Disclaimer:
I'm sorry if anyone thought Lily asking James to apologize to Pidge because Peeves stole Pidge's walking cane is prejudiced because "being disabled" was the only reason Lily gave James to apologize for his prank. Lily is not going to say or do the right things all the time; she's not going to be able to read James' mind to know what he's thinking; and she's most certainly not going to be likable all the time. I did not aim to offend any of my readers with the last chapter and I'm sorry if I did offend you.
With that, please enjoy the next chapter.
Chapter 4:
It's a new art form
Showing people how little we care
Even though James had spoken to Dumbledore about Professor Pidge the only thing that changed in class was the fact that they were given topics to write about each day. The topics were mostly random, some not even having to do with Dark Arts. They were technically 'learning' things but their lessons were boring as Hell and Pidge still didn't care about any of them.
Lily nodded off at least twenty times each class thanks to the dull depressing topics they were given to research. Even Maria Merryweather, who lived for Defense Against the Dark Arts, was hard to arouse each class. The papers the classes turned in after each class could be found piling up on the desk as weeks went on. Some students even stopped writing papers. Lily wrote hers, if only because to was something to do. The only one she didn't write was the proposal to cure a stomach ache with sound therapy.
Even Sirius, who always tried pretending to not care, protested one day after class, "Why does Pigeon have us write these essays if he can't even read them?"
"It's only because Dumbledore told Pigeon that essays are required for the upper levels." James complained with his head in his hands, "I should've never told Dumbledore."
The seventh year Gryffindors all sat in the back of the History of Magic classroom. Peter had brought up Defense Against the Dark Arts and it wasn't long until they were all complaining about the essays they had to write. Lily was braiding Marlene's hair, listening into the conversations but not imputing her own opinion. Marlene's thick curls were a struggle to braid but Lily managed to wrap the braids around Marlene's head as Ingrid watched with envy in her eyes.
"Maybe Pigeon gets the other Professors to read them." Peter suggested.
"Doubtful." James replied sardonically, "I never see Pigeon talk to anyone but Dumbledore."
"And that's if the Headmaster is even here." Lily finally spoke up as she tied the ends of Marlene's braids, "He's been traveling more and more the last few weeks."
Lily and James shared a look as everyone around them agreed that the Headmaster had been missing at dinner. Professor McGonagall had pulled Lily and James into her office the week before to warn them that she was acting at deputy headmistress for another week. Headmaster Dumbledore was regularly being called out of the school, his experience in the last war pulling him from the safety of the school halls. Marlene turned her head to look at James.
"My parents wrote me last week and said they met with Dumbledore."
Marlene's parents worked in the Ministry and Lily wasn't surprised to hear of Dumbledore's involvement with the wizarding government. Lily was under the impression that Headmaster Dumbledore was one of the greatest wizards of all time. He was high in demand and yet the old man preferred spending his time in the School with the students. Professor McGonagall made it sound like Headmaster Dumbledore was not happy to be leaving Hogwarts so often.
Marlene leaned against Lily as she stared at her nails and continued, "Apparently Dumbledore stopped them to tell mum I was a 'joy' to teach."
"What a lie." Lily teased Marlene and the girls smirked at each other.
"What do you parents do?" Peter asked Marlene.
"Department of Mysteries." Marlene told Peter as Lily finished plaiting her own hair, "Don't know which mysteries they study but they're always there."
"That's wicked cool." Peter whistled, fascinated.
Marlene shrugged again as she examined Lily's braid falling over her shoulder, "I guess so." She flashed her blue eyes to Lily, "But if Dumbledore's meeting with people in the Department of Mysteries—they must've discovered something important."
"Like what?" Peter asked curiously.
"Like more mysteries ya idiot." Sirius rolled his eyes at Peter.
"It's called the Department of Mysteries for a reason." James said as if talking to a child.
Peter flushed but didn't say anything more. Marlene sighed deeply and looked happy when the conversation steered away from her parents and towards the weekend plans that everyone was making. Weekends were Lily's new favorite time at school and that was simply because it meant she didn't have to sit through Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Saturday afternoon the girls all hung out by the lake until goosebumps rose on their skin from the cool fall air. Lily, Marlene, and Mary all finished their homework by the chilly waters of the Great Lake while Ingrid and Susan traded gossip magazines. The Gryffindor students spent Saturday night eating sweets and listening to the radio station play a live set of a wizard rock band called The Hinkypunks.
On Sunday, Ingrid surprised everyone and organized a fun game of quidditch on the pitch. Ingrid was a Gryffindor chaser and knew where to get the keys so they could play on the pitch before Gryffindor's schedule practice. Everyone borrowed brooms from the quidditch shed and the girls charmed their shirts in rival colors. It was blue vs. red. Lily was one the blue team and she loved every spirited second. The girls never played by the rules since they were only playing for fun. Although nowhere near as good as actual quidditch games, the seventh year girls and a few sixth year girls had fun trying to out score each other.
