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OO3 / A Fruit Fly

Alternative Title: The Gryffindor Pest

Patrick approached James near the lake. The sixth year seated with his friends. Sirius laying down on Remus Lupin lap as the lanky boy was looking at the chocolate packaging in his hand. Peter Pettigrew had his nose stuck in a book as he took a bite of some granola snack. James Potter was leaning against the tree trunk as his left arm was lazily draped on his left knee.

The boy with glasses adjusted his as he laughed at Sirius Black's animatic story telling. Patrick had taken a deep breath in as he walked towards his previous quidditch captain.

Patrick wouldn't be lying if he said that James Potter intimated him. James Potter was a dominating individual with a loud and eccentric personality. He knew how to have fun, but he also knew how to tear you down.

Patrick did not want that to be him.

When the boy finally reached the group, Remus Lupin threw his wrapper at James, who caught it effortlessly as he threw his head back and laughed.

He cleared his throat. "Hey, How you doin'..." he started. The four boys turned their heads towards Patrick. Remus was slightly curious, Peter was obviously stressed, Sirius held a smirk as he watched the boy squirm and James?

James Potter, that dimwit only raised a brow. Like he was a king and his lowly servant ought to bow down to him. Patrick clenched his fist as he thought about it. His inferiority complex coming into play.

"Do I know you" Of course, James Potter knew him. He kicked Patrick off of the Quidditch team.

"How do you feel about dating Katherine Jones?" As soon as those words left his mouth, Sirius sat up and cackled at the thought. Remus hid a smile as he looked down— pretending as if he was doing something, Peter rolled his eyes before going back to his work, scared about failing an upcoming test.

"You're fucking crazy if you think he is dating the shrew." Sirius Black answered. Patrick rolled his eyes at the known player and breaker of hearts. Looking at him now, he didn't seem that way. He just seemed like a pest he had to swat away.

"What's in it for me?" James asked, standing up and slowly walking towards the boy. James towered over Patrick.

"Money. A lot of it." James raised a brow at the response. Patrick felt his heart beating rapidly, he felt it being squeezed by the same hand he was asking for help. He felt like he was completely at the mercy of James Potter and his band of idiots.

A beat.

Then an uncomfortable silence enclosed them.

"How much?" Patrick smirked as he watched the eyes bulge from Sirius Black. It was satisfying and wonderful. But Patrick had to focus on the matter on hand. Everyone knew that James Potter was filthy rich, richer than himself. So the question came up- why did he accept money? But that didn't matter at the moment.

What mattered is he agreed, or at least was about to.

"Ten Galleons." Patrick started. James snorted. He crossed his arms as he stared down at Patrick. "You're going to have to do better than that." Patrick took a deep breath in. Ten Galleons was plenty. He should be grateful he is getting anything at all. But alas, James was Patrick's only hope.

"Name your price." James pondered for a moment as he felt an arm sling around his shoulder. His sight blocked by long and silky jet black hair. He gently shoved the boy off of him as he heard a yelp. "What do you think, Padfoot?" James asked.

Sirius from the place he fell on the group, closed his eyes as he pretended to think long and hard. "That girl would murder him in his sleep." Sirius rolled over as he grinned at the two. "Oh, and this is a monthly payment thing right?" he questioned.

Patrick turned his attention to James as he nodded along, clearly agreeing with his brother.

"Yeah, yeah. He is right. Ok, taking her out to Hogsmeade, she's going to want to get butter bear, some clothes, maybe chocolate...hmm, there's also Yule, Christmas, Halloween, and that's just this year, I can't imagine how expensive next year is going to be..." James drawled out as he turned his back towards Patrick. Gently laying down at his previous spot as he looked up at Patrick. "We are actually looking at thirty-five maybe even forty....monthly"

                'This bitch is crazy if he thinks I am giving him thirty-five galleons.' Patrick thought as he felt his body begin to get warm.

"Deal or no deal."

Patrick's eye twitched slightly. In his mind, he was thinking about the many ways to jinx Sirius and James. He held contact with James. "This isn't a negotiation, pretty boy."

Remus quirked a brow. "Oh, he thinks you're pretty Jamesy" Sirius joked, making kissy noises. Patrick rolled his eyes once more.

James smirked. "Then forget about taking out her sister."

Patrick drew. "Ok, fine. Thirty galleons, deal or no deal?"

"Deal."

