Meeting the Marauders

The OWLs Begin

Chapter 53: the OWLs begin
-Bex p.o.v.-

The boys had made it right with each other, they were now joking and goofing off as they usually did. Severus was back to normal, the only difference was how he would tense when the marauders were mentioned. But that was fine. We didn't mention them.

Lily was so busy studying for the OWLs that she didn't bother questioning as to why I didn't hang out with the marauders anymore. They were only a few days away now.

Students were starting to feel the stress. Less and less students bothered to show up for meals, they were too busy shoving their faces in books. You didn't see many people out on the grounds anymore, everyone was all cooped up in the library. Even the teachers were stressing out, they saved an hour of the lesson plans for free time to study.

Seeing as I didn't feel a need to study, I spent most of my time thinking. About many different things. I thought of Tom, the death-munchers, the prophecies, Andrew, Sebastian, and the guy from the painting, I thought of my future, my powers, the powers I was to get, basically anything and everything that came to mind.

Finally the day was upon us. The first day of OWLs.

I woke up the usual way, Lily throwing pillows at me as she bustled around panicking about all of the things she had yet to study.

I got dressed, wearing my usual uniform. Jeans, button-up shirt, converse sneakers, Gryffindor tie.

We went down to breakfast as usual. I say with the Slytherins like I did every morning. We joked and laughed, not at all nervous as everyone else was. We weren't worried, the opposite in fact, we were confident.

It didn't feel any different, it felt like a normal day. I didn't understand what a big deal everyone was making about it.

Regulus stood, "sorry guys, I've got to go. I've got exams to start."

I giggled, "have fun." I hugged him, receiving a kiss in return. "Good luck!" I called as he was walking away.

He glanced over his shoulder, he sent a wink my way before turning forward again, being swallowed by the crowd of younger students hurrying off to their exams.

"When are the OWLs scheduled?" Lucius asked, taking a bite of his toast.

Severus spoke for us, "we have Potions theory in the morning and the practical in the afternoon. That's all we have today."

"What about you?" I asked, stealing a grape from his plate.

He rolled his eyes as I popped the grape in my mouth with a smirk, "My NEWTs are practical then theory. History of Magic and then Defense Against the Dark Arts." He explained.

"You ready?" I grinned.

"Course. I'm ready to get this over with. Then I'm home free, no more school for me." Lucius chuckled, "though, I am going to miss you."

I smiled, "I'll miss you too, Lucy." I giggled.

He cringed, "do you have to call me that?"

"How could I not?" I questioned with a grin, laughing at his uncomfortableness with the nickname I've created for him.

"It's a girls name." He muttered with a look of disgust crossing over his face at the fact I associate him with anything girly.

I smirked, "you do have long hair."

Severus burst into laughter. Lucius looked at us in disbelief.

The sudden noise from our section of the table attracted attention. Not only were the Slytherins looking over at us curiously, but many other students from other tables as well. Noticing that it was us, many of the onlookers went back to their previous conversation. We had been, the four of us, the main cause of the sudden noises over the past few months. People had gotten used to it and returned to what they were doing when they saw it was us. But there was one group that spent many minutes staring after the momentary noise.

That group was the Marauders. They often glanced over, hoping to catch the eye of the brown haired girl, yet never succeeded. Like she said before: she had chosen. And they regretted that decision greatly, but never enough to set aside their pride to fix it. At least not all of them, one in particular, had tried to make things right. The bookworm had sought her out and tried to explain things, but he could never get the words out. He thought it was best for her to willingly stop being his friend than for her to be driven away by his secrets.

"I do not have a girls hair style." Lucius glared at the laughing pair.

"I never said that." I smirked, "I merely observed the length of you hair." I got into another fit of giggles.

"Time to go," Severus spoke, stopping Lucius from challenging me. "Good bye, good luck on your NEWTs, hope you score well."

Lucius dropped his glare, completely forgetting the argument. "Yeah thanks. You too guys, have fun on your OWLs, I remember having to take those." He chuckled.

"Bye," I grinned. He gave me a quick peck on the cheek before walking away with another seventh year.

"Ready?" Severus asked looking at me curiously, being careful to not bump into anyone in the crowded hall ways.

"Course I am." I smirked, "this is going to be a breeze."

"I'll see you in the great hall after instructions." Sev gave me a kiss before turning the opposite direction.

"Hey Dumbledore!" I turned and saw it was Wood, "good luck on the OWLs!" Wood was standing next to Marlene leaning against the hall.

