The Tomb Of Our Forlorn Love

Ellary had been lying belly down on the floor for nearly two hours finishing up a lengthy essay for Transfiguration class. Regulus’ lecture about her future and letting the past go had inspired her to try to get her grades back up again to their normal standard. She was on the last paragraph when suddenly an eruption of noise came from the other side of the common room. Out of curiosity she arched her back a little and twisted around to see what was going on. A large group of students had formed in front of the house bulletin board on which all new announcements were posted.

“Hey Drew!” she called when she saw her Quidditch teammate walking toward the portrait hole, “Do you know what’s going on over there?” she inquired.

“What too lazy to get up yourself and look?” he smirked.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” she shrugged.

He shook his head at her, “McGonagall just posted an announcement, there’s going to be a Valentine’s Day dance this year,” he answered.

“A dance?” Ellary repeated, “That’s erm- cool, I guess,” she replied, “Are you going to ask your redheaded lover?”

Drew glared at her, seeing as she had just shouted that last piece of information across the room and good number of people had started snickering. With a last parting gesture involving only one finger he disappeared through the portrait hole while Ellary burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Ellary returned back to her old position to see Sirius sitting in front of her.
“Oh nothing,” she smirked, “Just having a little fun with Drew.”

He nodded, “So erm- you finished with your essay yet?” he asked, looking down at the pile of parchment.

“Yeah- pretty much. I’ll finish up the rest tonight after dinner,” she said, putting down her quill. “So how are ya?”

“Good, good… the usual,” he replied, “Have you heard about the Valentine’s Day dance yet?”

“Why yes I have!” she answered, “Looks like I am going to have to go find another dress, huh? Merlin, I hate dresses,” she muttered.

“Well first you need to find a date,” Sirius interjected, “That’s the most important thing, you know.”

“Naw- I think I’ll just go stag for this dance. It’s much more fashionable this season,” Ellary teased.

“Oh but there is nothing more fashionable then showing up to a dance with a Sirius Black on your arm,” he winked.

“Ah- then whoever ends up going with him is a lucky girl, indeed,” Ellary laughed, rolling off her stomach and sitting up.

“I think I’ve decided who that lucky gal is going to be,” he said.

“Oh yeah? And who’s that?”

“Well- she’s really pretty and probably the coolest person ever. She’s in sixth year and a Gryffindor- I think you know her- Lily Evans?”

For a moment Ellary’s jaw dropped in shock, but then her brain processed that the last statement had been a joke. “Sirius Black!” she exclaimed, slapping him good-naturedly on the arm, “That’s not even funny!”

“I thought it was,” he grinned, showing off every one of his pearly white teeth. “No, but in all seriousness. Do you want to go to the dance with me Ellie?” he asked, scooting in closer to her.

“Yes, yes I do,” she replied, kissing him sweetly on the lips. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in closer, making her stomach do back flips. She was still in awe how someone could be that good of a kisser.

Remus stood by the bookshelf frozen in his place just a few feet away from Ellary and Sirius by the fire. He knew he had lost Ellary to his best friend a while ago, but seeing them kiss for the first time hit him in the gut like a sucker punch.

“Are you okay, Remus? You look like you are going to throw up?” a squeaky voice inquired, from somewhere beside of him.

“Wha- what?” he snapped out his trance and glanced around for the source of the voice. In front of him stood a petite girl with chin-length, bright blonde hair, freckles, and baby blue eyes. “Oh hi Bea,” he said, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just got a little dizzy, that’s all,” he assured her.

“Oh, well that’s good,” she smiled, “So how have you been lately? I feel like we haven’t talked at all this year!”

“That’s because we haven’t,” Remus replied.

Bea giggled nervously at the answer, “No, I guess we haven’t and that’s just too bad! I mean we used to talk in Herbology, remember?”

“In third year?” Remus cocked his eyebrow at her.

“Oh you do remember! Yeah, we were partners! That was fun, wasn’t it? Definitely good times,” she grinned broadly.

“Yeah- good times,” Remus said awkwardly, not completely sure why this girl was suddenly talking to him.

Girls, other than Ellary of course and sometimes Lily, rarely talked to Remus. It wasn’t because he wasn’t attractive, but more the fact that he had the reputation of being a bookworm.

“Anyways- have you heard about the Valentine’s Day dance coming up?” she asked, casually brushing her hand against his.

‘Oh- that’s why she’s talking to me,’ he thought, when it all of a sudden made sense. “Yeah, I did,” he said, glancing briefly over at Ellary and Sirius, who had begun to cuddle on the couch together. “Do you- do you have a date yet?” he asked, tearing his eyes away from the scene.

“No, I don’t! I really wish I did,” she sighed.

“Do you want to go with me?” he asked, a little surprised at his own boldness. Then again on the other hand she hadn’t exactly made it subtle that she wanted him to ask her to be his date.

“Yes, that would be wonderful!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck enthusiastically.

“Yeah, wonderful,” Remus sighed.

