Black // Marauders

23. Charms

Lily sat across from Ava at the breakfast table, nudging her with her foot when she looked like she was about to fall asleep and into her bowl of cereal, "Ava?"

"What?" She replied suddenly, looking up so fast she got a pain in the back of her neck and winced slightly, "Ouch."

"There is no way you're tired. You were asleep before Persie came back." Lily remarked before Ava furrowed her eyebrows, "Didn't even know she was gone to be honest. What time was that?"

"Quarter to midnight." Lily told her, her voice growing quieter as Miranda and Rodie Greenleaf pushed past their chairs to make their way over to Justin on the Ravenclaw table.

"Jesus ... that's late." Ava commented, before Lily gave her a worried look, "I know. She looked a mess as well. Pretty much cried herself to sleep."

"How do you know all this?" She replied curiously, before Lily shrugged, "I'm pretty sure she thought I couldn't hear her. She was trying to be quiet, I think."

"I'm not bloody surprised. Do you think she had a fight with Justin?" Ava asked, before Lily shook her head, "No. Last I heard from last night, they were giving things another go."

"Shit, really?" Ava said, sounding slightly happier in her tone before Lily gave her a look, "Why are you so happy about it? I think it's a terrible idea."

"Why?" She asked as if Lily was losing her mind, before she put her fork down and tucked her hair behind her ear, "I just don't think he's very good for her. There is always so much competition for his attention. I just think she likes people to think that she's thick skinned. But she's really not. Say for example, Sirius."

Lily paused as Ava gave her a warning look before her face softened, "Hypothetically ..."

"So," Lily continued, "You and Sirius complement each other. Sirius is a very flirty person. He's out there. He likes people to know what he's doing. Persie is quite private. She hates people getting in her business. They're like oil and water."

"They're like what and what?" Ava asked, giving Lily a dense look as Lily sighed in irritation, "They don't mix."

"Who don't mix?" Sirius asked as he took his seat beside Ava and Lily suddenly occupied herself with her toast as James sat beside her, along side Remus and Peter.

"You and Persie." Ava informed him with a smile and a kiss before he furrowed his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

"We were just saying you really wouldn't go together. You're just so opposite." Ava mentioned, before Lily kicked her under the table and gestured her head to the door, watching as everyone's eyes flicked up to Persie. She slowed herself down as she reached the table, raising an eyebrow in confusion as she slowly lowered her bag to the ground, "What did I do now?"

"Nothing." Lily said nonchalantly, before James looked up at her and furrowed his eyebrows, "You look tired."

"Gee, thanks." Persie replied, finding herself sat opposite Sirius by mistake and slowly lowered herself down on to the stool, watching him warily the whole time.

"What have you been doing? Sneaking out of the dormitories?" Peter asked as she smiled at his obvious joke and shook her head, "No. I just couldn't sleep."

She felt something gently touch her knee, before she looked up and Sirius was looking at her, his eyes flicking to below the table for a second. She reached a hand underneath to shove him away, before realising there was a piece of paper in his hand. Persie grabbed it, bringing it to her lap before unfurling it as she said:

'Why are you not sleeping?'

She looked up at him and gave him a look as if he was stupid, before glancing across at the table to check they weren't looking as she mouthed back, 'Why do you think?'