As Patrick went to outstretch his hand, James waved him away. "I pay by result. I need to see something before I give up thirty galleons Potter" Patrick said.

"Fifteen now." James ordered. This was more than fair and Patrick, although a sleaze, understood how far James would allow him to go. He reached into his book bag and brought out a pouch, inside was his allowance. The boy took out and counted fifteen gold coins in front of the four boys before handing them to the one in glasses.

For Patrick Jackman this was confusing, why was he agreeing? Patrick left the thoughts there as he walked away, it was good enough that he even said yes to dating the shrew. Especially when everyone knew his obsession with the muggle born witch, Lily Evans.

Remus watched as the Gryffindor walked away from the four. "Why would you agree to that?" Remus questioned. He looked over at Peter to make sure the pudgy boy was doing his work, considering how much Remus was helping him.

"Why not? We all know how mad mum is considering the end of last year, we need all the funds we can get." Sirius nodded, agreeing with his brother as he popped a jelly bean into his mouth. Remus rolled his eyes at the two. James and Sirius always enabled each other, and Remus did too, but this wasn't a prank, no this was a girl who was being played with in one of the worst ways possible.

"You're going to break her heart, James." Peter mumbled as he furrowed his brows, folding a page of the potions textbook.

"Good, the girl's a nightmare, maybe she will shut up for once." Sirius replied, stretching as he ignored the dirty looks he got from the werewolf. "Shut up, Sirius." Remus was very much against this, and he would play no part in supporting or helping Sirius and James enact this cruel plan. Besides, knowing Katherine Jones, she was not one to fall so easily in the stupid trap James would concoct. She was not at the top of their class for no reason.

"C'mon! Let's eat" James called out, grabbing his bags as Sirius, Remus, and Peter packed theres as well. When they were finished they made their way to the Great Hall. Hopefully being able to catch the woman of the hour.

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Katherine Jones walked into the great hall, parched and exhausted. Being selected as a beater in the Quidditch team was something that made Katherine happy. She liked nothing more than to win.

It did help that most, if not, the whole student population was scared of her or hated her. It made it easier to pitch the bludgers at them.

She stretched her neck as she took a seat in the middle of the Ravenclaw table, ignoring the way people sat away from her or walked away. Honestly, she thought it was immature, they were acting as if she had a life-threatening incredibly contagious disease. But as she rolled her eyes and settled into her seat. She saw her favourite fruit. Pomegranates.

The older girl had taken out a sandwich, a bowl of pomegranates, pumpkin juice and a small slice of carrot cake. She began to feel as peace as she took a bite of her sandwich. Bianca had to finish her essay for Divination. Choosing to spend lunch in the library instead of the Great Hall.

Maybe I'll bring something back for her. As she was deciding on what Katherine felt a tap on her shoulder.

Whoever dared interrupt her better pray to Merlin.

"Hey, there beautiful." Kathy turned to face the boy who dared interrupt her mealtime. The minute those words left his mouth, many surrounding them turned too.

It wasn't everyday James Potter approached the shrew instead of, once again, asking Lily Evans out on a date for the millionth time during his time at Hogwarts, which was what? Six years now.

Katherine was confused but decided to play along with his game as he took the empty seat next to her. Turning back to her food, she had a mocking smile on her face. "Beautiful? Huh. That's interesting, considering I am sweating like a pig."

James smirked. She was beautiful, even if she was, in her words, sweating like a pig. Katherine turned to James. "How about you, pretty boy?"

"You think I'm pretty?" James asked, amused when Katherine rolled her eyes. Of course, this conceited piece of shit who couldn't say no and was the epitome of the toxic jock stereotype would only catch that.

"You know calling someone pretty, especially a guy like myself would be considered a way to get a guys attention, maybe even to struck your fancy." Katherine rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"My mission in life it would seem" she grumbled. "But seeing how you're flattered and well are sitting next to me and bothering me instead of some Slytherin, perhaps even Severus Snape, it worked." Kathy paused as she looked at James. Taking a good look at him.

She took a spoon full of her pomegranate seeds as she all of a sudden felt painfully aware of the attention on her. "But what does not seem to make sense is how you are bothering me instead of your self proclaimed true love, Lily Evans. Y'know the way you bother girls could be considered harrassment in some countries." She finished the small amount of food on her plate, her stomach grumbling. Kathy ignored it. She did not want to be seated next to this Gryffindor. She was afriad she would get stupider the more she talked to him.

