Did you read the first part of this fic? Did you? Okay then, here's the second part for you. Oh, and I made a mistake in the first one, McGonagall muttered something about prefects, but as Lily's in her third and James is in his fifth year, it is not likely that Lily's a prefect. I'll fix it as soon as possible (can't reach the site, server's busy or something like that), but for the moment, just forget about McGonagall, k?
- Saraléa
P.S. McGonagall mutters now something about troublemakers.
Nail a pudding on the wall!
Part 2
"Do you know the best thing about it?"
Hardly could Lily tear herself away from the sight of the Slytherins who were seething with rage, but unusually quiet – obviously, even the last person had realised till now that lecturing someone had not really the desired result when it was done in return.
"It's Hogsmeade-weekend, and I don't think that many Slytherins feel like honour the city with their presence today. We'll have a wonderful and undisturbed time there."
Jessie sighed happily and gave Sarah, who had jumped up with sudden enthusiasm, a slightly confused look.
"Sa, how can you be so wide awake? We have slept just under three hours and you are full of energy!"
"Let's go! My brother told me about some new things that are sold in Zonko's. Some pie which will give everyone who'll eat it a new hair colour, and it can't be washed out. Only the grow-again hair will have the normal colour. I always thought that pink would suit Mrs Norris..."
Not only her, but also the faces of the five others wore a dreamy expression now. Mrs Norris, the cat of the caretaker, was with the students about as popular as a bad 'flu. A good show, considering the fact that she assisted Filch just since the start of this school year. But even in this short time, the students had learned to take to their heels whenever Ms Norris was in sight. If not, Filch would be standing there in less than a second, and if anything was not as perfect as he wanted it to be, he would make the sinner happy in telling him stories about the way he was allowed to punish students some time ago.
***
And so, in no time at all, James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Sarah and Jessie started for Hogsmeade. (Peter was in the hospital wing for some reason that – let's face it – doesn't interest us, right?) The whole morning, Remus had watched James' efforts in talking to Lily with amusement, and although he didn't like James' attitude towards girls, he couldn't stand his friend's terrible mood any longer, and so he suggested to send Lily and James to Honeydukes for replenish the common provisions of sweets, meanwhile the rest would go to Zonko's Joke Shop for buying the necessary utensils for the next few weeks. Lily, who loved Zonko's, wasn't happy about her going to Honeydukes, but she finally agreed, and the six friends arranged to meet in the Three Broomsticks after the work was done.
***
She won't refuse. She won't refuse. She won't refuse. Why should she?
James was mad with himself. The whole morning, he had tried to talk to Lily, and now, when he had the chance, he behaved as if his teeth were stick together with Dr. Hecklar's once-together-never-apart glue. He could be proud of himself today! Did he really look pitiful enough, that Remus, who usually couldn't stand the way James treated girls, took pity on him? How encouraging, now he needed even the help of his friends to make Lily go to the Ball with him. Usually, James didn't suffer from lack of self-confidence (A/N: that can't be right, I know it! But I can't think of anything else. Any suggestions?), but to tell the truth, it got him that Lily didn't accept his invitation at once. After all, she was only in her third year at Hogwarts, so she needed to be invited to the Ball by someone who was at least in his fourth year to be allowed to go, so actually, she should have been glad about his question. And besides, she, her two friends, Sirius, Remus and he had been inseparable for ages (since the first – and not last – detention they spent together, to be exact). So why did she not accept his invitation instantly? Every other girl instead of her would have done it!
Furious, he kicked at an empty box of Chocolate Frogs, when Lily's voice got his mind to other things.
"Er, James, are you all right? You look odd..."
Annoyed with himself, he felt the urge to slap his face, but smiled at Lily. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine. I was just... uh, thinking. What... How we could get Snape expelled, you know."
She grinned. "Oh, and I thought it was something serious!"
James winked. "How can you dare to say a thing like that? This is serious. Just imagine the relief: He would no longer be able to spoil our appetite even early in the morning by simply looking at him. I mean, maybe a character elixir would be enough, but you know that Potions is my worst subject... Besides, we would need to find a spell to shrink his unbelievable long nose to an tolerable extend, and I really don't know how we could make him wash his hair."
When Lily laughed out loud, James breathed again, but not before asking his brain secretly where it had been for this long time and why it had to take this of all moments to have a nap.
"So... Lily, have you thought it over?"
He looked hopefully in her bright green eyes and noticed the surprised expression. Obviously, she didn't know what he was talking about for a second or two.
"Wha- Oh yes, the Ball! Er... Yeah, I think I'll go with you. Or have you found a substitute meanwhile?"
At the sight of her arch smile, he couldn't but agree with Sirius: He was right, she was the prettiest girl in the school. "A substitute? For you?
