"Miss Evans, can you tell me what kind of root we need to make a complex love potion?" Lily jumped as Professor Jordan, the new Potions teacher, slammed the tip of his wand onto Lily's desk.
"Ummmm….mandrake?" Lily asked her, blinking tiredly. Even though she'd slept well all night, she felt exhausted.
"Wrong Miss. Evans. Had you been listening, you would have heard me say that Boro-root is used in the most complex love potions. You also would have heard me say to put your assignement s on the corner of your desk. Since you were not listening to anything I said, I will take 10 points from Gryffindor, and you will get a zero on your homework."
"Fine." Lily yawned, not meaning to sound disrespectful.
"Are you being cheeky?" Professor Jordan demanded.
"No Sir."
"5 points more from Gryffindor."
"What? Why?" Lily asked him angrily.
"5 More points. Miss Evans, if you keep up, you will loose the house cup for the Gryffindors." Lily sighed loudly, and didn't say anything.
"Go see Professor Dumbledore Miss. Evans. I will not have a little snippet of a girl making fun of me!" The Professor yelled. Lily stood up.
"Alright. I am leaving then. See you later Professor Jordan" she snapped, her tiredness getting the better of her. She scooped up her backpack and books, and stalked out of the room. As she crashed into another student who had been running in the halls, her snarled "Watch it" Could be heard by the class.
Lily stood in front of Dumbledore's office. Not knowing the password, she sat down to wait for Professor Dumbledore to arrive. Lily found herself humming the song from her dream, because it was stuck in her head. It had, in fact, been quite a favorite of hers up until that morning. She also felt herself yawning. (A/N first and last time I use that word, now I can't stop doing it)
"I am going to fall asleep if I stay here much longer." Lily mumbled to herself. "And I am hungry. I wonder if I have an chocolate frogs left?" But Lily didn't have time to check as the gargoyle she had been leaning against moved out of her way, and she found herself sprawled on her back at the foot of some stairs.
"The password is: I wonder if I have any chocolate frogs left?" she demanded of nobody in particular "What kind of password is that? It's bad if you ask me! Anyone could just be walking by and say it, and then they'd have access to this office!" The door slid close and Lily panicked for a brief moment, before lighting her wand with a simple "Lumos." She began to climb the stairs, until, as she reached the top, she heard voices.
"…..full moon. And I don't want to fail the Charms test the next day, but how am I supposed to study, Professor?"
"Well, Remus, I think you should explain to Professor Flitwick. All of the teachers know about your situation, and perhaps you could take the fire charm final early?"
Lily, who never ever listened on conversations that didn't directly concern her, knocked loudly on the door. The conversation inside stopped abruptly, and she heard a chair scrape the floor. The next minute, Professor Dumbledore appeared at the door.
"Miss. Evans, a pleasure as always. Why are you here?" he asked, ushering her inside.
"I was being cheeky in Potions." Lily confessed, hanging her head.
"Oh, I see."
"I also overheard your conversation, Professor." Lily said, feeling guilty, but wanting to make up for it "And I could help Remus with his Charms if he wants to take the test early."
Remus smiled at his friend, even if he was rather nervous that she had heard more than she was letting on. He'd never seen her so abashed as she was at that moment.
"I am sure Mr. Lupin will agree to your helping him, Miss. Evans. Now you two, go to the dining hall, classes will be over in about 10 minutes, and lunch will begin. Nothing like double Potions with the Slytherins to work up an appetite, hmmm?" he said, pushing them out of the door before Lily could even ask about detention.
"Why are you so worried about failing the test after the full moon?" Lily asked Remus as they walked past the gargoyle (whom Lily shot several glares at)
"No reason really…Lily, can you not ask why?" Remus said, looking at his seemingly very interesting hands.
"Well, yes, I could do that. I was only worried, is all. But I won't ask, not unless you want to tell me." Lily said, feeling slightly hurt.
"I want to tell you." Remus stopped walking, and turned to look at Lily "I just don't know if you'd like me at all when I do tell you."
"Why wouldn't I? Remus, honestly, I'd still be your friend if you were a Vampire." Lily raised an eyebrow "Coincidentally, your not, are you?" Remus laughed dryly
"Not quite…I am a werewolf, Lily." Lily opened her mouth and closed it. Then she looked at Remus quite hard. He squirmed under her gaze, scared of what was coming next. But his friend just threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
"Remus! Wow! I am sorry that you were scared to tell me that! Honestly, I know it seemed like I was shocked, well, I was. It is rather shocking news. But you're my friend, one of my closest. You're the only one who knows how I feel about James, and I wouldn't hate you just because of who you are!" Lily explained in a whisper. Remus relaxed, and returned the hug.
"Come on Moony, dinner time." Lily smiled and winked at him, having figured out the nickname she sometimes heard James, Sirius and Peter use.
