[ n i n e ]
"Guys, reckon we should just brush today under the carpet?"
"Grounding." Lily stated, shutting her textbook with a snap.
"Grounding?" James questioned.
"Grounding." she repeated.
"And how exactly do you think Christy is going to take all of this when she finds out you've been doing a bunch of research on a condition she's adamant that she doesn't have." James said before yawning.
"It's late, we'd better be going back." Lily sighed, collecting up her books and parchment slips.
"Ugh." Lily groaned, as she dropped her heavy stack of books. Just as she was bending down to pick it up, James spoke, "Here, I'll get it." he smiled, picking up the textbooks, "I'll carry them, it's alright."
"Oh... right er- thanks James." she stuttered, her cheeks glowing a faint pink.
"Anytime."
[ ✦ ]
"Oh for Merlin's sake. Will you all stop gawking at me." Christy snapped, slamming her spoon down into her cereal. It was the following morning, and the group were all eating breakfast together as they always did.
"Uh... right, sorry." Sirius mumbled, looking back down at his toast.
Christy sighed, "No, i'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap."
"It's alright Chris, i'm sure you've got a lot on your mind." Lily smiled sympathetically.
"Um... no not really?" Christina stared at her, confusion written all over her face.
"You know, given the circumstances." Lily replied, placing emphasis on the last word.
"Circumstances? What are you on about?" She looked about the group, each were staring at her, all giving her 'the look'.
"Blimey Christy, need me to spell it out for you?" Marlene said, "Your anxiety!" she whispered shouted the last part.
Christy's eyes widened, "E-excuse me?" she cried.
James looked as though he was about to speak but Christy beat him to it.
"Look her you lot." she began, her tone dangerously low, "I don't know what you've gotten into your thick skulls, but I would like to make something very clear. I am not some psycho mentalist who needs locking up in Mungo's and I certainly do not have anxiety. So i'd appreciate it if you didn't go gossiping about me and these dumb labels." she snapped, glaring at each and everyone of them, before standing up from the table and marching away, ignoring the countless protests from her friends.
"Well." James started. "That went well."
[ ✦ ]
First period rolled around, no sign of Christy.
Second period, no Christy.
Third period, you guessed it, no Christy.
"Look guys, this is getting ridiculous, I don't care if she 'needs space' or whatever, i'm going to find her." Marlene, stated, as the group (minus Christy) began to make their way to the great hall for lunch.
"You worry too much Marls, i'm certain she'll just be in the dorm." Dorcas reassured her.
"I'm inclined to agree with Marlene if i'm honest." Remus scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.
But as soon as they entered the hall, all of their worries vanished. Sat before them, textbook in hand, lazily munching an apple, was none other than Christina Taylor.
Lily was the first to snap out of her shocked trance, striding over to her furiously, before anyone could stop her.
"Where have you been?" she snapped, "Do you have any idea how worried i've been?"
"Oh, don't be such a spoilspooort." Christy slurred.
"Hang on a second, are you drunk?" Lily exclaimed.
"Nuh-uh Lily."
Suddenly Remus appeared at Lily's side, along with Marlene.
"Alright Lils, lay off a minute yeah?" Remus asked, gently, trying not to draw anymore attention as a steadily growing crowd formed.
"No. I will not lay off thank you very much Remus. Look at her! Totally plastered."
"Lily your making a scene." Remus muttered.
"Come on love, let's go to the dorm ay?" Dorcas tried to coax Christy away from the public eye, alas, with no avail.
"Christina Meredith Taylor-" Lily started.
"Lily stop, your making things worse." Marlene warned.
"Worse! Worse! How could things possibly be any worse!" She cried, flailing her arms around.
"Why are you being like this Evans" Christy suddenly stood up. "This isn't you, your... your.... your loopy!" she exclaimed.
"Me! I'm loopy?!" Lily snapped.
"Come on Christy honey, let's go." Dorcas took her hand in an attempt to pull Christy away, but she fixed herself to the floor.
The hall was almost silent now, having drawn attention to the quarrelling gryffindors and their struggling friends.
"No Dor, I'm not finished. I don't know what's gotten your wand in a knot Lily, but I think your being unreasonabubble." she pouted, folding her arms.
"Unreasonabubble?" Lily smirked, playfully.
Sirius stifled a laugh but James didn't even bother trying.
All of a sudden, Christina blanched, "I think i'm gonna-" but her phrase was cut short as she turned away from the table and promptly threw up.
