1974-5th Year
L

1974-5th Year

Liberty's POV

"Pass the marmalade please James?" I ask, reaching my hand out to him. He nods and passes it while fervently looking around the hall for something, or someone. He almost drops it in my coffee.

"Oi, Prongs." I say, snapping my fingers in his face. He just waves a hand in my general direction as he continues looking around the hall.

"I think he's looking for Evans." Sirius says, suggestively as he flops down in the seat next to me and begins buttering a piece of toast. He winks at Marlene McKinnon who is sitting a few people down next to her friends, Alice Fortescue, Mary McDonald, and Lily Eva..., wait, where was Lily?

"Hey Marlene. Where's Lily?" I ask, ignoring the awkwardness that had settled across us when I approached her.

"Umm, she's sitting with Amos, her boyfriend." As though, it was obvious.

"Oh, right. Thanks Mar." I say before turning around and sipping my coffee.

Apparently, in 5th year, 4th year even, girls were supposed to have boyfriends. And when they had this so-called boyfriend they would do everything with them until the inevitable heartbreak teenage romance tended to bring. (Or all romances in my humble opinion.) I was perfectly content to not have a significant other. I'm fine on my own, Always have, always will. And besides, I've had enough experience with boys to tell you, they are disgusting creatures. I'm best friends with some of the (so-called) hottest guys at Hogwarts, and I just don't see it. Who would want to date any of these pigs? Has anyone ever read The Lord of the Flies?

"S'pose you better give-up on her mate. She's taken. t-a-k-e-n. Need the definition too?" Sirius said, not so kindly I might add. James just looks down and begins to slowly cut up his pancakes.

Just because I think romance and that kind of thing is disgusting and beyond me, doesn't mean I don't have a heart. I nudge Sirius in the ribs with my elbow and give him a pointed look.

"What? What'd I do?" He says, rubbing the place I had jabbed him. I just roll my eyes.

I gently smile at James and pass him the syrup for his breakfast.

"I don't suppose anyone would be up for going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Remus kindly adds, clearly the only sensible one here. I smile graciously at him and begin to rub soothing circles on James's back.

"Y..e..a....h, I think we need some more pranking supplies." Sirius says, and I don't roll my eyes this time. James perks up at the mention of pranking and supplies.

I nod, pat James on the back, grab my bag, and say, "I'll see you guys later. Gonna go catch up with the twins." I say, and then catch Sirius and James's disapproving looks. Fabian and Gideon are their rival pranksters and have been since 1st year.

"I heard they some have some limited edition pranking supplies from Zonko's, maybe I could get us some." I said, wiggling my eyebrows as I back up.

Remus slowly sighs and places his hand on his face. "Leave it up to my friends to sleep with guys for pranking supplies." He says, looking disappointed.

"Whose wee Libby sleeping with now?" Fabian says as he comes up behind me and slings an arm around my shoulder.

"No one, absolutely no one." I say, before I shake and stick my tongue out, acting disgusting, for effect.

"You're a virgin?" Sirius says, raising an eyebrow, looking smugly entertained. I feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

"Whose a virgin now?" Gideon says as he slings his arm around my other shoulder.

"No one, let's just go." I say, as I turn around and quickly walk off towards class.

"See ya later then." Sirius says.

"See you." James says.

I do a little salute as I continue walking out of the hall.

...

"Okay, so where are these supplies you've been so persistent on showing me?" I say, bumping their shoulders as we walked towards Charms class, avoiding the major crowds of the other students, trying to find an empty hallway we could exchange pranking supplies in.

"Well, they're in our dorm right now love, but we could always exchange them later, tonight perhaps?" Gideon says, rather suggestively I might add.

"Hmm, well I have plans with the Marauders tonight but maybe you could just leave them at my door?" I suggest, rather not having to go into Gideon and Fabian's dormitory without anyone else. Not that I didn't trust them or anything, but it might send the wrong message to the other Gryffindors. They nod, solemnly, bow their heads, and place a hand over their heart.

"We understand. I guess we'll just try to get through the rest of the day then, knowing we won't get to see you until morrow!" They sigh, dramatically. I just roll my eyes but don't hold back my chuckle.

"Relax you guys. I'll see you at dinner." I say, knowing that I had plans to eat with the girls by the Black Lake for lunch.

"But you eat with those, Marauders." They say, scrunching their noses and shivering for effect. I roll my eyes, again.

"They're not that bad. You don't hear me complaining about Frank or Amos, do you now?" I say, poking them both lightly in the rib.

"Anyways, I have to go. Got class." I say, checking my watch. Yes I know. Very Muggle-esque of me but what can I say? They're extremely handy.

I stalk off in the general direction of the Charms classroom after waving Fabian and Gideon good-bye and then see Professor Sprout leading a group of Ravenclaws to the gardens by the greenhouse. Amos Diggory is among them and he recognizes me as one of the girls who hangs around Lily and nods his head. I nod my head back and then think how James and Lily would be perfect for each other. I start to daydream about their future children when I suddenly bump into someone.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there..." I say, looking up and seeing a smaller, stockier version of Sirius. The same curly black hair but his was shorter and more tame. The same, smokey grey eyes, but his were more squinted and lacked Sirius's signature sparkle.

"Oh. You must be Regulus." I say, brushing off my robes. He merely nods and watches me stand up. How rude.

