Mischievous-A Marauders Fanfic

15-Patronus Part II

The repercussions of Valentine's Day were mainly hilarious, the highlight of which were of course, James and Sephy's Valentine's Howlers. Apart from the whole castle having been given a light coating of pink glitter, Professor Flitwick had been spotted whilst being harassed by three little flying hearts, each screeching a different love ballad and deafening everyone who came near. James had left his card for Lily in her Potions textbook, and she had found it, and to his sheer delight, hadn't instantly twigged onto who it was from. Sephy was released from the hospital wing, arm good as new, and rejoiced in James's victory, but also requested he pay up his three Sickles and a Knut since Colton Bleu had, as predicted, taken Halley to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day. Sephy's own card from Nashville she still hadn't had the courage to open yet, as every time she even thought of it she had to take a few minutes to calm her heartbeat down. She also hadn't told anyone about it, and nor had Halley about Colton's newfound sexuality. They'd wink at each other in corridors every now and again, and make suggestive gestures at the more oblivious of the male population of the school, but nothing more than that.

But they all had something far more exciting to think about as Easter half term approached, and Sephy's birthday along with it.

"GUYS!" she announced loudly at the dinner table one cooling but crisp evening. "I have BIG news!"

"Bigger than you, Peppermint?" James joked, a little unkindly. Sephy threw a potato at him from her plate.

"Of course not" she sniffed. "But anyway. I heard from my parents this morning, and it turns out that the three tickets I thought we had to go and see the France V Scotland Quidditch semifinal are in fact... NINE TICKETS!" she squealed excitedly.

The table was stunned for a second.

"Squad trip!" Sirius gasped, breaking the silence and looking dramatically across at Halley for backup.

"Squad trip! Squad trip! Squad trip!" they both chanted, getting louder and louder until Remus and Samantha wrestled them back down into their seats.

"Pompadour, I could kiss you" James gasped, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Please don't" Sephy retorted flatly, without a second glance.

"We'll be leaving from London" she carried on. "So you'll all have to owl your parents and say you won't be home till the Monday after we break up. I'm claiming that weekend...for QUIDDITCH!"

"WORLD CUP! WORLD CUP! WORLD CUP!" Sirius and Halley started up the chant again, and this time James and Peter joined them. Samantha and Remus shared a despondent look, and the former passed the latter a consolatory sunflower seed.

Sephy had also risen to her feet, and she suddenly squealed as Nashville surprised her from behind. It was something they had done many a time over the years they'd known each other, but somehow for Sephy this time it felt different.

"What's this I hear about the Quidditch World Cup?" Nashville asked, squeezing himself down in between Sephy and Halley, the epitome of platonic friendliness.

"Sephy's taking us" James explained. "She got nine tickets for her birthday..."

"Lucky titch" Nashville grinned, slinging his arm over Sephy's shoulders, just like he always did. "Which game? Scotland V France?"

"The very same" Remus grinned at him, from across the table. "Where are our seats, Sephy?"

"About halfway up" Sephy replied. "Dad doesn't like going up too high, cos it's tiring climbing up."

They all laughed.

"Well" Nashville grinned, getting up again. "Have an absolute corker, guys. Know I'm dead jealous."