Attacks, Relationships, Sleepovers And Me
"Hmmm. I'm not sure." Izzie pondered, "I always thought sharks were really dangerous."
"No. You're more likely to be killed by coconuts." Izzie look disbelieved as I nodded my head, "But when you think about it, the sharks live in the sea, we are going into the sea, we are invading their home. What would you do if someone invaded your home?"
Izzie thoughts about it for a moment. "Depends who it is."
"Well, what if it was someone you didn't like?"
"Well, It depends on the reason they were there."
"Just answer the question and stop making it more difficult."
Me and Izzie were currently sitting in my bed, in my corner. What were we doing? Well If we didn't sleep in the same dorm every night, what we were doing would be called a sleepover. It surprisingly was my idea, Izzie said we practically had a sleepover every night, but I managed to convince her to come over to the dumping ground for a chat at least and I made us change into our sleepwear early too.
"But I like difficult."
"You've always liked a challenge." Izzie smirked, "Like that time we walked all the way from town to my house-"
"-That was more of a challenge for you and it's not my fault you live In the middle of no where."
"I live somewhere. Duh." Izzie rolled her eyes, "You're the city chick, I'm the country chick."
"And I'm proud. You had chickens as friends when you was little, I had people." Izzie joked, as I rolled my eyes.
"I'm not too sure anybody would be friends with you willingly."
I laughed as I thought back to the very first time we met. It was on the Hogwarts Express in first year.
This train is weird. I saw many people claiming carriages. They were filling up rather quickly. Where was I going to sit?
That was the question!
I stood in the middle of the hall. Nobody had said anything to me yet. Was I even going to make any friends? I knew I should have spent that extra five minutes brushing my hair. I've heard that appearances are everything but my mom always told me it's what the inside that counts.
I feel sick. Perhaps if I be sick, people can see that I'm pretty on the inside?
No that is just gross.
It's not my fault my hair wouldn't go down! It never goes down!
I looked at the plant I was standing next to. I might pick it up and take it to the castle with me if I don't make any friends.
"Oi! You!" A girl yelled, she was small, had long black hair and her lips were formed in a tight scowl. I looked around. Was she talking to me? "Oi! Blondie! I'm talking to you."
I looked around, no other blondes were here. Maybe she is actually talking to me?
"Get over here Blondie" She tapped her foot impatiently on the floor. I made no attempt to move, I was still figuring out whether she was talking to me or not.
Suddenly the girl was dragging me into a compartment. This girl may look a little weedy and a little small, but she has the strength of a man!
"Hello. I'm Isabel Devereux. Don't call me Isabel though otherwise you're dead." I looked at her, to see if this was a joke, but the scowl didn't fade. "It's just so eugh!" I thought Isabel was quite a pretty name. "So call me Izzie." She finished.
"Okay...Izzie." We stood there for a moment, I felt a little uncomfortable under Izzie's gaze. It was like she was waiting for something.
"This is the part where you're supposed to introduce yourself." Izzie rolled her eyes.
Oh yeah! Crap. "I'm Nellie O'Neill." I held out my hand so she could shake it; she did.
"Nellie?" She snorted, "That sounds like an eighty year old name. What a ridiculous name!" She laughed, "I suppose we can be friends. I mean, I don't want to head over to the castle alone! Just imagine it!"
"Yeah, It would be terrible." I agreed as I went to sit on the chair. Only to miss and land on the floor with a thud.
Izzie burst out laughing. Her laughter could be heard from miles away. "You know what Nellie?" She asked, her expression soft, "I think we're going to be good friends. I like you." She offered me her hand as she grinned at me.
I grinned back as I took it.
"What you thinking of?" Izzie asked.
"The first time we met."
Izzie laughed, "I wasn't too nice you was I? I was just so scared I would make any friends but I soon began to like you. You quickly melted my ice and to think about it, I had the choice of you or the plant. I should of chose the plant."
"No! I claimed that plant first. So you couldn't have it anyway."
Izzie pouted, "Damn!" Izzie sat there for a moment. "Nellie?"
"Yeah?"
"I've got a urge to pop some bubble wrap."
"Bubble wrap it cool. It makes a nice popping sound."
"We'll have to get some when we got a chance."
"For sure."
