A/N: Thank God I finally got this out! Exams really didn't even let me complete this! -_-
Well, now it is! And longer than hoped. And hopefully better. Only you can tell me that. Review! :3
Addition: I have corrected all the mistakes, and added some new material as well. Now it's much better :) Disclaimer:
Chapter 10:
James gasped as he entered the Great Hall with Lily by his side, who had a smile on her face.
The Great Hall looked splendid. The floor was clad with a red carpet, which flowed till all the corners of the room. The huge windows, draped with shimmer-y grey curtains, which at the moment were drawn open to show the moonlit grounds beyond. The ceiling, bewitched to show the beautiful night sky. But, it wasn't an ordinary nightfall; this was much more, James admitted. There were a million stars strewn across, with blooms and tinges of different colors; a hue of dark blue here, a splash of maroon there, and a tinge of green as well. He couldn't stop staring at them; he could stay all night, and yet never get tired of it.
A huge black banner hung above the place where the professors sat. It said "Welcome, Witches and Wizards!" with gold.
He glanced around and saw that the walls had surprisingly changed. What used to the dull, worn-out red was now transformed into a deep shade of maroon, neat and clean. High where the house banners hung, were now replaced by better ones, he noticed.
The Ravenclaw banner, a royal blue with the eagle stitched on it with silver and bronze, hung at the top left of the room. The Hufflepuff banner hung right across it. The badger, stitched with black thread, was on a shiny yellow cloth so fine, that it almost looked like flattened gold.
The Gryffindor banner hung high and mighty, with the lion stitched with gold thread, on a pure red cloth, almost like blood. The lion stood proud and tall, like Gryffindors are.
And finally, the Slytherin banner hung on the left side of Gryffindor. The bright green cloth had the serpent stitched on it with pure silver thread. The eyes of the serpent had all the traits of Slytherins; cunning, sly, determined…
The four house tables, bordered against the walls of the room, were piled high with all sorts of food; chips, dips, meat, punch, cakes and other things which he even could not recognize. The students were now filing in the room steadily.
It all looked so grand.
James turned and saw Lily, who had only one emotion going through her; accomplishment. She did not expect herself to do so much. It pleased her to see the result.
James said, "Lily, it's… wonderful" he finished with a whisper.
Lily sighed herself, and then said, "So, now show me yours!"
He had waited for her to say that. He stepped behind her, and slowly covered her eyes with one of his hands.
She felt surprised. She wasn't the kind who went on well with surprises.
"Uhh... James..."
"Shh..." he cut her off. "It's a surprise. Don't wanna ruin it."
"Well" she said, unsure, "it better be a good one."
He chuckled near her ear, which sent shivers down her spine.
"Let's find out then." He said it in a low voice, and she could sense the smirk playing on his lips while saying so.
Like that, he led her outside the great oak doors. When they reached there, he slowly uncovered her eyes. They were still closed.
"Now, Lily. Open your eyes." he said.
She braced herself, and could not believe her eyes once she did open them.
It didn't seem like the usual Hogwarts ground at all. It looked magnificent. The trees stood bolder and taller, and were planted in some sort of pattern and not scattered across the fern-y floor. The leaves on the trees were strewn with gaily, twinkling lights. The bushes were tamed, and looked neat as ever, with a few lights here and there.
She saw James flick his wand towards the scene. Curious, she looked back, and saw the entire scene change. The twinkling lights were now changing slowly; first yellow to orange, then to red, then to pink, and then green, and then many others which she never even know of. There was some hidden music in the background, which wasn't there in the first place. She thought it was just her, but then she saw James sway to it. So it must be real, she thought.
The melody was sweet, and fitted well with everything. Even the tendrils of the trees were swaying, as if they were moving with the tune.
The whole place felt enchanted, like it were those places where the princess would meet the prince, and they'd fall in love. Like the ones she read when she was small.
Lily had never felt happier than before.
What else made her smile was that she had a dream of a place just like that. Only, the difference was that she was dancing with a prince with no name. Although, looking deeper, she would've sworn the prince had the most beautiful hazel eyes…
"Well, how is it?" James asked.
Lily shook her head, amazed. "It's – it's… wonderful." She ended.
"Glad you liked it." He answered back truthfully.
She turned, and their eyes locked for a while.
She always glows when she's happy, he thought.
Was he the prince in my dream? She thought.
Afraid of his hormones, he coughed uncomfortably. "Well," he said, "better move on now."
"Yeah," she said. "Let's go."
"OI! Prongs!" Sirius exclaimed, waving his hands to signal James and Lily.
They both made their way through the crowd at the Great Hall, and settled on the chairs next to Remus and Sirius. Peter was nowhere to found.
Lily asked, "Where's Peter?"
