AN: ok, here's chapter 7!! Guys, if you read this story, please review, only one person seems to be reviewing here!!

Thanks to jegan for some of the plot.

Another thanks to Nelly Potter for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Duh.

SEVENTH YEAR ROLLER COASTER

Chapter 7: false and tense

"Come on James, quick!" Lily said, "We need to get to the statue in time!"

As part of their latest prank, they had to charm the statue of Boris the Bewildered to squirt goo at any passerby. Remus and Sirius had taken charge of luring Snape to the statue, while Maggie was making sure that no one walked past the statue for fifteen minutes. Lily and James had been assigned to charm the statue.

James ambled slowly along the staircase below Lily. Lily hurried up the staircase. Just as her foot was on the top step, the staircase moved, sending her tumbling down below.

"Wooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" she yelled as she fell.

James looked up in time to see Lily about to fall right on top of him.

"Easy Lils!" he said as he caught her neatly. Lily began laughing. James joined in. Suddenly, they were both blinded by a flash.

"Nice shot Bozo!" said a female voice. Lily and James blinked up to see Rita Skeeter, grinning widely and excitedly muttering something to a long, acid green quill which was scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment by itself in mid air. Lily caught words like 'cheating', 'fiancé', and 'shame'.

"Rita Skeeter!" she cried, jumping out of James' arms.

"That's me!" said the reporter, still muttering furiously.

"You can't put that sort of story out!" said Lily, referring to the phrases she had just heard. It's not true! I'm not cheating on Hugh. There is nothing between me and James!"

"Denial!" said Rita Skeeter to the quill triumphantly.

"That's a quick- quotes quill Lily," said James sharply, "It twists everything you say. She'll get more dirt if you say anything"

"it was worth staying at Hogwarts one more day for this!" said Rita, "I've got a lovely new story! On the perfect Lily Evans! Not so perfect after all, I see."

"You can't put a story like that out, Rita!" snapped Lily furiously, "not a word of it is true, and you know it! You're just outing it out because of a schoolgirl grudge!"

Rita grinned maliciously, "Who says it isn't true? We have photographic evidence. And, I only report what I see" she said sweetly, "and from what I see I conclude, of course" she added, "and report that too. The press is the press honey. Come Bozo!" and she walked away, red pencil heels clicking on the floor.

"I can't believe she did that!" yelled Lily, outraged, " she's spilling out a story completely untrue, just because she hates me! And that's going to totally ruin the rest of my life. My father will kill me! Hugh's going to be even worse! I am so, totally, completely, absolutely, positively, dead!" she let out a howl of pent- up rage.

"Calm down, Lils," said Maggie, "cool it. You can always tell your father that Rita's making up things, can't you?"

"There is no way he'll believe me," said Lily, "no way."

The owls whooshed inside the great hall at breakfast on Monday. Lily, James, Remus, Sirius, and Maggie were dreading the Daily Prophet's news. A paper landed in front of James. He unfolded it hastily.

"There's nothing on the front page" he said. They scoured the rest of the paper. Nothing.

"That's weird," said Lily, "she was never one to sit on a story. It wasn't in any of the prophet's yesterday, or today's Daily."

"You think it'll be on the evening one?" asked Maggie. Sirius nodded. James shrugged. Remus frowned.

"I don't think so," he said slowly, "I think it's going to be printed in another newspaper or magazine. I mean, the Prophet's for news, not romances and gossip. Do you know any other news source, a magazine, particularly?" he asked Lily and Maggie.

Lily and Maggie looked at each other. "Well," said Maggie, "there's Witch Weekly. The girls in our dorm are always talking about it." Lily snapped her fingers.

"I bet that's it!" she said, " the girls in our dorm say its packed with wizarding world gossip- hottest stars, cute guys, divorced witches, dates, you name it. And it comes on Tuesdays. That's tomorrow. And Hugh is getting released from the hospital wing today. In another hour, in fact."

"The news will be all over the school by tomorrow," said Sirius darkly, "the girls in this place gossip something crazy! Hugh will hear about it as soon as he gets out, probably."

"Why don't we let you off the hook for a while?" asked James, "We'll hex Hugh stupid." Lily nodded.

"That'd be great," she said.

"We'll catch him as soon as he gets out of the wing," said Remus.

"And this time, we'll aim for quantity and quality," said Sirius.

"Good luck" said Maggie quietly.

I hope you liked it! I'll post another as soon as I can!

Dolphin.