Here come a new chapter! I'm sorry I was busy last week, so I'm terribly late to update.
Thank you so much to GreTheresa and for your reviews, it means the world, really...
I'll be back at University next week, so... I'll update whenever I can.
Hope you like this chapter, and please, don't forget to leave a little review to tell me what you thought about this :)
...Versus Quidditch
She hadn't talked to him again that day. Actually, she had fled him all day long. She couldn't face his hazel eyes for now, not after his confession.
She had always thought that James was after her because he was too stubborn to give up. Because she refused to go out with him in the first place. Because he liked the chase. She had always thought that he would stop being interested in her the second she would accept to have a date with him. But what he had told her that day proved that she had been wrong all along.
He cared about her. He wanted to be with her. It wasn't just a game. He didn't want a one-night stand, he wouldn't walk away in the morning. She had read it in his eyes, he wasn't lying to her when he had confessed that he had feelings for her. And now she felt guilty for having been so hard on him for so long. She was starting to think that she could have hurt him, when all she had ever wanted was him to leave her be.
Could it be true? Could James Potter actually love her?
They were so different. She was organized and he was in a constant mess, he broke the rules constantly and she was trying to live by them when they were fair, he always finished his essays in the corridor before class, and she never finished them later than two days before the deadline... He was so different from her, and yet he was funny, and kind enough now that he had stopped to act like his head was the size of the Quidditch pitch...
He was dangerous to her. Because if she was being completely honest with herself, she found him cute enough with his messy hair and lopsided glasses, and crooked smile, and his annoying habit of running a hand in his dark hair...
Waiting for him in the courtyard to guide the students to Hogwarts, she couldn't help but feel afraid.
What would he tell her? How would he act with her after their last conversation? Was he going to talk to her at all, or just ignore her? Was he going to act as if nothing had happened?
Students had started to gather on the grounds around her, and somehow, she hoped James wouldn't see her through the crowd and forget about her.
But...
"Hi, Evans."
She turned towards him, forcing a smile.
"Hi, Potter."
"How are you?" he asked, his smile never leaving his lips.
"I'm okay."
"Shall we then?" he added, nodding towards the stairs.
"Sure..."
He had chosen to ignore their conversation.
Fine, perfect... that's what she wanted as well.
Wasn't it?
They walked side by side up the stairs, guiding the students towards McGonagall's office, so that they could travel to Hogwarts.
"So... you're okay?" she asked softly as they walked through a corridor. "I mean... after what happened yesterday."
"I've calmed down," James nodded. "Don't worry about me."
She nodded.
"Right... you've calmed down. Right..."
He was definitely acting as if nothing had happened.
Fine, fine, fine...
Eventually they all reached Hogwarts, where everything had been planned, and the Muggles were guided towards the pitch.
And the Wizards were on a little cloud.
"Finally!" Sirius cried as he walked across the Entrance Hall. "We're home!"
"It does feel like coming home, doesn't it?" Marlene nodded.
"It does indeed!"
"Now more than ever," Marlene added under her breath.
But next to her, Sirius had heard her words. He sat on his broomstick, flying next to her as she walked across the school, looking at her.
"Hogwarts has a tendency to feel like your real home when you don't have one of your own," he nodded.
"You feel that way too?" she asked softly.
"Yep. I've been adopted by these old stones really. And whenever someone asks me where I come from, I tell them that I come from here."
"I reckon it's a good place to be from," she smiled.
"An excellent one," Sirius nodded, smiling as well.
They finally noticed that the Muggles behind them were staring at Sirius as he was still flying a few centimeters above the ground.
"How do you do that?" Jerry asked Sirius.
But the boy shrugged.
"It's just something we can do," Sirius smiled.
They reached the grounds at last, and Sirius sat properly on his broomstick, before taking a bit of height.
"You are not allowed..." Lily started.
"... to fly on the grounds," Sirius finished for her, flying above her. "Relax, Evans. We're home! Can't you turn off this prefect switch of yours for just one day and have fun?"
James couldn't help but laugh as Sirius was gaining speed, flying higher, and howling to the wind.
The Muggles were guided towards the Pitch, and James and Sirius spent some time teaching them the most basic rules of Quidditch. They showed the Muggles the different balls they would use to play, and finally, they proposed to take the Muggles for a flight around the Pitch.
And Marlene pushed softly Angel towards Sirius for the first trip.
Sirius shook his head, but Marlene merely winked at him, taking care of another Muggle.
"Alright," Sirius told Angel. "Just sit like me right before me, okay?"
She did as instructed, purposefully getting close to Sirius.
"Like that?" she asked softly.
