Wednesday
September 9, 1977
Gryffindor Dorm
The first few things that crossed my mind this morning when I woke were as follows:
1. I forgot about bloody detention. I'm Eva Bishop, I just don't go around partying and forgetting about detention!
2. I definitely drank too much firewhisky last night. Exactly the reason why I don't party - I'm too much of a lightweight. I literally only drank one cup.
3. Sadly, I didn't drink enough to forget that I was kissed by Marlene McKinnon. On the lips. With people around. Remus saw! (I think). I mean of all the things I expected to happen, none of them did. None of them! Zero. Nada.
Oh well, lets stress my life away, shall I? It's six thirty, no one's awake, as usual, yada yada, I know the drill. Let's get breakfast over and done with, shall we?
Wednesday
September 9, 1977
Great Hall
Well that was a surprise.
I got down for breakfast and the hall was practically empty, aside from the usual few Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. Do all the Slytherins normally sleep late? Is that a Slytherin trait? Probably.
Anyway, Black was nowhere to be seen, which came as both a surprise and a relief, and Dorcas was sitting by herself, and I guess, well, after coming in and seeing she was looking straight at me, was waiting for me.
She grinned as I sat down across from her and looked to her left and right before whispering, "Is it true?"
Is what true? That I'm going around kissing girls now?
"Is what true?" There. Let her think about it.
"Don't play stupid with me, Eva. Everyone saw you and Marley kissing last night."
"Well I'm not into Marley if you really want to know. Marley just thought I was. Not quite sure why, but, well, you know what people say about assumptions."
"No, I don't actually."
Neither do I, now that I think about it. "Well it was an accident, just so you know. You shouldn't think anything of it. Not that I don't like Marley, I quite like her a lot, actually, but, well, not in that way."
"Oh. Well I'm glad that's sorted then," said Dorcas, who returned to her breakfast.
Where's Black, I wonder? Not that I care, obviously, but he's been, well, somewhat present in my mornings this year. Maybe now he's decided to stop ruining my life?
Fat chance.
"So where's Black this morning? Has he decided he's too cool to grace us with his presence?"
Dorcas raises an eyebrow. "Why would I know? Sirius and I aren't exactly bunk buddies... Why do you care anyway?"
There we go with the first names again. And I don't, obviously.
"Hopefully he's decided to stop our morning rendezvous, that's all."
Dorcas' eyebrow looks as if it might jump off her face. "I bet."
What's that supposed to mean? Everyone's so bloody cryptic these days - especially Lily, with the ridiculous way she was acting last night, dancing with Potter and all that. Speaking of which.
"Uh, Dorcas?"
"Yes Eva?"
"So what exactly happened last night after I left?"
"Oh." She blushes. "Well I wouldn't really know, I spent most of the night with Remus."
SHE BLOODY WHAT?
Calm, Evelyn. Calm. "You, uh, what?"
"Yeah, I asked him to dance, and well, I think he likes me."
I think I may need a considerable amount of time to recover from this betrayal. Can I say: Dorcas the Betrayer?
All of a sudden, Dorcas' awfully dreamily-looking face and my most probably SHELL-SHOCKED one were interrupted, for some reason, by Hol Buggery.
"Uh, hi, Eva. And Meadowes," he said, shuffling side to side.
"Buggery," said Dorcas with a glare.
Huh?
"Anyway, Eva, I was wondering if you'd had any more thought about those charms?"
Ahh. That would be a no.
"Hollard!" Came a screech from the other side of the hall. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!"
Why do all of these people feel the need to join my breakfast?
The girl walks over, and I feel like I've seen her before. Her hair is like a dark red except I don't think it's natural. But it looks really good which is really annoying, because she seems annoying. Anyway.
She grabs Hol's arm and turns to face us, smiling oddly. "Hello, Eva."
I stare at her blankly. I feel like I should know her name, but I really don't.
She raises an eyebrow. "Hello? Isadora James? We're in the same year? I'm in Hufflepuff."
Ahh. That's why she seemed familiar. "Ahh, yes, I remember you now. You're the girl who's almost sort of not really as good as me at charms."
"Excuse me?" She looks incredulous. "You're not better than I am."
EXCUSE ME?
"Actually, there's no one quite as good at charms as Bishop here," added Black.
