Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter universe. All characters belong to the amazingly talented J.K. Rowling.
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Chapter 7: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
Lily
Wednesday morning was always torture, it was right in the middle of the week when you had started getting tired and you realised that you still had forever to go until the weekend. I mean don't get me wrong I loved school and I love learning about every aspect of magic but Wednesdays always seemed to be the worst, however for once I didn't have my normal Wednesday blues I felt somewhat warm and happy.
Groaning I struggled to get myself out of bed, due to the sheets that had wrapped around my feet during the night, I was trying to remember what I had dreamed about. I couldn't really remember the details but I remember sitting with Sirius, Remus and James, I mean Potter, and just feeling happy. For some reason I also seemed to remember the feeling of someone's arm around my shoulder. I can't remember who but the gesture made me feel warm and cared for. Like the arm was protecting me from the world.
I finally untangled myself from the sheets and stumbled into the bathroom for a shower. Feeling bright this morning I decided to sing. Something I didn't always do but enjoyed when I did. I had an alright voice, nowhere near as good as my mothers' but it was fair. I remember my mother singing in the kitchen when I was younger, her voice filling the air as she scrubbed at the dishes and a smile lighting her face. I remember my dad attempting to join in with his tone deaf warbles and dancing my mother round the kitchen. I always wanted someone like that. Someone who would pull me close just because he wanted to. Someone who would draw me into a dance because he knew I would smile if he did.
Unfortunately I hadn't found that someone yet. Mum and dad met in high school and dad said it was love at first sight for him but mum always said she didn't even notice him until their last year. I continued to sing and think of my parent and their love for one another and also for me and Tuney. Even when they found out I was different they were proud, not upset. They never turned against me, only supported and loved me.
I shook my head trying to dislodge my thoughts. I missed my family so badly that it only hurt to think about them more than necessary.
When I left the bathroom after finishing getting ready, the rest of the girls were just starting to stir. I usually got up and ready first because otherwise I got caught in the middle of the fight for the bathroom. I swear sometimes it was like World War three in our dorm, however when I made that comment only Mary understood due to her half-blood status.
As they all started getting ready I sat down on my bed and started writing a letter to my parents. It detailed my classes and the new developments in my relationships with both the girls and the Marauders. I didn't talk about Sev but I told them everything else. I also mentioned assignments and homework, hinting to the fact that I might not be able to make it home for Christmas, but those were subtle enough to go unnoticed if you weren't looking for them.
After about two pages of writing the rest of the girls were ready, so I put my letter down and went down to breakfast with them. When we got down to the great hall the marauders were already waiting with spare seats beside them. Sirius was sitting on one side by himself while the other three sat facing him with repulsed looks on their faces as they watched him scarf down a half stack of pancakes, however from the look of the plates around him these were his third stack. I started down the side with the three boys while Marlene, Mary and Alice started down the other. I thought they were all following me but obviously they wanted to make it even. I sat down next to Potter, leaning across the table and smacking Sirius as I did so.
"Wha'?" he said with a full mouth.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to close your mouth when you chew, or to have manner when you are in the presence of a lady?" I asked raising my eyebrow.
"You forget Lily dear, my mother is Satan personified, I was only even taught to be respectful to the dark arts." He poked his food covered tongue out at me to add to his mature response.
"Don't mind him Evans. If you continue sitting with us you will eventually get used to it we hope. To be honest we are still attempting to get used to it." James had wrapped his arm around me when he started his comment and I would be lying if I didn't admit that the same warmth I remembered from my dream was not wrapped around me in that moment. I must of been looking at him weirdly because he quickly removed his arm with a quick apology.
The second he removed his arm I was cold. It was like the room had dropped twenty degrees in the twenty seconds he had his arm around me. I instantly craved his warmth again, but mentally hit myself for thinking that. It was Potter for goodness sakes. How could I miss him? He was a toe-rag, wasn't he?
I smiled a little at him before turning back to Sirius and continuing our conversation.
James
i couldn't help but continue watching Lily throughout our breakfast. Despite the awkwardness when I put my arm around her shoulder she didn't seem all that displeased to be sitting next to me this morning. It was a small triumph for me but there was also an evil, asshole part on my brain reminding me that she could just be nice because she is friends with my friends. She actually smiled at me once as if she felt guilty for pulling a face when I put my arm around her.
To be honest that was a really stupid move. Firstly, she could have hexed me and landed me in the hospital wing for it, secondly, I didn't want to ruin what little friendship I had with her and thirdly, that moment with my arm around her was perfect and it would just add to my daydreams about her. I felt like my arm rested there perfectly and she fit perfectly next to my body. I would never admit this to anyone obviously, but from the discreet looks that Paddy was sending me I could tell he knew what I was thinking. We had practically been brothers for so long that we didn't need to speak for us to understand one another sometimes.