It was then Lily Evans came through the door. Then she did something I'd never think I'd see the girl do. It's just so unlike her. She did the lovey dovey sigh. Yeah, you know the one, it's slightly an over top sigh, happens when a person fancies another a lot. Izzie raised one of her eyebrows at me, I tried to raise one, but ended raising them both. Izzie had a look upon her face that clearly said 'I want to know more'.
"Hi Lily." Izzie greeted, "Want to join us for a chat?"
"Sure!" She smiled.
"The rules are, it's a sleep over, which we do every night, but whatever, don't get me started on that issue, so you have to get changed in your night clothes." Lily looked a little confused, "Sorry, Nellie is weird." She nodded her head suddenly understanding and went to get changed.
It wasn't long, before Lily had to hop over all my stuff to make it to my bed, but she made it.
"Nice rounds?"
"Yeah. It was good. The usual. Couldn't stop laughing at James, he can be so funny at times."
I raised my eyebrows, "I noticed the looks you were giving each other earlier."
"What looks?" Lily asked all innocently.
"Oh, the, I fancy you so bad looks."
Lily's face almost became as red as her hair. "We weren't!" She sputtered as I giggled.
"You can't talk Nellie." Izzie remarked.
"Yes I can talk." I pondered, "What do you mean?"
"You and Sirius."
"What about me and Sirius?"
"Well, you are very close and when he thinks you're not looking he stares at you."
"I haven't noticed."
"Okay, when you're actually not looking he stares at you."
I didn't know whether this was true or not, but I used a trick that I learned from my mother. When you have no reply or don't want to answer, divert the attention away from yourself. "Well, you fancy Remus!"
"Really?" Lily asked interested, It was Izzie time to blush as she glared at me.
"I said he's okay!"
"Actually, you said that you fancied him."
"Well, Sirius seems to care about you an awful lot!" Izzie was doing the trick. "And I think he was not mad before but jealous."
"Sirius Black doesn't get jealous. He has it all." I reasoned, even though, I knew it wasn't exactly true. "Anyway!" I was changing the subject again, "Lily fancies James!"
"Just a little bit okay!" Lily admitted.
Me and Izzie gasped.
"Since when?"
"For the past two months I guess. He's nothing like he was before, he's changed."
"Tell him!" Izzie laughed. "I mean, it's clear he fancies you, since what fifth year?"
"Yeah." Lily nodded, embarrassed, "I don't know whether I should tell him..."
"You must!" I yelled, standing on my bed.
"I don't know where their dorm is..."
"I'll take you there! I was there this morning!"
Lily raised an eyebrow, "What were you doing in the boys dorm? It against the rules!"
"We're about to break the rules and I was invited by them for a little chat with biscuits and it's not like you've never broken a rule." Lily said nothing because I know she's broken rules before, she's just really good at getting away with it. I jumped off the bed, Izzie slid off. We both looked at Lily. "Come on! Get up!"
She looked at us, frightened. She didn't make any attempt to move. "I can't...we can't go...I bet he doesn't even like me anymore..." Izzie dragged up Lily as I led the way.
I came upon a door I thought it was their room. It turns out it belonged to sixth year boys.
"Hi Cameron. Hi Zachary." I said, they looked at me shocked and a bit curious, "Want to tell me where seventh year boys dorm is?"
"Why?" Cameron asked.
"I need to see James, Sirius, Peter and Remus. I was there earlier...but I'm completely lost."
"You were there earlier?" Zachary raised an eyebrow.
I blushed, noticing what he was suggesting "We're friends." Zachary and Cameron both let out a little chuckle, before giving me directions, then they both winked at me.
"Have fun."
I looked at the door that I had just arrived at, it seemed a bit familiar. "Okay. I'm sure this is the right room" I looked at Izzie and Lily as I inhaled a sharp breath, "I'm going in." I opened the door, shut my eyes and walked in. "Yo! All people in this room are you wearing clothes?"
"Nellie, you can open your eyes, you know. We're all clothed." James said, before a small chuckle followed.
"Good." I said opening them, "I felt blind!" I walked over and sat next to Sirius on his bed. James was flicking through a Quidditch magazine, Remus was reading a novel and Peter was straightening a few things in his section. My over sized slippers fell off my feet and hit the floor. Me and Sirius looked at them for a while.