Wait, Black? When did he turn up?
"Morning everyone," Black grinned, sitting on top of the Gryffindor table. "What brings this odd collection of people here this fine day?"
"We were just leaving," replied Isadora, attempting to drag Hol away from our little gathering.
"Actually, hang on Iz, I need to talk to Eva," interrupted Hol. "I need to ask her about charms for my project."
"I can answer your questions perfectly fine," Isadora glared at me, "I probably know more than she does anyway."
HOLD YOUR BLOODY HORSES WOMAN!
"Whoah, Izzie, don't say anything too hasty," said Black, jumping off the table and coming to stand behind them. "I've got a rather excellent idea, actually. Why don't Buggery and Bishop go off and talk charms, and we can recreate our broom cupboard moment of last year, shall we?"
If Remus was here, he would have choked on something.
Luckily we had the ever eloquent Hollard Eustace Buggery, who turned red in the face and managed to splutter out a, "You said you'd never had a boyfriend before!"
To which Isadora replied, "I haven't! Snogging a couple times doesn't count as a boyfriend," and proceeded to dragged Hol's protesting body out of the great hall.
"Well that was fun," grinned Black, "let's do it again some time, shall we?"
Wednesday
September 9, 1977
Charms
Black is an absolute menace, let me tell you. I left rather hurriedly after the conversation in the great hall, more in disgust than anything. I mean, well, obviously Black's done a lot of snogging, but you don't really want to hear about it you know? It's like small children. They're to be seen and not heard. Not that I'm suggesting Black's snogging's the sort of thing to be seen.
Merlin.
Anyway, Herbology was a kerfuffle and a half, let me tell you. One of the Hufflepuffs, who knows what their name is, managed to get stung by a Venomous Tentacular in greenhouse six and almost died.
Sprout panicked so much in her attempt to get the boy to Pomfrey that she accidentally knocked over a couple of baby mandrakes, and well, that managed to make a couple of people pass out, including Ervyn Avery, which made Black and Potter laugh so much that they almost passed out.
It was a crisis.
Anyway, I'm in charms now and Isadora keeps shooting me death stares. Not sure why, it's not like I did anything to offend her. If anything, it should be me that's offended. Her better than me? What a joke.
All of a sudden, a scrunched up ball of parchment hits my desk. Wow. I wonder what this could be. I open it, and naturally, a note from Black.
Dearest Evelyn,
It reads.
I must apologise for mentioning certain snogging incidents of the past this morning in order to rid you of Isadora. Won't happen again, I assure you.
What? Why is he apologising? I don't give a doxy's arse about any of his snogging practices.
Anyway, speaking of snogging,
Here we go.
I was wondering if you could possibly be tempted by a hefty sum of thirty galleons! James has decided, in an effort to encourage you, to double his snogging price! THIRTY GALLEONS EVELYN! Do you know how much thirty galleons can buy?
Snogging price? Merlin's pants Black, this is feeling awfully close to prostitution.
Please Evelyn, if you care about me at all, you'll do this one small thing for me.
Lots of love,
Your one and only,
Sirius Orion Black.
I wonder if Flitwick will notice if I suddenly set fire to this piece of parchment? Well even if he doesn't, Isadora probably will and that will probably have a rather negative outcome. Hmm.
I turn around and shoot Black a glare. I'm momentarily thrown because he looks at me with this somewhat disarmingly hopeful face, but then I remember he's a childish, bullying, rich, arrogant git, and I light the paper on fire, throw it in his face, turn back around and pretend I have no idea that part of Black's hair is burning off.
What a pity.
"Mr Black!" Shrieks Flitwick in alarm, "What on earth is going on?"
Black only looks mildly alarmed as he puts out the fire on his head and attempts to rub the ash off of his face. "What an excellent question, Professor. I do believe I must have accidentally set myself on fire."
I feel my heart almost stop. What? Black passing up an opportunity to get me in trouble?
"That's not true, Professor," interrupts Isadora, "it was Bishop, Sir, she set Black on fire!"
Well there it is.
Black winks at me whilst Flitwick is distracted.
"I will not have this behavior in my classroom," shrills Flitwick, looking as if he might burst. "Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr Black, for disrupting my lesson, and ten points from Hufflepuff, Miss James, for obvious slander. Now, everyone, get back to your lesson!"
