"Lily?"
Lily turned around and great her long time friend Severus Snape. She gave a huge smile to him, ran across platform 9 3/4, and engulfed him in a tight hug. Abandoning her trunk she greeted her friend happily as they returned to Hogwarts for their fifth year.
"Sev!" Lily cheered; she backed out of the hug and couldn't help her elation, "I feel like I haven't seen you in so-"
Lily was cut off by the deafening whistle of the Hogwarts Express, she squeezed Snape's shoulder and left to get her things. Snape looked at Lily in a whole new perspective, her blazing red hair had grown longer, her body had more curves, and her face was as beautiful as ever. He smiled to himself and thought about how great life would be when they grew up, hopefully more then just friends.
A sudden shove pulled Snape out of his thoughts.
"Hey Snevillus!"
An all too familiar snicker disturbed Snape, he shuddered and turned to face Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and the worst: James Potter.
Snape noticed Peter had gotten plumper in his Gryffindor sweater; he stood in the back observing quietly. Remus had two, rather large, spell books in his arms and was studying a pamphlet about magical creatures. Sirius on the other hand was standing confidently, with his black hair covering his eyes, giving Snape a cocky expression. Finally, Snape's eyes rested on the awful James Potter, his disgustingly messy hair, with his smug smile, and that blasted snitch he always carried around. Snape noticed that James had grown a few inches over the summer cause Snape to frown.
"Look James! He's is scared out of his pants!" Sirius snickered, "Maybe we should do him a favor and take them off!"
Sirius roared with laughter as Remus looked at Sirius and chuckled. Peter laughed along with Sirius and gave James and hesitant pat on the back. James nodded and took out his wand.
"Potter!"
All four marauders froze and looked towards Lily Evans murderous glare. James slowly put his want down and took out his most exaggerated smile.
"Yes, Evans?" James looked her in the eye and smiled, showing all his teeth.
Lily, completely unfazed put both hands on her hips and glared and James. It seemed only Snape noticed how close their faces were together. He immediately felt a fiery rage bubble inside him. He marched towards Lily and pulled her away from James's eyes.
Lily gave him a stunned look, Snape had to think of something to say, an excuse.
"I can protect myself!" Snape realized he had said it a lot more harshly then he had meant it.
James looked puzzled at Snape and Lily's small conversation, his puzzlement quickly turned into an overconfident smile.
Lily had obviously been hurt, but she didn't want it to get to her. Instead, she gave him a cold look then turned back to her trunk and got on the train to Howgarts.
xxxx
When James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter boarded the train, James felt himself feelings awful about how Snape treated Lily. It made James want to hex the living daylights out of him.
"What's the matter James? You look green mate," Sirius laughed.
Should I tell them that I feel bad? James wuickly removed this thought from his mind. He couldn't feel bad for Evans or Snevillus.
James rolled his eyes and started playing with his snitch.
Why do I feel so bad… Shake it off James you stupid bloke! Its Snevillus and Evans for Merlin's sake! James still couldn't shake the feeling of guilt off of his shoulders.
"I'll be back in a bit," James rose out of his seat.
"Where are you going James?" Sirius asked.
"Um.. the bathroom," he replied as he slid out the compartment, in the search for Lily Evans.
xxxx
What was he thinking! Ugh! Lily thought about Snape's unusual reaction to her trying to defend him. It's not like I hadn't protected him before! I cannot believe he has the nerve to even say that! We are friends... at last we I thought we were…
Lily dived into her thoughts when a knock had her compartment resurfaced her. She immediately knew who it was: Snape. She had to talk to him then she stood up abruptly.
"Sev, what was that-" Lily halted her serious conversation when she met a pair of hazel eyes, framed with black lashes, behind rectangular glasses. She never noticed how pretty James's eyes were. She silently scolded herself; James Potter is not pretty in any way! she thought to herself, pathetically.