'One fairer love than my love? The all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.'"
For an instant, Lily stood just there and looked at him in surprise, then clapped her hands and grinned.
"So you really have been reading Shakespeare, eh? And I thought the only books you read of your own free will deal with Quidditch or help you embarrass poor, innocent fellow beings."
"Oh, now and then, Shakespeare's really helpful, you know... And you call Snape poor and innocent?"
"Good point" she agreed when he opened the door of Honeydukes for her.
***
When Lily and James entered the Three Broomsticks half an hour later, the others weren't back from Zonko's yet, and so the two took a seat at a table near the windows for having a good sight at the passing witches and wizards.
Lily loved to sit in the Three Broomsticks and to watch the present persons. Although, after three years at Hogwarts, she should be used to the wizard world, there were still many customers that fascinated her, mainly old people that weren't used the muggle world in the least and made wild speculations about how the muggles succeeded in surviving without magic. Sometimes, she had a hard fight to keep her face straight. But she knew that she wouldn't be able to watch anyone with James: not only because he was familiar with nearly every single person – above all every single girl - in this room (for Lily, it was the first year she was allowed to visit Hogsmeade, so she didn't know much people here yet), but also because James was one of those persons who always knew something to talk about, even if he was unusually quiet today and only waved at his acquaintances, before he ordered two butterbears and followed Lily to their table.
As the landlady brought them their drinks a few minutes later and heard James questioning Lily about the backwards-talking spell, she darted him a surprised look. "Hey, James, that's completely new for me! You have such a beautiful companion and instead of kissing her, you are just talking?"
James grinned. "Hello Annabelle! – It's not that I wouldn't want to kiss her" he glanced at Lily, who blushed slightly, "but as I'm not sure if she agrees, I confine myself to speak."
Lily was a bit embarrassed, but when James introduced the landlady and Annabelle sat down at their table, this feeling dissapeared quickly. Annabelle was a petite woman in her mid-thirties with lively, sparkling eyes who entertained the two gladly with stories of some strange customers after James had asked her to. But she had to look after new orders a few minutes later, and so she left Lily and James sitting on their table.
"Know what: I was serious about it. I would like to kiss you."
James' soft voice roused Lily from her thoughts and she was very well aware of these dark eyes watching her. She brushed a strand of hair that fell into her eyes behind her ear and smiled wryly, but avoided his look. "I guess you would like to kiss just about every girl, eh, James?"
He laughed quietly. "So you assume that I'd kiss – er, let's say – Kendall Argwen? You know, this girl from Slytherin, a friend of Lucius Malfoy."
She gave him a searching glance. "Uh, I don't know. Would you?"
"Nope. I've got some pride, too."
In this very moment, the door opened, and – much to her relief - Sarah, Jessie, Remus and Sirius entered the lounge, a bit out of breath but to all appearances contented with the result of their visit to Zonko's. At the sight of his grinning friend and a rather nervous looking Lily, Sirius crossed the room and dropped into the next chair, while the others ordered their drinks.
"How I hate to break this up! Did you have a good time?"
Sarah sat down next too him, looking excited. "Let's go back to the castle soon, Mrs Norris might be hungry."
*****
Sirius: That's it? All I say is 'How I hate to break this up, did you have a good time?'
Remus: Don't complain, remember, in the last part she only wrote my name.
Saraléa: But in this part, I wrote about you several times, didn't I?
Remus: Well, it was okay, but sometimes I wished you wouldn't always write about James here, Lily there....
James: You're just jealous, old pal. And if you missed it: This is a story about Lily and me!
Lily: Yeah, but we aren't together yet!
Saraléa: Lily, the moment you are really and finally together, this story's over!
James: Then let's bring it to an end as soon as possible!
***
Do you think James is right and you want the story to end as soon as possible? Or do you want a third part, a fourth part, a fifth part,... Leave me a review, please!
Oh, and I won't tell you the reason for this title yet. But maybe you know it already (I can't imagine it, but who knows?)? Then send me an owl. If you haven't the faintest idea, send me an owl anyway and I'll give you a hint. *g*
Oh, and once again: Pleeeaase tell me my mistakes. I learn English only in school, and how can I improve my marks, if I don't know what I've done wrong? ;-)
Disclaimer: I hate this. I know that I don't own most of the characters I wrote about. You know that I don't own most oft the characters I wrote about. So why do I have to mention it? It just makes me sad. - Be that as it may: Congratulation, J. K. Rowing, for your unbelievable talent to create characters like Sirius Black. ( In the next part, I will write Remus' name here, so there's no reason for him to complain.)
Christa Crabbe: What is your favourite? I want to read it!
Saraléa