Hi! I am so glad that you are reading the very first chapter of my latest story. The first chapter seems irrelevant to the story, but is the main point in the plot. This is a fluffy, read-by-the-fire-on-a-rainy-day-kind story. So have fun!
Summary: Lily is in her 6th year at Hogwarts along with all her friends. Lily falls in love with another boy, but James, also loves her too. Will he give up on her? Or will he get her to fall in love with him? Read and find out.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own any characters that you may recognize in the story; they all belong to JK Rowling and her brilliant mind.
R/r please!!!
Chapter 1--- Threatening Get to A Girl
It was two weeks before school started and Lily just didn't know how to spend the time until then. Her parents had suggested of number of things to occupy herself in, including going to Paris for a couple of days. Lily, reluctantly, listened to her parents and went to Paris for a week tour.
Now Lily sat all alone on the Spanish Steps cursing herself for listening to her parents. What was even worse was that they had stuck Lily's wrecked and spoiled older sister, Petunia, with her.
Lily stood up and started heading towards Petunia, who was flirting with a boy nearby.
"Petunia, can we go back to the hotel?" Lily asked as nicely as she could. Petunia narrowed her eyes at Lily for a moment, then smiled at the boy and pulled Lily over to the side yelling "excusez moi" to the boy.
Lily hated Petunia, and Petunia safely despised Lily. When the they could no longer be heard by any, Petunia turned around and hissed, "Never talk to me in public, you freak!" Petunia scowled and then her expression changed into a nasty-snobby smile. "You can go back to the hotel if you want, but I have been invited to a party." Petunia could not have put that sentence any slyer than she did. In a flash, Petunia pulled out her purse, slapped some money onto Lily's hand, and left flipping her short blonde hair behind her.
Lily rolled her eyes and walked on in the opposite direction. Lily played with her necklace debating with herself whether to go back to the hotel or not. Lily thought about it for another moment and then headed towards the one thing she really wanted to see: the Le Pont Neuf.
Lily called a cab and in minutes was at the Pont Neuf, the most famous bridge in all of Paris, mesmerized by the beauty of the architecture. Although it was nearly sun set, the place was empty, except for a few couples here and there. Feeling more alone than ever, Lily walked to the bridge and leaned over it looking at her reflection in the water. She had beautiful, fiery, wavy red hair. Although the water didn't show, Lily had amazing fresh-looking green eyes. She was petite at only 5'4. Her complexion was porcelain and flawless. Lily walked for a couple of minutes looking for a comfortable and scenic spot where she would be able to watch the sun set. Finally, she chose a spot that took her breath away. It was so beautiful the way the sun melted into the sky changing the color.
Lily leaned over the bridge watching the sunset, and thought about the one thing she couldn't stop thinking about: Hogwarts. Lily was entering her sixth year t Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With amazing friends, and teachers the place was more magical than it seemed for Lily. Lily played with the butterfly necklace on her neck. It was the one thing in the world that bought her good luck, and she absolutely loved it. Her thoughts were suddenly disturbed when someone called her name, Lily spun around, and the necklace broke from her neck and in a flash splashed into the water. Lily turned back around and gasped not able to comprehend what had just happened. No one had called her, and now her very special necklace was lost.
Tears blinded Lily, as she looked innocently around, wiping the tears with her jacket she completely missed the face of the person who bravely jumped into the water after the necklace. Lily looked up hearing a big splash, she leaned over the bridge looking for any sigh of a person swimming, but nothing, there was no trace of anybody, not even any air bubbles.
It took a moment for Lily to realize what had occurred: the person was dead. Everything stopped for a second and then the next, "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Lily screamed.
"NOOOOO! THAT CAN'T BE!" Lily screamed again.
"No, sweetie! Get up! Lily get up, sweetie!" yelled Mrs. Evans, Lily's mother, as her sixteen-year-old daughter sat up and hugged her in shock. "It was just a dream, honey." Mrs. Evans whispered into Lily's ear over and over again.