Katherine reached down to grab her book bag but was beaten to it by James Potter. Who held it out for her as he let out a chuckle. He seemed to be speechless. Katherine was proud she could shut him up.

"So what about friday?" Katherine took the bag away from James. She laughed. An actual laugh and she laughed at him. Vincent, Issac, Patrick and Anna all watched as the girl laughed at the most popular boy in school. "Yeah, sure sparky." She continued to giggle as she started to walk out the hall. Stopping at the enterance.

"Do you even know my name?" She asked. James didn't respond, of course he did. "Of course I do, I know alot more than you think" Katherine continued to smile, amused at the sad excuse of a potential boyfriend infront of her.

"You're funny, now run along pest." She shooed him away like he was some fruit fly, finally managing to escape the Gryffindor student and safe herself from the public humilation.

James Potter walked back towards his friends at the Gryffindor table, who poorly contained their amusement at the scene. "That was ... terrible" Remus breathed out. Letting a smile grace the soft features of his face.

"Terrible? That was bloody amazing!" Sirius barked out, doubling over in his laughter. "It was incredibly painful to watch, but we all know your a good guy deep down Prongs!" Peter commented.

"That would make Kate what? The second girl you've asked out and also turn you down in one go?" Marlene asked. Raising a brow at the boy with glasses. The redhead seated next to her looked towards the boy who would constantly ask her out. What exactly changed now?

"If I had a nickle for everytime you asked the smartest girl out publically and been rejected in the span of ten minutes, I would have two nickels. Which isn't a lot... but it is weird that it happened twice." James facepalmed at Sirius' comment.

James knew she was the shrew for a reason but asking her out once, only made him determined to succeed and milk Patrick Jackass for all the money he could get. "You are screwed mate!" Sirius announced.

James only looked up from the table calmly and confident. "Don't be so sure."

On the other side of the table, Anna Jones quickly finished her meal as she grabbed her things and ran out the Great Hall. Attempting to catch up with her sister who was seemingly on her way to the library.

Anna was determined to talk about what the majority of the school just witnessed. Her blatant rejection of James Potter.

"You know you could have some serious potential if you just didn't have a stick up your ass all the time." Anna said. Katherine rolled her eyes. Kathy's back facing Anna's as she mimicked her. "Haha very funny." The older girl turned to face her sister. The blue tie of hers now loosened.

"You make it seem like I care what people think." Kathy replied. Her gaze softeneing as she watched her baby sister. Kathy was not fool, she knew Anna had an ulterior motive if she was speaking to her in Hogwarts. Ever since their mother died Anna was more concerned with popularity and being well liked than allowing Kathy to get closer. If anything, the sisters stubornness was what caused them to drift. But Katherine would do anything for Anna.

"You do, if you didn't you wouldnt try as hard to make it seem like you don't." Katherine stayed silent as she thought about her sister's words. But as she was taken out of her thoughts and inspected her sister she couldnt help but see the light reflect something red and shiny under Anna's red and gold tie. Katherine dropped her book bag as she walked closer to her sister.

"Loosen your tie, Anna." Her younger sister was confused.

"What?" This time Katherine walked closer. "Loosen your tie." Anna did so albiet bregrudingly.

Low and behold, her older sister's necklace laid on the white collar of her younger sisters. Katherine gently took a hold of it. Feeling tons of different emotions before deciding on a whim what she would do.

Before Anna could stop her, the necklace was ripped off of her. Now held in the hand of the Ravenclaw student as she felt her heart beat fast rapidly. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Anna yelled.

Katherine looked up, ignoring her question. "Where did you get this?"

"It was a gift, give it back!" Anna tried to take it from her but Katherine kept it away. Slipping it into her book bag

"No. It wasn't. Stop lying!" Katherine yelled back.

"Ok! I found it the last week of summer. She left some boxes and dad looked through them and told me I could have it." Katherine felt the anger rush in her blood.

"So what, you just decided to hide them?" She accused. The younger girl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I didn't hide them, Dad let me have them. Besides it's not like she is coming back to claim them, is she?" Anna ended off.

"You are unbelieveable." Katherine scoffed. She turned away leaving her angry sister behind for her studious friend. For the first time this school year, Katherine felt uneasy. She was confused as to why James Potter approached her and why her sister talked about being likeable to her.