Lily was too focused on stealing the quaffle from Mary to notice as the day slipped away. Mary was trying to kick out and swerve away from Lily but Lily reached and snatched the quaffle from Mary before the girls who were playing beaters could send a bludger her way. Marlene clapped at Lily's calculated steal while Mary grumbled from her loss. Lily passed the quaffle off to Ingrid who scored for their team of 'blue shirts' with ease that came after years of playing under James Potter's captaining.
It was the tenth goal for the blue team and all the girls on Lily's side screamed joyously as Ingrid officially called the game with a fist in the air. The red team moped because they'd only gotten eight goals.
"They're all cheaters!" Susan complained as Lily, Marlene, and Ingrid all high fived.
"Don't be a sore loser Sue!" Ingrid teased her best friend, bouncing the quaffle in her hands only to duck as Anna Faith sent a wayward bludger their way with a playful smack.
"Rematch!" Anna demanded and the other girls on the red team nodded enthusiastically at the challenge.
Just as Anna and Ingrid were preparing to toss the quaffle out again for a second round of blue versus red, the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team appeared on the pitch. Lily spotted them first from atop her broom right behind Ingrid. James Potter was leading his team, looking up at the mismatched girl players with an observant grin. Lily waved at him and he waved back just as keenly.
Lily might've been twenty feet above James but she couldn't miss his smirk as he hollered, "Playing quidditch and you didn't invite me?"
"Girls only I'm afraid." Lily called down to him.
"Don't stop on our account." James encouraged as the other girls froze mid play to lower their brooms closer to the ground.
"How about girls versus boys?" Lily wittily combatted.
"We'd crush them." Ingrid clapped her hands at the thought and then shouted down at the Gryffindor Captain, "Come on James! Please?"
James shrugged and slung a leg over his broom, "I don't think that's such a bad idea." He waved to the rest of his team, "Come on then, let's play!"
James raised himself into the air until he was between Lily and Ingrid. Lily beamed at him, tucking her red hair behind her ear as he knocked broomsticks with Ingrid. Anna Faith tossed James the quaffle she'd been holding and he caught it with ease. Lily leveled her broom a bit to the left so she'd have a good angle to watch the other players.
"Boys versus girls?" he confirmed as his other players rose in the air.
"Yeah!" Ingrid said excitedly, "We've got enough players for it!"
"Potter," Anna swung her beater bat in the air, "watch your neck because I'm gonna get you back for the fifty push ups you made me do last week."
"She's been aiming to kill for the past twenty minutes of our game." Mary warned James, "Especially after Lily kicked me."
"Lily kicked you?" James asked in wonder.
"I play rough." Lily said with a wide grin as James' eyebrows rose into his hairline.
"That's not the only thing she likes rough." Aaron Tivett snickered to the other boys on the team and Lily whipped around on her broom to snap at him but James got to Aaron first.
James' eyebrows shot up into his hairline, "Tivett," he ordered the blonde boy, "You'll be keeper."
Tivett punched the air and rose towards the keeper goals at the opposite end of the field.
Ingrid, sensing James' control, took control herself.
"Lily, Marlene, and I will be chasers." She barked to the girls, "Anna and Mary will be beaters."
"I call seeker!" Susan announced from her broom.
"Surprise, surprise." Lily mumbled to Marlene who grinned.
"We need a keeper." Mary reminded the girls softly.
"Lily can be keeper and I'll play chaser." A sixth year called Vicky said from her broomstick.
"Done." Ingrid nodded firmly, "Everyone get to your positions."
"I wasn't given a place!" Sixth year Ashley Minks said, put out.
"You'll step in in the case that one of us gets hurt." Ingrid told the other girls who hadn't been picked "Go wait in the stands and make sure the boys don't cheat."
"Guess I'm playing keeper." Lily waved at Marlene and winked at Mary who looked nervous as she took a beat bat from Anna.
James had picked his players by the time Lily reached the goal posts. The ones he didn't pick either sat in the stands with the other girls or watched from the field as everyone rose into their positions together. One of the second string players tossed a new quaffle to Ingrid just as another spare player released the golden snitch into the air.
The next minute was a whirlwind of flying colors. Lily kept her eyes on the quaffle being passed back and forth between Marlene and Ingrid as the boys attempted to steal it from them. Ingrid was keeping the quaffle firmly tucked and Marlene was attempting to block the boys. Vicky flew behind the other chasers, caught between Andrew Jackson and Jon Rogers. Anna Faith was beating the bludgers back and forth through the swirl of chasers, attempting to hit and always narrowly missing James.
After Anna's fifth attempt to knock James off his broom he bellowed, "Faith if you don't stop trying to kill me, I'll make you do a hundred pushups next practice!"
Lily, Anna, and Ingrid all laughed as another bludger narrowly missed James' shoulder but this time it came from Mary instead of Anna. Lily could see the grin spreading across Mary's face when James sent a death-defying glare in her direction. Mary waved her bat in the air innocently. Lily hadn't seen Mary smile like that in a long time and it warmed her insides to see her friend looking so happy, even if it was while trying to knock James off his broom.
