Falling Into Black

It was lunch time, and Katie was sitting alone while Natalie went to talk to James Potter about Quidditch practice. And going by how happy she looked, it would start soon. Natalie looked so at ease with James, Katie noticed. With all of them, come to think of it. Remus would roll his eyes at something one of his friends said, Sirius would laugh, and Peter would cover his mouth to keep from laughing. James was grinning nonstop with Natalie.

Katie sighed, and, as if hearing her, Sirius looked over. Katie quickly ducked her head, blushing behind her curtain of blonde hair. Rowan poked her head out of Katie’s pocket, chirped, and disappeared back in. Katie smiled a bit at the dragon’s shyness, which was so much like her own.

Katie felt someone sit next to her, and looked up, expecting Natalie, but was shocked to see it was Sirius. He smiled a bit. “Hi” he said, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine. “I came over to see if you and Natalie would like to sit with us. We have plenty of room.”

“Uh, ask Natalie first” Katie said quickly. His smiled widened.

“I did. She said yes.” Damn, Katie thought. “And she said that if you didn’t say yes too, she would drag you over by your...” he stopped abruptly, a frown replacing his smile. He turned back toward his friends and Natalie. Katie didn’t know what he asked, or what they said, but after a couple second he turned back around with a renewed smile. “By your brown roots.”

Katie scowled. “Let me guess, Natalie told you to tell me that” she said. He nodded. “Figures. She’s the only one to tease me about my brown roots.”

“Why?” he asked. Katie was a bit stunned to see that he actually looked curious.

“Not really sure. She just does” Katie shrugged. She honestly had no idea why Natalie teased her about that. Katie looked over Sirius’ shoulder at Natalie, who gestured madly for her to come over.

“So what do you say?” Sirius asked, drawing her attention back to him.

“Sure” Katie sighed. Sirius, grinning, stood up and walked back to his friends. Katie, aware that nearly everyone was staring, followed behind him.

“Darn” Natalie muttered. “And I was hoping to drag her over here.” She then smiled innocently at Katie, who glared at her as she sat down next to the brunette.

“Wow, you’re such a nice friend” James snickered.

“Where have I seen you before?” Remus asked. It took Katie a moment to realize he was talking to her.

“Uh, I’m in your Potions class” she said quietly. He shook head, his eyes still fixed on her.

“No, not in class” he murmured. Katie shifted under his amber gaze. He then shook his head and smiled. “Oh well, doesn’t really matter.”

“So, Katie, correct?” James asked. Katie nodded. “Natalie told me that you were interested in trying out for Quidditch this year.” Katie’s eyes widened.

“N-no. I—” Katie stopped, her shocked expression becoming angry and annoyed. Natalie smiled innocently at her friend, pretending not to notice the glare. “Sorry, James, but Natalie told you wrong” Katie said with an apologetic smile.

“Oh” he muttered, looking crest-fallen. “Its just we were a Keeper short.”

“I’m sorry. I really am” Katie said again. She hated letting him down, especially when he looked so glum.

“Oh, Kitty, I’ve been meaning to ask you” Natalie said suddenly. “Have you gotten a date for that Ball yet?” Katie stared at her friend like she was nuts, but with Natalie, you never really knew.

“Okay, one: no I have not, two: Dumbledore just told us yesterday, and three: I’m not going” Katie said firmly.

“Why not?” Sirius asked.

“I just don’t want to. I don’t like dances” she shrugged.

“Well, I’m going to ask Lily” James said confidently.

“And she’ll say no like every other time” Remus muttered behind his mug.

“Lily Evans?” Natalie asked. The boys nodded. “I heard she was going out with that Vars fellow.”

“Really? I heard he was going out with Purity” Katie cut in, frowning. Natalie shook her head.

“They broke up yesterday. She’s pissed” she said. “She was ranting on and on during Care of Magical Creatures about how ‘he’ll take her back, he doesn’t know how much he’s going to regret it, Ohmygod I want him back, blah, blah, blah’.” Natalie rolled her eyes. “She’s just a priss if you ask me.”

“Chastity isn’t as bad as her sister” Katie shrugged. “She helped me with my Summoning Charm in first year.”

“Yeah. Chas is cool” Natalie agreed.

“I think we’ve been forgotten” Remus murmured, smiling as he watched the two girls talk as if the Marauders weren’t even there. James and Peter nodded, while Sirius watched them with an amused expression on his face. Remus noticed that his friend’s eyes would linger on Katie longer than necessary, and fill with something that even Remus couldn’t place.

The bell rang then, and the two girls stood without breaking their conversation, and walked out of the Great Hall. “I feel abandoned” James joked. He then laughed. “But apparently not as much as Padfoot.” Remus looked at Sirius, to see that he did, infact, look like someone ran over his puppy.