Chapter 8: Prelude

A/N: Hey! Sorry for missing last week. It's been kind of insane. Bad insane. I'll try and make it up to you soon.

Last week I got a tiny part in the play, despite the fact I was the lead last year. On the bright side, I should have more time to write now? But I'm still really upset about it honestly.

Last week I got a tiny part in the play, despite the fact I was the lead last year. On the bright side, I should have more time to write now? But I'm still really upset about it honestly.

My quill tapped against the pages repeatedly, probably annoying the hell out of Rose.

"I can't find anything." I groaned, dropping my dry quill on the book. She glared at me before realizing that I didn't actually have any ink on the quill, so now it's okay.

"Well we can't just give up. We can't just let whoever tried to poison us go." Rose insisted, waving a piece of parchment at me. "Now take notes."

"They didn't poison us." I said, giving her a look. "And I know it's weird, but you haven't gotten anything since. Maybe they just wanted to prank someone, and they succeeded. So let it go." I said, pulling my inkwell away from Rose's teetering stack of books. Neither Rose nor Madam what's-her-face would be happy if I got ink all over the books.

"I'm going to find out who did this, and they are going to pay." Rose declared, pointing her quill at me. I raised my hands up in defeat, shrugging.

"Alright, fine. I'll help, but only because I don't want my best friend to go insane surrounded by books on handwriting." I grinned, winking at her.

"Merlin, you're even starting to act like James." Rose said, shaking her head at me. I just ignored her, turning back to the books. Maybe I'll just start on my potions homework while I'm here. Rose probably wouldn't even notice. Handwriting spells are only interesting for so long, you know? The forging ones should prove to be useful, though . . . Unless you cast another handwriting spell on it and it will tell you it's forged. So, less useful.

"I'm assuming we don't need the analyzer that tells you personality traits." I drawled, flipping through the book. "How useful can 'ambitious,' 'friendly,' or 'messy' be?" I snorted, shaking my head.

"Actually," Rose said slowly, looking at me. "That could be very useful. It could tell us their house!" Her eyes lit up in excitement. "Give me that book!"

"But what if they're conflicting, like ambitious and intelligent? Brave and loyal?" I asked, still placing the book in Rose's grabby hands.

"It'll still give us an idea!" She insisted, her eyes scanning the pages. "Adjectives about the person will tell us a lot more than age and gender." Really? Are you sure about that, Rose? Cause I think adjectives can be hard to pick out in a crowd. But I digress.

Rose whipped out her wand and the note, still absorbing the book.

"Come on, Rose, you're not going to get the spell right the first time." I said, leaning back in my chair. With a wave of her wand, words started floating off the paper.

Seriously? You have got to be kidding me. Rose shot me a smug look before writing down the words.

"Brave, loyal, intelligent, ambitious." She rattled off.

"Wonderful, all the houses." I laughed, crossing my arms. Rose just glared while she continued rattling off words.

"Messy, outgoing, optimistic, daring, stubborn, reckless." With that, Rose put down her quill and looked at me. "I think we've got a Gryffindor on our hands."

"I think we do too." I agreed, looking at the parchment. "I think we do."

I chewed at my lip uncomfortably, just looking at Dominique and Lily. They were smiling at me, and it was getting a bit unnerving. Let me just say that if I ever expected to get ambushed by a Weasley pair (and it was becoming pretty common) I didn't expect it to be these too. Dominique? Sure. Lily? Probably. But together? I didn't even know they were close. Well, they're related, so I guess it isn't that surprising. But still. I'm just saying they're not the closest of people, okay?

"Um, is something wrong?" I asked, looking between them.

"No, why do you ask?" Lily responded, tilting her head at me.

"Because you're kind of just . . . Staring at me." I said, giving her an odd look. "And it's kind of freaking me out."

"Sorry!" Dom piped up. "We just wanted to say hi. See what's up. Bond a bit." She grinned, relaxing in her chair.

Right, which is why they ambushed me and dragged me into the Gryffindor dorms. Psychos, the whole lot of them.

Probably shouldn't be saying that about my pretend boyfriend's family, should I?

"Right, well I'm okay." I responded, starting to stand up again, only for Lily's hand to usher me down again.

"That's great! How are things with James?" Dominique asked, eyebrows wriggling up and down.

"Fine." I said, raising an eyebrow at her. "Do you care that deeply about my exploits with your cousin, and brother?" I asked. Maybe if I freak them out enough with false tales of James and me they'll make me leave.

"Oh Merlin, no!" Lily laughed, wrinkling her nose. "Please don't. We just want to get to know you! You're dating my brother, after all, and you're clearly not breaking up very soon." Oh yes, clearly.

"So we want to talk, learn stuff about you. If you can put up with James Potter for over a week you've got to be something special." Dominique chimed in. "I can barely put up with me for a few days, and he's my cousin, and like, my best friend." She said, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Even more so than Lucy and Fred, but don't tell them I said that." She said, leaning in and giving me a conspiratorial wink.

"Of course not." I said, giving her an awkward smile. Alright. So that doesn't sound very suspicious.

"So, what do you like to do?" Lily asked, grinning brightly at me. Aw, she's so adorable. I wish she was my little sister.