Marlene attempted to throw the quaffle through the farthest goal but Aaron Tivett caught it effortlessly before tossing it over to James. Lily secured herself on her broom as James' eyes looked across the quidditch pitch to her guarded goals. He was going to try and make it all the way across the field without giving up his quaffle. Marlene and Ingrid flanked him, both attempting to take back the pilfered quaffle but James wasn't known for having slippery fingers. James' other two chasers kept on the girls, depriving them of the chance of taking back the ball.
Lily leaned forward on her broom just as James came up to the goal posts. He lifted the quaffle with one hand, aimed the ball with one eye closed, and threw the quaffle at her far left post.
"Get it Lily!"
Ingrid screeched as Lily supported her body on her broom by tightening her thighs on the wood before reaching out with her left hand. Lily slammed her balled fist down on top of the quaffle so that it free fell fifty feet towards the grass field. The adrenaline coursing through her body was making her cheeks warm and she looked up to see James looked impressed at her daring before diving for the quaffle. Ingrid was hot on his heels, not wanting the quaffle back in the hands of the boys.
"Go Ingrid!" Lily screamed, egging her friend on, "Don't let Potter get his grimy hands on it!"
"Got it!" Ingrid announced triumphantly, raising herself in the air with the quaffle high in the air.
Just in that moment, Drake Libsy shot a bludger in Ingrid's direction. Ingrid dodged out of the way but James swooped in from behind and took the quaffle during her forestalling. There were definitive groans from below in the stands as James swooped back around to the goal posts. Lily couldn't help grinning as James leveled himself in front of her. His goggles were fogging but she could imagine he way his hazel eyes fizzed with energy.
"What are you grinning at?" He baited.
"You." She goaded back, "We're going to win."
"Oh Evans, it's going to be my pleasure to crush your dreams."
At first he flew left and Lily followed but then in the last second he switched the hand the quaffle was in. He aimed, fired, and the quaffle flew over her right shoulder before she could even blink. He cackled loudly and she laughed too despite the fact that he'd scored because he looked so pleased with himself. Lily made sure he saw her playful eye roll before she dove to get the quaffle.
In the end, the boy team won because the real Gryffindor seeker was a force to be trifled with. The girls didn't mind. In fact, even after Craig Rogers caught the snitch, the girls cheered and hugged each other in the air. Lily herself had only let two goals in and was pretty proud of herself and the other girls for only losing to the boys by seventy points.
"We almost won!" they chanted as the boys all watched them freak out over losing.
Boys and girls helped clean up the pitch after the fun game and put away the spare supplies. Lily hadn't had that much fun months and she was still beaming as they put broomsticks away. James ruffled Lily's hair as they finished stocking the quidditch shed.
"I never knew you were so competitive." He said energetically, "I thought you were going to kill me when I scored that last goal."
Lily bantered back good-humoredly, "I kept most of your goals out."
He hip checked her impishly, "You've got some nice reflexes!"
"My sister and I used to play handball at the school playground." Lily confessed, "I wasn't that good at running but I was pretty good at catching the ball midflight."
"Hand ball?" he blinked owlishly.
Lily nodded and recalled James' slim knowledge of the muggle world, "Instead of dodging bludgers in the air you dodge balls while running through bases."
"My brother had his teeth knocked out during one of those games." Mary cut into the conversation; "Mum was so embarrassed when we had to take him to the dentist."
"What's a dentist?" James asked next.
Mary and Lily grinned at each other deliberately before Lily enlightened, "A tooth healer."
The group walked back to the castle together, all talking amongst themselves. James was now asking everything he could about dentists (but why do muggles need dentists?!) and muggleborns were attempting to justify the tooth doctors. The only thing that pulled James from his captivation with muggle doctors was when Aaron Tivett brought up James' faulty fox dive and the two started arguing about who was the better flyer.
The sun was sitting low in the sky, threatening an early sunset. The days were growing shorter and Lily knew that this might be the last weekend they could all spend outside. Lily wrapped her arms around her two best friends as they walked back up to the castle. Mary's hair, normally in a braid, was down and blowing in the cold air. Marlene was nursing a growing bruise on her shoulder from a well-aimed bludger.
"My parents would kill me if they saw." Marlene grieved, pulling her sleeve down to look at the forming bruise, "My mother told me I wasn't allowed to play quidditch because I'd only get hurt."
"Didn't both of your brothers play for Gryffindor?" Lily asked Marlene.
Marlene looked upset at the mention of her two older brothers, "Of course, they were allowed to do whatever they wanted because they're boys."
"The worst part about being the baby of the family," Lily confessed to Marlene, "Is that your parents always treat you like a baby. My parents do the same with Petunia and I."
Marlene pursed her lips understandably, "Merlin knows if my parents were muggles they wouldn't have ever allowed me to go to Hogwarts. They're so overprotective."
Marlene had always been outspoken about her annoyance with her family. Marlene wasn't one to criticize her family all the time but occasionally little things set her off. Lily decided changing the subject was the best idea, before Marlene became too irritated. Whenever Lily was annoyed with her older sister Petunia, changing the topic always helped.
"Want to get dinner?" Lily asked, "I'm starving."
"I have plans." Mary answered quickly.
Mary had spoken so hastily that it took Lily a moment to register what the brunette had said. Marlene, however, was not one to miss anything. Mary had her face down, so Lily was unable to read her facial expressions.
