*Chapter Three*
A Midnight Stroll in the Forbidden Forest...
All characters are copyright J.K. Rowling, I take no credit whatsoever for them. Please enjoy the fic...
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
The young redheaded girl flew down the stairs as the clock chimed eleven. When she had reached the common room of the tower, she met the silhouette of Remus, already waiting for her.
"Lily, m'dear, what took you so long?" joked Remus. Lily punched him gently in the side.
"Do you have your cloak?" asked Lily, who had begun to tie hers around her neck. Remus shrugged.
"Don't need one," said Remus with a carefree air. Lily laughed.
"Whatever you say, Remus." She grabbed his arm, and they crept quietly out of the common room portrait together. But before they had taken two steps, Remus hit himself in the head.
"Wait right here, Lily, I've got to go get something..." With that, Remus disappeared back through the portrait, who was luckily fast asleep. Lily kept the portrait propped open, and waited patiently for Remus to return with whatever had he forgotten.
Soon enough, Remus dashed through the portrait hole, and locked it shut. In his arms were a piece of parchment, and a long silvery cloak.
"Ooh!" said Lily delightedly. "You've brought the Map!" Then she laughed. "Decided that you'll be needing a cloak after all?"
Remus grinned. "It's not for me, it's for the both of us."
Across Lily's face went a look of confusion.
Still smiling, Remus added, "It's an Invisibility Cloak. This way, we can go through the halls without being seen... at all."
Lily smiled broadly and picked up the cloak. It was almost water like, with it's droops and material. Remus pointed his wand towards the parchment and called upon the map. Lily threw the cloak over Remus and herself. "Let's go," she whispered.
Off the two set off through the hallways, eyeing teachers that took nighttime walks across the halls with loathing.
At last they reached the doorway of Hogwarts.
"We're going outside?" asked Lily adventurously.
Remus nodded. "C'mon." Lily took his lead, and followed him out to the grassy grounds of Hogwarts.
Lily turned her head up towards the stars and moon. "God, it's gorgeous out here..."
Remus smiled. "Yeah, it is." He then took off the cloak.
Lily gasped. "They can see us now!"
"Not for long, come on, race you to the far end of the field." He grinned broadly, then took off at a high pace. Lily groaned, then laughed, desperately trying to catch up to Remus.
It was impossible, though. Remus was almost as short as Lily, but his legs were longer, and he was much better built. He reached the edge of the grounds far faster than she did, but at last, Lily reached him, panting and out of breath.
"So, what now?" breathed Lily.
Remus grinned slyly. "Have you heard of the Forbidden Forest, Lily?"
Lily went white. "We aren't seriously going in there, are we?"
"Why not?" asked Remus. "Don't be afraid, Lily, we're going together." Lily gave a weak smile. Perhaps it would work, but she just didn't know...
Not that she had time to decide. Remus grasped her arm, then pulled her towards the dark stretch of trees that lined the Hogwarts ground. Lily was laughing in hysterics, her mind set, but her heart weak.
However, she took hope again as she saw the forest, every sound in it peaceful, content... Surely it couldn't be as bad as it had been made out to have been?
"Let's go," whispered Lily. Remus nodded, and took her hand. Lily blushed a deep scarlet, invisible to Remus in the pitch blackness of the night.
The two friends strode off into the forest, admiring the sites before them. For though it was eerie being surrounding by darkness on all sides, the features of the forest seemed oddly lit up, and many were extremely beautiful.
This was all minor compared to the feat that Remus had in store, however. When they had reached a small stream, Remus put his fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle. Within seconds, a white mare came galloping towards them.
"Oh, it's beautiful..." Lily's eyes went wide with wonder when the creature had fully stopped. She had just taken account of the golden horn perched atop its head.
Lily flung herself at Remus. "Oh, it's a unicorn! How the hell did you get something so beautiful out here?!" Her eyes were dancing with merriment, and her gaze on Remus was only broken by the occasional fit of laughter.
"They're innocent creatures, Lily, it only takes charm to call them to you...!" Remus didn't have the slightest intention of destroying her fun, however.