On either side of me, Lily and Lottie look at me with wide eyes. Merlin, I would be looking at me with wide eyes if that were humanly possible.
Well thanks, Flitwick. Obvious slander. Take that, Isadora. I avoid making eye contact.
Anyway, what's more important is that Black, yes, Sirius (cringe) Orion Black, known Evelyn Katherine Olivia Bishop hater, passed up an opportunity to get me detention. What has gotten into him lately? This is getting bloody ridiculous.
Anyway, no snogging for him, or me, for that matter, and back to charms! (I've almost mastered a nonverbal accio, which could be mighty useful).
Wednesday
September 9, 1977
Library
So I'm avoiding Pince, naturally, because I think she might hate me. If her French swearing when I walked in is anything to go by, I would say yes.
Anyway, it's my study period, my only one, and I don't think it coincides with anyone else's study period, and I can't decide if it is a good thing or not.
On one hand, no Lily, Lottie or Remus.
On the other hand, no Black, Potter or Peter.
Not that I hate Peter, it's just, well, he has terrible taste in friends.
And speaking of Lily, I could not find her this morning when I woke up. I've barely seen her all day, as a matter of fact. Well I've seen her in Herbology and Charms, but, well, I was doing work, and wasn't really doing much talking.
I'm a terrible friend.
Oh, look! Mark Abery! I can see him through the bookshelf - he's on the other side of the Charms aisle. Hey, maybe he needs tutoring!
Well not maybe, I know he does. But like, now.
"Pssst, Mark!" I hiss through the bookshelf.
He drops the book he's holding, and it makes an awfully loud noise as it hits the ground. I hear Pince curse from somewhere over in the Ministry of Magic section.
Oops.
"Mark, it's me, Eva. Quick, come over here."
He hurries around to where I am more quickly than I would have given him credit for, looking mildly concerned.
"What's going on?" He whispers, looking around for Pince.
"Calm down, my good friend. She's not going to come over. But maybe sit down and look engrossed in my charms essay just in case."
He sits down, just in the nick of time, I might add, as Pince rounds the corner looking awfully suspicious, but doesn't give us studious students a second glance.
Mark looks up from my essay looking slightly more than vaguely confused. "So, uh, Eva, why did you call me over here?"
"Because you need my expert tutelage, of course." Why else?
"Oh, right! So you're able to help me now?"
No, no I'm not. I just thought I'd use my spare time to tell you about my desire for a pet iguana.
"Why yes, yes I am."
"Great! Where do we start then?"
"Well, let's see. Do you have any outstanding work that you're confused about?"
"Um, yeah. I've got this one assignment that I can't make head or tail of."
I glanced at his work and then proceeded to fetch a book on the topic. My little journey took me to another aisle, where I could still see Mark. And, I could also see someone seeing Mark also. I mean someone was watching him. Creepily. I was mildly concerned so I made haste back to our study desk and pulled up another chair to sit next to my little apprentice.
"You've got a stalker."
"Huh?"
"Some chick over there," I gestured.
Mark turned his head to catch his observer and then quickly turned his head back to his scroll, blushing. "That's just Louise."
Just Louise? What's with the crimson cheeks then, eh Abery?
"Ok, well, let's have a gander at this then, shall we?" And we proceeded to study the theory of silencing charms for about ten minutes, undisturbed, until Louise decided to swing past every thirty seconds, creating an unwelcome distraction from our lesson, not unlike some other people I knew.
But anyway, Louise was distracting me and Mark, so I had to do something about it.
"Hey, Louise. Get over here."
That ought to put a stop to her awkward scampering.
She scurried to our desk from around the corner where she'd been waiting for the next thirty second interval to roll around.
"You know my name?" She questioned timidly. (In a Scottish accent I might add. Which probably explains her strawberry-blondeness.)
"Well, I thought it'd be best if I knew the name of the person who was stalking me."
Her expression changed from shy to shocked and embarrassed.
Well, obviously she's stalking me. I mean, she wouldn't be stalking Mark Abery, obviously, because Mark Abery obviously has a crush on Lottie. Obviously.
