Disclaimer-On Friday I am hoping to win the Euro millions lottery (£88million!!). Therefore my bank balance still looks nothing like JK. Rowling's. I do not onw Harry Potter or his parents.
Tricked
"He's still not speaking to me." Lily sighed
"Oh" The girls replied
It's been 2 weeks since I saw him in the common room, writing that letter. Everyone said he'd speak to me in his own time but two weeks isn't generally Potter time, it's the longest he's ever been mad at me. And he's never gone this long without speaking to me. Patrolling has become like pulling teeth, I speak, he grunts and walks a good 5 paces in front.
"Lily can I borrow a pair of earrings?" Asked Mary
"Sure, in my jewellery box."
And no one seems to care; they all think Potter is going through one of his stages. Like second year when he started writing to Quidditch teams and telling everyone he would be the youngest Quidditch player ever. He got bored. And then I can't help thinking, maybe I was just a stage, maybe he wanted to see how long it would take before I caved in or was sectioned. Maybe he just got bored.
There was a lot of hushed whispering happening around Lily, mostly in the corner of the room where her jewellery box stood.
"Lils, what's this?" Charity was standing in front of Lily holding her clichéd engagement ring, the emerald glinting evilly in the dim morning light of the room.
"Oh that it was a present from my parents, for you know, being picked as Head Girl."
"We were just wondering Lily, cause it looks a lot like an engagement ring. In fact I could have sworn this is the engagement ring that was in the window of that muggle jeweller near your house." Alice eyed her suspiciously
"Well it is an engagement ring, an heirloom, my mum was meant to pass it down to her son to propose with from her grandmother but she never had any sons so I got it. It's quite beautiful don't you think?"
I shouldn't have to do this, lie to my friends. Should I have just come out and said, yes actually it is, I'm engaged. Now duel for the place of Maid of Honour? Then I'd have to deal with the fact that I've more or less lied to them for the passed 2 years while I've been going out with Patrick.
The room was full of tangible relief.
"Come on time for breakfast, I'm so hungry I could eat a Hippogriff." As if on cue her stomach growled.
"Hey Lily, Lily!"
"I thought I told you to call me Evans." She spat at Snape
Lily eyed Severus with distaste, Maybe Black and everyone else is right.
"I know I know, listen I trying to make it up to you. Tonight ABBA are playing in Manchester and my father managed to get tickets I want you to come with me." He looked at her hopefully
"When will we have to leave?" She gave in
"Now."
"Right now, Severus I don't think I can go, I've got to patrol with James tonight and my Head of Year doesn't know."
Severus looked at her blankly
"You called him James."
"I meant to say Potter, but everyone calls him James."
"I spoke to Slughorn he said you can go and that Potter is a big boy and can take care of himself."
"I'm coming just let me grab a jacket and tell Potter."
Lily arrived 10 minutes later at the gates of the school,
"I couldn't find him but Black knows I was looking for him."
"Good."
"Prongs, Evans was looking for you, she looked harassed mate."
James grunted.
"Shouldn't you go see what she wanted?"
He shrugged.
"What if something's wrong?"
James looked blankly into the fire.
"I'm just going to throw myself off the top of the Gryffindor Tower."
"Ok, I'm going to the Heads common room."
Sirius watched he disturbed friend walk out the portrait hole.
Stupid Padfoot, even stupider Evan. I wish they'd bloody well leave me alone. For Merlin's sake can't they see I don't want to talk to any of them?
James arrive into an empty common room and through himself onto the most comfortable chair near the window. James was massaging his temples when he noticed the creased piece of parchment sitting on a coffee table.
James,
Hermes has been taken ill, I think she has broken her wing. Kettleburn is in the infirmary so he can't do anything. I have taken her into Hogsmeade; please meet me there when you get this.
Lily
My poor girl, she must have hurt it hunting. Evans is such a girl, dotting her 'I's with hearts.
He grabbed his robe and jetted out of the common room.
"Pads, mate I need you to come to Hogmeade with me."
"Oh so now you want to talk to me." Sirius replied turning his back on his friend and looking moodily into the fire.
"Aww come on Padfoot, Lily has got Hermes in Hogmeade and I need to go get her."
"She kidnapped your bird? I love that girl!" He grinned
"No, she's injured, now come on."
"Lily I'm sorry it was cancelled but we have the night free let's do something." Severus pleaded
"That's not a good idea, I have coursework to do, a perfect meeting to arrange and I have to patrol with Potter." She took care in saying Potter rather than James.
They were standing under a bus shelter attempting to keep the rain off them. Some muggles were looking at Severus and smirking at his old fashioned muggle clothes. While many of the boys were eyeing Lily with disbelief and she glared at them. The rain had died down slightly, Lily grabbed Severus' arm and pulled him down an alley way amongst the cat-calls from the youths sheltering under the bus stop. They quickly apperated with a POP.
"Well, lets go to the kitchens and get something to eat, we missed dinner and I know you Lily Evans; you don't work well without food." He asked again as they walked up the path towards the castle.