"Plans?" Marlene leaned over Lily to gawk at Mary with intrigue, "What kind of plans?"
Mary shrugged and rubbed elbows with Lily, "Nothing much, just meeting a friend from Muggle Studies."
"How is that class going?" Lily asked Mary.
"Sh. Lily, don't change the subject." Marlene and Lily exchanged a look, "What kind of friend? Boy? Or girl?"
"Just a friend." Mary sighed as soon as Marlene commenced pestering her, "God, Marlene."
"Marlene leave Mary alone." Lily told the nosy blonde, "You can be such a—"
"I just want to know who she's meeting!" Marlene pouted, "As her friend, I'm entitled to know!"
"He's a boy," Mary said and added quickly at Marlene's delight, "But we're just friends."
"Touchy," Marlene clucked her tongue, "You and Lily should start a 'Just Friends' Club."
Now Lily and Mary were both glaring at Marlene.
"Ignore her Mary." Lily said haughtily to which Marlene hooted, "Marlene doesn't know how to be friends with anyone."
Marlene didn't seem irritated by Lily's tone, "You are going to end up an old spinster with eighty cats Lily Evans."
"I look forward to it." Lily said smugly.
"You say that but I don't believe it." Marlene disputed.
"Marley," Lily begged, "Can we please focus on something other than boys?"
Marlene snorted and stared at Lily ambiguously, "What's better than boys?"
"Ice cream?" Mary offered.
"Quidditch?" Lily added.
"Puppies?"
Marlene looked irritated and crossed her arms. Mary and Lily talked about Muggle Studies and how wizards taught it so bizarrely. Lily and Mary could only talk for so long though because soon it was time for Mary to leave. Mary amazed all the girls when she stood up and brushed down her periwinkle robes. Marlene was halfway through her second helping of yams and looked up at their friend in confusion.
"Where you going?" she asked Mary.
Mary played with the edges of her braid, "I told you both that I have plans."
Mary waved before turning away from the table and that's when Marlene grabbed Lily's wrist, their quarrel from earlier forgotten, "Oh my god, look!"
Lily's eyes swept to where Marlene's finger pointed and her own mouth dropped open. Mary was walking up to a boy with red hair and glasses, waving sweetly as she approached. The boy looked so happy and he adjusted his Hufflepuff badge before motioning her to follow him. They left the hall together, unaware of the two Gryffindor girls in hysterics together at the end of the table.
"Who is that?" Lily asked Marlene in disbelief.
"Dunno." Marlene said, "I don't know many Hufflepuffs…they generally stick to themselves."
"He looks alright…" Lily couldn't finish her sentence without faltering for words.
"Mary seemed nervous." Marlene reiterated, "I wonder why she didn't want to introduce us."
"I know," Lily sighed, "But Mary's been weird ever since Mulciber attacked her."
Silence fell between Lily and Marlene as they remembered the effects that last year's attacks had on Mary. Mary wasn't the only student Mulciber had abused but she was the only one that they knew in Gryffindor. Lily picked at her food after that, not feeling hungry as she thought about Mary's issues that Mary herself never really spoke about.
When Mary returned to the common room later that night with a small smile, Lily and Marlene purposely said nothing except quick hellos as the brunette fell into her bed. Lily fell asleep listening to Mary's soft breathing, wondering what it would've been like if Mulciber had attacked her in the bathroom instead of Mary.
Monday morning hit Hogwarts with unwelcomed rain and thunder.
Lily glanced up at the front of the classroom where Professor Binns droned on and on about the History of Magic. History of Magic was as boring as Defense Against the Dark Arts. The class hadn't changed in the last seven years Lily had taken it. It was the only class taught by a ghost and he was a monotonous soul. For that reason, Lily and her friends always sat in the back of the class to exchange notes and play games.
Lily was plaiting Mary's hair, whispering back and forth about a Witch Weekly article, as Professor Binns went over ogre wars for the eighteenth time. Mary's hair had grown long over the summer, allowing Lily to fold the braids cleverly atop her head, into a sort of crown. By the time Lily was done plaiting Mary's hair, the other girls were begging her to do the same to theirs. If Binns noticed the hair braiding party in the back of the classroom he said nothing. By the end of the class Lily had effectively braided all the hair possible, including Sirius' long black tresses.
"How does he look better than half the girls in this class?" Marlene asked Lily and Mary as Sirius showed off his braid to James smugly.
"Blessed with great genetics." Ingrid spoke up from beside Mary.
"I dunno about great genetics." Sirius had overheard their conversation and quickly butted in, "The entire Black family is filled with inbreeding."
Lily wrinkled her nose while Mary asked hesitantly, "Inbreeding?"
"The purebloods find it better to marry cousins rather than marry anyone with questioning blood relatives." Sirius illuminated, "My own parents were cousins."
"Gross." Lily blanched.
"Isn't that illegal!" Mary looked appalled at the fact.
"You don't even know the half of it." James said from Sirius' side.
Sirius nodded, "I moved in with the Potter family to escape the insanity."
