Harry Potter Oneshots

Watching (Tom Riddle)

I smile softly at the sight before me. James is peering at Lily over the top of his books, watching her study. The redhead notices nothing, blissfully unaware of my brother's stare.

It's been like this for what feels like decades. Lily ignores or is disgusted by James' blatant affections while he tries to hide them behind smirks and feeble attempts at asking her out.

Now, he's even come with me to the library to watch her when he'd sworn back in my third year that he'd never step foot in this place. It was adorable to see him give up his stubbornness to watch the object of his interest, even if it was a tad creepy.

"James," I say quietly so as not to startle him. As it is, he blinks and shakes his head, coming out of his stupor. I smile. "Why aren't you reading?" In truth, he's been periodically flipping the pages in the wrong direction, but I don't want to correct him lest my entertainment be gone.

"Er," he glances down at his book. "It's broken up into parts. Taking a break, you know."

"I'm sure," I nod. "All that reading must be hurting your brain. It's not like it's been used in a while; perhaps it's a bit rusty?"

James scowls, but before he could retort one of his friends enters the library. "Hey, Potter," Sirius Black grins at me happily. Since he'd come to live at our home this past summer, we'd become something like siblings. He hadn't bothered to learn my name, and even when he had he had already been calling me by my last name for so long that it would have been weird to switch.

"Hello, Black," I say.

"Well, James," Sirius grins mischievously as his gaze darts toward the redhead. "I was going to ask for some help, but you're busy now, eh?"

James tears his eyes from the girl and scowls at his friend. "Not when my sister is here!" He hisses as I pretend I can't hear them. I'm less than three feet away and still he thinks that hissing, rather loudly, would go unheard. Moron.

I fake yawn and stand up, clapping my book shut. Both boys swing toward me and I send them a mischievous smile of my own. "I'm heading back to my Common Room. Don't be out too long, Jamesy; Merlin forbid Lily notice your creeping."

I chuckle at his stupefied reaction and rise out of my seat. I exit the library happily, making my way to the Ravenclaw Common Room.

When James had found out that I'd been sorted into Ravenclaw, he'd been understandably upset. Our father was a Gryffindor, born and bred, as was our mother. He became afraid that, a few years later when his Sorting came, he would not be a Gryffindor like our parents or a Ravenclaw like me. I was so anxious during his Sorting, but to our mutual glee he was a Gryffindor.

Thankfully, this didn't hinder our relationship. If anything, it made our bond stronger because we had to actively seek one another out. He even bought me a Gryffindor pin which was on my robes at all times so I could 'support him,' whatever he meant by that.

I often saw him where and when I shouldn't, such as after curfew out with his friends. Lucky for him I wasn't a prefect, much less a Gryffindor one, else I'd take tons of points away every week. Alas, I just had to settle for a harsh scolding which he never listened to. Not that I was following the rules by being out after curfew either. I suppose it runs in the family.

When I am halfway to the Common Room, I'm surprised by a certain figure blocking the door to the wing of Hogwarts in which Ravenclaw Tower stood. I wince, knowing exactly who the figure is and that it is just past curfew, and resign myself to my fate. I take a few more steps toward the door and the figure turns.

"Hello, Riddle," I smile softly. Maybe if I'm innocent-looking enough, he'll cut me some slack.

The boy, or rather man, looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "Miss Potter," he says. "It's past curfew."