*Chapter Five*
These Happy Second Years...
Lily groaned as scattered applause filled the small plot of the train station. With a quick glance at her mother, who was nodding her head furiously, she made a small curtsey.
"Really, mum," said Lily shortly, her face going red. "You don't need to do this, it's not that great... it's just a couple of spells, really, nothing special..."
Petunia snorted. "For once, the little git is right, there's absolutely nothing marvelous about the magic tricks, she can't even pull a rabbit out of a hat --" Lily smirked at her, now taking the applause heavily, gathering it all in. Petunia had been in a foul mood ever since Lily had bewitched her into a coma-like stage. Lily also had doubts about Petunia's arguments - she was quite sure that she could pull a rabbit out of a hat.
Mrs. Peterson glared firmly at her elder daughter. "Petunia, dear, mind your sister, she's blossoming into a wonderful young woman." At this speech, Lily grinned widely at Petunia, far away from her mother's keen eye.
Lily pointed her wand at her bags and muttered a quick, "Accio!" Instantly, her bags flew into her outstretched arms. Under most circumstances, magic outside of Hogwarts would not have been permitted. However, as Lily was nearing the board of the Hogwarts Express, she found that a couple of charms wouldn't hurt her much. Her notion proved true; she hadn't received a single warning from the Ministry. Not that it would have mattered, Lily's parents and relatives had no idea that Lily's was unallowed to perform magic outside of her school.
Lily gave a quick wave to her family as they all exited the station and drew away in the small and cramped car. She gave herself a small grin, then slipped sideways through the metal barrier that led to Platform 9 ¾ .
It took her no time at all to make it through, and as she did she heard a familiar voice calling towards her.
"Oi! Lily, over here!" She turned around, her red pigtails flipping across her nearly bare shoulders. Lily met the eyes of James Potter.
A vague grin spread across her face. "Hello James! Whatever happened to you over the summer? I only received a couple hundred letters from you over that short stretch of time..!" She put on a mock look of hurt, but couldn't contain herself. With the amount of letters that he had sent her, you would have thought that they had moved away from each other forever, and would never see each other again. Lily allowed herself a laugh as she recalled the familiar tawny owl that had dropped her a new letter every few hours. The only person that had sent her more letters than James was Remus.
"Where are the others?" asked Lily curiously as she and James walked down to the edge of the platform together. James shrugged.
"I dunno, we all arrived together, the other three have wandered off looking for someone, can't say who, I don't really know myself --"
"You can shut up now James."
" -- okay."
Lily smiled at him warmly, then sat down among the crowds of people waiting for the train. She turned around sharply as she heard a loud scurrying of feet. Panting - out of breath - came the other three boys, playing what looked like a game of chasey.
They all came to a sudden halt, and grinned at Lily. "Hello, what brings you to this neck of the woods?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm waiting for the train, Sirius, like everyone else here that hasn't gone completely mental." She gave a small chuckle to him as he flushed beet red.
"Just had a bit of sugar, see --"
"Quite plainly, Sirius dear," she finished, then gave him an affectionate pat on the head. "It's good to see you again, in all honesty."
"You too, Lily." They smiled at each other, trying to suppress the giggles that were edging along their throats.
Lily turned her face to Remus. "I mean, I wouldn't have had a chance to see the lot of you, someone, I won't name names, forgot to invite me over for a stay during the summer -"
Remus was a slight pink. "Er... sorry about that, Lily..." Lily laughed.
"S'okay."
James tutted. "You two are enough to make a guy sick, let's get on the train now, shall we?" He glanced hopefully at the tracks, which were still empty. "Oh... eh..."
Sirius laughed. He then whispered into James's ear, "It's as I told you before, James, you mind it now, but just you wait until she's yours." James whopped Sirius on the top of the head, being much taller than he was, having grown a few inches over the summer. Lily turned to the pair of them, now struggling to kill the other, and shook her head.
"And they were your friends before you had to sleep in the same room as them?" Lily asked slowly, laughing silently. Remus nodded his head pathetically. The sound of a train's whistle filled the station.
