Crookshanks

Girl Talk Wednesday (and every other day)

"Ugh, I'm so full!" Marlene groaned. "I ate way too much pudding."

I grinned. "Maybe you shouldn't eat the whole bowl next time, Mar?"

Marlene rolled her eyes. "It's not my fault the bowl kept refilling itself! Besides, it's way better than any of the other food."

Alice laughed. "Jen's got a point, you know. Besides, the chocolate pudding is way better than the vanilla."

Marlene gasped exaggeratedly. "Excuse me! Never insult me in such a way again!"

Lily looked up from her book. "I've got to go with Mar on this one. I'm not a chocolate person."

I rolled my eyes and huffed, "Yeah, and my brother is the humblest person in Gryffindor."

Alice looked knowingly at Lily. "I hear that James is upset he didn't get prefect."

"Really," Lily said absentmindedly, not even looking up from last year's Charms notes.

"Come on Lil, it's our first night back!" Marlene whined. "It's Girl Talk night on Wednesday!"

"And every other day of the week," I pointed out.

Marlene glared. "You are not helping my case."

Lily finally pushed away her notes. "Fine, but tomorrow I'm still reviewing for our OWLs."

I gaped at her. "But we just got here today!"

Lily looked at me plainly. "If you want me to be part of girl talk, don't argue."

"Ha," I mumbled under my breath, but I shut up.

"Is there anything you want to tell us, Lily?" Alice inquired quietly.

I don't know how, but Alice had a way of knowing everything - how we were feeling, our secrets, the juiciest gossip (although she never told anyone but us). This had always been strange, considering Alice was the quietest of all of us.

Lily looked at Alice, evidently as confused as Marlene and I.

Alice smiled. "Any - changes - in how you're feeling -"

Lily turned red.

"- as a fifth year and prefect?" Alice finished hastily.

Marlene was looking between Lily and Alice curiously, but she knew better than to say anything.

"I think it's time we go to bed," Lily said decisively. "We have a long day tomorrow."

I nodded, only half agreeing, and Marlene opened her mouth to protest, but seemed to think better of it.

Lily placed her notes at the edge of the bed and, seeing her red hair was in a loose plait and she was wearing her pajamas already, she tucked into bed.

"Hey, Jen, can you french braid my hair?" Marlene asked.

"Yeah," I said, sitting on her bed and braiding her long blond hair.

As I gracefully tied the end of the braid, I wondered.

What did Alice know?

~~~

"Jen!" Lily's voice called. "Jen, it's late! Breakfast started half an hour ago!"

I sat up straight, my hair bright orange. I was feeling rushed.

I yanked the sheets off of me, not bothering to make the bed as I bolted past Lily to brush my teeth and got dressed.

"Great, now do that every morning, exactly an hour earlier," Lily muttered, shaking her head as she strode out the portrait hole.