Sister (slow updates)

Chapter Twenty-One

The holidays were over, and we were heading back to Hogwarts. James was still oblivious. Sirius and I kept sending each other stolen glances. Lily was desperate to hear everything. We were sitting in a compartment near the back of the train. I had on a pair of Muggle bell bottoms and a new striped jumper Mum had bought me for Christmas, and I was laughing at James and Sirius, who argued jokingly over who had better hair.

"Jocelyn, tiebreak," James demanded, grinning, as he looked at me. "Which one of us has the best hair?"

"Honestly?" I laughed, watching them both nod enthusiastically. "Remus." I lifted my hand to ruffle Remus' curls beside me, who started laughing.

"Oh, come on!" Sirius groaned. "Moony wasn't even an option!"

"His hair is soft and fluffy," I shrugged, still laughing. "Plus it's a nice, tamed curly. Siri, you usually look like a drowned rat when it's wet. And James, honey, you don't even have better hair than me. Let's face it, I'm the better looking twin."

"Please, I'm irresistible!"

"Then why doesn't Lily like you?" I shot back immediately, quirking an eyebrow. Remus chuckled beside me, while Sirius and Peter burst out laughing. James threw a balled up candy wrapper at me in response, hitting it off my shoulder. "Rude," I stated, rolling my eyes.

"Anyway," James said, after sticking his tongue out at me. He turned to look at Sirius. "Who's the girl, Padfoot?"

"What?" Sirius's eyes widened a little, caught off guard. "What are you talking about?"

"Well clearly you've got your eyes on someone in particular," James clarified with a laugh. "You haven't gone out with a girl or even hooked up with anyone pretty much since school started, mate. So who is she? Anyone I know?"

Sirius shot a quick glance at me and I shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about, Prongs," he lied with a quick shrug. "There's no girl. And who's to say I've not been with anyone?"

"So you have been with someone?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sirius winked. "That's for me to know."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag from next to me. "I'm going to find Lily. I'll see you guys later?" The boys all nodded in response and I left the compartment in search of my best friend.

I walked down the hallway, poking my head into compartments as I went until I could find Lily. A few compartments down, I slide the door open and found myself standing in front of a group of Slytherins. Among them were Snape, Avery, Mulciber, Rosier, and one Regulus Black. I froze as they all looked my way. I still had one hand on the door handle as I stood with my bag slung on my shoulder.

"Well, if it isn't little Potter," Rosier sneered with a laugh. "Come back for more then?"

"I was just- I- uh- looking for someone..." I stammered, my grip on the handle tightening. "Wrong compartment... I'll just- I'll go-" I started to close the door, but another Slytherin, whom I recognized but didn't know his name, grabbed my other wrist and pulled me into the compartment. He pushed the door shut as I stumbled and fell into Avery.

"Oh, come now, don't leave so soon," Avery said with a malicious smirk, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.

"Let go, Avery," I spat, pushing against his towering frame. "Just leave me alone."

"Someone's gotten feisty on us," Rosier said with a barking laugh as he stepped closer to me. "You didn't act like this outside Hogsmeade. No, I recall you collapsed to the ground in absolute terror at the mere sight of us. Unfortunately, in this compartment, you don't have your brother and his little friends to save you. Once again, you're alone at our mercy, Potter. And we don't take kindly to mouthy Gryffindors, do we?"