I was irrevocably in love with Lily, but she hated my existence a vast majority of my life. Oh and there was a war waging beyond the gates of Hogwarts that we were all going to have to survive eventually, nothing major really. To be honest my only thoughts about the war half the time were about whether or not Lily would survive, because I would do anything to protect her. Not that she would ever know that about me.
Lily
The morning went quickly with Arithmancy (or divination for my silly friends except for Remus) and History of Magic (which most people aside from Remus and I slept through). Unlike other people, I found History of Magic interesting. I mean yes, Professor Binns was excruciatingly boring and tedious at times. But I found it interesting to be able to relate magic history to muggle history. Dad is a major history buff meaning that I could relate the two histories and see their impacts on one another. It was funny because sometimes something magical would cause a problem in muggle society. It was funny to see how oblivious the muggle community are and by extension how oblivious I was when I was younger.
Before lunch we had a study period. Sitting there I tried not to think about my conversation, or lack thereof, with Sev and how we hadn't spoken since. I was really hungry and kept getting distracted but I did manage to finish all the work that I had missed on Monday. I had started all the work the night before, but was proud of myself none the less. However I hadn't gotten to any of the homework for arithmancy. I would just have to stay up late tonight to finish it. I had always tried to stay on top of my homework. I always tried to finish the homework given the day that it was given so I wouldn't forget any. An attitude only Remus and I shared out of all our friends.
Strangely though, my thoughts kept drifting to that morning. i couldn't help but think about Potters warmth and feeling happy in my dream. It was strange. I was feeling confused about a boy for the first time in my life.
James
Finally after lunch we had transfiguration. It was my best subject and by far the most fun. To be honest it was the only subject I actually paid attention to and didn't daydream about Lily in. I was the best in the class closely followed by Sirius, then Lily and then Remus. We were the only four in the class that were expected to get O in our O.W.L.s. When we got to class McGonagall was already standing at the front of the classroom writing on the blackboards. She could do it by magic so I suspected she was only writing by hand of the sake of dramatics. As much as Minnie loved to get us in trouble for our pranks she two had a flare for the dramatics, hence her ever changing victory dances around Slughorn every year when Gryffindor wins the Quidditch cup.
She spun on her heal when we were all seated and began "The Draconifors Spell is a Transfiguration spell used to transform small objects into Dragons, which can then be controlled by the caster. The dragons produced from this spell are much smaller and less powerful than true dragons, and their size depends on the object from which they are transfigured meaning that a smaller object will produce a smaller dragon, and a larger object will produce a larger dragon. We will be attempting this spell ourselves once you have copied the information and drawings from the board." She sat behind her desk in silence and watched as we all continued on with our work. Eventually students began to attempt the spell on the rocks placed on the desks in front of us.
Lily, Remus, Sirius, Marlene and I were able to accomplish it before the lesson ended as well as a couple of the Hufflepuffs in our class. As the class ended McGonagall got up and said "Well I am proud to see that some of you have accomplished this spell. Don't worry if you have not we will continue practicing next lesson. You are not to perform this spell outside of the classroom, for obvious reasons. Yes I am looking towards you James and Sirius." This statement drew a laugh from Lily and a big mischievous grin from both Sirius and I. "Your homework is 6 inches on the origin and use of this spell. Thank you students you may leave."
We all dragged ourselves from the classroom and continued on with the day. It was rather uneventful but at least at the end of the day we all sat down together again and helped one another with homework. Suddenly when we were all quiet and focusing Lily spoke up with "You know I never would have expected to be sitting down with the marauders and doing homework. I mean really I never would have even guessed that you ever did homework." She grinned at us cheekily before Remus let out a disgruntled huff leaving Lily to amend her statement with "Aside from Remus that is."
I was the first one to speak up. "This time last year we wouldn't be Evans, but we all want to become Aurors meaning that we need to obtain N.E.W.T.s in Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Charms and no grade lower than "Exceeds Expectations" in any of them. Therefore we need to actually work this year so that we can qualify to get into those NEWT courses."
She looked slightly shocked for a few moments before asking "You all want to be Aurors too?" We all nodded solemnly but there was a part of me that wanted to yell out and tell her she couldn't become an Auror. I mean, what if she got hurt. I would never forgive myself. Yes I do know that those ideas are stupid and that Lily has the ability to care for herself (I had been on the other end of her wand one too many times) but I wanted her safe even if it killed me. After that we were all quiet, some focusing on homework and some just deep in thought (or in Pete's case sleeping on the couch in a ball).
I am soooooooo sorry for the late posts. I have a billion and one uni assessments due... including one tomorrow which I haven't started yet. Please don't hate me too much I will try to post some more chapters soon.
I love you all and apologise profusely
