Disclaimer: This all belongs to Jo Rowling. Except the O.C.'s, the plot, and the webticans, the creatures I made up for this chapter. Those are mine, so don't even try to sue me for them. All you'll get anyways is a ball of string, a kitten named Lily, and a poster of my (notice the possesive pronoun) Orlando Bloom.
A/N: This is going be an extremely important chapter, BTW. Read below to find out why!
IMPORTANT: I've decided to change it up, but it's only for this chapter and the next one. I'm going to be rotating with Lily and James' P.O.V. because I want to get this all into one chapter. Also, major fluff ahead! Okay, maybe not that much, but a lot of hand holding and a mention of the "L" word. (drum roll please.) Gasp!
Chapter 7: Into the Darkness
I just stood there, rooted to the spot. I was in shock. My dreams just came true.
Lily Evans just kissed me.
Wow. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world, no doubt about it. in fact, I think I was in a trance as I hurried after my friends and Apparated to the Three Broomsticks. I was in a trance until we got to the Hogwarts gates, at any rate. That was when all my marvelous friends (and the love of my life) brought me crashing back to Earth.
"How are we going to get inside the gate?" We all looked at each other, stunned that we hadn't thought of this minor drawback yet.
"Do they lock the gates during the summer? I mean, why would anyone want to seige a school when there isn't anyone inside to torture?" Sirius shrugged his shoulders at Kristen's questions, and moved forward to push the gates. Suprisingly, they opened.
"Well, that was easier than expected." Remus looked worried at this new piece of information, as if it was all a trap.
"I still don't understand what they would want with Abby." Kelli looked like she was about to burst into tears. I felt bad for her. Actually, I felt bad for us all. Our best friend taken by Voldemort, after her parents were killed. What kind of a summer is that?
I turned and smirked at Sirius as Remus put his arm around Kelli's shoulders. He would never own up to it, but he had it bad for that girl, and from what I learned from Abby, and Frank, (whom had heard it from Alice) Kelli felt the same way. If he felt about her the way I felt about Lily, we need to get those two together, and soon.
As we approached Hagrid's small hut on the outskirts of the Black Forest, we stopped our bantering. We certainly didn't want anyone to dicover us, and tell us to go home. No one would believe Sirius about the Forbidden Forest, that was for sure, and we couldn't lose Abby. I don't know what we would do if we did.
I chanced a sideways glance at Lily, to see how she was holding up. Her beautiful face had a look of grim determination on it, like at The Little Nu when we had encountered Bellatrix Black. I wish she never had to wear that expression again. I wish evil couldn't touch us, that we could have grown up in a fairy tale world were no one ever fights, there's always candy, and there are rainbows even when it doesn't rain. That sounded like the perfect world for me, and I was surrounded by all the people I needed in it, save Abby, my parents, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey, and McGonagall. Yes, Minerva. She was my favorite teacher, after all, considering Transfiguration was my favorite subject. (Go figure, huh, since I AM an Animagi.)
As we neared the Forest, we all stopped to brace ourselves. Looking in through those sisister branches, I felt something seize me. It wasn't fear. I wasn't scared of the Forest, and I realized I didn't fear Voldemort either. I feared what he could do, yeah, but not him.
No, I think that feeling was dread. Dread that we were too late, and Abby was already gone. Dread that something would happen to Lily, or Sirius, or any of my other friends while we were there. No, I didn't dread anything happening to me. I wasn't that important, I kept telling myself. I calmed myself down with the fact that Lily had the cloak. She would be able to get away.
As we walked into the darkness of the Forest, we could hear the calls of Dark and magical creatures, we could hear the footsteps of the unicorns and the centaurs. As dead as this forest may look, I thought, it was alive. It was alive, and it was evil. I had certainly never realized that in any of our outing during the full moons. I was too caught up in the thrill of the moment.
With another glance at Lily, who was right in front of me, I wondered how she would react if she found out we were Animagi. I knew she knew about Remus' furry little problem, but if she found out Sirius, Peter and I were doing something illegal once a month, I thought she might flip. It was going to be so hard to tell her, but I just couldn't leave her in the dark. That's not how I work in real relationships.
'Whoa, Potter.' I said to myself. I needed to slow down. I wasn't IN a realationship with Evans, as much as I may want to be. I didn't have any evidence that Lily even wanted to go out with me.
Besided the fact, that is, that she just kissed me. Oh great, now we're back on that subject again.
There was a shrill call from somewhere to our right, and everyone automatically stiffened, even those who didn't realize what it was. I had been in the forest enough times to recognise a webtican call when I heard one.
A webtican is like a cross between a cat and a weasel. It was usually black, with a cat-like head and a long body. It's claws were about 8 inches long, and green. If it scratches you one time, I'll give you about 5 minutes. Then you're dead. There was a poison in those nails that activatied within 3 minutes of entering your blood stream. So that leaves you, once again, about 5 minutes to get to a Healer or a medi-witch, like Madame Pomfrey.
