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[Isabella Brown]

Sitting rather comfortably in the low branch of a tree, her back up against the rough surface of the tree, Isabella's eyes scanned many of the black words she had scribbled on the pale cream colored parchment. Just white parchment was a bore, and more expensive. She might be the heir to some wealth but she was far from foolish.

Her small body curled up as a chill wind came through the area, the tree's branches rubbing against each other. Her own branch swayed slightly, but she stayed up on it. Her eyes strayed from the words before her, to look out at the green grass and the trees who's leaves look like they were about to fall. The leaves were beautiful, all the different colors, but once you touched them they were scratchy in your hand.

While sunlight could reign down on the earth and reach her while on the lowest branch, if Issy would look up then she wouldn't be able to see anything but brown branches and multi-colored leaves. Her gaze didn't go up though, rather it went to the Dark Forest. She had been there once on a dare, but other than that brief visit she had never been inside. She hadn't gone deep, or seen anything mysterious other than unexplained footsteps. She sat there, on her low branch, thinking about what those footsteps might have been.

[James Potter]

James felt rather lonely. He sighed to himself, and was disapointed to hear no responce to this. No 'what's on your mind Prongs?', no 'anything bothering you James?' and no, 'are you pining about bloody Evans again?'
Rarely was James ever alone, but this year those periods where he had no on to talk to but himself were increasing. With him in a different common room to the marauders, it was difficult to catch up with them if they had wandered off. James had given Sirius the map, for safety's sake, seeing as he was sharing his accomodations with Lily Evans. Also that he was Head Boy, but that hardly mattered. So his friends had buggered off somewhere, and Lily, well she was probably hiding from them. They were pretty much up to date in all their work, and despite James' best attempts, she still spent most of her free time without him around.

So he was wandering through the grounds of Hogwarts, absentmindedly heading towards the Forbidden Forest. He was hoping to come across either Lily or anyone of the Marauders. James would have been over the moon to see Wormtail at that moment. Though Wormtail was even more rarely seen alone.

James looked ahead, squinting through his glasses. There was someone curled up in a tree ahead of him. He continued on. He could see clearly that it was female, and therefore not any of the Marauders, but she was not Lily either. As he got closer he soon recognised her as one of the Ravenclaw prefects. He'd forgotten her name, though felt sure it started with an 'I'. Ilsy? No.Issa? Kind of, it seemed like it almost fit. He'd remember it soon enough. He paused under the tree, looking up at her.
"Don't you have prefectorial duties you should be doing?" he remarked, just to get her attention.

[Isabella Brown]

"Nope." Isabella answered instantly, looking up only after she pulled herself out of her thoughts. "Hey James." She said slowly, nodding her head in James' direction. "Don't you have some Head duties that must be attended too?" She asked cheekily, tilting her head to the side barely an inch. "Or are you leaving poor Lily to do it all?" She added, just because she could.

Staying in the tree, she was just a bit higher than the top of James' head. Looking down at him, she smiled. She had never been taller than most people so when she was it made her feel like she was more than a little prefect that walks around with her head in books. "Since I haven't noticed any pranks I would assume that either the marauder's lost their touch or the rumors of some kind of contract were set."

[James Potter]

"Huh. You prefects are a lazy lot" James replied at Isabella's 'nope'. He watched as she turned to face him and he nodded in return.
"Hey" he said in reply, as he still wasn't sure enough of her name to actually use it.
"Cheeky too" he smirked as she questioned his work ethic. He crossed his arms and put on his most serious and mature look.
"All head duties are done and accounted for, by both myself and Lily" he informed her matter of factly.
"And if Lily does extra work than that's her own fault. I swear she actually enjoys organising things. You know she's making me turn up to some book club with you study freaks" James said, motioing to the blue Ravenclaw colours in her uniform. He paused, realising he was on the verge of ranting to an almost complete stranger, and not his friends. He cleared his throat and gave a slight nod.

James resisted the urge to scowl at that. The Marauders? Losing their touch. Impossible, it was infuriating to hear thoughts of those were floating about. James' shoulders straightened, puffing out his chest jsut a touch and rubbing his fingers through his hair.
"As if" he said, "we could just be planning something real big" he said vaguely, a half grin on his face.

