27 ~ Days Like Any Other

Sometimes I wondered whether pretending counted as talent if you did it confidently enough.

James' POV:

     My eyes stared at the crystal ball and in that moment I wondered how I had got the idea to take Divination as an elective. Not only was the subject dull, the professor was a disaster. Professor Flowstick did not only have a strange name, she also looked odd. She constantly wore a strange headband with a crystal that was supposed to improve her seer powers. Added to that were her countless necklaces, bracelets and rings, but I did not want to judge her.     At that moment she stared out of the window and we into the crystal balls. What I was supposed to see, however, I did not know. Well, actually I did, because the task had been clear; we had had to write down our dreams from last week until today, now we were supposed to search for the future in the balls. But since no Lily Evans appeared in mine, it was complete nonsense.

This is stupid, I don't want to anymore, I complained in my thoughts and closed my eyes.Boooooring...

     Because of this boredom I straightened up, looked around. Many of those present were making notes and seemed to find connections to their dreams. Padfoot and Moony as well, who shared a crystal ball, were writing. Peter, on the other hand, had fallen asleep.     "Psst!", I hissed to the two and they had the table in front of me and Wormtail. Moony looked quite funny with his long legs, the way he sat on the floor. "Why are you writing so much?", I wanted to know.          The two turned around, Professor Flowstick still in her own world.     "I don't know either", Padfoot admitted with a shrug, "I'm making stuff up. Like now!" He pointed into his ball, then scribbled it onto his parchment. "That looks like a female silhouette, so I'm writing that I dreamt about breasts. Doesn't exactly match the truth, but I think about breasts a lot."     Moony had to stifle a laugh by coughing and continued to stare into the ball. I, on the other hand, did not find Padfoot's suggestion to simply make things up bad. Only Remus took it seriously out of all of us, but even with him I did not know whether he made things up. On Wormtail's parchment it at least said: I do not dream and if I do, then of the sky. The whole crystal ball reminds me of clouds, of the sky. Everything is real, but also dream.     That I actually found his idea quite clever, I would have to tell him later. Now, however, the present counted, because part of me had still hoped to see something in this ball. Something that brought me closer to Lily.

Yes, maybe I just believe a little in these stupid thingys.

     I sighed again because the task bored me. And because I did not find any Lily Evans in my crystal ball, I twisted my neck to the right backwards. I found the real Lily and she was also writing diligently. Her hair looked brown without sunlight, but where the daylight shone through the windows, her hair took on tones of red and orange.          "Psst!" I made. "Hey, Evans!"     She looked up, her head snapping to the left. Her eyes narrowed into slits and it was the sign that she still held the exploding taps against us, even though they had happened four days ago. At some point she would have to forget that stunt, right?

She did get her revenge after all...

     "What?" came from Lily sharply.          For a moment I lost myself in her eyes. She examined me and from my perspective she looked crooked, since I leaned my head backwards. Yes, I could also have simply turned around.     "What do you see in your ball?" I asked. Her friends all gave me a nasty look. Macdonald especially, who sat next to her.          "That's none of your business, Potter!" Lily snapped, and even though I wished that she would speak differently to me, I shrugged my shoulders. I put on a confident grin, said calmly: "Maybe it does concern me a bit, Evans."          "Why would that be, Potter?"     "Well, not only did I dream about you, Evans, I also saw you in my crystal," I lied and realised that she had not seen those words coming. I continued unconcerned, pretending curiosity: "That's why I wondered what can be seen in yours. Maybe me?"     And now I had crossed a line.          "You're annoying!" Lily hissed, "if I see you in my crystal ball, then only because I can't stand you and curse you in my dreams."     "So I am in yours after all?"          "Argh!" came her reply. "NO!"     But I could not reply anymore, because exactly in that moment Professor Flowstick stopped staring out of the window. She made a round.     First she stepped towards the table of me and Peter, since I had spoken. Quickly I nudged Wormtail, who jerked up and rubbed his eyes. He smoothed his hair, but one sticking-out strand remained.     The professor grabbed his notes, read through his words. Meanwhile she nodded again and again, then she spoke, with an almost singing voice: "Charming, I would like to have dreams like that as well, Mister Pettigrew," she said and I could not believe my ears, "I have also just admired the sky. Lovely that the crystal ball also reminds you of clouds."          She smiled, afterwards she went to me and looked at my notes. Of course they were empty.     "Well, you can be glad that I am not grading this lesson, Mister Potter," she explained and finally turned to Moony and Padfoot.          "Good conclusions", she praised Remus.     Afterwards she took Padfoot's notes, and if one had thought that she would notice that he had made everything up, then one was mistaken.     "Oh, charming!" she praised, holding the parchment in front of herself. "So profound, human and honest to your own person, Mister Black!"