Lily furrowed her brow, glancing at James who was tugging on Sirius' braid, "Isn't the Potter family pureblooded?"
"Not the same way that the Black family is." Ingrid (also raised in the wizarding world) explained.
"What does it matter?" Lily asked coarsely, "Pureblood, muggle blood, we're all learning magic."
"It matters to the purebloods." Mary assumed bleakly.
Sirius answered, "Just the foolish ones."
Sirius' eyes shifted across the room to where a few Slytherin's sat like kings. The tone of the conversation had drifted south and the seventh year Gryffindor's quieted despite the general noise in the classroom growing. By the time the bell rang for dismissal everyone was ready to move on to the next class.
James and Lily walked to Advanced Potions together. James was yawning into his hand, eyes squeezing shut. Lily glanced sideways at James but said nothing as they walked; just assuming he was tired. Then he yawned three more times as they walked down the stairs.
"Tired?"
"Dead." He agreed as they entered the dark dungeons, "I was up late last night running paper drills with the team."
Quidditch.
Lily couldn't believe how much of an idiot she'd been. Somehow she'd totally forgotten that James was shuffling quidditch among his other extracurricular activities.
"We can change the rounds schedule." Lily instantaneously offered a compromise, "I can give you more of a break."
He yawned again, "I keep meaning to use my extra period to sleep but I'm honestly afraid if I pass out, I won't wake up." He laughed.
Lily furrowed her brow, "James," she said with concern, "You need to sleep."
"I'll sleep when I'm dead." James countered haughtily but yawned again.
Lily stopped walking and he followed her actions, "I don't want you on patrols sleep walking."
"I don't want to bother everyone else." He complained, "I can keep my rounds."
Lily offered up a new alternative, "I've got a pretty good sleeping draught that could knock you out all night."
"Can't sleep tonight I'm afraid." James shrugged, "Remus asked for help with his…Magical Creature's homework."
"That'll take all night?" Lily asked in disbelief.
"He's bit off more than he could chew I'm afraid." James said cheerily as if happy with himself for helping Remus.
Lily sat in Potions and in Charm Theory wondering how she could get James to forget about his responsibilities and sleep instead. At the start of the year Mary had been worried James would use Lily to slack off but now Lily knew James was the opposite. He was running himself into the ground. Of course Lily knew that she'd never convince James to sleep but perhaps Remus could encourage James to at least find someone else to help with Magical Creature's homework. Lily intended to ask Remus at dinner but she regretfully found the Gryffindor table empty of any of James' friends.
Marlene noticed Lily's sour disposition right away, "What's got your panties in a bunch?"
Lily enlightened over her cool bowl of soup, "I was hoping one of James' mates would help me put him into a coma tonight."
Mary pulled a plate of mashed potatoes towards them as she spoke next, "What'd he do this time?"
"Nothing." Lily replied, glaring at bit at Mary, "It's for his own good."
"Lily, you've been threatening to put James in a coma for years," Mary licked her fork, "He probably doesn't believe you anymore when you threaten him."
"I'm serious." Lily rolled her eyes, "James told me he hasn't been sleeping and when I offered to give him a sleeping drought he told me that he had to spend all night working on homework with Remus."
"Remus wasn't in any of our classes today," Mary noted, "So he's got a lot to catch up on."
Lily's forehead wrinkled, "Remus was missing all day?"
"Sometimes you're really unobservant." Marlene commented with a grin.
Lily protested, "I notice some things! I noticed James looked tired!"
"We all look tired." Marlene counteracted, "It's Monday."
"He said he hasn't slept in days." Lily glowered at Marlene, "That's unhealthy."
"Winnie Westhouse said in her book Magic in Love that the quickest way to get a man to sleep is to shag him senseless." Marlene waggled her eyebrows at Lily, "So if you're really concerned about James…"
"As tempting as that sounds." Lily said blandly, "James and I agreed we'd be an awful match."
"Bullocks." Marlene ate some of Mary's potatoes and said with a full mouth, "You're practically made for each other."
"People can't be made for each other." Mary scoffed at Marlene.
"You don't believe in true love?" Marlene asked Mary.
"Of course not." Mary looked offended at the thought, "What on Earth makes you think there is?"
Lily poked Marlene in the side and Mary giggled when Lily jested, "Come on Mary, we both know Marlene thrives off her romance novels."
"Maybe." Marlene sniffed, "But I'm telling you Lily, with James' looks and your wit, your children would be clever and have great hair."
Lily placed her hands on her face and she grinned, imagining little black haired children with green eyes running around her feet, "No, no, no." she giggled, pushing Mary who hummed happily at Lily's embarrassment, "Absolutely not something I wanted to envision."
"Sorry." Marlene grinned without looking sorry at all.
"Change the subject." Lily uncovered her face, "For the love of God, change the subject!"
"When do we get to meet this mysterious Hufflepuff?" Marlene waggled her brows at Mary.
Mary stuck her chin in the air complacently, "Once I'm sure he's not a murderer."
Lily shook her chicken at Mary, "You're being ridiculous and he looks sweet."
Mary answered back, "I don't remember seeing him ever in the seven years at this school, what if he's a dark wizard in disguise?"
