Trouble (The Marauders Era» Sirius Black Fanfiction) *Editing*

10» The Daily Prophet

Chapter Ten

The Daily Prophet

<Prevention is better than cure>

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     As Thursday arrived, Thea's anxiety about Slughorn's upcoming party that weekend and her meeting with Dumbledore that evening made her restless. She wasn't sleeping, and when she did manage to rest, her mind was plagued by nightmares. Ever since she fell through the ice and came clean to her friends about her father, he seemed to be haunting her thoughts even more.

     That morning, Thea skipped breakfast and rushed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She had overslept and knew she wouldn't have time to eat, but she was still the first person in class. She immediately dropped her head onto her desk and closed her eyes. Her body felt exhausted. Lifting her limbs felt like a work out, and she was constantly lightheaded, and yet, her eyes couldn't stay closed.

     "Thea?"

     She let out a groan in response. She heard a chuckle and then someone sat down beside her.

     "You weren't at breakfast," Sirius said. "Didn't sleep again?"

     "Is this the demeanor of a well-rested person?" she said. "Why are you here so early?"

     "Thought you would be here," he said. "Here."

     She looked up to see a napkin with two pieces of toast and two pieces of bacon on it. She mumbled her thanks as she was shoving the toast into her mouth.

     "I also thought you might want to know," he said. "He was in the Daily Prophet again. I have it here-"

     "I don't want to see," she said, turning her head away from him. "If I do I might never sleep."

     "We'll just have to make sure Slughorn's party is extra crazy then so you're too tired to stay awake. I'll ask him to tell us his wackiest dinner party story. That'll really get the ball rolling."

     Thea rolled her eyes and threw a piece of toast at him.

     "Couldn't help but overhear your conversation," a voice said nearby.

     She turned to see Bertram Aubrey, a short and plump Ravenclaw boy. He was snobbish and loved to correct other people's grammar. His light brown hair was awkwardly cut and parted directly down the middle. Thea constantly found herself staring at his abnormally overgrown eyebrows. Ever since their first conversation, neither of them liked the other.

     "I guess I'll be seeing both of you at the Slug Club?" he said, his voice annoying Thea so much that she wished more than ever that she would just pass out from exhaustion. "That's strange, I thought he only invited successful students."

     "Give it a rest, Bertram," Remus said as he sat down at the desk behind Thea. It was clearly a warning, Bertram just stuck his nose higher in the air and adjusted his own Prefect badge.

"I also thought Slughorn invited well-liked students," said Thea. "But you'll be there, Bert."

Remus and Sirius chuckled as Lily, James and Peter filtered in and took their seats. Bertram narrowed his eyes at her.