But the main difference you notice right off is the webtican's size. It's not the size of a housecat, or that of an average weasel. As a matter of fact, it's about the size of a full-grown great dane. And it's jaws had about the strength of one. Once it got you, it didn't let go.
I felt someone grab my hand, and I knew without looking it was Lily. I could tell by the way tingles were running up my arm.
"Whatis that?" Kristen's voice was incredibly shaky, especially for someone who, like Lily, usually never lost her cool.
"It's a webtican." Sirius looked at me, and I nodded. "Stay away from it's claws, because they're poisonous. The only thing to get it to back of is water, because nothing else can penetrate it's fur, not even Avada Kedavra. And now that it's realized we're here, it's going to come after us." Lily laughed, and Remus, Sirius andI looked at her questioningly.
"Webticans aren't real. They're mystical creatures!" Her eyes were dancing with amuse ment as I watched something black fall to the ground behind her. I pulled her closer and we began to back away from the creature, with Lily's back facing it.
"Wanna bet?" I whispered in her ear. She looked at me for a fraction of a second, her eyes wide, before she whirled around.
"It may be a mystical creature outside this forest, darling, but in here anything can happen. There are dozens of webticans in here." I paused before addressing the whole group. "Even though water is the only thing to make it back off, you never attack a webtican if you can help it, because there are always more around, and if they were to hear the cry of another, they would be here in a second." I looked at Remus expectantly, and he rolled his eyes as he pulled out his wand.
Muttering some kind of incantation under his breath, a burst of light came from te end of his wand. We were suddenly surrounded by some sort of bubble, which was made out of water. I still have no idea how he does that, or even what spell he uses. It's incredibly impressive magic. To do that with fire is one thing, but water?
"How are we going to keep moving?" Kelli looked awestruck, as did everyone else. They realized the Marauders had even more tricks up their sleeves than everyone thought.
"It moves with us." Remus demonstrated by taking a step forward. The water moved forward with him and pulled Lily and I, who were at the back fo the group, along with it. Lily was in shock that he knew a charm she didn't.
"Remus, that's amazing. How did you do that?" I looked at Sirius, who broke into a grin.
"Marauder tricks." We all chorused at the same time. Everyone, including Sirius, Remus and I, turned to look at Frank, who had said our line at the same time we had. He shrugged.
"I'm roommates with these idiots. You think I don't know their punch lines?" We all laughed until Lily quieted us down.
"Are you daft? We're in here looking for Death Eaters and you four are over there giggling like little 12 year old girls. Morons!" We almost burst into unnecessary giggles again, but the look on her face was warning enough. Lily was living proof of the 'red headed temper.' Don't get on her bad side if you can help it, trust me. Been there, done that.
As we walked through the forest, the bubble decided to stop glowing, therefore leaving us in complete darkness. Sirius lit his wand, but the rest of us left stayed in darkness, just following him. One lit wand was suspicious looking enough for all of us.
I reached over and grabbed Lily's hand in the darkness. The sliver of face that I could see in the wand light flushed, and I started. Since when did I have this effect on LILY EVANS? I longed to ask her that, but we were not alone and now was not the time to talk about that anyways. Abby was missing, and we were in the middle of an enchanted forest. So instead, I leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"Lily Eans, blushing? You've got to be kidding me!" Lily looked up at me and scowled.
"I bet I can make you blush, too, Potter." I tried to look skeptical, but I couldn't help grinning. She had me wrapped around her finger and she knew it. What was it with this girl that made me love her so gosh darn much?
"Oh yeah? Prove it." I knew she would. Lily Evand couldn't resist a challenge. I'd known that when I met her at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor when we were 11. She had just found out about the wizarding world, and didn't wasnt to draw any unwanted attention to herself, but when I had dared her to stick her face into that ice cream sundae, she had grinned like a maniac and proceeded to do so. I still can't remember why she didn't like me, but I had know that very day that this was the girl I was going to marry. I'd even told Sirius that, and he laughed at me.
But at any rate, I knew Lily Evans, andI knew she wouldn't be able to resist my challenge.
Leaning over, her lips touched mine softly. So softly, in fact, I didn't even have time to respond before she had pulled back. Releasing my hand, she skipped ahead to join Kelli and Alice. I felt my face flush, and I knew she had won. Darn that Lily Evans!
I didn't realize, at first, that Kristen was nowhere to be seen. Looking around at all my friends up ahead of me, I thought I was bringing up the rear. That was until a voice behind me made me jump.
"I so saw that." Spinning around to see who was speakin, I realized that Kristen had been behind us the whole time. She grinned cheekily as she fell into step with me.
"You really like her, huh, Potter?" I scowled, wishing people would stop asking me that. Isn't it obvious that I don't just like her?
"No, Kristen," I said, an exhasperated look on my face. i opened my mouth to continue on, but she cut me off, and she looked angry.