He smiled. "Go ahead, Lily, you can touch it, it won't hurt you." Lily knew by the fairy tales she had heard as a little girl that unicorns preferred the touch of a young girl, so away her fantasies took her, breathlessly running her fingers through the unicorn's silver mane.
Then, the unicorn's mystical blue eyes gleaming, it laid itself down upon the ground. Lily's eyes sparkled.
"What does it want me to do?"
Remus was overcome with laughter. "I wouldn't know, but I'd be willing to bet that it wants you to mount it!" He turned to her, his eyes glowing alone in the darkness.
Lily pulled him next to her. "I'll only do it if you'll come with me..! I don't want to be taken away from you, I'll be completely lost!"
"Don't be stupid, Lily, that unicorn will kill me if I try to get on, I'm not a woman, remember?" He looked at her, as if implying the obvious.
"Well, Remus, neither am I, so I guess you'll just have to do." With these words, she had yanked him onto the back of the unicorn behind her, his feet dangling from the ground.
Remus's face had paled. "I really don't think I'm going to like this..." Lily laughed. "Just hold onto me, okay?" Remus fastened his arms around Lily's waist, a bit too tight for comfort. Lily made no complaint, however, but said gently to the unicorn, "Come on now, let's go."
As if the unicorn could really hear her, it galloped away into the night, it's silver coat gleaming, Lily's eyes wide with amazement, and Remus hopelessly wailing at the end of the mare's back.
Lily laughed at Remus's anguish, and said cheerfully, "Lighten up, Remus, you won't have many more chances to do this!"
Remus gave a sarcastic grin at Lily. "I should certainly hope not!"
Lily laughed, and Remus tightened his grip on Lily. Lily was afraid that her diaphragm would burst... She and Remus were almost in tears...
Remus had just begun to enjoy the ride when the unicorn came to a sudden halt. Remus hit Lily hard in her back with the top of his head.
"Why did it stop?" she asked nervously. Remus glanced at her, his hands still in their prior position. He shrugged coolly, but he was just as nervous as her inside.
Then Lily heard the snarling. She held tight to Remus's arms, and looked down to the ground. Circling below them was a large wolf, it's shoulders poised, it's long gray fur gleaming in the moonlight.
"It's a werewolf," said Remus blankly. Lily began to sob hysterically, and she buried her face between Remus's shoulders. He patted her gently on the back, saying, "Don't worry, it'll be all right," more to himself than her.
The werewolf took a swipe at the unicorn, and silver blood gushed from it's chest. The unicorn reared in pain, tossing her mane wildly. Lily and Remus both fell off, Lily on top of Remus.
The unicorn tried vainly to stamp upon the werewolf, but to no effect, the werewolf instead got a clear lunge at it's underside.
Lily was shrieking, and Remus was trying desperately to hush her. However, before he was able to accomplish this, the werewolf pricked his ears. He had heard the cry. He dashed over to the little girl, she looked easy enough prey...
Lily's eyes widened in fear - and Remus jumped. He pushed Lily off of him, and blocked the path from the werewolf to his girl. The werewolf's fangs sunk deep into Remus's shoulder...
"NO!" cried Lily, and she stupidly ran to the werewolf, pointing her wand between it's eyes. It stopped, and made no further movement. It feared that little twig greatly...
Suddenly, the bleeding unicorn lowered it's magnificent head and speared the werewolf with it's golden horn.
The werewolf let out a despairing moan, then trotted away into the night, bleeding fiercely. It disappeared out of view, then was never seen again by the eyes of man.
Lily turned to the unicorn, then flung her arms around it's neck.
"Oh, you were so amazing, thank you..." She knew the mare couldn't understand her, but it felt good to get the words out.
It was at that moment that the unicorn fell to the ground, silver blood staining the leaf strewn ground. "Oh no," whispered Lily as tears filled her eyes. "Please, please don't die..." Lily buried her face in the unicorn's soft, white hair, tears staining the coat. She could feel the unicorn's rhythmic heart beats slow down...
The unicorn let out a last whinny, then the breathing stopped. Lily burst into anguished tears.
"It's dead, Lily," said Remus.
"Don't you think I know that?!" she cried. "The poor thing, the poor, brave hearted dear..." She fell to the ground in a miserable heap. Her chest was aching with pain, and she was dearly afraid that her heart would burst with the pain that she felt, it was all so sudden...
