𝔦𝔡𝔢𝔞𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔲𝔱𝔩𝔞𝔰𝔥𝔢𝔰

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ONLY A FEW STUDENTS OCCUPIED THE GREAT HALL that early in the morning. There was only about two at the Slytherin table, and a bit at Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, and a handful at Ravenclaw. Sometimes Mila wondered how the sorting hat was somehow accurate for the most part, she always thought she would fit more into Ravenclaw, but it was whatever. 

  She was reserving the spot at the end of the table, closest to the professors, for her and all her friends, but she couldn't help notice a deeply focused Lily Evans down the table to her left. Lily had a few papers scrawled in front of her, a pencil in her hand as her hair was set behind her ears. Her nose was scrunched, tie a bit loose, and even with this slightly unperfect morning look she still looked flawless, how, Mila didn't know or understand, all she did was wish to look that perfect in the morning.  Mila pulled at her slightly tangled mess of hair before returning back to her book, she couldn't help but only keep her eye on one word, zoned out.

  She shut her book and shoved it back in her satchel, getting up from her seat. She couldn't stand another morning sitting for two hours just for nothing to happen, she needed company. Mila checked her wristwatch, 5:47, before making her way to Lily's right side. "Hello Lily!" she greeted.

  Lily jotted one last thing down before setting the led on the table and looking up, "Hello-" Lily took a few seconds to remember who she was talking to, "Mila! Morning, how are you?" how was this girl so chipper? "I'm good, bit tired, didn't get much sleep really. I just came to see what you were doing, you seem so concentrated!" Mila took a glance at the pieces of parchment on the table, each had small drawn on calendars, with different, but continuous symbols in each box. Most of them where crossed or scribbled out.

  Lily picked one of them up, slightly shaking it in her hand, "Well, since I'm a prefect and I have some control and say on some events and such, I wanted to see if I could get a word in about a dance or ball. Something fun for students before or during end of year exams, since their coming in a few months, but the thing is I can't find a date that will work with everyone! I know that I'll need a date set before head girls and boys can even slightly think about it! I've been trying all week to find a date, because the date will affect the theme, because if it's in March I can do a winter theme, since that's the last month for winter, and winter is such a magical season! But if I set it around April or May, I can make a beautiful spring theme, flowers, plants, amazing! But I just can't find a day that will work!" Lily panted after her short, but what felt like very long rant on a day for a dance.

  Mila stared at the red headed girl in concern at her big 'dilemma' before giving her some lazy morning advice, "Lily, why don't you just pick a date that works for you and a bit of everybody? I'm sure with all the bored teens will move their schedules for a night of new fun, it'll probably be the most eventful thing this year!" Lily looked back at the parchment, moving her lips to the side.

  "Maybe I just won't plan a ball."

  "No! Listen, a ball sounds fun, like I said, pick a date that's the best for you, then plan everything from there, I know for sure Serenity would love a dance!" Mila commented while Lily sighed, "Thanks, makes me feel a bit better. You are much better at calming people down then Mary or Marlene, this is like the calmest morning I've had in like 2 weeks!" Lily looked around the room taking a deep breath before her gaze fell to the big door, she listened for second before letting out a anguished breath, snapping her head back to meet Mila's.

  "What?" Mila asked.

  "It's like six o'clock, in the morning, and that thing is awake!? I only wake up so early so I can get two hours of peace in my day away from him!"

  Guess the calm thing only worked for a second, "Who?" Mila scoffed at the abruptly angered fiery girl. Right then she could hear a groan from the door and bickering between some rowdy boys. Oh one could guess who it must be. She could see the back of Remus' and Peter's backs, obviously scolding the other two. Everyone could hear James' complaining, "This is really unfair! You wake me up at 4:30 IN THE MORNING!? To wake us up so you can go have your precious breakfast time! This completely discards Sirius', Peter's, and I's natural flow!" Peter made a small motion with his hands, "Actually waking up early doesn't hurt me, it's just you two." Remus grabbed the two boys dragging them into the hall.

  "Waking up can be good for you! It is not my fault that you two are a bunch of lazy arses!" James continued whining, "How will it be good for us? I need my sleep- maybe waking up is really good for us!" James had spotted Lily, of course. He ripped apart from Remus' grasp, happily skipping along the aisle between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor before plopping himself down to Lily's left. "Goodmorning Evans!" James leaned on hand, where his elbow was placed on the table. "Go away, Potter, I'm working on something," Lily said, not looking at him. "I see that! You've been working on that for a few weeks now I've noticed!" James grinned. "Potter, you are such a creep! Now shoo and let me have a nice morning!"