He stretched for a moment, cocky pose relaxing as he headed for a branch just above the reach of his hands. He was growing tired of having to look up at Isabella, it was entirely offputting to be acting cocky and looking up at the same time. Seeing as it looked like she wasn't planning on getting down herself, James had decided to go up himself. He jumped, grabbing onto the branch, and swinging himself up quickly with the ease of an athlete. He grinned across at Isabella, unable to help himself from showing off. He was about a head higher than her now, with her shoulder lining up at about his shoulder level.

[Isabella Brown]

"I'm not lazy, and prefects were picked because their neither lazy or stupid. Why you were chosen as Head Boy, none of us have been able to figure out since your both." She watches as he jumps up onto a branch, once more she was short. She smiled slightly, seeing how much he enjoyed it was such a childish thing it was hard not to. It almost reminded her of her dearest friend, only James didn't have lighter hair, wasn't taller, and didn't know her as well. She was sure there were more differences, but she didn't want to contrast them too much because they were slightly alike.


"She likes things to be in order, to make sure that nothing can go wrong. There's nothing wrong with organization or order for that matter." Isabella said, though she was considered a control freak she didn't like things going too out of hand. Those things never ended well. She also knew James wouldn't understand, same as Alister wouldn't understand. it was a simple fact that nothing could change.


"You've planned big things before but you always had time and extra plans from before to do little things. It's already been a month and you still haven't done one thing. Not even something on Snape." She said, stating a fact that was known before. "So there is no other explanation, even if you were planning something big."

[James Potter]

James raised his eyebrows, smirking at her.
"Lazy and stupid huh?" he repeated, settling back into the branches of the tree and crossing his arms smugly over his chest. He knew very well that he was neither. Lazy, perhaps at some times; when it was time to study, but anything else. He let out a dramatic sigh and shook his head softly. As for being stupid? Ha, that wasn't even close to the truth. James knew this and so was not at all offended by the accusation.
"You prefects. So ignorant" he mourned.

"And you're one of them" he responded, rolling his eyes upward as he flopped his head back slightly, "I should have known" he sighed. He looked up again back at her.
"Well sure there's nothing wrong with a little, but when it starts to get obsessive" he replied, pulling an agonised face to finish off his sentence.

"And since when are you the fountain of knowledge on all things Marauders?" he retorted, deciding he could not be bothered to analyse and think of excuses for all her single points. It wouldn't be long soon, he thought, until we can actually do something.

[Isabella Brown]

"Yes, at least for things that are worth anything, you are lazy and stupid." She said, firm in her opinion of him. "Of course, you got through your years some how so your not completely stupid, are you?" She smirked at him. "Now, at least you know that there are some that couldn't get passed their owls in fifth year. Now let's see if you can even pass your NEWTS, a test that is ten times as hard as OWLS."

"Prefects are not ignorant, of course you wouldn't know since you weren't one. How was it that you got Head Boy, in Hogwarts history is was all too rare for a male or female to be a head in their seventh year that wasn't a prefect first. " Isabella said, looking at him curiously. She wondered what Dumbledore had been thinking, there were four better candidates for Head Boy. Each were prefects in the seventh year. Why James Potter, one of Hogwart's number one rule breakers. It didn't make sense.


"My friend is much like you. Well, kinda like you at least. He's a rather great friend to have though. Besides, it's not like you keep things private, do you?" She smiled at him, an innocent but knowing so much more smile. It was a favorite smile of hers, because it left her companion wondering what else she knew about the subject at hand.

[James Potter]

James rolled his eyes, pulling a mildly disgruntled face. She had some nerve, calling him lazy and stupid? She barely knew him. At least, he thought she didn't. Perhaps it was just him that didn't know her. He had to remember his ow notoriety after all. He smirked smugly at this thought, comforted by the reminder that he was well known, and that anyone who hadn't heard his name, or of the Marauders, had been living under a rock for all their Hogwarts lives.
"Gee. Stunning observation there. I'm starting to realise why you need to study" he replied, with casual, almost lazy sarcasm in responce to her smirk.
"Ten times? Well, let's see now. Owls were super easy. I could've taken 'em with my eyes shut. So Newts, they must be just plain easy, but I suppose I shall have to keep my eyes open" he said, in that casual tone of voice, a hit of sarcasm, but mostly sounding like he was just messing about, and not taking her seriously at all, though he appeared to play along.