Remus look at her, his eyes sorrowful. He then drew her near to him, and patted her on the head. "Lily, I'm so sorry..."
"I know," whispered Lily, still sobbing. "It's just --" Their eyes met. Both of them were in pain, Lily in her heart, Remus in his shoulder.
Then he drew her in. Their lips met, and Lily's eyes opened wide in surprise. Then they fluttered closed again, and she held onto Remus for all that she wanted dear. However, despite the warmth, something was wrong...
Lily drew back.
"What's wrong?" asked Remus, looking slightly hurt.
A bit nervously, Lily said incompletely, "Your - your mouth..."
Remus inserted a single finger into his mouth, and his eyes opened wide. Lily suddenly knew what it must have been -- but it just couldn't be... could it?
"What is it?" she said with recoil.
Remus shot a nervous glance up at the full moon, it's light pouring into the clearing in which he and Lily were in. "My - my teeth - they're..." He opened his mouth wide enough for Lily to see in, and she drew back, trembling.
Each tooth in his mouth had extended into a fang.
"I'm changing into the werewolf, Lily, you've got to get out of here!" Remus shouted at her.
"I'm not leaving without you!" she cried at him.
Remus felt his face burn. "I'll kill you if you stay, Lily, I won't be able to control myself, you'll be torn to pieces!"
Hot tears were coming to her eyes. "But - if I leave - who knows what you'll do to yourself..!"
"I don't care what happens to me, Lily!" Remus said angrily. "I care that you don't kill yourself! Get out of here, right now!"
Lily was torn between her need for life and the desire for her friend's.
Remus had begun to sprout fur, his haunches broadened... He snarled at her, then gave her a small push. "Run now, Lily, or I swear I'll chase you out..!"
Lily knew that Remus wouldn't give up, and he was very near transforming into a complete wolf, so at once she took of through the forest as fast as her legs would carry her, tears streaming behind her.
She was so afraid that she would trample over smaller animals, trip herself, or that Remus really would come after her, that all the way through the forest she allowed the tears to pour like waterworks.
At last, she reached the edge of the forest,
out of breath, and ran the full distance back to the castle. Then, as soon
as she was within the safety of the castle doors, she collapsed.
Sweaty and blistered, Remus pushed through the huge oak doors, only to find Lily lying at their base.
He nudged her gently with his foot. "Lily, get up, it's me.."
Lily sat up abruptly, then saw Remus. "Oh, Remus, you're okay!" She flung her arms around him, and latched her legs around his waist. Tears of joy were pouring onto his torn robes.
"Lily, for gods sake..." However, he couldn't get Lily off of him. He burst out into hysterical laughter.
He pulled the invisibility cloak over himself and Lily, then carried her (she wouldn't get down to the ground) up to the Griffindor Tower. They stood in front of the portrait and muttered the password. The fat lady which had been resting inside of the picture was startled, but she swung open nonetheless.
Lily was hauled into the common room, and was dumped into an armchair. At last, she released her hold on Remus.
"Thanks," said Lily.
Remus grinned. "No problem, but we'd best be off to bed..."
A deep look of concern edged onto Lily's face. "No, I'll be going up to bed. You..." She looked up at him meaningfully. "You have to tell Dumbledore."
Remus sighed, then headed back towards the portrait hole. "All right, Lily, I will. Good night." With that, he left her alone in the room, and disappeared. Lily trotted up to the girl's dormitory, and laid herself to rest.
Z Z Z Z Z
Sunlight poured through the boys' dormitory, marking the four Griffindors, who seemed to be having a shallow conversation. And a lot of glares from a certain black haired boy.
Sirius gave Remus a look of deep envy. James shook his head, wondering what Sirius's fascination was with the subject.
"So," began Sirius for the fifth time. "You're a werewolf?" His eyes drooped, in disbelief and in longing.
Remus rolled his eyes. "Yes, for god's sake, Sirius, I'm a werewolf! Get over it!" Sirius pouted.
"What I'd like to know," started Peter. "Is how you got to be one. And, why'd you tell Dumbledore just now? Did it happen last year, this summer, this month?"