  The other marauders found their seat not to far down the table, probably to see James fail miserably again at getting 'his girl'. "Why would you ever want all this," he motioned to himself, "to leave such gorgeousness?" Lily returned his, supposed, compliments with a scowl, as he put his arms up, as if getting arrested, in defeat, "Fine, fine, have a beautiful day, beautiful!" He got up and returned to his friends, his grin losing some of it's spark. Remus chuckled, trying to hide his face with his hands, accidently brushing against the fresh cut across his face from a couple of nights ago, it stung slightly as he cringed.

  "He just needs to learn to leave me alone!" Lily angrily grabbed the toast on the racks quickly spreading butter on it before taking a bite.  "Maybe, dye your hair blonde, change your name to boogey, and then wear grandma clothes and it might work, probably not, but it's worth a try." Lily took another bite, "I do not like your sarcasm!" Mila just shrugged, she opened her satchel beside her and got out a few papers, "I actually have to go talk to them right now so, wish me luck."  "Why?" Mila looked through the stack while answering, "I'm partnered with Black and Lupin for a astronomy project, and I just have to talk to them about it." 

  "You're lucky you have Remus to weigh Sirius down," Lily scoffed, Mila looked to her with a quirked eyebrow, "Well I mean, he's the only sensible one, and the only one I'm friends with, and he's really nice, he does the work and stuff," She shoved the last piece of the toast into her mouth, "I'm just saying that the project will be easier since you have Remus and Sirius, instead of James and Sirius," she shrugged. 

  Mila set her satchel on the bench saving her seat, before walking to the group of boys with a comment that would make Lily blow up, "For a girl who seems to loathe Potter, you sure do bring him up a lot!" 

She walked over behind where Peter and Remus were seated, as they were on the side side of the table as her, she stood there for a few seconds awkwardly before Peter nudged Remus' arm letting him know she was there, Sirius and Potter were in deep conversation about something. 

  "Luna! Why are you here?" Remus asked. "I uhm- actually have an update on that report for Black," Sirius' head shot up at the words 'Report for Black' after one another, "A report? For me? No thanks, is this to get back at me for going on a date? Because that was not my fault, things just happen!" Padfoot defended.

  "Last I heard, you are completely flunking all your classes, so an extra report for extra credit for help, but change of plans on the report, last minute decision," she winked, "You get the honor of completing the whole thing yourself!"

  "Rubbish! Remus can do it, just write my name on it, thanks man!" he protested.

  "Nope, you heard the woman, you're doing a report!"

  "You told her to give a report didn't you!?"

  "I never said anything about that!"

  "You back stabbing dodo!" Sirius pointed his fork at Remus, Mila rolled her eyes at the childish bickering before leaning over in-between the two in front of her, setting the papers in front of Black. She pointed to a few of the boxes she made on them. 

  "These are some layout plans and templates for what you can use, since your brain can not think of anything," Mila continued explaining different things, but the stance she was in was not ideal for anyone. Peter couldn't reach for another piece of toast as a bodily figure was blocking his hands pathway for a new one. Remus could even smell the one quick spritz of rosy perfume Mila had applied this morning, his sense were heightened at the full moon was only days away on Saturday, it was already Thursday, he was not doing his best.

  After Mila was done explaining things she went back to her original placement, patting down her robes. She looked over to Remus to see the eyebags under his eyes, "You look tired, you should've listened to Potter about sleeping in, maybe get rest, bye!" Mila scurried back to her seat, unsure of why she just said such a comment, no one would probably want the saying 'You look tired' right in the morning, but she tried to make it sound as sincere at possible, she wasn't sure how good of a job she did anyways.  

  Gradually the Great Hall began to fill with students, later Mila went back to her usual spot as it was awkward with McKinnon and MacDonald as she barely even knew them. The rest of the time during breakfast Ruby filled everyone on the letter she got from her older cousin informing her about the very interesting family drama.

  It was now lunch, back to eating. There was no encounters with her project group in astronomy class no more, Professor Sinistra had refrained from getting groups together and instead told them to find time to work on their own. All others groups seemed to had become buddy buddy and bestfriends right away, hanging out with each other regularly, meaning it would be hard to get in a word with her two partners about the next study day, for now she'd just have to hope they were planning to do their work.

  She sat with her regular group of friends at their usual spot, today Serenity had decided to bug Mila about her certain new project partner.

  "Hey M', do you suppose you can put in a good word for me?"

  "What?"

  "Sirius Black, your friends with him, so let him know about me!"

  Mila scoffed, "I am not friends with Black!"

  "Tell him something at least please! He's the only available marauder!"

