Reactance | James Potter

Chapter 9

  THE MARAUDERS DIDN'T come to History of Magic the following morning. Olivia noticed at the very end of the hour when she walked past their usual seats.

   They were always the last to leave. Given that three-fourths of their group would often be fast asleep atop the desks, snoring and drooling. Remus would pack up his bag, tuck in his chair, and then shake the others awake. He always smiled at Olivia and waved as she walked by, standing amongst three slumped bodies. She, Dorcas, Mary, and Marlene would giggle at the sounds of Sirius, Peter and James grumbling and yawning.

   Today, there were no sleeping boys and there was no waving Remus.

   Neither Dorcas, Mary nor Marlene seemed to notice as the four girls walked out of the classroom. They were talking animatedly to one another over Olivia between them.

   Lily and Alice joined them in the corridor.

"Lils," said Olivia curiously, as soon as she saw the redhead. Lily leant forward past Mary and Dorcas to see Olivia. She was smiling sweetly, "when did you and Remus finish your patrol last night? You were sound asleep by the time I got in."

"Oh, we didn't do it," said Lily. "Peter came and found me, said Remus was feeling ill. Renida gave us permission to skip our shift, since it would be only one of us going."

   Renida Jones was the Head Girl. She, in team with the Head Boy (Edward Magons - a Hufflepuff), assigned the prefects' schedules and pairings.

"Why didn't I think to ask?" groaned Olivia quietly to herself in a mutter. She shook off the regret and looked again to Lily, "He's still ill? He didn't look good on Wednesday .  .  . remember, we saw him in the Great Hall at breakfast."

"Come to think of it," said Dorcas suddenly, sounding thoughtful. "I didn't see him in any of our lessons yesterday."

"Neither did I," added Alice as they turned into the next corridor.

"Wasn't he claiming to have the flu?" said Lily, her brows knitted. She hugged her History of Magic book against her chest and stepped closer to Mary, to avoid being bumped into by an oncoming Hufflepuff boy. "Even though we are not in flu season yet."

"I don't think he meant anything by it," dismissed Olivia with a bit of a wave. "He clearly looked out of it. His mind must've been scattered."

   Following their hour long free block, which was spent doing homework in the study hall near the library, Olivia, Marlene and Lily bid farewell to the other girls. They walked to Transfiguration, Marlene and Olivia listening politely as Lily rambled about her sister.

"And she wouldn't even speak to me after that," she said sadly, full of disbelief. Her expression was very sullen. "Can you believe it?"

"She's jealous," said Marlene shortly. Lily's frown deepened with sorrow.

"She is," agreed Olivia sympathetically with a little nod. "It's because your Mum tacked your O.W.L. sheet up in the entryway."

"You're a smart, successful witch with a bright future ahead of you," continued Marlene in a definitive, sharp snip. "What's she got going for her? She's ordinary."

   Olivia shot a wide-eyed look at Marlene, silently calling for her to be a little gentler. Marlene gave a shrug in return. Lily, her arms wrapped around herself for comfort, sighed quietly.

   Lily's elder sister, Petunia, was a Muggle. Lily's whole family were Muggles. She was the only witch, a Muggle-born. Her parents thought it was fantastic; they praised her for everything she did, thinking her extraordinary. Petunia didn't take that lightly. Ever since the day Lily received her Hogwarts letter at age eleven, their relationship had been skewed.