double update 

That evening, Penny, Clare, Tara and Hana voyage into the depths of the Hogwarts Library in a pathetic attempt to get ahead of the piles of homework that's piling up around them. It's mostly Hana's idea - Penny usually does accompany her, but this night it's a little more unwillingly than usual. Clare's dragged along by Tara, who doesn't need the library, but test subjects for her Divination.

"Come on," Tara moans, staring at Clare. They're at a table in the library, Clare and Tara sitting beside each other, with Clare half lying down, her feet propped up on the chair opposite her. Both Hana and Penny are searching the shelves for information on Nogtails, considering they need eyewitness accounts.

"I'm not doing it," Clare groans stubbornly, her eyes half closed. To an outsider, she might seem to be asleep.

"I need two test subjects. Please?"

Clare's usually incredibly stubborn about this kind of thing, but Penny's amazed to see her soften slightly, grudgingly muttering "Fine," before sitting up. Her Slytherin robes are abandoned on the back of her chair, her tie with them, which Penny is resisting the urge to fold. Hana's also frowning at the crumpled clothes.

"Don't worry, Clare," Hana says snootily. "Divination is such a scam. Everyone says Dumbledore's considering cutting the subject. You know he wouldn't allow people to take it as a N.E.W.T? Our year's the only one being taught it."

Clare, the greatest Divination hater there's ever been, opens one eye to say "At least Tara's skills will be unique. Unlike you, Hana, who's doing the six most popular N.E.W.Ts."

"Wow," Hana draws herself up to her full height, glaring at Clare, who's still slumped in a chair. "That was uncalled for, you little - "

Penny shushes her. "We're in the library, remember. Talk quietly."

Tara, bursting with energy now Clare has agreed to have her future diving, sends a glowing smile Penny's way. "You first, Pen. Clare can sleep."

"Thanks," Clare mutters, eyes still squeezed shut.

"You're going to fail your N.E.W.Ts," Hana says, walking by with a large pile of books cradled in her arms.

"Urgh," Clare sighs in response. "Like I care. I don't know why you care, either, considering how rich your parents are. What do you need to pass for, it's not like you'll need to find work."

Hana sticks her nose in the air, settling into the seat opposite Clare, shoving her legs off it. "I'm going to make my own way in the world. I'm not working in that corrupt Ministry, I'll be doing some real good as a Healer, helping to improve people's lives and having a day-to-day - "

"Is this memorised from your application for an apprenticeship?" Clare drawls. Hana kicks her under the table.

"Let me see your palm, Pen," Tara says eagerly, grabbing a piece of parchment and an inkwell. "Now, I'm going to keep this anonymous, in case I find out something you'd prefer to keep private."

"I don't think you need to worry about that," Hana says.

Penny shakes her head. "Keep it anonymous anyway."

Tara writes in huge capital letters, Subject A. It makes Penny sound like she's taking part in an eerie and illegal scientific experiment, not having her palm read. Nevertheless, she holds her right palm out for Tara to read.

"You have a long, arching life line," Tara notes. She checks her book. "That's nothing to do with the length of life, it just means you're energetic and vibrant, and - " she checks again, "-good at sports."

Hana snickers. "It sounded promising at first."

"You should tryout for the Ravenclaw team," Clare suggests. "If I'm not allowed on the Slytherin team just because I'm a girl, at least I can live vicariously through you."

"I'm afraid of heights," Penny raises her eyebrows. "What a wonderful idea."

"Your line is very straight, though," Tara notes. "Means you're brave and outgoing." She writes all that down, before checking Clare's line. "Hm, yours is very clear too, even more than Penny's. Probably because you're good at Quidditch."

Clare nods, looking satisfied.

"Now the heart line," she gulps, before grabbing Penny's palm. "Oh, very long and straight - well done, Penny!"

Hana groans. "What did Penny do?"

Tara ignores her. "Long and straight, so that means you have some interest in romance. Oh, yours is so plain, there's nothing on it. Looks like you only find one person." She checks Clare's. "Why is yours the same? Am I doing this wrong? Oh - well, I guess yours starts here - that means you'll easily fall in love."

"Really?" Clare looks surprised.

Tara blushes. "Yes. Anyway, the money line - Clare, your money line is connected to your life line, that means you're ambitious with strong self-confidence."

