Rakkaus

Six Years Later

“Get up, lazy arse.” Sage Potter groaned, grabbing a pillow and flinging it in the general direction of her best friend’s voice. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re a Keeper and not a Chaser because that was way off course.”

“For the love of Merlin’s underpants, please shut up,” Sage muttered into her pillow, closing her eyes and burrowing her face deeper in the fluff.

“Fine, you asked for it.” The words barely had time to register in her sleep-addled brain before Sage was flung out of her bed, hanging upside down as though snared by an invisible hook. She let out an indignant screech as the dormitory erupted in laughter.

“I’m up! Let me down!” Kylie flicked her wand again and Sage fell in an ungraceful heap in the middle of her bed. She untangled herself from her burgundy covers, glaring at her mates and huffing hair out of her face. “You’re going to regret that.”

“Hey, I was in full compliance with The Code,” Kylie said, holding her hands up in surrender as she referred to the Code of Conduct the four roommates agreed upon in first year. Apparently, James had quite the reputation and Sage’s roommates were wary about rooming with a Potter, so they came up with three rules for appropriate pranking:

1. No lasting damage to persons or property.
2. No innocent standbys shall be affected by retaliation.
3. Any actions deemed necessary to ensure Sage is up and awake for classes will receive no retaliation.

Admittedly, the last had been added by Sage herself after she slept through both Transfiguration and Charms midway through second year.

Sage growled in frustration and stormed past Marlene as she exited the loo, slamming the door behind her. Marlene smirked at the closed door, running a towel through her damp hair.

“What a joy she is in the morning,” Marlene snarked, depositing the towel onto her bed.

“I heard that!” Sage bellowed, voice only slightly muffled by the thick wood of the door.

Twenty minutes later, the girls ambled down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Sage glared at the half empty tables as she took her seat across from Kylie. She focused on her so-called best friend with an incredulous look on her face, which Kylie promptly ignored. Finally, after a few tense minutes, Kylie glanced at Sage.

“Your face is going to get stuck like that if you’re not careful,” Kylie said conversationally, taking a bite of her toast.

“You could have waited at least 30 minutes before waking me up, you know,” Sage grumbled.

“Get an alarm clock,” Kylie shrugged.

“Ah, c’mon Sage. Eat something,” Alice said from Sage’s side, pushing a bowl of porridge in front of her grumpy friend. Sage sighed and acquiesced, feeling her irritation fade faster with each bite. By the time the Great Hall had filled almost to capacity, Sage was happily chatting with her friends, her irritation all but forgotten.

“Oh wow,” Marlene sighed suddenly, eyes focused on something over Sage’s shoulder. The other three girls exchanged amused smiles, knowing exactly what that sigh meant. Marlene has her eye on another lad.

“Who is it this time?” Sage asked dryly, looking at Kylie who had the best vantage point.

“Either James or Sirius.” Sage’s head whipped around to see her brother and Sirius leading Remus and Peter to the Gryffindor table. A wicked smile came over her face as she whirled back around and dove for her knapsack. She halfway listened to Marlene wax poetic about how bloody fantastic Sirius looked as she pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill.

“What are you doing?” Kylie asked, eyeing her friend as she scribbled something on the parchment.

“Taking out my irritation on the only source available,” Sage said mysteriously, turning the parchment over and poking it with her wand. She smiled in satisfaction as the back turned sticky.

“Do you think it wise to start the pranks this early in the semester?” Kylie asked with a raised eyebrow as Sage stood.

“Sirius lived with us this summer; the pranks never stopped.” Sage ignored Marlene’s squawks for information as she walked toward the Marauders, the note surreptitiously clutched in her hand. The boys were deep in conversation as Sage neared them. Remus was the first to notice and greet her as she stood behind James and Sirius, placing a hand on each of their backs.

“How’s the prank planning going?” She asked, smiling over the boys’ shoulders at Remus and Peter.

“Not great.” Peter muttered, spooning a bit of cream in his porridge.

“We’re having difficulty deciding on something,” Remus elaborated and Sage smiled.

“Sounds like you need outside input. Scoot.” James and Sirius slid down a spot, opening up a space just wide for Sage to sit between them. “What have you lot come up with?”

“That’s it, we haven’t thought of anything new.” James admitted. Sage gasped theatrically, throwing a hand to her chest.

“The Marauders, fresh out of pranking ideas? I’d never thought I’d see the day.” She gasped and the boys rolled their eyes.

“Go on, yuck it up,” Sirius grumped, looking at his eggs in despair.

“I mean, really, it’s embarrassing. Did you use all of your ideas on me this summer? I am so disappointed.” James leaned over to flick his sister in the ear. She laughed, swatting his hand away. “Don’t worry, you’ll think of something.”

