"GRYFFINDOR CHAMPIONS, LIONS ROAR!" THE entirety of the fifth year to seventh year students cheered at the Prewett twins who stood on the table in the middle of the common room. It was clear what they were celebrating — another Gryffindor win against the Ravenclaws.
It was near midnight but the party was still going. Poor first to fourth years weren't allowed to join — which was the basic rule to every Gryffindor underground party ever since.
"We are not supposed to be encouraging this," Lily grumbled, looking around the noisy and crazy common room. Her eyes settled on Frank and Sirius having a drink off and it made her head shake, "We're Head Boy and Head Girl, James."
"Oh, lighten up a bit," James grinned and aloofly wrapped his arms around Lily's shoulder. "We won the game. Your boyfriend led his team to victory. Aren't you proud of me?"
"Of being both Head Boy and Quidditch Team Captain, yes, I am, very," said Lily. Then, she gingerly lifted his arm off of her, making the lad frown. "But you're being an irresponsible Head Boy and Quidditch Team Captain and I am not proud of that."
"Oh, come on, love," James cooed, sliding his hand from her elbows down to her hands and then intertwining them. "Everyone is having a blast."
"Everyone but me," Lily said, removing her hand from his. She took a step back and her heart broke a little at how James' face immediately looked glum and hurt. But her dignity mattered, too, not just her love for him. She crossed his arms and said, "I'm sorry but I don't want to be accused of promoting this. You know I have never agreed with these underground parties since we were first invited to them back in fifth year."
It was true. Lily either didn't come or just came to keep her friends in check. She never approved of the parties — which was to be expected from her, of course. James' eyebrows furrowed. "Can't you just be happy and celebrate with me? I want my girlfriend to be supportive of me."
"And I want my boyfriend to not be so immature," James clenched his jaw — you know he's mad when he clenches his jaw.
"What do you want me to do? Just stop the party?" James said, his voice risen lightly because of the noise around. "Wouldn't that be selfish? To stop this just because you don't want it?"
"It's not that I don't want it. It's because it's not right." Lily said back firmly.
"Why can't you just live a little?"
"Why can't you just be responsible?" James clicked his tongue at that response. Lily grimaced and finished, "This is probably why you and Freya didn't work out."
James opened his mouth to say something but Lily only muttered a, "I'm going to bed. You're on your own." and already turned around and walked away. James bit the inside of his cheek and made an annoyed sound, clearly his joyous mood was changed. He ran his hands across his hair in frustration before leaving the common room.
On the other side of the room, Freya and Mary were laughing their heads off at a joke Marlene had made. The three all held cups full of butterbeer.
"Honestly though, Marlene, you were amazing out there earlier," Mary said after their laughter died down.
"I second that," Freya grinned. "The way you caught the snitch was remarkable."
Marlene made a small bow and said in a posh accent, "Thank you, ladies," and it resulted in another fit of laughter. But all three heads turned when a loud cheering went on from the fireplace.
Sirius had put down the red cup two seconds faster than Frank did, lifting his arms in the air and being cheered on for he won the drink off. Freya couldn't help but grin and shake her head.
"Sirius can drink, can he?" Marlene remarked, which made Freya and Mary giggle.
But Freya's smile vanished in an instant as a fifth year, who was being cooed on by her friends from behind, stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed Sirius on the cheek. Sirius looked like he was caught off guard but nevertheless, he smirked down at the girl — the infamous Sirius Black smirk. The hooting of the crowd went wilder.
"And, apparently, he can still very much attract the female specimen," Marlene joked, to which Mary hissed to scold at her. Marlene rose her hands in the air as a surrender but both were ignored by Freya who pushed her drink at Mary's hand and stalked off to where Sirius was.
"Oh, oh, girlfriend on the lose," Freya heard her brother say as she walked past him. Froyce was by the couch near the fireplace — amazingly reading in the midst of a loud crowd — and looked up as his sister passed him. She ignored him completely and settled to Sirius. The crowd had dispersed by then since the 'show' was over.
"Oh, hey, babe," Sirius grinned at Freya and immediately dipped down for a kiss but was surprised when Freya moved away. Sirius chuckled, "Whoa, hurt my ego there, Frey."
"Glad to since it seems to be incredibly inflated at the moment," Freya answered sarcastically, crossing her arms.
