Bleed It Out

Sirius’ head snapped up so fast he thought he heard it crack. Sure enough, Beta Centauri, or Ben as he preferred to be called, was standing in the doorway, grinning at everyone. His hair was the same short brown as before, but slightly longer, and his dark green eyes were the same as well.

“Okay, before I hug you” Natalie started. “Is Alpha here?”

“No. And he won’t ever be” he answered, smiling at the brunette. In the next instant, Natalie had attached herself to Ben’s neck, hugging him hard.

“I’ve missed you!” she exclaimed. He blushed under his tan, but wrapped his arms around her waist. He was taller than her, so her feet weren’t even touching the ground.

“Ben, my man, it’s good to see you again” James grinned. Ben grinned back, setting Natalie down so he could touch his knuckles to James’.

“Hey James, Remus, Peter” he greeted them, before his eyes fixed on Katie and Sirius. “Katie, Sirius.”

“Ben” Sirius smiled as he stood to touch knuckles with him too. “Haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been?”

“I’ve been good. But I’ve missed it here” Ben said honestly. Katie noticed that his eyes flicked to Natalie and then away. “How have you been, Katie?” he then asked. Katie swallowed hard, trying to remind herself that Ben wasn’t his brother. For one he was so much nicer than Alpha. And he was human, so that was a bonus. Alpha had been this demon thing called a suciobus or whatever, and had tried to basically rape Katie. Something she didn’t think she would let go. Yeah, Katie’s life was pretty effed up.

“I’ve been good” she answered, standing to take Sirius’ hands. Ben followed the action with his eyes, eyebrows rising.

“I see you two are finally together” he smirked. Sirius nodded, wrapping his arms around Katie’s waist.

“Yep. Happily” he answered.

“Good. That’s very good” Ben stated, softening his face to a smile. “You two look good together.” Katie blushed at that, while Sirius just chuckled.

“Why didn’t you come back last year?” Natalie asked as everyone sat down. Ben next to Natalie.

“My father forced me to stay to finish out my 6th year” he muttered. “But I’m here to take my 7th year here.” Natalie’s grinned widened, if it was even possible. She was already grinning so widely Katie honestly thought her face would get stuck like that.

“Why weren’t you at the feast last night, though?” Remus asked.

“Missed the train. I had to fly here via broom” Ben chuckled. “My arse still hurts too.” The others laughed as he did.

“You could’ve used the Cushioning Charm” Katie pointed out. He stared at her blankly.

“You could’ve told me that early” he muttered with a playful glare. “Would’ve saved me a lot of splinters.”

“Could’ve been worse, man” James shrugged. “You could’ve falling on your arse and broke your butt knuckle.” Sirius snorted in an attempt to contain his laughter.

“James” Katie started, also struggling not to laugh. “I don’t think there’s such a thing as a butt knuckle.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked challenging. “Then what do you call this boney part of your butt.” Katie quickly shielded her eyes as James pushed his butt into her face, laughing despite her blush.

“Mr. Potter” McGonagall said sharply. “Just what do you think you’re doing? Why are you waving your bottom in Miss Scott’s face?” The class snickered while James stared at the stern Professor with wide eyes.

“Well…” he started.

“Never mind” McGonagall interrupted, shaking her head. “I don’t want to know. Just sit down.” He did. And very quickly.

“Nice, James” Sirius whispered.

“Shut up” James hissed back.

“Excuse me, Mr. Potter?” Professor McGonagall asked, once again sharply. “That’s a detention, Mr. Potter, for disrespect. And also 20 points from Gryffindor.”

“I wasn’t telling you to shut up!” James said quickly, eyes peeled wide. “I was telling Sirius.”

“Another detention for back-talking and disrespect to classmates” McGonagall snapped.

“But—”

“Continue on, Mr. Potter. I can continue to give you detentions all day” McGonagall interrupted. “It doesn’t faze me one bit.” James stayed silent. “Anything else you’d like to add?”

“No, ma’am” he mumbled.

“Good” she said, before turning to address the class.

“Someone’s in a bad mood” Sirius muttered.

“Detention, Mr. Black” McGonagall barked. “You and Mr. Potter will be joining me tonight at 8. Now, if anyone else would like a detention, speak now.” The class stayed silent. “Good. Now as I was saying…”

Katie felt a note slid into her hand, and looked down at it. She’s kinda bitchy today, was written in Sirius’ scribbled (yet somehow elegant) handwriting. Katie rolled her eyes, before quickly writing back.

Maybe it’s her time of the month, Sirius read, causing him to smile. He admired her beautiful handwriting for a moment.

Maybe. But now both me and James have detention with the old bat.

Suck it up. You shouldn’t have said anything.

Isn’t my fault she can hear across classrooms.

