Astray

Chapter 19

"I'll be passing out scores from your previous test on werewolves. I've got to say that I am very impressed with the scores on this one," Coralie and the others were sat in DADA while listening to Professor Vonnegut speak about the scores they had gotten on the quiz they had taken a few days prior on werewolves. Christmas break started tomorrow and the children couldn't contain their excitement for the holidays.

"Good job, Miss Dumbledore, perfect score," Vonnegut placed the graded paper in front of Coralie and she happily thanked her, placing the paper in her bag and continuing to discuss Christmas plans with Sirius.

"So, we're going to build snowmen and have snowball fights and roast marshmallows over the fire in the common room! It's going to be so much fun not having to spend the holidays alone for once!" Coralie slung her bag over her shoulder as the bell rang to signify the end of DADA and the beginning of lunch.

"Yeah! And we can make forts with James', Remus', and Peter's blankets and pillows!" Sirius had become more comfortable with the fact that he wasn't spending the holidays with his family after their crying session in the kitchens the week prior.

"Hey! Don't leave us out! Maybe all of us can get together at the end of the break and hang out. My parents wouldn't mind if everyone came over, I'm sure!" James jumped in with thier planning.

"I'm sure I could work something out with my parents," Remus agreed.

"Yeah, I doubt my mother would mind," Peter also complied.

"Then it's settled! We'll all meet up at James house for the last few days of Christmas break so we can all celebrate together!" Coralie threw her things down as she sat on the bench at the Gryffindor table.

Sirius sat on her right, Remus across from him, Peter on his left, and James on his right.
They piled their plates and stuffed their mouths before the bell rang for their next class.

"Rictusempra!" Coralie waved her wand and Remus chuckled a little. Not like he had been tickled as she had hoped, but from the defeated look on her face from not being able to get it right.

"You need to move your wand in a spiraling motion not jagged like you did just then, see? Rictusempra!" She started laughing uncontrollably as the feeling of being tickled overwhelmed her.

"Aright! I think I got it. Rictusempra!" It was Remus' turn to howl with laughter as he felt the sensation of being tickled overcame his senses. She stopped and they high fived after they both succeeded in the charm. They continued practicing for the rest of class until the bell rang.

"Come on! We need to get back to our room!" She pulled Sirius by the wrist to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.

"Why?" James asked the question they had all been wondering but were too scare to ask because when she gets like this it's never good for those around her.

"You guys are going to go out with a bang tomorrow morning," she gave a brief explanation and continued to drag her friends to the room they shared.

"What do you mean?" Remus asked wearily.

"I mean, when you three leave me and Sirius here to rot alone-"

"Sirius and me." She rolled her eyes and continued despite Remus' interruption.

"Everyone is going to know when you guys are leaving, so stay out of this. This is just between Sirius and ME!" She shoved the others out and locked them out.

"Whew!" She exhaled and flopped backwards onto her bed.

"What's your plan?" Sirius sat on his bed and faced her.

"I was thinking of setting off some Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks in the Great Hall during breakfast and giving them a nice wake up before they start their day," she smirked and sat up.

"I like that, it's what they deserve after all, for leaving us and everything," Sirius agreed to her devious plan and they unlocked the door. The boys filed into the room and grabbed their clothes, taking turns to change in the bathroom while Coralie went into her bathroom to change.

She slipped on an oversized Oxford University jumper and distressed jean shorts. She pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and left off her shoes until dinner.

"Remmy, can I borrow your copy of Gone With the Wind?" She asked.

"Here," he threw her the book and she laid back on her bed to start reading.

"Apollo!" The wolf had bit the book and the pages were now in shreds.

"It's alright, I'll just get another copy over the break. Sorry you didn't get to read it," Remus assured her that the ruined book was fine and he wasn't mad at her.

"Whatever you say," she had figured out another present to get Remus and now she only had to find something to give the three other boys.

"Dinner time!" The clock struck 5 and James jumped up from his bed while the others followed.

They went down to the Great Hall and sat down at their red and gold clad table and ate their dinner. After dinner they all went upstairs to get ready for bed and went to sleep.

"Come on, Cora! This was your plan after all," Sirius dragged her from her bed that following morning so they could set up the fireworks for the boys' departure. They were to spell out a message that was sure to embarrass the three.

"5 more min- Ow!" She grumbled as her head hit the floorboards. Sirius had successfully pulled her from the comfort of her ruby duvet.

"Get changed and meet me down at the Great Hall in 5, hurry and be quiet," he pulled her up from the ground and pushed her towards her wardrobe to get dressed.

"Coralie, do this, do that, be quiet, hurry up," she quietly imitated him as she gathered clothes to throw on. She went into the the bathroom and threw on an oversized maroon sweater over the black tank top she slept in and put on a pair of ripped jean shorts. She threw her hair up in a messy ponytail and left the dormitory.

"I'm here," she grumbled as she ran up to Sirius in the Great Hall.

"Alright, I have the fireworks we just need to set them up and pour some water on them when everyone comes down for breakfast," Sirius handed her a bundle of fireworks and he took his own to set them up behind the professors' table. The finished up and sat down at the Gryffindor as students started filing through the door. They had set up the fireworks behind that table because all of the professors would be outside to help children board the train after they ate and none of the students would be able to see the fireworks.

"Why are you two up so early?" James and the other boys sat down beside them.

"You'll see," a Cheshire cat like grin spread across Sirius and her face as she sipped her pumpkin juice.

The three others fearfully eyed one another and they all shrugged at each other.

"We have a great surprise for you three," Sirius smirked and threw an arm around Coralie as they laughed to themselves.

(A/N: sorry for the extremely long hiatus, at first I was sick and then I just lost a lot of inspiration for the story. I want to focus on other projects right now, but I will still work on this one as much as possible, there's just a lot on my plate right now. I hope you can understand that.)