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OO4 / Hearts On a Vinyl

Alternative Title: Music To My Ears

                 Remus was not one to interfere, he accepted his role as a bystander and very much the brains of the Marauders operation. He wouldn't necessarily classify himself as the bully, more like defending himself and lying low while his other two friends, Padfoot and Prongs, or respectively known as Sirius Black and James Potter, took the glory.

               So, Remus was very amused when the Ravenclaw girl has rolled her pretty eyes at Sirius Black whilst he tried to whisper something to her. The girl choose to ignore as she had raised her hand.

                Slughorn immediately called on her. She was, after all, the smartest student in the school and his class, although the extremely talented Lily Evans was fighting for that position. "Yes, Miss Jones?"

               The Ravenclaw set her quill down as she sent a small and shy smile towards the professor. Obviously and act, Remus mused. "Well, my seatmate Sirius is a little shy, and he was just asking if I could ask you to use him as your experiment. Basically, to try the effects of Elixir to Introduce Euphoria. He's been so sad recently, with everything going on. I'm sure you can tell, Professor." James suppressed a grin as he watched the two.

               Sirius turned to face Kathy as she smiled sweetly at him. Nobody would have assumed she was the shrew of the school with a smile like that.

               Sirius slowly broke out a smile as he turned his head. Sirius was ready to push her off her seat. "Oh no Professor, I could not" Sirius made his voice sound that of Kathy's as he batted his pretty eyelashes at Slughorn.

                The potion's professor stood confused, but moved one regardless after he saw Sirius Black's joking. "Maybe next time, Mr. Black...now..." Slughorn moved on, continuing to speak about the ingredients needed, and the gentleness one must possess to correctly produce the potion.

                  "What?" Kathy asked as she turned to face Sirius, who had been staring at her for the past few minutes. "You're so funny, y'know that?" Sirius fake giggled as Kathy raised a brow at his childish antics.

               "Only for you Siri poo" Kathy grumbled as she jotted down her notes, deciding to ignore the boy for the rest of the class, but although Sirius did not watch her she felt like someone was watching her, it made the girl uneasy as she shook it off and passed it off as jitters. Her nervousness for exam season that was a few months ahead and the ever lasting impending doom which would have been her trip back home.

                She hated spending Christmas break back home, with her sister and father. Her sister would try and convince their father to change the dating rule he had, but he would refuse, she would somehow be brought into the argument and her younger sister would end up expressing her deep and undying hatred for Kathy whilst their father had to go back to work.

               She spent Christmas alone. Always.

               So the thought came up, why should I even celebrate Christmas. It's not like we are Christian. But she knew better. Because Christmas was also the only time she could properly mourn.

               So she would continue going home, she would continue arguing with her broken family, and she would continue crying to sleep every night wishing for her.

                "Earth to Kate?" Kathy looked up as she heard Sirius Black's voice. The boy had waved a hand in front of her face that remained emotionless. She completely forgot she was in class— and she definitely could not afford to zone out. Not when she was desperate to make Head Girl in seventh year.

                "Don't call me that." She replied as she turned her head to face the Gryffindor. The boy was trying to distract her— and he was succeeding.

               "What do you think of James Potter?" He asked. Kathy turned to look at the boy. He was focusing on his work, but anyone could and would notice the way he was watching Sirius and herself out of the corner of his eye. She rolled her eyes.

               "Irritating, perfect for you." She replied. Taking her eyes off the boy with glasses and placing them onto the boy with the strong cologne. She was sure she would start sneezing soon. Kathy was never good with strong scents. "Can I help you with something, Sirius, or are you just going to ask me stupid questions all year long?" Kathy asked. 

                People like Sirius would be bearably at first... but Kathy knew how he would get. Slowly getting under her skin before he would eventually enrage her so much they would be separated for the remainder of the year. Kathy would be humiliated and Sirius would be made out to be the victim. Considering she was the girl who "couldn't take a joke."    

               "Oh! Touchy..." Sirius replied. Letting his head fall on his hand as he stared at her. 

               This obviously was not working. If Kathy was not interested in James, he would just have to make them meet. They needed to know everything about Kathy. From her favourite colour to her allergies. This wouldn't work otherwise.                  

               "Okay, listen, please give my Jamesy a chance!" Kathy Jones snorted loudly. As began to close her books and turn towards the professor. Slughorn seemed to just be finishing up his lecture as Kathy discreetly opened her book bag and slipped her equipment in. She stood up quietly and whispered into Sirius' ear. "Not a chance, Hermano." She quickly left, just as Slughorn had dismissed them. The once quiet classroom now busy and bustling with teenager needing to get to their next class. 

                Sirius Black would admit it wasn't his best move, but it wasn't as if he thought she would be just as hard to crack as Lily Evans. There were times when Sirius even wondered if Kathy was a lesbian. 

                When Sirius brought it up to Marlene, she was quick to chew him out. Claiming it wasn't his business, and adding that just because a girl was not interested in an obnoxious boy or man did not mean she wasn't attracted to them. Sirius shook his head, taking the thought away as he tried his best with the situation present. 

               Besides, if anything, he should have been excited not stressed. Their Hogsmeade trip would be tomorrow, and even if James, Remus, Peter and him could leave anytime they wanted thanks to James, it was better when he could see his younger brother. 

               Someone nudged him. Taking Sirius out of his thoughts, It was Remus, his awkward and tall stance with the sandy hair. His small smile had indicated he wanted to ask a question. "How did it go?" Sirius could not have rolled his eyes any faster as he stood up and joined his friends on their way to their next class. 

               "Don't even get me started, Moony..."

