Lily Evans was a
clever seventh year girl. She was outgoing, though not too outgoing. She liked
to go out to Hogsmeade with her best friend, Lucy Baker, and occasionally, with
the other seventh year Gryffindor girls, Linda Sparrow and Zöe Watson. She had
other friends too. Her male friends were: the four Marauders: James Potter,
Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.
James Potter was a very outgoing seventh
year boy. He liked to go out to Hogsmeade, not just with his friends, the other
marauders, but especially with girls. He was that kind who forget a girl so
easily that he could date a girl a day. Just for fun. James Potter had never
really loved in his life.
Lily hadn't ever had a boyfriend, even
getting many offers to a date. She was tall and pretty, but she wanted only to
date the one for her. She knew who he was, though she had never said this to
anybody, even to her best friends.
James's
girlfriend who he had endured more was Susannah Hallowell, a pretty blonde
Ravenclaw. They had been together for almost two months, but he broke up with
her because he was eyeing Judith Grant, a gorgeous black-haired Hufflepuff, who
he dismissed in their second date because she was too annoying.
People who were
close to Lily used to say she was very nice and friendly. She always helped her
friends. The girls who didn't know hervery well used to say she was just a silly schoolgirl who was always
chatting with James Potter. Boys used to classify Lily as Aphrodite on Earth.
People who were
close to James used to say he was kind and nice but very mischievous. The girls
who didn't know James very well used to say he was hot. Boys used to classify
James as the great promise to British's Quidditch Team.
Lily used to
think about James as her best male friend, a nice boy, and after all, her
secret love. The one she was sure she wouldn't have ever.
James used to
think about Lily as his best female friend, a nice girl, the sister he had
never had.
* * * * * *
Transfiguration
Class was really boring that Monday. It was James best subject besides
Quidditch, but even he was finding that class really boring.
Lily was very
entertained making a braid in Lucy's long black straight hair, when McGonagall
was starting to announce what was written in a piece of parchment Filch had already
given to her.
"Your attention,
please!!!" McGonagall asked, as people turned their faces to her.
"You all know
that first years have the Welcoming Feast to celebrate their arrival and to
sort their houses. You're in your seventh and last year here at Hogwarts.
Dumbledore had already decided to give you a Before the Graduate Ball. As you
know, this is your penultimate week of Hogwarts, and at next Friday night, the
ball will be celebrated. Remembering it's only to the Seventh Years but you'll
can invite people from other years to go with you as your partner. It's really
necessary to have a partner. You have exactly five days to choose one. You're
not obligated to go, but if you want so, you HAVE to go with someone else."
For their sake,
the bell rang.
"Don't forget to
do the assignment about Animagus!" McGonagall shouted to the people who left
the classroom.
The Marauders
left the class giggling. And talked in the corridors.
"Have you
already choose who are you going to invite, Prongs?" Sirius asked
"Yeah."
"Who's the lucky
girl?" Remus asked
"I won't tell
you. Wait and see! What about you?" James answered
"Well, I think
I'm not going to the ball." Remus whispered sadly
"Why not?"
Sirius asked
"I think nobody
is going to accept an invitation of mine…" Remus said sadly
"Come on, Moony!
You're kind of handsome!" Sirius shouted
"Speak quietly,
Sirius." Remus whispered blushing
"He's right,
Remus. You can ask any girl you want." James said
"Okay, okay!"
Remus ended the subject
"I will ask
Heather to go with me." Peter told them
Sirius couldn't
help but laugh. James and Remus resisted laughter. Heather McKinnon, from
Ravenclaw, was a tall, blue eyed and blond haired girl, who was in her sixth
year at Hogwarts and was Ravenclaw's team seeker. She would never ever date
Peter. After all, she was one of James biggest fans, though he had never dated
her.
"Wormy,
darling…" Sirius said between laugher "What about Sonya White? She's kind of…
kind of… well, she's not THAT ugly."
"Padfoot. Sonya
is HORRIBLE and she's short. I hate short women! And why can't I date Heather,
uh? It's all because I'm ugly…" Peter said crying
Sirius laughed
more.
"Don't cry, I'm
just being your friend, Wormtail. You know Heather. She has a crush on
Prongs. She won't date you, not because
you are tall or short. She won't date you because she likes Prongs, and all the
school know it!" Sirius said
Peter stopped
crying
"It's really
only this?" he asked
"Yeah, of
course!" Sirius lied (Heather loved James, but she used to date handsome guys,
which wasn't Peter's case)
"So, I'll ask
Li… somebody." Peter said
"Okay, then"
Remus said, wanting to end the subject "Wormtail's partner".
They entered the
Common Room.
*****
While almost everybody left the
classroom, Lily stayed there crying.
Lucy was there
with her.
"What's up,
Lil?"
"Nothing."
"Lily, darling,
isn't it better telling me faster what's going on with you? You know you'll
tell me it sooner or later, so… let's make it easier for me, okay?" Lucy said
teasingly
"Okay, Lucy!" Lily whispered sadly " I think
I'm not going to the ball."
"What?" Lucy
shouted startled " Come on, Lil… every guy in this school would give his life
to go to this ball with you!"
