'Oi! Prongs!'

I faintly heard my best mate's voice, but as soon as I turned to rise, it disappeared again. That's when I realized that I was staring at Evans.

That girl has it out for me. I mean us, you know, the Marauders. She always seemed to ignore my, our, gazes, and never ceased to amaze me. Her long auburn hair caught the flames reflection perfectly, casting a shadow of beautiful on the common room…

I felt someone shaking me

'James, you have to stop doing that mate. She already hates you; try not to let her kill us on the very first day'

Looking up, I noticed three laughing faces

I scowled 'Blimey, Padfoot. She doesn't hate me. At least, I hope not'

Sirius chuckled and helped me up. Standing, I turned my gaze back to Lily.

She was sitting with a friend in front of the hearth fire. Her back was turned, but even then I could spot her shaking form. The Lily I knew never cried…

I pushed my way through the hordes of Gryffindor's, at one point, knocking Peter to the ground. After what seemed to be a lifetime, I arrived at my not-so-much girlfriend's feet

'Go away, James. Not now' she made out, her form continuing to shudder. Her friend glared at me

'Now, now, let's not get hasty. I can help, you know'

Lily wiped her eyes on her scarlet robes

'No, James, you can't. It was partially your fault'

'My fault? What did I do?'

'You're the one that caused Severus to say that-that awful word'

I crossed my arms and tried to refer silently to that book Sirius had given me for Christmas last year: What to do With a Witch. It didn't seem to have a chapter on my situation.

'She just lost her best-friend.' Lily's consultant spat 'How would you feel if one of your precious little marauder friends abandoned you? Hmm?'

I was liking this girl less and less…

'Who's gone?' I looked around 'All of her friends are here! Oh, does she mean Sniv-'

'Severus!' Lily exploded, chocolate frogs flying off her lap 'Severus Snape! Not Snivellus! This is why you can't help me, Potter! You don't get me!'

With that, she ran out of the common room into the girls dormitories, sobbing her eyes out. Her friend looked at me with clear loathing and turned to comfort her

'Well said, Prongs. Well said.' Sirius clapped in mock salute 'I don't think it could've gone any worse than that mate!'

I scowled at the marauders 'Not now, Padfoot. For all I know, she could be cursing my name to all the girls in her dormitory. I can't believe I did it again!'

Remus looked up at me in confusion 'Mate, you've messed up in front of Lily since you were eleven. This won't be the first time you've said that'

'And nowhere near the last.' Sirius jumped in, crowding me in a narrow armchair 'Ah, you fancy her. Why not just admit it?'

I shoved him to the floor 'What good would that do? She hates me now. Well, more than usual. Why oh why does it always come back to Snivellus? That Slytherin's a git'

Peter crawled up from where I pushed him, now in rat form. He climbed into our dormitory without a single squeak

'Well that was dramatic' Remus said, breaking the awkward silence 'I'll just, um, be off to be now. See to it that dear old Wormtail makes it to bed. Well, goodnight'

The common room seemed to clear out soon after that, leaving Sirius and I alone

'Do you,' He cleared his throat 'I mean do you really care about her?'

I looked away in shame 'Yes. I've always fancied Lily'

'Then why do you act that way?'

I glared in his general direction and turned my gaze to the flames. The very same fire that Lily sat before, just ten minutes ago

'I mean, we both know you're better than that.' He said 'You're so much better than Snivellus, I don't understand that girl'

'Or girls in general'

Sirius laughed and leaned back in his armchair 'Ah, I understand women. They loathe over me'

'Sure they do, mate'

'So if you fancy her, go after her! Don't let her get away! Be the brave Potter you are!'

Oh yeah, so brave…

So I picked myself off the floor, cursing Sirius vigorously, and made my way to the girl's dormitory, praying the door wasn't its usual bewitched.

To my ultimate surprise, the door was unlocked, considering it was gone. The doorway was in tatters; its stone walls falling and cracked. Where the door usually was laid a few pieces of shattered wood. A tattered veil rippled despite the lack of wind. I stepped over the wreckage and surveyed the dorm.

It didn't look much different than ours, as the beds and general room size was the same. But what did surprise me was the lack of occupants, I was completely alone.

An eerie silence draped over the room, making me feel claustrophobic

'Lily?' I whispered, hoping with all my heart that she wasn't in here

'Here.' A girl whispered from the corner. She sounded heartbroken, but definitely okay

I fought my way over the room until I stood over her. Her expression was terrified

'Lily?' I asked, touching her face unconsciously 'Lily?'

'I'm, I'm okay. Help me up'

I grabbed her hand and pulled her to standing. Her body shook, then collapsed into my arms. I was too shocked to recognize that she was crying

'Lils, what happened?'

She whipped away a stray tear 'He-he came for me. Severus. The defensive magic didn't stand a chance.

'I don't know how he did it. The boundaries are so well protected. He didn't know the password'

I stared at Lily in shock. He tried to get in?

'But-how…'

Lily stood up and faced me 'He scares me, James. He did this to get to me. I don't know what to do'

'Come with me. You're going to tell Dumbledore'

…

'-Have to, Minerva. The students mustn't know' Dumbledore's voice sounded from behind the door. Lily, who was wrapped in a blanket, hid behind Sirius and I. I hulled her forward and swung open the familiar doors

Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore's conversation seemed to stop immediately, causing me to feel uncomfortable. However, Dumbledore's eyes sparkled at me, completely ruining his demeanor. Professor McGonagall swept up her robes and walked out the doors.

I felt Lily stir against me, breaking me from my daze

'Professor, we um, I mean Lily-'

'What happened, Miss Evans?' Dumbledore interrupted, lacing his fingers together. His eyes seemed to pierce Lily's

'Severus broke into Gryffindor tower, Professor. He tore apart the girl's dormitory, I saw it myself! Sirius burst out, anger rippling across his face

'But how,' Dumbledore asked me 'Did a Slytherin enter Gryffindor if he didn't know its password?'

Lily stood before his desk, a cold stare in her gaze 'I don't know Professor. I was in my dormitory, getting ready for bed when suddenly a loud noise came from the door. I didn't know who it was, considering my friends were on patrol, so I hid behind my four-poster. The banging continued until he broke down the door, throwing pieces of the front entry into the room. He- I mean Severus- then came in and tried to find me. I put a spell on myself so he couldn't see me, but Dumbledore, it was awful!'

Dumbledore didn't give any recognition that Lily nearly screamed the last part, but instead rose from his desk to stand before us

'And how did you learn of this?' He asked Sirius and I

'Well she was crying earlier, so I went to check on her' I replied

'But why was she upset in the first place?' Dumbledore mused to himself 'Whatever could have happened?'

'It was Sniv-Severus, sir' Sirius said earnestly 'He-he called her a Mudblood, Professor'

Dumbledore spun around quicker than I thought was possible 'A Mudblood?'

'Uh, yes sir.' I said

'You may go.' Dumbledore said dismissively. Just as we turned to leave, Dumbledore called back

'Make sure Miss Evans is cared for James. I think you'll find a hot chocolate from the kitchens makes the situation more bearable'

With that, the headmaster shut the door, leaving us alone once again.

…

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to tell me what you think!

-Silence Nevermore