That night Lily borrowed James' invisibility cloak from Sirius, who had been using it to go down to the kitchens, and went to visit Ann. She knew the password, because when she proposed visiting her friend some nights, Ann had told her. The Ravenclaw common room was almost deserted, and Lily choked back a snort of laughter. Obviously the Ravenclaws believed in lots of sleep. No wonder they managed to stay awake in History of Magic. Ann was sitting at one of the tables, copying notes. She had told Lily that none of her dorm mates really seemed to like her. Maybe because Ann, although incredibly smart, wasn't very social at all. Or maybe because her family wasn't really normal, and some Ravenclaws, nice as they could be, tended to be snobs as well. Lily walked over to her friend, and tapped her on the shoulder. Ann spun around, terror appearing on her face. Then Lily realized that she had the cloak on, and took it off. Ann sighed, and shook her head.
"'Lo Lily, how are you?" Ann smiled warmly at her friend as she put down her Arithmacy textbook.
"Alright. How are you?" Lily asked, taking a seat across from Ann.
"Good, I guess. Listen, Lily." She said, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear "Mum and dad said to invite you to stay for a weekend this month. They said that they wanted to see you again." Lily smiled; she had become good friends with the McKinnons over the summer.
"I'd love to visit for a weekend!" Lily exclaimed happily.
Ann grinned as well "Great! How about this weekend? I already asked Dumbledore, I just though" she smiled, looking a little shy "That you might want to come."
"And you were right, as always." Lily said, picking up Ann's Arithmacy book and making a face. Lily was terrible at math, and didn't take Arithmacy (A/N is it an option at Hogwarts? I think it is, but I am not sure…..)
"Geesh, Ann, these problems are hard." Lily stuck her tongue out at the book, which made a rather rude comment to Lily, who dropped it on the floor.
"I didn't know it talked." She said, bending over to pick up the book.
"My brother bewitched it. He says it's because I keep falling asleep in it every time I study all night. But it just won't shut up." An said regretfully "It even talks when I am trying to go to sleep. Sometimes, I think I might just set it on fire, but then I remember mum said that if I destroyed one more textbook, she'll kill me…" Ann trailed off, seeing that Lily was laughing.
"Where are the rest of the Ravenclaws?" Lily asked after she'd calmed down.
"Asleep. Even if it's Friday night. We can leave tomorrow at 9am? And get back Monday Morning? It's no classes because it will be Halloween. Are you going to the ball?"
Lily had completely forgotten about the whole affair, and so she shrugged. "I dunno. Probably not."
"You should! Mum could take us shopping in Hogsmeade for costumes! And I've never gone to a ball yet!" Ann exclaimed, jumping up.
"Well, I don't know. I don't really see myself wanting to dance with anyone, or be asked to dance…" Lily said
"Then wear a mask! Oh, do say you'll go, Lily! Please!" Ann said, grabbing her friend's hand.
"I guess so. Yes, I'll go. What should I be then?" Lily asked, caught up in Ann's cloud of excitement.
"Hmmmm, lets see….." both Ann and Lily sat back in thought.
"How about a Princess?" Ann suggested
"Nah. I was a Princess when I was 8."
"A faerie?"
"Maybe. Keep thinking. How about a cat?"
"You don't seem all that cattish, Lil."
"Meh, it was an idea. I could be…"
"Lil, do you have any idea what time it is?" Ann asked, blinking sleepily.
"No."
"Well I do. It's already Saturday. I suggest we turn in, and I'll come get you at 9 am, alright?"
"Alright." Lily agreed, and, taking the cloak, ran back to her common room. As she came in the portrait, she saw James, and smiled warmly.
"Here's your cloak. I hope you don't mind, Sirius lent it to me."
"No, I don't mind. Where did you go?" James asked, taking the cloak from Lily.
"To see Ann, I am visiting her house this weekend."
"Really? But what about the ball?"
"Oh, I'll be back for that. We're going shopping in Hogsmeade. What are you going to be, James?"
"Well, I am going to be…I don't really know yet. How about you?"
"I don't know either. We're going shopping in Hogsmeade."
"Great. Want to save a dance for me, Lily?" James asked, flushing because he was embarassed and also because he was worried that she would say no.
"Yes, well, if you don't mind having your toes stepped on." Lily consented, then glaned at the clock.
"Dammit, it's already 1:30! I should go to bed, I'll see you tomorrow, James." She exclaimed, and began climbing the stairs. James watched Lily go.
"I think I love you, Lily Evans." He whispered and felt a strange foreboding.
O God, I have an ill-divining soul!
Methinks I see thee, now thou art below,
As one dead in the bottom of a tomb:
Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale.
A/N I don't know if the quote works. It's from Romeo and Juliet, and one of my favorite lines. Anyways, the next chapter will be sad, warning to you all. Thanks for reviewing! 103 reviews, wow! THAT is a happiness booster, to be sure! J
J
J
yay!