The Marauders: Year One (female)

55. Ten Galleons Says McGoogly Was In On It

Jamie thumped down on her bed, which had been repaired again. She pulled the freshly laundered sheets up to her nose, messing them up again, and inhaled. 'Oh, it's good to be back,' she said blissfully.

Petra bounced on her bed. 'It is, isn't it?' It had been a couple of days since their fight in the hospital wing, and all arguments and grudges were left in the past.

Frankie stood by her table, checking all of her newly mended photographs and ornaments. 'The Elves have done a good job of fixing everything,' she said, looking around admiringly.

'Ten Galleons says McGoogly was in on it,' said Jamie.

'Not gonna bet against that,' said Petra, chuckling. 'I'm too broke, anyway.'

'But where's Sirius?' Frankie asked. 'She should be back by now.'

Jamie snorted, walking to the middle of the room. 'Ah, well. She's probably holed up somewhere in the ruddy library. I haven't seen her properly for ages. She's turning into a bit of a lonely basilisk if you ask me.'

'She's right behind you,' said a voice beside her ear.

Jamie turned sharply, to see a sullen-looking Sirius brushing past her. Her black hair was hanging over her eyes in tufts, and her eyes were slate-grey and hard.

'Well, there she is!' crowed Jamie. 'The Black lion returns home at last.'

Sirius fixed her with a cold look. 'Don't get on my nerves now, Potter.'

'Oooooo!' teased Jamie. 'What's the matter with you?'

Sirius whirled around angrily, like she was about to either slap Jamie, or give her a sharp retort, but made a visible effort to stop herself. 'Nothing,' she said, giving a forced smile. 'Just a bit on edge.'

Frankie retreated to her bed, sensing a storm coming. She didn't want to be involved in it. She shot Petra a warning look, and Petra stayed out of Jamie and Sirius's way.

They'd both already received the brunt of their anger too often these past couple days.

'What about?' Jamie asked, no longer joking. She grabbed Sirius's arm, and pulled her down next to her on the bed. She put her arm around her. 'Tell me.'

Sirius stiffened at the touch on her shoulder, but didn't shrug it off. 'I dunno.'

Jamie lowered her voice, so that the other two wouldn't hear. 'Are you still beating yourself up about Remus? 'Cos you know that wasn't your fault, mate. Right?'

Sirius shrugged. 'I dunno,' she repeated, sounding like she had a bad head-cold. 'Could've been. I mean, they all saw. It was me. I made it worse.'

Jamie squeezed her arm tightly. 'Come on, now. Something had already happened to her before, when she went away.' Jamie frowned. 'That Thestral got her good, and she didn't tell us. If I'm going to be honest, maybe playing bedroom Quidditch with us wasn't the greatest idea she's ever had.'

Sirius gritted her teeth. 'Look, Jamie,' she said lowly, 'I don't think it was a Thestral that got her.'

'Don't be daft! What else could it have been? And her story is pretty believable.'

'Exactly. Which shows she's done this sort of thing before. Thestrals might injure you, but I've talked to Hagrid, and looked in the library, and it doesn't add up. Hagrid was acting all bleeding dodgy about the whole palava, too. Something's up.'

'So that's why you've been all nerded up in the library!' exclaimed Jamie.

'Yes,' said Sirius tersely. 'And you can let go of my arm now.'