She collected herself, "Oh, it's you, Potter. What do you want?" Lily said as she sat down on the compartment seat. Lily noticed James smiled, slightly, but she also saw something she had never seen before in James. This smile was neither smug nor cocky, but was actually a genuine grin. In response Lily raised an eyebrow, highly suspicious.
"Did you come here to torment me? Or did you just want to gloat in my face about what Sev said to me?" Lily crossed her arm across her chest, even though she could see that it wasn't James Potter's intent to boast or brag, she had to say just to make sure he didn't noticed that she noticed his all too genuine smile.
James only chuckled and sat down next to Lily. She automatically scooted away from him and eyed him suspiciously.
"Calm down. I don't bite." He grinned at Lily.
"Are you sure about that Potter?" Lily returned.
"Positive, Evans." James laughed at Lily's doubt.
James and Lily had never seen eye to eye on anything. Whenever Lily even got near James the conversation would usually end up in a fight. So, when Lily caught herself locking eyes with James Potter, she looked away and put on a hard mask.
"So, what do you want?" she asked coldly.
James was completely unabashed by Lily's tone, "I wanted to apologize."
Lily was taken back. She wasn't expecting the sincerity in his voice. He sounded like a completely different person. She grew even more suspicious and looked at him dubiously.
"What? You don't believe me?" James asked.
Lily thought about her answer. Should I hear Potter out? Ugh! No! He's not even worth my time!
"No! Not at all! Just tell me why you are really here so you can just leave!" Lily spat.
James frowned. He was hurt by Lily's words, which was very, very strange. He tried to figure out his emotions, but Lily took action first
She rose from her seat and was about to leave the compartment. James panicked, he didn't want her to leave, he wanted her to hear him out.
James grabbed Lily's hand.
Lily turned back around and looked at her hand, now completely covered by another. She looked back to James slowly.
He's holding my hand! Lily would usually be in complete disgust, but she didn't want to pull it away. She shook her head and withdrew her hand from his.
"What do you want Potter! "Lily was still recovering from his hand on hers.
"Please, sit back down." James almost begged Lily.
She examined him once more, and sat back down.
"What's this all about?" Lily said, more softly.
"I told you, I wanted to apologize, I don't know why I feel so bad. But, I don't want a guilty conscience on my first day back to Howgarts," James paused, "I'm sorry, Lily."
"You called me Lily." Why did I say that? Why did I say that? I'm so stupid! Lily thought. The only thing that she got from James's apology was that he called her by her first name. How pathetic. She groaned.
"Oh.. Um.. yeah I guess I did," James smiled, "Evans."
Lily blushed.
James looked at that color on Lily's face, Wow… She's amazing.. James thought, He cursed himself. It's Evans. Come on Potter! Get a grip!
James stood up, "Well, I guess that's all I wanted to say." He ran a hand through his hair.
He's gorgeous.. No! Shut it Lily! Lily continued to look at James, transfixed on his eyes and face.
"Um… yeah, right you can go!" Lily tried to say it with as much disgust as possible, but it ended up sounding rather odd.
James gave her a strange look then laughed, he closed the compartment, leaving a stunned Lily behind.
xxxx
James stood outside the Lily's compartment, What was that? What is wrong with me, I was nearly glued to her face! I'm losing it…
He ran his hands down his face; he took off his glasses and subbed his eyes. Before he knew it he returned to his compartment.
"Geez mate, what did you eat?" Sirius barked a laugh. Peter laughed along with Sirius. Remus threw a glance at James's completion.
"Are you okay James? You look ill," Remus said.
"I feel ill," James groaned. Yeah! Feel ill about Evans!
"Do… you need to go to the bathroom again…?" Remus asked slowly.
"No, no im fine," He answered immediately.
Sirius shook it off and continued mapping out pranks for this year with Peter, but Remus had other plans. When James sat by Remus, he cast a silencing charm over their heads.
"What's the real problem, mate?" Remus asked, worriedly.
James looked at Sirius, he looked completely oblivious to Remus's words.