"Last night," answered Remus.
Sirius's eyes went wide. "Really? That's amazing, I didn't know Hogwarts had werewolves, you learn something new every day...!"
"How'd you get bit?" asked Peter.
"With it's teeth," replied Remus shortly.
Peter rolled his eyes. "All right, then, where were you when you got bitten?" Remus glared at his three friends, sincerely wishing they'd all shut up.
"Forbidden Forest."
Sirius pounded his four poster with his hands. "How is it that you get to do every thing this year? Why aren't you letting us in on the action?"
"You're crazy!" shouted Remus. "We're talking about getting a pair of wolf fangs sunk into your arm, how fun is that?"
Sirius groaned. "Where was your sense of adventure..?"
Remus shot a dirty look at him. "Probably back here with my love of death." Sirius grinned sarcastically.
"Why were you in the Forbidden Forest?" asked James, speaking up for the first time that morning.
Remus's entire face went red. He had hoped against hopes that this question wouldn't have been asked... he had been trying to stay off of this subject... now every curious eyed boy in the room would find out about Lily.
"I went for a walk," he said, hoping this to be good enough an answer.
James smirked at him mischievously. "You went through the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night all alone?" Sirius began to share the look in James's eyes.
Remus went even more red. "Well... not... completely."
The three other boys eyed each other curiously. Neither of them had accompanied Remus on his midnight walk... there was only one person left.
"Oh no -- don't tell us -- you didn't go with her --"
Remus nodded, his face almost flaming.
"Of all people!" laughed Sirius. "Lily!"
There was a sudden movement from the common room, and, seconds later, Lily had appeared in the boy's dormitory.
"You're not supposed to be up here," warned Peter.
"I heard my name," Lily responded. She looked over at Sirius, who was hysterical with laughter.
She sighed. "Boys," she muttered, then strode
back down to the common room.
It was at six o'clock that afternoon that James crept back from dinner and caught Lily on her way up towards Griffindor Tower.
He quickly grabbed her arm, then led her out of the castle doors. Lily gave an indignant shriek.
"Let go of me!" she screamed at him, surprised by his actions.
James grinned. "You didn't mind it so much yesterday when Remus took you!"
Lily went pink, but shot back, "Yeah, he's special." She smiled at him, then allowed herself to be pulled across the ground.
James rolled his eyes, then let go of her hand. She fell backwards into the dirt.
"Why'd you let go?!" she wailed. James laughed.
"If you want to move, Lily, you can walk by yourself, I'm not going to carry you." Lily pouted, and James snorted.
"So, what do you want me for?"
"Oh," said James quickly. "Why do you assume that I want something with you? Couldn't I just be out here with you 'cause I like you?"
Lily grinned. "That's funny. What do you want?"
James sighed. "Just wondering what you and Remus were doing last night."
Lily's face went red. "Why - why do you care?" she said as coolly as possible, trying to keep calm and not slap James.
"Cause I do," replied James, desperate for the answer.
Lily continued walking. "Nothing happened last night..."
James clucked his tongue. "Something did, Lily, because Remus turned into a werewolf. I know that didn't happen as soon as you two got into the forest."
"He got me a unicorn..." she said quietly, the memory still bringing her pain.
"Oh, really? What a thoughtful way of showing someone you love them!" James laughed, and Lily hit him on the head.
"You hit pretty hard for a girl, Lily..."
"Thanks, I'm flattered."
James grinned. "So, what happened with the unicorn?"
"We rode away upon it, bells ringing, wrapped in each others arms, but only after we shared a passionate kiss."
James laughed. "Oh Lily, get over yourself!" Lily smiled at him.
"We really did, except the kiss was afterwards."
James stopped walking and fell over. "You two - really - kissed??"
Lily nodded. "Why, do you have a problem with that?" She smiled at him slyly. "Do you want me for your own?" She gave a loud snort at the disgusted look upon his face.
"Yes, of course I have a problem with that! You two are pathetic! You've only known each other for three days! When you kissed, it was only your second day!"