"I'm uh, not... stalking you, Eva," Louise says, rocking awkwardly on her feet. "Uh, not that I know your name, of course, because that would be stalkery, but except I do, because, well, Mark's mentioned it a couple of times."
He what?
Mark coughed loudly. "Uh, hi Louise. Uh, this is Eva Bishop, Eva, this is Louise McKendrick."
Definitely Scottish.
"Louise is my friend from Ravenclaw. She's a fifth year prefect and she likes cats."
I'm a dog person myself.
"So Louise... what brings you to this neck of the woods?"
She is looking increasingly awkward, which is good, methinks, as I can't really decide if I like her or not. Her hair is too perfect. It's bugging me. It's like... too nice to be natural.
"I'm, uh, doing my charms homework."
Right.
"Well do you reckon you could do that in a slightly less distracting manner? We're trying to work here, and your pacing is making it, well, to be honest, rather impossible to focus on anything charm related. I mean, for goodness sake, I almost told Mark here the wand movements for incendio, instead of the movement for aparecium, and, well, nothing good could come of that."
"Uh, Eva," Mark interrupted, attempting to put out the burning piece of parchment on the desk, "I think you did, uh, get the wand movements mixed up.
Ahh. That would be why Louise was staring at us in shock, not because of my obviously threatening demeanor.
Also, the desk is on fire.
Nothing a simple aguamenti shouldn't fix.
Mark's still trying to put the fire out by hitting it with a book, not that it's a particularly large fire, but, well, it is bright purple, which is kind of ringing warning bells, and Louise is being particularly helpful by standing there in shock. Ugh, why do I have to do all the work around here?
I put the fire out, but, naturally, Pince, as well as some random Slytherin, have noticed that orange smoke is emanating from our little study nook and have come over, which means that Pince has started yelling in a mix of French and English.
I can really only make out a few words in the chaos, such as 'torture' and 'get out' and 'death' so I kind of decide it would be a good idea to gather my things and leave, dragging Mark and Louise with me.
So I do.
Wednesday
September 9, 1977
Gryffindor Girls Dorm
So after that fiasco we managed to escape without incident. I do, however, think that next time I hope to venture into the library I'll have to sneak in, as Pince might have put a lifetime ban on my presence entering her sacred area.
Mark and Louise awkwardly left to go wherever they went, I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention. What, however, had caught my attention was Black strutting around the Great Hall with only half his clothes on.
This only caught my attention because Black in only a pair of pants was shockingly horrendous and disgusting, not because of his finely shaped torso. Obviously not because of that. Obviously.
Anyway, I kind of sneaked in, grabbed a sandwich or two, and left, after being greeted by Lily's disgusted face and Lottie's shockingly-not-so face at the entry to the great hall. I wanted no part of Black's tomfoolery. Neither did Lily, and probably (hopefully) Lottie, so they left with me, and we ate lunch outside.
Then after lunch was Ancient Runes, which was sadly uneventful. Remus wasn't looking very well though - he seemed awfully tired and haggard, which, now that I think about it, seemed to happen an awful lot. Maybe I could pester Black about it.
After Ancient Runes was DADA, and we're still learning about werewolves, which is interesting. I reckon it'd be cool to meet a werewolf, you know, considering they were in human form at the time and weren't one of those 'evil' type werewolves. Like a nice werewolf. Anyway.
It's almost time for our first prefects meeting of the year, and I'm excited to see how Lily and Potter manage being head's together. Also I'll get to sit next to Remus. So many exciting possibilities!
Also, the fact that I have a prefects meeting means that my detention, as revealed on a very exciting note from McGonagall, 'is to be moved to the day after your detentions were originally planned to end, along with two days after that, to make up for the detention missed last night, and any other detentions that coincide with any prefect functions.'
So I have three more nights of detention. Super duper.
Anyway, I'd best be off to the prefect meeting.
Wednesday
September 9, 1977
Unused Charms Classroom turned Prefect Meeting Room
So, because of Potter's brilliant skills, he managed to blow up the prefect meeting room in his attempt to redecorate, so we're using an unused charms classroom, which kind of makes me feel more at home, so that's good.
I didn't realize the school had so many prefects. I mean, well, there's eight in each year, times by three, add two (that makes 26, in case in your old age, when you're rereading this diary, you don't know how to do basic multiplication).