"You alright there, love?" I hear from behind me, and turn around the see the more familiar Black that I know.

"Hey Siri. I was just heading to Charms. Want to join me?" I ask, avoiding the subject of how I fell and Regulus's role in it. But he notices. Of course he notices. He notices everything, no matter how small it seems to anyone else. I would later come to love that about him.

"What are you doing here?" Sirius says coldly, staring Regulus in the face.

"Your little friend here, knocked into me and I was just leaving." He said, which an equal amount, if not more, ice in his voice before turning round on the spot and briskly walking away.

"Hey! I'm not little!" I huff at him but he's too far away to hear me or he doesn't acknowledge that he head. Sirius grabs my arm and we begin to walk towards Charms. He hands me a letter.

"This came for you from Professor Dumbledore. He said it was important." Sirius says, shrugging.

"Oh, thanks. Wonder what Dumbles wants now." I say, stuffing the envelope into a pocket of my robe.

Several moments pass and we're already at the Charms hallway before Sirius says, "Did he hurt you?" Looking oddly, what's the word? Ah, yes. Distraught.

I shake my head. "Huh? Oh, no, I'm fine. No need to worry about 'ole me. I am perfectly capable of handling myself, thank you very much." I say, smiling, trying to damper the darkness that now hung over him. We walk into class and take our seats in the back next to James and Remus.

"Hey Libby. You alright?" James asks, motioning at Sirius as we sit down. I nod. I take out a piece of parchment and some ink. I begin to unscrew the lid and position my parchment just so.

"You forgot your quill love." Sirius says, managing a half smile. "Ah, but I didn't Padfoot dearest." I say, before I extract the long, feathery white quill from my messy bun. "It's right here." He chuckles and shakes his head, as do the others.

"Is this the thing you're trying out this week then, Libby?" Remus asks. I nod and grin.

James smirks before saying, "Thank Zeus it's better than last week." I frown and smack his arm.

"That wasn't a half bad idea Prongs, you're just jealous because you're not half as fabulous as me." I say, with a look of hurt feigned upon my face. I had decided that there was no better place to keep some quick-access ink then in my shoe but sadly, the ink pot had a mind of its own and I could no longer wear those socks. And I needed a new pair of shoes. I was currently wearing a pair of Lily's. All-white low-top Chucks. I preferred mine all-black and high-top but alas, it seemed the world wasn't yet ready for my fabulous ideas.

"Please take out some parchment and ink, like Ms. Wright has done here, and copy down the notes from the board please." Professor Flitwick said lazily before flicking his wand and magically making gold letters appear upon its surface.

...

"Psst, can I copy your notes please Libby? I can't see the board properly." James says, grinning from ear to ear. I just groan and slide over my parchment. "Last time Prongs. Seriously. You can't just keep drooling over Lily during class you dumbarse!" I say, rolling my eyes and sitting back, kicking my legs up onto the desk.

He frowns. "Hey Padfoot, I could've sworn that Libby's last name was Wright, not Cresswell. But what do you say?" He says, handing it over to a frowning Sirius.

I suddenly jump up. "Hey, give that back." I say as I try to grab it from their hands but they pass it back and forth and then over to Remus. "Hey, Remmy. Give it back." I say, trying to ignore the heat rising to my cheeks.

"Are you blushing Libby?" Sirius smirks. "N..o, no. Of course not. Just give it back now you little fuckers." I say, getting more and more flustered.

"I didn't know you fancied Dirk, Libby." James smirks.

"Who does Libby fancy now?" Lily says, as she suddenly appears next to Remus with Marlene and Mary in tow.

"No, one." I grumble, finally ripping the parchment out of James's hands. Hey, don't get me wrong. I said I didn't like anyone and was not interested in a relationship. I'm not. But that doesn't mean I can't admire someone for their good looks. Dirk just happened to be someone that wasn't half-bad and had gorgeous blonde hair and deep brown eyes that I could stare into for days. but like I previously stated, Libby Lenore Wright does NOT and I repeat, does NOT fancy anyone, not even Dirk Cresswell. but apparently that's what James and Sirius are telling people. And damn, does gossip spread like wildfire.

"Ohh, is that letter I was told to give you secretly from Cresswell??" Sirius says, his face full of pride and teasing.

"What letter is this?" James and Lily ask at the same time.

"Marlene fancies Sirius." I suddenly blurt out, trying to divert the attention one someone, anyone, else. Marlene looks up, shock and hurt clear on her face. I overheard her and Lily talking the other day. Sirius stops smirking at me and begins to frown at Marlene.

"Libby!" Lily scolds, soothingly patting Marlene's back. "That wasn't your place to tell!" She said, her eyebrows mashed into a frown.

"I..I'm sorry Marlene. I..I don't know what came over me there, but it's not like it's not true." I said, looking at the floor and shrugging.

"It's fine." Marlene says, but then turns and walks away, obvious that it's not. Mary follows suit, and then Lily does too still frowning at me.

"Damn Libby. I didn't know you had it in you." James said, shaking his head. "Had what in me?" I snap. "Pure bitch." He said, without any shame and the continued to copy down my notes without another word. "Oh." I say, barely audible.

What did I just do?

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next update! Stay Healthy! Lots of Love, Lori <3