Silencing charm, James thought, Remus was so clever and observant.
James always knew that Remus was just most open-minded of the group. James felt always felt comfortable sharing his actual thoughts with him.
"It's Lily Evans," He started.
James waited for a shocked expression from Remus, but all he said was, "Okay, continue."
"When I went to the bathroom, I actually went to go see Lily, in her compartment," James continued. James did note a hint of surprise in Remus's face.
"I went there to apologize to her, don't ask me why! I have no idea myself. It's only Evans! I felt really guilty about what Snevillus said to her," James paused, "When I went to go talk to her, she was, as usual, completely hostile, but I hated it! I wanted her to hear me out! I had to grab her hand for her just to face me properly. I don't know Remus. I probably sound like a crazy bloke." James shook his head.
Remus smiled and put a hand on James's shoulder, "You're not crazy, mate. You're totally and complete in love!" Remus laughed.
James looked at Remus in horror. Evans? Me in love with Evans!
James shook his head, "This is not going to be fun."
Remus laughed and took the silencing charm off them.
xxxx
After James had left, Lily balled up into an egg form. She didn't know what that was back there. It was like she was staring at James! James Potter! The one boy who she hated with all her might.
A knock at her compartment, once again, pulled Lily out of her thoughts. She looked up, for some reason hoping it was James.
"James?"
Alice Williams walked in, shocked at her best friend's call. Lily looked down and blushed deeply. Alice sat down by Lily and giggled.
"Did you just call me James? As in James Potter?" Alice said with a mocking tone. She suddenly casted a golden snitch and started catching it. Lily gave her a playful glare and waved away the golden mist.
"Oh I knew this day would come!" Alice joked, "All that nonsense fighting was all just sexual tension." Alice snickered as Lily shuddered.
"Alice!" Lily groaned, "It's nothing like that! I still hate Potter! He is a gor- an arrogant person who doesn't know when to shut his trap!"
"Mhmm, okay Lily, you are just in denial." Alice giggled and started jabbering about how James and Lily would make a great couple.
"Alice please! You are driving me crazy!" Lily covered her ears. Alice put an arm around Lily and laughed.
"Don't worry. Once you face the truth, all of this will be a lot easier to take in," Alice smiled and whispered, "Lily Potter."
Lily's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets, Alice laughed heartily at Lily's reaction.
"That sounds dreadful!" Lily exclaimed, exaggerating her gags.
xxxx
"James? Where are you?"
James turned around to the sound of Lily's voice. He saw her ruby red hair flow gracefully past her shoulders. Her face moving closer to his; James could smell her flowery essence, intoxicating him. Her emerald green eyes piercing James's hazel ones. Lily came so close to James that there noses were nearly touching. She slowly raised her hands to his face and removed his glasses. She gently grabbed his face in her soft hands and pulled his face closer to hers.
"James!" Remus's voice pulled James out of his fantasy.
"What? Wha- What's going on?" he stuttered confusedly.
James rubbed his eyes tiredly and woke to Sirius's mad laughter along with Peter and quiet chuckles from Remus.
"What are you going on about?" James asked impatiently.
"You! You.. AHAH! Lily… Evans…" Sirius managed to get out between barks.
James slapped his forehead rather hard. He got up from his seat and gave a strong punch into Sirius's arm. James was beyond furious that he couldn't even manage to control his thoughts. He was about to leave the compartment to get some time alone to figure out his feelings.
"Oh, James. Don't go Sirius was only being a prat." Peter smiled.
"I just need to… figure out things, okay, give me a minute." After glaring at Sirius he left their compartment completely unprepared for the truth.
James ran a hand through his hair and walked down the train's narrow hall.
I can't possibly have any feelings, besides disgust, about Lily Evans. She might be beautiful, and witty, and smart, and amazing, and nice, and- oh Merlin…
James rubbed his temples vigorously. Could it be that the girl he had despised before could, now, be the girl of his dreams? James found himself wandering aimlessly around the train when a force struck his chest. It took him a minute to realize that he was on the floor blinded from the loss of his glasses.