Sirius' mouth went agape and Frank made a low whistle from beside him. The latter popped his lips awkwardly and said, "So, I guess I'm going to go find Alice, and, yeah, see you around." He was gone like the wind.
Sirius blinked a few times and his expression suddenly looked appalled. "I'm sorry, is there anything wrong?"
"A girl just kissed you on the cheek, Sirius," Freya stated the obvious, making pointed gestures. "And you're asking me if anything is wrong?"
But then Freya was surprised as Sirius broke off into a wide grin. "Awww, is someone jealous?"
"Not funny," she grumbled, rolling her eyes.
Sirius chuckled, "Doll, you said it yourself. A girl kissed me. On the cheek. I didn't do anything to initiate that."
"But you didn't do anything to stop it either," Freya retort back, making Sirius' grin fade away. "You even smiled. And from my view from away here, it looked very much like you liked it."
"Well, what did you want me to do? Push her away?" Sirius asked, his voice increasing in volume. His hand made gestures of negotiation as he spoke.
"Telling her you had a girlfriend would have suffice," Freya snapped back, her arms still crossed.
"The whole bloody school knows Freya, I don't have to go around screaming it," Sirius took a step forward. "Why are you cock blocking me?"
"I have every right to, I'm your girlfriend."
"You are but you don't own me," Sirius said firmly. "You can't dictate my every move."
"I'm not," Freya said back, offended. "I just don't like it that girls practically throw themselves at you."
"How is that my fault, Freya?" Sirius asked, his face in a huge scowl. "It's not my fault that girls find me attractive."
"Oh, you are so cocky," Freya rolled her eyes.
"And you're being obnoxious," Sirius retort back. He frowned at her and said, "You know me, Freya. I've told you about my problems and why I'm like this and that I'm never the person people make me out to be." (See: Chapter 20 & Chapter 28)
Sirius heaved a breath, as if thinking if he should say what he was about to say next but he did, "This is probably why you and James didn't work out."
Freya opened her mouth to say something but Sirius already walked away. Freya bit her tongue, a tactic she does when she tries not to cry. Her eyes followed Sirius to see him take another cup of butterbeer and then going to where Remus and Peter were, his face etched with annoyance — annoyance from her. She shook her head and headed out the common room.
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IMAGINE FREYA'S SURPRISE WHEN SHE saw James Potter, sitting on the windowsill at the astronomy tower. His legs were spread across him, taking up all the space of the windowsill. A red cup was in his hands and he was looking out at the Black Lake.
Freya had intended to turn around, but James already sensed another presence. He had already turned his head and he had already seen her. "Freya."
His voice was low and mixed with surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Freya forced a smile and clasped her hands together, "Oh, nothing. I just wanted fresh air."
"What? To dry your eyes out?" James asked, his eyebrow raising.
"Huh?"
"You look like you just cried."
Freya's hands immediately went to her eyes. "I wasn't —"
"Oh, don't try to deny it to me. I know you," James rolled his eyes. He threw the red cup then plopped his legs down and stood up. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I —"
"Stop it," James almost immediately cut her. "Tell me."
She stared at him and he was looking at her expectantly. Freya sighed and dropped her head to avoid his eyes, "It's Sirius."
"Ah, Padfoot trouble," James said casually, nodding his head. "Let me guess, a third party?"
Freya looked up at him, her eyes squinting. "How did you know?"
"I'm his best friend and a third party is 99.9% of the reason of Sirius and his past girlfriend's problems. You should have figured this out by now." James rose his eyebrow at her again.
Freya sighed and bit her lip. James just stared at her, immediately knew what was coming. Freya was going to rant. "I mean, would it just kill him to be loyal? His animagus is a dog for Godric's sake, that's the most loyal animal ever existing."
James smiled to himself. He still did knew her. Freya started walking past him as she ranted, making hand gestures as she did so. "Like, I'm not a clingy girlfriend, I never was."
James made a face and muttered, "True."
Freya ignored him and continued, "But I also don't appreciate it seeing him being mobbed by beautiful girls all wanting to be with him. I didn't mean to be selfish and clingy. I didn't mean to make him feel like I was controlling him. But seeing him not protesting to that girl who kissed his cheek made me flare up. And that the idea that that girl knew he had a girlfriend but still went up to kiss him meant she didn't care. That no one cares." Freya took a deep breath and laid her back against the wall next to the window. And in a low voice, she said, "It makes me feel like Sirius has this millions of choices and I'm so easily replaceable."
