✓ | MISCHIEF MANAGED | James Potter V.S. Sirius Black

16 : Permanent Vacation

I can't sleep 'cause my mind keeps racing
My chest hurts 'cause my heart keeps breaking
I'm so numb and I can't stop shaking
And we all fall down

16 : Permanent Vacation (edited)

     "Wáce ierlic," Catherine blurted out in a frantic manner, her hand outstretched with her palms facing outwards. Just as she expected on her twentieth try, nothing happened.

     Sirius, decked in jeans and a sweater, was still standing in the middle of Dumbledore's office. His hands were on his hips as he flashed Catherine a smirk, reaching up to give her a thumbs up. "You can do this, Cat."

     Catherine pouted, turning to face Dumbledore who chuckled and nodded at her in affirmation. The headmaster himself was leaning against his desk as he observed Catherine carefully. "Maybe if you try to pronounce the words clearly," he suggested.

     Catherine nodded and tried one more time, her eyes narrowed on Sirius who was now leaning his weight on one foot, a lazy smirk on his lips. Suddenly, after she had incanted the spell dryly, Sirius tottered on his feet. Her eyebrows snapped upwards as her eyes grew big. "Did I just—?"

     "Yes, you did," Sirius replied back in the same incredulous tone, standing on his feet again as he stared back at Catherine with large eyes. "Again! Do it again!"

     Catherine felt elated to have made progress. Raising her hand again, Catherine looked Sirius dead in the eye with so much intensity it made Sirius want to shiver. Swallowing hard, Catherine took a sharp intake of breath before allowing the magic to course through her veins. Enchanting the spell, her tongue curling and her mouth moving as she spoke, it seemed as though she had said a language of her own. Gold flashed through her eyes as she thrusted her palm outwards into Sirius's direction.

     And just like that, Sirius went flying backwards into the air as though an invisible force had slammed right against him. But just as quickly as he had flew, Dumbledore had his wand whipped out as he chanted the spell that would make him freeze midair before bringing him back down safely on his feet.

     Silence followed after that before Catherine squealed in utter happiness, jumping up and down as she kept saying yes.

     "Bloody hell, Cat!" Sirius laughed as he swooped her into his arms. "I told you you could do it!" He brought her into an embrace, his arms tight around her as he spun her around in the air.

     Catherine laughed, the smile never leaving her face as she kept her arms wounded around his neck. She could faintly hear Dumbledore chuckling as he shuffled through some papers. Sirius finally set her back down on her feet but kept his hands firmly on her hips.

     The spell between Sirius and Catherine was broken by loud and slow claps that came from the threshold. Breaking away from the curly haired boy, Catherine spun around to see a familiar bespectacled sixth year leaning against the door frame.

     Sirius stayed planted on his feet as Catherine took off running to James, her eyes so bright it made his heart ache. His stomach turning painfully, he watched Catherine launch herself into James's arms as they brought themselves into an embrace with James's nose buried in her hair. Swallowing hard, Sirius's hand slowly curled into a fist as he breathed heavily. Taking another intake of oxygen, he forced himself to calm down and bury his hand in his pocket. What right did he have anyway to feel this way? It's not like she's his girlfriend. Not even a pretend one, in that matter.

     "What're you doing here?" Catherine asked, laughing. "I thought you were busy!"

     James chuckled, winking at her. "I'm alright now." He leaned over and sneakily planted a kiss on her cheek, watching the way she blushed adorably. It made him want to just kiss her again.