Hey, Guys. I got quite a lot of reviews, and I'm really happy about that.
Thanks to all who have reviewed. I'll stop here, whining about them, because I know they're annoying, and all that stupid crap.
(But pleaseeeeeeeeeee review! ;D)
And don't get confused-I'm pretty sure you won't, but just in case-this is James's point of view of what happened that night. To make things CLEAR on who really saved Snape...yeah. ;)
xxx
:D
xxx
James's POV
Where was Sirius? he thought, peering in the common room, looking where Sirius usually was, in a corner near the fire, surrounded by girls.
Odd. He wasn't there.
He knew that Remus was already down by the tree, since the moon was full tonight, but Sirius usually left about thirty minutes later. Strange.
James only saw Peter, sitting alone, rapidly scrawling something down.
His eyes, unthinkingly, glanced over at Lily, who was enveloped in her group of friends, eyes closed and laughing every so often.
The tips of his lips curved up.
And swerved right back down.
"—weird. Sirius said...prank...Snape...funny—"
What was he up to now?
He pushed past the group of gossiping girls, making sure to send them a dazzling smile. It sent them into whispers and giggles.
"—God! ...hot...James Potter!"
A ghost of a smile lingered on his face as he jumped out the portrait hole, ignoring the Fat Lady, calling something like, "—RUDE! I WAS SLEEPING, POTTER!"
He walked down the hallway, out of prying eyes, and glanced around, making sure that there were no people in sight.
James pulled out the map from his pocket, and murmured, eyes still darting around, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
He watched as the ink blossom across the paper, revealing all of Hogwarts to him.
He frowned.
No Sirius.
Well, he wasn't going to sneak out tonight. Not when the moon was full. He was probably in the Room on the Seventh Floor, whatever it was called, snogging some blond chick.
Or maybe brunette. Maybe red.
Red head.
Shit.
Lily was going to be pissed if he was late.
He tore down the hallway, glad it was now past curfew—no people to gawk at him.
He got to their spot where they usually met, and James found no one there.
Strange.
He looked at his watch, now ticking past eleven.
Huh. Lily usually got here right on the spot.
Three minutes later, he was tapping his foot, ready to go looking for her.
Then, she rounded the corner, looking oddly happy and content.
Why was she happy? Did she get a boyfriend?
Maybe you? some voice said, inside him.
Don't be daft, he told it. She's hated my guts for six years. We're only to mutual friends.
James twisted his face into his regular smirk as she neared. "Hey, Evans."
For some reason, her face fell, just a little, but it was enough for him to catch it. Her tone remained pleasant, though.
"Hullo, James."
James? What the hell? What happened to Lily?
He imagined what he must of looked like to her, and despite her optimistic outlook today, there were actually faint black circles under her eyes. He doubted she had noticed. But he decided not to push it.
She led the way, but he caught up to her. She didn't seem to be speaking, which was just as well, so he could sort out what was going on with Sirius.
Something is wrong, that same little voice told him.
Thank you, Captain Obvious, he told it.
God, he thought. I'm having a conversation by myself.
He almost smiled.
To distract himself, he gazed at the window, and for the second time of the night, his amusement soured.
A big dog was running towards the Willow. He squinted. Was it really there? It were an awful long way from here.
But, seconds later, another figure came tearing after it.
And he knew that figure well.
Snape.
And it clicked together.
Sirius must of told him about the Willow.
Oh, god.
His arse was going to be so sore in the morning, and he would really regret this.
"Lily, I need to go. Like, right now. Can you finish the rest of the patrol by yourself?" He made some frantic gestures, knowing that he could never explain this in full.
"Why?" she asked, her voice—was it?—jealous. "To go off and snog some girl?"
He had tried to look further, seeing if he could spot them behind the trees.
"No, no," he said. "Look at me, Lily."
James turned around to face her.
He said, "Do I look like I'm about to go off and snog some girl?"
She really looked at him then, and hesitated.
Finally, she relented.
"No," she admitted, giving him the tiniest smile. "Yes, go on ahead."
He grinned at her, no smirks. It wasn't exactly genuine, but it wasn't fake, either.
"You're the best, Lily!" he yelled, as he dashed down.
He had wanted to say that for a long time, but now was a good excuse to do so.
As he turned the corner, he could have sworn that her smile had widened.
James whipped out his invisibility cloak, and ran.
He reached the passage and rushed in.
He couldn't very well turn into a stag at the moment, so all he could do was to keep running.
Panting and out of breath—mind you, even for quidditch captain, it was quite a workout—he had reached the Shrieking Shack.
Remus immediately came at him, growling and hackles raised.
All at once, he transformed into a stag—the feeling would never get old—and barreled into Remus, effectively knocking him back.
The wolf shook his head, and realizing that James was now a stag, backed off; James could see that, though he was a wolf, his eyes were shining in relief that he hadn't hurt his mate.