Penny eyes the Slytherin robes lazily discarded behind Clare. "You might be onto something here, T."

"Maybe you should do me, too," Hana says warily. "You know, just in case it is working."

"Absolutely not," Tara says immediately. "I only need two futures, and I'm doing as little work as possible to pass this class."

Hana nods. "That's fair, I guess."

"But - " Tara goes back to writing about Clare's hand. "Yours is very divided, that means you'll change jobs frequently, or your career will have big changes."

Clare nods. "Suitable for a professional Quidditch player."

"Let's see yours, Pen. Yours is weird. It looks stable, like you'll only have one job, but it stops very early, as if you're going to retire young." Tara continues to make notes. "Okay, the Head line. Yours is clear and long, Penny - that means you're clever - "

Clare snorts, interrupting. "I'm losing more faith in you with every prediction."

Tara continues like she didn't say anything. "- and have good concentration. Clare - yours is short, which means you're more likely to have physical achievements. It's also cut up into sections, which means you're easily distracted." She makes more notes. "Now the last line, the Marriage one. Penny - your Marriage line reaches up to here - that means your partner's going to be from a rich and friendly family. Clare, yours is short and goes upwards - that means you're not going to ever marry."

"Wonderful," Clare grumbles.

"It must be because you're a lesbian," Penny suggests. "I guess it wouldn't be legal."

"Hm, true," Clare admits.

"Are you sure you can't do me?" Hana asks. "Maybe I was wrong about Divination."

Penny snorts. "I doubt it. I have zero interest in romance. Actually, I am actively avoiding it."

"Sometimes, romance just finds you," Hana smiles, her eyes fixing on something in the distance. "Like me and my musician."

Clare rolls her eyes, opening her mouth to say something that's probably going to cut into Hana's fantasy cruelly. Penny never knows whether Hana really loves all the people she dates, and whether she actually falls so quickly and so hard, or if she's just infatuated with the feeling of being in a relationship, of all its highs and lows and twists.

Tara intercedes before Clare can say anything cruel, either by happy accident or opportune timing. "Well, I'm done with my homework now. I'm going to go back to my Common Room and sleep, I think."

"I'll come with you," Clare agrees. "I'm not doing anymore tonight."

Hana scoffs. "You haven't done any tonight."

Clare grabs her cloak and fixes her tie, brown hair tumbling over her shoulders in a tangled mess. She cut it over the holidays, but it's so curly it seems to be almost the same length anyway. There's a hint of annoyance on her face, but she hides it so quickly Penny forgets it was ever there. "You're awfully stuck-up for someone who's late to their rounds as Prefect."

Hana looks out the library window to see the dark sky and glittering moon, before paling in horror as she registers the time. "Oh, fiddlesticks."

"Just say fuck, for fucks sake," Clare hisses.

Hana draws herself to her full height, which is a lot taller than Clare's, and narrows her eyes like she's about to start spitting venom. Tara, well versed in the art of mediating their fighting, just links her arm with Clare's, dragging her away. They've always been a group of four, but Hana and Penny tend to stick together, both being in the same house and all, while Tara and Clare have a different kind of friendship Penny's never quite understood.

Hana turns to Penny, and the mess of Nogtail accounts scattered on the table. "Can you sort these accounts for me? Can I copy your sources?"

For Hana, Penny will allow it, because she's stolen so many of Hana's notes before. "Of course. Have fun hunting first years."

"That's not what prefects do, Pen." Then Hana checks the time again, gives her a hasty wave, and rushes off, leaving half her stuff behind in the library.

Penny surveys the mess they've made. There's a Divination textbook on a chair, which Tara will probably come back for later, once she realises it's missing. Their table is so chaotic it looks like someone pulled all the books from a shelf and dumped them there, and there's pieces of parchment scattered on the chairs.

With a sigh, she pulls up a chair, beginning to work on the essay.

James can't tell whether his luck is good or bad.

"Go on, mate," Sirius says encouragingly, lingering at the door of the library.

James stares down at the Marauder's Map, at the pair of footprints marked on that follow him. Haunt is too weak a word - they haunt him, drifting into his thoughts and dreams and feelings. "What do I say?"

Sirius scoffs, leaning on the wall. "It's easy. Just go inside and tell her you're mad for her. What could go wrong?"