He nodded slowly, taking a look at Marlene a few meters away.
She wasn't paying attention to him at all, she was helping a young girl to sit on her broom.
"Put your hands on the broom," he instructed.
She complied, and he rested his hands on hers.
"You're ready?" he asked in her ear.
She nodded, and he slowly flew up.
She let out a shriek of fear as she looked down at the ground that was already a couple of meters away from her feet.
"You're okay?" Sirius laughed.
"Oh... shit..." she breathed, closing her eyes tightly.
Sirius immobilized his broom in mid-air.
"Okay, open your eyes," he instructed. "We're not even moving, don't be afraid it's perfectly safe."
She nodded, opening her eyes.
"Okay, it's very easy to guide a broom, you see?" Sirius went on. "You just move your hands towards the direction you want to go. Let's get down a bit, I reckon we went high enough for you."
He slowly guided the broom towards the ground, and he felt Angel slowly relaxing in his arms.
"Better like that?" he asked as they were a mere meter away from the grass.
"Yeah," she nodded.
"Okay, let's fly around the pitch."
He flew around the pitch slowly, being careful not scaring her again, and she seemed to finally appreciate it.
"That's great," she smiled as he helped her hopping down the broom.
"You liked that?"
"Yeah. But... how fast can you go?"
Sirius merely winked at her, before rising higher above the Pitch, and flying as fast as he could, and the Muggles down there laughed and clapped.
Until he found Marlene flying by his side.
"Trying to fly faster than you can handle, Black?" she teased.
"Trying to flirt again, McKinnon?" he replied.
They slowed down, remaining high above the grass so that they could be alone for a moment.
"So? Angel?" Marlene asked eagerly.
But Sirius merely shrugged.
"I don't know," he said. "I don't... feel attracted to her to be honest."
"Didn't look like that when you two were on your broom though."
"Why? Did you keep watching me all along, McKinnon?"
She rolled her eyes.
"You do whatever you want," she said. "But you look cute together."
He laughed.
"We'll see about that," he answered elusively, getting down again.
"Are you uncomfortable talking about girls with me?" Marlene asked him.
Sirius shrugged again.
"Perhaps a bit," he admitted.
"Why? We're friends."
"Yeah but... it's not the same with you, McKinnon," he breathed.
"What do you mean?"
"It's just not the same. You're different."
"Is it because I'm a girl."
But he shook his head.
"It's because you're you."
But before she could add anything, he was hurrying towards the group of Muggles and he took a young boy on his broomstick.
And Marlene remained there, flying still, quite puzzled, for a rather long while.
Everyone had walked to the Castle, where cakes and tea were served in the Great Hall. But James had remained behind, and when she noticed that he wasn't in the Hall, Lily walked back to the Pitch. She found him there, sitting in the middle of the grass, watching the three tall rings of the Quidditch Pitch. She silently walked towards him, and sat down by his side.
"You're okay, Potter?" she asked softly.
He nodded.
"I miss this place," he said, his tone matching hers.
"Me too," she admitted.
"I talked to McGonagall about the Muggles who insulted you yesterday," he said. "She's going to keep an eye on them."
She nodded slowly.
"Are okay about that? Spying and everything," she asked.
A small smile played on his lips.
"Now that you joined the vigilante team I'm sure we'll be much more efficient," he said, looking down at her.
"I bet you'd be lost without me anyway," she joked.
"Hell, yes, Evans."
She nervously played with the sleeve of her sweater.
"Can I ask you a question?" she said slowly.
"You'll never have to ask for permission for that," he smiled.
"Did you... did you mean what you said yesterday? About... you having... feelings for me?"
He looked down at the grass, fleeing her intense glance.
"I think we should forget about what I said yesterday really," he breathed. "I wasn't... I wasn't myself."
"That doesn't answer my question."
She rested her hand on his arm, and he looked at her again.
"James?" she whispered. "I need to know."
"Are you going to stop talking to me if I say that I meant it?" he asked in a breathy whisper.
She shook her head, a reassuring smile on her face.
"No, I won't stop talking to you, whatever your answer may be," she promised.
He looked away again, before slowly nodding.
She let her hand slip down his arm, until it came resting on his hand, and he intertwined his fingers with hers.
"I'm not ready for that, James," she said softly, looking away as well. "We're just starting to be friends."
"I know, Lily," he nodded.
She rested her head against his shoulder.
His heart was beating so fast...
"Could you wait for me for just... a bit longer?" she asked, her voice barely audible above the sound of the wind.
He stared at her, but her eyes were still looking blankly at the empty Pitch.
