The Forgotten One

Team Lily-Lover

-chapter 15-

It's nearly Christmas and my feeling that something bad's going to happen still hasn't gone away. I thought it would go away after the whole Connor incident, but it didn't.

Snow started falling in mid-December. It's still snowing now, on the nineteenth and hasn't stopped since.

I finish packing my stuff for break. I've been invited to the Potter's for the holidays and, seeing as I practically walked out of my family, I decided I would go. Sirius will be there the whole time. He practically lives there. His situation is kind of like mine; not exactly, but pretty close. The only major thing that's different is that Sirius isn't actually part of his family anymore; he was disowned last year. Remus will be joining us the day before Christmas Eve and Peter won't be coming at all.

James invited Lily but, of course, she declined. I really don't see what's the matter with The Marauders, as they call themselves, but that's probably just because I've become really close friends with them.

"Astrid?" Lily's voice snaps me out of my daze.

"Huh?"

"You ready?" Lily asks, slipping on her coat. "The train leaves in fifteen."

"Alright." I pull on my coat and stuff my wand into my boot.

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I say goodbye to Lily at an empty compartment. She has to go to the Prefect's car for awhile, which is fine with me. I usually enjoy being by myself.

I slide into the compartment and dig around in my (new) messenger bag for The Outsiders. Once I find it, I pull it out and start to read. I've already read the book four or five times this year so far, but it never gets boring.

The compartment door slides open and I look up from my book to see who it is.

Messy black hair, hazel eyes behind circular glasses and a slight smirk plastered on his face.

James. (Or Prongs, as he's asked me to call him many times before.)

"Hey," I say, closing my book.

"Hi," he replies. "Can I sit?" He gestures to the seat across from me.

"Of course." James sits down across from me, just starting at his shoes. He and I have become real close over the last few months. Not a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship; more like a brother-sister relationship. It's the same with Remus. Peter I don't talk to. Sirius and I, well, to be honest, we don't really have a name for our type of relationship. We poke fun at each other, but it usually doesn't go farther than that. Plus, he's dating some Hufflepuff chick; Lauren, I think. People have called us friends, but I think we're more like acquaintances.

"James," I say. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He says too quickly.

"James. I can tell when something's wrong and that's right now."

James looks up at me. "Why doesn't she like me?"

"Lily?" James nods. "Oh, James. What happened?"

"I walked past her on my way to find you and all I said was 'Hello, Lily. Nice day today, isn't it?' And she gave me this death glare."

"Oh James," I say, reaching over to pat his hand in a sympathetic way. "She doesn't mean it, really. I know it seems like she hates your guts all the time, but really she only hates them half the time. I know she'll come 'round sooner or later. You just have to be patient."

"Alright."

At that, the train lurches forward, heading to King's Cross Station.

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Mr. and Mrs. Potter, who told me I can call them Charlus and Dorea, are very kind and warm-hearted. Even though they have money, they don't act all stuck up and bitchey. (Pardon my French.)

Their house is beautiful. It's made of mostly white marble, with amazing hard-wood floors and fluffy white carpet. They have one master bedroom, a bedroom for James and four guest bedrooms, totaling up to six bedrooms. The kitchen is huge, just like everything else the house has to offer.

I picked the smallest of the guest bedrooms to crash in. It has a double bed with a black bed set. There's a good size dresser and a small desk. There's also a full bathroom attached, which is nice.

I walk down the stairs to the kitchen. I find James and Sirius raiding the fridge.

"Pigs." I say. They both jump slightly.

James turns around. He raises an eyebrow at me, "Look who's talking."

I laugh. "Says the one raiding the fridge."

Sirius laughs. "Astrid, we all know you're the biggest pig of the group." I punch him in the arm. I know it won't hurt much, but Sirius makes a fake, pained face.

"Haha, real funny." I say dryly.

I peek around James's shoulder, "Whatcha got in there?" James slams the door shut, rattling the whole fridge.

"Not for young eyes."

"Young eyes?!" I exclaim. "You're the youngest one here!"

"Whatever." He mumbles.

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The prank war had started just four days before Christmas.

First James pranked me. Dumped a bucket of mud on me while I was in the shower.

Then I pranked James back.

Then Sirius pranked me.

Then James pranked me and Sirius.

Currently, it's two against one: Team Sirius and Astrid against Team Lily-Lover. James hates the name, but he'll just have to deal with it.

Sirius lays stretched out in the floor in his room.

"So what're we gonna do to get back at James?" Sirius asks.

"I have no idea." I admit. I'm usually good at coming up with major pranks like that (*snaps fingers*), but my mind is drawing a blank.

Sirius suddenly sits up. "I know!" I crawl to the end of the bed and lay on my belly, propping myself up with my elbows.

"What? Tell me!"

"I know the best prank we can pull on James."

Sirius doesn't elaborate, so I push.

"Tell me now!" I whine. "Or I'll go over to Lily-Lover's side."

"Okay..." Sirius says, a mischievous look on his face. "We start by having a huge fight." Sirius pauses.

"I'm listening..." I prod.

"Never mind," Sirius says, frowning. "It wouldn't work anyway."

"It's alright," I say. "We'll figure something out."