Lily knew Mary's jests were partial joke and partial truth. After her encounter with Mulciber Mary had become incredibly withdrawn and untrustworthy of most boys. Lily knew whoever had caught her eyes in class must be something special. Mary wouldn't introduce Lily to him until she was positive about his intentions. Even still, Lily made it her mission this week to spy on Mary and figure out her mysterious admirer. At Lily's side, Marlene looked to be feeling the same as Lily.
"I'm certain that if he's a dark wizard," Lily told Mary after taking another bite of chicken, "He'd not be a Hufflepuff."
"He could've stolen the robes." Mary reasoned.
"Mary."
"You'll have to wait Lily," Mary said with a final tone, "God, you're being as nosy as Marlene."
"I'm rubbing off on her." Marlene slung an arm around Lily's shoulders proudly.
Lily and Mary went the rest of the night without talking about boys, even though it was Marlene's favorite subject. Mary and Ingrid set to painting Lily's nails as she read one of her favorite muggle books. The common room was empty by nine and everyone went to bed early. Lily blamed the full moon for sending everyone into lethargy after dinner.
The next morning everyone acted like there had been a raging party the night before. Lily hoped James got some sleep since he didn't show up to breakfast or the first class. He finally made an entrance in Defense Against the Dark Arts, appearing with Sirius and Peter two minutes before the bell rang. Lily took in his disheveled appearance with raised eyebrows. James' hair was normally a mess but today it stuck up so much it looked like he'd flown for hours in the icy air. Even Sirius' hair was pulled into a messy bun instead of the sleek ponytail he normally fashioned.
"Rough night doing homework?" Lily badgered James as he fell into the seat beside her.
James only grumbled and Lily rolled her eyes at his moody response. It was apparent that the boys were not morning people. Peter's head fell to his desk and was sleeping within seconds. Professor Pidge arrived right on time, his walking stick sliding against the floor as he entered the classroom. The students had long gotten used to his silence and simply continued whatever they'd brought with them instead of greeting the old man. Maria Merryweather read a book, Peter Pettigrew slept, James Potter stared at Professor Pidge in repulsion, and Lily colored lines on a piece of parchment.
It was a normal day in Defense Against the Dark Arts until the first piece of paper landed by her left hand. Lily glanced to her left and saw James motioning at the paper sleepily. Lily un-crumpled the parchment and stared at the familiar messy handwriting.
About that sleeping draught you offered yesterday, how long would it make me sleep?
Lily smiled to herself and looked over at James to see he was patiently awaiting her answer.
There are two possibilities.
One: your body reacts positively to the draught and you sleep an average of ten hours without any side effects.
Two: your body completely accepts the draught and you go into a coma-like state for the entire day with the high likelihood of sleepwalking.
James wrote her back almost instantly.
Possibility number two sounds like my kind of adventure.
Lily covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud and he slid another slip of paper onto her desk.
Coma's are not a laughing matter Evans.
Lily bust into laughter and tried to stifle them when when Pidge's cane knocked on the ground.
"Have something to share with the class?" Pidge demanded as everyone stared at her for her outburst.
Lily struggled to stop sniggering as she shamelessly asked, "Ever been in a potion induced coma, Professor?"
Nothing in the world could've prepared Lily for when, instead of scoffing, Professor Pidge said, "Of course girl, in the first war they used to slip potions into your drinks hoping to knock you out simply to kill you."
No one in the class knew what to do. Despite his scathing tone, Professor Pidge had never spoken directly about dealing with dark magic before. In fact, he'd never said any sentence without offending them before. Lily pushed back her hair and looked over at James for confirmation that she hadn't misheard Professor Pidge. She couldn't tell if James' eyes were wide from lack of sleep or astonishment.
Maria spoke up timidly, "Professor Pidge…uh…were you an Auror in the first war?"
Pidge was still, Lily thought he was overlooking Maria, "I was not," Pidge said, "Now, class dismissed."
Lily and her friends gathered their books; everyone casting nervous looks over at their quiet Professor. Sirius and James were muttering to each other in front of Lily as they followed the crowd out of the classroom. Lily peeked back to see Pidge just slouching in his chair. Pidge's blind eyes were zooming around the room. She had no idea how he'd become so bitter and empty but she had a feeling it was one Hell of a story.
"Do you think they poisoned him and that's how he went blind?" Tommy Coons whispered to his friends.
Sirius seemed pissed, "If he was so involved in the first war then why doesn't he want to help us learn how to defend ourselves against dark wizards in this war?"
"What if he was a dark wizard?" James said pointedly.
"Dumbledore defeated Grindlewald." Lily argued for the sake of the old man, "he wouldn't turn around and hire Gindlewald's followers."
Marlene put in her two sickles, "Lily, I know you like to see the best in even the worst of people, but I think Pigeon is just an old fart arse."
James agreed, "How can we even trust that he's not just fucking with us?"
The boys had a point; Lily danced in the middle of the hallway for a second before turning back around towards the classroom.
"Evans!" James called after her but she didn't turn.
