Chapter 145: Truth or Dare (2)

"I see the plan was a success!" – James exclaimed, his face lighting up as Catherine emerged from the flower shop with a smile and the yellow roses bouquet.

"I can't believe you schemed and lied to get me here." – the girl said, chuckling as she noticed his playful, defensive expression – "But thank you!"

"You're very welcome!" – he grinned as they made their way back to High Street – "I'm so relieved you two sorted things out! You have no idea. It was worth nearly losing my fingers to frostbite while waiting outside!"

"Do you need me to warm you up?" – Catherine teased, a devious glint in her green eyes.

"No, thanks! I'd rather be a bit cold than risk getting burnt to a crisp!" – the wizard laughed – "I wonder if Sirius has bought a present already."

"Don't know. Can you see them inside?" – the girl asked as they stopped again in front of the Pixie Dust Baby Boutique.

"Nope." – James said, peeking through the window – "I'll go check."

The street was bustling with Hogwarts students, their laughter and chatter filling the air as they window-shopped. The rich aroma of baked goods and hot chocolate wafted from nearby cafés, making Catherine's stomach rumble. 

'Fixing things with Remus surely improved my appetite!' – she thought happily, unable to suppress her smile.

"Catherine Plantier! Just the person I was looking for!" - Frank Longbottom's voice cut through her daydream of warm Eccles cakes and a cup of Assam tea. She turned to find a group of fifth-year boys, including her brother, flanked by Lily Evans, Mary MacDonald, Alice Fortescue, and Marianne Trundle.

"Careful, Frank. Say that too often, and people might think you mean it." - Catherine quipped, making Frank burst into laughter.

"What I really meant was that it's a bit hard to encounter you without… hmm, your overly devoted friends." – the wizard chuckled.

"They're inside the store, so you might want to get to the point before they reappear." – Catherine replied with a smile. Despite their playful banter, she really liked Frank—he was sharp-witted and fun to tease.

"Oh, right! Straight to the point, then!" – he declared with mock urgency – "Would you come to Slughorn's Christmas party with me next weekend?"

"Ahm…" – the girl stammered, blushing as she noticed several people, including a clearly displeased Marianne, watching the exchange – "This is very kind of you to offer, but…"

"Whoa, don't get the wrong idea!" – Frank interrupted with a broad grin – "I'm asking purely for moral support. No one else I know who was invited wants to go, and I really need to butter up old Slughorn!"

"Are you two not going?" – Catherine asked, turning to Greg and Lily, who exchanged amused glances.

"Well, considering this particular party is basically the entire Slytherin House plus a few select Slug Club members, I think we're definitely sitting this one out." – Greg remarked, giving Frank a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.

"You see what kind of 'friends' I have?" – the boy sniffed theatrically – "I wouldn't have asked, but I don't want to be alone among all the snakes, and you've got a remarkable knack for making our Potions Master bend to your will."

"And what exactly do I want him to do?" – Catherine asked, arching an eyebrow with a smirk.

"To consider helping me to get into his NEWT Potions class!" – Frank groaned – "I'm hopeless at Potions, but I need it if I want to be an Auror. Come on, Flame! Be a pal!" 

While Catherine didn't like the idea of spending an entire evening with Slytherins one bit, she thought it might be a good opportunity to acquire some bicorn horn and brew extra Dreamless Sleep Potion. It was a rare opportunity to obtain the ingredients safely, and she could also help Frank with Slughorn.

"Alright, but you owe me big time!" – she shrugged, as Frank's face lit up with gratitude.

Meanwhile, the other students had started a fierce snowball fight, running around, screaming and laughing, often using unsuspecting bystanders as human shields in their winter antics.

"So childish!" – Lily sighed, glancing at Greg, who smiled gently at her – "Daisy, do you want to join us at The Three Broomsticks?"

"Thanks, but I'm waiting for the boys. Besides, I'm not sure everyone in your group would be thrilled to have me there." – Catherine replied, casting a glance at Marianne, who was laughing heartily with Benjy Fenwick and Thaddeus Hart near the entrance of the Pixie Dust Baby Boutique. Just then, the door swung open, and Nora and Peter emerged, followed by James and Sirius, the latter looking exhausted but proudly holding a beautifully wrapped package. 

Marianne froze for a moment, her eyes flicking from Sirius to Catherine, and then to the mistletoe hanging on the door, above the Gryffindor's head. Without hesitation, she quickly approached Sirius, flashed him a charming smile, and before he could utter a word, she rose on her toes and kissed him passionately under the whistles and cheers of those nearby.

Catherine felt a sinking sense of disappointment that she couldn't shake. She forced herself to laugh with the others, but it sounded hollow even to her. Sirius, now livid, pushed Marianne away, his anger only heightened by the teasing about the mistletoe. He marched straight to where the black-haired girl stood with Frank and the others, his face flushed and his grey eyes stormy with fury.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with that girl?!" – he shouted, glancing at Catherine, who struggled to appear sympathetic while barely containing her urge to wipe the smug grin off Marianne's face as she was currently enjoying being the centre of attention of her friends who were having a blast.

"It must be due to your absolutely irresistible charm!" – Greg chimed in mockingly, not even bothering to hide his laughter.

Sirius bristled at the remark and in just two quick strides, he was standing nose-to-nose with the aristocrat. Both wizards were of similar height and build, making it hard for Catherine to predict who would come out on top in a confrontation. The fourth-year's eyes blazed as he seized the front of the young lord's blue winter cloak, which bore the McMahon family crest - a golden shield with a prominent letter 'M,' flanked by a red-maned lion on the left and a majestic eagle on the right. Above the shield sat a badger, and below it, a coiled snake.

"Do you think this is funny?" – Sirius growled, his face mere centimetres away from the fifth-year, who looked more irritated than intimidated.

"Hilarious!" – Greg replied with a dark chuckle, his eyes suddenly flashing a bright blue. The snow beneath Sirius's feet turned to slick ice, causing him to lose his balance and fall heavily, gasping for breath.

"That's quite enough!" – Catherine intervened, kneeling beside her friend to check on him, with James at her side, glaring at Greg with barely concealed disgust.

"He started it. It's time for your friends to learn that I'm not someone they can bully." – Greg stated coldly, his eyes returning to their normal colour – "The sooner they figure that out, the better."

"Honestly, Flame, I can't wait for you to become a Fire Mage and kick his ass!" – James fumed, watching as Greg, Lily, and Frank headed off towards The Three Broomsticks.

"I'm not planning on challenging a Water Mage who's probably a Kraken type." – the black-haired witch muttered, helping a sulky Sirius back to his feet.

"What's that?" – he asked, brushing snow off his clothes and checking to make sure the gift he'd bought was still intact.

"The strongest type of Water Mages." – the girl replied dryly – "More importantly, what did you get for your cousin?"

"Oh, I found an enchanted baby journal." – the wizard said, a shadow of a smile playing on his lips – "It preserves memories, a bit like a mini Pensieve. There are sections for pictures and voice messages, too. I think she and little Nymphadora will have a lot of fun with it!"