N/A: Hi, everyone! Sorry about the delay! Writer's block! Hopefully you won't hate me... Anyway, I'm assuming y'all liked the previous chapter? Liked the poem? Anyway! I hope you enjoy this one, which is supposed to be less sentimental... Well, you'll see... Go on, now...
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#38 – Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here
Tuesday – 11.35 am – Defense Against the Dark Arts
It was raining outside. All the seventh year students were with their heads buried in books trying to get some last-minute information before the doors of the Great Hall opened in five minutes for their Defense Agains the Dark Arts theory exam.
'I'm going to fail. I'm going to fail. I am so going to fail...' whined Hestia, sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, holding her head with both hands. Mary sat next to her, gently rubbing her back and whispering in a reassuring voice.
'No, you won't. We're all prepared, Hest. You'll do fine.' She said. Hestia still shook her head.
Lily was sitting across from them and had her nervous pre-exam trembling, as usual.
'Where are the guys? They're going to be late!' she said, looking around. Then, James, Sirius, Remus and a very nervous-looking Peter appeared from the corner of the corridor. They walked to them.
'Hello.' Said Sirius, smiling nonchalantly.
'Why are you so calm?' asked Emmeline, not looking away from her textbook.
'Because we are more than ready.' He answered matter-of-facly.
'It'll be awesome.' Added James, smiling at the girls.
'Pete, are you alright?' asked Remus, who was looking at Peter with an eyebrow raised. Peter shook his head and ran off. The other three smiled.
'Typical Wormy.' Sirius laughed.
'What?' asked Mary, clearly not finding the situation any funny.
'Peter always gets the jitters before exams. Unfortunately, his come with projectile vomiting, therefore he ran off to the bathroom.' Explained James. 'And when I say projectile, I mean volcano-style, you know?'
'Really? What's with the imagery? We didn't need to know that!' complained Lily, who was now at stage two of pre-exam nervousness: nail-biting.
'Sorry, dove.' He kissed her forehead. 'Are you nervous? You're brilliant!'
'I'm always nervous before exams, you know that!' she whined.
Little Professor Flitwick appeared at the great doors of the Great Hall with a big smile on his face.
'Come on in, everyone! Let us commence the examination!' he said in his high-pitched voice. The cattle of seventh year students moved slowly and hesitantly. Lily held James' hand and gave it a squeeze before letting go and making her way to the 'E's. The tiny professor stood before them as they all sat down and picked up their quills. He cleared his throat and started to say the rules.
'Do not cheat, it will cost you your N.E..' he said. 'No talking, no chewing, no drinking. If you finish before the time is up, hold on to your exam and do not leave the room. You must put your quills down when I say so. Good luck now.' He smiled and motioned his wand. Rolls of parchment flew all across the room and landed one on each of the desks. The first Nearly Excrutiating Wizarding Level exam had begun.
...
'Do they not want people to fail this exam?' asked Sirius as the Marauders made their way to their usual tree on the lake. James snorted.
'It wasn't that easy, Padfoot.' He said.
'Easy? It was so difficult!' exclaimed Peter. Remus patted his back.
'That bad?' asked Remus. The mousy boy nodded. 'I personally liked it. At least there weren't any ridiculous werewolf questions this time.'
The four of them began to laugh and the girls approached them.
'What are you laughing at? We almost died there!' said Hestia, sitting down grumpily.
'Nothing important.' Said James, holding his hand up for Lily to sit next to him. She did and kissed him on the cheek. 'How did you find it?'
'I don't wanna brag, but it was really easy...' she smiled smugly. Sirius put his hand up.
'High five, Evans!' he said and they high-fived. 'Told you it was easy! Prongs, don't tell me it wasn't a piece of cake!'
'It wasn't hard... But it wasn't Transfiguration...'
'We'll see on Thursday.' Emmeline raised an eyebrow. 'You'll lose that smug look!'
Mary snorted. 'Have you just met James?'
They all laughed.
'When is the practical?' asked Peter. Remus looked at his watch.
'Forty five minutes.' He answered. 'Hopefully it won't be hard.'