"What the-?" James rubbed his head, he had been hit with a spell. He felt around for his glasses to see who the culprit was when he heard a sneer.
"Not so great now! Huh Potter?" Snapes voice rang in James's head.
James located his glasses when a crushing force smashed his hand into his glasses causing James to cry out.
"Are you completely mad Snevillus!" James yelled while glaring at the dark blob. He cradled his bloodied hand. James suddenly felt light headed from the loss of blood and throbbing from his hand.
"Sev?"
James turned around sightlessly, but he already knew the voice. James could see her red hair even with out his glasses, his heart skipped a beat, and for a moment he forgot about his hand and even his blindness he could see Lily Evans perfectly.
"Sev what are you doing!" Lily ran over to James and took his hand in hers, not afraid of the blood that had gotten on her robes. She glared at Snape violently. She never thought that Snape would actually physically hurt one of the marauders, and to her, violence was never okay.
"What are you doing, Lils? Protecting him like a mother hen? Get off of him so I can cause him some real pain!" Snape cold gaze could only stare at James Potter.
Suddenly from behind, Lucious Malfoy had come with his own group Rodolphous Lestrange, Bellatrix and Narcissa Black.
Lily fiercely hated the so-called "Death Eaters" in her mind they were 100 times worse then fifty marauders. She glared at them while holding an almost unconscious James.
"Wow Severus, I didn't know you had it in you," Lucious said pleasantly.
Rodolphous laughed evilly, "I guess you're not the coward I thought you were Snape. I guess you can be in the Death Eaters."
"Look at your wand it's quivering! Ha!" Bellatrix snorted, then became very serious, "Choose! You moronic little outcast! The pretty red-headed girl or a group who will never leave you for prats."
Lily's eyes begged for Snape to get with his senses.
"Sev, look what you have done, please, don't hurt anyone else, no matter who it is." Lily pleaded.
Snape glanced at Lily and James, "You're the one who hurt me! Look at yourself protecting Potter." Without another word Snape turned his back on his best friend and love, and went with the Death Eaters.
xxxx
Lily had tears in her eyes while dragging an unconscious James to try and find Remus, Sirius, or Peter.
"James, are you okay?" she brushed his face with her hand, "Sirius! Remus! Peter! Help!"
All of a sudden Lily had come out of the Silencing Charm's boundary and the whole aisle was filled with heads popping out of their compartments until Sirius, Remus, and Peter saw James and Lily both bloody. Lily caught a glimpse of Sirius's expression; it was a mask of pure horror. She had never seen Sirius look so vulnerable, his cocky, confident façade had crumpled at the sight of James, a person who he thought of like a brother, hurt and weak. All of them ran to Lily and helped her with James.
"What in the world happened?" Remus asked frantically while lift James on one of his shoulders and another on Sirius's. Lily was beyond hysterical.
"Sev, he- he did this to James," she cried softly while wiping her eyes.
Peter put an arm around Lily, "It's okay Lily, we'll get him."
"Yeah we will," muttered Sirius.
Lily noticed that Sirius had barley said a word; he looked so scared when she first saw him, now all his eyes said was vengeance.
As Sirius and Remus were taking James back to their compartment, Professor McGonagall heard the commotion and entered the train frantically. She covered her hand over her mouth. None of them even realized they had arrived at Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall led Remus and Sirius into the castle.
"I'm sorry Miss Evans, I'm going to have to ask you to stay out here with Mr. Pettigrew." Professor McGonagall said softly, "Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin will join you shortly, then Professor Dumbledore will need to speak with you."
Lily could only nod, she wasn't looking forward to turning in her former best friend.
xxxx
Lily waited outside of Professor Dumbledore's office curling her red hair around her fingers, nervously.
"Miss Evans?" a warm voice called out.