Lily - quite hurt - turned to him and said sharply, "Well, James, I'm sorry that someone likes me more than you do. Not everyone can sleep with someone and not feel a thing!" At the moment she said this, she clasped a hand to her mouth.
James went pale. "All right, now I know that you're sick."
Lily was burning. "I didn't mean that I enjoyed sleeping with you - you - you pervert!"
"You've already used that name, Lily."
"Really? Maybe there's a reason...!" She was just about to strangle James, he was quite annoying her.
James swelled up, but he couldn't think of anything to say. His mouth kept opening and closing, but no words were issued. All that James could think of was to hurt Lily - emotionally, or...
He chose physically. James extended a hand and slapped Lily.
She whirled around and kicked him in the leg. "Don't you dare touch me!"
"So, it's okay for you but not me?"
"Exactly."
James and Lily just stood staring at each other with something so remarkably like hatred. Lily didn't understand this. The two of them started off as friends... then they lost it. Naturally, they got back together again... but now, hatred was setting in for a second time. What was it with this boy?
Lily sighed, then dropped to the ground.
"What is it now?" asked James sternly from above her.
"We keep doing this."
"Doing what?"
"Getting into these arguments, and risking our friendship."
"Did you rehearse that? It really sounds so--"
"Shut up!" Lily shouted. She then flopped over backwards and sighed. "You're just proving my point further..."
James sat down beside of her. "Sorry Lily."
"It's okay..." she stared gratefully into James's
eyes. They were the queerest pair of friends, but they would make the cutest
couple...
Lily sat with James in the common room of the Griffindor Tower, rocking slowly back and forth in a fluffy pouf.
James and Lily had been sitting together in the room for nearly an hour since they had gotten back from the grounds. Everyone else had fallen asleep, and neither of them being remotely tired, they had relied upon each others company. During the course of the afternoon walk, Lily and James had smoothed over their problems, and were now very much friends. It was strange the way those two worked out...
"So," began Lily, once again choosing the subject of conversation. James wasn't much of a talker, and had been replying Lily with phrases such as, "Mm; yeah; I agree; of course," and so on.
"I have a question," she asked. "What was I talking about that night you crept in to 'comfort' me?"
James shrugged, being forced to answer for his own. "I dunno... you were just moaning, and saying something about the Dark Lord..."
"Who's the Dark lord?" asked Lily curiously.
"Beats me."
Lily grinned. "My, my, what a help you are."
James laughed, and reached over to grab her. However, he wasn't quite long enough, and in his vain efforts to reach Lily's pouf, he toppled the chair he was siting in over. Lily began to laugh -- she stopped as the chair caved over top of her.
The back of the chair hit the pouf and made something of a ceiling. The arms folded down, trapping the two of them under the cushion.
"Oh, yeah, this is great..." began Lily. James was overcome with laughter at his own stupidity.
"Can we move it?" started James.
Lily reached out with her arms and tried to heave it off of James's back. However, he was lying on top of her, and her arms held very little muscle, and so for the most part, this trial had no effect.
"It won't budge," she said solemnly.
"I'll use my wand," stated James. However, his arms were trapped under Lily's back, and this was pointless. "It would really be much more comfortable if you weren't laying on my arms..."
Lily snorted. "Your arms? James, excuse me if I'm being blunt, but I believe you are covering my entire upper body!"
"Lower body too."
Lily laughed. "Dear god, James, don't say that, it sounds really wrong..."
James grinned at her. "Back to the subject - get out your own wand."
Lily put on a mock look of amazement. "Gee, James, what a brilliant plan! Now, all I've got to do is go back up the girl's dormitory and retrieve it from my bedside, then march back down, crawl under this, and say the magic words - which, naturally, I don't know anyhow."
James sighed. "At least we've got a plan."
Lily laughed at him, wondering how he could crack jokes at a time like this... then again, if you looked at it from his point of view, it was pretty funny... he wasn't the one being smothered...
"Do you reckon we should shout for someone?" asked Lily through fits of laughter, despite her pain; he wasn't really that heavy...
James laughed right alongside of her. "All right, let's give it a go." He put on a high shrill voice and shouted, "Oi! Anyone! Me and Lily have been screwing around up until midnight and now we've knocked a chair over the top of us, of all the stupid things we've been --"
Lily clapped a hand over his mouth, almost in tears of laughter. "James, please, don't...!"
