Raindrops On The {J} Window Pane

[Zane Lestrange]

It was raining. Well, pouring it down might have been more accurate. The rain hadn't stopped all afternoon and now in the earlier evening, it was still going. The Common Room seemed to be the best place to be. A group of First Years were playing gobstones near the portrait, a ruthless game of wizard's chess was happening and a few paper aeroplanes were hovering around the room, gliding as if lifted by a light breeze. Despite the large number of people in the Common Room, it was fairly quiet. So quiet that Zane Lestrange had managed to fall asleep on the sofa. Some kind hearted Gryffindor had put a blanket over him as he slept on the sofa nearest to the fire. No one had dared to wake him, all knew too well that the guy was shattered and they didn't want to run the risk of waking him and disturbing his dreams. His breathing was deep, his chest rising and falling every few seconds. Dead to the world.

[James Sirius Potter]

James ran into the castle from Hagrid's hut where he had been having tea with the half giant. He enjoyed going to Hagrid as he always shared stories of his father when he was at school, however he was still starving as Hagrid had produced his rock cakes and so didn't eat. He shook the rain off him and muttered the drying spell drying off the worst of the rain. He ran up the stairs towards the common room eager to toast some crumpets.

When he got to the portrait hole he muttered the password and crawled in looking round seeing the gobstones game and the wizard chess. His eyes scanned to find someone to talk to and finally fell on the sleeping form of Zane. He frowned slightly. After Albus' death he had felt horrifically guilty, wishing that he hadn't have cast that spell to knock him out.

He watched as Zane breathed deeply obviously in a deep sleep and sat down next to him putting his head in his hands. He had so many thoughts going on in his head it was hard to keep them straight. He thought of his newest idea, he thought of everything Zane had said in the forest and looked at things to change. He also thought about homework, classes, auror training, quidditch and many more things. He waited patiently until Zane woke up naturally knowing better than to wake him from a deep sleep.

[Zane Lestrange]

Plans for the New Order. Circle. Circle? What's that mean? Go round in pairs at least. Update coins, make sure everyone has one. Teach first years basic defence and a few jinxes. Work with fourth years on patronuses. Practice stunning with the second years. Advise sixth years on how to teach younger pupils. Convince fifth years to attend meetings. Make sure everyone is ok and that nothing is bothering them. Sort out any issues that they have, or any troubles they have discovered. Update everyone on the state of play. Practice Quidditch. Get the team ready for the next game. Train up younger players. Hold try-outs for new positions. Book pitch for practice time. Ensure that all team members have a decent broom. Write to Tornadoes. Accept place on England first seven. Practice in order to keep place on England First Seven. Place order for new Firebolt II and Quidditch Robes for England First Seven. Order Tornado Robes. Plan how to get to London for meeting with British and Irish Quidditch League.

An endless stream of things he had to do, plan and worry about. This wasn't exactly dreams as such, just a store of all the information he needed to remember and process. Slowly drifting back to reality, Zane's eyes flickered open as he felt someone sit down next to him on the sofa. He blinked several times in order to get rid of the blur around the edge of his vision. He yawned loudly before mumbling something that sounded vaguely like, "whoizzat?"

[James Sirius Potter]

James knew that Zane must be thinking about everything and started when he woke up. He looked down at Zane and frowned "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you." he said he smiled apologetically. "A lot to think about for a change?" he said said sarcastcally. No one really knew how much Zane had to think about. He was head boy, head of the NO, quidditch captain, a member of the england national team, member of the tornados and not to mention NEWT work.

[Zane Lestrange]

Zane yawned again, "itzok," he mumbled. "Myedhurtz" Another incoherent setence from the Head Boy. Waking up quickly never had been one of his strong points. He sat up, making more space for James on the sofa. He yawned once more, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and a hand from his hair before saying, "So what do you want? It better be good..." he said quietly, smiling as he said so, knowing full well that James knew he could come and talk to him any time he wanted.

[James Sirius Potter]

James smirked at Zane's yawn and incoherent sentances, though he didn't expect anymore as it was commen knowledge that Zane talked rubbish just after he woke up all the time. James sat back in the space that Zane had made for him still thinking through everything smirking when Zane said that he better have a good reason for waking him and shook his head "Nah that's just for the other Gryffindors, I get special treatment. Anyway, I'm staving wan't some crumpets, I think I can get Dobby to get some for us." he said knowing Zane wouldn't say no. He took a deep breath and said "You know in the forest when you..." he stopped not wanting to think about that day "is it true what you said about me? Please tell me the truth." he pleaded

[Zane Lestrange]

"Yeah special treatment..." he said quietly as he listened to James' next few words, "Yes crumpets are in order. You know when other people wake me up, they bring crumpets..." He smiled as he said this. Then the smile disappeared as James changed the subject to something Zane had been trying to avoid for the past few days. That day in the Forest. "James...I-I didn't know what I was saying. I just lost control..."