"Nice slippers."
"I know, I bet you don't own cool ones like mine." They're slippers with giant sized teddy heads on them.
"I don't own slippers."
"Oh you must! Slippers are amazing!"
Sirius raised an eyebrow, "So Nellie, what are you doing here?"
Oh crap.
I had almost forgotten.
"Back in a minute." I walked back over to the door. "Agent Jelly, to Agent Sour and Agent Like, the coast is clear. The rhinos are wearing the tutus." Izzie opened the door.
"You know Nellie, you never make sense." Izzie sighed. "Next time, before you go In all agent like, least let us pick our names. Agent Sour?"
"It's because if you arrange it, it is a question!" I beamed, "Like Sour Jelly?"
"You're ridiculous."
"I knew you would say that, there is a reason why you're sour and not jelly." I grinned at her as she glared at me."Anyway I'm fun. Fun Nellie. Boring Isabel. "
Izzie rolled her eye, "You do have wonderful insults, you've crushed my heart into a thousand tiny pieces."
"The one that's black with thorns around it?"
"No. The one that's full of love and compassion. You cheese!"
"I didn't know you had one that's full of compassion, let alone love."
"Oh. Watch it. You'll make me cry a single tear." Izzie replied, "Because if you cry more than one you lose your dramatic effect you know even though, crying one makes you seem a little cold because if you cry bundles that shows that you really did care."
"You should stick to the one then."
"-Did you come here for a reason?" James asked, amused at mine and Izzie's dispute, "Or did you come just so we could see this show?"
"Actually, we did," I winked, Izzie winked, before we broke into giggles.
"We're here because of Lily reasons." Izzie shrugged, glancing at Lily.
"Izzie!" Lily yelled.
"Lily!" Izzie yelled back.
"Nellie!" I yelled, just so I could join in. The room was instantly filled with laughter. "What? If you weren't going to yell my name. I obviously had to do it myself!"
"Why are you all in your nightwear?" Sirius asked, with one of his perfect eyebrows raised. I wonder if he plucks them.
"We were having a sleep over before we came over here." I informed, "Aren't you happy to see us?" I pouted.
"Of course we are. It's just we don't usually have three lovely girls visiting us so late at night." James smirked.
"Don't get used to it." Lily laughed.
"Make yourselves comfortable." James gestured.
I walked over to Sirius bed, "Shift over. You're taking up a lot of room."
"It's my bed."
"So?" Sirius playfully huffed as he moved over to make room for me. I sat next to him. Izzie went to see what Remus book was all about and Lily joined James. Me and Izzie stared at Lily for a while. She glared at us as she started up a conversation with James.
I poked Sirius for a little while.
It was fun.
It should be a sport.
"Stop it!" He complained eventually, as I laughed.
We looked at each other for a moment. "How has your day been?" I asked.
"Splendid. Even though I did end up spending half of it with you. Though it was quite enjoyable hitting that snowball in your face." Sirius laughed as I glared, "You?"
"It was awful. I saw these pea heads-"
"-I have you know my head is perfectly normal sized." Sirius pouted.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever makes you think that you are beautiful." Which he is. Even I can't deny he's that. I can't believe a person can get so stunning.
"You think I'm ugly?" He pouted.
"Of course not." I patted him on his head, as he grinned as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"I knew you wouldn't." He winked at me, while I rolled my eyes.
"You know, I got lost coming here, I ended up seeing Hunter and Zachary, I chatted to them for a while." Sirius was propped up against his head board, while I was lying on my stomach, with my head resting my hand, "They laughed when I said we were friends. They weren't laughing at the thought of us being friends, but something else."
Sirius looked a bit shifty, "Oh?"
"Yeah." I practiced flaring my nostrils for a little while.
"So Nell," Sirius whispered, coming closer to me, "What are these Lily reasons?"
"Well," I began, "Lily has admitting to liking James" Sirius went to say something, but I placed my finger against his lips. "Don't say anything," I glanced at Lily and James who were in conversation. "He doesn't know yet." Sirius nodded and I removed my finger. We grinned at each other. I looked straight into his eyes; the exact same shade as Regulus.
"Nellie! Izzie!" Lily called, I pulled away from Sirius, "I need to talk to you two in the corner."
