Cats and Dogs

“What’s with you?” Lily asked me at lunch with a soft smile and a questioning eyebrow.

I was smiling, “Nothin’… just a bit happy I guess.”

“You’ve been like this all week… it’s a bit frightening to be honest. You all smiling all the time… What are you so happy about?” James asked with a full mouth and I rolled my eyes at his slight disgust and shrugged.

“Got yourself a boyfriend?” Remus asked with a smile.

Sirius snickered, “Yeah, who’s your latest shag, Amilia?” he spat, glaring at me.

I glared right back at him, “What’s got your knickers all in a twist?!” I yelled angrily across the table.

“Like you don’t know! I know you’ve been going around with that thing you call my brother!” He whispered harshly.

I gaped at him.

Ever since the kiss in the hospital wing last week Regulus and I have been sneaking around, hiding from people and going around hidden spots in the castle and having little dates or something just as simple as a goodnight kiss. I knew he was battling with himself to be with me, so I was okay with keeping it hidden.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I stated, averting my gaze back down to my food.

I heard him slam down his fork onto his plate with a loud clank and the Great Hall suddenly went silent, “Bullocks!” he bellowed.

“Amilia, what’s he talking about?” Lily asked from my side.

“Oh? So you haven’t even told your supposed best friend about it?” Sirius snickered.

I let out a huff of air, “Can we talk about this later?” I asked quietly.

“No, no, I want to hear about this now.” Lily stated with slight aggravation and betrayal in her voice.

I shook my head and stood up, “I’m sorry, but now just isn’t the time-”

“And when is the time?” Lily asked quietly, she looked up at me with hurt, “Why are you hiding things from me?” I cringed slightly from the hurt that was so obvious on her face and in her voice.

People began to get up to go to the next class and I sighed, “After classes, Lily… I’ll tell you everything, I promise.” I pleaded.

She just nodded wordlessly and got up and quickly left the Great Hall with James, Remus, and Peter by her side leaving Sirius and I in the now empty room.

I turned to him with a cold glare, “Why are you always doing this? If I do or say something you don’t like you just try and ruin everything for me!” I yelled. “You’re so god damned bitter! Get on with the fact that I don’t like you and that you’re so pathetic that you had to drug me with a love potion just to go out with you!”

His jaw was clenched but his face was emotionless.

I shook my head, “Now you don’t have anything to say? Well that’s just fuckin’ great.” I sighed and rubbed my forehead, “Sirius…” I wanted things to be better between us, like before, if that’s what you would have called it. When we fought with each other just to annoy each other, not to actually hurt each other. “I’m tired of this, Sirius… I… I want us to be friends again… I want us to be the Marauders and pull pranks on whiny first years and torture Filch like he did to us when we had detention,” I laughed at the memory and his eyes seemed to have lightened up.

“That was torture…” he smiled lightly, “bloody Filch…” he smirked and my heart raced as my stomach churned. “Alright…” he sighed and ran his fingers threw his hair. “Lets try the friendship thing again, shall we? We’ll finalize it with a prank.” a devious look flashed in his eyes as his smirk turned into a grin.

“Brilliant.”

~~~

“He’ll have a heart attack.” I whispered as we hid behind a corner, waiting for Mrs. Norris who always scouted the area ahead of Filch.

Sirius grinned, “Hopefully.”

I hit him playfully and we began to scuffle about why I was hitting him when suddenly I hushed him to be quiet. I pointed to a shadow that was in the shape of a cat. Mrs. Norris’ shadow came closer and she rounded the corner looking at us.

She hissed loudly and I waved my wand, “Petrificus Totalus!” suddenly Mrs. Norris froze and fell over stiffly and I quickly grabbed her, throwing the cloak over us and waiting for the next plan of action.

“Mrs. Norris!” Filch called right on queue.

I looked over at Sirius who was now in his dog form, but I could still see his smile. I pulled out the scissors and cut off pieces of Mrs. Norris’ hair and placed it on the ground next to Sirius. He glared at it and I quickly let my head out, “Do it!” I whispered harshly and he glared at me, but then licked up all the cat hair and I quickly threw the cover back on and watched our plan unravel.

“Mrs. Norris?!” Filch called again more urgently. The plea and desperation in his voice was so sad it made me want to give Mrs. Norris to him… but then I remembered how horrible they both were so I decided against it and watched as Filch came around the corner and spotted Sirius with wide eyes.

“What- how- what the bloody hell is a dog doin’ in here?!” he exclaimed looking at Sirius wildly. Filch glared at him and reached forward to get a grasp on his fur when Sirius began to dry heave. Filch pulled away his arm quickly as he looked at the dog with wide, scared eyes. Finally Sirius did it.

He threw up all the fur - and some other stuff - right in front of Filch.

Filch looked down at the wet fur, his eyes widening with realization - or what he thought was real. “Y-y-you… YOU ATE MRS. NORRIS?!” he bellowed, though his voice was shaky with grief. “I-I-I’ll kill you!! I’ll kill you!”

Sirius lolled his tongue and Filch began to run after him. My eyes widened as I followed. I have never seen Filch run so fast in his life. I was actually scared he would catch Sirius. Filch was so preoccupied with fury and Sirius that he didn’t hear my footsteps running after them, he also couldn’t hear me suppressing my laughter.

While holding the frozen - yet still alive (unfortunately) - Mrs. Norris under my armpit I pulled the Marauder’s Map out from my pocket and pointed my wand, “I solemnly swear,” I laughed and said truthfully and rather proudly, “I am up to no good!” I quickly unfolded the map and checked to see if the coast was clear so Sirius wouldn’t bump into someone like McGonagall. That would be unpleasant.

My eyes suddenly widened.

Oh… no.

I ran faster and passed Filch and came up to Sirius’ side, “Dumbledore!” I whispered harshly but lowly so only Sirius would hear.

When we rounded another corner, while still running, Sirius quickly transformed back into his regular self and I threw the covers over him, but unfortunately we were a bit too late because next we crashed into Dumbledore.

Sirius and I were spurred on the ground, thankfully I was laying on the cloak so no one else could see it. But unfortunately, the Marauder’s Map and the petrified Mrs. Norris were thrown onto the ground, clear for Dumbledore and Filch to see.

“You! You!” Filch yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Sirius as I. “I’ll have your heads for this!”

“Ah, Mr. Filch,” Dumbledore said soothingly as he pulled out his wand and waving it at Mrs. Norris. Mrs. Norris came to life as she quickly stood up and - if possible - glared at Sirius and I, then she ran over to Filch who was staring at her with wide, hopeful, loving eyes as he picked her up and hugged her. “She is alright, just under a small spell, is all.”

Filch leaned over and snatched the map before either Sirius or I could, “I’ll be keeping this!” he stated, shoving the map into his pocket.

I gasped and quickly pointed my wand at his pocket, “Mischief Managed!”

Filch yelped and took a few steps back and Sirius snickered and I smirked.

“Detention!” Filched yelled, “Forever! I’ll hang you by the thumbs-”

“Ah, actually Mr. Filch, that form of punishment has been banned… too many complaints from parents.” Dumbledore stated, with a small magical sparkle in his blue eyes.

I smiled in relief, “But don’t worry, they will be punished for their crime.” Dumbledore stated and then patted Filch on the shoulder reassuringly, though Filch did not seemed satisfied at all. Dumbledore looked at us, “Come with me, please.” he stated and then turned away and began walking.

I quickly bundled the cloak up and hid it on my side between Sirius and I so Filch wouldn’t see it as we followed Dumbledore.