- Chapter Eleven -

~ Broken Bridges ~

'Where's James?' said Sirius impatiently, finishing the rest of his roll. He consulted his watch before saying, 'He's been gone for ages! I need a distraction.'

'There's one,' said Remus quietly, pointing to the doors.

There stood Vanessa Gills. She didn't look a mess, but she didn't look like a dolled caked up in make up; she looked like a true, natural beauty.

Sirius couldn't help but stare at the radiant, pale golden glow as she smiled to one of her friends on the Hufflepuff table. She then spotted Alice and Cassie at the Gryffindor table and sat in between them.

'Where's Lily?' she asked mildly, helping herself to some toast.

'Haven't seen her all morning,' Cassie shrugged.

'I saw her …' Vanessa recalled vaguely, 'but I was half asleep. She didn't say anything, but I still felt her move around and stuff … where could she be?'

'Trying to find Lily?' Remus asked. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but we can't find James.'

'What can those two be doing together?' Vanessa said distractedly.

'Erm,' Sirius coughed.

Vanessa silenced him with a cold glare before continuing: 'Well, I didn't see them on my way down here … maybe they're in the Heads' room?'

'For that long?' Sirius scoffed. 'Nah. Their meeting was earlier this morning.'

'Shut up, Sirius,' said Vanessa acidly, thinking. 'Maybe Potter has held Quidditch practise and Lily's in the library?'

Sirius barked with laughter; Peter joined in for the sake of it. 'As if James would call for practises right after winning the first match of the season. You've got a lot to learn about Quidditch, Gills.'

'I thought I already told you to shut up,' Vanessa said lightly, frowning in thought as she pretended to look confused.

Sirius stared at her with narrowed eyes, but said nothing, still wondering – to the point of worrying – about where James was. He watched an extremely tiny girl run into the Great Hall, find her friends at the Ravenclaw table, talk urgently to them and then lead them all out. After them, herds of students left the Great Hall at a time. What were Sirius and them missing out on?

'Where's everyone going?' Peter asked stupidly, putting his water back down.

'I don't know … and I don't think I want to …' Remus said seriously, eyeing a first-year as he practically sprinted down the aisle to get out of the Hall and see where everyone else was going.

'Lily and James are Head Boy and Girl,' Sirius shrugged, 'they can take care of it.'

Remus nodded his head, before a horrific thought hit him: 'What if it is them?'

'As if,' Sirius scoffed. 'Those two get along like me and Chocolate Frogs!'

'Interesting comparison, given that you bite Frogs to bits,' Alice said lightly. 'I'm out of here – I want to see.'

Cassie automatically stood up with Alice, and they both walked away, in sync.

'Report back,' Sirius called after them.

'No,' Cassie called back in a flat tone without turning around.

Sirius cursed under his breath. Cassie never listened to anyone; everything she did she did because she wanted to. She did, however, have respect for authoritative figures such as Dumbledore and McGonagall. She faintly intrigued Sirius, although he would never tell her that.

'Let's go.'

Vanessa found herself following Sirius's order, leaving the Great Hall immediately. They followed students, scuttling like mice, and found they didn't have to go far to discover the source of the disturbance. Out on the fields in broad daylight were Lily and James …

'No,' she said clearly. 'N, o, spells NO. It's a no, James! No way! I'm not giving into whatever you're saying, because Dumbledore's influencing you!'

'Dumbledore's influencing me?' James repeated, shocked. 'Look at the signs, Lily! You had even said "when Flobberworms fly"! How can you be so ignorant?'

'Easily,' said Lily stubbornly. 'I'm not giving into "fate" or whatever rubbish you're going to come out with. Merlin, since when did you come out with Divination signs?'

James disregarded what Lily had said, trying to stay calm. 'Forget it,' he said coldly. 'Just forget it. You'll see soon, I know it. But for now, you're just not worth arguing with.'

He turned on his heel and left Lily in shock; did she just get ignored by James Potter? Disliking the incredulous eyes, Lily left, too.

'Lily,' Vanessa hissed, trying to keep up with her friend. 'Lils, tell me – what was that about?'

'Nothing.' That was a downright lie and they all knew it – Lily's voice trembled a lot.

'Lils, are you crying?' she gasped.

'No.'

'Lily?'

'What?'

'Wait up.'

'Why?'

'LILY!' Vanessa half-shouted, finally losing her temper; this made Lily root to the spot, somewhat unwillingly. 'Thank you!' Vanessa sighed. 'Now, tell me – what's up?'

It took the entire trip from the school field to the Gryffindor common room for Lily to tell Vanessa the whole story, about what Dumbledore had said, about the reason why James had been feeling guilty and about the significance of a flying Flobberworm.

'Lily, you're incorrigible,' Vanessa whispered, but with a smile on her face. 'You had said when Flobberworms fly, and a Flobberworm did fly, so why can't you accept it?'

'Because,' said Lily sulkily, 'this is James Potter. We've got some very long history, not a sappy love story. Plus, he wasn't reallya Flobberworm, he just dressed like one.'

A wide grin suddenly unfurled on Vanessa's face.

'What?' Lily asked curiously.

'From the words you had used, "very long history",' Vanessa began, grinning wider still, 'you could rearrange the letters to make the words "love story". You got caught in your own web.'

'Oh, shut up,' said Lily, throwing a cushion at Vanessa. 'This bridge's broken.'

'Bridges can be mended,' Vanessa pointed out. 'Or rebuilt.'

'I thought I told you to shut up,' said Lily lightly.

Her statement made Vanessa giggle.

'What?' Lily repeated.

'I said that to Black today …' Vanessa began, launching off into the story about their conversation over breakfast. '… now that is what you call a broken bridge,' she concluded.