"Mom, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to! It was all my fault!" Lily's tear broke out and began raining down her red cheeks.
"Was it the one at the Le Pont Neuf person again?" her mother questioned, concern clearly seen in her eyes. Lily nodded weakly, tearing up again. "Look, Lily, it was not your fault. You didn't tell them to go after your necklace. Listen, it was not your fault for what happened."
"But mom," Lily quietly protested, "whoever it was went after my necklace."
"You don't know that!" Her other smiled reassuringly and Lily smiled back weakly. Lily was not completely recovered from what had happened at the bridge, although there was no body found, she believed that the person was dead and that it was all her fault. "Now, Lily, you have to get ready, we have to go to King's Cross today!"
Lily embraced her parents one last time and then headed towards the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 with her trunk. In a flash, Lily entered Platform 9¾, where a train was waiting patiently.
A grin spread across Lily's face as she spotted her best friend, Piper Colvard, heading towards the rain with her luggage.
"Piper!" Lily walked over to Piper, pushing her trolley slowly through the crowded station. Piper was a brunette, with green eyes, and porcelain complexion. With her slender figure, Piper was definitely a heartthrob at Hogwarts.
"Hey, Lily! How are you?" Piper asked embracing her friend in a quick hug.
"I am fine!" Lily stated simply, letting go of Piper.
"We better go find a compartment." Piper suggested pulling her trunk and putting it up on the train.
Piper and Lily walked through the train looking for their traditional compartment, which they sat in every year. It took another five minutes of pushing and shoving through the train with their heavy trunks to find their old compartment.
Walking into the small, neat compartment, Lily remembered her first year entering the compartment, completely afraid and terrified until she found three girls just like her; the rest lies in history.
Lily and Piper sat down ready to, in detail, tell each other everything that happened during their summer vacation. Piper stared in shock as Lily informed her about her Paris trip and about the boy who had jumped insanely after the necklace. After the story was over, Lily was in tears, and Piper was patting her shoulder comfortingly.
"You don't know that he jumped for your necklace." Piper repeated, Mrs. Evans exact wording. Lily looked up, her usual bright-green eyes showed no doubt about what she thought.
"Hey!" Piper said cheerfully, forgetting the subject, "Do you fancy anyone yet?" Piper's desperate attempts to change had worked and Lily's mood changed almost instantly.
"No! Piper, how many times do I have to remind you," Lily smiled dreamily and looked away, "The first guy I tell 'I love you' to will be the guy I fancy. I don't believe in all that dating to love stuff, I just think that's all nonsense. I am going to meet the guy and just know it's him."
Piper rolled her eyes at her friend just as the train was about to move. Lily looked out the window at the Platform, where at the moment four boys entered through the barrier running towards the train their trunks waggling behind them. Lily recognized the most popular, yet big-headed-egotistical jerks, at Hogwarts, or more commonly known as the Marauders.
In front of everyone with a bewildered expression stood the ringleader of the infamous group was none other than James Potter, the son of high class Aurors. James Potter was the most wanted bachelor in all of Hogwarts. He was very good looking and built strong. He stood tall at 6',with messy black hair and hazel eyes.
Next to James, stood another member of the Marauder gang, Sirius Black. Sirius Black was not at all the way his name sounded. He was lighthearted. Sirius was also very irresistible, unlike James, Sirius had fun playing with girls, and dating a different one every week was not unusual. Sirius was also strongly built, 6' with gray smoky eyes, he was definitely a guy worth ogling over.
On the other side of James stood Remus Lupin, the calmer yet charming one of the gang. He had ear-length dirty blonde hair light blue-green eyes. Remus was the most sensible one of the group also with soft caressing sense of style. Remus was 5'11 with an impressive smile and brilliant mind.
