The Demon in Me

“How the hell are you so damn chipper?” James had his head in his hands, his third cup of coffee already at his elbow and food hadn’t even been served yet. Inky on the other hand had yet to stay still, she was bouncing on the bench, sending ten Gryffindors either side of the group to spring lightly into the air ever time she touched down.

“Oh come on Prongs,” Shika joked nudging his friends in the ribs to get his to lift his head. “You know she only get this excited for three things...” Sirius nodded from across the table and held up three fingers as Inky started bouncing more erratically. “Too much coffee,” James muttered and Sirius nodded again, dropping a finger. “Quidditch,” Shika supplied, and James, Remus and Peter all bobbed their head in agreement.“And...”

“WAFFLES!” Inky screamed and James lifted his coffee mug to prevent it from spilling as all one hundred and twenty-eight pounds of black haired teenage girl jolted across the table to claim the large stack of the round breakfast dish that had appeared in front of him.

“Like clock-work that girl.” Shika joked as shook his head and laughed, patting his best friend on the head as she dug into a grand total of twenty-eight waffles that had been douses in fresh raspberries and whipped cream. “But it’s why we love her.” Sirius smirked and poured James another coffee.

“Isn’t it a beautiful day?!” Inky sang as she danced down the hall towards the potions room, her self-customized robes looking particularly detention-able as they flowed behind her.

“No that’s just you babes.” Sirius smiled as he escorted James, who was nursing coffee number nine, by the elbow towards the dungeon. Remus and Shika just shook their heads as all five of them came to a stop by the door where only another dozen students were present. “Too bad Pete didn’t make the N.E.W.T.S. class.” Remus said off handed as he strode through the suddenly open door.

“Oh yes, Poor Pete,” Inky sighed theatrically and pulled in Sirius’ and Shika’s heads so she could whisper in their ears.“Nobody burst Mooney’s bubble and tell him about how Pete fainted when he got his marks from last year. He spent fifteen hours with him before final exam.”

“Ah! Miss Scarlett and Mr Lupin how good of you to grace us with your presence again this year!” Slughorn had somehow managed to get bigger over the summer. How, Inky didn’t know, but she quickly by-passed the swelling teacher and slid herself into an empty desk, waiting, quite happily, for one of her friend to park themselves next to her.

“It this seat taken?” Inky looked up shocked at the unfamiliar voice and came face to face with a trim, blonde, Ravenclaw. Inky just shrugged and motioned for him to sit. Smiling the Ravenclaw placed his book bag down on the table and slid into the seat. “I’m Marcus by the way,” He said opening his bag and pulling out his potions book. “Marcus Doyle, I’m on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team,” He said proudly opening his book and flicking through the pages. “Beater.” Inky nodded, she had seen the handsome boy flying about when the two houses had their matches, not that it mattered. “Ink...”

“Excuse me mate, but I think you’re in my seat.” Inky leaned back in her chair, as the young beater turned and came face to face with Sirius’ ostentatious red and gold Lion belt buckle. “She said it wasn’t taken.” Marcus looked up at the tall Gryffindor keeper and tried to look menacing, but trying to intimidate someone taller is a hard business.

‘Brownie points for him.’ Inky thought as the stare down continued, Marcus losing badly against the taller boy. “He’s right Sirius,” Inky smiled at her friend, “I did say that.” Sirius’ eyes went narrow but he dropped his bag onto the desk directly behind Inky, his silver eyes still trained on the minuscule beater.

“What’s with Godzilla?” Marcus whispered as he finally settled himself into his seat and turned to look at Inky. “He’s protective, that’s all.” Inky said as she turned and glared at Sirius then looked at the black board at the front of the room. Marcus’ thin eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. “Protective?”

“Yeah, he’s like an older brother, kinda annoying really, it means I’ve got five of them.” Ink pulled a silly face just as Slughorn began his talk that on that days potion, Draft of the Living Dead. Inky just groaned and slumped into her seat; potions were going to be a right off again. Marcus turned to look at her, brown eyes concerned for her new potions partner.

“Something bothering you Miss. Scarlett?” Slughorn had heard her groan and had moved towards her desk, his considerable paunch dancing as he moved. “Not really sir,” Iny said slowly before she gestured at the board. “I’m just bored,” She flicked through the pages of her potions book as Sirius and James laughed in the desk behind her. “I mean I did that potion in third year for my extra credit.”

The whole room went quiet, even Lily ‘Driving miss Daisy’ Evans and Severace Snape who were Slughorn’s favourite students had gone slack jawed three rows over. Slughorn just looked thoughtful for a moment, his toady eyes looking up at the dungeon roof as he tried to recall. “Yes, I do believe you did miss. Scarlett.” He grabbed her book off the desk and flicked through the pages. “So I best gather a more advanced potion for you and your partner to do.”