[James Sirius Potter]

James smirked and quickly called Dobby and asked for crumpets. He dissappeared and reappeared with the steaming buttered crumpets. James took the plate thanking him and held the plate out to Zane "Yeah I know I didn't bring them to start with but I just got back from Hagrids." he said munching one. He sighed as Zane tried to back out of it and shook his head "I know you weren't in control, but tell me the truth and don't sugar coat it. I would rather hear it blunt from my best mate." he said flatly. He wondered how he could bring the other thing he wanted to talk to Zane about as it was totally different.

[Zane Lestrange]

Zane smiled as James offered him a crumpet. He quickly ate it, just nodding in response to James' excuse, because he was in no fit state to talk considering he had half a crumpet in his mouth. He paused, making sure to swallow the crumpet, before addressing James' question. "You're not like that James. I know you always put everyone before you especially Lily, but I-I don't know, I just got it into my head that you were against me. I don't know what was wrong with me. Sorry mate."

[James Sirius Potter]

James smirked at the speed in which Zane despatched his first crumpet and listened to what he said "Thanks Zane and don't worry, it's my fault for antagonising you like I did and the fact that I knew that that would anger you and I still said it." He looked away feeling curiosity overwhelm him. He yearned to ask for more information about Zane's brother, but knew better than to ask. He pushed this to the back of his mind and thought of more practical things. "Oh yeah I forgot to tell you, Lilah wants to join the NO." He smiled "At least now we have a Hufflepuff on our side." He looked down and then added mumbling "A Huffler that I want to spend the rest of my life with." He neither knew nor cared whether Zane heard. It was absurd that he was thinking these things at 17. He couldn't believe that he had only been out with Lilah for a month and he was already thinking about proposing to her.

[Zane Lestrange]

He looked at James, who looked like he wanted to know more about something or another. Nevermind, he changed topic. "Thanks James, don't worry about it," he paused, taking another crumpet as he did so, mulling over the things James was saying. "Your Lilah? I don't see why not. You're right it will be good to have a huffler on our side," he chomped on the crumpet after this and thus did not quite catch what James had mumbled. "Sorry, I didn't catch that..."

[James Sirius Potter]

James smiled and finished his crumpet and grabbed another. He smiled as Zane didn't seem to catch his hesitant curiousity. He nodded "Yeah, she was interested before and then she needs the protection." he frowned as Zane seemed to have not heard and didn't know how to say it again. He took a deep breath and said "I know this is gonna sound crazy given the fact that I have only been with her a month, but... I... I kinda think I wanna spend the rest of my life with her." He said quickly before he chickened out. He blushed not looking at Zane putting his head in his hands "What's wrong with me? I'm 17. I'm no supposed to be thinking things like this!" he said confused.

[Zane Lestrange]

"Sure that's fine with me. Just bring her along to the next meeting and I'll test her to see what standard she's up to," he said quietly before continuing to munch on the crumpet. "James are you sure? Don't you think you're, you know, rushing into this?" Wow. I didn't know it was that serious between them. So much so that James wants to propose. What should I do? Advise him not to and break his heart or encourage him and get it in the neck from everyone else, including his parents. "Nothing's wrong with you James. You're just in deep infatuation. You love her and there's no harm in that. But I think after a month, that's pushing things don't you think?"

[James Sirius Potter]

James nodded and smiled "Thanks." he said in response to letting Lilah in. He frowned as he listened to what Zane said "To be honest, I am not sure. I dunno why I have suddenly thought this, but after Al's..." he took a deep breath composing himself "After he left us, everything has been a mad jumble." he admitted. He could see from Zane's expression that he didn't know what to do and sighed "It must be more than infatuation for me to be thinking this. One month is deffinatly too soon. I just can't beliveI'm thinking these things." he looked over at his fried "help me. If you were in my position what would you do?" he asked "Please be truthful, I won't bite your head off."

[Zane Lestrange]

"It's ok," he said with a smile. He listened carefully to James' words, thinking them over carefully. After all the last thing he wanted to do was to give his best friend bad advice. Bad advice that could affect the rest of his life, and Lilah's. "If I was in your situation?" he mused, "I'd wait. At least until the end of the year. Then, if you still feel the same way, you can go ahead." He waited for James' response before adding, "that was the truth..."