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                Kathy seemed to have one day she enjoyed the most out of the entire week, and that was Saturday. Hogsmeade day. Probably the only day she would be able to walk through Hogwarts and not see anyone she disliked. She would be able to hide away in her dorm and not be questioned. Even on the odd days she did leave, she would often go to the stores in the outskirts of the village. Not that she wanted to, but simply because that were most of the stuff she needed and interested was. 

                 Kathy had walked alone to the small village, listing all the things she thought of buying today. Hoping to get some chocolates, maybe even some vinyls from the store

               She had wanted a copy of the new ABBA album. She adored the muggle Swedish band and was pleasantly surprised of her father's support for her obsession with music. As she daydreamed about the trip herself and her dear friend would take. She prayed that the annoying pests would not follow her around like lost puppies today. She didn't understand how Lily Evans could handle the idiots also known as the Marauders. 

               There was never much to say. When she was a bystander to the relentless harassment of Lily Evans. Kathy Jones simply brushed it away, after all it wasn't as if she cared, especially when Lily Evans and her band of baboons would always seem to antagonize her. Making it seem as if she was some blood supremacist freak who despised Lily Evans the accomplishments she made and in turn bribed teachers. 

              It was laughable. Kathy Jones really did not care about Lily. But she would be lying if she didn't have a feeling of dislike towards the garbage her friends would pull. After all, Kathy Jones was not responsible for the fact she was better than the Gryffindor at some courses. She was a Ravenclaw. It was to be expected. 

             As far as stereotypes went. Kathy Jones knew the only reason she did better was because she had more time. Choosing to only have one friend unlike Lily who was quite popular with not just students but professors as well. 

            Kathy only had one friend. By choice, of course! 

            ...and ever since she left, Kathy would throw herself into her studies. Choosing to be surrounded by text, books and ink rather than people. 

           It was a lot less depressing and traumatizing and unlike many, studying would support her in her future, not speaking to people who were too drunk to formulate a sentence half the time. 

               Kathy considered it a blessing, but her sister wouldn't agree, doing everything she could to humiliate her older sister, who more than often embarrassed her or would do anything humanely possible to make the ongoing observers understand they despised one another, earning Anna the popularity and adoration she craved. 

              Who cared about Anna's opinions anyway. It wasn't as if she was a saint. 

             Kathy had allowed herself to be curled up in the blue and silver scarf. She despised the cold, which was most likely why she had such heavy attire on her. Her father would laugh at her if he saw her state. 

               Her father....She missed him. 

              Kathy decided she wouldn't think about him, not when she should be enjoying her time at Hogwarts, besides it wasn't as if all communication with her father had been ceased. Kathy was lucky she was wealthy as she was. Kathy was lucky she attended Hogwarts and she was even luckier to be able to see her father. Especially when she wasn't able to contact her own mother and see her sister. Not when one of them was six feet under ground and the other hiding away somewhere in the United States of America. 

               Who knows? Maybe that new American student had met her. 

                ... wait. Maybe that new American student met her. 

              No, that thought was laughable. She scoffed as she had wrapped her coat tighter against herself. Looking ahead as she spotted the vinyl store she so wanted to see.

              As she walked faster, she saw how Patrick was guarding the door of the store. Figures, the one day of peace she had hoped it would be turned immediatly sour. 

               She crossed her arms standing infront of the door. "Do you mind?" 

               "Not at all." Patrick smirked in her direction. As he stretched his leg out more, the girl rolled as she stood up strighter. Smiling before she stomped hard on his shin. 

               Patrick retracted it immediatly he screamed. "Shit!" He yelled out. 

               Kathy smirked before she walked into the store, completely ignoring the cries of pain coming out of that horrid boy. 

               The bell above her rang as she closed the door, heading straight towards the shelf labelled A-C. She began flipping through the artists, vinyl, tapes and cds alike. 

               "What you did to him was pretty crazy, I'm not going to lie." Of fucking course. 

               Problem one was done, now problem two came running alone. 

               "Are you following me Pothead?" She asked. Turning around as she did so. The boy with the glasses, leaning cooly against the shelf had let out a soft chuckle as he heard the question. 

               "Trust, I'm not. I'm just here with Remus" James had pointed to the tall lanky and sandy haired boy currently hunched over as he spoke to the store clerk. 

               James could not blame Kathy. After all he was the one who was following her or harassing her she should say. The girl hummed before turning around once more, continuing the search of the vinyl she came to purchase. 

               "Well Jones, I must say, I didn't think you were the type to listen to muggle music." James mused rather loudly. His voice irked the girl. 

              "Well obviously, there's alot you don't know about me." She hummed again. This time stopping as she saw the familiar blonde hair of the artists. She pulled out the first album, looking inside the case to make sure there were not scratched evident. 

               Kathy didn't have the decency to make attention to the boy. Although this should have been a clear sign to James, he took this failure as an oppurtunity.

               Walking over, he leaned against the case, gently taking the album off of Kathy's hands as he inspected the cover. "Then let me learn more." 

               "How?"

               "Let me take you out." He paused as he read out the title. "Hmm... ABBA." The album was gone from his hands in a second and so was the girl he was keeping company. 

                 James followed her as she lined up behind Remus Lupin.  Who was too preoccupied to notice the beginning of a line starting behind him. The Gryffindor had gently taken the arm of the Ravenclaw and pulled her back. 

               "Ok fine, you might not like me but I'm sure you have thought of me naked." What a bold statement, especially one you made to a girl that was very very close to you. So close you could kiss her. 

               Kathy had to hold back her groan of annoyance and disgust. 

               She pushed him away from her as fast as she could. Scoffing as she sarcastically said. "Am I that transparent, I love you, I need you. Oh baby, oh baby." 

               This time, Kathy left the vinyl and the shop as fast as she could. James didn't notice the flush of her cheeks as she rushed to her common room, with the hope of taking a long and hot shower to get his germs off of her.