Then, he walked, er, trotted, over to Sirius, and gave him a hard kick in the rump.
Fuck you, he thought, wishing that he could scream at Sirius for being so stupid to pull such a plan.
Footsteps neared, and he stood still, waiting for Snape to burst in any second, his eyes alert and attentive.
But then, he heard a screaming voice.
"Stop! Are you insane?"
Strange. It sounded so much like Lily.
After a few moments of silence, the voice returned.
"Snape! Honestly, stop this mess!"
He exchanged a look with Sirius. So it wasn't just him who thought it was Lily.
Was it?
"Lily?" he heard Snape say.
Oh, god. It was Lily.
Even Sirius looked alarmed.
"Yes! Who else would be an idiot to go and chase you? Just get back to the castle!" she cried.
James would have laughed if he could. As it was, he snorted.
"Potter put you up to this, didn't he?"
He could hear how Snape spat his name.
Hate you too, he thought, rather sarcastically.
"Potter? No! Just get back to the castle!" she yelled, her voice surprisingly stong.
He swore he heard confusion in her voice, an really uncommon thing for Lily.
There was another silence.
Then, Snape said nastily, "My, my. Head Girl using magic to curse others."
James would have bet his broom that she was turning red with frustration.
"Sev—" he heard her began.
Then his blood turned cold.
She let loose a scream so loud that even Remus stopped his self-mutilation to stare in horror.
He shared a look with Sirius, and Sirius nodded. He leapt onto Remus, and James shifted back.
Hastily, he threw his invisibility cloak over him, and leapt out the hole, accidentally brushing Snape as he tried to get in. He managed to touch the knot, but James shoved him back and whipped out his wand.
Lily was falling, not even screaming, fumbling for her wand. She couldn't find it, though, and she just shut her eyes, not even trying anymore.
Hurriedly, he slowed her fall, and placed a cushioning spell beneath her.
He stayed long enough make sure she was okay, then rammed himself back down the hole and took off running.
He got to the odd looking gargoyle where the Headmaster's office was located, and he tried to remember the password for it.
"Er...Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans...Sugar Quills...Fizzing Whiz—"
"—Mr. Potter!"
James whipped around, and he faced twinkling, but sligtly tired blue eyes.
"May I ask what I owe this late night pleasure?" he gestured tiredly with his hand that held his hot chocolate.
"Sir," he said, "er, Sirius told Snape about the Whomping Willow, and I know Remus is down there..."
There was a hint of curiousity in his eyes, but he turned all business-like immediately. Funny how fast he changed.
"Very well. I trust you have been down the passages?"
"Er," he said, not sure how to respond, "yessir."
"Very well," Dumbledore repeated. "Let's not dally."
He set off, not really running, but James had to jog to keep up with him.
God. Old man walking skills. Damn, they were good.
"I need you to get Madam Promfrey; she needs to be awake for this," he instructed.
"Sir," he pleaded, a hint of desperation in his voice, "Lily's down there, too."
"Miss Evans? Why in the world is she down there?" he queried, his pace speeding up.
"I don't know! I guess she saw Snape in the window. Who the hell knows?"
A beat too late, he added, "Sorry, sir."
"Very well," Dumbledore said, for the third time.
Did he say anything else? James wondered.
"You may go down there first, and please try not to get yourself bitten."
As Dumbledore dashed—no kidding, and yes, it was weird—off to the hospital wing, he could have sworn that Dumbledore had muttered something along the lines of "Oh, young love."
Very weird.
He tore off in the passage, desperately hoping that he wasn't too late to save them.
James tumbled into the Shrieking Shack, Snape already on his back, probably not even concious.
Lily was in a corner, eyes shut, probably hoping she wouldn't die.
Remus was ready to go and bite Snape, but James barreled into him, knocking him off track, hoping he wouldn't regret this decision.
The werewolf snarled at him, all teeth showing, and started to launch off towards Lily.
James didn't even hesitate a single moment, flinging himself at Remus, for who-knows-how-many times for that night.
It had to be a record.
She peeked from her fingers, looking immensely relieved, a silent thanks clear in her eyes, finally standing up.
Sirius came briskly, knocking out any other of Remus's attempts, and jerked his head at Lily and Snape, sending James an apologetic look, which he ignored.
He headed towards Lily, slowly, as to not frighten her, and her eyes widened in...recognition?...and she fell back against the wall, steading herself.
No. He must of saw wrong. There was no way she could know that he was James.
He started towards Snape, and picked him up with his antlers. He nudged Lily, looking pointedly at her wand, which she seemed not to have noticed, but she got his meaning.
She flicked her wand at Snape, probably too tired for any more movement, effectively healing him, but left a long scar.
