Disclaimer: I'm just going to let this one apply to the rest of my story because I'm tired of typing it. I don't own the ever-so-wonderful series of Harry Potter.
Chapter 7: Potions and Promises
Halloween is approaching. To third years and up, that means that the first Hogsmeade visit is drawing nearer. I love Hosgmeade visits as much as the next person, so I'm quite excited to set foot in the village again.
Marlene and I walk to the Great Hall for lunch after a particularly strenuous Transfiguration lesson on the Wednesday before the Hogsmeade visit. We sit down across from Mary and Alice, who are discussing the upcoming excursion.
"Are you and Frank going to Madam Puddifoot's?" Mary asks Alice, nudging her ribs and waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
Alice slaps her daintily. "Maybe we are, maybe we aren't. Either way, I'm not telling!" she says in a sing-song voice.
Frank slides into his seat beside Alice and asks, "What aren't you telling them?"
Mary and Marlene break out into fits of giggles as Alice blushes and says, "Nothing, Frank."
He shrugs, but doesn't press the matter due to the arrival of the Marauders. James sits down beside me, Sirius by Marlene, and Remus beside Mary. Peter throws himself into the seat beside Remus, looking defeated.
"What's wrong, Peter?" I ask in concern.
He just shakes his head miserably and drags a glass of pumpkin juice nearer to himself. James answers for him.
"Professor McGonagall is making him stay behind this Saturday to work on Conjuring Spells. He can't go to Hogsmeade with us."
The group sighs sympathetically for Peter's misfortune. He waves it off. "I don't care. There will always be other visits," he says in an unconvincingly nonchalant voice. We can all see that he is disappointed to be unable to go with the group to Hogsmeade.
Sirius grins across the table at Peter. "Don't worry, Wormtail. You'll be back in Hogsmeade before you know it," he says, winking.
James stiffens beside me, and Remus freezes in his seat for the briefest of seconds. James exchanges a look with Sirius, who then backtracks and says, "I mean, there will be another Hogsmeade visit in November, which isn't far away at all."
My friends somehow miss the little discussion between the Marauders, but I don't. Remus relaxes again, and Sirius goes back to his lunch. James glances my way, noticing that I'm watching them.
"So, Lily, you're going into Hogsmeade, then?" he asks to distract me. I turn my attention from Remus, who has the slightest pink tinge on his cheeks, and answer.
"Of course. I wouldn't miss the first Hogsmeade visit of the year," I reply, smiling at the thought of the village.
Sirius looks up at me. "You should join us, Evans. We're going to the Three Broomsticks around noon. Maybe you can tell us how you acquired such superb Quidditch skills and still managed to almost die playing." He grins, tossing his dark hair out of his eyes.
James reaches over and smacks him lightly. I wrinkle my nose, thinking of my Quidditch accident from the previous weekend. "Padfoot," James warns.
Sirius grins across the table at me. "I'm only joking, Evans. I would never want anything bad to happen to my new favorite Gryffindor."
His new favorite Gryffindor? That's interesting. I wasn't aware that he liked me that much. I've always thought that he would prefer James to get over his "silly crush" just so he wouldn't have to deal with me.
Speaking of James's "silly crush" on me… He hasn't asked me to go out with him since the prank on Snape. That was nearly a month ago. I have to admit, it's nice not having to try to avoid him for fear of being pressured into saying yes. It's allowed me to actually become friends with him. But… I'm beginning to wish he'd ask just one more time. I guess he's taken to heart my conditions from our truce all those weeks ago.
I look over at James. He's laughing at something Sirius said. I like his laugh. It's warm, friendly, and extremely contagious. His whole face lights up when he laughs, just like it does whenever I call him by his first name.
Ugh, Lily, listen to yourself! Stop it! You're not supposed to fancy James, remember?
James glances up and catches me looking at him. He smiles at my reddening cheeks. I clear my throat in embarrassment and turn back to my lunch.
"Come on, Lily, join us. We'd love to spend the day with you," Remus says.
I pretend to deliberate, even though I already know what my answer is. "Well, alright. If you insist. I'll join you. I had better not be put into anymore life-threatening situations though," I joke, grinning at James.
"Of course you won't! We won't ever risk you being hurt again," he says indignantly.
Mary and Marlene are listening curiously. I haven't told them what happened last weekend, and I don't really intend to. Alice and Frank are too busy snogging to pay any attention to the matter, although I know Alice is equally curious. I roll my eyes at my friends as the bell rings.
James and I get up and walk off to Advanced Potions with Marlene, Sirius, Mary, and Remus. We descend the stairs to the dungeons.
Slughorn is already there, waiting with instructions on how to finish the half-made Polyjuice Potion he has set out for us.
"I want you to pair up and get started. Quickly, please! This potion will take up the entire class period!" he booms.
James and I pair up next to Sirius and Remus. We gather our remaining necessary ingredients and flip open our copies of Advanced Potion Making. I glance over at Snape, knowing he will already be making corrections to the book's instructions.
"Lily, could you stir this fifteen times counterclockwise, please?" asks James as he adds fluxweed to the bubbling liquid.
I pick up the ladle and begin to stir. James and I continue in this fashion, trading off jobs, until the potion is finished. The liquid, remarkably similar in appearance to mud, bubbles darkly.
Slughorn comes over to check our progress. "Oh, wonderful!" he exclaims, clapping once. "See here, everyone; James and Lily have completed their potion! Note the thick, muddy texture and the black smoke issuing from the cauldron. Full marks!"
Quite happy with ourselves, James and I start packing our things away. James scrapes out a sample of our potion and pours it carefully into a flask. He seals the cork, writes our names on it, and takes it up to Slughorn.
Grinning, he returns to his seat. "We make a pretty good team, don't we, Lily?" he asks.
My grin mirrors his as I reply, "The best."
I feel a pair of eyes boring into my skull. I turn around to see who it is, though I already know. His black eyes filled with anger, Snape is glaring at me. His stare sends chills down my spine. I've become even more worried for my safety since Snape and I are no longer friends. What if he told Voldemort that I really could be a threat? What if he personally asked to have me taken care of? It's terrifying to think about, but I have to consider everything.
James turns to me, noticing my silence. My green eyes, wide with fear, meet his hazel ones. He takes my hand. Almost as if he can read my mind, he says, "Lily, nothing is going to happen to you. I won't let him hurt you. We're going to keep you safe. I promise."
I nod, reassured by the slightest amount. The bell rings, and James and I swing our bags over our shoulders. We head up the stairs towards the Great Hall, but he stops.
"What is it, James?" I ask. "Not hungry?"
A smile spreads slowly across his face. "Come with me."
AN: Two chapters in one day! I hope that helps make up for my absence over the past month. I'm going to start Chapter 8 after I have dinner with a friend, so I don't think it will be up today. I don't have school Thursday though, so expect an update then! Review. :)
- Paris