She looked up at James who was just standing there, his hands in his pockets. Freya didn't expect him to give her any advice because Sirius is his best friend and she was not even an acquaintance. She looked down to her feet. "Sorry for the rant."
"It's all good," she heard James answer.
She took a deep breath before looking back at him and forcing a smile. "How about you? What are you doing here, I mean?"
James clicked his tongue before saying, "Me and Lily had a fight."
"Oh," was Freya's lame attempt of a response.
James made a sound with his lips and nodded, "Yup. Apparently I was too immature." He walked towards her and settled next to her, his back also leaning on the wall and his arms crossed. "She didn't like the idea of me being Head Boy and still allowing underground parties."
"You know she's just looking out for you," Freya found herself saying.
"I know," said James. "I was mad since she called me immature but then when I came to think of it, she's right. And I don't have the right to be angry at someone who just wants the best for me."
Freya chuckled, "She's Lily Evans, she's always right."
"Yup," said James. He turned his head down to look at her and said, "And he's Sirius Black. Girls will never stop chasing her."
Freya's eyebrows furrowed so James continued, "And we have to accept them for who they are. Lily, the girl who's never wrong and Sirius, the boy who's never unattractive. It's annoying but they really are, actually, technically, not doing anything wrong." James looked back at the nothingness in front of them as Freya listened. "It's not Lily's fault that what she said was right. And it's not Sirius' fault that he's freakishly good looking."
Freya couldn't hold a small chuckle escape her lips from the last comment. James did as well before he countered with a, "But believe me, I would want Lily to lose up a bit. She's way too uptight."
"And I honestly would want girls to just stop oogling at Sirius."
"But Lily has never made me stop doing something if she didn't think it was wrong."
"And Sirius has never cheated on me," Freya said out loud in realization. "And probably never will."
"I should learn to listen to Lily."
"And I should learn to trust Sirius."
"We take what we get," James pulled himself off the wall and pocketed his hands. He stood in front of Freya and said, "I mean, after all, it is them that we've always wanted."
Freya stared at him, trying to find any false in his eyes but there was none. James had always been a good actor but Freya didn't think he was acting. So, she heaved a breath and quickly nodded her head, "Correct, a hundred percent."
"Then, I'm off to stop that party and say sorry to my girl," Oh how the last two words made Freya's heart ache. It was hilarious yet disgusting how half her heart ached for Sirius and half ached for James. She felt so low.
Freya nodded. "You go do that. I'll just stay here for a while. Us coming back at the same time would be suspicious."
James nodded back and without a goodbye, he turned around to leave. Freya breathed out a mixture of relief and disappointment and whatever other mixed up feelings she had. She was about to turn around and just admire the Black Lake from the windowsill when James turned back around and spoke, "Do you remember when we had a picnic date here?"
Freya turned to him, her mouth agape. She smiled lightly and said, "Yeah, you made me tell you about my dad."
"And you told me you loved me," James answered. Freya's heart hammered and James bit his lip. "And I never said it back." (See: Chapter 26)
Freya's mouth went agape again. She didn't knew why he was saying it. What was his point? Was he purposely trying to hurt her by reminding her? Her heart was starting to clench from the familiar feeling — her walls were breaking down. She had been trying so hard to build them, to move on from James, and even though it was gradual, she was being able to at least do it. But James himself was trying to tear it down again. Her eyes started to water but she substituted a smile, "I didn't expect you to."
"Then, what if I said it back now?"
Freya didn't knew the answer to that. Her heart hammered and her throat had gone dry. Was she supposed to jump in joy? She should but why did she only feel empty? Why did it feel like it would be pity love if James would say he had loved her? Freya couldn't handle James Potter anymore. She just can't. So, she licked her lips and said, yet with another smile, "Go apologize to Lily, James."
James bit his tongue, inhaling as he did so. He made a sound with his mouth then nodded. He turned around and walked away. And Freya was left hoping she wouldn't regret not saying yes.
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Dedicated to petrakiss1864, -female_marauder-,
and No1potterhead. They flooded my notif's
so much, it's crazy!!! I love you. 🌸