Disclaimer: For you, JK Rowling, if you want it. Lol.

The Rivalry of James and Lily

Year 1 - Chapter 4

Chopped Flubberworms and Bubotuber Puss

After Potions, Professor Karkaroff had set up Lily and James's detentions for that night at 8 o'clock, in that very dungeon. So at 7:45, James and Lily grumpily made their way down to Professor Karkaroff's classroom without talking to each other. When they got there, however, the Professor was nowhere to be seen. They were just taking a seat when they heard a voice in the corridor.

"He's here you fool, Godric Gryffindor's descendant. I made this potion specifically so I would know when he came to Hogwarts. It turns scarlet when the descendant is present at the school. Do you see what color it is? Deep, bloody scarlet. We have to destroy him. I didn't pay over 1,000 galleons to visit the top 12 Seers to find out that I'm going to reach my downfall Gryffindor's stupid descendant. I'm going to kill this descendant before he can do anything to stop my uprising." The voice speaking was so chilling, it made the hairs on both the backs of Lily and James's neck stand on end.

"Of course, my lord. But look at the time, sir, I've got to assign a detention. Plus I think you're invisibility charm is starting to wear off, you seem to be reappearing in slight flashes," replied a voice who both Lily and James recognized as Karkaroff's.

"Very well, we will meet later."

As James and Lily were giving each other confused, yet scared looks, Karkaroff walked in.

"Ah... yes. James and Lily, you will be chopping these flubberworms into fourths," as he pointed to a basket bigger than Lily herself.

"Ugh..." mumbled Lily. She started to chop with James, and within a few minutes, the professor left.

It was well after midnight before either James or Lily said anything to each other.

"So what do you think that was all about?" questioned James, looking as though that was all he had been thinking about for the past four hours.

"You know, I really don't know. Maybe it was just part of the detention. He was probably trying to get us into more trouble. Seeing if we would follow the voice. Karkaroff sure seems to hate Gryffindors. Well actually everyone except the Slytherins..."she trailed off.

"But what if it wasn't? What if they're plotting a real murder? I wonder if Gryffindor's heir really is here. You know, if he is here, he may be a first year in our house! I mean it makes sense. There aren't any new professors, except for DADA, but he's too stupid to be a descendant of Godric Gryffindor. What if I'm Gryffindor's descendant? I mean, my father has never told me who my ancestors are."

"Now really, Potter, you don't need to make your overly large head any bigger. You already think all the girls are in love with you-"

"And may I remind you, they are," mumbled James with a smug smile.

"-Sorry to burst your bubble, but I know at least two girls who aren't falling all over you.'

"And who would that be? You and..." replied James.

"-Kate," Lily stated back.

"Really? Damn, she's really pretty, too. There's still Alex though," he added in an afterthought.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Hey, why doesn't she like me?" he asked.

"Oh, she likes you as a friend I guess," giggled Lily, seeing the shocked look on James's face. "She thinks your cocky, conceited, obnoxious, annoying-"

"Now your just describing how you feel about me," James replied.

"Yeah, well you get the picture," she smiled, smugly.

Karkaroff then walked in and ordered them back to their common rooms. He was actually rather surprised that they were still down there. I mean, no one ever stayed in detention past 10:00 if the professor wasn't there. First years...

The two walked back to their common room together, muttered the password, and marched up to their dormitory without saying goodnight.

*********

The next morning, James and Sirius made their way down to breakfast to find Lily and Kate already there, along with Lucius and Snape at the Slytherin table, deep in conversation. Puzzled by what they were doing, James narrowed his eyes at them, but quickly looked away when they looked up at him. Then he turned around to Sirius, who was now in a deep conversation with Kate and Lily.

"Great..." mumbled James. "Sirius is socializing with the two people who dislike me the most."

Because he had nothing better to do, and well, he was thirsty, he took a sip of his pumpkin juice, but immediately wished he hadn't. He spat it out, all over Lily, before realizing that the pumpkin juice had bubotuber pus in it. He felt great boils developing all over his face. And looked over at Lily, who had boils growing on her arms. She had tears in her eyes. Then they looked over at the Slytherins, who were in hysterics. Lily simply ran over to Lucius, showing him her arms.

"I thought you were playing a trick on James and Sirius! Not Me! Well, you know what? I warned Sirius in time to tell him to be awfully careful this morning, so your stupid trick didn't work on him!" she cried. "But, do you see my arm! It KILLS! Now put me back right this minute!"

"Um Lily, James... I think you better head to the hospital wing," Lily vaguely heard the headmaster say. She glared at Lucius Malfoy, who now looked like he was about to cry, and that stupid Snape who was laughing harder than anyone in the hall. She was going to get them back, maybe not soon, but when she got them, it would be good. Really good.

Spending the rest of the day with James in the hospital wing was worse than the pain of the bubotuber pus. He kept pestering her about why she didn't tell him about the Slytherin's joke. But, as his mouth was covered in boils, his words sounded more like troll grunts than anything else. And listening to a troll grunt wasn't much better than listening to James Potter. Finally his boils started to die down and he was able to talk.

"You still should've told me. Then you wouldn't be in here either," he stated in an annoyed tone.

"Potter, look at it logically, even if I did tell you the Slytherins were going to play a joke on you, you wouldn't have known what they were planning to do and you still would've drunk your pumpkin juice," she stated matter-of-factly.

"True. But hey, what Slytherin told you they were playing a joke on Sirius and me? I mean you're a Gryffindor. They had to figure you'd tell someone."

"Oh, it was just Lucius Malfoy," she mumbled, not wanting to discuss the conversation she had with him.

"And why would he tell this to you?" asked James, catching on that Lily wasn't telling him something.

"What's it to you Potter? Jealous that I've got an admirer that you don't?" she replied through gritted teeth.

"Jealous that a Slytherin admires you! NO WAY! Wait, he admires you?" he began to laugh.

"Oh just shut up, Potter."