"Not like that's my fault" stated James, taking care not to sound defensive. He made sure to keep the whine out of his voice, that he used when the Marauders found their way into a similar conversation.

"I wasn't aware we had a fifth Marauder roaming the halls" James said dryly, the note of sarcasm returning. He didn't know this friend of hers, and didn't particularly care. It mildly annoyed him that she felt that because she happened to have a friend who was a copycat of himself, it meant that she knew them. He looked across at her, his superiror expression relaxing slightly and turnign curious at her smile. He tilted his head in query, as he tried to think over what that smile meant exactly.

[Isabella Brown]

She was disgulted at all at his comments about her intelligence. She knew she was smart, more than smart actually and didn't quite care what the others said. Well there was one exception but oh well. "Well, I don't NEED to study but I like the refreshing part of it. You can test yourself and give yourself little prizes each time you get something that was particularly hard right." She thought for a moment then smiled widely. "Well, since I'm feeling particularly nice today, I'll give you a small tip about how to hook up with Lily. That is, if you want it. Lily gets what she wants, and you get what you want in this hint."

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Easy? I see they must have given you a completely different set of tests. You do know they asked some questions that you could only know if you read ahead a year or two. Explains why you passed though. They gave you a complete set of tests for those of a...how should I say it....lower intelligence?"

"No I suppose it's not your fault." Issy stated, thinking about it. "But still you must have done something to get that position.." She said, sighing and shaking her head.

"He's in the seventh year, just as I am." She said coolly, devoid of emotion. as she noticed his stare. "Besides, you should feel honored. He looks up to you. Even at his age, looking up at a group that acts like their four. Some of the things you have started fights over were things a young child would say. Boo ho, someone looked at you funny. You'll live."

[James Potter]

James rolled his eyes, groaning loudly before she had even finished her explanation of her study methods. He wasn't particularly interested in his own study, so he definitely didn't want to hear about anyone else's. The sudden combination of Lily's name and the term 'hook up' got his attention though. He sat up slightly, a touch of wariness in his expression, but that part was mostly overwhelmed by his eagerness. When it came to Lily, James' rational senses weren't of much use, as he figured any chance to get together with Lily was worth it, whatever the risk. Besides, Isabella was a girl, she had to know some sort of big feminine secret.
"What's this hint then?" he asked, flopping back slightly and trying to act nonchalant. Even if he did want to jump over and shake it out of her.

"Yes yes, I get it. You think you're very clever. I'm sure your Mummy and Daddy think so too" James said, with that self confident expression that meant he was leading up to something.
"But I must have done something to get this shiney little badge" James said, grinning as he puffed out his chest slightly to display the ornament pinned to his uniform.
"And ol' Dumbledore is not a bribe taking sort of fellow. Have you seen his office? The man has everything in there" he added,

"Everyone looks up to us" James answered, in a lazy sort of fashion, and not even putting the tone on as pretend. His attention was drifting slightly, as the girl seemed to be verging on lecturing. His gaze shifted upwards and around him, watching the leaves.

[Isabella Brown]

"I know you may object to this at first, but try and see the logic in it. Lily doesn't even like to be around you if she can help it, right? She also tutors people sometimes, right? Well, don't have her tutor you, but more help you 'study', but there's a difference in this kind of studying. If you want you can cheat, I'm sure you'll find a way. Just make sure it looks like your trying or she may stop. You also can't know everything otherwise she'll be suspicious. Have like a list of questions made, I'm sure Remus would help you with that, and two copies, one for her to question you, the other for you to see the questions that she's saying. Perhaps you could use your own paper to cheat, but you have to be careful. If you act like you really need help, she won't be able to say no to spending that time with you and you can use that time to show Lily your not as much as an arse as you seem. Got it, or do I need to repeat myself?" Isabella finished her explanation, and was almost out of air when she did. James wouldn't really have to learn all that if he cheated, and he would get time with Lily so he won, and Lily would think she's helping a hopeless cause.