"Oh, I dunno, I play quidditch and read a lot." I shrugged, waving a hand in the air passively. "What about you guys?" I'm really bad at making conversation with people I don't know well, okay?

"Well Lily here sure likes a certain Hufflepuff." Dominique said, wiggling her eyebrows. Lily's face promptly turned redder than her hair, and her elbow went to Dom's stomach. I just watched, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Shut up!" Lily squealed, hiding her face.

"What was that?" I asked, amusement evident in my voice.

"Lily's just embarrassed about her new boyfriend." Dom laughed. "That, you know, she definitely does not have." She said that with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, come on, Dom." Lily said, getting over her embarrassment with a vicious glare. "You and Lucy can date whoever you like, but we all know how James would react with me." She declared, crossing her arms. "You take one look at my sister and I'll hex you into the next century!" Lily imitated James with . . . surprising accuracy.

"Yeah, I know, but it's still funny." Dom smiled, ruffling Lily's hair. "Looks like another Potter will be stuck snogging in broom closets." She said with a devilish grin. "Did James tell-"

"Ada!" James called my name so loudly it made me jump. I turned, and waved him over.

"Hey there." I said, shifting over on the couch. James plopped down next to me, his arm winding around my shoulders.

"Watcha doing?" He asked, looking between us.

"Getting to know your new girlfriend." Lily said casually. If you didn't know, you never would have guessed we were just talking about her and her unnamed boyfriend. What Hufflepuff is it, I wonder? I'm going to have to keep an eye out.

"Well, do you mind if I steal her for a bit? I have to talk to her." He said, winking at me. I rolled my eyes, ignoring him.

"Go ahead." Dom replied, winking at me as well. Damn Weasley-Potters. Always got to make things dirty, don't they. "We'll chat later, Wright. See you!" With that, she was up and gone.

"Bye." Lily said simply, standing up and heading towards the portrait door.

"Okay, so Hogsmeade is tomorrow." James turned to me, his hand finding a piece of my hair.

"It is." I confirmed, fingers drumming against my knee.

"Would you like to go with me?" He asked, catching my eye.

"Didn't I already agree to this?" I tilted my head, eyebrows furrowing. "Cause I was going to show up in the Great Hall at 11 am, and I don't want to be stood up." I said, pointing a finger at me.

"I would never!" James swore dramatically, catching my finger and pointing it back at me. "Now don't you stand me up."

"I promise." I laughed, taking my hand back from his grip.

"Excellent." James said, leaning in and giving me a soft kiss. "See you." He leaped off the couch, heading to his dorm.

Shaking my head, I stood up and headed toward the exit. That was . . . Interesting. I slung my bag over my shoulder, stepping out into the empty corridor. It's time to do some homework. Fun. I sure can't wait to get started on that charms essay.

That was sarcastic, by the way. In case you couldn't tell. I almost wished I was still chatting uncomfortably with the Weasley's.

I was deep in my thoughts when I literally ran into someone.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, kneeling down to help the person pick up their books. Right, should probably pay attention when wandering the halls of Hogwarts. Gotta work on that.

"I've been looking for you."

Of course. I looked up warily, dropping the books on the floor. Chloe Summers. Of course it's Chloe Summers. I just deserve that.

"'Ello Summers." I said dully, standing up.

Chloe is a 6th year Gryffindor as well as President of the James Potter fan club. She dated him once for a week in 4th year, and ever since she's been 'in love' with him. Great. I should have realized this was coming.

"Wright." She said, flipping her dark curls over her shoulder. "You're dating James." Merlin, could she be more blunt.

"Yeah." I said, amused. "Get right to the point, don't you?" I smirked. Chloe ignored me, fingers tapping her wand. Great. Just great. What's next? A peeves prank? I trip and break every bone in my body? Seems like that kind of day, so why not, right?

"How did you get him to go out with you?" She asked, sneer forming on her face. "Withhold sex? But I can't imagine you would be worth it." She let out a fake, choppy laugh while she looked me up and down. "What's so special about you? There are plenty of other dollar whores in this school." My eye twitched, hand reaching to my wand. I was so not going to be hexed by Chloe Summers, not if I have anything to say about it.

"I'd be careful if I were you." I said, voice calmer than my heart.

"Or what?" She let out a real laugh this time, shaking her head. "You'll hex me? Like that's something to be scared of." She stepped towards me, fire in her dark eyes. "Everyone knows it was a fluke that you got in Ravenclaw. You don't have an intelligent bone in your body. You're just a stupid little slut-" Her voice went deep, her wand pointed threateningly at me. "When I'm through you're going to think back to this moment, and you're going to wish you took my offer."

"What offer?" I snorted, glaring at her. Chloe's eyes narrowed, her wand starting to move, a spell coming to her lips. I drew my wand faster than I even knew I could, deflecting the spell she shot at me. Oh hell no. I pointed my wand at her, and this time I knew she was the scared one. I was going to go bat bogey hex on her ass. The spell had barely left my lips when-

"Detention, Miss Wright! And you too, Miss Summers."

Of course. Of course Flitwick was there.

I'm going to kill James Potter.

A/N: So yeah. They'll get long again, I promise!

Please review, they're much appreciated.