Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 36

"Good evening, sir!" I greet Filch with my usual smile with my arms clasped behind my back, I begin, rolling back and forth on the balls of my feet. "What have you come up with for me to work on this fine night? And might I just say that you look positively dashing!"

The man stares me down with an unimpressed look remaining unmoving on his sour face. "You will be scrubbing the cauldrons down in the dungeons."

"Bit unoriginal. Been there done that, if you know what I mean." I nudge him with a wide grin. His scowl deepens. "I mean...that sounds splendid!" I exclaim a little too loudly causing him to jump back. "Do you reckon you could squeeze a pay check in for me this time?"

"No."

"You know you'll give in eventually, sir. Might as well make it today." I say in a singsong voice.

"Get going, Holland."

In the middle of scrubbing a cauldron full of green sludge, Peeves comes floating into the room. The second he spots me, a huge smile appears on his ghost-like features. "Well hello there, Hollie!"

"Hey, Peevesie." I smile back at him, putting the sponge back into the bucket. "What brings you here tonight?" I ask, grateful for a distraction from my manual labour.

"Oh you know, looking for some children to frighten. The usual!" He grins almost evilly.

"Of course! But uh...it's past curfew." I remark.

"There's got to be a few naughty children up and about." He smirks and flies closer to me. "Play with me, Hollie!"

"I wish," I sigh, wiping away the sweat from my forehead. "but I'm sort of in detention." I motion to the bucket sitting beside me.

"Bad bad ickle one." He says looking at me with pride. "Have you convinced Grouchy to pay you for your services yet?" He raises a brow curiously.

"Unfortunately not. But not to worry, I have all the confidence in the world that he will...in due time."

"Play a game with me!" He smiles happily.

"Peevesie!" I groan. My eyes raise to find him pouting down at me. How is someone supposed to say no to that troublemaking poltergeist? "Okay fine! One game, I mean it."

I jump up off the floor and begin chasing after the poltergeist. He laughs like a proper maniac, which triggers a laughing fit to drift out of me as well. The two of us whip past numerous classrooms and down several corridors. I continue chasing him when I suddenly slam into a wall after Peeves flies straight through it.

"Well that was unfair. I'm only human!" I mutter when I feel pain traveling from my shoulders to my face. I fall on my rear to the floor, clutching my head in my hands.

Peeves giggles, "I win."

"No way! You cheated!" I point my finger his direction in an accusing manner.

"Don't be such a sore loser, Hollie. I won fair and square and square is fair. You didn't have to run into that wall, now did you?" He crosses his arms over his chest.

I roll my eyes at him, rubbing my throbbing shoulders.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED!"

I whip my head around in alarm at his abrasive nature. I let out a sigh of relief when I spot James and Sirius staggering my way. I start giggling uncontrollably as their once confident smirks are now replaced with frightened frowns. "Peevesie, it's alright, just my best mates."

Peeves flies fast and just before he reaches them, he bellow, "And what might you two be doing up and about at this late hour, hm?"

James and Sirius exchange worried glances from the corners of their eyes and once they've read each other's minds, they reply with a, "Detention."

Peeves continues staring at them with a narrowed gaze until I intervene. "It's okay, they're my mates. They're cool." I reassure the obviously far too suspicious poltergeist.

Peeves nods hesitantly. "Well, just know that if you two ever think about bothering Hollie here, I've got several stunts at the ready with your names on them." He floats away at that.

"Blimey, Chiara! How did you manage to get him wrapped around your finger like that?" James exclaims, thoroughly impressed.

"I dunno honestly." I shrug my shoulders casually. "He's wanted to be my mate since our first day. I suppose it was my welcoming aura that won him over." I wink at him.

Within just a few seconds, Filch comes bustling down the corridor and catches us.

"HOLLAND, BLACK, POTTER! Detention!" He hollers, starting all of us. "Tomorrow night, same place, same time."

"Awe, Mr Filch," I bat my eyelashes at the man. "I'm beginning to think you just enjoy having me around."

James and Sirius bite back the laughs that threaten to escape them. Filch mumbles incoherently before rolling his eyes and yelling, "Get to bed, you foolish children!"

"Yes, sir." I reply, mock saluting and standing as straight as possible.

The three of us rush up to the Gryffindor Tower whilst laughing hysterically. "Nice one, quippy!" Sirius laughs.

"Absolutely!" James barks another laugh.

"Why thank you, boys." I curtsy, laughing along with them.

We climb through the the portrait hole and at the sight of the comfortable looking squashy couches, I collapse onto one of them. "Someone's a little sleepyhead, isn't she?" Sirius muses, peering down at me over the back of the couch.

"Yes, I think little Ms James is." I grumble sleepily while Sirius muffles a laugh.

"Hey! I'm not tired!" James says, sleep dragging his words and making them slightly slurred. Realizing this, he shakes his head, "Whatever, I'm going upstairs."

I laugh lightly and prop myself up on the cushions. Sirius and I just stare at each other. After a bit of time I finally bring myself to speak with a smirk. "What?"

"Goodnight, Chiara." He whispers back.

He stuffs his hands into the pockets of his jeans. With another quick stare directed my way, he slowly turns around and walks up the steps to his dormitory.