Chapter Seven
Lily glanced around the Gryffindor common room one more time and yawned. She had not seen either James or Sirius come back in, nor Remus or Peter, which meant they were certainly out together and up to something. It was almost time for her to take Potter's round of the castle bathrooms before heading to bed. Though she would have normally been irritated at having to cover for him, this time she didn't mind; she was curious about what he was up to and hoped she might glean some clue of his whereabouts.
Packing up her books, parchment, and quill, Lily took them back upstairs, where Sandra had fallen asleep in her Charms book and Mary was writing a letter. The latter glanced up as Lily entered.
"Time for another secret snog?" she teased.
Lily gave her an exasperated look; her friends had been giving her a hard time for days. She almost wished she hadn't told them what had happened between her and Mark in the prefects' lounge; she certainly didn't want the entire school talking about it.
"No, I'm covering for Potter, remember?" she reminded her friend.
"Oh, that's right." Mary laughed. "Think you'll find out what he's up to?"
"I hope so," Lily murmured. She couldn't say why she was so interested, only that she was fairly certain it was something he shouldn't be doing, and for some reason she wanted to know what it was. She wasn't planning on getting him into trouble—but she wouldn't mind something to hold over him.
"Stay out of the Restricted Section!" Mary called as she left. Lily shook her head; if her friends knew what had happened over the summer, they would know she wasn't about to put herself in another position where things could go too far.
Lily left the common room and began the routine patrol of the corridors. She looked into the bathrooms and was thankful she didn't come across anything she had to deal with. She was actually glad to have some quiet time alone to think about the strange turn her life had taken over the last week. She had put Mark off only to find herself suddenly, with one kiss, involved in a relationship with him that she still wasn't sure she wanted. She liked him, yet too often she couldn't help thinking about someone else, and the opportunity that they had buried under constant bickering and fighting.
Glancing out a window on the fifth floor, Lily was surprised to see a clear sky with a spectacular full moon lighting the Hogwarts grounds. She frowned as she noticed the Whomping Willow, usually rather passive, suddenly begin thrashing its branches, and then just as quickly freeze as if hit with a spell. She wondered if the missing Gryffindor boys had anything to do with it, but was distracted by a sound behind her.
She turned, wand instinctively raised, to find Severus Snape watching her with Dante Avery and Corin Mulciber. Severus said something to his housemates, who sneered at her, but they nodded and left. Severus joined Lily at the window.
"It's him, you know," he said without introduction.
Lily glanced sideways at her former friend. They had only spoken once all year, at the Slug Club, and she found she didn't really miss it. If possible, he had grown even more dark and bitter over the brief summer holiday. She mourned the person he had been and the friendship they had once had, but she had moved on, and she wondered why he had stopped to talk to her now.
"Who?" she asked, hearing the weariness in her voice and not bothering to hide it.
"Lupin," said Snape. He inclined his head toward the window. "There's a full moon tonight."
"So?" she asked. "That doesn't mean he's out there."
Severus studied her with his deep black eyes. "Still so unwilling to believe that there might be a werewolf at Hogwarts?"
"No, just reluctant to think such a thing about a friend," she replied. She knew Severus had his suspicions, had harbored them long before the incident at the Whomping Willow. Yet she had little reason to believe him, because she knew how much his hatred of James and the other Gryffindor boys affected his thoughts and actions. It had practically been the downfall of their friendship.
Severus was quiet for a long time, and Lily simply stood there, waiting for whatever he had to say next. She glanced down toward the Whomping Willow and saw a single figure hurrying back toward the castle, limping slightly; even stranger, the figure disappeared before it entered the shadows of the castle. Frowning again, she couldn't help but wonder if it was Remus or one of the others.
Growing uncomfortable, Lily turned to her former friend. "It's past curfew, Severus. You should get back to Slytherin."
He inclined his head to her, once again giving her a studied, enigmatic look. "Are you doing well this year?" he asked before turning to leave.
"Yes," she answered softly, though at times she wondered if that were the truth. So many things from the past seemed to follow her, almost haunt her, that sometimes she wished she could just leave them behind and start over. "Good night, Severus."
