Cats and Dogs

Chapter 19

“Lily?” I said groggily when I heard her muffle a groan after hearing a soft bang. I blinked slowly a few times and lifted my head off my pillow to see a dark outline of Lily - frozen, standing over her bed. “What’s going on? What are you doing?” I groaned, “Bloody hell… what time is it?” I looked at the clock on the table by my bed. “1:34?!” I said in a harsh whisper. “Lumos.” I said as I pulled out my wand from under my pillow.
A soft white light appeared at the tip of my wand and I leaned forward so the light hit Lily. My eyes widened and then I smirked and raised an eyebrow. Her robe was half off while the rest of her clothes were still on. “You’re getting in rather late, aren’t you?”
Even in this small lighting I could see her face turn red, “N-no… I… I was just getting ready- I’ve got an early class.” she pulled the rest of her robe on and looked nervous.
“Oh, really? At 1: 34?” My smirk turned into a wicked grin.
Lily looked at the clock and then gave a fake smug look, “1: 36.” I looked at her with extreme disbelief and snorted a laugh. “Oh alright! I just got in - we lost track of time and-”
“Will you two shut up?!” Winifred Springly hissed angrily from her bed across from mine.
“Oh don’t get your knickers in a twist.” I hissed back. I turned back to Lily who began to undress again. “We’ll talk about this in the morning as not to interfere with Miss. Springly’s beauty rest. Lord knows she needs it.” I mumbled the last bit though I still think she heard it. Lily nodded, “Nox.” the light went out and I rested my head back on my pillow and let my heavy eyelids fall down.

“Wake up, Lily!” I shook her roughly and she groaned.
“What time is it?” she said groggily.
“Eight. We have to go to Hogsmeade. Alice already talked to McGonagall and explained the situation and she gave us permission to go. But we have to make it quick- the Quidditch match is today.” I pulled off her covers and she shivered.
“Hogsmeade? Why do we have to go there?” she began to reach down for her blanket but I threw it on the floor and she whimpered.
“Because of this.” I held out Slughorn’s invite for Lily and she slowly took it and opened it. Her green eyes skimmed over it and suddenly they opened wide and she sat up.
“Today?! When did he give this to you?!” She exclaimed, now seeming to be wide awake.
“He gave it yesterday. It seemed to have slipped his mind. Now hurry up and get dressed, I don’t want to be late for Quidditch!”

~~

My teeth were chattering violently as Lily, Alice, and I walked through the snow to Hogsmeade. “B-b-b-bbl-l-loody h-h-hell. Itttss c-c-c-cold.”
Lily and Alice laughed at me. I wasn’t used to this harsh weather, seeing as this was my first winter in England.
“Isn’t that Lena? Walking ahead with Clair and - is that Cassandra from Slytherin?” Alice said with squinted eyes.
Sure enough, walking several yards ahead of us, nearly at Hogsmeade was Lena, Clair, and Cassandra. “What’s Clair still doing hanging around with Lena? What Lena did to her was cruel!” Lily said harshly.
“R-r-reckon s-s-s-she evvven kn- n-nows y-y-yet?” I stammered.
“I don’t know. I mean, she has to know, right? If she got invited she would’ve asked Sirius and since Lena is taking Sirius he would’ve said no - right?” Lily said sounding very unsure of herself.
“I’m sorry - but Sirius is a dog.” Alice stated.
I let out a roar of laughter, “Y-yes h-h-he is.” Both Alice and Lily were looking at me oddly.
“Okay… Oh, Lily? What ever happened between you and Severus Snape? I used to see you guys hang together and for a while now - you two seem to avoid each other.” asked Alice.
Lily was quiet for a moment and she looked a bit sad, “I… we just went our separate ways I guess.” she finally mumbled.
“It’s quite odd though, how he follows the boys around-”
“What?” I asked with knitted eyebrows.
“Don’t tell me you’ve never noticed?” I shook my head. “Yeah, sometimes Frank and I see him skulking behind them whenever he gets the chance.”
My eyes widened. How have I not noticed? You’d think I’d notice a tall, skinny, slime ball like- Oh no! Damn- the Marauders are beginning to rub on me.
“Here we are.” Lily said weakly, still seeming to be thinking about Snivill- I mean Severus!
We had entered Hogsmeade and were now making our way over to the dress shop that seems to magically appear every time there is a special event going on.
A few steps later and we were finally enveloped in warmth as we entered the shop. There was a small beady eyed woman who seemed to be about half my height with long white hair and thick square glasses. “’Ello dearies! I take it you are here for gowns as well as those lovely ladies,” she said gesturing to Lena, Claire, and Cassandra who were looking at some gowns and we all nodded. “Alrighty then… let me just have a good look at you all… to see what gown would fit you best - and I am not just talking about sizes.” she smiled warmly. “You first my dear- please step forward.” Alice smiled and stepped forward. The small, old woman looked her up and down and all around. She grabbed her chin gently and pulled her down to get a better look at her eyes. “Ah yes! I know just the dresses! Please, follow me - pick from this rack. They’re all perfect for you.” She led here to a small isle full of pastel colored dresses.
“And now you.” She took Lily’s hand and reached up and inspected her hair. “Beautiful…” she murmured and Lily blushed and whispered a ’thank you’. “Ah… your eyes - stunning shade of green! Emerald, indeed.” she took a few more moments inspecting her and then grinned. “Yes, follow me, deary!” she led her away to a very small rack of soft blue dresses.
“And finally you.” She walked over to me and stared at my face. I began to feel a bit uncomfortable because she was still staring at my face after a few minutes. Her eyes finally narrowed and a smirk danced on her lips. “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you? Interesting eyes… do they always change color like that?”
“Oh, I-”
“You have a beautiful mouth as well… You are loyal, yes… Wonderful personality - just horribly stubborn and prideful-”
“Would you happen to have any relations with the Sorting Hat?” I said quickly.
Her eyes narrowed dangerously, then suddenly laughed loudly making everyone turn to look at us. I looked at her like she was mental - because to be quite frank, I think she was. “Yes! Oh, yes! I know the perfect dress for you! Do you know how long I have been wanting to give this dress to someone? But no one has been suitable for it, until now that is! Please, come in the back - I keep this in a very safe place, come, come!” She quickly turned around and hobbled over to a door that seemed to lead to another room. I hastily looked around and I followed her; Lily was smiling a bit cautiously, Alice looked confused and shrugged, and I just caught a set of narrowed olive-green eyes and pursed full lips before entering the other room.
“Shut the door, deary.” said the old woman who seemed to be looking for something on a rather messy desk that was full of different sketches of dresses as I shut the door. “Ah, here it is.” she held up her wand. She smiled at me and then turned around and walked over to a large glass case that seemed to tower over the short woman. Inside all that could be seen was what looked to be shimmering white smoke. She raised her wand and waved it across the case and the smoke began to fade away as my eyes began to widen.