A grin appeared on his face, and for a moment, he thought he was dreaming. But then she looked up at him, a questioning glint alit in her green eyes.
"James?"
He nodded.
"I've waited for six years, a few more months won't kill me," he answered.
They exchanged a grin, and she rested her head against his shoulder again, closing her eyes. And she didn't push him away when he rested his cheek against her red hair, closing his eyes as well.
Perhaps this year was not going to be so terrible after all...
She knew there was something wrong going on the second she walked into the empty office. The second she took a step in the corridor leading to the grounds. The second she walked towards the iron gate. The second she saw the crowd gathered before the school. The second she heard the words they were spitting in hate.
Off with the monsters! Off with the monsters! Off with the monsters!
It was like a strange anthem echoing throughout her veins.
She walked closer to the gate, until she could wrap her pale fingers around the cold metal, looking at the angry crowd, looking at the Aurors and the policemen who were trying to keep the crowd at a safe distance from the school.
Give us back our school! Give us back our school! Give us back our school!
It felt quite blur, as if the whole scene was in slow motion. The signs that were waved in the air, the shouts, all this noise, all this rage...
It didn't really feel like it was real. It felt like a dream. Or... more like a nightmare.
And perhaps if she waited just a few more seconds, she would wake up safely in her bed.
Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo! Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo! Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo!
She felt someone on her left, looking outside as well, and she turned towards the boy with messy dark hair that had appeared by her side.
And James seemed just as lost as her.
Off with the monsters! Off with the monsters! Off with the monsters!
And next to him Sirius and Marlene were lost as well, frowning hard. And Remus on her right as well...
Perhaps none of this was real and she would soon wake up...
Give us back our school! Give us back our school! Give us back our school!
She felt James's fingers brush against hers, and she held his hand tightly in hers. And somehow, the feeling of his calloused fingers against hers was enough to make her realize that it wasn't a mere nightmare.
"Why are they doing this?" Sirius asked slowly, his voice barely audible above the shouts of the angry crowd.
"I don't know, Pads," James shook his head. "I really don't know."
Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo! Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo! Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo!
"They're scared of us, so they hate us," Lily said slowly.
She felt James tighten his grip on her hand.
"We won't let them win though."
Off with the monsters! Off with the monsters! Off with the monsters!
But then Lily caught a glimpse of some dark hair and a brown dress she knew.
Her green eyes met her sister's gaze.
And she was shouting with the others.
Give us back our school! Give us back our school! Give us back our school!
Vernon was there too, he was waving a sign with a broken wand painted on it.
It was Lily's turn to tighten her grip on James's hand.
"That's my sister out there," she breathed, just loudly enough for James to hear.
The boy followed her gaze, and rage boiled through his veins at the sight of the young woman who was shouting.
Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo! Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo! Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo!
"And the guy next to her?" James asked, looking at Vernon.
"That's her fiancé, yes."
"You were right, he does look like a pig."
She smiled, a tear rolling down her eyes.
James wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.
Off with the monsters! Off with the monsters! Off with the monsters!
"It's alright, Lily," he breathed. "They're wrong. And we'll show them. We won't give up. We'll show them that they're wrong."
"What if they don't want us to show them?" she replied. "What if they refuse to see?"
"Then let's show them right now, when they can't ignore us."
James picked up his wand, and pointed it towards the sky.
And he lit up the tip of his wand with a shy light, like a candle held towards the heavens, like a small beacon shining through the storm.
And Lily smiled.
Give us back our school! Give us back our school! Give us back our school!
She picked up her wand as well, and pointed it towards the sky, her and James smiling, and a shy light appeared at the tip of her wand as well.
And Sirius followed close, and Remus, and Marlene, and all the Wizards and Witches who had gathered into the grounds to look at the crowd that shouted before the gates.
The Muggles raised their open hands towards the skies as well.
Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo! Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo! Monsters don't go to school, they go to the zoo!
None of the students moved, they merely remained there, united, standing before the storm that raged in front of them, as if they were above all this, as if no matter how hard these people full of hate were trying to hurt them, they couldn't. Because they knew who was right and who was wrong. And they knew hate had never been a solution.
And slowly, very slowly, the crowd of the FMM members grew silent. The Aurors and the policemen stopped shouting and pushing back the men and women in the front line. They all turned towards the silent children that stood there, silent as well.
It was a strange sight indeed. Teenagers holding lights and raising their hands in peace facing grown men and women waving signs upon which were only written messages full of rage. The whole picture was wrapped in silence.
Their teachers joined them, and Dumbledore walked next to the Gryffindors, along with McGonagall. And they imitated their students, raising their shining wands as well. And there was such a proud glint in their eyes as they looked at their students.
