Mischief Managed!

21.

"Silencio."

The boys stared at Emmeline, torn between horror and appreciation. The girl looked positively murderous.

"No, you don't get to talk," she informed the captive. "You don't get to do anything except listen. What on earth possessed you to follow that – Scamander!" she screeched. "Did you think Lily would be grateful? You're sick, Rita Skeeter. Nothing more than a scheming, slimy little beetle. You're nothing! How dare you?!"

Emmeline paused for breath, nostrils flaring. At this point she appeared to recall that there were other people in the room: and they were all gaping at her. Oddly satisfied with her education of Rita, she decided to turn to them next. James flinched; Sirius blinked, Remus averted his eyes and Peter physically turned away.

"Now," Emmeline said, her voice menacingly gentle. "Is there anything else you boys were going to neglect to tell me?"

Rita was visibly quivering. "You – you're going to dowhat?!"

"Obliviate you," Emmeline replied cruelly. "Which is no less than you deserve."

Rita sniffed, wanting very much to cry. All her hard work!

James watched in disgust as their captive gave another great heaving shudder and promptly burst into tears. While he couldn't understand exactly what she was saying, he caught phrases that sounded vaguely like... no, that couldn't be right? All my plans?

James shrugged. He honestly couldn't care less. This wretched creature had been quite prepared to break Lily's heart – and she got to forget this whole incident! James would have much rather that he too was obliviated, quite frankly.

Emmeline pulled out her wand…

Rita fainted.

"Bugger," Sirius complained, sighing as he lifted her onto the lounge for the second time.

James was looking at Emmeline, unable to decide whether he was more impressed or frightened. Emmeline herself looked wretched.

"The things I do for that girl," she muttered, shaking her head.

James was rather inclined to agree.

Peter dusted his hands in a business-like manner. "Right. Well, James, you should get her up to Madam Pomfrey. Say she fell down a stair, or something."

"I'll go with you," Emmeline offered grimly.

James smiled at her gratefully, and levitated Rita in front of him. "Thanks, Em. I'll see you lot back at the common room, then," he told his friends.

Emmeline fetched her cloak from the table at the far end of the room.

"Don't forget that invisibility cloak," she reminded the boys. Surprised, they nodded.

"Lets get this over and done with."

Lily was stretched out on the lounge when the Carved Witch opened to let James in. She propped herself up on the pillows, smiling at him cheerfully.

"Hello, where have you been all day?"

James visibly blanched. "Umm… around," he replied, vaguely flapping his hand and secretly mortified that she had noticed.

Lily nodded, surprisingly satisfied with his answer. "I had the best afternoon," she told him happily. "I beat Em at chess, and then I ran into Art down at the library and we went for a walk around the lake…"

She sighed happily. James blinked.

For all that he, James Potter, could not see anything at all appealing in Scamander, it was obvious that Lily did. It was apparent that Lily saw many wonderful things in Scamander that James had neglected to notice.