"No, I'll send a message to the kitchen and eat in the perfect common room." She was beginning to get frustrated with his pleading tone and behaviour.
"But Lils…"
"I said I'll eat in the perfect common room. Goodnight Severus." She let out a sigh of relief, they were at the castle doors and she could leave his pestering.
I should really apologise to Potter, if he had planned to ditch me and make me patrol alone I would be furious. But he wouldn't care, he's not exactly my best friend nor would be miss my company in the school halls.
"Hello? Anyone here?" Great I have the common room to myself.
Lily dragged herself across the room to the stationary cabinet and pulled out a quill, ink bottle and a piece of parchment. She slumped into the comfiest chair in the room, the large armchair next to the window. Lily was halfway through the agenda when she reached forward to the coffee table and knocked over the bottle of ink, spilling scarlet ink onto the plush cream carpet. Hastily she reached around for something to mop up her spillage when she came across a letter, with 'I's dotted using hearts, sad, she then noticed the signature.
"You, yeah you. Go to Professor Potter, McGonagall and Dumbledore; tell them something is not right with James Potter. Tell them I've gone to Hogsmeade already." Lily screeched at a random student in the hallway, "Now!"
Lily was running so fast she felt like her lungs were going to explode from her chest, her muscles burnt as they contracted and relaxed, her arms flailing widely as she tried to build up momentum. She burst through the Hogwarts Gates and quickly disappeared.
"Prongs, did she tell you were to meet her?" They were walking into the strangely deserted centre of Hogsmeade.
"Not quite, but she's got to be around here, where else would you bring an injured owl?" James glanced around the eerie town, not even on the many nights he and his friends had snuck out had he seen it so empty.
"Oh dear baby Potter, nice to see you brought your loyal dog." A voice behind the pair sneered.
Both boys turned, wands aloft to face no less than 12 Death Eaters, faces covered, ready in duelling stance robes billowing in the September breeze.
"Where's Lily?" James growled
"I told you he would fall for it, he's blind when it comes to that filthy Mudblood. I knew he'd take the bait." Laughed a female voice he vaguely recognised
"Don't call her that!" James yelled as he lunged for the offending Death Eater
"Sectumsempra" a nameless Death Eater yelled as Sirius flew forward and bellowed "Protego Totalum" to project his friend.
"Expelliarmus" A female screamed sending a jet of red light towards the villain nearest James and a second towards the one closing in on Sirius.
"Lily!" They both gasped
"Help will be here soon, I promise." She told them sending a Full Body-bind Curse behind James and then levitating her victim somewhere near the Shrieking Shake where they would remain helpless by friends. Lily dodged a Leg Locker Curse and then a Disarming Charm to look at James, the numbers of Death Eaters had decreased, Lily watched as James disarmed his attacker.
She watched in what seemed like slow motion as the wand flew out of the Death Eater's clinched hand. She noted in horror him mumble an incantation and gasped with rage as the wand glinted gold. A portkey, a portkey flying straight into James hand!
"James, NO!" she yelled as she grabbed his wrist.
Lily felt a familiar tug from behind her navel and felt slightly dizzy as she began to freefall. She was prepared for what happening but James was not, she walked down to her unknown destination but he fell with a thump. The room looked like a burnt out barn, charcoal walls and ash littering the ground. Running over to his motionless body she was frozen.
"A weak Potter, not worth my time." a voice hissed
"He is not weak!" Lily growled, as she whipped around to face who ever had insulted him.
"Oh a spare one." He mocked, his red eyes flashing and pale skin shining, "Spare but brave, what a waste. I just get rid of the spares." He added nonchalantly "What's your name girl?"
"Evans, Lily Evans." She said standing her ground
"Not so spare it seems, I've heard about you girl. You helped me get him." He seemed bored, and turned from her, "Do you know who I am girl?"
"Tom Riddle." Lily replied attemping although she was sure she failed to keep the fear out of her voice.
"How dare you!" He raged turning to her, his snake-like nostrils flaring. "I am not Tom Riddle, I am Lord Voldemort, Dark Lord, and the most powerful wizard in the world."
Lily's heart was beating hard against her rib cage as she spoke, "I'm sorry but I must correct you, "She said in the voice she saved for answering questions in potions. " You are, in fact Tom Riddle, I like to know whose footsteps I would be following this year I looked up the names of Head Boys and there you were, I've taken to dodging your filthy steps though. I'd hate to think I was anything like you. Also, Albus Dumbledore is the most powerful person in the world. Surely you know that."
He laughed harshly, the type of laugh that you would expect just before he sent the Killing Curse your way, Lily tried hard not to flinch.
"Yes you are as brave as they say, girl, and as powerful as rumoured too. I never expected to be ridiculed by a little muggle girl. But I accept it. You see I understand that you did not pick to have that disgusting blood flowing through your veins and I will give you a chance." he began to walk closer to her and she tighten her grip on her wand. "You keep surprising me girl, protecting your mind, keeping your secrets to yourself. Yes I like that, you know no one can be trusted."
