Chapter 34:
It was period 3, the last lesson of the day, the last lesson of the week, the last lesson of the term for the students in Hogwarts, and the seventh year Gryffindor's were sat in charms.
"Sooo…" Sirius grinned "12 days till Christmas"
"Shut up" Lily said elbowing him "I'm trying to concentrate"
"I don't see why you're worrying, nobody in our class has done a full Patronus yet, besides you're the furthest along out of all of us" he told her
"I want to be able to do it okay? Kill me for trying why you don't" she said
He shook his head "I'm too nice to be able to kill you Lilyflower"
Lily rolled her eyes "good, so shut up then"
Sirius sent a look to the Marauders and caught James stifling a laugh, Remus shrugging his shoulders and Peter, well Peter was on another planet.
It was 20 minutes till the end of the lesson when the first full Patronus charm was cast and it was done by none other than the charm genius Lily Evans. Everyone stopped and stared at the beautiful doe gliding around the classroom
"Excellent Miss Evans" Flitwick said "30 points to Gryffindor"
This seemed to encourage the rest of the class to keep trying to produce their own Patronus as the next person to produce there's was Remus, followed by Marlene, Frank, Alice, James, Sirius, Mary and Peter. They were all the first ones partially because they all helped each other out, and soon this sparked the rest of the class to produce their own, there were only an odd 3 or for left who were still yet to complete theirs.
They all grouped together and watched their own Patronus' play with each other's, Lily watched as she saw a Stag prance around with a shaggy dog, a wolf and a rat, and then her own Doe with Marlene's rabbit and Marys cat, and of course Alice and Frank were in their own space together with Alice's owl with Frank's fox.
To Lily's perspective she found it one of the most beautiful representations of magic, the Patronus charm was literally her new found explanation of magic, and how much it has benefited her as a person since she learned that she was witch at 11 years of age when she received her letter.
"Well done class, I think you've all managed to produce a full Patronus charm, each of you will all receive 10 points for your house, well done. Now as we still have a little bit of time left, I was wondering if we could go round the class and see what forms of Patronus' we have. I find it rather fascinating to see the range of forms each year" Flitwick told them.
"Mr Black?" he asked
"A dog sir"
Flitwick nodded with a smile "Mr Pettigrew?"
"A rat"
"Mr Lupin?"
"A err… A wolf Sir"
"Mr Potter?"
"A Stag"
"Wow" Flitwick said, "I don't think I've ever had a student before with a Stag, very majestic animal indeed. Miss Evans?"
"A Doe" she watched as Professor Flitwick's face turned from impressed to knowing full, she wondered why but then like a light bulb thought she realised why, James' and her Patronus matched.
Flitwick coughed, noticing that Lily had worked it out, and then said "Miss McKinnon?" changing the subject for Lily's comfort.
Everything from the drowned out, she glanced around the class to see if anyone had noticed, but all seemed normal, nothing out of the ordinary.
"Lily? Lily!?"
She felt herself being shook "huh?" she asked looking up and seeing James stood before her
"You alright?" He asked
She blinked "I err, yeah, sorry was in a bit of a day dream"
He chuckled "even when you're awake you're sleeping"
She cracked a smile "Of course"
"You sure you're alright though?" he said seriously "You look a little pale"
She nodded "I'm fine" she said standing up
"100% sure?"
"99.9%" she smirked
He frowned his eye brows and grinned "I think we can deal with that" he said
As they walked along behind everyone else James said to her loud enough so that only she could hear "Do you reckon something's going on between Sirius and Marlene?"
"What do you mean?" she said. 'Oh no! Right keep calm you can do this for Marl's' she thought
"They just seem… I dunno, I just get the impression that something's going on… like as though they're together?"
Lily shrugged and looked to the floor "I dunno"
"Lily? Do you know something?"
"Huh?" she said trying to be innocent
"Look me in the eye" he said, and when she did he continued "Do you no something?"
"I'm going to the library" she said quickly turning away
He grabbed her wrist "Lily?" He said again "Do you know something?"
"I know nothing" she said quickly looking him in the eye
"Hmm" He frowned "I'll let you off for now"
She relaxed while she could
"So Jamsiepie another Christmas at Hogwarts?!" Sirius asked as he grinned widely.
"Another Christmas at Hogwarts boys" He grinned
"Yeh" Said Peter
"Sounds good" Remus smiled "Anyone else staying?"