It was Lily's turn to grin. 'Bridges can be mended,' she retorted. 'Or rebuilt. Ha, you got caught in your own web, there.'

'Oh, shut up,' said Vanessa, throwing the cushion back at Lily.

'I thought I told you to shut up,' Lily repeated. 'Okay, this conversation's going around in so many circles that I'm getting dizzy. No more.'

'All right, tell me – have you gotten any further with preparation for the Hallowe'en dance?' Vanessa asked, completely catching Lily off guard.

'No!' she said, horrified. 'Eurgh! I've got to organise with James, but I don't want to. Nessa … can you please help me? I can't do this alone …'

'Of course!'

The girls got to work, sending owls to as many witches and wizards as possible, asking them to come and play or to come along as chief guests or to help decorate. They got this idea from Professor Slughorn; when he hosted his parties for the Slug Club, he normally brought someone special from outside Hogwarts to make things a little interesting.

By the evening, only the Strange Sisters had replied:

Dear Lily and Vanessa,

Of course the two of us would love to play at your Hallowe'en dance! It sounds absolutely spectacular – we should have had one while we were in school. We will be there on the 31st of October for sure.

All the best,
The Strange Sisters.

In a situation like this, Lily and Vanessa had to apply the saying 'Something's better than nothing' in order to comfort themselves, however small the comfort was.

Neither Lily nor Vanessa could concentrate in classes the next day; they were both just too excited about the dance and all the organisation required. Not just how the Great Hall would look, or who would be playing, but what they were going to wear and who they were going to dance with.

'Oh, no!' Lily gasped, clapping her forehead almost as soon as they reached the common room after Lily had had her last lesson (Care of Magical Creatures) and Vanessa had come down from Astronomy. 'I've literally just remembered we promised Dumbledore that …!'

'… huh?' Vanessa blurted.

'The condition for the Hallowe'en dance to take place – James and I would have the first dance!'

'I hate to admit it, but …' Vanessa mumbled.

'Don't say you're seeing stupid "signs", too,' Lily scoffed.

Vanessa didn't reply and Lily ended the conversation there.

The entire week flew by without a reply from any of the celebrities Lily and Vanessa had used the school owls to contact. The anxiety was beginning to build, what with the fact that it was a week until Hallowe'en and they had received no replies after the Strange Sisters.

Lily and Vanessa were beginning to lose faith in the Hallowe'en Dance happening at all – that would be all of their hard work gone to waste. The girls had made lanterns to hang above their heads in the Great Hall instead of the usual candles, and they had discovered a charm to project fake bats. They had also looked up hexes to make the food a little more interesting. But all of this would mean nothingwithout some people to join them.

It was on the week before Hallowe'en that Lily and Vanessa received the most owls as they were eating breakfast; several people turned around to look at them.

'Since when did they get so popular?' a first-year muttered as he and his friends passed the Gryffindor table.

'Since when were you allowed to talk?' said Vanessa threateningly; the first years scattered in different directions, making even Lily laugh.

'Right, down to business,' she said. 'First letter … YES!'

'Whoa … calm down,' Vanessa said cautiously. 'Who's it from and what's it about?'

Lily handed the parchment to Vanessa:

Dear Miss Evans and Miss Gills,

I would be overjoyed to attend your Hallowe'en dance – rumours have actually been flying around, and it sounds quite interesting.
Sorry for the late reply – I have been unbelievably busy with Quidditch practises, as you may or may not understand.

Much love to my fans,
Lester Heaney

'Merlin!' Vanessa squealed. 'He said "much love"!'

'… I was talking about his acceptance to our invitation …'

'Who cares? He's fit! And I can't believe he's going to be there! Aaargh, can't wait!'

'He said "much love" to his fans,' Lily frowned. 'How long have you been into Quidditch for?'

'Since now!' Vanessa squealed. 'Oh, sweet Merlin … I'm keeping this letter!'

'Big deal,' said Sirius irritably, sitting not that far away from Lily and Vanessa, but with the other Marauders. 'Anyone could fly and look good.'

'Not like him,' Vanessa retorted. 'So, who're the other letters from?'

Sirius stood up, banged his knife and fork on the table, and left. James quickly apologised to Lily and Vanessa before taking his friend's lead.

'Well …' Lily acted as though there hadn't been an interruption, 'Selena Warbeck said she'll be there – she sings great for couples to slow dance to –'

'– including you and James –'

'– shut up … oh, that creepy vampire guy can't make it,' Lily murmured, more to herself. 'OH! Stanley the Skeleton and Co can make it! And so can – wait, who's Kiara the seer?'

'A seer,' said Vanessa lightly.

Lily looked at Vanessa disinterestedly. 'Really?' she said flatly.

'I invited her.'

'Mm … why?'

'Because,' Vanessa began defensively, 'it just gets into the hallow kind of side of Hallowe'en … and you get it … the hallow part of Hallowe'en and … I'll just be quiet now …' she trailed off.

'That's it,' said Lily mildly, smiling to herself. 'Oh, wait … one more …'

Dear the organisers of the Hallowe'en gathering,

'Gathering?' Vanessa hissed.

I would like to inform you of my presence in the Hallowe'en gathering you are supposedly organising. I will be a fair asset amongst other guests you have invited.
Thank you very much for accepting me,
The Spirit Princess

Silence amongst the two friends followed until Lily gulped and said, 'Okay, this "Hallowe'en gathering" is officially freaking me out … did you invite "The Spirit Princess"?'

Vanessa shook her head. 'I take it you didn't.'

Lily shook her hair and stared fearfully at the piece of parchment. 'We've both got caught in our own web …'

Monday 24th October 1977