"I don't want a chance from you! Nor would I ever trust you!" She spat glancing at James' body
"But are you sure Miss Evans, I could give you all the power you would ever want? Your potential will be wasted but I could harvest it." Lily remained silent, her eyes locked on his as he tried and failed once again to break his way into her thoughts. "I could make sure the people you love are protect, that no harm will ever come to them." He glanced at James then back at Lily, "I could take care of you."
Lily looked at him distaste apparent on her soft features. Fear had long since left her, now all she could feel was the bravery the Sorting Hat had spoken about on her first day at Hogwarts.
"No."
"So be it, the chance was for my own purposes, I would rather you work for me than against me. But know this, girl, I will crush you."
He pointed his wand at James and before Lily had any time to protect him, his unconscious boy was picked up off the stone ground as it twisted in the pain of the Cruciatus Curse.
"Stop!" She bellowed, her wand, clinched in her right hand trembled and shook. A shocked expression passed over Voldemort's features before leaving them again as gold sparks erupted from her wand and through him clear across the derelict barn.
"Tsk, tsk Miss Evans, unable to control your temper? You will learn." He said calmly as he dusted himself off.
Out of the corner of Lily's eyes she noticed the gold glint again and tried hard not to become too excited for fear that he would know her next move.
Swiftly she moved, grabbing James' arm again and dragging him towards the discarded wand. No sooner had her fingers curled around the handle then her feet were off the ground and she was freefalling again.
They landed there, in the middle of Death Eaters being arrested by Aurors, one of them looked shockingly like the unconscious young man whose head Lily was rocking in her arms.
She heard a yelp of, "Let me through, he's my best friend. Antony, Harriet tell them." As Sirius struggled in the grips of a much larger Auror. And then, "Harriet! Harriet, they're back!" A quick stomp of his foot on the Auror's and he was through. She felt a pair of strong arms embrace her and saw the small hand caress James' face.
"Harri, get them out of here. Before the Minister comes, he will insist on speaking with them and they are in no state" A very familiar voice said, so familiar that it set off that tears she had been holding back.
Harriet nodded to her husband, "Sirius take Lily." She ordered.
Lily looked up at the worried pair with her streaming eyes and shook her head, "I'm fine," She croaked. "Just a bit shocked." Carefully, she moved his head from her lap, stood up and muttered Wingardium Leviosa. With a look of extreme concentration she began to levitate James towards the castle.
"Let me go! I want to see him. LET GO!" Lily screeched at the matron struggling in vain in her restraining embrace
"Really, Miss Evans you must be seen."
"No I don't. He didn't lay his wand on me. Look after James, not me" Lily was hysterical at this point she had been screaming and shouting for the last hour, insisting to people see had never meet before that she was fine, in top condition.
"Fine, now stop getting yourself het up."
Lily moved swiftly to the cordoned off area of the Hospital Wing she knew James was behind, she quickly slid in between the gap in the curtain.
"Oh" She said as she saw the two Potter parents sitting at their son's bedside. Professor Potter wringing her hands in her lap, her red-rimmed eyes giving away the fact that she'd been crying.
"I'll just go. I just wanted to check he was ok."
"No Lily sit, there is no one James would want more sitting at his bedside." James' father said, "Hi my name is Antony Potter, I've heard a lot about you Lily from my boys and my wife. You seem to have a spell on our son."
Mrs Potter began to whimper.
"Oh Professor Potter, James is a hard guy he'll be fine. Do you remember third year? When he fell off his broom and he was knocked out for 4 days, he got through that."
"Yeah he came home that summer and begged me to tell all his teachers he got knock out again so he wouldn't have to do homework." She smiled wetly "Lily at this moment in time I'm not your Professor, call me Harriet."
"What's wrong with him?" Lily smiled sadly at the pale faced Potter lying serenely on the crisp white sheets, hair sticking up on end, as usual.
"Poppy said that him being hit with that spell while he was unconscious forced him into a deeper unconscious state as his mind and body were unable to deal with what was happening to it. She also said that forcefully waking someone from a state like that can send them mad; we have to wait for him to get things straight. Oh Tony," She wept "It's our fault our baby is like this, if we'd only been less vocal he wouldn't have gone for our boy."
"Mrs Potter, I think you're wrong. James is a grown man, he's of age. Voldemort sees us as enemies of our own accord. He knows about us, he knew about me and my parents aren't exactly as famous as you. He knows we have powers and will use them against him regardless of who are parents are. He's starting to become afraid of us students because we will take him on. "
"Yes Harri, Lily is right. I need to speak to Dumbledore about this, I think we have been holding James back for far too long dear."
"Surely you're not saying…" A shocked Harriet started
"I am."
Hiya, another week, another post. Has anybody realised how close it is to Christmas? The festive season is almost upon us which means I'm almost another year older YAY!! So thanks to cosmopolitan and angelofmynightmare for reviewing again and making me feel loved.
Stace