Remus punches him in the stomach. "Ignore him. Don't do that."

"I wasn't going to," James assures them. "Didn't work out too well last time."

"Well, Prongs, that's because you basically screamed it at her in the middle of the Great Hall. I mean, I know Taylor likes attention, but not that much. That was embarrassing, even for you."

"Yep," James runs his hand through his hair, messing it up even more. "Thanks for the reminder."

"Just go and ask to work together on the Defence essay," Peter pipes up, running his own hands through his hair, the same way James does. "She's amazing at Defence, it makes sense."

Sirius rolls his eyes with a groan. "You lot are cowards."

He probably thinks it'll spur James into something more exciting, being so desperate to prove his bravery. However, in this instance, James is happy to be known as a coward. "I don't know. The Defence thing feels a little contrived."

"That's because it is contrived," Remus sighs. "Why don't you just go talk to her honestly? Tell her what you're thinking."

James groans, still eyeing the door to the library. "How would that go, Moony? "Hey Taylor, how's the homework? I would be honoured if you would allow me to father your children, should you want them. Marry me?""

Sirius stares, wide-eyed. "Well, don't say that. Say anything but that."

"This is a disaster," James sighs, playing with his shirt sleeve. "What do I say?"

"Just be normal," Remus hisses.

"I can't!"

"Why don't you try and plan a tutoring session," Peter suggests, leaning on the wall beside Sirius. "Since you're doing that, now."

James stares at him, eyes wide. "That's...actually a good idea."

Peter looks smugly at Sirius and Remus. "No wonder you guys are single."

"So are you?"

"I'm the handsome bachelor of our group, I have to stay single. It's in my job description."

"No one wants you, Pads."

James looks at the library door again, this time with a little more purpose. At least he has some idea of what he should say, now. "Right. Well, I'll be off then."

Sirius pats him on the shoulder. "Good luck then, Prongs. We've come with you as far as we can go, because, you know, it's the library."

"See you later, then," Remus murmurs, dragging Sirius away.

Peter waves as they round the corner, and James enters the library with a deep breath.

In all his years at Hogwarts, James has been to the library once. It's a personal achievement of his. The single time was when he needed to figure out how to become an Animagus, and since Remus was so against the idea at first, he had to brave the terrifying walls of books alone. At this time, the library is almost completely empty, as the only students desperate enough to be studying are the seventh years, already swamped with homework. He has to walk quite a bit through it to find Penny, but eventually he spots her bright blonde hair splayed over her shoulders. It's come mostly undone from her braid now so late in the day, framing her face with tangled little strands that she keeps brushing away irritably.

He coughs, not wanting to seem like he's been standing watching her in silence, and she jumps, turning to face him. "James!" She exclaims. She smiles at him, but it doesn't seem particularly genuine, her eyes straying back to the work in front of her.

"Um..." What was he going to say? "...Are you working on the Defence essay?" He rubs the back of his neck, and she nods. "Want to do it together? Since I haven't started yet."

She nods. "Sure. Wait ..." she eyes him suspiciously. "What are you doing in here?"

He looks around. "Uh, what do you mean?"

"In the library," she emphasises. "I didn't even know you knew where the library was."

"Of course I know where it is," he laughs awkwardly. "How could I avoid it otherwise?"

"See?" She steps away from the desk, narrowing her eyes at him. He gets the sense it's supposed to be intimidating, but it's just cute. "What are you doing in here?"

Internally, he searches for an answer, but comes up empty. He falls back onto Peter's idea. "I was looking for you. - Er, for tutoring times, remember?"

"Oh, right," Penny says, relaxing. Or deflating. To James, she almost seems disappointed. "Of course. Tutoring times. Well, when can you do?"

"I was thinking Saturday night," he suggests. "I've sorted out the Prefects rota now - " well, Lily did most of the work, but Penny doesn't need to know that, " - and planned Quidditch tryouts, so Saturday night is good for me."

But Penny shakes her head. "Can't do Saturday night, sorry." She opens her mouth to explain why, seems to think better of it, and clams up. "How about Sunday?"

James considers it. "Well, I was planning on doing Quidditch tryouts -"

"Oh, that's perfect!" Penny nods vigorously, blonde hair jumping about. "Clare wanted me to go watch them with her anyway. I'll come watch too and when you're done we can do tutoring?"