Katie rolled her eyes at that, and quickly folded up the note to hide in her sleeve as McGonagall walked past them toward the door. Katie then noticed that a first year was standing in the doorway, and that she handed McGonagall a letter before quickly disappeared back out the door.

“Miss Scott” McGonagall said, voice drastically softer than the voice she used to talk to Sirius and James with. Katie took the letter silently. “Professor Dumbledore needs you in his office.”

“Yes, ma’am” she murmured, standing up. “Be good, you git” she whispered to Sirius. “I don’t need my boyfriend getting so many detentions that I can’t ever see him.”

Sirius rolled his eyes, but mimed making an ‘X’ over his heart. Katie smiled, before disappearing out of the door. Sirius sighed as he laid his head on the desk in boredom. He had heard all this crap before. Pass the N.E.W.T.s, rules, procedures, blah, blah, blah, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. He honestly didn’t know why all the teachers insisted on giving this speech every year. It was like they were trying to make students feel retarded.

-

As Katie walked down the corridor to Professor Dumbledore’s office, she opened the letter in her hands. Strangely, there were only two words written on it. Licorice snaps. It confused Katie greatly. Why would Dumbledore give Katie a letter with ‘licorice snaps’ being the only thing written on it. Because it’s Dumbledore, you twit, her mind said. Hardly anything he does makes sense.

When Katie stopped in front of the gargoyle, she realized that she had no idea what the password was. Dumbledore changed it every year, and sometimes more than once during the year. Katie looked at the letter in her hands, and the two words, frowning.

A thought ran through her mind, then. Worth a shot, she thought, shrugging. “Licorice snaps” she said confidently. The statue instantly moved aside, letting Katie onto the staircase.

“Come in” a voice called before she could knock. She hesitantly opened the door. “Ah, Katie, how good to see you, my dear” Dumbledore smiled. “Please, sit.” Katie sat in the only chair in front of his desk. “I suppose you’re wondering why I summoned you in here.”

“Well, to be perfectly honest, sir” Katie started. “I’ve kinda learned not to question you. To just go with it.” Dumbledore laughed.

“Most people do” he admitted, eyes twinkling. “But I called you in here to talk to you about your schedule.” Katie nodded, but said nothing. Even though she was greatly confused about it. “The extra O.W.L.s you took last year were actually lower level N.E.W.T.s.”

“Really?” Katie asked. Dumbledore nodded. “Then…why did you say they were O.W.L.s?”

“Most students get nervous if you talk about N.E.W.T.s” he stated. “So I wanted to see if you were one of those students. As far as I can tell, you seem pretty unruffled about N.E.W.T.s. Are you nervous at all?”

“Not really” Katie admitted. He nodded in understanding.

“Now, about your schedule. I’m sure you’ve noticed that you don’t have Muggle Studies or Ancient Ruins” he said. Katie nodded. “This is because the O.W.L.s you took last year for those classes were the actual N.E.W.T.s. I know I said that the others were lower level N.E.W.T.s, and they were. But only for your compulsory subject.”

“Then why am I taking Divination and Care of Magical Creatures? I’ve never taken them before, and the others in the classes will be taking their N.E.W.T.s. Or am I to take them too?” Katie asked. Dumbledore shook his head.

“No. You are exempt from those” he said. “Your core class exams will be the same as everyone else’s. If you pass the exams, then I can convince the Ministry to let you start your Auror training as soon as you leave. And you can also become an Auror in 2 years instead of 4.” Dumbledore smiled at the excited, yet slightly shocked, expression on Katie’s face.

“Professor, that’d be great. Thank you.” He chuckled.

“You’re welcome, Katie.” Dumbledore stood up to offer Fawkes the phoenix a treat. “And about your Head Girl duties. I did that because I felt that you would be a good peace keeper between the houses.”

“Why me? Why not Lily? Lily’s nice too” Katie said.

“Because the Slytherins, unfortunately, only see her as a muggle-born” he answered, turning back to look at her. “Not the wonderful witch she is. They see you, however, as a brilliant witch who can accomplish anything. Most don’t even acknowledge the fact that you’re muggle-born.”

“Lucius did” she muttered, rolling her eyes. He didn’t seem to hear her. Or either he did, but he ignored it.

“I’ve also been meaning to ask you about Jacob.” Katie felt herself smile as she thought about her little brother.

“He’s been doing good. He’s settled in well in the McCoy’s home” Katie replied.

“And yourself? How are you faring?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. Katie frowned slightly, looking at her lap.

“I’m doing better, sir. It still hurts to look at him because he looks so much like them” she said slowly. Dumbledore nodded in understanding. “But Mr. and Mrs. McCoy are nice enough to let me stay in their home, until I can get my own place. And my friends are helping me to cope. I’m always distracted, so I hardly ever think about them.”