Instead Lily went back to the classroom finding Professor Pidge exactly there they'd left him. He was playing with the ends of his cane. Lily detested his eyes, so blank, as they skimmed around the empty classroom. Lily cleared her throat and his blank eyes turned her way.
"Who is it?" he asked gruffly.
"Lily Evans, sir." Lily said delicately.
"Class is dismissed Miss Evans." Professor Pidge slammed his walking stick against the ground, "Go join your friends and gossip in the hallway."
"I have a question."
"I said class is dismissed."
"You didn't want to answer any of my questions in class so I'm asking now."
Professor Pidge's face became stony, "It's a wonder Dumbledore ever let you be Head Girl since you clearly don't want to hold your tongue in front of your elders."
Lily crossed her arms but before she could say anything to defend herself a new voice joined the conversation.
"It's a wonder how Dumbledore let you become a teacher when you clearly don't want to teach."
Lily turned her cheek to see James standing with his arms across his chest behind her in the doorway. It was impressive that he was even able to sound so demeaning when he looked so exhausted. Up close, Lily could see the rings under James' eyes.
"I recognize that voice," Professor Pidge actually sounded amused, "Mr. Potter since you so like to critique my education, perhaps you'd like to teach the class?"
"I don't know how to fucking teach, that's your job, which you're horrible at."
Lily hissed at James but Professor Pidge actually snickered at James' brazenness.
"You've both got nerve." Lily thought for a moment he might be complimenting them but then Pidge stood up and leaned on his cane, "That will get you both killed the minute you step out of the protection of this school."
Then, without another word to either of them, he walked towards the doorway they stood in. Lily and James both stepped out of the way of his walking stick as Pidge made out to wack them with it. Pidge sniggered as he wobbled down the hallway away from the couple. Lily and James were quiet for a moment and then James sighed.
"Do you think he wakes up every morning and makes a hit list of students he'd love to poison?" James asked her.
Lily eyes James peculiarly, "I hope not."
"We'd be top of his list." James decided.
Lily shuffled a bit as she grinned at James appreciatively, "You didn't have to come back here with me."
James bobbed his head, "I figured you were going to start trouble and I wanted a part of it."
Lily brushed her red hair back from her forehead, "You do look for any excuse to start trouble."
His hazel eyes searched her green eyes for a moment before answering quite earnestly, "What's life without a little trouble?"
It was with those words and his little step forward that Lily comprehended how close they were to each other. They were standing in the middle of the doorway just staring at each other. The air around Lily was thick with potential and she felt like her lungs couldn't take the lack of oxygen. She bit her lip and gazed up at him, as petrified as if she was staring directly at a basilisk.
"You know," he crooned, "When you look at me like that it really makes me reconsider this whole friends thing you say we have going on."
"You're only saying that because you want me to put you in a coma."
She took a step back into the side of the doorframe. He snickered at her jest, so appropriately aimed, and took another step towards her.
"Granted, I need the sleeping drought because I haven't slept in 48 hours." He yawned again as if to prove his point before saying charismatically, "But my need for your coma-inducing sleeping drought aside, you look positively lovely today Evans."
"I bet you say that to all the girls offering to give you sleeping droughts." She tried keeping her tone light but it was impossible with him so close.
James licked the corner of his mouth, considering her words before shrugging, "Nope, just you."
Lily tilted her head at him with half a glare, "James, I have a question."
"I might have an answer."
"Do you fancy me?"
James' friendly face flickered darkly for a moment and then he flashed a smile across his face, "Why?" he inquired, "Do you fancy me?"
"No."
James yawned again, "Of course."
"That's not an answer James."
James quickly cut from his position towering over her and walked away, leaving the air considerably thinner once he'd left her particular bubble. Lily swallowed and wrapped her red hair around her fingers as he waved for her to follow. She took a deep breath, acknowledging that he'd taken her 'no' noticeably well. If he really fancied her, wouldn't he be crushed?
Then again, he was exhausted and clearly not thinking normally.
"Mind being late to lunch?" he asked, as if he hadn't just told her how lovely she was, "I wasn't kidding when I said I want to be put into a coma."
Lily jogged after him and answered doubtfully, "I don't think you'll slip into a coma James, don't worry."
"A coma would be welcoming." James vowed.
"Remus' homework must've been brutal." Lily commented, "He missed classes all day yesterday—and today."
"Remus' entire life is brutal." James replied quickly, "I swear he has the worst luck, he's been in the Hospital Wing with the stomach flu all night. That's why I didn't sleep."
Lily frowned as she slowed to a walk at James' side, "Is he okay?"
"He got released this morning." James assured her, "He's in the tower sleeping and I'll be joining him if you don't mind getting me the draught?"
Lily and James took to the stairs together, matching step for step. Gryffindor Tower was almost completely empty when they arrived together. James sat on the common room couch as Lily went to her dorm to grab the proper potion. By the time she made it back downstairs James was upside down on the couch, staring into the flames. Lily knelt on the floor next to him and waved the drought in his face. James sat upright immediately and snatched the potion from her, popping the cork off the top with his thumb.
"Don't take it all at—shite James, no!"
