101 Ways to ditch the Date | SIRIUS BLACK

No. 26

James's hazel eyes were wide as he slowly walked over to Sirius, holding his hands out warily as if approaching a startled animal, "Okay... we can deal with this... we've had worse."

"No. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me," Sirius said, wincing in pain.

"You grew up with the Blacks, that's doubtful," James replied as he slowly edged closer, "Come on let's get you to Madam Pomfrey."

He slowly began to pull Sirius out, ignoring his wand which could have been a great help. Sirius moaned, "Ow, it hurts, stop pulling me like that!"

Ora stepped forward but Lily didn't, her hands over her mouth, her green eyes wide and unblinking. Although she wanted to get Sirius out of the hole, if her friendship with Lily was going to go anywhere, she had to check she was okay too. Plus, Sirius had James who would probably be better prepared for a dramatic and injured Sirius.

"Lily, you look like you've seen a ghost - "

With her hands still over her mouth, Lily snapped around, "Ora, I shouldn't have been here, we were meant to be on duty, we should have been the ones stopping you two from sneaking out. Oh God, and we're out here and he's hurt - "

"Just checking something, are you also annoyed at me for sort of... following behind you?" Ora asked, nervously.

"What? I had actually completely forgotten," Lily shook her head, "I really don't care to be honest, James said Sirius takes pretty girls to the lake a lot, I don't want to question what you were planning. But this... this could be a problem, nobody should be out here at this time, least of all the Head Girl and Head Boy!"

She began pacing, flapping her arms up and down to soothe herself although it seemed to be having the opposite effect, making her panic more and more every second.

Ora didn't have much experience with calming down scared people, she was usually the one who freaked out whilst Emmeline remained level headed. She tried to think through to how Emmeline dealt with these sort of things; usually she helped Ora figure out the answer on her own or failing that, made her go back to bed. Lily probably had her own specific ways of calming down which Ora didn't know yet but she had no other choice. She literally didn't know what else to do.

"But... if McGonagall catches you, will she be nice? Maybe it won't be as bad as you think," Ora said, trying to sound cheerful.

"She is going to be so mad, one time I forgot to hand in my Transfiguration homework on time and the look she gave me," Lily shivered, "Oh, it haunts me. Trouble scares me, it's like I get this wretched pit in my stomach that then fills with quick sand and dissolves away again... I hate this, I feel like I'm being clawed from the inside out."

"Well... even if you get into trouble, I'm sure you can outwit her, you're good at talking your way out of things," Ora said, suddenly realising she'd just said a carbon copy of what Emmeline always said to her, a carbon copy which didn't relate to Lily.

"What?"

"I mean because you're so witty and savage," Ora covered quickly, "From what I've heard from Sirius, you're a sassy girl especially to James - "

"To James," Lily replied, "I can't sass out Professor McGonagall, she's a teacher, one of my favourites too."

"Well... maybe McGonagall has a wild side - "

"No, she was a model student. Apparently she never got a detention," Lily said, "Oh God, what do I do -"

"Ora, Lily, can you help me get him back? He needs two people to lean on supposedly," James shouted and Ora was slightly grateful for the excuse to stop talking to Lily.