Behind everyone, pulling his heavy trunk, with his owl screeching loudly, was Peter Pettigrew. No one understood why or how he became a member of the Marauder gang. He was short, only about 5'9, had bleached blonde hair and piggy little brown eyes. Peter was not seen often with the gang, he could be found lurking or spying in the hallway, murmuring to himself importantly.
Not only were the Marauder gang popular by their good looks, they were also brilliant students, each excelling at his best subject.
Lily giggled as she saw the shocked expression on James's face as the train passed slowly leaving the platform and gathering speed. In another flash the boys began running again through the crowd waving good-bye. They managed to get on the train before the doors closed completely.
The second the train had started to move, Piper had pulled out her black leather diary, the peacock quill and began writing excessively fast. Piper had a beautiful habit of writing everything in her diary. Lily looked out the window again, the train was in full speed now, and was quickly passing through the city of London and coming into the more suburban areas.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" some interrupted Lily's thoughts. A head poked through the compartment door. Lily recognized the face immediately as another one of her best friends Diondra Davies. "Can we come in?" Diondra smiled cheerfully, letting herself in, her trunk behind her. Diondra had bright natural blonde hair and blue crystal-like eyes. She had an amazing and unique sense of style; from her speech to wardrobe, Diondra set the meaning for the word 'different'.
Following Diondra was Grace Kim, another one of Lily's best friends, the shy, sweet girl of the group with a brilliant mind and an amazing sense of humor. "Hi, Lily! Hi, Piper!" Grace said sweetly coming into the compartment following Diondra.
After the formalities have been exchanged, the girls began discussing about the upcoming year; Quidditch, parties, and eventually the topic of boys came up.
"I am going to make Severus Snape kiss me this year, or die trying!" Diondra declared out loud putting her hand up in swearing motion. Diondra was muggleborn and Severus Snape being a Slytherin hated muggleborns. He had teased Diondra relentlessly, catching her, mostly off-guard, for four years. Until one day, in their fourth year, Diondra declared that she had fallen madly in love with Severus and she lived to see him scowl at her. No one understood what provoked Diondra, one of the most beautiful girls at Hogwarts, to make such a brutal and slimish decision. Diondra had never faltered or went after another boy after that making everyone believe that she really was in love with him. So, ever since then Snape kept at least a mile in distance from her, while Diondra tried harder to get close to him.
"Why do you like him?" Piper asked curiously.
"True love is born without reason!" Diondra smiled dreamily looking out the window.
The others shook their heads in disbelief, right before Diondra decided to shift the energy force to the girl sitting quietly staring out the window absorbed in her own thoughts.
"So! Lils!" Diondra sang, "Who do you fancy?"
Lily was just sinking back into her thoughts again, when Diondra, on cue, interrupted. But Lily didn't need to think for a response, she quickly stated—
"The first guy that I tell 'I love you' to will be the guy for me. I am sure that I can find that person and without thinking, I will go up to them and tell him that I love him." It was something Lily always said; yet no one understood why she said it.
The others never pushed the subject, which would surely bring out the famous fiery temper in Lily. Feeling the moment tense, Diondra turned to Grace, "You got any ideas on how to get Severus to like me?" Grace giggled at the thought and nodded sweetly.
Piper, who was still writing insanely smiled up at Lily and Lily smiled back.
In minutes Lily went back to her thoughts, which strayed on in a pointless direction and came back to the same point after awhile, or where she started. Her thoughts always seemed to linger onto the Paris trip. Piper was still scribbling something in her diary, Diondra and Grace were talking about ideas and all seemed quite usual.
Halfway into the trip the girls, getting bored of their surroundings, decided to go ingle with the other students, and according to Diondra, scare any first years they could find. Although the other insisted that she come with them, Lily stayed behind fibbing that she was just too tired and in a way she was.
Torturing herself again and again about the same thing, Lily leaned against the window and let sleep wash over her.
"Lily! Wake up!" Piper yelled in Lily's ear. Lily awoke with a fright and glared at Piper for yelling so loudly. Piper was already changed into her robes and looking around Lily noticed so were Grace and Diondra.