James grinned at her. "Thought you wanted to get out of here, eh?"
Lily was now grinning madly, and his insults were only adding to her disturbing glee. "James, stop, if you don't quit making these jokes I'm going to wet my pants, and seeing as how..." She shot a meaningful glance at him. "Well, to be frank, you wouldn't want that to happen."
James almost cracked a joke back, but, seeing
that Lily was serious, he didn't want to test her. The two of them waited
out the rest of the night together in silence.
Peter trudged down the stairs, Sirius skipping behind him, Remus still snoring away in his four poster.
The upturned armchair caught Peter's eyes. "What the hell?" He glanced at Sirius. "Will you help me turn this thing over?"
Sirius eyed it carefully. "Uh, yeah, sure..." He walked over to the chair, and, with Peters aid, they hoisted it back up. Both of them began to grin stupidly as they caught a view of the treasure beneath.
Lily was lying with her head on the pouf below, James's arms under her waist. James was lying directly atop her chest, his head resting just under hers. His legs were spread quite far from hers, however, it looked as though he had been trying to inch as far away as possible from them...
"This," said Peter triumphantly. "Is rich." Sirius nodded.
"Do you have a camera on you?"
"Upstairs..."
"Go get it!" ordered Sirius, and Peter fled up the stairway laughing.
Sirius grinned as Peter - now out of breath - handed him the camera. "All right, now...." He and Peter shared identical smiles. "We take the picture."
They found a spot in the corner of the room that made for a really great angle... it almost looked as if Lily and James were completely on top of one another... with a loud click and a blinding flash, the shot was taken.
Lily sat up as well as James tried to. She went straight up, but James - used to being on the right side - attempted an upside down hunch, and with a head dive knocked Lily back down.
This was too much for Sirius. He doubled up on the floor laughing, tears streaming down his face. "You've managed another night together, James Potter!"
James rolled off of Lily's side with a small push, and the two of them sat upright together. At identical times, each stood up and pounded Sirius hard against the head.
"It wasn't his fault," began Lily, with a grateful smile from James. "This time..." She got a sharp kick in the side from James, still grinning.
"It really wasn't," added James to his own defence. "I just knocked a chair over the both of us..." His face contorted into concentration. "Oh , wait, scratch that, that didn't come out the way it was supposed to --"
Peter couldn't help but grin like an idiot as he ran dancing across the room, the camera in his clutches.
"You give that to me now!" cried Lily. "Or I'll break every bone in your body -- then the camera!" Peter laughed heartily at the threat.
"That the best you can come up with Peterson?"
Lily - still standing menacingly - grinned. "I'll take that challenge!" she said loudly. Then --
She ran. In her robes from the previous night, she tore across the common room after Peter, who didn't happen to be much of an athlete... within seconds, she had cornered him into the wall. The smug look across her face was priceless.
"Are you ready to die Peter?" laughed Lily. Peter gave a sarcastic whimper, and Lily let him fall to the ground.
"Really, Peter," said Sirius, shaking his head. "To let a girl chase you down like that, you ought to be ashamed of yourself!" He gave a last laugh, then went to help Peter up.
James took the camera from Peter's hands. "You promise to destroy the film? Or, do we have to destroy it for you?"
Sirius yanked it out of James's clutches. "We won't develop it, or, if we do, we'll be the only ones to see it, honest..!" He could only stare grinning at his prize of a camera through misty eyes.
Lily laughed. "You are so weird, Sirius... see you!" With that, she skipped off to join some of the other girls in the corner whom she had earned reproving glances from during her chase with Peter.
Sirius laughed, led his friends up the staircase
to wake Remus, muttering all the while, "That girl really does have issues..."
Lily chose a seat next to Sirius and sat herself down that afternoon for dinner.
Sirius grinned. "Hello, Lily, where've you been?"
Lily answered proudly, "With the girls." Every boy gagged, but Lily beamed. "They're not half so bad as I thought they were, really...!"
James combed his fingers through his hair. "But what's gone and happened to our favorite little tomboy?" He gave a long and loud laugh, and Lily couldn't help but join.
