The Collision Theory | Remus Lupin

58. Don't be such a witch

"I guess it was fair," I sigh for what seems like the millionth time. Even though I wasn't so keen on joining the team, I still feel bad, especially as everyone is talking of the possibility of Chastity being the new seeker almost all of the time in the common room.

Lottie smacks away Dorcas' hand, who was just previously trying to steal a profiterol off of my cousin's plate, "Well, it hasn't been decided officially, has it? You've still got a chance."

"I practically told Potter to give her the place."

"Well you're the idiot- dammit Meadowes!" Lottie huffs as Dorcas succeeds in her mission, and our conversation is cut short by the two squabbling.

I feel someone sit beside me on the bench, and turn to find Remus, looking visibly worse for ware, "You look like you've been dragged through a bush."

"Thanks."

"Backwards."

"Thank you, my love, such eloquent words," He shakes his head with a small laugh.

I pass him a slice of cake, "Is it your monthlies?"

"Ewww, wrong choice of words," He cringes, causing me to grin even wider, "and yes. It's in two days."

"Look on the bright side," I shrug, "you're usually cranky earlier than this."

"Guess I was lucky," He puts his spoon down, and smiles sweetly, "and maybe lucky enough to copy your Transfiguration homework?"

"No, not that lucky."

*

"Oh look, the zombie has risen," Sirius waits at the foot of the stairs to the girl's dormitories the next morning.

"It's not my fault I overslept."

"Yes it is, you don't own an alarm clock," He tuts, forcing a croissant into my hand.

I accept it, and reply through a mouthful of pastry as I follow him out of the common room, "Evans is my alarm clock... usually. She got up early for prefect duties."

"Totally unrelated note, Bronwin's announcing the new seeker this afternoon."

Trying not to sound too fazed, I laugh, "The match is on Sunday, doesn't matter whether we have a new seeker, we'll probably lose."

"Let's not be too hasty," Sirius shrugs, picking up his pace as the first bell goes. We reach the classroom with only seconds to spare, and I end up stuffing the rest of the croissant in my mouth like a savage.

"You're like a hamster, has anyone told you that?" Alice laughs as I plop myself in the seat beside her.

"Only my mum, my dad, Lily, Marene, and Miriam."

*

"If anyone tells me that double potions followed by astronomy theory isn't that bad, I will stick a quill through their jugular."

Never having heard Lily express her distress so artfully, I do a double-take, not sure how to respond without putting her off into what might be potentially worse, "Are you?.. Did something happen?"

"Someone, Lin, someone happened."

"I'm not too good with all this cryptic stuff," I struggle to keep up with her strides, "and I thought you loved potions."

"I do, but I saw something disgusting."

"Tell me. Now."

She makes a face, as though she's just had a litre of lemon juice, "That Fraise girl was all over Potter and she- ugh!"

"Lily, I'm sure you're just overreacting."

"No, I mean literally all over," Lily squeezes her eyes shut, like the memory burns her eyes, "arms around him kind of thing. Flirting."

"I'm sure James wasn't flirting back, don't worry," I nudge her playfully, "he only has eyes for you."

"Pfft Chastity... what an ironic name."

I follow Lily up the staircase, pulling her back whenever she is too distracted by her thoughts to realise that she won't make the next moving step. We make it up to the common room floor alive and well, although I think I've suffered from multiple heart attacks by the time I've got to the portrait hole. Lily still looks pretty miffed, and I decide that a change in conversation is the best way forward, "Lils, do you think we should study for Astronomy tonight, or maybe just Herbology?"

"I'm behind on Astronomy a bit, maybe a bit of Charms revision?" Lily shrugs, "Dragonscale."

The door opens at the password, and we climb through, "I'll get Marlene as well then, she'll probably-"

"Oh my God, is that?.." Lily stops so abruptly I walk right into her. Looking up from rubbing my forehead, I see that she's pointing at the mass of pupils gathered around one girl.
Chastity Fraise.

"Of course I'm going to get the place, I've been training my whole life."

"Let's go, shall we?" I ask tentatively, noticing that Lily has stiffened, resembling a cat just before it pounces, "Lily?"

She stares straight ahead, her eyes like daggers as she watches Chastity continue, "Give me twelve hours, I'll get that Potter boy over Ginger and he'll be begging for me."

Ginger.
Oh Chastity, you couldn't have picked a worse nickname.

"Oi, Fraise!" Lily is out of my grasp before I can even react, "Did you say something?"

"I was just saying how maybe Potter won't be bothering you anymore," Her tone is condescendingly sweet, "nothing else, Lils."

"It's Evans to you, bitch," It is probably the first- and last- time I witness Lily Joanne Evans absolutely shatter a student's nose.