Lily looked out the window, it was almost dark and the sun was setting.
"You should change into your robes. We will be arriving in a couple of minutes." Grace handed Lily her robes. Lily changed instantly without questioning.
Diondra was muttering to herself insanely while reading a book and making funny faces when flipping the pages. "What's wrong, Dia?" Lily asked curiously acknowledging the expression on Diondra's face. Diondra's usual cheerful manner had been replaced with cold-brutal hatred.
"I hate that Sirius Black!" Diondra yelled, "He asked me if I was a virgin! The nerve of that boy! Just because he has parents in high places, he thinks he's all that! How dare he questions me! Of course I am virgin!" Diondra's quick temper died down and she went back to reading her book, still muttering to herself about people not having manners in the new age.
Lily looked at Piper and Piper explained their encounter with the Marauder gang a while ago when they went to talk with the others on the train.
Lily had talked to the Marauder gang only once, in her first year, before deciding that she disliked them with very strong passion.
Flashback
Lily walked onto the platform with her trolley in her hands frightened and nervous. Lily walked normally, looking around, pushing her cart towards the train before she—
"Ow! Watch it!" yelled someone in front of her. Lily jumped as her cart had collided into a boy standing with an angry glare in his eyes.
"S-sorry!" Lily murmured.
Behind the boy stood his three friends all staring curiously at her with unreadable expressions. One smiled slyly looking back and forth from the boy who she had collided into to her.
"You must be a muggleborn, right?" the boy in front of her asked, his features turned into a smile. "Hi, my name in James Potter!" he extended his hand and Lily took it.
"My name is Lily Evans," Lily replied, her face flushing as the boy grinned wider.
"My name is Sirius Black, but that's not going to stop the train!" yelled the boy who was smiling slyly behind James as the train began to move.
"Let's go!" James grabbed Lily's trunk, hand, and ran for the train with Lily dangling like a chain on his arm. They all got on safely right before the train doors were locked. Lily catching her breath followed the boys looking for a compartment.
The train was nearly empty and even though finding a compartment was easy, the boys went to the very back compartment. The other two boys that were behind James introduced themselves, as Remus Lupin, who Lily could guess was the sensible type, and Peter Pettigrew, who was nothing like the other boys.
Lily sat down next to the window in front of James. She stared at the passing city and got bored when they came into the farms and pastures. Lily could see, from the corner of her eyes, James starring at her with a wide grin clearly visible on his face. The other boys were discussing something about a forest being forbidden.
Lily sat quietly, pretending to not notice James's starring. Then, when she could no longer stand it anymore, she quietly whispered, "What?" so that only James could hear.
James starred for another moment, and then got up motioning her to follow her. The other boys were so into their conversation, they didn't notice the two leaving quietly.
Lily followed curiosity and fright eating her up inside. James led her into a small empty compartment and closed the door. Lily sat down stunned by this abnormal behavior.
He sat down next to her and before she could say anything whispered, "You are so beautiful." He leaned in and closed the gap, kissing her, for her first true kiss.
If Lily was ever shocked before in her life, it was nothing to how shocked she was now. It was a beautiful kiss, and when they parted, Lily was still closing her eyes. As reality kicked in, Lily stood by disgusted written all over her face. James got up to, messing up his already messy hair playfully and grinning at her flushed face.
"Sorry! But you asked!" He grinned, reading her expression.
Lily walked out still disgusted and shocked. She walked into their compartment, got her trunk out and had left without a word. She simply did not associated with people who, in her words, behaved so vulgarly.
Flashback
But to her misfortune, the Marauders had been placed in Gryffindor, the same house as Lily and her friends. Although Lily chose to ignore them, her friends were not so out-going. Instead they, on purpose, fight against the Marauder gang and their reign over the entire female population at Hogwarts.