Sirius waved his hand, "Oh, must have gone powdering his nose or something." Remus chuckled, and said, "Might I say, you two look quite dashing today."
Remus was dressed simply. He wore a plain suit, with a bow tie hung around his neck, untied. His hair were pushed back to show more of his face. Scars were still etched across his face, and bags under his eyes were visible. But overall, he looked quite handsome.
Most of the girls were always looking at Sirius, and she could see why. He wore a full suit, slim tie and a vest on top of it. He wore a blazer of the same black shade of his vest. He wore a duster coat, which reached till his knees, to emphasize his look. He even managed to wear a black fedora hat. His grey eyes were glimmering with an all new emotion.
James said, "Well, so are you, Remus, but... but-" he stopped and looked at Sirius. Then shook his head.
Sirius' eyebrows shot up. He asked, "What?"
"You, Padfoot. It's you." James said, laughing.
Remus laughed, and said, "I told you not to wear that!"
Sirius replied,"What? Are you guys kidding me? This is the all-time classic look! Something like the Unbreakables…"
Lily laughed, "It's the Untouchables, smart-ass." (A/N: Forgive me for that, but Lily had to say it.)
And they all joined in the laugh.
After a while, the party had begun. After the sermon, when the Headmaster gives the speech, the music had begun. But the dance floor was empty. She worked hard on that, and no one was using it!
Just as she thought of it, James took her hand and pulled her on her feet, and towards the dance-floor.
Startled, she asked, "James. Uh… where are we-?"
"To dance!" James happily cut her off. She simply refused to move. She didn't know how to dance. At all. Let alone dance on an empty dance floor.
Not. At. All, she thought.
She pulled James, and said, "No! James no no no no. I won't dance! I won't go on the floor! I WON'T! no no no - "
James chuckled at her ranting, and held her from her forearms. He looked at her in the eyes, silencing her, and said, "But Lily dear, you're already on it!"
Her eyes grew wide as saucers, as she looked at her feet. There it was, the smooth floor, with its colorful lights, beneath her feet.
Well, damn, she silently cursed.
She still shook he head, making it obvious for James to understand.
But he didn't.
He took one of her dainty hands, and kept the other hand on her waist, and together, they were dancing. And she wasn't stumbling. She moved her feet cautiously with James', although she did step on his feet twice or thrice.
She lost count.
As she stepped on his feet for the umpteenth time, she exclaimed, "Ugh! Sorry."
James just smiled, and said, "Hey, you're getting the hang of it!"
As she looked up, the song changed. This one was faster, and a tune to which she could groove. James understood her, and let go of her hands, and started to dance. After a while, she was dancing to the beat too, and other people came on as well.
It was not long before Remus and Sirius came on as well. Sirius was dancing marvelously with a girl – Marlene, she remembered – and Remus was also dancing with a girl. Even Peter managed to get a girl! She thought.
The night seemed endless. Everyone was happy. Everyone was enjoying. It seemed as if all the problems of the world were forgotten just for the night; the War going outside in the Wizarding World was now something insignificant.
Even with girls looking at Lily like that, Lily couldn't care less. All she thought of was the night; how perfect it was, and how much fun had James made it for her.
James was having the time of his life. Not only was the night going great, she had managed to get Lily to dance with him. Thinking of the mere fact made him feel all giddy. He couldn't be any happier. He waited for seven years, and now it's there.
Just then the tune changed into a softer one, melodious. James changed tactics, and once again held her hand in one hand, and the other one around her waist. She obliged, and held his hand tighter. James cautiously moved her closer to him, until their chests were almost touching, but she wasn't hesitating one bit. He saw her cheeks grow pink, and felt his turning as well.
They kept on swaying slowly, not leaving each other's grasp. Their eyes were in a deadlock; not batting their eyes once. Hazel eyes into green.
Lily spoke softly, "Today was the best night." She then rested her head against his shoulder. He was surprised to see this action.
He lightly rested his head against hers.
"It's the most fun I've had since… since forever." She added silently.
"Hmm, I'm always happy to help, Lils." He said.
She smiled, and said, "Thanks."
After a long pause, James said, "I've waited for seven years."
Lily looked up, straight into his eyes. His eyes never left hers.
"For what?" she asked. Lily felt as if she knew this answer.
"For this. All of this." He replied truthfully.
Lily could tell he was speaking the truth. His eyes were telling it all.
She couldn't come up with any answer.
James said hurriedly, "No, no I'm not blaming you! Yeah, you did reject me, but that was cuz I was a plain prat. And I sure as hell deserved it! I mean, I annoyed you and all, and- and-"
Lily held her slim fingers against his lips, shushing him. And he did.
She knew it all along. He did change, for her. And only for her. She knew it all along, but never came up to believing it. But still, someone - something - inside of her isn't making her believe it...