Inky swore Marcus’ eyes rolled back in his head he fainted backwards off his stool.

“How was I supposed to know he had only just gotten into that class by the skin of his teeth?” Inky asked with hint of a smirk in her voice as they all walked slowly along the corridor towards the common room after classes. “Anybody’s gonna pass out Quill if your brand new potions partner asks for a ‘harder’ piece of work.” James laughed as he hooked his arm through Ink’s and walked beside her.

Inky just shrugged again and slipped away from James so that she could speak to the fat lady. “Hello dear! How are you today?” Inky asked as she approached the frame that hung over the door way. The fat lady just smiled and winked at Sirius who somehow managed to go a shade paler. “I’m very well darling.” The fat Lady replied before leaning closer to her frame and whispered. “Let me have the silver eyed one Darling, just for a night...Prince Hubert is starting to chafe.”

Inky managed to sneak a look over her shoulder at the almost faint Sirius before the two women dissolved into giggles. “I would Darling, but I’m having that one tonight. I’ll get you another time though.” The fat lady just giggled more and swung forwards revealing the almost packed common room.

“Ah great, we lost out chairs to first year again!” James leaned against Shika and sighed as the three eldest boys looked on forlornly at the group of chairs and sofas right next to the fire place. “I don’t know how they do it!” The enraged Quidditch captain actually started stalking towards the first years when Shika grabbed his arm and turned him in the direction of the stairs.

“Let’s go up to our dorm room,” Shika supplied softly and nodded at James who tired to smile back. “We’ll light the fire and I’m sure Pads would be willing to go and get some snacks from the kitchen.” Shikamaru looked to the black haired teen who just shivered at the thought of having to confront the Fat Lady again. “Okay, maybe Inky would do it for us.” Smiling Shika looked at his best friend and she smiled back.

“I can do one better Shiki my dear!” stepping up onto her toes Inky planted a kiss on Shika’s cheek. “Better hurry up to your dorm, Jinkies will be there pretty soon.” Turning Inky then walked towards the girl’s stair case as the boys went to theirs.

“Hey Quill, aren’t you coming?” James asked as Peter darted up the stairs leaving the four others watching her. She just nodded and Remus smiled, “We’ll leave a window open for you.” And with a quick exchange of laughter the group separated.

It took Inky seconds to slip into her pyjamas and pull her hair up into a messy bun when she got back into the seventh year girl’s dorm room. Thankfully none of the girls where in the main room, but Ink could hear them chatting behind the bathroom door.

Quickly as she could Inky slipped past Lily Evan’s bed to her own, the only bed in the alcove, it was surrounded by windows that looked over the massive grounds. It also meant that it was the coldest bed in the room. Untying the bed hangings Inky fluffed the mass of pillows in such a way that it looked like a tall girl was asleep, drowning in pillows, blankets, and sheets.
Stepping back to admire her work Inky flicked open the nearest window and threw it open sending a cool breeze wafting though the dorm room. She was out on the window ledge, knees tucked beneath her as she tried to shut the window. It was at that moment that the sounds of Lily Evans and Marissa Johnson floated into the room.

“I can’t believe she asked for harder work!” Marissa Johnson flounced past the tiny strip of the room that Inky could see from the window, she was already dressed for bed, the fuzzy blue pyjamas that she had worn since first year, and Lily wasn’t far behind her. “She’s smart, beautiful, and a sub for the Quidditch team! It’s like there is nothing she can do wrong!” Rissa was nice, Inky mused as she sat on the window ledge the sounds of sheets and blankets moving told Inky that the two girls had climbed into bed.

“To bad she wastes all her spare time with those boys.” Ink heard Lily muse, obviously climbing into bed herself. “Especially Potter and Black, those two are just lice.” Inky rolled her eyes as she heard Rissa shush Lily.

“She’s already in bed you goose!” Smirking softly as Inky heard the sound of flesh on flesh, not loud, but loud enough for Rissa to have hit her best friends arm. “Who cares about them anyways. It’s Inkany who is our room mate not her friends.” Inky clamped her wand in her teeth as Rissa spoke, sensing a need to move very soon. “Besides, I think she is pretty awesome.”

Someone sighed from inside the dorm room and then Lily said softly. “Yeah, your right, she is cool. Did you hear about what happened on the train?”

Smiling broadly to herself Inky recited her favourite spell in her mind then let go of the window sill, falling into the black oblivion of the court yard below. It was the ground came steadily nearer that black feathers began to sprout from her skin and caught the warm updraft that swirled around the north towers.