Sparks (Things We Lose Trilogy: Book 2)

A Night Under The Stars

It was a warm Friday afternoon, a day before the ball. It was now officially called the Moonlight Ball (another last minute thought on Dumbledore's part) and everyone was extremely excited. At least now Sirius had a proper excuse not to go with girls who were asking him; that he was already going with Marlene. Of course a rumor had spread about this, but he hadn't told anyone outside of his friends who it was. He enjoyed the air of mystery.

"So, is Marlene your girlfriend or not?" Peter asked Sirius, picking absently at the grass as they sat nearby the lake.

"Not sure, really", Sirius mused, lying with his hands behind his head, "I kind of like the ambiguity though."

"Girls usually like solid definitions", James piped up from where he sat, tossing his stolen Snitch about, "I can't imagine Lily letting us two go on this long without 'making things official'."

"Oh please, it's not like we're getting married", Sirius sighed lazily, shielding his eyes from the sun with one palm, "It's just a ball."

"Oh Sirius", Remus rolled his eyes, closing the book he was reading and leaning back on his elbows, "You are such a romantic, aren't you? I can see why all the Witches around here are always chasing after you."

"That's because of my roguish good looks and boyish charm, actually", Sirius shifted slightly on the grass, "Besides, I don't see you going with anyone."

"As a matter of fact, I am", retorted Remus.

"What!" cried James and Sirius.

"Blimey, no way!" exclaimed James.

"You're telling me, you found a girl who would go with you?" asked Sirius incredulously.

"Yes, I did", said Remus simply.

"Were would you find a girl willing to go out with Moony...?" James questioned slowly.

"The library", said Sirius sagely.

"But of course", agreed James.

"Probably a Ravenclaw", Sirius continued wisely.

"Makes sense..." said James.

"You're both spectacularly right", said Remus, a small smile playing around his mouth.

"Oh, and who would this lovely Ravenclaw be?" asked Sirius, sitting up and nudging Remus in the arm.

"Patricia Marks", Remus elaborated.

The brown haired boy returned to his book without another word.

"Hmph", said Sirius.

"Hmph", said James.

"Do I need ask, Peter?" Sirius quizzed the smallest of their friends.

"I haven't found anyone to go to the Moonlight Ball with, no", sighed Peter, rubbing his knee through the fabric of his trousers.

"What's wrong with your knee?" James asked him.

"What? Oh, nothing", said Peter dazedly, "Just hurt it in the library, a weird, enchanted book sort of- well it bit me, to tell you the truth. I had to go into the restricted section for Herbology revision during N.E.W.T.s."

"Oh", said James, "Remind me to steer clear of that place then".

"On the contrary my dear Prongs", Sirius began, "It seems the library is a setting of romance, adventure, and general violence. I wouldn't mind going there more often."

"S'pose", said James airily, before staring into space and fiddling with the Snitch, "Not that we have much time left to visit anyway..."

Sirius lay back down on the ground and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the summer air, and fell into a lazy sleep.