No, it can't happen, it can't...
Lily stayed that way for a moment or two, when James saw the hesitation in her. He silently said against her fingers, his breath tickling them, "What's stopping you?"
She just shook her head. "I don't... know..." she whispered.
He looked down at her. And she looked at him. She looked so angelic. And he couldn't understand the hesitation in her. He slowly held the hand on his lips, and carefully kept it aside, not letting go of her hand. He did not want to let her go tonight. Not ever. He had waited for too long.
James whispered, "Lily..."
And she whispered, "James..." And then her eyes fluttered close.
Suddenly they were both leaning in. They were now only a centimeter apart. She wasn't stopping, or doing anything. She kept leaning in too, just as he was.
Just at the last second, they snapped out of their reverie and looked at the person calling them.
It was a Gryffindor, Lily knew, saying, "James, there is some shouting outside. I don't know what it is, but you better take a look."
James looked at him, and then at her. She could see the regret in his eyes. Later, he said, "Um gotta go manage it. You can wait here, with the other boys." He flashed a smile at her. She smiled back, and said, "Don't take too long."
He flashed another smile, and took her hand in his and kissed it prince-style.
"Your knight in shining armor is departing to fight off thugs, coming to hurt you. Don't want that to happen." He finished with a smirk.
Lily just giggled. "Of course I'd never!"
He gave another smile, and went on his way.
And at that moment, Lily had never felt so alone.
"Ugh! What's taking so long?" Mulciber exclaimed, clearly agitated that Lily and James had not separated yet.
And Severus was seeing it all under his green mask. And he did not like it.
He saw it all; from how she entered the Great Hall, to the dance floor, to the last song they danced on. And he devastatingly saw how they were leaning in…
Until James turned away. Severus let out a sigh.
"Finally!" Mulciber said, "Now the plan works. You go do your thing, and I'll go do mine. Avery will be waiting for me." And with that, he left.
Severus was now standing, looking at her. He thought over what he should do.
Should he carry on his plan?
Of course I should, he thought. It'll be better for us Purebloods!
But what about Lily? What if she gets hurt through this?
He hesitated. What if?
He didn't want her harmed. It was never part of the plan.
With that, he was just about to leave, when he saw her there. She was looking at the Great Hall's door, with longing. Like she missed him, and that she wanted him there…
Then he remembered them both, laughing, talking, and dancing. She seemed so content with him…
And this angered Severus, for he wanted to be the one to care for Lily. But instead, it was James.
It was James...
And there the blazing fire of his fury was blazing once more in him, driven mad to take his revenge.
Lily sat on a table, waiting for James. He was considerably taking long, since he could manage any situation with ease. This troubled her.
She shared her worries with his three friends. Sirius didn't seem worried at all. He simply said, "Lily dear, your prince charming is simply fighting off thugs who were coming to hurt you. Let him do his thing." Remus shook his head, and replied, "Don't worry Lily, he'll be around. Must have done some trouble, those kids."
She sat down on the table again, and waited. She kept on waiting for a long time. Girls from the other tables were now laughing and making faces at her.
Real mature, she thought.
Tired of their face-contorting, she got up and walked to the table piled high with food. She could wait there. As she waited, she thought of the moment she and James had. She thought over what had happened, and what was about to happen…
"I've waited seven years. For this. All of this." he said.
Did he mean that? His eyes showed that he definitely meant that. But she was so confused. He was the one who danced with her; he was the one who cared for her; he was the one who stood by her side, even when no one was there.
What else?
"What's stopping you?"
But then there was this tugging thing in her, which always told her the reality; she was a Muggle-born, and he was a Pure-blood. They couldn't be together. It wasn't right. Not for him, and not for her. It couldn't be...
But what if she had feelings for him?
She wasn't even sure whether she even had those feelings.
But still… she thought. What if I did? Then what? Could they see each other from a different light, even with their differences?
She couldn't take those thoughts any longer, so she just shook her head and made her way into the dance floor. She could spend the time with Remus or Sirius.
As she went in the crowd, she suddenly felt a hand tug at her forearm, and pulled her. It kept pulling her through the crowd, until they reached a door. She struggled, but he wouldn't budge. She couldn't even see the man, for he wore a green mask.
She kept on struggling, until the person pushed Lily into the room. It was a store-room, of some sort.
Lily was shaking from head to toe. Not only was she forcefully pushed into a store-room, she was pushed into it by a stranger.
She struggled against the man's grip again, and tried to kick at him, but to no avail. He was too strong, and she was not. She tried to scream for help, but the man covered her mouth, muffling her. He let go of her forearm, and slowly removed his mask.
Lily's eyes grew wide.
She could no believe it.
Severus.
A/N: DUN DUN DUUUUN! That's a cliffhanger, wasn't it? Let me know! Review please!