Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 13

When the doorbell finally rings, I immediately rush downstairs. When I swing the door open with a hug grin, I spot James Potter leaning against the doorframe with a cocky smirk. "Couldn't last two minutes without my company, could you?" I roll my eyes, grab him by the front of his shirt and toss him inside.

"JAMES IS HERE!" I call up the stairs.

Mum runs down giddily. "James! It's such a pleasure to meet you."

Dad nods in agreement as he emerges from the kitchen. "Chiara here has told me so much about you." He smiles at him before leaning closer to whisper just loud enough so that I can hear, "Between you and me, I think she has a crush on you." James laughs interestedly.

"Dad, I do not!" I groan, shoving James away from my parents and up the stairs.

"So, your father says you fancy me." James smirks, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh stop it James, I don't like you. As a matter of fact, I hate you." I state grumpily.

"Hurtful! Why must you insist on breaking my heart like this, Holland?" James exclaims dramatically holding his hands over his heart. "Just when I thought our relationship was headed somewhere!"

I lead him to a room, my room, ignoring his silly antics. "This is my room." I present with my arms up, gesturing around goofily. He walks in after me and his face erupts in a gleaming smile. "Why does your room smell so good?" James asks, looking foolish while sniffing the air.

"Ah. That! Well, Mr Potter, I managed to duplicate the Amortentia that Sirius got me for Christmas and sprayed it all over my room." I smirk.

"That's very smart." James says overly casually, stuffing his hands in his jeans front pockets. "Smart smart smart smart smart."

"James, you're acting really strange—OH MERLIN!" I break into a fit of giggles when James attacks my sides in tickles.

Benjamin walks into my room and upon catching sight of me and James sprawled out across the bottom bunk of my bed, panting heavily, he stops dead in his tracks. "Why are you two just laying around?" He asks, tilting his head in confusion.

"We're recovering from a tickle fight." I tell him with a widening grin.

"Brilliant! Who won?" He asks with a grin of his own.

"I did." I tell him, puffing my chest out arrogantly.

James faces me with a less than amused look. "Woah, woah, woah...woah!" He turns to Benjamin. "The only reason she won was because I was out of breath and –"

"That's so not true! You had the advantage of starting this whole thing and I still won!" I cut him off.

"Nu-uh! I tickled you once and you attacked me!" James exclaims, throwing his hands about dramatically. He turns to lock eyes with Benjamin again. "She attacked me!" He points an accusing finger at me and I slap it away.

"Well I never!" I yell.

Benjamin stares at us with a bemused expression and somewhere amidst our bickering, he leaves. James smirks evilly and forges confusion, "What is it we were fighting about?"

I open and close my mouth a few times, racking my brain for the reason. "I don't know..." I frown furrowing my brows.

James laughs at my lack of brain cells and I glare in his direction. "Stop laughing at me!" I slap his arm.

"Ouch! Chiara's mum! Chiara hit me!" He cries and it's then that I slap my hand over his mouth instead.

"Shove it, Jamesie! Don't be such a baby." I laugh.

I remove my hand from his face and drum my fingers on my lap. "Why don't we..." My eyes light up as an idea graces my thoughts. I lean in to whisper my idea to him.

*

James and I whoosh around the house. Playing catch, with a twist. The broomsticks we're using to fly being the twist. I'm borrowing Dad's broomstick from his golden years and James is riding the one I got him for Christmas.

We pass a Quaffle back and forth. "Will you be trying out for Quidditch?" James asks excitedly all the while skillfully catching the ball single-handedly.

"You know it, brother!" I giggle, catching the Quaffle by swinging upside-down on the broom. "I assume I don't have to ask if you will be, Mr Quidditch."

"You know me all too well, madam!" He mimicking a person of prestige. "Which position do you reckon you'll go out for?"

"Beater! Just imagine the looks on the other team's faces when they see little me!" I laugh at the mental image. "They won't know what hit them—quite literally!"

"Now that I can't wait to see!"

*

To end the day, James and I fall asleep on the couches.

I jump awake when mum gently pokes my shoulder. "Can fish eat other fish?!" I exclaim bluntly, my eyes flying open just as suddenly. Mum snorts and shakes her head at me. I turn my head at a heaviness on my shoulder. Beside me rests James' sleeping figure.

"Think we should wake the poor boy? It's getting late and I'm sure his parents will be worried." Mum asks me and I nod.

I shake James awake and he flutters his eyes open to reveal a pair of sparkling hazel eyes. He smiles up at me. "Was your day a little less boring?" James asks hopefully.

"Definitely!" I grin at my best friend. "Just so you know, I might owl you tomorrow for another day of fun." He chuckles and nods his head.

"I'd expect nothing less."