"Oh, so you're just toying with her affections like you've done every other femal at Hogwarts? Lily's better than that, James, I thought you knew that. Obviously I was wrong." Her voice was cold, and she turned to walk away, but I grabbed her arm.
"You didn't let me finish, Kristen. I don't just like Lily. I'm in love with her, I thought everyone knew that. If I just had some silly little crush on her you think I would have gone through all that trouble these last couple of years just to be turned down?" Kristen looked at me in amazement, then hung her head guiltily.
"Sorry for that tirade, James. I'm just so sick of all my friends being hurt. I mean, Lily's parents, and now Abby. They shouldn't have to deal with all of that; no one should." I nodded, at a loss for words. It was clear to me now that these girls were, if not more, just as close as the Marauders were.
Lily's P.O.V.
Instead of paying attention to the conversation I just entered, I glanced over my shoulder to see james, still red-faced and wide-eyed, talking with Kristen, who had obviously been behind us the whole time. I grinned as I realized she had seen the whole thing, and I knew that's what they were talking about.
I knew eaves dropping was wrong, and I knew I shouldn't be doing it right then. But I also knew they were talking about me. So I slowed down a little, trying to catch on to their words.
"You really like her, huh, Potter?" I heard Kristen's voice, and I felt my ears perk up a bit. I'd been wanting to ask this question since the day of my parents' funeral.
"No, Kristen." My heart dropped through my feet as I listened to Kristen go into an angry tirade about how he shouldn't just treat me like a toy. I stayed behind just to hear how James' responded to her. Glancing over my shoulder to throw him a glare, I saw him grab Kristen's arm and bring them bothe to a standstill.
"You didn't let me finish, Kristen. I don't just like Lily. I'm in love with her." I knew he was saying more, but I didn't hang back to listen. I felt like I was floating on air, like I had the first time I used my wand. Like nothing could puncture this bubble of hope that surrounded my heart the way this water bubble surrounded my friends and I. I was elated.
I skipped back into Alice's conversation with Kelli and Remus about how threstals weren't really all that scary, but once again, I wasn't really paying attention. I kept replaying James' words over in my head. '"I'm in love with her."' Have you ever had someone say that about you? It's the best feeling in the world.
"Right, Lily?" Oh. My cheeks burned as I realize I had been asked a question about the conversation I was paying no attention to. I turned to Remus, who had spoken.
"Er- Reapeat the question?" They all laughed, though quietly. Alice leaned over to whisper in my ear.
"Just go back to dreaming about James, darling. No one cares anyway." If I flushed any deeper I was going to turn a purple Vernon Dursley would have been proud of. YUCK!
"What was that?" I knew the question came from Sirius, who was leading our little search party, and he sounded panicked. Which automatically terrified me, because NOTHING scared Sirius Black, except maybe spiders. Oh yeah, and Lord Voldemort.
I saw something large, hairy, and leggy. (A/N Okay, that may or may not be a word, but this IS my story afterall.) Arachnids. Oh, come one, I'm already terrified of spiders, now GIANT SPIDERS are attacking me. Don't I have a lovely life?
I bit back a scream as I quickly stepped backwards, were I hit something large and warm. James and I tumbled backwards and fell through our gian bubble of water. GREAT!
Now, not only were we outside the only thing keeping us from being savaged by the webticans following us, there's a giant spider about to pick me up. What an awesome evening.
This time, I did scream, and buried my head in James' chest. I could feel the air moving behind me as those pinchers came towards James and I. I completely forgot I had 6 of my best friends standing right behind me, and that they surely wouldn't let me die. I heard 6 different voices yell "Reducto!" just as James rolled over. Always playing hero, trying to be the one to die.
As I saw (and felt) the spider fall to the ground beside us, I felt something cool pass over me. I looked up to see that my friends had moved closer to us, so that we were back inside our 'protective bubble.' I grinned against James chest.
"James, as much as I'm enjoying this, you're suffocating me." My voice came out muffled, seeing as my head was pushed against a cotton T-shirt. He flushed again as he rose to his feet and dusted off his robes. Ha! How many girls can say they made James Potter blush? Two. Me and his mother, of course.
I put my hand out for someone to help me up, and to my disapointment it was Sirius who grasped it. As he pulled me up, he whispered in my ear.
"I'm no James, sorry. But I am better looking." I stifled a laugh as I looked around at everyone.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go save Abby!" As we started off again, I glanced into the shadows behind us. The webticans were still following us, and I have to admit, I was scared to death of those things. I wasn't in the mood to get poisoned, now or ever.
"Scared, Lilykins?" I turned around to see James' trademark grin, and I felt my knees turn to water. Grasping his hand, I sent him a cheeky smile.
"Not anymore, Potter. Not anymore."
Hey guy, so how did you like it, was it okay? PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Thanx for all the support, home sausages, and I'm over and out.
Sunni Bunni loves you!