'It'll be easy. The hard part is the writing... We're awesome at practical!' said Sirius. Hestia rolled her eyes.
'Stuck up.' She said.
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Tuesday – 4.00 pm
Lily was last. Her practical had lasted twenty minutes and she was exhausted. She thought about going to the Gryffindor Common Room to meet her friends, but she decided to study for Herbology instead.
She said the password for the Heads Dorm and entered, finding it empty. Lily sighed and went to her bedroom.
'Silence.' She whispered in relief. 'Wanna study some plants, Serg?' she asked the cat, who was licking his right paw, completely oblivious to her presence. The redhead smiled and started to study.
An hour must have passed when there was a knock on her door.
'Come in.' She said absentmindedly, eyes glued on the pages of the book.
'Hey, Lils? Stop reading.' James entered her bedroom and sat on her bed. 'Lils!'
'Sorry. I'm just revising...' she said, but put the book down. 'I hate Herbology.' James snorted.
'Who doesn't?' he smiled. 'How did you practical go?'
'Alright... Yours?'
'Same... I'm very tired, though...' he said. Lily chuckled and sat next to him.
'Where were you?' she asked.
'Kitchens...' he yawned. 'It's early, but I'm so sleepy, so I decided to eat something and then go to sleep.'
'Ok... Are you going to sleep now?' she asked. He leaned closer and kissed her. 'No, then?'
He chuckled and nodded. 'Nope.'
Lily giggled. 'Good..' she said in a low, husky voice, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back.
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Thursday – 10.00 am – Transfiguration
'Quiz me!' asked Emmline as soon as Lily and James approached the group in front of the Transfiguration exam room. She pointed her finger at James. 'Quiz me now, Potter!'
James yawned and shook his head. 'Thanks, but no, thanks. I'm revising.' He said.
'You're not revising...' said Mary, crooking an eyebrow.
'He's doing the inside the brain revising thing. Like I do with DADA...' Remus answered her, still reading his textbook with a frown.
James leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, muttering random words under his breath. Lily got next to Emmeline.
'I'll do it.'
'Thanks!'
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Two hours later...
'Put down your quills!' said Professor Flitwick. 'Why is it always you, Stebbins! Quill down!' he motioned his wand and hundreds of rolls of parchments flew in his direction, knocking him down. Again. Lily chuckled, picked up her exam paper and left, meeting her friends at the door.
'So?' she asked.
'Don't ask.' Said Hestia, walking away. 'Lunch!'
'Not so good then...' murmured Lily. 'James!' she waved and James approached them, followed by Sirius and Remus. All three, smiling widely.
James waved a piece of parchment in front of Lily's face.
'What is this?' she asked.
'THE ANSWERS?' asked Hestia, fearfully.
'No, not the answers... Something I found on my bag this morning.' He handed it to Lily, who opened it. It was a scribbled drawing of a snitch with her initials in it.
'What?'
'I did this after the DADA O.W.L.' he explained. 'Was bored.'
'So you drew her name? How adorable!' said Emmeline, patting him on the back.
'Yuck.' Sirius pretended to vomit.
'I have to go now.' James said, kissing Lily. 'Library. Potions. Bye!'
He ran dragging Sirius and Remus behind him.
'RAPE! RAPE!' yelled Sirius and the other two laughed.
'Those boys...' Hestia shook her head.
'Let's go, Lily. You're teaching us Potions!' said Mary and the girls left for the Gryffindor Tower.
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Friday – 5.00 pm – Potions
The exam had just finished and there was a gloom atmosphere in the air. The seventh year Gryffindors were sitting around the coffee table on the Common Room, staring at nowhere.
'So. Difficult.' Moaned Remus. 'I don't... know... if... aaaah...'
'I know! I knwo exactly what you're feeling!' Emmeline nodded, hugging her pillow. 'I hate Slughorn so much right now.'
James was sitting next to Lily and noticed she was a little stiff.
'Are you ok?' he asked, put her hand in his.
She nodded. 'I don't want to say anything...' she whispered.
'What are you lovebugs whispering about?' asked Hestia.