Katherine believed that maybe Anna would stop being so obsessed with her popularity and look at the people she surrounded herself with, but that was too good to be true. After all, her sister loved being in the limelight and most importantly being adored... unbeknowest to her, for all the wrong reasons.

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Lily Evans was never a jealous individual. Never. But when she saw the public display of James Potter asking out Katherine Jones, she felt jealousy and slight annoyance. Turning her head away from Marlene, she inspected the spot where Katherine previously sat before abruptly taking her bag and making her way out of the great hall. The girl needed a break for everything. Especially James Potter.

He was always a pest she couldn't get rid of, always an annoyance, athough tiring, he was comforting in a way. Knowing he would never change, but now he did and Lily wasn't exactly sure how to react to that. Just a few months ago he was obsessed with her and the validation he dreadfully yearned from her. But now? Now, all he did was ignore her and mumble a quick greeting before going back to his friends.

Now that the attention was not on her, she didn't know how to cope.

Should she have been happy? Yes, of course. The loud and chaotic James Potter would not be present to bother her, only a passing shadow who moved onto his next victim.

... But was she happy? No. She didn't think so, in fact she felt a little confused. Confused with the feeling she held. Now that the tornado of a jock would stop bothering her, she could do her best to return once more at the top of the sixth year class. Something that was not made possible due to her grades dropping ever so slightly at the end last year. Lily placed second, as the Katherine placed first. Regaining her spot from third year once again.

                It wasn't exactly her fault anyways. No, it was theirs. James and Severus. Her once best friend now turned enemy and James, a person she believed to be a bully who now ignored her existence.

                Maybe he grew up.

                But that was not possible, no. Because James Potter could never grow up, never change— he was incapable of change.

As she walked away from the Great Hall. From the avoidant gaze of James Potter and the glare of Severus Snape. Lily's heart beat faster than ever before— feeling incredibly anxious for the new year to come and what would happen.

After all, they were all itching closer to when Hogwarts would finish, when the world of there's would come crashing down and slap them all in the face, when the real world would wake them up.

Lily wasn't sure she was ready for that.

Especially with her first taste at the end of last year. The memory was still freshly ingrained in her mind and the feeling of betrayal had never left her since then. Lily was a changed person, she was an exhausted student— but soon enough she wouldn't just be an exhausted student. She would be subjected to discrimination within her own magical community, and it already started.

Lily wasn't ready for that either.

"C'mon Lily Flower!"

"Let him go Potter!" Lily never called him Potter, always Toerag.

Lily was scared, Severus turned upside down as he face was going increasingly red. He had already been subjected to humiliation and now he wasn't sure if he wanted Lily to stand up for him.

Severus could see Avery, Mulciber and Rosier watching the scene with interested gazes. If they saw Lily succeed to get James to stop then it would only get worse, he would be shunned and put at the same level as the red headed girl.

                James' eyes softened as he lowered his wand, Snape had fallen to the ground and scrambled to get on his feet as James and Sirius turned to look at him. "You are lucky Lily Evans was here..."

                His face went red in anger and embarrassment, the smile lines etched on to Remus' face as he watched the scene amused and previously laughing alongside Sirius and James. Although not a participant. That boy was an enabler— that almost killed him once. He was just as bad as the rest of them and even more dangerous considering he was a half breed.

                Even that pudgy Peter Pettigrew had the audacity to laugh at him. Looking back at Lily and the girls behind her, although seemingly annoyed. Even he could tell their amused faces as they watched him.

                "I don't need help from a filthy mudblood!" There was a silence as the betrayal etched on to Lily's face.

                "Take that back, take that back right now or I swear—!" James yelled as he aimed his wand at Severus once more. Lily had cut him off.

                "Of course, you are right... Snivellus" Lily turned around as she left the group of boys. Ignoring the way Sirius yelled out a hex and the gurgling sound that escaped the Slytherin. No doubt washing that wretched mouth of his.

               That was the last time she spoke to Severus Snape, and honestly? Lily didn't believe she would ever speak to him again. He had gone too far and things had changed too much— she changed too much.

                So yes. She ignored the stares of the Slytherin. She paid more attention to the group of boys that defended her even though they caused the incident in the first place and she felt jealous when she saw Katherine Jones and James Potter together.

                Why? Because she did not know how else to feel.

✸ Alaska Speaks / Authors Note — 3647 Words

First interaction say what 😬😬 also whole yall are reading this, don't forget to vote 😘

Started: March 24st, 2024
Finished: March 26th, 2024