"Good night, Lily," he replied, and he left her at the window. The moon shone brightly over the castle, but there was no more movement on the lawn. The Whomping Willow began to move lightly with the breeze. With a sigh, Lily turned and continued toward the prefects' bathroom, hoping she wouldn't find anyone inside snogging.
She had just rounded the corner when she crashed into something—something quite invisible. There was a noise, however: a voice she recognized, dropping a very familiar curse.
"James?" she whispered, glancing around the corridor but seeing nothing. She was sure she heard someone breathing and narrowed her eyes as she searched the corridor once more. Finally she murmured a spell under her breath, her heart pounding.
"Homenum Revelio."
She didn't see anything in front of her, but turning, she found James Potter walking—no, sneaking—away under an invisibility cloak. Reaching out, she grabbed it and stepped back. He stopped and swore again before he turned around.
"Looking for this?" she asked, holding up the cloak. She couldn't help but admire it, a shimmering silver cloth whose weave was silken smooth. She now knew how James and his friends had managed to sneak around and cause so much trouble over their years at Hogwarts.
"Lily?" he asked in surprise, limping toward her. Lily gasped when she saw a large gash on his lower leg, just under his knee. It had cut through his trousers and was bleeding profusely. "What are you doing here?"
"Covering for you," she replied, too surprised to snap at him. "What are youdoing here?"
He actually looked slightly uncomfortable. "Would you believe patrolling?" he asked, sounding sheepish.
"No, I wouldn't," she replied. "You said you couldn't do it tonight. And most Head Boys don't patrol under an invisibility cloak."
"True," he murmured. "About that—could I get it back now? I'm sort of in a hurry."
"Where are you going?" she demanded, holding onto the cloak.
"Well, if you must know," he started, running a hand through his hair nervously, "I was just going to nip into the prefects' bath and get cleaned up."
She narrowed her eyes and nodded, then followed him into the bathroom, still holding the cloak. "What happened to your leg?" she asked.
"I tripped." He shrugged, then gasped as he began to wash the deep gash. "Bollocks, that stings."
"Tripped over what?" Lily asked, ignoring the pained look on his face even though she felt a slight twinge of sympathy for him.
"A rock," he muttered.
"In the middle of the castle?" she said skeptically. He continued to dab at the long cut, and it continued to bleed. When she saw him bite his lip and hold back another curse, she finally put down the cloak and went over to him.
"Here, let me help," she said softly. She knelt and cast a simple spell over the injury to help with the pain. He relaxed almost immediately.
"Thanks," he muttered. "I don't suppose you know any other healing spells?"
Lily looked up at him, frowning. "You should see Madam Pomfrey. This is pretty deep; she can put it together easily."
"I'd rather not," he said, looking away evasively.
"Why?" she demanded. "Would you rather lose your leg?"
His face blanched. "It's not that bad…is it?"
She couldn't help but smile. "No, it's not. But you should have it looked at. Why don't you want Pomfrey to do it?"
"Too many questions," he replied.
"Like how did you manage to trip and rip a six-inch gash in your leg on a rock in the middle of the castle after curfew?" Lily asked.
"Exactly," he said. "So can you do something for it? I'm rubbish at healing spells."
"Too busy getting hurt instead?" she teased. She cast a basic cleansing charm and then conjured a large bandage. She didn't know the more advanced charms for stitching the skin back together and making sure it didn't scar, but she knew it would be better than nothing.
"Usually, yes," he laughed. He flexed his knee a few times. "Thanks, Lily," he replied, and his voice was warm and friendly instead of his usual cynical tone. "I owe you."
"Again," she laughed with him. "How about some answers then?"
"Why so curious?" he asked as he washed his hands.
"I'm Head Girl. I'm supposed to know what's going on."
"Well, for your information, Head Girl, I really did trip on a rock."
"Inside?" she pressed.
"'Course not," he said, but he didn't say more. He headed toward the door.
"Outside then," she said. She crossed her hands over her chest, as she suddenly realized who she had likely seen through the window. "By the Whomping Willow."
He whirled around, eyes wide. "What?" he demanded.
"You were out by the Whomping Willow," she said, unable to hide a smirk of victory. "I saw you. You got Whomped, didn't you?"