The thought of her watching him play Quidditch fills him with both joy and dread. He'd like to show off, but with her eyes on him, he may fall off his broom, considering he always makes a fool out of himself whenever she's around. "Why does Clare want to watch? Is she spying for Sly - "

"No, no," Penny shakes her head. "The Slytherin Team doesn't allow girls, but she wants to play it professionally. She likes to watch the tryouts and insult all the players. She says it's constructive criticism."

"Is it?"

She considers it. "Well, it's criticism."

James chuckles, but his eyes are curiously drawn to a piece of parchment hanging on the edge of the desk. It looks like a letter, but it's mostly blank, with only one line of writing. As soon as Penny catches him looking at it, she shoves it underneath a book, crumbling it in the process. Whatever it is, she doesn't want him seeing.

That hurts a little bit, though he knows he has no right to be upset. If he had his way, she'd be confiding everything that worries her with him, without keeping her secrets, whatever secrets cause her eyebrows to draw together and her lips to thin. But really, they are nothing - barely friends.

"Is everything okay?" He asks instead.

Penny looks surprised, but she nods. "Never been better. Why?"

"Er - you just seem a little... distracted?" Is distracted the right word? Maybe he's reading too much into things.

"I'm not," Penny assures him with a smile, settling back into her seat. "Just working on the Defence essay. I want to get it over with. You helping?"

James nods eagerly. Godric, how far he's fallen, that he's jumping at the chance for doing homework. "What do you have so far?"

"Well - " Penny is cut off by a yawn bursting through, and James can't help but laugh because she's so unintentionally cute, even though she can be a little scary. "- I've got as far as all their traits. Maybe you could do how to get rid of them? I have a list of eyewitness accounts. Then we can write them up in our own words."

"Perfect," James shoots her his most charming smile, but she seems entirely unaffected. Sometimes people swoon when they see him like this. He probably wouldn't be doing this essay if it wasn't for her - he knows Sirius isn't, though Remus already has. Yet, he doesn't hate it. Responsibility doesn't have to be so bad, when it's with her.

They spend the next three hours working on the essay, making notes together. James can hardly believe it, but he forces himself to sit still and help her as studiously as possible. Occasionally he catches Penny giving him incredulous glances, like she can't believe he's still there, but by the time the night is over, their essays are completed. Penny even smiles at him as she tidies up - a pleasant, sweet smile, not a forced one, this time. James has to hide his own grin, ecstatic.

Penny leaves for a second to put the books they'd been using back, and James looks around. His eyes catch on the piece of paper she'd crumpled up before, and his eyes spot the first words before he can look away. Well - that's a lie. Maybe he lets his eyes linger on Penny's secret paper a little longer than necessary, just because he's curious. It's not his fault - he can't help but want to know what she's guarding so defensively.

No, there's no defence. James knows he's in the wrong, but he looks anyway. He only catches sight of the words Dear Mum and Dad, before the paper is being ripped away violently, bursting into flames as Penny mutters a quick Incendio!, before rounding on him.

"What are you doing?" She snaps. "Why were you reading that?"

"I - I didn't mean to - " James stammers, but Penny's usually pale green eyes are dark and angry, her nose scrunched up in fury. Then he recalls what she told him the day before, about her parents being evacuated to Ireland. "Wait, aren't your parents in Ireland, hiding? How come you're writing to them?"

It's not the right thing to say. Her face turns red, but not from embarrassment - apparently, Penny is one of those people who blushes when angry. James wants to hide under the table. He should've kept his mouth shut - it wasn't his business. Why can't he stop himself?

Penny's anger dies as quickly as it surged, the colour retreating from her cheeks. She just seems .... Tired. "It doesn't matter, anyway, Potter." Potter. Not James, anymore.

"Look, Penny - I didn't mean to be so, so - " he struggles. "- so fucking nosy. Really. I'm sorry. I know I have no self-restraint."

"It's fine, really," she insists. "I'm not angry." She seems a little angry. "I'm just tired, so I'm going to go to bed now, yeah?"

"Yeah," he replies weakly.

Penny nods, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder as she walks away from him, leaving James alone in an empty library, cursing himself once again for his inability to keep his mouth shut.