"My dad's dead." Issy said softly, leaning back against the tree and looking up at the sky. "He...was murdered at a convention he was at." That was all Bella said about her dad. She didn't start to cry like she had before, but simply accepted that she would never see her dad again. Her happy, adventurous, spontaneous father who had made life at home a great deal easier.

"Lily looks down on you, same as many Slytherins and some of the Ravenclaws." Issy pointed out. "That's certainly not everyone, and we haven't even gotten to the teachers or ministry workers yet. Everyone that counts doesn't look up to you it seems..."

[James Potter]

James listened, frowning more and more as she continued explaining.
"But I don't need tutoring" he pointed out. His grades were just a good as Lily's, better than hers in some subjects. Although he did like the fact that it was even more time he spent with Lily. It was a recent semi-thought of his, the more time he could spend with Lily the better, because maybe she would first get used to him, and then steadily get to like him just as much as he liked her. It was the playing dumb part of Isabella's plan he wasn't so convinced on. James could play many things, mature, confident, smooth. He had on many occassions pretended to be stupid, but that was mostly just to annoy Remus during study sessions. Seriously playing dumb? James didn't even like the idea of it.

James winced.
Bugger he thought, falling silent for a moment.
"Sorry" he said softly, with a slight apologetic shrug of his shoulders.

James pulled a face, wrinkling his nose as he frowned at the list of people ISabella spouted off.
"Don't be so literal" he said. Naturally he knew everyone didn't look up to him. He knew some of the teachers hated him, but a good majority of the Hogwarts student population watched his every move, and he knew the best rumours were always, somehow, related to the Marauders. He thought that majority was pretty good. Taking in to consideration that Hogwarts was a large school, with many students.

[Isabella Brown]

"James, don't think of it as tutoring. Think of it as time to prove to Lily your not all bad. You can cheat or what ever you want, but just think of the possibilities." Isabella said persuasively. "More time with Lily, you convince her to marry you, and you both live happily ever after. Of course, you need to take it a little slower than that."

Isabella shrugged it off. This 'stranger' didn't need to know anything. "It's ok." She stared down at her book, her thoughts not wrapping around the words before her eyes. She blinked twice to focus her vision, then repeated the first line of the third paragraph to get her mind back to the present and away from memories.

Issy laughed softly. "Can't handle the truth, Potter?" She asked with a sickly sweet voice. She looked at him, a smirk that would compete against his for mischievousness. "Being literal...well it has it's perks with people like you."

[James Potter]

James stretched back in the limbs of the tree, thinking it over a bit more. Mostly it was just the same arguement as before; looking stupid over being with Lily. As per usual, being with Lily had a strong case, and any sort of pride and dignity James had when dealing with 'hooking in' Lily Evans was slowly dissolving.
"It's worth a try I suppose" he said, his voice brighter and just a touch off of enthusiastic. It wasn't the whole school was going to find out. They were Head Boy and Girl, they had the perfect cover. James smiled to himself, as the half-baked plan worked its way through his mind.

Thank Merlin she didn't start crying James thought with some relief. He hated crying. In James' experince, if a girl cried, there was absolutely no way of getting out of the situation without looking like an absolute git.

"You wish you were half as popular as me" James said, but not before making a great show of rolling his eyes at her reply. He shuffled in the tree, fidgeting for the moment to try and get comfy. In the end he stood up, holding onto a branch above him for balance.

[Isabella Brown]

Isabella nodded, still looking in her book. "Indeed, I would think it is. I'm sure you'll pass your NEWTS with Lily's help as well." She turned the page in her book and looked over at him. "What brought you over this way, anyway?" She asked curiously. "Not enough excitement in the castle for you? It's strange to think how Lily's got you on a leash."

Isabella laughed. "Sure I do. I'm content with my popularity level, thank you very much. I know which people are my true friends, and who are just faking it. Some people like having time to think in a quiet environment." She shook her head, still laughing softly. "Popularity is more a burden and curse than pleasure. Everyone loves you until your old news, then you can bite the dust for all they care."