The Odd Couple:
Chapter Six: What Happened in Dumbledore's Office
Disclaimer: I own
the plot, nothing else.
A/N: Thanks for
everyone who voted! Odd Couple will make more appearances, but I'll still
continue Harry's Fifth Year. I have a bit of writer's block with that, so
please write suggestions! Thanks a lot and I'm sorry I confused people with the
quotations! Here it comes!
"PADFOOT!!!!" James roared across the Great
Hall. Heads turned, as they always did with James and his friends around.
Sirius came running over. "What's wrong, Jamsie boy? Girlfriend break up with
you?" The Hall roared with laughter, as it always did when Sirius made a stupid
joke. The grin spreading across his face was disgusting. "We're expected in
Dumbledore's office."
Over the six years that James and Sirius had
played pranks, they had never done anything too serious to be sent to
Dumbledore's office. Normally after their pranks, Dumbledore would try not to
laugh at some of his students covered in whatever substance Sirius had found.
But this must have been serious. Either he knew or, well, James didn't want to
think about that.
They met Professor McGonagall outside her
office and she lead them to an area not even James had sneaked off to.
"Honeydukes." She said, and a gargoyle leapt aside, and she led them up the
stairs to a circulatory room. Dumbledore was trying to put a New Year's bauble
on a phoenix and obviously it wasn't too pleased.
"You may leave, Minerva. And please inform
the house elves to send some water up for Fawkes." He said gravely. "Sit, Mr.
Potter, Mr. Black." They sat.
"Now I understand that Miss Evans is having
a bit of a problem, involving some rumor that you two began." James silently
sighed with relief. It was just that. Dumbledore had no idea about the Animagi
or anything. Just the silly rumor.
"First off, Mr. Black, you will squash the
rumors, immediately." Sirius gave a salute. "You may leave, Mr. Black. I need
to talk to Mr. Potter alone."
"James, how long have I known you?"
Dumbledore's playful eyes were suddenly dead serious when he asked that
question. "Almost my whole life, sir." James responded, squirming in his seat.
"And I know basically who is on and off your list who to play pranks on and who
to spread rumors about. But I think that you should cross Miss Evans off that
list immediately. She will be someone special to you, James. And rumors and
pranks aren't the ways to get her. I also know you go through a girlfriend a
week." At this, James blushed scarlet, and tried to stutter "Well, maybe not a
week, a month maybe, but.." "That is not the point. You have to apologize to
Lily and tell her you love her." "Love her???" James asked, suddenly not being
nervous, but anxious.
"Whether you know it or not James, you
love Lily and you need to tell and prove it to her before she slips through
your fingers. She too, can have any person she chooses. Let's just hope it's
you."
"James, you are dismissed. I'm sure Mr.
Black is spreading some rumor about Bertha Jorkins and Severus Snape at the
moment. You may go to your Tower. I don't think you want to think about Lily in
your Divination class. Here, I'll write you a note." Dumbledore scribbled
something on a piece of parchment and handed it to James. James took it with a
shaking hand, and said only two words.
"Thank you."
Instead of heading for Gryffindor Tower,
however, James walked toward the Great Lake. On the bank, he stared across the
grounds, thinking with a misty look in his eyes. Come to think of it, Lily was
special, and it didn't take a genius to figure it out. He loved her laugh, he
loved her smile, he loved her when she was snapping at Sirius, when she was
dancing at the Yule Ball, even if it was with Remus instead of him. He loved
the way she always looked like she knew something about him and she might tell.
He loved everything about her.. Everything.
A booming voice interrupted his thoughts.
"POTTER!" Someone screeched.
"Professor McGonagall, I have a note from Dumbledore,
it's alright..." James said absentmindedly, not looking up.
"Potter, if I was McGonagall, I wouldn't be
out here, would I? She has a Transfiguration lesson with the
Slytherins." Said an oddly familiar voice.
"Lily!" James got up and spun around, and
pulled her close to him, gently holding her head in his chest. "Lily, I'm so
sorry, I should have stopped those stupid rumors about you that Padfoot
started." He kissed her shining hair. "And Dumbledore is right. You're not
someone I want to lose. Come with me." He pushed her off his chest and grabbed
her wrist.
Minutes later, they were in front of the
Common Room fire.
"Lily, only one thing in this world matters
so much that it made me think about everything I've ever done. Everything, from
when I used my dad's wand to poke slugs with Sirius, to when I got my first
kiss, to last year's Yule Ball, to this past weekend. Lily, you mean the world
to me, and I'm not going to let you go as easily as I had with the others. You
are my everything. I love you."
"AWWWWWWW!"
James Potter didn't realize that the entire
Gryffindor house, including Professor McGonagall, was behind the sofa he had
been sitting on with Lily.
"Well?" Sirius asked impatiently. "Aren't
you going to kiss her?"
He did. For a long time.
"I love this feeling." Lily thought. "His
arms wrapped around my waist, my arms around his neck, his lips touching mine,
oh the humanity! The entire house is out here. Oh well, as long as I have my
Prongs."
The guys were cat-calling. Bertha Jorkins
asked "Aren't you coming up for air???"
Slowly, the two pulled apart. Professor
McGonagall was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "Potter, Evans, this was
the most unlikely thing that has ever happened. I, I, I just, I just don't
believe it!" Bertha had to pat her shoulder comfortingly.
Out of nowhere, Sirius had a Gryffindor
banner draped across them. Remus had used his wand to conjure a paste crown and
a paste tiara with Gryffindor Lions on them. Bertha ceremoniously crowned them.
And Peter announced them... (Drumroll please!)
The Odd Couple.