Lily, as usual, had no time for her thoughts as the train came to a halt in front of the familiar Hogsmeade station. Piper, Lily, Grace and Diondra made their way slowly out of the train pushing and shoving through the crowd of students hurrying out also.
It was dark outside, but Lily could see the dim outline of the enormous Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid. It was tradition for Hagrid to round up all the first years and take them to Hogwarts on the boats. But second years and up were to go on the mud-covered, horseless carriages.
Lily walked over to the nearest carriage, her friends behind her, and got in. But to her surprise, there was someone already in there. Ray Chang, a sixth year Ravenclaw, was known for his stubbornness, bullying, and rude comments all over Hogwarts, but Lily couldn't believe how calm he was, staring at her, and almost a half smile on his face.
Reality kicked in a moment later as Lily heard Ray's cronies trying to get in, "Sorry! I didn't that there was someone already here." Lily babbled nervously, with that, she slipped out before Ray had a chance to speak.
Ray Chang sat stunned at the spot by the beauty of the girl who had apologized so sweetly. Ray blinked as he saw his friends climbing onto the carriage joking about something.
"Who was the girl?" Ray hissed in, his best friend, Keane Ye's ear.
"What girl?" Keane hissed back curiously. Keane, although not as good- looking as Ray, had ear length long hair and sparkling green eyes.
"That girl, who was in here!" Ray questioned again, "You know, the one with the red hair!"
This time a light had sparked in Keane's mind as he showed realization of what Ray was talking about on his face. "Oh! You mean, Lily Evans. Yeah! She is something really. She doesn't like anyone, but everyone likes her!" Keane had a dreamy expression on his face before he saw the death glare that Ray was giving him. "I wouldn't go for her though, she is too hard. I heard she is too stubborn." Keane warned.
"Not for me! I am Ray Chang, I can make anyone fall in love with me and you'll see, Lily is going to be mine this year."
Keane nodded his head in a mock-sarcastic grin on his face.
Hogwarts looked just as pleasing as Lily remembered it. The Great Hall was decorated in all the houses colors and was filled with four long tables, which were allotted to the different houses.
Lily and her friends seated themselves near the middle of the long Gryffindor table. Dumbledore, the headmaster, was seated in the front of the Hall at the teachers' table looking spectacular. Piper winked and gang Dumbledore a thumbs up, which he acknowledged with a nod. Piper and Dumbledore were very close, almost like father and daughter, Piper was the only student that Dumbledore talked to the way he did; so friendly and free.
When everyone was settled down, Dumbledore got up with a goblet in his hand in motion to prepare toast, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!"
Everyone in the hall cheered crazily, even the Slytherins. "Now, the sorting ceremony." Dumbledore sat down as the Great Hall doors opened and the first years came inside looking scared and nervous.
Professor McGonagall, a strict Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts, brought out the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagall was the head of Gryffindor, she was also known for her strictness and fair attitude towards everyone. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on a tall stool.
Lily listened closely as the Sorting Hat broke into a new poem. The words were so cleverly written. As soon as the poem ended, the students started to applaud very impressed by the words.
Professor McGonagall took out a roll of parchment and began calling out the kids one by one to come to the stool to be sorted into their houses. "Timothy Spall!"
A small nosy looking boy with a smirk on his face came up and sat down on the stool, instantaneously the Sorting Hat barked, "Slytherin!"
The Slytherin table welcomed their newest arrival with cheer. The rest of the tables waited quietly. Like this one by one, the hat sorted the students. At the end of the ceremony, Gryffindor had thirty-five new first- years sitting proudly at the table. Dumbledore stood up again to make his usual beginning-of-year comments. "There are a few things I would like to point out this year." The crowd stopped talking and all eyes were on Dumbledore. "As you all know, the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden." His eyes strayed over to the Marauder gang, who were all grinning broadly, "It goes for everyone, yes, even for you, Mr. Black." Sirius was pointing to himself questioningly mouthing 'me too?'
