Disclaimer: I, of course, don't own anything, the Marauders, Lily, and everything else belong to J.K. Rowling.
All Lily wanted was a clear shot to her Transfiguration class. No classmates stopping her to ask questions about homework or classes, no younger Gryffindors needing a Prefect's help and, most importantly, absolutely no Marauders. None at all.
She needed this essay to be sitting on MgGonagall's desk in exactly five minutes. Lily took a deep breath, clenched the parchment tighter and took off, down the staircase and out the portrait hole, leaving a very confused Alice in her wake. She dodged two girls chatting in the middle of the hallway("Where's she going?" "I don't know, probably late for a date with Potter!") and almost bumped into a Ravenclaw in her year("Watch it, Lily!"). So far, so good. Four minutes.
She was nearing her destination when the first obstacle came in the form of Remus Lupin, who was journeying back to the Common Room from the Library and holding a huge stack of books. Lily didn't notice him until the last second and sent both of them, Remus's books, and Lily essay tumbling.
"Merlin, Lily," Remus breathed, sitting up and rubbing where his head had collided with the floor, "What's the rush?"
But she was gone, racing off and trying to ignore the guilt at leaving Remus to pick up everything, "Sorry!"
She was behind now, it had taken a moment to shake herself out of the shock of finding herself planted painfully on her backside with her hair in her face. Three minutes, maybe, and the halls were filling up as students headed to lunch.
Enter distraction number two.
Peter Pettigrew's face lit up at the sight of her, "Lily! Lily, there you are! I need help."
Lily paused, dread filling every inch of her, "Um, what is it Peter?"
"I need help with this essay for Charms, about the theory of Disillusionment Charms and Pron-err, James is already finished and M-Remus is too busy and-" Peter rambled and Lily became more and more anxious by the second and finally, she shouted out, "Look, Peter, I don't have time. I'll help you later, I don't know, I just have to get to Transfiguration and deliver my essay!"
She shrieked and raced off, leaving Peter very confused, "What essay?"
She was practically hyperventilating, racing as fast as she could and trying not to think about how little time she had.
And, of course, James and Sirius chose this moment to show up.
They stepped out in front of her, grinning in that irritating way that made Lily's skin crawl.
"I told you that was Evan's shriek," James laughed, poking Sirius's shoulder. Sirius shrugged, "When you're right you're right."
"So, Evans," James asked, resting against the wall and messing up his hair (Lily had the urge to yank his hand out of hair and had another urge to run her hands through it), "Where are you running off to?"
"We saw Moony earlier, he said you were in an awful rush, plowed the poor kid over," Sirius sighed, "He may never be the same."
"He said you dr-"
Lily was practically bouncing, and she was full out panicking now, "Just let me by! I have to deliver my essay to MgGonagall!"
She shoved past and raced onward, almost there, almost there, almost there. .
"Should we tell her?" Sirius asked and James shook his head, pulling a roll of parchment from his robes, "Nah, it's fun to watch her freak out."
Lily burst through the door, panting slightly and raced forward to where MgGonagall's desk sat. The Professor glanced up, "Oh, there you are, Miss Evans. Right on time. Let's see it."
Lily's grin faded.
She didn't have the essay.
She gasped, looking through her robes aimlessly and feeling the pressure of tears stinging her eyes, "I-I, It's gone!"
"Well, I'm sorry, I suppose I'll have to put down zero for your marks."
Lily sniffed and nodded, trudging back to the door and feeling a tear slide down her cheek. After all that, she'd lost it.
She was too caught up in misery to notice her surroundings, but if she did, she would see the Marauders watching her, James holding a parchment with 'Lily Evans' written above a lengthy essay.
Author's Note: I don't know why I'm so fond of this, it's not very good and I wrote it in about ten minutes, but I guess I just have this soft spot for Lily. :3 Also, was MgGonagall teaching then? I thought she was, but now I'm not entirely sure.
Anyways, Review if you read, please. :)