This can't be real...

     After her praise she handed him back his paper.          As she moved on, Sirius grinned at all of us. "Did you hear that: I'm profound."     Remus sighed. "If you want to call your bed stories, rather gropings, that..."          "Oh, Moony, you don't understand. That is profound, because sometimes I even get deep into something, or to quote my words from my parchment: Oh, breasts, these elevations, mountains, of the most natural form. As soft as innocence itself, but that innocence is another story."     And those words alone were enough to describe what a completely normal day at Hogwarts was like when you were friends with Padfoot.

     After Divination we were on the way to Defence Against the Dark Arts, which we had with the Slytherins. We had had Divination with the Ravenclaws, and if it had been up to Padfoot, then it should have stayed that way.          "Blimey, how I hate her," he complained as we waited in the classroom. Lestrange chose a seat with Snivellus and of course right at the front. I could, however, understand Padfoot's hatred, because I also could not count the two among my favourite people - they stood right at the bottom of the list.     "If you would just treat them like air and not get involved in their taunts, then you would have a more pleasant life," Moony replied to Sirius' words. Grey eyes landed on the brown-haired one.          "Aha," Sirius said, "so I am supposed to just put up with it? She annoys me and is a nasty snake!"     After that Moony shook his head, sat down on a seat, but Wormtail still had something to say: "Wasn't there such a Muggle saying, Remus? About teasing and its second meaning?"     And after those words Remus began to grin. He looked at Peter, who through his hour of sleep was in an excellent mood.          "What teases, loves!" Moony trilled.     Padfoot's look grew dark. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and snorted.          "Nonsense!" he hissed and with another look at Lestrange, who was just hanging her cloak over the back of her chair, he shuddered. "If Lestrange is ever near me and I do nothing, then kill me."     "And what if you run out of girls in the castle?" Remus teased.          "What do you mean?"     "Well, wasn't that exactly the reason why Susan Brown doesn't want anything to do with you anymore?"          Sirius made a caught expression.     "That's right!" I joined in. "You did tell her that you didn't want anything serious from her, that you didn't want to commit to one, then she shouted at you and slapped you."          He only shrugged his shoulders. "Come on, it should have been obvious from the beginning that I don't want a relationship from her? Which relationships start with a snog in a classroom at night?"     Our friend looked at all of us and he was right, even if only partly. He could have made it clear right at the beginning that he didn't want anything from her, meaning a relationship, before they slept together, several times.     But since I did not want to think about it, I didn't. Padfoot rarely thought further than straight ahead and at least his slap had been impressive. His cheek had shone in a bright red the entire day, since Brown had done it in the morning in the Great Hall.

Yes, marvellous.

Even now he still seemed to be able to remember the pain, since it had only happened a few days ago.

Doubly marvellous.

     We could not talk to each other anymore, however, because the professor for Defence Against the Dark Arts entered the classroom. He was a small, chubby man with ash-blond hair. His glasses on his nose always sat crooked and he was a boring sight, when he was not suffering from another asthma attack.     I was not speaking only for myself when I claimed that we were all looking forward to the next professor or professor. As is known, the post changed owner every year and rumours said it was cursed. I had not really dealt with it, and the lesson also began.

Phil's POV:

     The days at Hogwarts flew by. Had we only recently had the beginning of spring, it now looked as if summer would soon try to wrest power from spring. It kept getting warmer. That could also be seen in the greenhouse. Everything was greener and the plants thrived splendidly.     Today Sprout had shown me little, since it was during the week and she only had two free periods, when you added her lunch break to them. I had handed Sprout my two essays, afterwards she had asked me whether I wanted to take care of the Jumping Bulbs with her. During the last class two bulbs had escaped while being repotted. We had searched for them and caught them, afterwards they had received a new pot.     At present we were sitting on stools around a table. This stood at the back in one of the smaller greenhouses and Sprout sighed.          "Ah, the little ones can be quite exhausting," she said and pulled off her earthy gloves. I also already owned my own gloves, which lay beside my copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.     "You're right, Prof-" I wanted to begin, but I was interrupted by the young teacher: "Phil, I told you that you may call me by my first name," she reminded me and I nodded shyly.     I studied the woman, who had short light-brown, curly hair. This stuck out beneath a triangular headscarf. She was a small woman, had her curves and always smiled. Pomona had only been at Hogwarts for a year, yet she was a good professor.     "You're right, Pomona," I therefore said. She smiled broadly at me. I returned the smile and of all the professors I liked her the most.          "Because of me you have now missed lunch, Phil."     "It's all right, then I'll eat more in the evening."          "Still," she said and stood up from the stool. I furrowed my brow, but she explained herself immediately, "Turn to page seventy-five in your book, I'll be right back."     She disappeared, I did as instructed. I grabbed my book and on the mentioned page I read:

The Wiggentree, is a magical rowan that protects anyone who touches its trunk from attacks by Dark creatures. Consequently, the wood of the tree is popular for the production of wands. However, a Wiggentree sapling once planted in a magical environment that equals its homeland attracts Bowtruckles - the protectors of trees. More about these creatures on the following pages.

     After I had finished reading, Pomona returned with a small pot. In this pot was a sapling from a Wiggentree. It was only as tall as two of my thumbs and I widened my eyes, which the professor of Herbology commented on with a laugh.          "I have a good friend and he brought me seeds during the winter holidays. I began to raise a few. Of course they are still small and it will take years until you can plant it in a rowan forest, but last year I saw how much Herbology suits you. For this reason I want to entrust you with one. If you have questions, you can always come to me."     She placed the pot on the table in front of me. I could not help but smile.          "From your face I gather that I was able to make you happy?"     "Very much," I replied quickly, took the pot to me.          "You have been making me happy for a year already, Phil. I am pleased about every student who takes an interest in my subject. You always help so diligently and with that I say thank you," she gave me a smile, "however I must unfortunately send you away now. The next class will arrive soon."     "Of course" I said, slung my bag over my shoulder and packed the book away, as a result I took the pot with the small tree and left the greenhouse, happy.

     I reached the Gryffindor common room. After I managed to brush off the Fat Lady with the excuse that my tree needed water, I wanted to go to the stairs that led to my dormitory, yes, I wanted to. Two familiar faces were sitting on a sofa.          "Phil!"     I looked to the right, towards Black. He seemed to be writing an essay with Remus, and why they were only the two of them, I could answer; Potter and Pettigrew were the only ones of the four who had Care of Magical Creatures. I knew that from Lily, since she had also taken that elective, much to her displeasure.           Luckily she had it with Alice and Dorcas, because Mare was the only one of the girls who had chosen Ancient Runes. I knew that Remus still had Muggle Studies today, also that Black had Arithmancy with Remus, even if it was obvious that he had only chosen it because of Remus, to study with him, to ask him for help. I had already heard that from Remus often enough.     At present, however, I was confronted with the two of them. I looked towards them. Remus looked at his friend as if he were asking him why he stood up and came towards me. Remus followed, then Black's eyes fell on my Wiggentree sapling.          "What have you got there?" Black asked.     I looked at my tree, afterwards into his grey eyes, which were not that far from mine, since I was tall, had even grown more in the last year.     "A tree," I answered dryly. Remus stifled a laugh, while the other Gryffindor sighed.          "You don't say."     "Yes, I do. It is a Wiggentree. Its trunk protects against Dark creatures and it is often used for wands," I rattled off the words that I had read.          "May I touch it?", came the question. I drew my eyebrows together.     "No."          "Why not?"     "You don't like Herbology at all, Padfoot," Remus laughed, "and you might damage it with your touch."          "Yes," I confirmed, "and it is still young, which is why I must take care of it now. It needs water."     With these words I continued my way to the stairs and used the same excuse as with the Fat Lady. I did not know why, but alone with Remus I felt more comfortable than with his friends. In general I wanted to go to my dormitory.     Once there, I placed the tree on my bedside table. Enough light shone in from the window beside it, and after that was done, I took off my shoes and read in my book for Herbology about the care of my tree. Tomorrow I would look in the library to see whether I could find out more about Wiggentrees.