"I've got to get myself friends of the same gender, James."
Remus smiled at her warmly. "You're right though, if you want to be accepted, you really should get yourself some girlfriends... oh no, not like that," added Remus to the pained expression on Peter's face. Peter chuckled.
"We start school subjects tomorrow, I don't know if I want to give up the weekend..." sighed Lily.
"Yeah," agreed the four of them. "It'll be tough, though," said James. "Not knowing anything about it, I mean you, Lily. I know a few things, but not much at all... really..." He laughed nervously at the fire burning in Lily's eyes. "I - I didn't mean that in a bad way, you know..."
Sirius laughed out loud. "Don't you worry, Lily, I don't know a thing about magic, nothing except Quidditch, and a good lot that's going to do me."
"It could," said Remus. "I mean, the Quidditch program here is pretty good."
Lily's eyes sparkled. "Oh, they have Quidditch here?!" She grinned broadly. "I'd like to try that!"
"It's harder than it looks," said Peter.
"Oh no, I've got no fear of heights, I'll bet you anything I'll make the Quidditch team."
Sirius grinned. "I'll take that bet, Lily. You verses James. He's good, amazing, in fact."
Lily smiled and grasped Sirius's hand. "I'll challenge that bet!"
"Lily, don't, you've never flown in your life..!"
Lily glared at James, and he backed down. She returned her gaze to Sirius. "You'll take the bet?"
Sirius took her hand up. "You're on!" He grasped her hand, and she gave him a squeeze back, a bit tighter than she really should have.
Sirius drew away his throbbing hand. "My god, girl, what are your hands made of?" Lily laughed.
Without warning, the food appeared across the tables. "Love to chat," started Lily, trying vainly to keep herself from drooling. "But - food - you understand..." She took a couple of eating utensils, then tore into her plate of food.
"Pig," said Sirius, giggling a bit.
Lily glared up at him, her mouth full of turkey.
James fell over to the floor, laughing at her and at his own misfortune.
Lily trudged up the stairs, her hands being pulled jerkily by Remus and James. Both of them groaned with every step as her feet trailed the ground lazily.
Remus gave an exasperated sigh. "Lily, can't you just walk? I mean, you weren't so heavy when I carried you a few feet, but trailing you across the ground for almost a mile..."
James laughed, and let Lily's arm drop. Lily groaned. Remus caught on, and let Lily go - she flew to the ground.
Lily slowly pulled herself up, her legs trembling. "Aw, you guys, I'm tired, and I walked a couple of feet on my own... don't I get a reward or something?"
"Exercise is the greatest reward by far!" chuckled Sirius. The other three boys joined in on the laughter. Lily pouted, a smile creeping up on her face despite her actual weariness.
"Oh, all right, I'll walk." She grinned, then skipped up the Griffindor Tower, James and Remus gaping at her.
"Did you see that?!" asked James angrily.
"Yes.." said Remus slowly. "All right, now we kill Lily..!" And with those words, Remus and James raced up to Griffindor Tower, screaming and laughing at the same time.
Sirius prodded Peter with a finger. "We don't know them..." Peter nodded in silent agreement.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
*grins a bit hastily* Okay, that whole Remus Lily thing, that was TOTALLY essential for the story. I PROMISE that I will turn to James, but I just had to stick Remus in there, he's so cool! ^^;; I apologize countless times. Besides, I think James is much more cute, and thats always a good omen...
The more you find out about my personal life the less you like me!
Alright, to the point, I do not own anything in this story except the extra characters (not that they mean anything to me..) and the storyline. I wish I did, but I do not, so... um... yeah. Please don't sue me, I've not got much to offer! Oh woe is me...
THANK YOU! Everyone who has reviewed. YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO SPECIAL! And you are so much better than those poor lost souls who chose not to review my stories 'cause they are much to good for me. *pouts* Okay, sorry about that...
Please review, review, review! I will be eternally grateful to you, so please do write a little end note to me! Flames are welcome, but as I have stressed before, I'd prefer something sugar sweet, even if you have to lie... ^^
okay, see you! I don't have any more parts written, so sorry, the next chapters might take a while to get up.
~arch angel