Mischief Unmanageable

Chapter Eight: Spilled Secrets

For the next two weeks, Marlin and Ari had successfully avoided their problems-The Marauders. The two girls were suffering greatly, however. They desperately wanted to talk to the boys. Molly and Lily were just no fun at all. But they couldn't bring themselves to do it.

Ari was angry at herself. For letting Sirius in on her feelings for him. She was also mad at him, for saying nothing about it. However, she continued to avoid him, not giving him a chance to try  to.

Marlin was upset. Mostly with herself. But also, with Remus. He had made it seem like he didn't mean to kiss her at all, but then again the only thing she had said was 'distract me'. She didn't tell him to kiss her, but that is what he had chosen to do. But she ran away. She ran  from him. Instead of telling him the truth, she ran away. She panicked.

Meanwhile Sirius was quite literally beating himself up over what had happened between him and Ari. Seriously... Remus walked into the common room one night after falling asleep in the library, and found Sirius hitting himself in the head. Remus had simply shaken his head at his friend. There was no need to ask why he was doing it, all of the boys knew already. 

Thankfully, Remus hadn't been as bad as Sirius. Although he was upset, he wasn't going to literally kick himself for it. He thought it was all his fault. He kissed her and she didn't want anything to do with him-other than be friends-he had misread the 'signs', and he took a risk. A risk that had ruined everything.

It had been James, who came up with the 'brilliant' plan. The Yule Ball was in a few weeks. James had told Sirius to ask Ari to go with him. Sirius, ultimately, had brightened up at this idea. The only problem being, Sirius could never get Ari alone. Or find her, for that matter (and believe me, he looked).

The reason for this was simple. Marlin and Ari had been using the secret passages to avoid the boys. They didn't want any further embarrassment, and they weren't exactly up for another "Petrificus Totalus" incident in the corridor. So they avoided they boys' most frequented places-unless they couldn't.

In class, they simply ignored them. Ari would blush like mad when she had to sit with Sirius, and Marlin would steal-very long-glances at Remus when they would sit together.  Remus, of course, would do the same. Very seldom would they make eye contact, but when they did, they blushed immensely and turned away from each other hastily. 

All of this changed when Marlin was forced to go to the library. The only thing she had on her mind was retrieving a book that she and Ari needed to study.

She had not expected to be cornered in the library by James Potter. He quite literally cornered her. Trapping her in with an arm beside each side of her head. Marlin easily could have kneed him in his not-so-lady parts. However, she was interested in why he had a sort of fire in his eyes.

"You're in love with Remus." He said accusingly. Marlin's eyes widened and a blush rose to her cheeks. Marlin opened her mouth, but before she could say anything...

"And there is no point in trying to deny it. I slipped you a little Veritaserum at dinner," James said, smiling innocently. 

"He made it very clear that he doesn't feel the same way..." Marlin whispered, trying to hide the sadness in her voice. She heard James let out a sort of laugh. He sounded like an exasperated chicken choking on a stick, and he looked at Marlin incredulously. 

"What the bloody hell are you talking about!? Moony is completely smitten with you, Marlin! Godric, you should hear him talk about you, 'She doesn't even like me. I mean how could she, I'm just a stupid nerd. I'm not good enough for her, especially since-" James abruptly stopped talking. 

"Since what?" Marlin asked, suspicious. James shook his head and smirked. 

"Not for me to say, princess. Anyway. Are you or are you not in love with our Moony?" James asked. Again, a blush rose to the girl's cheeks.