More policemen arrived, and more Aurors ran towards the protest, and at the sight of them, the crowd slowly walked away.
"We'll be back!" a man shouted. "This is not over! We'll get our schools back!"
"We'll keep our children safe from you all!" a woman added, shouting as well.
But none of the children flinched.
And when they were all gone, the students slowly lowered their hands and wands, and started to walk away.
Dumbledore patted James's shoulder, and he winked at him. And when he spoke, the Wizard's voice was full of pride.
"You see, this is why I made you Head boy, James."
And the Headmaster was gone before James could realize the meaning of his words.
Although, he was starting to understand now...
Soon, they were all gone, except for Lily, who was staring at the corner of the street where her sister had disappeared.
James took her hand in his again.
"Lily?" he called softly.
"Yes?" she breathed.
"Come with me, I want to show you something."
She finally looked away from the street, and followed him across the school, as he guided her towards the dorms.
They passed before the rest of the Gryffindors, who had gathered into the boys' dormitories, and James opened his trunk, and picked up some sort of cloak along with a little bag, before striding out, pulling Lily with him.
When they were outside the dorms again, and James finally unfolded the cloak, Lily's eyes grew wide as she recognized the item he was holding casually in his hands.
"Is that... an invisibility cloak?" she breathed.
"Yep," James nodded. "We'll need to get under this."
"Are you gonna get me in trouble, Potter?" she asked, a small smile on her lips.
"Just trust me, would you?" he asked.
She nodded slowly, and he covered both of them with the magical cloth, and he guided her throughout the school again.
He helped her climb up at an old ladder made of dusty wood.
The fresh wind hit her cheeks, blowing in her hair. She looked around her, a smile forming on her lips. And next to her, James was smiling as well, as he looked at her reaction, folding his cloak again.
"So? What do you say?" he asked, helping her to sit down.
They were on the rooftop, and from there, they could see most of London. The pale sun was shining on the Thames, and the parliament was visible from afar, lost in the midst of towers and rooftops that built the shape of London.
"It's beautiful," Lily nodded.
He handed her a chocolate frog, and she laughed, thanking him.
"Chocolate to heal our poor hearts?" she asked.
James shrugged.
"I know it's going to be tough for you," James said, and his voice was serious, although his tone was soft and warm, reassuring. "But you're not alone. None of us is. They're the ones who are wrong, it's not our fault. And... and I think you need to remember... how strong you are. Because you are strong, Lily. You're the strongest person I've ever met. Even if... even the strongest people need help sometimes, even the strongest people need to share the burdens they usually carry on their own. So... Chocolate, a pretty view and a friend who is all ears if you want to talk, or up for a hug if you don't want to talk... I reckon that's precisely what someone as strong as you need right now."
She stared at him for a moment, before enlacing their fingers together.
"Thanks," she said, her voice made a bit hoarse by all the emotions that were bubbling inside her.
She cleared her throat, looking at the town again.
"You know we don't have the right to here though, don't you?" she told James.
"Most of fun things to do are forbidden anyway," he replied.
"How did you find this place?"
"The guys and I did a bit of exploration."
"I bet you did..."
"I thought you liked the view."
"I do like the view," she nodded, eating her candy. "It's beautiful."
A dreamy smile appeared on James's face without him even noticing, as he stared at the ginger girl next to him.
"Yeah... it is beautiful."
She laughed, knowing he was looking at her, and not at the rooftops.
"No pick-up line, please," she said, still laughing.
"I couldn't use pick-up line on you, Lils," James replied.
"Why not?"
"Because I've already tried all of them on you and none worked, so..."
"Poor James, so what are you gonna do now?"
"I'm trying to use pick-up candies."
They both laughed.
"Pick-up candies?"
"Well, whatever I may say you remain completely indifferent to my charisma, so I thought I could buy your affection."
"With chocolate frogs."
"I also have Sugar Quills."
"Oh... well, if you are Sugar Quills then..."
"You can't resist Sugar Quills. I know you can't."
They laughed again, and when they finally calmed down, Lily rested her head in the crook of his neck, and James held her tightly against him.
"So? Are candies enough to buy your love?" he asked with a smile.
She chuckled.
"Don't spoil everything, Potter. I was just starting to like your company."
He stared down at her, and she could hear a shift in his voice when he spoke again, as if he wasn't really joking anymore.
"Like my company? Or like me?"
She cuddled closer to him.
"Maybe a bit of both," she whispered.
James smiled. A bright, earnest smile.
And when he drop a sweet kiss on her forehead, she didn't push him away.