He looked at her, wondering if she was going to freak by this small blunder, but she looked like she could care less.
Fine by him.
xxx
James was walking back to his dorm, bloody exhausted from tonight, and he heard a scream that he was becoming awfully familiar with.
Lily. Again.
But this time it went on. And on.
He turned that corner so fast, wand raised, expecting anything.
Almost anything.
He gaped as he took in the gruesome view.
Lily on the floor. Screaming. Writhing in agony.
His brain screamed at him to stop them, whoever it was that was hurting his Lily.
And he complied.
James blasted the bastard off his feet, the one who was using that atrocious spell and landed a nasty punch on him.
Ah. Mulciber. Lily must have run into him.
He sighed. Only she would have this kind of luck.
He let his guard down for a second, and he got surprised by a petty punch, but a punch nonetheless.
Avery.
He whipped around, sending something doubly painful and unwelcome, and left Avery there on the ground, kneeling in pain.
But he thought better of it.
Just to be safe, James left them hurling their insides out—he'd clean it up if he had to—before kneeling next to Lily.
She was still curled in a ball, eyes shut, a few tears leaking, and gasping as if she could never get enough air.
He brought her head close to his chest, a thing that he had thought would never happen, and asked repeatedly, "Lily, are you alright? Are you okay?"
"No," she croaked, her voice hoarse from screaming, "but I will. Take me back to our common room, please."
Our common room? Like, the Gryfindor one, or the heads one? he wondered.
But he dismissed that thought, as soon as it came.
"No," he replied. "You are going to the hospital wing, no matter what."
Oh, poor Lily. She didn't look like she had enough strength to even whisper, much less argue.
James scooped him up in his arms, feeling a tingle of exitement, althought he'd never imagined it like this.
She shifted slightly, the only notion that she didn't like this plan. Her eyes were closed again, scrunched in a way that made him wonder if she was remembering that pain.
God, it was hard seeing Lily like this, all vulnerable without a single comeback to snap at him. She was in his arms, for heaven's sake!
A trickle of blood ran down her arm, which he was sure she hadn't noticed. Now that he really looked at her, he realized that she was bleeding all over, tiny cuts all over.
It tore him apart.
xxx
In the hospital wing, after Madam Promfrey fixed her all up, and him too, he finally sat down next to her.
Watching Lily, James asked, "Lily? Feeling better now?"
He looked at her anxiously, feeling a bit too overprotective, but Lily was obviously still drained.
"Yes." Her voice was stilled hushed. "Thank you."
She gauged him, and after a small pause, she added, "James."
Lily offered him a timid smile, a million thanks in her eyes for saving her, once again. He knew it must have been hard for her to give him even that much, because he knew that she hated being seen as weak or vulnerable.
James smiled at her, returning her gift, the first true one in a long time.
But then, she froze, her eyes locked on his, and suddenly lurched back.
"Lily?"
She was quiet again; she whispered, her emerald eyes wide with anticipation, "You're him."
"Lily what are you talking about?"
She couldn't possibly have guessed. No way. He hoped that she would drop the subject.
"You're him," Lily clarified. "The stag."
James looked at her, really looked at her. Her expression was absolutely certain, and he knew it would be a waste of breath to argue.
"You're the stag."
"Yes," he replied, his voice hushed, matching hers. "You can't tell anyone. Not anybody."
Her bright green eyes held his hazel ones, which darkened by the second.
"I would't. You can't think that I would."
A silence fell between them.
He thought of all the times she had been there for him, though she had hated him, she had been there to get him back up, albeit in a rather rough way. He could only imagine how she did it with the people she loved. It was rare for her to show it though, but he knew her better than anyone else, even if the main reason was slip-ups from their arguments. She would never give his secret. Not in a thousand years.
"I know," he said, immediately fierce. "Of course you wouldn't."
"Poor Remus," she mused. "I wish I could help him."
"Tell me about it," he sighed. "That's why we became Amangi."
"We?"
Another slip-up. He really had to stop this.
"Oh, shit," he muttered.
"The dog—oh, my god. Sirius," she said, realization dawning on her. "The rat was Peter."
James looked at her tiredly. "You can't tell anyone about that, either."
"I know."
He looked at her once more, feeling such a rush of emotion for her, doing something for someone she barely knew.
But then, he leaned in close to Lily and smiled with all the arrogance, putting that facade back on.
She looked relieved to see the James that she could deal with.
"Sweet dreams, love."
xxx
Hahahahahaha :)
Same ending. I hope you didn't expect anything different. Sorry for the the long wait, but I went to California...and had an amazing time. But, yeah, I'm finished with this chapter.
Since this works well with other stories I see, I won't post another chapter until I get at least 25 reviews.
See? I'm reasonable, so it stands to reason, you should be too. Review, darlings.
Love,
once. upon. a. time. there. was. me
:D
