Cats and Dogs

Chapter 21

“Amilia,” I felt a hand grasp my wrist and pull me into a dark corridor. “Its me, Regulus.” he whispered and I let out a sigh of relief when I turned around and met his dark eyes.
I smiled softly and wrapped my arms around his neck and he placed his on my hips. He leaned forward and I felt his hot cool breath on my neck, “You look beautiful.” he kissed my neck.
**~**
“You look… beyond beautiful.”
**~**
I frowned slightly and Regulus’s hand cupped my face and leaned in and kissed me. His lips were cool and refreshing against mine and I felt him pull me closer to him.
I pulled away, “I have to go.” I whispered, my eyebrows were furrowed together in confusion and Regulus looked slightly worried.
“You alright?” he asked.
I inhaled a sharp breath and nodded, “Yeah… I’m just tired. Its my first time wearing heels… so…”
He looked at me with a strange expression that made me feel a bit uncomfortable and then after a while he slithered his hands off my waist, “Okay. I’ll see you around.” he stated, his voice was weird. He walked away; back to the party.
I let out a breath and made my way to the Gryffindor Tower.

~~~

“Hey, you’re back early.” Remus said after looking up from some homework on the table he was sitting at.
I nodded, “Yeah… it was boring.” I mumbled. I plopped myself down on the sofa and sighed. “Remus…” I whined.
I heard him sigh and get up form his chair and he appeared next to me as he sat down. “Yes, Whiskers?”
“I…” I shook my head, “I don’t know… I just don’t know.” I groaned.
“Well,” Remus put his arm around my shoulder, “neither do I… because I have no idea what you are talking about.” he smiled thinly. Being this close to him, I noted he looked a bit more tired than usual and I guessed the full moon was close.
“When’s the full moon?” I whispered.
He sighed, “Last day before the holidays.”
“Mm… Are you staying here?” I asked.
“Yeah, you?”
“No… Alastor is coming home for the holidays… it’ll be our first since our… parents died.” I said the last part slowly. It felt weird to say -- like licking a cotton ball. Hogwarts kept my mind busy with homework and my friends…
I smiled a little.
Filled that void in my heart.
“Oh,” he mumbled and I knew he felt uncomfortable which made me smile.
“So are you the only one staying?” I asked.
“Oh, no. The rest of the Marauders are staying. Lily’s going back to her house. Tomorrow is the last Hogsmeade trip before we leave; you better buy your presents.” he peered at me through the corner of his eye. “Speaking of presents-”
“I’m not telling you what I got you-”
“Aha! So you already got it!”
I raised an eyebrow, “Does that narrow anything down?”
He pursed his lips and leaned back, “No.”
I smiled and stood up, “I’m going to go to bed. See ya tomorrow.” I walked over to the staircase.
“Hey!” Remus called and I slowly turned around.
“Yup?”
He was standing, “What don’t you know?”
I smiled, “I just don’t know… what to get James for Christmas!”
His eyes narrowed and then slowly said, “Something with Quidditch. He loves anything to do with Quidditch.”
I grinned, “Thanks Remus!”

~~~

“La, la, la, la…” Sirius sang happily the next morning while we were all in the Great Hall.
I unconsciously glared at him through the corner of my eye. “What are you so happy about?” I asked, with clear irritation in my voice, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Oh…” he sighed happily, “everything.”
I gagged and James, Remus, and Peter laughed while Lily rolled her eyes.
I took a sip of my orange juice, “You’re all just jealous you don’t have a lady like mine.”
I choked on my orange juice, and James said, “Who would be jealous of your’s when I have my Lily-Flower!” he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek, making her blush.
“Come on, we better get going to the Hogsmeade group.” Remus said standing up.
We all got up and left to the entrance hall, except for Sirius, “Hey, I’ll see you guys later. Lena and I are going to hang out Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop,” he grinned and wiggles his eyebrows, then turned around and walked over to the Ravenclaw table where Lena was sitting with a smirk and eager eyes.
I inhaled a sharp breath and tried to ignore the harsh clawing in my stomach as I turned around to walk with the others.

Peter, James and Lily, Remus and I entered Hogsmeade, “Okay, I think we should split up to get out Christmas shopping. Amilia and I, and Remus, Peter, and James. We’ll meet at the Three Broomsticks in two hours?” Lily said.
James pouted, “Can’t we be in a group?”
“No. I know you’ll be behind my back the whole time trying to see what I am going to get you.” She stated with a raised eyebrow.
James shoulder fell, “Fine. Be that way, my Lily-Flower.” James placed one hand firmly on Remus’s shoulder and the other on Peter’s. “Let’s go men.”
Remus rolled his eyes and Peter smiled, liked being call a man by James, and they walked off.
When they were out of earshot Lily grabbed me fiercely by the shoulders and looked at me with panic in her eyes and yelped, “I don’t know what to get him!”
My eyes widened and then I smiled, “Lily, calm down. We’ll think of something.”
“What are you going to get him?” she asked.
I smiled, “I’ve already got everyone their presents.”
Her eyes widened, “Even mine?”
I nodded, “Yup, yup.”
“What did you-”
“I’m not going to tell you!” I stated quickly.
She pouted, “Okay, okay. So --” her face became worried, “what do I get James?”
I sighed, “Come on, you know what he likes!”
She smiled, “Quidditch.”
“Yes.” I said with a nod.
“Alright… So lets first check out Spintwitches.” she said looking at the sporting goods store. She hooked her arm with mine and we set off, “Are you sure you don’t want to tell me what-”
“I’m sure.”

