milliways_bar | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Things in Lily's room have been a bit ... frosty, lately.

That will happen when one of your roommates starts snogging the boy another of your roommates fancies, and the rest of your roommates have an opinion on that fact.

(Oh, Perdita can call it 'dating' all she wants, but at least in Lily's experience, 'dating' someone involved at least occasionally doing something other than snogging. And as far as Lily -- or Mary, or Cliona -- can tell, Black and Perdita have a very limited repertoire.)

It's kind of nice to get away from it all, really. And to have a chance to work on her Potions essay (on the effects of the phase of the moon on the efficacy of certain types of Potions) in something like peace.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Moments later, the door opens again and James steps through looking vaguely disgruntled and a little — well, honestly, fed up.

It's one thing to hear about your best mate snogging his 'girlfriend', but it's another completely to constantly be seeing it.

It's a bloody wonder they haven't been expelled for indecent ... snoggingwaytoomuch behaviour.

Lily's going to go out on a limb here.

"Have they taken over the library or the common room this time?"

James glances up upon hearing Lily's voice.

And a question like that — well, it's clear what it means.

"Common room," he answers, finding her immediately. He approaches her table. "Though earlier today I caught them in the Transfiguration corridor. I can't believe McGonagall hasn't caught them yet."

"She will soon enough, I'm sure. It's McGonagall.

"I've actually considered asking Electra to interfere, the next time they get carried away in the library," she says. "Remus and I are stuck. Taking points from your own House, never mind your own roommate ... well, we generally try to avoid it."

But that's why you make friends with the prefects from other Houses.

"Either that or just letting Amity Root turn them both into inkwells or whatever."

"Not a terrible idea, letting Amity Root transfigure them into inkwells," James says. "Might make them a little more useful, at least."

Though there are so many horrid, horrid jokes he could make about the sorts of 'inks' they'd likely be filled with.

... but yeah.

Probably not in a girl's company.

"I haven't said anything to a prefect or a professor and I don't plan to — but blimey. It's getting to be a bit much. I don't think I've ever seen Sirius like this before.

"And Remus has taken to hiding a lot more than he usually does."

"Well, of course he is. It's a bit miserable, really, being a prefect who's friends are breaking the rules.

"Remus and I both know how late they got in last night. Why d'you think we went upstairs as early as we did?"

If you don't actually see rules getting broken, you don't have to do anything about it.

"Why is this not over yet? It's been a week."

She sighs.

"At least they're not eating meals with us. I can't imagine that's very appetizing."

James makes a fairly convincing mock-gagging imitation.

"Yeah. But now you've gone and said it."

He laughs ruefully.

"Has it really only been a week? I feel like it's been months."

Lily laughs.

"A week.

"A very long week, but a week.

"Is it that bad? Meals with them?"

It looks bad. But Lily is safely observing it from far down the Gryffindor table.

"D'you know, I almost feel like they do half of the soppy things they do for show," James says. "Because there is no way I'd ever consider Sirius the sort of bloke to feed his 'girlfriend' bits of toast and accept Perdita feeding him forkfuls of pie for dessert."

Lily makes a bit of a face.

"I wouldn't have put Perdita down for anything like that, either."

But who knows?

"Well," Lily says briskly, "if it gets too horrible, just come sit with us. It's the one place Perdita won't sit.

"Because for all her faults, she's not actually cruel enough to bring Black to eat breakfast with Glynis."

"Well, that's good — at least," James says, only vaguely wry. "D'you mind if Remus and Peter come along too?"

"Not at all," Lily says, easily.

She's not completely sure she can imagine Potter ever taking her up on the offer, but if he does, sure. He can bring his friends.

"Unless you're about to tell me Pettigrew's secretly madly in love with Mary or something."

James laughs.

"Blimey, I hope not. The last thing I need is another pair to watch out for."

"Agreed," Lily says.

"So how's the new team doing? I saw you'd posted the names."

Admittedly, James is glad for a subject change.

At least for now.

He might have to whine a little more later.

"Brilliant so far," James says, expression brightening considerably. "Everyone seems to be getting on and I haven't had any major complaints or breakdowns yet."

Of course, it's still early days.

"How big does a complaint or breakdown have to be to count as 'major'?"

Just out of curiosity.

"Er — well, a couple years ago, d'you remember Jess Sweeting?"

"Two years ahead of us, really long blonde hair, never met a situation she couldn't add drama to?"

"Yeah. That's her."

James laughs a little.

"She started to sob like March had killed her grandmum or something when she found out she wasn't on the team.

"I count that as major."

"So anything short of Jess Sweeting is just a mild annoyance?"

"Something like that," James says serenely. "I've got to set the bar somewhere."

"Well, then I hope your season continues to be free of major complaints and meltdowns.

"Also, you may want to quickly arrange a practice for next Thursday, if at all possible."

James nods, accepting her well wishes before —

"Next Thursday?"

"Next Thursday," she says.

"It's not even a hunch this time.

"I've already been invited."

"What?"

Then it occurs to him.

"Slughorn."

He nearly facepalms.

"Slughorn," she confirms.

"I did tell you I'd warn you when I could, yeah?"

James nods.

"Yeah," he says, "you did.

"Thanks, Evans. I owe you one."

"I'll keep that in mind," she says.

You never know when she may need to call in a favor.

Well, if it's in James' power to do so, he'll gladly honour such favour-giving.

He'd do it for anyone else, being the sort of person to keep his promises, but for Lily especially.

Because — well, she's Lily.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only