“Bea Huckle! Beatrice freaking Huckle?!” Peter exclaimed at the dinner table that evening after Remus had announced his date with Bea.

“Well at least I didn’t ask a fourth year,” Remus shot back.

“Well at least Mariana can actually hold a normal conversation, you are you out of your bloody mind to ask Bea. That girl could probably talk someone to death, you know,” he said, seriously.

Ellary desperately tried to ignore the sharp pang of jealousy in her stomach at the proclamation, why should she care if Remus was dating someone else, so was she, right?

“Oh shut it Wormtail. Yeah- it’s true that she’s annoying as sin, but she’s kind of a nice person- sometimes,” Ellary was genuinely trying to be kind, but her attempt at a compliment turned out to be quite the insult instead.

Sirius snorted, “That’s real nice of you, Ell.”

“Well I tried,” she shrugged.

“Don’t worry about it,” Remus sighed, “I mean- she’s not exactly my first choice,” he mumbled, deliberately avoiding looking over at Ellary, “But she’s not my last either. She is cute.”

Sirius nodded, “Got to love blondes.”

“Excuse me?” Ellary slapped him upside the head.

“You didn’t let me finish! Got to love blondes, but brunettes are definitely the way to go,” he tried to save himself.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought you meant,” she responded, “Or else you might find yourself dateless.”

“Well I have always had a thing for-”

“Redheads, we know James, we know…” Ellary finished his sentence for him, rolling her eyes.

“Speaking of redheads, here comes one right now,” Sirius nodded his head in the direction of the doors where Lily, Bea, and Candace had just walked in. “Have you asked her to the dance yet?”

“Not yet! But I will, I will!” James grinned, “Hey Evans!” he called out, springing up from his chair.

“Ten galleons she turns him down,” Sirius said, holding out his hand to Ellary to try and make a deal.

“Hah… no one in their right mind would take that bet. It would take a bloody miracle,” she declined, turning to watch what she was sure was going be nothing short of a train wreck.

“What do you want, Potter?” Lily sighed, crossing her arms in front of her chest, already looking annoyed by his mere presence.

“I was wondering if you had a date for the Valentine’s Day dance,” he replied, grinning from ear to ear and compulsively messing up his hair.

Lily paused and bit her lip, “No, I don’t,” she admitted, quietly, knowing exactly where he was headed.

“Well- how about going with me, then?” he asked.

“How about no,” Lily shot him down.

“Oh c’mon Evans! I’m not a bad guy, just give me a chance! Please,” he pleaded, falling down on to his knees in front of her. Half the Great Hall had turned to watch the scene by that point.

“James, you’re making a scene!” Lily hissed at him, turning crimson, “Get off your knees right now!”

“Who cares? I don’t care about anyone else but you!” he declared, “Please go to the dance with me,” he said again.

“What about Candace?”

“What about Candace?”

“Well you asked her out on a date only a month ago and now you’re back to me, I thought you had moved on.”

Ellary snorted at the comment, “You must be crazy, he’s not moving on anytime soon,” she laughed.

“It’s the truth, he’s crazy about you,” Sirius added.

“Never stops talking about you,” Remus chimed in.

“Lily this- Lily that- Merlin! I probably know more about you than you do thanks to him!” Peter said in all seriousness.

“Just say yes! You never know, it might just get him off your back. Or maybe you’ll fall madly in love!” Sirius exclaimed.

Lily glared at them all for a moment and then finally heaved a long sigh, “Fine- I will go to the dance with you,” she conceded.

Silence fell over the entire Great Hall at the answer. Had Lily Evans just said yes to James Potter? Was the world ending? Had the apocalypse actually come? Not even James seemed to be able to comprehend what had just happened to him. He just remained on the ground staring up at her in a sort of wonderment.

“You’re- you’re not kidding, right?” he asked, hesitantly, “Because that would just be mean.”

“No- sadly I’m not,” she replied.

“I knew you’d come around!” he hopped to his feet and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, lifted her up, and swung her around.

“Put me down!” she ordered fiercely, “Meet in the common room at eight o’clock and I better be getting roses,” she said, once he set her back down. “Bye Potter,” she said, before walking away.

“I reckon we just witnessed a miracle,” Sirius whispered, eyes wide.

“Yeah mate, I reckon we did.”

Severus watched from the farthest edge of the Slytherin table as Lily actually accepted James’ invitation to the dance. It felt like someone had just stabbed him the heart when he heard her reply. He had always hated James Potter. He was arrogant, conceited, obnoxious, and not nearly as intelligent as himself – though he sure as hell thought he was – but yet he always seemed to get everything that Severus wanted. All the professors loved him despite the fact that he was always speaking out in class, his sister loved him like a brother sometimes even more than himself he thought, and now it seemed Lily Evans was finally falling for him.

‘But she can’t be… Not after what she said to me,’ he thought, thinking back to their secret meeting by the lake after Christmas vacation. “I like you Severus, I like you a lot.’ Her words echoed through his head constantly just as her eyes always seemed to appear before him every time he closed his eyelids. She just couldn’t be falling for Potter…