'I don't know...' admitted James, smiling. 'Lily?'
She sighed and straightened up. 'I thought it was pretty easy.'
'I hate you!' laughed Mary, throwing a pillow at her friend. 'So much!'
'How well did you do?' asked Remus. 'I mean, how easy was it?'
'I dunno. It was just like the past papers and all that... I just did everything...' she shrugged.
'Lils is very smart.' Stated James matter-of-factly. 'Plus she's the best Potions student in this school.'
'You flatter me, Potter.' She shoved him slightly.
'It's not flattery, dove, just the truth.'
'Get a room!' exclaimed Hestia.
'You disgust me!' bellowed Sirius at the same time.
James tackled Sirius and they started to wrestle. Remus rolled his eyes and stood up. 'We have to study Runes.' He said. The boys stopped wrestling and frowned.
'Why?' whined Sirius. 'I don't wannaaa..'
'Because we have to!' Remus crossed his arms. 'Come on! Library!'
James kissed Lily and the three boys left. The girls exchanged looks and began to laugh.
'How old are they?' asked Hestia. 'Wrestling?'
Lily smiled and lay back on the sofa, stretching her legs and sighing.
'I'm so tired!' she said. 'This week was so long... And we have one more.'
'I know.' Moaned Emmeline, who was lying on the floor.
'Guys?'
The girls turned to look at Hestia.
'Ok?' asked Mary.
'Yeah... I just... I'm starting to get nostalgic.' She said.
'Why?'
'Because after these exams, it's over. These are our last exams at Hogwarts! After this is graduation, work, life... It just seems so unreal.'
'I know.' Said Emmeline, sitting down. 'Ministry...' she whispered.
'Lily?'
'What?'
'After graduation? Any plans?'
Lily smiled. 'James.' She said.
'What do you mean? You're going to fuck his brains out?' asked Hestia smirking.
'Gross. You love to ruin a moment, don't you?' said Mary. Emmeline laughed.
'No, not that, Hestia... I mean, us, together. You know?'
'You think he's gonna... propose or something?'
Lily snorted. 'Eventually, yeah... He's got this black notebook with wedding plans... I think the notes are from when he was 13 or something, because of the handwriting... But still!'
'Adorable! You know, he gives you a necklace and I'm like "couldn't be any cuter", then he asks you out with a cat! I mean, that guy just gets more and more adorably cute and perfect every day!' said Emmeline. 'Seriously!'
Lily giggled. 'Yep. That's my boyfriend.' She smiled. 'That's my amazing, beautiful, incredible boyfriend.'
'And we are not at all dying of envy...' sang Hestia, sarcastically.
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Monday – 1.45 pm – Ancient Runes
Lily and Mary were at the library studying for their last exams while Emmeline and Hestia slept, and the boys had their Runes exam. Lily was nervus for James because he definitely wasn't. It had started about an hour before, so it was probably almost done. Mary put head up and touched Lily on the arm.
'Should we go to the Lake?' she asked. Lily nodded, so they collected their stuff and went to their meeting point under the tree on the Lake.
'I wish I could see the Giant Squid at least once before we left school...' commented Lily. Mary raised her eyebrow.
'I thought you went on a date with it all the time...' mocked Mary, then she received a shove and laughed. 'Kidding, geez... Anyway, why the sudden comment?'
Lily shrugged. 'I dunno. Suppose is that whole nostalgia thing...'
'Oh, yeah... I still can't believe we're out of here in three weeks.'
Lily chuckled and nodded. 'Yep. Are you moving in with your Dad or getting a flat?'
'I'm thinking of staying at Dad's until I get a proper pay, you know? Then I'll think about a flat... You're staying at the Potters, right?'
'Yes... Do you think it'll be weird? Like, living in your boyfriend's Dad's house?'
'Nah, it's James... Besides, Sirius will be there.' Mary shrugged. 'And you';; be so busy with Auror training that there'll be no time to worry about awkwardness.'
