Chapter 24° Dating-tips
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Flashback:
"Wow, that was-"
,,Unexpected?"
James just closed the door to the room of requirement while his friends were already moving. He ran a little faster and caught the few meters that separated him and his friends. Everyone looked dumbfounded and tried to form a clear word on what had just happened. Amelia Grey and Jaden Thomas were sitting in the room of requirement, the one that the marauders have been using themselves for years, joking around and studying. Every single one of them had been entirely sure that nobody else knew about this extraordinary and special place. And it never occurred to them to think otherwise. But how wrong they've been all along. Another group of four has been spending their free time in the cabin for years. And when they've came to senses about the truth, they also are confronted about the how easy it was for the Slytherin girl to connect the dots on why they were there.
,,I- did that really just happen?" Sirius asked, as he slowly turned to face his friends with a raised brow and confusion written all over his face. And the others couldn't do anything but look exactly the same way. Their bodies stiffened and eyes unfocused.
Peter was the first to prep himself up and clear his throat entirely. He ran his hand through his light blonde hair and sighed in acceptance,,It most definitely did. And Merlin knows I was not prepared for that."
Humming in agreement James started to walk who knows where, waiting for the guys to follow him.
,,I mean, It kinda makes sense though, doesn't it? We've been spending time in the room of requirement for years and James found it somehow by accident, so why wouldn't others be able to experience the same thing?" Remus said slowly, the more he thought about the coincidence.
"And it was nice of Amelia wanting to let us have the room to ourselves, wasn't it? To suggest it at all and not push us out was really kind of her. She could have just sent us away." he expanded deep in thought with a little smile plastered on his face, making Sirius grin widely at him, his front teeth showing and his dimples increasing.
,,Yeah, seems like your little serpent girlfriend really isn't that bad after all, huh?"
,,She- she is not my girlfriend" His cheeks turning red, Remus started running off to a specific direction, trying to hide his blush and change the topic. ,,We could go to the spot at the lake again, where we were swimming the last time."
,,Oh, you mean the spot where you've been flirting shamelessly with the pretty brunette that we just left back in the room with her Hufflepuff friend?"
,,I hate you."
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Waiting in front of the potions room, in the hope that the teacher and her project partner would appear soon, Lia kept thinking about the extremely unusual meeting with the marauders from the previous day.
She had never spent too many thoughts on whether others would use this room as well. I mean, why would she? Every student had the same right to experience the dimensions of the dreamy room, if he could find it. But the confrontation with the four Gryffindoors was simply unexpected and surprising. And yet it made sense when she thought about the many unpredictable pranks and jokes. Sometimes the young student wondered if she would have ever enjoyed the possibilities of this room without her friendship with Laurie, but she couldn't find an answer. It would be possible and yet not necessary.
The happy sounds of four students shook Amelia out of her daydream and bundle of thoughts and brought her back to the present in front of the big, old door of a room. She turned her head around and faced the guys that her thoughts had been wrapped around just some seconds ago. And they seemed to acknowledge her too, as she met two smiles, that were forming on Remus' and Peters face, a smirk that could only look good on the handsome face of Sirius Black and a intriguing yet interested look in James' face, that seemed unexpectedly light-hearted.
,,Hello, Amelia." Remus greeted her, followed by the voices of his friends saying their heys and hellos.
,,Uhm- hey?" Lia said, making it sound more like a question as she was surprised by the carefreeness that she was confronted with. However, as she took a second of gathering her thoughts she pressed her brows together in confusion, letting her gaze wander of four of the boys. Why all four?
Peter seemed to see through her concern and quickly explained the situation. ,,Oh, don't worry, you haven't been mistaken with the classes. We aren't gonna stay that long, we just finished breakfast quiet early and decided to keep Remus' company while he has to come down here for potions."
Silently sighing in relief, Amelia chose to brush it off and say: ,,Okay. I was already starting to wonder if I switched up the days or something."
,,Padfoot, I just remembered that I still have to ask out my Lilyflower. I forgot because you were rushing me!" James shouted at his friend, poking his chest, his eyes widening at the simple thought of her missing a chance to accept the date.
Groaning in annoyance and disbelief, the boys shook their heads at the glasses-wearing boy that they call their friend.
,,Potter, you should really overthink your methods and ways to beleaguer a girl you're trying to get to notice you." Amelia said, surprising everyone around her. She had seen the way James tried to get the gingers attention, practically begging her to go out with him, trying to look cool.
All four heads spinned around to face her, but James' was the quickest by far. His brows scrunched together and he pressed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. ,,Oh? I don't think I've ever seen you with a boy around here before."
She raised a brow at his defensive but interested voice. Kinda frustrated. ,,That's because I don't need to stalk a boy, trying to get his attention, that would be unwanted anyway. And besides, how could you? Until a couple of weeks ago you didn't even know I existed at all."
Touchè.
,,However, you obviously want to get Lilys attention so desperately but just try to do it the wrong way and fail."
,,And what would you suggest me to do, Grey? What are your dating-tips for me?"
