What Is and What Should Never Be | Sirius Black

19. The Lovely Lily Evans

"JAMES IS looking for you." Is what Jane says when she gets to the Hufflepuff table, her arms loaded with study material.

"You cool, Janie?" I ask, moving the food out of the way so she can place the stuff down.

"Groovy." She says. "I need to bring this stuff back to David's dorm. N.E.W.Ts and graduation are bumming him out. He's disciplining two kids that hexed a muggleborn."

"That's the second one for this month." I grimace and Jane nods, upset. "Need some help?"

She shakes her head and pops a couple grapes into her mouth.

"He's out on the grounds."

"Who?"

"James."

"Right." I say, remembering why she came. "For what?"

"Says he has something to ask you." She stuffs a roll of bread in her mouth.

I force Jane to let me help carry the books at least as far as the doors, where I then hand them back to her and walk out to look for the boy who's called for me. It doesn't take long, because there's only one kid with unruly hair and glasses pacing nervously back and forth biting on his fingernails.

Upon a second glance, I notice that the other three are no where to be found and my pace quickens towards James.

"You're totally psyched out." I say, not bothering to greet him.

"Des, have I ever told you that you're the most beautiful girl I ever met?"

I cross my arms, knowing he's brown nosing.

"No, I'd love to hear it."

"No you don't." He wraps his arm around my shoulder and starts directing me in a random direction. "Listen, I need your help."

"What with?" I ask.

"Slughorn's got his end of the year party tomorrow night and for some reason he's invited me - again." He runs his hand through his hair, pulling slightly. "I thought I'd finally broke him but looks like I'm going."

"What's this got to do with me?"

"Evans has rejected my offer." He moves in front of me and grabs both my shoulders. "So how would you, my dear, like to be my date?"

I raise my eyebrows at the proposition with confusion. James and I aren't by any means close - I mean, he's seen my panties, but that's a completely different problem and mess all together. Why would he ask me?

"Why d'you need a date?" I pester. "Remus hasn't got one."

"Actually, Evans asked him." James mutters. "Just to bug me out - bogus prefects."

"So why d'you need me?" I'm still not clear.

"Well, don't you want to meet the love of my life?" He shakes my shoulder gently and I have to grab his elbows to stabilize myself. "Chat, laugh, put in a good word for me."

"James." I grab onto his shoulders as well to stop the shaking. "I don't know Lily Evans."

"But you're so effortlessly kind, it'll work."

I shake my head.

"Come on, Des, you get to dress pretty, have lovely conversations, it'll be killer!"

"I hear that Slughorn's parties are painfully boring."

"They are." He admits. "But please, please come, I'll be right there with you. Not like I'm sending you in blind."