Anyway, so we're all sitting at this long table, with Lily and Potter at the head, and Remus and I on either side of them, staring dreamily into each other's eyes (no that was not embellished whatsoever).
I swear, I don't recognize half the people here. There's Hol Buggery and Hollie Hindeburg from Ravenclaw, Hollie Beckham from Slytherin (why are there so many Hollies?), and I'm not sure who the seventh year boys from Hufflepuff and Slytherin are. Unfortunately, I spot Isadora James, my newest friend, who is sitting next to Hol, as the seventh year Hufflepuff prefect.
There's also Louise McKendrick for Ravenclaw, and Lottie's sister Julie as a fifth year Gryffindor prefect.
Potter brings the meeting to attention by banging on the table with a gavel. Not quite sure where he got one of those, but, well, knowing Potter, it could be from anywhere.
"Attention, Ladies and Gentlemen," Potter announces, banging his gavel both loudly and repetitively. "Your esteemed Head Girl and I now officially open this meeting."
Lily rips the gavel out of his hand and kicks him in the leg (which I know, due to a loud 'thump' that comes from under the table.
"Thank you for that splendorous introduction Potter."
Potter tries to grin, but fails due to the pain in his leg, and it comes out more like a wince.
"Anyway, you have been selected as this year's school prefects, and that title comes with various responsibilities, some of which you have already performed, such as leading the firsties to your common rooms," Lily nods at the fifth year prefects, "and other tasks which we'll talk about closer to the date said events, such as helping with the Halloween and Christmas decorations."
"More importantly," interrupts Potter, "you're able to take away points, which I think is bloody brilliant, but only from your own houses, which is less brilliant. So don't even try taking fifty points from Gryffindor when we smash you in Quidditch."
The Gryffindors cheer, including me (obviously). The other houses look annoyed.
"Also," adds Lily, with another kick toward Potter, "we need to organize a roster for the nightly patrols of the castle. "You'll work in groups of two, same year, any house, just to keep it interesting, and you'll change partner each week, but will patrol on the same night per week, if that makes sense to everybody? There'll be two sets of partners, one that will start early, and then swap with the other pair so that you all have time to get work done."
Everybody nods, despite no one actually understanding what Lily said. Except maybe Remus. Remus probably understood.
"Anyway, people, here we go. Remember who your partner is and what day you're on."
Lily pulls out a piece of paper, marked up with lines and tables that seems to make some sort of sense to her. Potter leans back on his chair, and I can see him whispering something to Remus that I can't quite catch. Remus chokes on his water.
"So, fifthys, here you go." Lily starts rattling off a list of names, which I don't bother to catch. Something about Juniper Clearwater being partnered with Jesse Finch sends a Felicity Klopper into a screaming fit but they're fifthys so I kind of ignored the hair pulling and the eye poking (although it was fun to see Potter getting punched in the eye in an attempt to put a stop to the madness).
What I was waiting for was who I was going to be paired with (cough cough Remus) and it is getting increasingly frustrating to sit here and listen.
"Eva?" Says Lily, looking at me with a little grin, "You'll be paired with Remus." Lily winks at me for added affect. I try to look neutral.
Potter raises an eyebrow at Lily. We both try and look neutral. Potter narrows his eyes and then grins and I really hope he's just remembering something funny that happened during one of his endeavors to reach enlightenment.
Remus smiles (I die a little inside) and asks, "So when are we on?"
"Tomorrow, 11 till 12," replies Lily.
"Great," smiles Remus again.
It's a date.
"Also there's a prefects' bathroom five doors to the left of the statue of Boris the Bewildered. The password is 'strawberry bomb," finishes Potter with a bang of his gavel. "Meeting adjourned!"
~~~~~~~~~~
THANKS FOLKS FOR READING! Again, sorry for the lateness of the chapters, you know how it is, Year 12 and all.
Again, big thanks to Catriona for checking my work is readable and also writing some of the part where Louise is introduced (she's a babe).
The GIF is Aaron Taylor-Johnson as James Potter (if you hadn't guessed) who is, and will always be my dream fancast for James.
Please VOTE! Please do, it's hella easy and means a lot to me, and comment ideas and things you want to happen in the story, and I'll try and work them in! Thanks again for reading!