But it was too late, James swallowed the entire vial in one go. He chuckled at her horrified expression and then his eyes started drooping radically. Lily pushed James back into the couch just in time for his eyes to clasp shut. A loud snore erupted from him as his head hit one of the woven pillows. Lily couldn't help chuckling as she maneuvered James to a more comfortable position so he wouldn't wake up with neck pain. He was so tall that his legs hung off one side of the couch.
He was going to have a definite hangover from the potion since he'd taken double the suggested amount, Lily had a feeling she'd never hear the end of it. Afraid to leave him alone comatose, Lily sat with James until one if his dorm mates appeared so she could get help to get him up to his actual bed. As Lily waited she read from her charms notes but an hour into waiting, she also studied his face.
James looked so peaceful as he slept; more like a man than the teen she normally saw when she looked his way. The way the dark scruff on his jawline glowed in the firelight made her recall the time he'd grown his first beard she she'd teased him endlessly. The adorable way he mumbled in his sleep made her smile into her papers because he was complaining about fritters.
When Sirius finally did appear and Lily waved him over, James' glasses were lopsided and he was snoring even louder. Sirius itched the back of his head in confusion. James was drooling out the side of his mouth and his chest rose and fell with each snore.
"What'd you do to him?" Sirius asked.
Lily said with a roll of her eyes before motioning to the potion bottle on the table, "He took twice the suggested dose for my sleeping draught."
"Merlin, that's why he was missing in class." Sirius snickered, "What a lucky bastard."
"He said specifically, multiple times, he wanted to be in a coma." Lily told Sirius.
"And you're sure he'll wake up in the morning?" Sirius chuckled as he pulled at James' limp hands.
"Not really?" Lily replied worryingly.
Instead of looking upset, Sirius smirked, "Oh, this prat is just asking for it then."
Lily didn't like the gleam in Sirius' eyes, "Asking for what?"
Sirius considered her for a moment, "Do you have a makeup kit, Evans?"
"Yes?" Lily replied offhandedly, "Why?"
"Mind if I borrow it?"
Lily blinked at Sirius, who as grinning like Christmas had come early.
She asked sarcastically, "You want to put my make up on his face while he's in a coma?"
"Yes." Sirius clasped his hands together, "I might never get the chance to do this ever again, please Evans?!"
"Sirius he'll never trust me with Potions again." Lily shook her head but with Sirius' added plea she exhaled, "Alright, who am I to deprive you of this?"
The next hour Lily and Sirius spent bonding over James' face. Lily had not only taken her makeup bag but Mary and Ingrid's as well. Marlene joined them for the tail end of Sirius' prank, offering to paint James' nails. By dinnertime they had turned James Potter into Jamie Potter, the awkwardly adorable twin sister of James Potter. Sirius had put as much eye shadow on James' eyelids as possible and Lily had a little too much fun with Ingrid's bright red lipstick. Marlene even alternated the colors on James' fingernails between vivid pink and a pretty green.
They trio admired their work as James lay on the couch snoring.
"She's so beautiful." Marlene sniggered.
Sirius nudged Lily in the shoulder, "Evans if you had to go on a date with Jamie or the Giant Squid—"
"Jamie Potter." Lily giggled into her hand, "The Giant Squid could never pull off sparkly purple eye shadow like Jamie."
A new voice chimed in with confusion, "Why is James knocked out and wearing half of Witch Weekly's makeup haul?"
Lily, Marlene, and Sirius turned to examine pallid Remus, who stared at James' motionless form with great perplexity. Lily and Marlene snickered and shrugged, unable to explain their silliness. Sirius seemed overjoyed to see Remus out of bed and threw an arm around sickly Remus.
"Evans did us all a favor and put James in a coma."
Lily quickly defended herself; "James put himself in the coma."
"You are the one who gave him the sleeping draught." Marlene sanctioned and Lily shot her best friend a glare.
"Thanks Marlene."
Remus rubbed his eyes slowly and took a closer look at James, "I think he could've used a bit more of the sparkly eye shadow."
"Just what I was thinking Moony—"
Lily grabbed the make up before Remus could egg Sirius into more makeover fun, "Goodnight boys."
"Evans!" Sirius protested, "Don't take the fun away."
"I'm going to bed." Lily told Sirius, waving as she wrapped her arm around Marlene and dragged her away from the troublemakers, "We've caused enough hullabaloo today."
"The world needs more hullabaloo!" Sirius called after the girls and they smirked at each other as they climbed the staircase.
"Do you think James'll be mad when he wakes up?" Marlene asked Lily as they got into their nightgowns for bed.
"I'm just wondering how long it'll take him to notice." Lily confessed as she climbed into bed.
"With any hope, he won't notice until after breakfast."
The girls fell asleep laughing as they imagined poor James' face the next morning when he fully grasped what his friends had done to him.
Next time:
"Pretty sure he has been telling you." Marlene coughed, "Since he kissed you."
"And flirts with you constantly." Ingrid added.
Lily glared at her friends, "Well, what should I do about it?"
"Snog him?" Marlene suggested.
"Talk to him?" Ingrid said pointedly.
"All of those options sound improbable."