  Mila picked around her salad with her fork, taking the tomatoes out and putting them in Ida's bowl as she wanted them, "What do you mean the only available one?" Serenity pushed the hair out of her face, making herself look as best as possible. "Well James is infatuated by Mai's friend," that was true, Maisie shared a dorm with Lily, Marlene, and Mary, she switched off sitting with them and Mila's group, "Peter, is too short for me, I need a taller guy," Serenity tilted her head, almost pitying the mousy boy, "And Lupin is not really my time, handsome is it wasn't for all those scratches on his face, they sort of freak me out" she moved her hands in a freaked out way before clasping them together, "In conclusion, Sirius Black is the only candidate good for anyone, first girl to be in a relationship with him longer than 3 months get's 15 galleons from Amanda Reed!" Serenity finished off, squealing at the thought..

  Mila shook her head before saying, "I really need new friends!" pinching her nose looking down at her salad that was when Ruby exploded with a random thought, "I think I'm into older guys"  "That's really great Rubes, fits into the conversation perfectly!" Mila said sarcastically, Ruby ignored her beginning to twirl a few strands of hair in her finger, looking at the empty throne in the middle of the Professors' table, "Do you think Professor Dumbledore is into younger girls?" after realizing the girl was joking the whole table burst out laughing, which gained attraction from a few tables and groups, especially the one of boys wondering what tables laughter could be louder than theirs.

  The boys attention found the group of giggling girls, one of them shrugging who must've been the one to tell something funny. Remus' eyes focused on his astronomy partner, who was absolutely baffled, he could clearly see her shocked face as her hair was fully out of her face. Everyone in the hall went back to their own thing, but Remus wanted to know what was so funny that was able to crack her open.

  "Ruby no!" exclaimed Maisie, Ruby dipped her bread into her soup before shoving some of it in her mouth, "No, but I'm serious!" Mila let her jaw hang open slightly, "Ruby! That man is like 100 years old, a relationship like that would be completely and utterly inappropriate!" Ruby was annoyed, she rolled her eyes, "You idiots! I mean none of the guys in our year! I'm talking about like 7th years, you kinky gits!"  "Maybe next time, say that instead of flirtatiously talking about our headmaster!"  

  "Stop using big words!"

  "Stop talking about shriveled 100 year old dick!" Mila seethed.

  "Wait, you've seen the headmaster's dick!?" Ida asked,

  Mila groaned, quickly checking her watch, "You guys suck-"

  "Well you suck old cock!" Ruby shouted, gaining a few looks

  Mila was flustered from the embarrassment "You girls are a pain in the neck! I'm off!"

  "To his office to catch some more?"

  She picked up her satchel, getting off the bench, "You were the one trying to catch it first!" she said in a sing song voice as she walked away towards Gryffindor tower.

  Remus chuckled at the scene before him, turning back to his food, "Moony! I'm not joking, it's not funny!" James pouted, Remus now confused at the sudden words asked "What?" Sirius clapped Remus back, "James, Moony can't help it, your attempts are just not there yet, try asking her out again today!" Ah yes, the topic of Lily Evans, one of Remus' close friends.

  "Yeah, but she always says no! And she's always with her friends, it's humiliating!" he frowned, "It's like she grows new ones every day to, so basically everyone here knows, like a week ago she had some Ravenclaw girls she was hanging out with, turned down, Just this morning she had another friend!" He pushed his plate out of the way, slumping in his seat, placing his chin on the table, "She wants to hang out with everybody, but me."  "Prongs, the reason it's not working is because, for some reason, you turn to Wormtail and Moony for advice, when they can't get a girl for shit!"

  "Loads of girls crush on me Sirius!" Peter piped up, "Crushing? Maybe, yes. Have you ever dated anyone? Pft, no! Therefore you have no license to legally talk or give dating advice," Sirius then pointed to himself, "But me, I am dating advice itself."  "That's because you date literally everyone and anyone,"  "Ah, ah, ah!" He wagged his finger, "I don't date, I mingle!"  

  Remus snorted midway into a taste of his soup, "You realize that's worse right? And you just bought yourself a ticket out of being dating advice, because you just admitted you don't date!"  Sirius turned to him, crossing his arms and turning his nose up before spitting out at him, turning the other way, "You're mean!"  

  "Not my fault you walked right into that one!"

  "Stop joking and help me will you!" James pleaded.

  Mila sat in the library, it was a bit crowded for a Monday, and for the evening, most students seemed to have decided to skip dinner. None the less, she loved it, it was so quiet you could hear the rustle of leaves outside, and the lasts of the birds chirps, but Mila was also completely bored, she didn't feel like working on homework, or reading a book. As if on cue a certain redheaded plopped herself in the seat beside her.  "Hello Lily..." Mila said slowly.  "Hello! I just thought I'd hang out with you! Feels like the season to make a new friend!" What was the sudden reason for Lily's urge to hang out with Mila? She didn't know, and was quite honestly confused. From then on Lily moved onto the next topic.