I ran to the corner, "What?"
"I can't do it."
"I'll do it." Izzie said.
"What?" Lily asked confused.
"I'll just tell him to ask you out."
"Tell Sirius to tell him?" I suggested.
"This is so difficult." Lily sighed.
"I could tell him!" I grinned.
Izzie and Lily looked at me like I was crazy. "Nah, Nellie, we'll be fine."
"Hi? Lily?" James interrupted our chat, "Can I talk to you outside for a little while?"
Lily blushed, "Sure."
I went back over to Sirius. "Your doing?"
Sirius grinned, "Nope. You were talking quite loud, I think he sort of guessed."
I laughed, "Oh, I don't think we realized." I sat back on the bed. "You know what?" I paused for a moment. "I feel like knitting."
"You can knit?" Sirius asked, interested.
"Yeah, my Grandma taught me. I make nifty socks and scarf's. Perhaps I'll knit you a scarf one day."
"I'll be looking forward to it."
After a while, Lily came in, looking happy and James looked quite chuffed. I winked at her and she blushed and motioned for us to go back in the corner.
"What happened?"
"He asked me out for tomorrow." Lily grinned, happily.
"Share saliva?" Izzie asked.
Lily blushed, "No! James is a gentleman."
"Ohhhh. You'll have to give us the details." I laughed, "What now?"
"Can we stay for a little while?"
"Sure, I'd just told Sirius I'd knit him something."
"Nellie, you can knit?" Lily asked.
"Yup."
"Cool." Lily headed back over to resume a conversation with James, I noticed there was a slight spring in her step.
It's about time really. Isn't it? You could tell that it was going to happen eventually when James decided to be stubborn and not give up on her. She was bound to give in.
"Aw, Isn't that sweet?" Izzie smiled.
"Yeah. It is." I agreed.
Izzie looked at Remus, "Look! Remus like to read about fossils too! You said it was only me!" She was talking about Remus book pile. Izzie loves fossils. It didn't look it had been read, but by the time Izzie is done talking, there would be no need to read it.
I went back over to Sirius, well, I wasn't going to stay on my own standing there was I?
"Sirius," I began, "Don't you think that's sweet?"
Sirius looked at Lily and James, "Yeah." He smiled, "It's about time she gave in though." I laughed, "I think Peter owes me two Gallons though."
"Why?"
"Well, we made a bet. Remus said she would give him a chance in sixth year, if he deflated his head. I said seventh year and Peter said after Hogwarts. Remus was knocked out of the running when sixth year didn't happen." Sirius explained.
Oh. Perhaps me and Izzie should have made a bet on that too.
"Oi! Peter!" Sirius shouted, "Come here, I won the bet."
Peter laughed, "So you did." Peter got the money and came over to give it to Sirius. "I can't believe you won."
"What can I say? I'm psychic."
"You wish Sirius." Peter teased, "You wish."
"No need for wishing Peter. It's already true."
"Oh yeah?" Peter laughed, "What is going to happen tomorrow?"
"Easy." Sirius smirked, "Lily and Prongs are going to go on a date."
Peter rolled his eyes. "Anyway, Mr Psychic, I'll leave you two alone. Well, alone as you can be in a room full of people." Peter winked before walking off.
What did he mean by that?
Sirius is all red.
Sirius must have a fever!
"Sirius," I began all worriedly as I placed my palm against his forehead. It was boiling, "Are you sick? You've got a fever! You're all red! I haven't got anything that would help either...Oh no! Let me take you to the hospital wing! Do you need to lie down?"
"Nell, stop rambling. I'm fine."
"You sure? I'll accompany you if you need me to! It will be no problem on my behalf!"
"No, Nell, really, I'm fine." Sirius assured me.
"Okay." I sighed...I hope he's not sick.
We looked at each other for a few moments.
"Nellie?"
"Yeah Sirius?"
"You can remove your palm from my forehead if you want."
I removed it, blushing, "Sorry. Forgot it was there."
"It's okay."
He looked at me, I looked at him. He was about to say something when I thought of something.
"Sirius. You never did tell me what Shampoo you used."
"You know, I thought you were so weird for asking me that back then. Now, I just see that's normal for you." Sirius grinned.