Lily walked, shakily, into a huge office. Shelves piled on each other, covered with nick-nacs and books. Long curtains draped over the large windows, making his office look darker, but there were candles creating a warm yellow tint. Moving frames covered the Professor's office.
Professor Dumbledore motioned for Lily to take a seat. She complied and sat in a very large chair. He greeted her with a warm smile and she automatically smiled back.
"Hello Miss Evans," Dumbledore said with a grin.
"Hello Professor," she said timidly, Lily had never been to the headmaster's office before.
"I wanted to discuss today's events with you," He continued after popping in a lemon drop, "I'm aware that you were there when Mr. Potter was attacked."
Lily nodded.
Dumbledore smiled, "I do need you to tell me who did this to Mr. Potter, he is being healed as we speak, but violence towards any student will not be tolerated, as you probably know well." He finished softly.
"Yes, Professor I know," Lily paused, "It… it was Severus Snape."
Dumbledore nodded, "What happened to James's hand?"
"I- I think Sev stepped on James's hand when he was try to get his glasses… You see Professor, I didn't really see everything I saw Sev step on James's hand though."
Dumbledore nodded again, "The cuts in Mr. Potter's hand looked fairly deep," Lily shuddered, "he must have yelled for help," another shudder, "do you know why nobody heard him?"
"I suppose Sev put a Silencing Charm around that area so no one would hear…" Lily looked down, and just realized if she hadn't come how much more damage Sev could have inflicted on James What are you doing, Lils? Protecting him like a mother hen? Get off of him so I can cause him some real pain! Lily shuddered at Snape's words.
"Thank you Miss Evans, that's all I need to hear," Dumbledore smiled at Lily and led her out of his office.
Once out of the headmasters office, Lily took a huge breath in and headed towards the infirmary.
xxxx
Snape shuddered when Lucious patted him on the back.
"Good work Severus, you definitely proved yourself today." Lucious said.
Snape hated leaving Lily like that with James Potter, but he had no other choice. He remembered how Lily protected James. Truthfully, he was engulfed with rage and envy. He scoffed at her betrayal; she was the one who hated James Potter! And now, suddenly she was all over him! Snape couldn't understand her. Snape thought that worrying about Lily's every decision was extremely unhealthy, no matter how much he tried to deny it. He needed to stop obsessing over Lily Evans and concentrate on something that was stable and sure: the Death Eaters.
xxxx
Lily sat in the seat next to James Potter's infirmary bed. Even though the cut was only in his palm, shards of glass were also stuck in his wrists, causing him to loose even more blood. She scanned his face carefully, his extremely messy black hair, long face with a defined jaw, his straight nose, and his full lips, parted slightly. He was beautiful. Lily smiled.
Lily was almost unaware of Sirius, Remus, and Peter hovering over James. It was completely silence until the least expected person to speak, spoke.
"Lil… Lily…" James whispered in a raspy voice.
Sirius, Remus, and Peter all turned toward Lily and looked at her with nearly the same expression of complete and utter shock. Sirius suppressed a barking laugh. Everyone became very quiet when James started talking again.
"Lily?" James eyes fluttered a bit, "I mean Ev-Evans?"
James gave a weak laugh, and Lily laughed along with the rest of the Marauders.
"How are you feeling, mate?" Sirius asked.
"I'd be a lot better if I weren't blind," James chuckled softly.
Lily realized that Professor McGonagall gave her his glasses after she had mended the broken pieces.
"Here," Lily handed a surprised James his glasses. They locked eyes for a moment and Lily looked down to her feet.
"Thanks," James said as he put his rectangular framed glasses back on.
Sirius elbowed Remus when Lily blushed.
"Do you remember anything mate?" Peter asked from the back.
James looked at his small crowd, "Not really, I just remember Evans coming out of no where and smothering me." James laughed and winked.
Lily's head snapped up "Did not! I saved your arse Potter! Remember that!" she said playfully.
Sirius laughed heartily, elbowing Remus again.
"Oh man, this year is going to be a blast." He laughed.