~~

“Oh, please let us see it!” Alice begged once we were back in our common room putting away our dresses that we bought.
“For the last time - no. She made me promise not to let anyone see it until the night of the dance. You’ll see me in it in a few hours, be patient!” I stated as I placed the large box my dress was in into my trunk and locking it.
They both frowned and I rolled my eyes, “Come on. We have to get to potions.” I grabbed my book bag and we three hurried down to portions.

~~

“GO, GO GRYFFINDOR!!!! GO, GO GRYFFINDOR!!!!” Most of the crowd roared.
“Alrighty, then… Uh… there goes - what was his name again, Professor? Oh, right, there goes Sam- Oh, wait not anymore… Why doesn’t Quidditch have cheerleaders? Oh, sorry, uh, Raj Patil has got the quaddle- oh, Quaffle? Sorry,” Cardy Hargly, a Hufflepuff fifth year, droned on. He had to be the worst commentator in the history of commentary. “Oh, look- Gryffindor scored - that makes it 70-50 with Gryffindor- Oh? 70-30? Oh, I meant 70-30, Gryffindor in the lead. Glenda Jones’s got the Quad- I mean Quaffle…. Aannd… I couldn’t tell - did she make it- she did? Okay, 80-30... Amos Diggory seems to have found the Snitch… there goes Potter after it as well.”
I watched as they both raced down to get the Snitch and I chewed on my bottom lip - James wasn’t going to make it. I looked up, holding my club tightly, and slammed it into a Bludger that flew by me, and sent it shooting down towards Diggory.
“I can’t believe it - we’re actually going to win!” Cardy’s voice seemed to become more lively as the crowd continued to roar in anticipation.
I held my breath and screamed along with the rest of the crowd, both with pleasure and dismay, when the Bludger hit the back of Amos’ broom sending him spiraling away from the Snitch and nearly fell off my broom when James caught it.
“Oh, look… James Potter caught the Snitch. Gryffindor wins. Never saw that coming.” Cardy said dryly.
Gryffindor’s fans were screaming and cheering loudly as we all flew down to the ground.
“Amilia! Brilliant Amilia!” Raj yelled over the cheers, grinning widely.
“AMILIA!” James was grinning like a mad man, “I’d thought we lost for sure! Fantastic thinking on your part!”
I was flustered and grinning broadly as I felt hugs being given.
“Yeah, good job, Amilia.” Sirius stated, also grinning.
“Yeah, yeah, alright, alright, get off me!” we were all laughing when Lily pushed through the small crowd and threw her arms around James - this only made James grin more.
Lily pulled away and then looked at me, “Amos is fine, just in case if you were wondering,” Lily said with a small smile and a look that was mixed with disapproval and excitement.
I grinned and shrugged then my eyes widened, “We better start getting ready for Slughorn’s party!”
“Oh yeah!” several people exclaimed as we all dispersed and ran to get out of our Quidditch gear and back to our houses to start getting ready.