  "I found out a date for the ball!" Lily squealed quietly, "Your advice helped!" Mila smiled softly, "That's great Lily!" Lila sat her satchel right in front of her, already stoked she could share the project she was so passionate in with someone, "Ok so, I'm going for the spring theme! Flowers and plants everywhere! I'm hoping Dumbledore would let me turn the Great Hall into a giant mystical terrarium garden type place! It would be magical, well we already are magical, but magical in the sense that like, it's mystical, not that what we do is not mystical, it's just- you get it right?" Mila nodded, and that's what she did for 20 minutes, she nodded and 'mhm'ed and 'uh-hum'ed, almost falling asleep, Lily was sweet, too sweet for her, but she didn't feel like listening about dancing plans, if anything she'd rather it be a surprise for when the time came.

  Luckily, two people were able to stop her from her talking about the dress she was going to buy, unfortunately, it was Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, who found a way to disrupt the peaceful séance of the library.  Mila quirked her eyebrows at Lily, "I'm sorry Mila! I forgot, me and Remus study every Monday together, sometimes he brings along a guest," Lily shot her a sympathetic smile. "Hey! I am a wonderful guest of honor Evans, you're lucky I'm not Prongs! In fact I'm the best person you've ever met!" the two girls stared at him with annoyed looks, "Wow tough crowd, you both are boorring." 

  Mila brought her gaze upon the lanky boy in front of her, his vision guided towards the window next to the group's table, his hair was ruffled up and messy from the day, he looked extremely exhausted from the eyebags that hung below his forest green eyes, but mostly she focused on the large cut, she just noticed now, across his left cheek, fresh from a few painful nights ago.

 "Are you ok?" Mila asked concerned.

  "What?"

  "The large gash on your cheek, are you ok?" she repeated, Remus took a breath, people at some point stopped asking for the reasons of the cuts and scars along his body, it had been a while since someone asked him if he was ok from the cuts, "Why do you need to know?" Mila furrowed her brows, "It looks a few days old, but just not properly taken care of? You should go to Madam Pomfrey for some rubbing alcohol or something," she suggested, Lily gulped beside her, while Sirius watched the two steadily with his eyes, "I'm fine, I have it taken care of," "Are you sure?" Mila put her hand up for a moment to reach to his face to see if it stung if she touched it, but she quickly put it back down, "Why do you even care so much?" He asked with a bit of attitude, he didn't want to talk about this.

  "I don't know I just- here just forget about it, uhm, do you have anything done for the project?" Mila shifted the topic, she could hear the hurt in his voice, accepting the fact she should stay out of it.

  Everyone's chests dropped at the end of the tension, Sirius decided to answer to lift the mood of the atmosphere, "Yup, the giant roll of paper is just sitting on the dresser, kind of annoying I can't clutter it with stuff anymore," Remus rolled his eyes, "That's just cause you're devastated that you can't destroy the dorm!" Sirius goal was achieved, the mood was lightened.

  Everyone soon got to work on homework, essays, or in Lily's case, decoration designs. Instead Mila grabbed a quick read from the shelves. Her vision kept wandering to Remus' face, she couldn't help but feel off, everyone at the table knew exactly about it, and the many hidden cuts underneath his shirt and sleeves, and she didn't. She would keep the page open looking blankly in it before she would steal glances, studying his features, before he could catch her she would dart her eyes back to the book, turning the page to act like she was doing something, when really she was staring at some random word as her leg bounced under the table.

  Before she couldn't sit there anything she shut her book, leaving it at the table before getting up to leave, "I'm going to bed, night Lily," She nodded in Sirius' and Remus' direction before they all watched her disappear before the library doors .

  "You were a lil' harsh, Moony," Sirius stated bluntly turning to face Remus, "How was I harsh, I literally only said 2 sentences," Remus muttered, Lily crossed her arms, pursing her lips, "Yeah, but she seem genuinely concerned, she didn't even ask how you got it,"  Remus looked down at his clasped hands, fiddling his thumbs, sucking in his cheeks, "I'll just apologize tomorrow, I have to go to the astronomy tower right now anyways for the project thing," Remus packed away his things, swinging his satchel across his body, running his hand through his hair as the last two watched another person leave behind the big doors, before they let their eyes meet, knowing the too should probably head off.

A/N may, 2022

You get a short chapter, and get a long chapter to follow along, we total too around 4K words for this chapter so yay? Please vote I would really appreciate it sm! <33

A/N 1/1/22

As a new years present I give you chapter 003, I also want to note that the playlist might/definitely will have songs changed and added to it as the story continues, because a 3 hour playlist might not be enough for what I'm thinking to going to be an almost 100 chapter book 😭 and idk if I really wanna split it up into like two-three books but whatever.

I love you all so so so much byee!! 

3.9K words