"Don't you have a NEWT to being taking about now?" I grinned at him, making my way towards them in the crowd.

"That's what I was telling him." Marlene giggled, shoving his shoulder a bit. "You're going to be late for your first NEWT."

"I'll be late, I'm wishing my girlfriend luck on her OWLs." He chuckled, pulling her closer by her hip.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." I winked at Wood with a giggle.

When the room looked full Professor McGonagall stood in the front and began roll call, taking note to where each student sat. "Dumbledore?" I finally heard.

"Here." I replied with a small smirk.

I'm the middle of her calling out names, the door opened and in slipped one of the boys I saw frequently in the common room and in some of my classes, yet I didn't know his name.

"Mr. Higgles, you're late." McGonagall narrowed her eyes at him, looking over the rim over her glasses at him.

"Sorry ma'am." He softly replied, sliding into a seat.

When every student was accounted for, she started her speech. "You all know that the OWLs are spread out over two weeks. You will take the theory exam in the morning and the corresponding practical exam in the afternoon."

She then went on to explain that no cheating will be allowed and if any Gryffindor was found to be cheating, the consequences would be extreme for that student.

I had stopped listening after the threat, my eyes began to wander around the room. I was currently sitting by a window, the grounds were calling to me. I yearned to go and just lay on the grass.

"Dismissed. Be in the great hall for your first exam in ten minutes." McGonagall sat and looked over a sheet of parchment.

I stood from my seat and followed as everyone shuffled out the door. The corridors were much more open, the other houses were in different locations with their Head of Houses.

I made my way down the main staircase, to the great hall. "Oi! Dumbledore!" Someone called out to me.

I glanced over my shoulder, searching for the source. I rolled my eyes, turning back forward and continuing on my way.

"Dumbledore!" He called again, closer this time.

Again I ignored him and continued down, reaching the third floor. The stairs stopped and just as I was about to step on them I was yanked back by my arm.

"Aye, Dumbledore, I wanted to speak to you." His stormy grey eyes sparkled, his touch made me glare into them.

"What do you want Black?" I glared at him darkly, jerking my hand away from him. "This better be good, you made me miss the stairs. And as I recall, I told you to never speak to me again." I faced forward, my back to him, watching as the stairs moved away from me.

I could hear the smirk in his voice, a smirk I wanted to slap off his face. "Just wanted to wish you luck on the exams." He leant against the railing, turning me by my waist so I was now facing him.

I crossed my arms, "wish me luck?" I hissed, "that's the reason you decided to speak to me. Even after I told you to never, and I mean never, speak to me again."

He chuckled, flicking his hair from in front of his eyes. "I don't always do as I'm told."

"Oh trust me, I've noticed." I replied, rolling my eyes at his words.

"You can't still be mad," he spoke in disbelief.

"I can be mad all I want." I glared, "you can't tell me what to feel Black. I'm not one of your little puppets."

He smirked, "oh trust me, I know."

He was mocking me, I thought in anger. "Want to know what I've wanted to do ever since we stopped talking?" I asked, a smile sliding across my face.

"What's that?" He smirked, his left hand playing with the belt loop of my jeans.

"This." I raised my hands to his face, bringing our noses inches away from each other. When he started leaning in, I slapped him across the face. "I've wanted to slap that smirk away for some time now."

He gaped, bring his hand up to his reddened cheek. "You just slapped me," he spoke wide eyed.

"Nice of you to notice, Black, next time you talk to me it'll be worse." I pulled away from his grasp and stepped onto the newly returned staircase.

"Bad luck, mate." I heard James say behind me where Sirius stood shocked, right where I left him.

"Wow."

"Sev, how long have you been there?" I asked in surprise, finally noticing the boy as he made his way up to me.

"We dismissed early, I was coming up to meet you. When Lily passed by she said you were still up here, talking to someone. I didn't think I'd walk up on that." He chuckled.

I giggled, "let's go take our exams, yeah?" I asked as we headed down together. I was completely aware of the four boys that followed behind us, heading to the great hall.





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Hey guys, I'm so sorry. I was planning on having the update yesterday, but, on my way home from school my bus got into a minor crash. It prevented me from being home until hours later, and I didn't have time to write. If you want details on the crash or anything I explained it on my message board. Everyone was fine, no major injuries.
So if you would please vote, comment, share, fan, and follow that would be amazing! Thanks guys!
P.S. I have a five day break! Expect updates!!!