"But not who I
want to go with me." Lily said
"Who is this
mysterious guy? If he don't want to go with you, I'm sure he's not
heterosexual!" Lucy said
"Lucy! It's not
that! Of course he's heterosexual, but… well, he doesn't look at me with THIS
eyes. He doesn't see me as a girl, only as a friend."
Lily blushed.
"I knew it was
James! I just knew it!"
"It… it's not
James. He's just my friend!"
"Okay, Lil…
whatever. Let's go to the common room. And… whoever this boy is, if he don't
ask you… ask him."
"I won't, Lucy!
I'm a girl. Girls aren't supposed to ask guys to go to the balls!"
"Come on, Lil.
We don't live in the XIX century!"
"I know, but I'm
shy!"
"So go with the
best looking guy who ask you to the ball and stop crying. We have to sleep!"
The two girls
emptied the classroom and walked towards the common room.
*****
The very minute Lily arrived the common
room, two boys ran after her. One was John Walters, a handsome blond haired
sixth year, the other was Steven McClain, another Seventh year boy (he did the
fourth grade twice).
"Lily, will you go with me to the ball?"
John asked
"I… er…" she started
"Go with me, Lily! He just want to go
with you because it's the only way for him to go. And he's younger than you!"
Steven shouted
"Shut up! I could ask another seventh
year girl, I'm asking Lily because I like her!" John shouted
"Liar!" Steven yelled
John punched him. He punched back.
"Calm down!" Lily yelled "I already have
someone to go with."
They stopped beating each other up.
"Wow! But you have already left the
classroom."
"I knew about the ball before everybody
else." She lied "I have already got a partner. Got it?"
"Yeah!" the two boys said sadly
"Okay. See you then."
*****
James was comfortably sat on a soft seat
chatting with his best friends when he saw Lily. He stood up lazily and walked
towards her, who was managing how to get rid of two boys. When he reached her,
the two boys had already gone.
"Hi, Lil!"
"Hi, James"
"What's up?"
"Nothing. I had just said to Walters and
McClain that I won't go with them to the ball."
"Oh!"
"Who are you going with? Did you ask
somebody to the ball?" Please… say you didn't!
"Er… not really."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure if she will… er… accept to
go with me."
"Oh! Let's sit."
They sat as far to the fireplace as they
could, so there weren't anybody near to bother them.
"You were saying you didn't invite the
girl you want to the ball, because you think she won't accept." Lily told him
"Yes"
"Who is she?" Say it's me, pleaseeee
"I'm afraid to tell you." He said shyly.
It was a very rare moment. James Potter wasn't used to get shy
"Why?" Because it's me! You think I
won't accept to go with you. Be sure I will!
He stayed quiet
"Do I know her?" she asked hopefully
"Yeah, really well."
"Is she a Gryffindor?"
"Yep."
"Er… is she a seventh year."
"Positive."
"Er…" If it isn't me, I have an enemy
in my own room!
"Is she smart?"
"Kind of"
"Is she my friend?"
"Er…" James said thoughtfully
"Is she my friend?" she repeated more
hopefully Probably he's wondering if he can say that I'm a friend of myself
"Kind of."
"James! Tell me! I promise I won't tell
her." She asked
"I think you will."
"Don't you trust me?" she asked with
childish eyes
"Okay… it's Linda."
This words made the world fall on Lily's
head. It wasn't her. It was Linda. She kind of knew it wasn't her, but she was
in love with him and she always had hope. Her eyes only showed its normal green
color. They didn't show more hope, or disappointment, only the color. All the
feelings she could have filled her heart, but her eyes were unable to show
them. Even sadness… nothing.
"Linda?" she whispered
"Why? Do you think she doesn't want to
go with me? I knew it."
"No… of course she will. All the girls
in this school want to go with you."
"It's not like THAT. And you, Lil? Who
are the lucky guy? Who do you want to go with?" he asked
You, asshole! She thought about saying it, but she didn't
have courage enough, so she said: "I won't tell you."
"Oh, it's not fair! I told you about
Linda!"
"I'll give you five clues. You ask me.
But it's not worthy because I'm SURE he don't want to go with me."
"Okay… is he smart?"
"Totally."
"Is he handsome?"
"Like I have never saw anybody like him
before."
"What do you like most about him?"
"His mischievous glance."
"Is… is he a friend of yours?" James
asked afraid of the answer It's Sirius, it only could be him. Who else has a
mischievous glance?
"Yes." She answered and stared him. The
look in his face… he might know. Good!
"I think I know who he is." James said
quietly
"Who?" Lily asked apprehensively
"Sirius…" he added with an unreadable
expression "Isn't him?"
How can he be so damn idiot? I don't
know how he get good grades. I won't tell it's him. I WON'T. "Er… yes." She lied "but don't tell him,
right?" I don't want to hurt his feelings. It's better if James just think
that I am in love with Sirius, but
Sirius can't know it. Dammit! What I did? He'll tell Sirius and Sirius will
think I love him and… I won't know where to hide my face!
"Well… that's nice." He said hoarsely
Lily grinned forcedly and ran towards
her room. Before anybody enter there.
She cried more than all her tears. She
cried because she had loved James since her third year, and always thought that
one day he would open his eyes and see what was around him. What was just in
front of him. But he never saw it. Never ever.
Suddenly, the
door opened.
Love,