"Another thing, Quidditch will start next month. For match details please consult your house heads." Dumbledore was quiet fond of Quidditch, the wizard sport, and mentioned it with the most significance. "The Head Boy and Girl are Caradoc Dearborn and Miranda Goshawk. Congratulations to both!"
A boy and a girl stood up looking dignified with their Head Boy/Girl badges shining. Then they sat back down when Dumbledore spoke again, "Now, without further ado, let the feast begin!" As soon as he said those words, all the empty plates and goblets filled magically with delicious food. Lily, and her friends had not eaten at all in the train, so they bustled down as much as possible, talking and laughing joyfully.
Lily was too engaged in her conversation to know, but by the corner of his eye, Ray was watching her amused while talking to his own friends.
At the end of the feast they were all headed towards their house towers. Lily couldn't help but smile as she followed her friends looking at the moving paintings on the walls and waving happily to them.
The password is "Wattlebird" yelled the house prefect, Remus Lupin. The portrait of the fat lady gave way and everyone went inside the Gryffindor common room. Lily, Piper, Grace and Diondra all went into their sixth year room. It was just the way Lily remembered. A huge window was at the end of the enormous room with six four-poster beds. Lily walked over to the bed nearest the window, spotting her stuff that had already been brought in.
"Sleep, Lily?" Piper asked settling down on the bed next to Lily's. Lily turned around; Piper was already laying down changes in her nightclothes.
"Yes, I am just going to change first." Lily got up and pulled out her truck looking for her nightclothes.
"You guys are sleeping already?" Grace asked. "But it's only, oh, wow," Grace looked at the clock which read 10:54, "ok, got the point! Goodnight!" Grace pulled her bed curtains and changes inside.
Diondra was already sleeping snoring nosily. Piper rolled her eyes, and got out her diary writing quickly, she noted down all the events from the train to the moment then. Lily walked in, changed in her nightclothes.
"Night! Everyone!" Lily called out, as soon as she hit the sheets, she fell asleep.
"Rise and shine, Lily flower!" yelled Diondra stretching on her bed.
Lily woke with a start and pulled her covers close to protest getting out, but when she saw the clock; she jumped and quickly got ready. By the time Lily was finished getting ready for the first day of school, the others were already dressed waiting for her, with all their stuff.
"Well, you could have woken me up a little earlier!" cried Lily, reading Piper's face.
Lily pulled out her books, quills and all her stuff, put it in her bag, and ran down the stairs with the others.
The Great Hall was nearly empty. Piper was thinking the same thing as the others, "Where is everyone?" she turned around and questioned.
"Are we late or early?" Diondra asked setting down her book bag.
"Hey, Professor McGonagall?" Lily yelled puzzled to see her, "Shouldn't you be in class?"
Professor McGonagall walked over to where they were standing and looked at the suspiciously. "Why no, why would I be in class, it's only 6:45, classes begin at 8:00."
"What!" Diondra yelled, "Sorry, professor, we thought it was much later than that!"
"No, I still have to get the schedules." Professor McGonagall walked away distractedly.
Lily looked from one face to the other. "That messed by clock!" Grace cried. "It was wrong. Sorry, guys." The magical clock Grace owned was never on time, usually a little early, but today it was a lot early than expected.
"It's okay! Not your fault." Diondra smiled nodding, "You guys want to go back to the common room?"
"Sure, there is nothing for us to do here anyway." Piper said looking at Lily.
"Actually, you go ahead. I think I am going to go walk around for a while." Lily stated simply.
Grace, Piper, and Diondra didn't protest or argue with Lily, they went back to the Gryffindor common room, leaving Lily all alone.
Lily headed outside to walk around the lake. The sun was already up halfway, as Lily made her way across the garden. Feeling tired, Lily set the heavy book bag and sat down by a tree near the lake.
"Hi!" someone came up behind Lily smiling wide. It was Ray Chang, his white teeth glittering in the sunlight.