"Me" Lily said
"Really?" Marlene said "Why?"
"I'm not invited to Christmas at the Dursleys, and my parents are going so I'd be home alone" she shrugged
Marlene hugged her "You can stay at mine again?" She asked
She shook her head "No its fine, anyway James was telling me the other day how good Christmas is here, thought I'd give it a try"
"You guys hear that?" Sirius smirked "We've stolen Lilyflower for Christmas"
"Stolen? Are you sure that's the right use of word?" she asked with a smile on her face
"Yup" Sirius said "So is anyone else going to stay?" He glanced around the rest of the group waiting for answers.
Mary shook her head "Sorry"
Alice and Frank shared looks and shook their heads before Frank spoke up "Alice is err, staying at mine"
"ALICE!?" Lily screamed "Why didn't you tell us? You're staying at your boyfriends for Christmas and you didn't feel the need to share?"
Alice smiled sheepishly "surprise?"
Marlene shook her head at both Alice and Frank "We are ashamed"
"What's the big deal?" Peter whispered to Remus "it's not as though it's even them"
Remus smiled "Basically Pete, girls like to know gossip, especially about their best mates and it's a pretty big deal when girls meet their boyfriend's parents"
"To right" Lily said overhearing
"So Marly, are you staying or going?" Sirius asked
Lily caught James sending a glance at her, almost a knowing full but yet questioning glance, she knew it was concerning their earlier conversation.
"I dunno, I will owl my parents later"
She noticed James' knowing full glow disappear after hearing Marlene's response, he'd hoped it'd give him some idea to whether she would stay for Sirius or something.
"You better do it soon" Remus told her" the train is in 2 days.
Marlene simply just shrugged "My parents are quick repliers"
"Well I'm going to go and put our names down on the list, I head it was outside Minnie's office" he said with a cheeky grin "Anyone want to come?"
"I'll come" Lily said "I don't want to have to put up with a miserable McGonagall at Christmas because you've ended up pranking her, besides it better that one of you three going" she said giving a pointed glare to the rest of the Marauders "You'll join in"
"How dare you excuse me or pranking Minnie! Why would I do such a thing?"
Remus snorted "Nice try there Pads of playing the innocent, but it's not going to work with us"
Sirius shrugged "Still coming Lilyflower?"
She nodded "Sure" she getting up
"So are you alright?" Sirius asked seriously
"Err, yeah?" she asked
"I mean with Christmas and all..."
"Oh right" She said "It's not surprising and all, of course Tuney didn't want me there, so neither did Vernon, so neither did his family. It's fine I wouldn't have wanted to go anyway" she told him
Sirius shook his head "Lilyflower" he said "you're talking to the pro expert of family issues here, as much as you don't want to go, you still want to recognised and invited" he said
She nodded "I know, but what's the point, I don't wanna be there, they don't want me to be there everybody's happy, right?"
"Wrong" he said
"Going to explain how that's wrong?"
"I think you need to work that out for yourself" he said
"Care to give some hints?" she said with a little smile knowing Sirius would give in, he loved giving advice, even if it wasn't relevant, or good advice.
"Well how did you feel when you first found out?"
"Rejected"
"How do you feel now?"
"Fine"
"Try again"
"I'm fine"
"Lilyflower, this won't work if you don't answer it truthfully"
"Rejected" she said
"Now even though you are coping with it and accepting it, it's still the same feeling"
She shrugged "Well what does that mean?"
"Merlin flower! I thought you were smart" he teased "We are human beings, we are self-involved, even if we don't think we are, so when this happens we are hurt, therefore not everybody is happy" he said
Lily nodded "And this information is useful because?"
"Because it makes you realise, truthfully what's most important, a little bit of revenge and the people who love you, and you said that everyone was happy, and you're not, you feel rejected" he said
Lily smiled "That was… insightful"
"You're not going to get it all the time flower" he said "I only know this because I've been through it"
"I know" she nodded, not wanting to come off sympathetic because she knew he'd hate it, she kinda did to, she just needed a hug and she'd move on. "You've just had it a million times worse"
He nodded "I guess I have" he said glumly "but hey, if you ever need to bitch about family, I am here"
"I'm here for you too" she smiled
"I might have to take you up on that one day flower" he said
When they arrived outside of McGonagall office, wrote the names down and began walking back Lily said "I know about you and Marls" she smiled.
"What how!?"