He narrowed his eyes at her before finally nodding. "Yes, damn tree. But I really did trip."
"Don't blame the tree," she laughed. "You were obviously too close."
"Are you done lecturing me on grounds safety?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because I need to go." He turned and left the bathroom, and she followed him.
"Go where?" she asked.
"Back to where I was," he replied. She thought she saw the smallest hint of a grin on his face, and decided if he wanted to play word games, then so would she. It actually felt a bit like sixth year again, when their formerly heated exchanges had gradually turned more playful.
"Which was where?" she continued, joining him as he walked down the corridor.
"Outside, as you've already established," he said, inclining his head to her.
"And what's going on outside?" she asked in her most innocent voice. This time he did turn and grin.
"Just a bit of stargazing," he answered.
"You're not in Astronomy this year," Lily pointed out.
"Not that kind." He winked, and Lily felt her stomach drop.
"You're getting off with Anastasia Harrison!" she exclaimed, stopping in her tracks and staring at him. She was shocked and disappointed, and confused as to why she should feel either.
"What?" he said, then turned when he saw she wasn't next to him anymore. "Anastasia Harrison? What are you talking about?"
"I saw you, after the last meeting," she said. "But I didn't really think…" She trailed off and shook her head, her heart thumping in her chest. "I'll leave you to it, then."
"No, Lily—wait!" he called after her. "It's not like that, I'm not meeting…her." He pulled a face, but she gave him a skeptical look.
"Someone else then?" she asked, trying not to sound bitter.
He shrugged, refusing to meet her eyes. "It's not what you think." He paused and narrowed his eyes, as if something had just occurred to him. "Besides, what's it to you? You've got your own snogging partner now."
Lily felt her mouth open and close a few times; she hated it when she couldn't come up with a reply quick enough. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Whitby, of course," he replied. "I know you're together."
"It's not a secret," she said, trying not to sound defensive.
"You sure are acting like it is," he replied. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Look, I know I'm not supposed to bother you about him, so I won't. I hope it works out."
"Thanks," Lily murmured, though it did not make her feel better to hear him say it. They continued walking together in uncomfortable silence now.
"Are you going to follow me all night?" James finally asked as they came to the main staircase.
"Er, no," she said, slightly embarrassed to find she had indeed walked with him for so long. "But…you shouldn't be sneaking around, you know."
"Are you going to give me a detention?" he challenged, turning to face her. She stepped back from the fierce look in his eyes.
"No, but…"
"Are you going to take points?" he asked, stepping closer.
"No." She backed away.
"Tell anyone?" Another step forward.
"No, but I…" Another step back.
"You want to … but you won't, right?"
Lily stared back at him, once again reminded of their time in the hospital wing at the end of sixth year, when they had been so close she could see the flecks of green in his eyes. She felt that same longing, gazing at his face now, that same stirring in her stomach once again. Shaking her head, she finally looked away, desperately unsure of anything anymore.
"Sometimes you really drive me mad," she murmured as he turned and started down the steps.
"The feeling is mutual, Evans," he tossed over his shoulder.
"You started it!" she called back, knowing it was immature.
He turned back to her, his head cocked sideways as he looked up at her. "And you've ended it. 'Night, Lily." He walked away, leaving her confused once more. She thought his shoulders seemed a bit more slumped, but perhaps she was only imagining it. She decided to give it one last try.
"You're really not going to tell me what you are up to?" she said, leaning over the banister of the staircase.
"I can't," he replied without looking up.
"Can't or won't?" she asked.
He reached the ground floor and looked up at her, and her breath caught in her throat at the look on his face. Even through his glasses she could clearly see the emotion in his hazel eyes.
"Both," he replied softly, and he left the castle without another word. She watched him go and wondered whether he was referring to something else entirely, or if it was just her misplaced hope.
End notes:
Annnnnd - yet another thank you to mugglegirlmarauder, who endures far too much on AIM from me. She got me through the end of this and I'd certainly be stuck if she hadn't. Thank you!
Once again thank you for the reviews. Remember, this is a long story, so while I could apologize for not as many J/L moments as some might like quite yet... I won't, because I like to build things…and play with your emotions. A lot. Just so you are all properly prepared. ;)