"What on earth is-" Professor Mcgonnogal
arrived at the scene, rendered speechless.
"I see." her lips thinned. "Black, Meadowes, take her to her dorm." she sighed, turning back to the teachers table.
"Come on Teeny." Sirius put an arm under her shoulders for support, Dorcas following suit on the other side.
Somewhere during the short journey to the common room, she passed out and Sirius ended up carrying her bridal style the rest of the way.
"Sirius." Dorcas said, breaking the tense silence that had fallen over the two.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"You...." she trailed away, furrowing her brow in search for the right words. "hypothetically of course, say I was to like someone, how would I exactly go about letting them know?" she fumbled over her words.
"Ah I see." he smirked knowingly, "Got your eye on a guy ay?" he teased.
"What?! No! Goodness no." she blurted out.
"Got your eye on a girl!" he joked, but Dorcas didn't reply.
"Wait. Really?" he stopped walking, turning to face Dorcas.
"I'm really sorry Sirius." she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes, "I get why you hate me now."
"What?!" he cried, "I could never hate you Dor, not ever." he smiled lightly.
"Really?" she sniffled, her eyes lighting up.
"Your my friend Dorcas, I don't care who you like, I care about you."
"Thanks Sirius, it means a lot." She smiled sadly. "Please don't say anything to the others. I-I'm not ready for the world to know, not yet." she pleaded.
"I would never."
[ ✦ ]
Christy's eyes fluttered open, instantly closing again.
"Ugh." she groaned, clutching her head.
"Alright there sleepy head?" James chuckled.
"I feel like I just got hit by the hogwarts express." she grumbled. When she reopened her eyes, she found herself in Gryffindor common room. Shuffling into an upright position, she noticed a small vile, next to a note.
It read
Drink Me
She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face, it reminded her of her favourite childhood story book.
"Watcha smiling about?" James asked.
"Oh n-nothing." she replied, downing the bottle. "Who left this?"
"Moony of course." he rolled his eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Wait what?" Christy looked perplexed. "I thought it would've been Lily." she furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Um about that." he shifted uncomfortably "Lily's kind of, very super mad at you." he mumbled.
"Oh." her face fell, but she was instantly shaken from her thoughts as the common room door swung open.
"Bonjour mes plus chers compagnons!" Sirius exclaimed, mocking a regal bow.
"You speak french?" James asked, disbelievingly.
"bein sûr Prongsie." He replied. sitting beside Christy.
"You do realise none of us have any clue what your saying right? James shook his head, amused.
"précisément!"
"Anyway." Remus interjected. "How are you feeling Christy?" he asked, crouching beside her.
"Like death." she chuckled lightly.
"Yes well, i'm hardly surprised." Lily appeared, stood behind Remus, lips pursed, arms folded.
"Lily, not here." Remus muttered, eyeing the crowded common room.
"Where were you guys anyway?" Christy asked.
"At dinner, James offered to stay and watch you." Marlene supplied, positioning her self between Dorcas and Alice.
"Oh, you shouldn't have James, I feel awful." Christy looked down.
"Hey, it's fine, don't worry." he smiled warmly.
"I really don't think that's the point. The point is, why on earth were you so drunk to begin with, you do realise how irresponsible that little stunt was, I was so worried." Lily rambled.
"Lily, I said not now." Remus said, "Let's just get Christy some rest and we can talk about it tomorrow." he smiled hopefully.
Reluctantly, she nodded, situating herself in a plush armchair by the fire.
"Come on Christy love, let's go to the dorm." Dorcas offered Christy her hand, and the two disappeared up the spiral staircase.
"So." Sirius sighed. "What's next?"
"Honestly? No idea." James replied.
"How are we supposed to talk to her about anything without her taking it the wrong way and either isolating herself or drinking herself into a stupor." Marlene questioned.
"She's seriously on an edge here, one more push and she'll break." Alice added.
"Siriusly." Sirius smirked.
"Really padfoot, really?" James rolled his eyes.
"Walked right into that one Al." Marlene patted her shoulder feigning sympathy.
After a few moments of silence, Peter spoke up for the first time.
"Guys, reckon we should just brush today under the carpet?" The others seemed to ponder it for a moment, but Lily was having none of it.
"Are you insane? I want to get to the bottom of it!" she cried.
"No, I think Pete's right on this one." James agreed.
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