"Hello." Lily said simply. "Sorry, again about the other day." She apologized remembering the encounter with Ray.
Ray smiled, "Can I sit down?" he asked pointing to a place next to Lily.
"Sure." Lily said, and Ray seated himself down on the grass leaning against the tree.
For a long time, they sat in silence. Before he spoke up again, "So, you're a morning person too, huh?"
"Not really, my friend has this crazy alert clock that tells the wrong time. Today we thought we were really late, but turns out, we are really early." Lily explained.
After another awkward silence, Ray spoke up again, "Lily, will you be my girlfriend?"
Lily wasn't expecting it. She didn't say anything. Instead, she got up, picked up her book bag and started walking away.
"Hey! Lily!" Ray called after her. He was walking fast behind her to catch up. He reached out his arm and turned Lily over to face him by her shoulder. "Are you going to be my girlfriend?"
Lily looked to the ground not able to think. All she wanted to do was get away, but Ray had a firm grip on her shoulder and didn't let her go. Lily shook her head, still staring at the ground. Ray ignored the answer straightening up; he looked at her one more time and let go. Lily wanted to run, but her feet were too frightened. She still kept looking at the ground; her bag on her shoulder was aching really badly.
"Ok! I will give you time to think it over," Ray offered, "I will give you until 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. If you don't come and tell me that you will be my girlfriend and that you love me by then, then I will kill myself in front of the whole school and blame it one you."
Lily looked up. Ray turned around and left leaving Lily with a messy mind. A single tear fell down her cheek, but she wiped it away. She was not going to give in to his threatens.
The day had started off with a bad start, but that was nothing compared to how the rest of the day went. Lily met her friends in the Great Hall for breakfast, where they found out they had Potions first with the Slytherins and that mean, ugly, cruel, Professor Boggs. In Potions, Lily and her friends were separated, and Lily was seated next to a mean Slytherin boy named Malcolm Darcy, who kept smirking evilly at her. But Diondra had a fun time; she was placed next to Severus, who looked disgustedly at her while she gave him a dreamy look.
Later she had luckily had her best subject, Charms, where she earned 20 extra points for Gryffindor.
After Charms, however, came her worst subject, Transfiguration. As much as Lily hated admitting it, Transfiguration was her worst subject. Although she still came as one of the top students, she had to work twice as hard as everyone else to do so.
Lunch was short. Lily couldn't eat anything. She, instead, went back to the Gryffindor tower and waited there until time for Transfiguration.
Nothing was scheduled after Transfiguration, so Lily and her friends, who were all amazed at the amount of homework they had been given, decided to retire to the library to get a head start.
"I can't believe that Boggs! He assigned us 5 essays! All 3 feet long! That is crazy! And it's due the next class period!" Diondra exclaimed her shock.
"Well, at least we only have a couple of classes a day now." Piper shrugged looking sympathetically at Diondra. Grace was walking in front with Lily, who seemed to be drowned in her own thoughts to pay attention.
Her friends were too absorbed to notice. They had been used to Lily not talking much and thought that she must thinking about something. In the library, the girls found and empty table and finished their homework hastily. Diondra wrote in huge letters while the others wrote in small print. By the time they finished it was already dinner. Feeling tired, and Diondra rubbing her forehead, the friends made their way to the Great Hall for dinner.
Dinner was as welcoming as ever, as they were starved. Lily ate less than everyone else; somehow, she wasn't as hungry as she thought she was.
They went back to the Gryffindor tower when finished. Lily retired to bed, while Piper scribbled in her diary and Grace challenged Diondra to a game of wizard's chess. Sulking about her horrible first day of school, Lily fell asleep.
The next morning was the same thing, only new classes. In a flash, it was only just 15 minutes before 1:30. Lily looked like she was going to regurgitate her lunch, butterflies churned in her stomach. Her friends realizing her dullness pulled Lily into a nearby empty classroom.
