Chapter 11: James Potter has exaggerated self-opinion. And apparently, he's Robin Hood with a band of merry men.
These are to my reviewers, I'm not sure who I messaged, so here! Thank you all so much! You know the feeling of greatness you get when you receive a review! Also, thanks you to all my story alerters and other alerters and reviewers, old and new!
Elizabeth Bells: Thank you so much! I'll try to be!
LillyOfTheField: I see where youre coming from! But all is coming in THIS chapter, my friend!
Sellesia-Smile: Thank you very much! And thanks for the review, means a lot!
BookWorm77071: Yep! Schools out, scream and shout! Yeah I can thank God! I was starting to feel bad
Lenners: How are you! You're becoming the regular! So, thanks you! Haha I know! But its fifth year! So...
Cathy: You too love! Translating! Not really, that might count as work... you know what I mean!
Authoress Angst 01: Ah, I love them as a pairing, sorry about this chapter, it felt bad! But she won't fall yet!
ShootinStar: I love confused James. He reminds me of myself.
So, on with the story!
I'm away laughing on a fast camel!
Love Caroline! xxx
Lily walked down to breakfast. She had almost let James Potter, of all people, kiss her! And she hadn't pushed him away! Of anything, she had encouraged him.
Bad. Very bad.
She walked to the Gryffindor table and felt the eyes of Sirius, Remus and Pater glaring into the back of her head. She swallowed and sat down in her usual place. Marlene glanced at her curiously.
"You okay?"
Lily nodded at her and tried to smile. "I think I'll just skip breakfast and go straight to Herbology."
Alice was outraged. "But you have to eat something!"
Lily shook her head. "I'm not really hungry anymore." It was true. The open hostility rolling off the Marauders had seen to that.
She jumped up and left the hall. James watched her go with a dejected expression. Sirius leapt up. "Right. That's it."
"No, Sirius! Stop! Leave it!"
But Sirius had already left.
"Oy, Evans!"
Lily winced and stopped in the middle of the deserted corridor. Sirius caught up to her, and grabbing her arm, spun her around.
"Hi Sirius." Her shoulders slumped, but Sirius didn't notice.
"What are you AT?"
"What?"
"Im fed up, Evans. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of YOU; walking around like you're PERFECT, and then you do something else to James. Turn him down AGAIN. Well, I'm sick of it, sick of watching my best friends feelings fucking disintegrate and picking him up again. YOU never see James in the dorm moping around after you turn him down again. And the sick thing is, he still loves you. You're a cold-hearted cow, Evans."
Lily glared at him. "He doesn't love me. He has an infatuation."
"No, he loves you. He knows when you're angry, when you're sad or anything else. He knows your favourite colours green, like grass, and your favourite foods lasagne. It's sickening, actually."
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, not looking at Lily. "Look, just give him a chance." He glanced up when she didn't answer. Lily had silent tears running down her face.
"Evans, are you okay?"
"Is that how everyone sees me?"
Sirius cursed himself inwardly. "Look, Lily, I was angry. You are not to take this to heart, you hear me? You are NOT."
Lily gulped. "Im sorry. I really am. I just can't."
"Can't what?"
Lily's eyes snapped up. "I'm not going out with James just so I can get dumped in two weeks. In case you haven't noticed Sirius, when you get dumped, it hurts. "
Sirius sat down, pulling her down beside him. "Who was it?"
She wiped her eyes. "Over the summer. I got in too far."
"And you don't want that to happen again?"
"I won't LET it happen again."
"But-"
"But what? But James won't just get sick of me? Are you going to guarantee that?"
Sirius was quiet.
"Exactly."
Lily stood up and Sirius did too.
"Hey, Evans?"
"Yes?"
"Come here." Sirius pulled her into a hug. "It's okay, you know? You'll be fine. You get by with a little help from your friends..." he warbled.
"I get high with a little help from my friends," Lily laughed back.
"We'll be getting high alright." Sirius grinned, winking suggestively at her.
"I always wanted a brother."
"Well, today must be your lucky day, because you now have four!"
Lily looked up at Sirius. "Thanks."
"Welcome. To Herbology?"
"Let's go."
*****PAGEBREAK!*****
James glanced up as Sirius entered Herbology, with Lily in tow.
Lily smiled at Sirius; he squeezed her hand and walked over to their table as Lily joined her friends.
James glared jealously at Sirius. "What was that all about?"
Sirius put his palms up. "Whoa, horsey. We were just talking."
Remus was interested now. "And?"
"And she doesn't want to get hurt. Summer fling ended badly. She was actually really upset."
"What did you say to her?" James hissed in a hostile voice.
"Well, I eh...shouted at her for a bit, then called her a cow... but I apologised! Me and Lily, we're tight, man. It's grand between us, easy like a Sunday morning!"
"Really?" James asked. He looked worried now.
Sirius sighed. "Not THAT easy, James. Basically, the nub and jist is, we all have a new sister!"
"...Okay then."
"So, do not, and I repeat, do NOT, mess this up."
"I'll try."
"No." Remus interjected. "You always say that. You will not. Not try. You will do."
"Right, right, got it!"
*****PAGEBREAK!*****
"So," Severus began. "What's up?"
"Nothing much," Lily grinned. "Apart, of course, McGonagall threatening to give Sirius an afro if he didn't shut up. Poor guy. He looked so horrified."
