Mischief Managed!

7.

"It was definitely the Marauders," Lily told Art cheerfully as he walked her to Arithmancy. Her normally jovial boyfriend merely frowned.

"Is that so," he replied vaguely, looking past her toward Felicity Faust. She smiled and waved.

Unusually for Art, he did not return the gesture, and instead looked again at Lily, deep in thought.

"I thought it was a particularly amusing prank," Lily persevered, more to fill Art's awkward silence than anything else. Lily had the horrible suspicion that Art had actually winked at Felicity.

"Well why don't you just go and faun over the Marauders then," Art suggested, suddenly bitter. "I'm sure they'd love the attention, especially Potter," he spat.

Lily stopped dead still. "What on earth do you mean to say, Art?"

"I don't see you any more because you're always off withPotter being busy," Art told her brutally. "I think you need to take a good hard look at what you want from us, because I don't think I can stand waiting for you much longer."

Lily stood in the corridor, stunned, as students milled around her, watching Art's golden hair disappear into the crowd. What on earth had that been about?

"Art!" she called, and disregarding that she was Head Girl and should behave in a dignified manner.

He didn't stop as she raced after him, and when she grasped at his arm, he shook her off again.

"What on earth is wrong with you, Art?"

He turned to her then, scowling. "Nothing's wrong with me, Lily. It's you. You ignore me and you're selfish and inconsiderate and stupid, Lily. I've had enough. I'm finished."

"Finished what?" she asked, not caring that her voice was wavering.

"I'm finished waiting for you, Lily Evans."

She let him walk away then, unable to cope with more rejection.

Muscled arms snaked around her shoulders, and a small hand gripped her. Lily blushed with shame. It was bad enough that Art had yelled at her in front of everyone, but it seemed that both Emmeline and Potter had heard. They steered her away gently, Emmy squeezing her hand reassuringly as Potter gripped her shoulder.

"If it makes you feel any better, Lil, we're planning on smashing him at Quidditch on Saturday."

"Aaand it's Potter with the Quaffle, throws it to Jordan, who catches it, just. It's Jordan up the field, Jordan – Jordan – Williams – and Ravenclaw captain Scamander intercepts- ouch! That must have hurt. Gryffindor Captain Black pelts a bludger at Scamander, again, he best be careful else we suspect he has a personal problem with Ravenclaw!"

Lying in her bed in the Head's Dorm, Lily could listen to the match as Remus' commentary floated up across the grounds. Her heart panged every time he mentioned Art's name, but Lily figured she'd have to get used to that.

"And it's Gryffindor back in possession, excellent intercept by Potter, passes to Vance, back to Jordan and what's this? Is that the Snitch?"

Lily imagined everyone craning around looking for the fluttering gold speck.

"Ah, I seem to have distracted – Potter scores! Well done, James! That's Gryffindor 180-20, ladies and gentleman, excellent goal if I say so myself. Sorry, Professor. Anyway, Potter's victory lap has ended as – yes, I knew I'd seen it, Gryffindor Seeker Wood is racing toward the Hufflepuff stand now, and Ravenclaw Seeker Hank seems to have caught on – Scamander grabs the Quaffle from Potter –Oh! Scamander again takes a bludger to the stomach courtesy of Black, and it's Wood and Hank neck and neck, Wood, Hank, Wood – youch, Hank disabled by Reaser's bludger, it's Wood all the way, and YES!"

A great cheer went up from the crowd as presumably Thomas Wood plucked the Snitch from the air.

"And Gryffindor wins! 330-20!"

Lily smiled. Potter had scored the winning goal, and Thomas, a second year in his first year as a seeker, had won the game. It was really quite extraordinary. She was glad, in a way more glad than usual, that Gryffindor had won, that Potter and Emmy and Black had beaten Art together.

"Lily!" James yelled, entering through the carved witch. "We won! Party in the Gryffindor Common room! Oh, and there's some wanker out here wanting to apologize, too. I told him to go away."

Lily sat up very quickly, then cautiously stuck her head out of her room. "Art wants to apologize?" she asked, smiling.

James was downstairs by the fire, frowning. "Oh come on, Lily. Tell me you're not going to fall for that!"

Lily stepped out of her bedroom and closed the door, smoothing her skirt to hide her shaking hands. "I'm miserable without him, Potter," she confessed brutally. "Would you rather me be miserable without him, or happy with him?"

"I'd prefer for you to be happy without him, to be frank, Lily. But it's your choice, as always. I'm off to the party but I'll wait for you, if you like?"

Lily descended the stairs and shook her head. "No thanks, Potter. I might see you there later."

James looked at her searchingly for a moment before nodding. "All right. Password's rex dionis, ok?"

"Lily! – oh, it's you," Art's voice sounded ugly as he addressed James, poison dripping from his lips as he spat. "Did you get my girlfriend, Potter?"

James stood firm. "She'll come when she's ready, Scamander. And I swear, if you do anyth-"

"Potter? Art!"

Lily tried her best to sound surprised. The sneer on Art's face instantly transformed into a smile, and he stepped toward her questioningly.

James looked between them both, clearly unhappy, but Lily's look told him to get lost, quickly, and so he obeyed, silently cursing Scamander for ruining his evening.

Scummy Art Scamander.