Serendipity (S. Black)

SIXTEEN

"dear heart, why him?"

*

"Eva, come on!" Lily yelled from the bottom of the steps. "We're going to be late! Kingsley's waiting in the hall." Despite Eva's desire for her to go with James, Kingsley Shacklebolt, fellow Gryffindor and member of the Slug Club, had asked Lily to Slughorn's party a week prior. While he was a year older than all of them, he was calm and everyone in their group liked him.

"I'm coming!" Thud. "It's just that-" Thud. "These shoes-" Thud. "Ow." Thud. "I'll be there eventually." Thud.

Lily rolled her eyes and smoothed out her fitted black dress. Her thick red hair had been straightened and maroon heels gave her a few extra inches. James walked into the common room, humming under his breath, but the bespectacled boy stopped in his tracks when he saw her.

"Evans, you look-" He actually couldn't find the right word to describe her. "You look- I mean, you look-"

Lily put a hand on his shoulder and leaned close to his ear. "Thanks, Potter."

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Eva nearly tripped on the last step. "Do I have to wear these shoes?"

"Yes! Come on, James, don't they look good?"

Eva's dress was dark green with thin straps and a v-cut. The skirt flared at her waist, and her black kitten heels made her even taller than usual. Her blonde curls were pulled into a loose ponytail and her simple makeup really brought out the emerald in her eyes. Even though James had never been attracted to Eva, he had to admit that she looked stunning.

"Not bad, Blondie." He bumped her shoulder, but that set her off balance and she had to grab his arm to stop herself from falling.

"Thanks, James." She smiled warmly, then glanced around the common room. "Where's Sirius?"

"I think upstairs. Maybe. Why?"

She gave him an odd look. "Because he's my date for tonight, genius."

James' hazel eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "That's tonight?"

"No, I'm just modeling," she replied sarcastically.

"I'll um... um... I'll see if he's up there." He ran up the stairs, into the dormitory, and found Sirius adjusting dress robes with a bright smile on his face.

Sirius saw his friend in the mirror and asked without turning around, "Did Evans reject you again? Or did you get a detention? You look freaked out."

"Slughorn's party is tonight?"

"No, I just like to wear dress robes to bed," he replied, grinning easily. "Yeah, it's Friday. Keep up. Come on, what's wrong?"

"Sirius, tonight's the full moon."

The long-haired boy froze. "What?"

"Remus is already with Madam Pomfrey. We need to get down to the Shack in an hour if we're going to make it."

Sirius cursed and ran a hand down his face. How could he have forgotten? The full moon? He needed to be there for his friend, but Eva...

James sensed his hesitation. "Listen, Wormtail and I can handle it by ourselves this time, you should go to the party-"

"No."

James glared, his temper rising. "She's like my sister. You can't just ditch her. She's so excited down there, and she looks like a million Galleons. You told her you were coming, so go."