Sighing in disbelief, Amelia took a deep breath. ,,Okay, it's simple. If you really like her, you have to stop always acting cool in front of her. You try to keep your cool and get her attention every second, starting with those weird names. Lilyflower, Lilypad, Lily-whatever. Just stay with her normal name. She doesn't seem to be too fond of you most of the time, so don't start with the nicknames already. If you're starting to get her sympathies you can start to think of one. A DIFFERENT one. But the way you talk in front of her makes it seem like you just want to look cool for everyone else."
,,You also make it sound like she is just a task for you or a conquest. Saying things like ,I'm gonna get you to go out with me.' or ,One day you'll say yes.' It sounds like you are just doing it for your own conscience or pride of not wanting to be rejected and it you make it seem like you just want to get in her pants. You are one of the popular boys, so acting like you can easily have every girl you want would make her stay silent, even if she would reciprocate your feelings. Lily is a smart girl and has her principles. And lastly take off your mask of arrogance and pride in front of her. I don't believe that you are like that around your friends." she pointed at Sirius, Peter and Remus.
,,Show that you truly care about her and like her. Talk to her when it's just the two of you, so neither of you two is pressured by others watching. And be brutally honest. Lily values honesty and personality. Others may not look at the details and differences but she definitely does." Amelia finished her little speech.
Looking up to face her counterpart, she was greeted by four blank faces once again. Now it was their turn to say something, but neither of the boys knew what to say, so they all remained silent. Eyes widened, mouth opened and head leaned forward, they looked right into her eyes. And that was for multiple reasons.
One: None of them has ever heard Amelia say this much in a row with this confidence.
Two: It sounded like she really knew what she was talking about.
And three: Everything she said made absolute sense.
,,I-" James starting, feeling the need to say at least something, as Amelia in fact was right. ,,That actually sounds logical."
Thank Merlin, Lia thought. Otherwise I would have spend my breath and way to many thoughts on this.
Sirius patted his mates shoulder and brushed a strand of his hair out of his eyes. ,,Wow, Grey, he is right, it makes sense. Are we talking to a love expert right now?"
,,Absolutely not, but as a girl I guess I have some female intuition on a guys behavior." Even laughing, she couldn't help but blush.
Lia had never really been interested in any boy. As she had been reserved for the past years, she never made new friends other than Laurie, Jay and Mo. There has been one harmless little crush back in first year, but nothing too serious. It was a boy with brown hair and blue eyes. He was really good in class and studied a lot. Lia saw him quiet a lot back then, when she was studying herself or reading, she was able to look at him in the library while he scribbled down things or lowered his nose into his book. But what can I say? The feelings quickly vanished and when Callum died and her feeling shut down, every last thought of him found its death too. And now, years later, Amelia can't ever remember his name anymore.
,,Grey?" James suddenly asked, shaking his head and raising an eyebrow at her.
,,Yes?"
,,Do you know Lily? You seemed so staunched when you talked about her in particular." This question made the others find her gaze as well. It actually sounded like she did.
Lowering her head and facing the ground, Amelia thought about what to say next. ,,Well- I- I have talked to her before. Last year we coincidentally met at the library a few times. We studied together and talked a bit. Nothing much."
And that was the truth. Lia was in the corner furthest from the door that day, when Lily was searching for a particular book in DADA. The one book copy that Amelia had just borrowed to study herself. As she saw Lilys need and interest in the book and class, Lia decided to invite the redhead to share the book while they study separately, which Lily gladly accepted. However, the two actually ended up mostly working together.
,,And I saw her sometimes, when she was spending time with Severus." As she thought about it in connection with the Potter boy, another tip brushed through her thoughts.
Throwing her hands up in thoughts about what James had done to the Slytherin boy before, Lia looked at him. ,,Oh yeah and in Merlins name stop bullying Severus. Just because he is friends with Lily, doesn't give you any right to torture and humiliate him all the time. If you want Lily to like you, don't openly throw shade on a person she respects and worships."
,,Really? Snivillous? That greasy and creepy git?" James whined.
Amelia couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. ,,Again with the stupid nicknames, really? But yes, that one. Really, what has he ever done to you?"
,,He doesn't have to do anything for me to dislike him. He's still a bloody Slyth-"
Amelia started to get upset about his lame excuses and reasons. A Slytherin. All Slytherins. All the same. The snakes. The bad ones. The death eaters. Stoping his explanation from going any further, she decided to interrupt him. ,,Yeah, a Slytherin, I know. No, you're right, his house clears up pretty much everything about his personality and feelings, doesn't it? What has he ever done to you in particular? What did he do to gain your hatred?"
James stayed silent, filling with his hands. He didn't know what to say. He simply didn't have an answer. He didn't know. And in this case, none of the others were able to say something either.
,,Maybe this is the problem. You think too simple, too restricted, too black and white. As a Slytherin, a person of cunning and ambition, let me tell you that Severus is not like the others. He's not like Mulciber, Avery, or Malfoy. He is very different from what you think and not what you so desperately try to see in him. And he has often helped me with the others."
,,Think about it."
AN: damn James really can't take a hint, tbh I'm getting exhausted with this man.
I hope you liked this chapter though.
a penny for your thoughts about it? <33