"Lily, sorry, but you have been acting strange lately. What's wrong?" Grace asked in her sweet soothing voice.
Lily looked sadly down at the floor and told them about the events with Ray Chang.
They all, too, were as startled as she was. Piper smiled at Lily understandingly.
"Lily, that's a good thing, isn't it?"
"What?" Lily exclaimed.
"I mean, Ray is a really nice, good-looking guy. Why not go out with him?" Piper continued.
"Well, because, maybe I don't care about him!" Lily yelled for no reason. "And now he is threatening me that he is going to kill himself if I don't start being his girlfriend!" Lily broke out into tears, and Grace patted her shoulder comfortingly.
"Lily, why not?" Diondra asked thinking about it. "You always said, that the first guy you tell 'I love you' to will be the guy for you. If he said that he would die if you didn't like him, it means that he really loves you."
"But he barely knows me!" Lily said; she had stopped crying.
"Love doesn't have a reason!" Diondra said her all famous line cheerfully. "Sometimes, you can look at a person and know it's that one special someone."
Lily nodded agreeing with Diondra, who was in her mind right. Lily had always wanted to love someone, and maybe since Ray said that he was going to die if she said 'no', then it just had to mean that he really did love her. Lily blushed realizing her answer to him for the first time. Lily looked at the clock in the classroom, right before she heard a shrilling scream from outside the room.
Lily didn't have time to thank her friends; she only had 5 minutes before 1:30. Lily quickly ran outside thinking where might Ray be at this time, but from outside the castle she could hear a girl's voice yelling loudly, "Ray, come down here, she is not going to come! Ray, don't do it!"
Lily ran in the direction of the voice, which led her outside. The girl noticed Lily coming and yelled, "She is coming! Don't drink that!" up to Ray. The girl was Sandra Bennett, a sixth year, and a rather bossy Ravenclaw.
Outside was a gathering of all students even the Slytherins looking up at Ray on top of the roof with a poison bottle dangerously close to his lips.
Lily couldn't think, she was being dragged to the front of the bunch of people. Her friends were lost somewhere in the crowd and now she needed them the most.
Ray stood on top of the roof stubbornly. No teacher was outside; all students were watching, some girls were begging for Lily to tell him 'I love you'.
"Tell him! Just tell him! Please!" yelled Sarah Bennett in Lily's ear. Sarah was the twin sister of Sandra.
Lily feeling a moment of blind passion coming on, as she thought quickly one more time about her policy and the guy she was going to devote her life to. But the crowd grew rowdier, pushing and shoving her to tell him already.
Lily frozen found her voice and whispered, "I love you." And then again, liking the sound, Lily quickly yelled, "I LOVE YOU, RAY CHANG!" Lily smiled and closed her eyes. On top of the roof, she could see Ray smiling too; he left to come down the stairs.
James Potter watched at the girl he adored for six years yelling 'I love you' up to a guy who knew nothing about her. He leaned against the wall observing her closely. Lily, Lily, what have you done! James knew Lily, and he knew her policy by heart too. She was going to stick to one guy once she declared. Sirius watched on in awe, as James just stood there not doing anything except stare at the one thing he wanted most, becoming someone else's. James had been in love with Lily ever since he saw her, even though he didn't tell her, he was in love. He watched her day and night, calling her name in his sleep, but now, was that all over?
"What are you going to do now, James?" Sirius whispered.
James didn't say anything, he was watching Ray come down the stairs and embrace Lily in a tightly. He then turned to Sirius and smiled. "You'll see!" was all he said. He walked away from the scene shrugging and smiling to himself.
Was that okay? Tell me! Review please!
I want people to understand that Lily is really committed to her relationship with Ray. Next chapter will have a lot more James and the whole Marauder gang. As for James, does he give up on her? The answer will be in the next chapter!
Thanks to all those who review and encourage me to write quickly; I might not be able to update right now, because I am moving, I can probably update in a week or two.
Dinis