Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 21

I pass each of the boys one a copy of the page from the golden book and stand in front of them authoritatively.

"More homework?!" Sirius exclaims. "I've enough as it is. Now you're giving me extra?" He groans, throwing his head back against his pillow.

"It isn't homework, you prat. Just read it." I roll my eyes in annoyance, clutching the gold book as I wait for the boys to read.

Sirius looks up at me through eyelashes. "What does this mean? Why are you making me read this?"

"Don't you get it? Becoming an Animagus can benefit a werewolf in his or her state." I explain shortly, waiting for the boys to catch my drift.

"What do you mean by that?" James questions interestedly, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Well, if you'd all turn to the backside of the page," I pause as they flip their pieces of parchment. "it says that werewolves are less of a danger to themselves and other humans when they are in the company of other animals." I recite from the top of my head after having read over the page so many times.

"Why did you give us these?" Peter asks, thickly.

"Look, I just want to help our mate. I think that Remus would appreciate it if we kept him company during each full moon." I tell them. "Just...think about it, alright?"

The boys nod and I turn the book in my hands. "Is that the book Dumbledore gave you?" Sirius asks, bringing all attention back to me.

"Yeah," I start, still looking intently at the book. "I think...I think Dumbledore wants us to become Animagi. It's where I got my information from anyhow. And it's got everything. All the information we could possible want on the subject."

James is interest-piqued. He stands up from his bed and gently takes the book from my grasp. He flips it open and just like the first time, the book glows, revealing the words beneath it. "Chiara..." James start, his voice hesitant and unsure.

"What is it?" I ask curiously. I read through the entirety of the book last night, what else could be interesting? I make to stand beside him and go up on my tiptoes to look at the pages he's reading.

"This isn't about werewolves at all...it's about how to get a girl to like you." He laughs. "Why would Dumbledore give you a book about how to get a girl? Is there something you aren't telling us, Keeks?"

The boys give me confused looks, and I snatch the book back from James, more confused than the lot of them combined. "No, but—" He's right. This book is all about getting a girl to fancy you back. "How can this be? Just yesterday it told me everything there was to know about werewolves." I flip page after page with no luck of finding anything remotely related to werewolves.

Peter stands up, taking the book from me now and slamming it shut. He looks at it thoughtfully before opening it back up. He gasps, his eyes blown and a smile growing on his lips. "Keeks, this isn't just any old book...it's enchanted."

"Let me see!" Sirius pulls the book from Peter's stubby hands and his own eyes widen at the words. "Merlin's beard, this is a book about baking the greatest cakes in the world! Pete's right, I think this book is enchanted to give the reader whatever information they seek to learn about!"

James, Sirius and Peter each turn to meet my stunned gaze. "Am I Dumbledore's favourite now, or..."

*

"Hey, Violet! What's going on? Is everything okay?" I question with concern, watching her stare blankly at the crackling fire.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just bored out of my mind. I finished the best book I've ever read." She sighs sadly. "I hate saying goodbye to characters I've grown attached to."

"I know it won't be the same but would you like my help picking out a new one? We can go to the library together." I suggest with a smile.

"Okay, yeah that would be good." She smiles at me.

Everything I suggest, Violet claims she's already read. This causes me to feel extremely frustrated. I levitate myself up to the top shelf and pick out an interesting-looking cover. "Surely you haven't read this one." I mutter hopefully, showing off the colourful cover.

She gently grabs it from my hands and runs her fingers over it with the tips of her fingers. "No, I haven't." She eyes it with interest. "This seems fascinating."

I sigh happily. Trust me when I say, finding Violet a book she hasn't read is a big accomplishment. She quickly sends me her thanks and rushes away somewhere to begin her journey with it.

*

The boys and I spend some time flipping through books, and jotting down notes, brainstorming for our upcoming prank. "I wanna go swimming." I mutter through the everlasting silence.

"Where would we go swimming?" Sirius chuckles, looking up at me from his homework.

"The Black Lake?" I suggest half-jokingly.

"You're kidding, right?! Do you want to be eaten alive by the Giant Squid?" James asks in astonishment.

"You don't know for sure that he would eat me. He could be friendly! And anyways I was only joking, Jamesie-poo." I snicker to myself at my new nickname for the boy.

"Don't call me that." James flushes bright red and lowers in his seat.

"Jamesie-poo!" Sirius taunts and we both laugh in amusement at the way the name seems to be affecting him.

After hours of researching and planning, I feel myself begin to drift off to sleep on top of what appears to be one of my school books. Just as I feel my surroundings slowly drifting away from me, I feel something tickling my nose. I flutter my eyelids open and make out the quill tickling my nose. I identify the person doing the tickling as Sirius.

"Hey, where is everyone?" I ask him, my voice thick with sleep.

"They're asleep in the dorms. You should get to bed, love." He says softly. "Would you like me to carry you up there again?"

"Yes, please." I reply sleepily and hold out my arms to him.

He gently lifts my body up, bridal style and walks me to my bed in the girls dorms. I hear the sound of Lily's voice and Sirius'.

"How did you get up here?" I hear Lily interrogating him. But try as I might to listen in on the rest of the conversation, sleep quickly overtakes me and the world around me goes quiet.

The next morning, as I make my way down to the Common Room, I spot Sirius, James and Peter waiting by the girl's dorms. As soon as they spot me, they huddle around me. "We have an answer for the question you asked us," Sirius leans closer to me and whispers, "about the Animagi."

I nod, urging someone to give me an answer.

The boys exchange smiles before James steps towards me and says, "We're in." with a grin.