~~

Two hours later we all reunited -- with the exception of Sirius -- in the Three Broomsticks. James and Remus came back to the table with the Butterbeers and handed them out. Everyone’s shopping bags were stuffed under their seats and we all began to drink.
“So, Lily… what did you get me?” James asked sweetly.
“Geeze, why does everyone want to know what their presents are? Don’t you guys know that ruins the surprise and anticipation of Christmas morning?” I asked my eyes shooting glares at all of them.
“I am not a patient man, Amilia.” James stated firmly. I rolled my eyes, “Uh, hey, Amilia?” James asked, his voice changed to a shy, sweet one.
My eyebrows furrowed together, “Yes?”
“Um, you like candy, right?”
I laughed, “Is that what you got me?”
His eyes widened, “No.” he said quickly and then looked away and drank some more Butterbeer.
They all began to talk about the homework we received for the winter holidays (well, James was more like complaining), and I was about to comment on Slughorn’s potion assignment when I saw out of the corner of my eye, Sirius and Lena walking slowly outside, passing the window.
The scratching began in my stomach at once and I felt my skin begin to boil as I saw Sirius grinning and Lena throwing her stupid head back, cackling loudly.
Well, I assumed it was a cackle.
She looks like a cackler.
“Amilia, you’re Butterbeer is boiling.” It sounded like someone said.
Lena grabbed Sirius’s hand and put it around her shoulder and then leaned up and kissed Sirius on the lips.
There was a loud explosion and I suddenly felt wet and a sharp pain in my hand. A few screams and gasps were heard along with screeching of chairs against the floor. My eyes widened as I shot up from my chair looking down at the shattered glass that covered the table, and the Butterbeer that shot everywhere; on the table, the floor, me, and some on Lily and Remus who were sitting closest to me.
“What happened?!” I asked frantically.
Lily’s eyes were wide along with everyone else’s and her mouth was ajar. “Your…” she took a deep breath, “First your Butterbeer was boiling -- Remus told you, but I don’t think you heard him -- and then, your mug! It just exploded!”
“Amilia your hand is bleeding--!” James yelled but was cut off by a familiar voice.
“What happened?!” I turned around and saw Sirius and Lena run over to us with a frightened looks. “We were outside and then were heard screams and an explosion!”
I glared at them, “Nothing-”
“What do you mean nothing?! I can obviously see something happened!” Sirius shouted looking over the scene of the crime.
I inhaled a sharp breath, “Everyone’s fine. It was just an accident.”
“Amilia!” Remus yelled his eyes on my right hand, “Your hand is bleeding profusely!”
Sirius eyes shot down to my right hand that was at my side and his eyes widened and his hand quickly reached out to grab my arm but I jumped back, “Lily’ll fix it.” I turned around to Lily. “Can you heal it please?” I mumbled.
She nodded and hastily pulled out her wand as I raised my hand and turned it over, slightly wincing and the large gashes on my hand.
Lily let out a relaxed breath and hovered the tip of her wand over the wounds and whispered, “Episkey.”
Our eyebrows frowned when it made no difference. The wounds were still open and spewing out blood. She shook her head, “I don’t understand -- it isn’t a magical wound -- it should’ve healed!” she sounded panicked and worried.
“It’s okay, Lily.” I mumbled weakly, feeling a bit queasy.
She quickly ran over to the bar and asked for a napkin from the pretty young woman who was bartending. Lily ran back and wrapped the napkin around my hand. “We should get you to Madam Pomfrey.” she stated.
I rolled my eyes, “It’ll heal on its own.” I insisted.
“Look-- the napkin is already seeping blood!” James stated pointing at my hand. He was indeed right.
The once white cloth napkin was a deep red now and blood was dripping out.
“Please, get her out of here!” Rosmerta, the young female bartender, yelled. “I don’t need blood on my floor!”
I sighed, “Fine.”
I turned around and shoved passed Sirius and Lena, shaking the weak, queasy feeling off. Lily made James carry her bags and promise not to look in them, and then insisted on helping me walked because supposedly I was walking weird. But I just scoffed it off.
“Really! You’re loosing a lot of blood -- look! You’re leaving a trail of blood behind you!” she yelped.
I looked down behind me and sure enough there were droplets of blood leading back to the Three Broomsticks. I shrugged, “I guess it’s a good thing my heart makes more.” I stated coolly and Lily frowned. I sighed, “Look, Lily, I’m fine!”
I heard bickering behind me and I turned my head over my shoulder to see Sirius and Lena arguing and I smiled lightly and turned back around. My eyes felt heavy and my head felt light.
I suddenly stopped walking and Lily sent me a worried glance, “Amilia?”
I couldn’t answer her because everything went black and I felt my body hit the soft, cold snow.