“Yes, friends can help us move on. But sometimes, time to ourselves, to grieve for our loss, can help more” Dumbledore said, smiling softly.

- - - - - - - -

“So, tell me again how you have Care of Magical Creatures” Natalie said, squinting against the sun. The two girls, the Marauders—who had every single class with them, mind you—, and Ben were walking down the incline toward the Forbidden Forest where Professor Kettleburn taught Care of Magical Creatures.

“Professor Dumbledore put me in here” Katie answered.

“And you don’t question the greatest wizard of all time” Remus added, chuckling.

“Exactly. Thank you, Remus” Katie smiled.

“Whatever the reason is, I’m glad I have every class with you” Sirius grinned, wrapping his arm around Katie’s shoulder. The blonde blushed, but smiled shyly at him.

“Bleck. Quick, someone stab my eyes” James muttered, fake gagging.

“Happily” Natalie grinned, curling her fingers into claws. James quickly hid behind Remus, provoking laughter from the others.

“You really shouldn’t be talking, James” Sirius stated, smirking at his friend. “If you could, you would stick to Lily like glue.” James opened his mouth to protest, but then paused.

He then glared at Sirius, crossing his arms over his chest. “I hate it when you’re right.” Sirius grinned widely.

“Don’t worry, James, everyone does” Katie smirked.

“Hurtful” Sirius whined, putting a hand to his chest.

“Yeah, she makes all the men cry” Natalie stated bluntly. The guys howled in laughter—except Ben. And Remus was trying not to.

“At least I wasn’t afraid of the lion off of Wizard of Oz when I was 5!” Katie retorted. Natalie gasped loudly.

“You swore you would never speak of that!” she shouted angrily.

“And who sleeps with a stuffed panda every night named Bon-bon?!” Katie continued, laughing loudly as she dashed behind Sirius.

“Shut up!” Natalie screamed, chasing after the laughing blonde down the hill.

“Bon-bon?” Ben chuckled, cocking and eyebrow. The Marauders shrugged.

“Don’t look at us. This is the first we’ve heard of it” James stated.

“But it could be worse” Remus added. “Peter sleeps with a blanket named—”

“Nothing!” Peter squeaked, looking at Remus pointedly. The guys chuckled.

“Should we go make sure Natalie doesn’t kill Katie?” Sirius asked. The Marauders looked at each other, before shaking their heads, grinning. Ben looked around at them, confused and concerned.

When they came to the clearing where the class was, they saw that Lily was struggling to hold Natalie back while Katie hid behind a tree.

“You are so going to get it, Katie Anne!” Natalie shouted furiously. “You’re not going to know what hit you!”

“Aw come on, Nat. It’s not like they care” Katie said slowly, nervousness seeping into her expression.

“I care!” Natalie hissed.

“I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t think it would matter all that much” Katie murmured.

“You thought wrong” Natalie growled, pulling away from Lily. She then stalked away.

“Do I want to know what happened?” Lily asked as Katie joined the guys. Katie started to open her mouth to respond, but a stick suddenly flew at her head. Luckily, Sirius pulled her out of the way before it hit her.

“You tell her, you die!” Natalie yelled distantly. Katie winced.

“Katie said something that Natalie didn’t want us to know” Ben explained. Lily’s eyes transferred to him, and frowned in confusion. “Ben Centauri. You must be Lily.”

“Yep. But I’ve never seen you around before” Lily said, shaking his hand.

“I was here last year, but I finished my 6th year in Australia” Ben explained.

“Oh” Lily smiled lightly. “How do you know me, then? Since we’ve never really met.” Ben glanced sideways a James, before locking green eyes with green eyes.

“James here has told me so many wonderful things about you” he said, grinning. Lily glared at James, who grinned sheepishly.

“Has he now?” she muttered. Ben nodded. “Like what?”

“Like how your eyes glimmered in the light like emeralds. I always thought he was exaggerating, but now I see that this was not the case. You are as beautiful as he said.” Lily blushed.

“Well, thanks” she muttered, before moving away. Katie went after her.

“You’re welcome” Ben grinned at James.

“For what?” Sirius asked, confused.

“I can sometimes read emotions. She was…mostly confused. But she also felt flattered. If you continue to be nice to her, then she’ll probably agree to go out with you.” James’ expression was gold. His mouth was hanging open, but he was grinning and his eyes were bright and shiny.

“But that doesn’t mean go back to asking her out every second of the day” Remus added firmly.

“Give her flowers. Girls love flowers” Ben continued. James nodded quickly, taking all of this new information in.

“And, if you can, try to tone down the ego” Remus went on. Sirius smirked at that.

“Yeah, that’s like telling me to stop love Katie” he muttered.

“A little support would be nice, Padfoot” James muttered, glaring at his so-called ‘friend’.

“I was joking” Sirius muttered, rolling his eyes.