Snape blanked. "Sirius?"
Lily gave him a funny look. "Yes, Sirius. The same person who's been in our year for the past five."
"What, you're like friends now?"
Lily flinched from his harsh tone, and then became angry. "What, is that a crime?"
"YES. Next you'll be saying that you're friends with Potter!"
Lily looked down.
"You are? Tell me you're not serious!"
Lily huffed. "Well, I am. He hasn't really..." she paused remembering their last interaction.
"Yeah right he hasn't! James Potter is an arrogant fool!"
"What do you have against him?"
Snape's beetle-black eyes bulged. "In case you haven't noticed. He hexes people, such as me, at every opportunity!"
"But-"
"But nothing! His a stuck-up pain in the arse!"
"Shut up! Just SHUT UP, SEV!"
Lily ran off.
*****PAGEBREAK!*****
She ran until she reached the courtyard, where a large group had formed. Curious, she fought her way to the front of the circle.
"Excuse me, Prefect coming through, excuse me! Sorry now!"
She took in the scene.
"TAKE THAT BACK!"
James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew all had their wands pointed.
Pointed straight at Regulus Black, Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange.
Fourth-years.
"AND WHO'S GOING TO MAKE ME, EH, DARLING BROTHER?"
"I wouldn't count that blood-traitor as a brother if I was paid," drawled Lucius Malfoy.
"Well, well, look who it is," interrupted another voice.
"Snivellus" James Potter spoke. He looked furious. Even PETER looked mad.
"Ah, if it isn't potter. And his band of merry men. Or boys, really."
"At least I have a band. Actually, scratch that, at least I have people who aren't afraid to come near me because of the sheer amount of grease dripping off my hair."
"Shut up Potter!" Snape snarled.
Lestrange took over.
"Him with his Mudblood friends and girlfriends aren't worth our speaking time."
That did it.
That one comment started a full-out duel.
Sirius was battling Regulus, James was up against Snape, and Remus and Peter had taken on Malfoy and Lestrange.
"STOP IT! JUST STOP FIGHTING!" Lily yelled, throwing herself between James and Severus.
"This isn't about you, Lily!" Severus shouted angrily. "And why are you protecting him!"
Lily had placed herself in front of James. "BECAUSE I'VE SEEN WHAT'S IN YOUR POTIONS BOOK! I'VE SEEN SECTUMSEMPRA, SNAPE!"
"Stop it, lily! I can protect myself, get away! I don't need your help!" James yelled.
Sirius had just noticed Lily. He cast a Shield Charm.
"Lily! Quick! Get out!"
"No! Stop telling me what to do!"
"JUST LEAVE IT!"
"No!" Lily was adamant.
"Would you ever just leave and stop being such an infernal busybody! Stop putting your nose in everybody's business if you can help it!" Sirius bellowed, losing his temper.
Lily looked upset. Very upset. She stormed off through the crowd. James looked at Sirius, who had just given Regulus a bald head.
"Break it up, boys!" Professor Kettleburn had stormed through. "Fifty points from Gryffindor- and Slytherin," he added, glaring sternly at the Slytherins who stopped smirking sharpish.
James saw Lily disappear inside the door. He sprinted after her.
"MR. POTTER!"
James ignored Kettleburn and continued running. He pushed the door open and caught a glance of Lily walking slowly down a lonely corridor.
"HEY, LILY!"
Lily sighed. This was starting to feel like déjà vu.
"Look, if you've come to verbally abuse me..."
"I haven't."
"You're wasting your time."
"But - are we still friends?"
He sounded so hopeful.
Lily turned to face him. She'd never hear the end of it from Sev. Not after what just happened.
She couldn't lose Sev. That was the official reason.
"James, I don't think we should be friends anymore. We're just too different and I'm sick of fighting with everyone."
"But-"
"Just leave it, James, okay!"
"But Lily!"
This was going to hurt.
"I dislike you, James. We're not friends."
He just looked at her. Then-
"WOULD YOU EVER JUST GET OVER YOURSELF!"
"Excuse me?" Lily was affronted.
Definitely déjà vu.
"That's not what this is about! This is about Snape!"
"No, it's not!"
"It's not my arse! Would you just stop lying to yourself!"
"Im not lying-"
"Shut up Lily! It is about Snape! He's not an angel! He doesn't CONTROL you!"
"Well neither do you!" Lily heard herself say. "Where do you get off, sticking your nose in everyone's business?"
"I stick my nose in everyone's business? What about you, joining a fight that had clearly nothing to do with you!"
"Im a Prefect!"
"And you never stop going on about it! Perfect Prefect Lily Evans!"
"I'M NOT PERFECT!"
"To me you are!"
"Damn!" James thought to himself. She wasn't supposed to know that! Well, only one way to counteract it...
"Go out with me"
Lily's eyes narrowed.
Slap!
"Arrogant git!" Lily yelled as she stalked off.
Yes, not losing Severus was the official reason.
The unofficial one?
Lily thought she was becoming too close to James Potter. And that could not be allowed to happen, in case she had been wrong about him all these years.
"And that is how Lily Evans came to hate James Potter." thought James bitterly.
"Well," a small voice in his brain said. "Hate is a strong word."
"But she really, really, really doesn't like me."