"Sometimes, I can't control the rubbish that comes out of my mouth. Sorry."
"I enjoy listening to the rubbish." Sirius looked me directly in the eyes, I smiled which he returned.
"Guys..." James looked around "And Nellie," James began, Sirius and I broke our eye contact. "Lily's asleep."
"Haha. You bore her that much." Sirius teased as James scowled and glared at him. Sirius laughed.
"...So Is Izzie...I only had to find out something for her, next time I look, she's fast asleep."
"Well, wake them up then." I shrugged. "No problem. Look at me, I'm the rebel of the girls group! I stayed up later than everyone else!"
James and Remus looked at each other and shuddered.
"We would but what you told us earlier...well we don't want to interrupt their sleep."
"I suppose that's the sensible option."
"It's look like we're creating our beds tonight Remus." James laughed.
"I guess so." Remus agreed.
"Nellie? Can I ask you something?" James asked.
"Sure."
"How the hell did you get Lily to admit that she liked me!"
"Ah, James, me and Izzie are talented."
"But how?" James asked, as he, Peter and Remus joined us.
"Well, I'm going to tell you a story. It began in the girls dorm, one the darkest of nights, where two girls, Izzie and Nellie were having a chat about bubble wrap, when Lily came in and she did the sigh."
"The sigh? What's that?"
"How can you not know what the sigh is? It's a romantic movie classic!" The boys still looked puzzled. "It's an over the top sigh, you know, the lovey dovey one. It's wishful and happens when someone fancies another person." I explained, "When that happened, me and Izzie were clearly interested. So Lily joined us on her sleep over... She said something about how you were funny..." James grinned, "I said something about the I fancy you quite a bit looks you were giving each other earlier."
"We was not!"
"You were actually." Remus agreed.
"Anyway, I'm skipping the next part...cause it was girl teasing and I'm sure you don't want to here about that...Izzie would kill me if I told a section of it to you anyway..." I didn't want to tell them that I teased Izzie for fancying Remus or that Izzie was saying weird things about Sirius. "Then I claimed that Lily fancied you...and she admitted it. Then me and Izzie said she should tell you. Then Lily got embarrassed and tried to make excuses not to come over. I said I'd show her the way...a bit stupid of me really...we got lost. Anyway, So Izzie dragged up Lily, then we travelled far and wide and ended up here. Good job, you know, you heard us, 'cause Lily was like she couldn't do it and all." I rambled, "So yeah, that's basically the story, I guess."
"Oh..." James looked like he didn't know what to say, "But thank you anyway."
"Ah no problem," I yawned, "Always happy to help."
"Nell, you're tired. Go to sleep." Sirius said softly. I went to get up to go back to my dorm. "Where you going? You can sleep in my bed, I don't mind."
"I wouldn't want to impose..." My eyelids are half shut.
"Just go to sleep."
I laid my head on the pillow, the last thing I remember hearing was "She goes to sleep quite easily doesn't she?" From Peter.
I was in a field. Pebbo, the monkey, was by my side. I was wearing some funky shorts with a cape. On my shoulder sat little old Grippie, the Giraffe but he came in miniature sized. That's why he could sit on my shoulder.
"We need to go find him."
"But," Squeaked Grippie, "Professor Tum Tum will be out to get us!"
Wow, a miniature and a talking giraffe!
"I shall battle Professor Tum Tum and win. My fair lady Sirius must be saved."
"Sirius is a bloke." Pebbo pointed out.
"I know, but my fair lady Sirius has a ring to it, don't you think?"
"No." Pebbo replied.
Oh well, you win some, you lose some.
We hopped on to the flying tree; carpets are a bit outdated. We flew to Professor Tum Tum castle. His lair.
"Shouldn't take us long to find Sirius." Pebbo observed, "Considering it's a fun house castle."
"At the end...well go down a slide." I sighed dreamily, that was always the fun part.
"I like the funny stairs myself." Grippie admitted.
"Those are cool. I really like-"
"Can we focus on the task?" Pebbo sighed, irritated at our lack of attention.
"Oh yeah, saving Sirius."
So we paid our 50p each to the little woman sitting in the box so we could go into the house. Being a superhero isn't cheap you know. This world owes me a cheese cake.
