a smirk.
"I suppose so…yes…" Lily replied, furrowing her delicate brows.
"And don't you make up the patrol schedule?"
Lily's face flushed with the intensity of a thousand suns, heat radiating from her violet visage and baking her pallid features. She turned vehemently on her heel and strode toward the door, whipping her head around for one last retort.
"I don't have to take this anymore, I'm goi-"
"On patrol?"
"UGH!!!"
And with that she haughtily slammed the dormitory entrance behind her, knocking Marlene's propped broom to the floor in the process.
A/N: And there you have it. Another pointless chapter, but more characters are coming in to the woodwork. More clues and more questions have been laid! (for those paying attention) : ) No, they're not the marauders, but girls can be funny, too. I PROMISE more marauders in the next chapter, not too much longer to go!! Hope you liked, please review! Thanks a bundle!