“Ms. Potter,” a stern voice said from behind her. Sage turned around to see Professor McGonagall with an arm full of timetables. “I would like to see you in my office in fifteen minutes time.” McGonagall’s eyes flickered to Sirius’ robes as she handed out the timetables and the corners of her lips flickered just a bit.

“Yes ma’am, I’ll be there.” Sage said, turning back to the table with a grimace. “Wonder what that’s all about.”

“Nothing to worry about, I’m sure.” Sirius said, turning back to his eggs. Sage nodded, though her teeth worried her lip as she looked at the wooden table.

“Hey, it’s probably something minor, like your schedule. You received your O.W.L.S, right?” Remus asked, watching his friend panic silently.

“Yeah, and I did well. In all the subjects that matter, anyway. Divination went wonky, but I don’t really need that anyway,” Sage replied.

“Then I’m sure it’s fine.” Remus said definitively. Sage flashed him a grateful smile and stood from the table.

“I should get going. I’ll see you lot later.” Sage rushed over to her other group of friends and gave them a hurried explanation as she gathered her things. She took off towards McGonagall’s office, arriving just as the professor unlocked her door.

“Ah, Ms. Potter, on time for once.” Sage let out a breath as the professor waved her in.

“With all due respect, ma’am, I was late once in four years,” Sage stated as she sat in the chair in front of the oak desk. She watched as her Head of House situated herself behind her desk.

“Yes, well, once is too many.” Sage bit back a snarky reply and settled for a companionable smile. “If memory serves, you came into my office last term with the ambition to become an Auror.” McGonagall paused, as if expecting an answer, though Sage knew well of her impressive memory.

“Yes ma’am.” Sage replied, butterflies dancing in her stomach.

“And you have made the grades appropriate to move on to N.E.W.T. level.” Again, this statement seemed to imply an answer, which Sage provided.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Well, I was owled by Professor Flitwick this summer, explaining that your ‘Exceeds Expectations’ grade in the Charms exam was granted through, let’s say, extenuating circumstances during your practical.” Sage flinched as she recalled how, during her examination, her examiner fell asleep halfway through.

“It’s not my fault! He was ancient, and he even admitted how his hernia was acting up the night before and --” Sage’s explanation was halted by a hand from McGonagall.

“The grade is not in dispute, Ms. Potter. We will not recend it. The purpose of this meeting is to implore that you work harder this year and next so that your N.E.W.T. grades are acceptable for the Auror program.” Sage let out a harsh breath as McGonagall continued. “I advise you to seek out a tutor to get your Charms work up to par.”

“I’ll ask Remus, then.” Sage stated immediately, knowing that Remus would help, no questions asked.

“Mr. Lupin is a fine student, and is ensured very high grades.” Sage nodded quickly but McGonagall held up that damned hand once again. “However, there is a student who is better qualified, in my opinion, to give you the help needed.” She paused for too many beats, and Sage couldn’t take the silence.

“Who?”

“Sirius Black.” Sage groaned quietly, to which McGonagall raised a questioning eyebrow. “Would that be a problem?” 

“No ma’am,” Sage answered quickly. “I’ll ask him this afternoon. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Ms. Potter.” McGonagall answered, looking down at the paperwork on her desk. Sage took that as a dismissal and stood. She headed towards the door, only to be stopped with her hand on the knob as McGonagall spoke again. “By the way, Ms. Potter, I have every reason to believe that you will achieve exactly what you desire.” Sage looked back at McGonagall in shock. Though the woman was still reading the document before her, Sage saw a rare softness in her professors face, along with a very small smile.

“Thank you, Professor. That means, well, quite a bit.” Sage left with her own smile, merging into the jostling crowd seamlessly. That smile slid off her face as she thought of the imminent questioning and embarrassment ahead of her.

Remus would tutor her without question, no doubt, as he seemed to enjoy teaching quite a bit. Sirius, however, would never let Sage live it down if he knew that she got her grades because her examiner fell asleep mid-test. In fact, she wouldn’t be surprised if he made huge posters exclaiming the fact and hung them in the Great Hall. He seemed to live to tease her, even more so than James.

But what were her choices? She could go with Remus, and he would do a fine job, but exactly how bad was she at Charms? Could she risk it? Sage thought of McGonagall’s tone, and rare smile, as she expressed confidence in her student and her stomach felt like it was lined in lead. Then Sage thought of the impending war and her desire to fight against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and her stomach dropped to her knees. There was only one solution: Sage had to ask Sirius.

She could only hope he’d agree after he found that damned note on his back.