"I worked it out, and then I tricked Marlene into telling me" she said smugly
"Oh" he said simply "well I guess you had the biggest clue of all, knowing that me and Marl's kissed and arranging us a place to meet, thanks for that by the way"
Lily smiled "No problem, happy to be of assistance"
"That's it?" He said "You're not going to give me the best mate talk?"
Lily shook her head "You already know what will happen if you hurt her, so what's the point"
"Fair do's" he said. "Anyway change of subject, I noticed something earlier"
"Yeah?" she asked
"In charms…"
'Shit shit shit!' she thought. "Yeah?" she said again
"Yours and James' Patronus… they match?" he said "Yours is a doe, his is a stag"
Lily paled again "They match?" she said trying to be innocent
"I know you noticed, your reaction was what gave it away"
She cursed herself in her head "Oh" was all she said to him
Sirius chuckled "Don't worry I won't tell anyone"
"Thanks" She smiled blushing slightly
"But how about I let you work this one out on your own?" he grinned and opened the door to the common room without leaving Lily a chance to reply or defend herself, or let alone work out what Sirius meant.
"Chess again?" Lily asked later that evening in the heads common room
"Sure" James agreed "Do you mind if I go take a quick shower first?"
"That's fine" she told him
He flashed her a grin which made her stomach to crazy loops, and ran up his staircase.
Lily took a deep breath and climbed onto the windowsill seat in the common room, she grabbed one of the cushions and hugged it to her bending her knees upwards. Sirius' voice replayed over and over in her head "I'll let you work this one out on your own", 'he means James, my feelings for James, but we're just friends, so there are no feelings. It's no different to the last time I thought I had feelings for James, I didn't and I don't' She glanced out the stars, they had a calming effect on her they were they only thing that seemed totally normal and unchangeable. She took a deep breath in and whispered to herself "figure out if you like him or not tonight and go from there"
She heard footsteps on the stair case and she turned around to face him and he had a grin on his face again 'him grin+me=asdfghjkl' she thought hugging the pillow momentarily tight to her stomach before pulling it off her and getting up.
"Still on for chess?" he asked
"I don't know if I have enough mind power for today, but sure"
"We can do something else?" he offered.
"Like what?"
"You're the one with the games" he said
"Why don't you make up your own one, or pick one you already know?" she offered
James grinned "And we will defiantly play it?" he asked
"Sure, I promise" she said, unaware to what she was signing herself up for
"You're not going to go back on your promise?"
"I never break promises" she said
"Good"
"Good..." she said
"I have a drinking game" he said
"MERLIN" she screamed getting up and hitting his arm "I can't believe you made me promise!"
James grinned, and Lily's stomach flipped again, "To late Lil's"
She frowned "Fine, give me the rules" knowing that she was going to regret it
And so he did, they played till 4 am until they both we're giggling like silly young school girls huddled together on the sofa.
"Did 'ya really eat a woo-rm when you were 4?" James slurred
Lily nodded "But I hic was 4 hic"
James laughed "You're a weird one Evaaaannss" he going high and squeaky on the 'a's
She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder "You know" she said tiredly
"Whaaat!?" he loudly whispered
"I really like you Potter"
"I really like you too Evans"
"NO!" she moaned "I really hic doooo like you, I was hic thinking about it all night" she admitted "I think I have for a while"
"I've always liked you Evans" he said before falling asleep
Lily smiled and drifted off on his shoulder, not knowing that neither of them would have any sort of relocation of what happened past 1.
I have to admit that this did not go as planned, but it still had the Jily stuff and I think this was better so all's good, except for my last line… yeah sorry about that :3
Now I know it's early, 3 whole days early! But it's someone's Birthday today and I had a special request to post it for them on their Birthday, who could ignore that!? Thankfully (well for you guys) I've been off school I'll today and yesterday so, I had plenty of time to write this chapter.
Now as I posted today there will not be one on Friday meaning that there will be a longer delay between the chapters as I will post on the following Friday (20th) xx
Littlefish130- Hope the Jily action was good enough for you. AHHH still haven't read it BUT I WILL! xx
. - Were the Patronus' ok? I didn't want to overdo it? :3 xx
JilyLove- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope this was good enough for you :L Hope you've had a fantastic day and have had lots of lovely presents. I have to say when I read your review I was so touched, I really hope this chapter was good enough… it's certainly long… haven't done a long one in a while. Happy birthday! xx