"The world is ending!" Emaline declares, allowing her head to drop to the table with a dramatic flop. "This is the worst day of my life."

"The worst day of your life so far," Cynthia corrects, hardly acknowledging her friend's theatrics as she flicks one of Emaline's curls away from her plate of desserts.

She sits up and crosses her arms, scowling at the other girl's clear lack of concern. The brunette merely lifts an eyebrow, still lost as to why her new crush is such a terrible thing.

"What do you expect me to do?" She questions. "Kill him for being attractive?"

Cynthia Finnigan has been Emaline's best friend ever since they were both sorted into Gryffindor seven years ago. With her wand out, Cynthia had merely been explaining it's core when sparks flew out and set fire to Emaline's hair.

The flames, fortunately, had been harmless and merely danced across her head until an older student by the name of Frank Longbottom put them out. Instead of being upset with the girl for nearly putting her in danger, Emaline was fascinated by the accidental feat and she and Cynthia have been inseparable ever since.

"No, I want you to make these stupid feelings go away!"

When Emaline found Cynthia on the Hogwarts Express and shared her ground-breaking realization, the two girls locked themselves in a train compartment and screamed - Emaline in frustration and Cynthia in pure excitement.

Unlike Emaline, Cynthia has always found Sirius's relentless pursuit endearing. Being a hopeless romantic, she can only hope to find someone who looks at her the same way Sirius idolizes her best friend and has constantly advocated for Emaline to give him a chance.

Emaline, however, hated this notion. In fact, she's went on countless dates over the course of her school years as if to prove to the world that she and Sirius are not meant to be. This has yet to deter the younger boy, but it certainly helps to make her feel better - especially when she would find herself holding onto one of his love notes just a little too tightly, or smiling at one of his attempts to ask her out a little too endearingly.

"What about that one guy on Ravenclaw's quidditch team?" Emaline asks, already falling into her usual pattern to delay any true feelings. "He always flirts with me during the games."

"Or, here's a crazy idea," Cynthia counters. "Date Sirius!"

"What's his name again?" Ema presses on, ignoring the ludicrous idea. "Tim? Ted?"

"I think it's Todd."

"James might kill me for fraternizing with the enemy, but I could always convince him it's to gain intel."

Cynthia smacks the delusional girl with the back of her spoon, causing her to cry out indignantly and clutch her hand, playfully glaring daggers when she threatens to do it again.

"Ask. Sirius. Out."

Emaline gasps, a hand flying to her mouth as though this is the most scandalous statement to ever leaver her friend's mouth.

"Absolutely not!"

"Do it!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Rock, paper scissors?"

They move in unison, turning to settle their debate in the only way they know how. Only a few feet away, a very different conversation is occurring between four boys as the annual welcoming feast nears it's end.

"This is the greatest day of my life," Sirius declares, propping his head up in the palm of his hand as he glances further down the length of the Gryffindor table to see Emaline in the midst of an intense rock, paper, scissors battle. "Today will go down in history, gentleman, as the day Ema realized we're meant to be."

"You're delusional," Peter scoffs, shoving Sirius's elbow so that his face nearly falls into his goblet. "She didn't even speak to you."

"She didn't have to," he huffs, pushing Peter so that he smears pudding across his cheek instead of eating it. "Her love struck eyes said it all."

Remus scoffs but otherwise keeps his snide remarks to himself for the time being, allowing the dramatic boy to have his moment. James, unfortunately, buys every word of this and decides to try his luck on a certain red head, hoping Emaline isn't the only one with a sudden change of heart.

"Oi, Evans!" He calls out, grinning like an idiot when Lily looks over at him. "You, me, Hogsmeade this weekend."

"When pigs fly, Potter."

James pouts, his smile being replaced with a sullen expression.

"That shouldn't be too hard," Sirius says and James immediately perks back up as though he's read the other boy's mind. "We are wizards, after all."

"But where would we get a pig?"

"Hagrid has a couple; he says they keep his flobberworms company," Remus chimes in, tapping the badge pinned to his cloak with a mischievous grin. "He shouldn't say no to a prefect asking to borrow one."

"Moony, I could kiss you right now!"

Remus laughs, dodging Sirius when he actually attempts to crawl across the table to reach him.

Professor Dumbledore dismisses the student population from the Great Hall and the four boys continue to scheme, almost too preoccupied to notice the actions of a certain blonde girl.

Almost.

"Hey, Pads," Peter speaks up, not bothering to break the news to his friend delicately. "If Ema is so in love with you, why is she flirting with another bloke?"

Sirius whips his head in the direction Peter is pointing so fast that his hair practically slaps him in the face. True to his word, Emaline has her arm linked through that of another seventh year boy's and is smiling up at him, clearly pretending to hang on to every word he says.

"Because- well-" Sirius stutters, taken aback by the sight.

"To ruin our chances at the House cup!" James fumes, more distraught than Sirius.

The older girl hasn't chosen just anyone to take her mind off of Sirius. She is clinging to the star seeker of Ravenclaw's quidditch team and three out of four of the marauders couldn't be more distraught about it.

"Let's go, children." Remus latches onto the back of James's and Sirius's shirts, as well as shepherding Peter forward to keep them all from storming over to Emaline. He couldn't care less who she wanted to spend her time with; he just wants to go to sleep. "It's bedtime."

Groans escape all of their lips, and even as they are pushed forward, they all crane their necks to keep their eyes trained on the duo. This certainly isn't the first time they have seen Emaline with another boy, but this is the first time Sirius has ever felt a huge knot form in the pit of his stomach.

Todd Lockhart fawning over his girlfriend who isn't really his girlfriend is going to be the worst thing he's ever had to witness.