'I suppose you're right...' Lily muttered. However, there had been something in her mind the past few days. She had been so worried about James in the Order that she considered joining as well. And it would be more helpful than training in a safe environment. Besides, Lily wanted to protect her sister. She knew Petunia hated her, but the thought of Voldemort killing her was more than she could bear. Lily scratched her neck and sat under the tree.
'Look, right on time!' Mary exclaimed, pointing at the students leaving the Runes exam. The three Marauders walked over to them, heads down, all of them reading a piece of parchment in Remus' hand. 'Well, that's not good.' She whispered to Lily.
They approached them and sat without saying a word, just reading. A few minutes later, Sirius put his head up and frowned.
'I failed this. I know I failed this.' He said.
'No, you didn't... Probably an E.' Said Remus, receiving a smack on the head in response.
'It was so damn hard!' whined Sirius, lying back on the grass. James nodded and did the same.
'I'm pretty sure I messed up a few translations... I mean, they were so weird!' he said. Lily took his hand.
'I'm sure you did well. All of you. You're brilliant. Seriously.'
'Siriusly?' asked Sirius with a smirk. Remus rolled his eyes and James bagn to laugh.
'Almost a year without that coming up.' Remus said.
'You owe me three galleons.' Said James, stretching an open hand out to Remus, who got the money from his pocket and paid.
'What did you bet on?' asked Mary.
'If Sirius could go a full year without making a Sirius/serious pun. I, being the eternal idiot that I am, truste that he could. James, however, did not.'
'Damn right! And now I'm a little richer...'
'Boys...' muttered the girls.
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'Potter!' James heard Professor McGonagall calling him as he walked back to the Heads Dorm. He turned around and smiled at her.
'Hi, Minnie. What's up?'
'I need to speak to you about the upcoming Quidditch final.' She said.
'Oh, right... Sunday! Are you nervous, Minnie?'
'Of course I am! You seem too nonchalant for my taste, Potter.' She commented sternly. James thought it was weird how this woman could seem to harmless and so harmful at the same time. Lily was like that too. Very weird.
'Minnie, we practiced the whole week before the exams. Two hours a day. And we'll do extra practices on Friday and Saturday, don't worry. Besides, I am definitely not going to lose my last Quidditch cup.' He grinned.
'Good. Good. If you win this, Potter, you get a medal. You, as Captain and lead Chaser, I mean.'
James' eyes widened. 'Really?'
'Oh yeah. It goes in the trophy room. And you get to keep one as well.'
'Awesome!' James jumped up and hugged the professor.
'What are you doing?'
'Good luck?' he suggested, smiling. 'I have to go now... Have some studying to do... And some tactics to prepare. Bye, Minnie!' he waved and left running to his dorm.
When he walked in, he found Lily sleeping on the sofa.
'Lils, wake up! I have to tell you something!'
She opened her eyes slowly.
'Wha-?' she asked groggily. 'Are you ok?'
'Yeah! Yeah! Minnie came to talk to me about Quidditch a few minutes ago and, guess what!'
'What?'
'If I win this final, I get a medal!'
She smiled broadly and he hugged her.
'That's wonderful, honey! You better kick som Slytherin arse, then!'
'That's my plan, Lilykins...'
Lily giggled and looked at her watch. 'Well, Mr Evans, I better go to bed... Are still going to study tonight?'
'Yeah... Last minute stuff.'
'Ok. Goodnight, honey. Love you.' She said, leaving.
'Love you too!' he yelled after her. James then took off his shoes and lay on the sofa, thinking about Quidditch. He was definitely going to miss it. Miss being able to play everyday, being a leader, winning. James sighed. 'I can't believe it's almost over...' he whispered and slowly, James began to fall asleep.
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N/A: SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY! I really was hoping to get it done by tomorrow, but some stuff happened... Anyway! Sorry. But new one on the weekend. No specific day, though... ^^ Anyway, yeah... Hm, hope you liked this chapter, it was a bit simple, just day-to-day life and some banter. Some Limes cuteness... Some joky moments... Yep. Alright. Comment, review, ask questions, send cake recipes, anything you want... Just click on this thing bellow this text VVV the review thingie... I will see you later! Til then, Marauder-on!