So we travelled, up stairs, through ball pits, where Grippie almost lost his life, 'cause I mistook him for a ball to throw at Pebbo.
We travelled around the spinning things, through those cushioned dangly snakes. You know what? They really should make these ceilings a bit higher. I'm getting neck ache.
As we travelled, up the ever changing stairs, we managed to get on the next floor, when Professor Tum Tum decided this was a perfect place for our final battle. We've been enemies for a long time you know.
I looked around for fair lady Sirius, he was tied to a spinney thing, he was spinning around and around.
"Mwhaha, I shall spin him to death!"
"NOOOOOOOOO" I yelled, for a really long time, just like they do in the movies. I kind of couldn't breathe for a couple of minutes after it.
Professor Tum Tum came towards me, a fork in on hand, a cup in another.
All shall not be lost! I shall prevail!
"Nellie?" Izzie asked, "Get up."
I refused to open my eyes, "Go away you silly monkey."
Izzie poked me...I eventually opened my eyes to see more faces that usual peering over me.
"...What?"
"Did you know Nellie, that you talk an awful lot in your sleep?" Sirius mused, "It's quite interesting really. Who are Pebbo and Grippie?"
"Pebbo was my monkey sidekick and Grippie was a miniature giraffe that could talk! We were going up against Professor Tum Tum...now I'll never know what happened in the battle!" I frowned, "It was a good dream."
"Whatever." Izzie replied, "Come on, we must get showered and washed you lazy bean."
So we did.
A week later or so, I was sitting at the breakfast table when I got a letter from my parents.
Dearest Nellie Wellie Bellie
I know you wanted to come home for Christmas, but you can't. We are a danger around you and Nellie, I love you so much my child, that I wouldn't want be reason you get hurt. I never want to be the reason you're hurting. We wouldn't. You may be confused, I shall explain from the beginning.
Me and your father were sitting at home, when we got attacked, Death Eaters. Don't worry, we both survived. We don't know why they attacked us, I remember them shouting Mudbloods at us and something about purifying the Wizarding race. So we've closed down the café and now were on the run. I can't tell you where we are at the moment, because I fear they may intercept this letter.
I'm sorry Nellie, but you must understand. It breaks my heart to know that I will not see your smile for a little while.
We love you Nellie, more than we could ever express in stupid words. We'll write to you every couple of days at least.
Love, Mum and Dad
I couldn't help it, I began crying, I got out of there and into a bathroom quickly. I didn't want anybody to see me crying. I'm Nellie, the girl who smiles an awful lot.
I now had to rethink my options. I can't join Izzie, she is in Spain with her Grandparents, attending a bash that's family only, otherwise she would let me go with her.
So, I'm guess I'm staying at Hogwarts then.
I went to go and sign over my name on the empty list of who is staying at Hogwarts. I picked up the pen, but then, something distracted me.
"You're staying at Hogwarts for Christmas Nellie?" Lily said, she was with James and Sirius. "I thought you were close with your parents?"
"I am. It's just Death Eaters attacked them and now they're on the run." I said bitterly, they all looked shocked, then sad, "Stupid teabags, ruining my Christmas!"
"Do they know why?" Sirius said softly as he placed an arm around my shoulder to comfort me.
"No, but my mum says they were calling them Mudbloods and talking about purifying the Wizarding race again." I sighed frustrated, "And Izzie is in Spain attending a family bash over the holidays."
"...You can come with me!" James blurted out.
"What?"
"Yeah, you can come to mine! Lily is coming! I'm sure she'll need a female companion to rant to when I've annoyed her."
Lily laughed, "Yeah, please Nellie, come."
"I'm not to sure." I mumbled.
"I'll be there." Sirius smiled.
"Remus and Peter come over at Christmas too" James said, getting all excited.
"I don't know...I don't want to intrude." I actually wanted to go, It was better than spending Christmas alone, but you've always got to reject the offers first. I mean, It wasn't like I was hinting or anything like that.
"Nonsense. You're coming to mine." James grinned, "I'll go and write to mum and dad!" James walked off quickly to go and send a letter to his parents.
"Aw! This will be so fun!" Lily grinned.
"I guess that settled then...does anybody want to go and play some exploding snap?" Sirius suggested.
"Sure."
...To Be Continued