Peter loomed over James and Sirius who were now grabbing each other at the scruff of their shirts on the ground, and watched as the steam engine rolled onto the tracks. He gave a quick kick to each of them. "Come on, you two, the train's here..."
James and Sirius sat up abruptly and jumped to their feet, brushing off the soot that they had accumulated from the stone ground. Lily couldn't help but laugh.
"The years should be making you two more mature, not less..." She shot a glance full of utmost admiration up at Remus, who had proved himself the most well developed of the four. Remus beamed back at her. It was a crying shame that they wouldn't have ended up like that.
All five of them boarded the Hogwarts Express and found themselves an empty compartment fairly quickly. Most other compartments were full to bursting with students that had become large groups. Lily gave a sigh of relief in that she wasn't forced into one of those compartments, and she quickly stuffed her bags into the overhead. Then, making herself as comfortable as she cared to, she flopped down onto a soft seat of the compartment. To each of her sides sat James and Remus.
No sooner had each of them seated themselves, the train started moving, and their conversation broke out, but their compartment door slid open.
Lily was sure for a second that it would be Anne, but her hopes were dashed immediately as she saw the greasy haired boy that stood in the opening.
"Good day to you too, Severus," said James coldly. Severus jerked his head irritably towards him, shaking his head, his shoulder length hair melting into his jet black robes which he already wore.
"Can't say so myself, Potter, not after opening this chamber door..." He gave them all a smirk. Lily rolled her eyes, then gave him a sarcastic smile.
"You know, Snape, we've all been having a pleasant conversation together, and I'm rightfully flattered that you wanted to join in our little circle of merriment, but I highly doubt that you'd be interested in joining our subject of Quidditch, after all, it must be right embarrassing to talk about something you're so... well, dreadful at... sorry mate. If you'd be so kind, would you mind leaving now? I think I'm quite allergic to slime balls..." She winked at him. "You might want to try a shower."
Sirius snorted at Lily's improvisation and patted her proudly on the back. Lily beamed, and Severus went a sickly purple.
" --Well then, if you -- shan't have me -- " He turned on his heel and left, pouting indignantly. As the door closed behind him, each of the boys stoop up and applauded Lily.
"Brava, Lily!" James smiled at her widely,
and he knew at that moment that they'd forever changed Lily from her rightful
girlish state to something much more aggressive. He was quite proud of
himself.
As the voice rattled through the train, Lily, James, Remus, Sirius and Peter all scampered out of it and onto the damp grounds. They stood still, waiting for the carriages that would be delivering them to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
It happened so suddenly, and with such a twist that Lily jumped a bit. Approaching the row of students was an array of carriages, all being led without horses. Lily gaped alongside the rest of her friends, for only a second before they were all instructed to enter the carriages, four to a cart.
"Lily, it's okay if you --"
Lily pressed a slim finger to James's lips. "It's okay this time, I've got friends, you know, go ahead..." She delivered a small wink to James, then trotted off to join Anne and another second year Gryffindor - Elizabeth - leaving James standing with his mouth open wide.
Sirius laughed out loud and nudged James in the ribs. "Do you seriously expect your little flower to remain yours alone?" James narrowed his eyes dangerously at Sirius, as if daring him to call Lily his 'little flower' again.
"I do wish that you would ignore your ignorance for just a few minutes, Sirius. I have no attraction to Lily, hard as that is to believe..."
"Oh, but it is." James almost lodged a punch
at Sirius, but he was grinning much too madly to be serious, and the two
best friends climbed into the horse less carts, doubled up with laughter.
"How's the summer been treating you?" asked Elizabeth properly as she smoothed out her sleek, chocolate brown hair.
Lily crossed her legs and looked out of the carriage's window. "Well, actually, my parents are pleased at my being a witch - being born into a muggle family, of course..." She grinned at Elizabeth and Anne. "My sister has taken it as a personal insult."
Anne snorted. "Petunia, you mean? The thin horse faced one? With blonde hair?" Anne held up a lock of her own golden hair with disgust at having anything to do with Lily's sister - she had met with her over the summer, and the two of them had become enemies the moment their cold eyes met.
Lily retained her gaze outside of the window. "Yes, I mean Petunia, I don't have another sister, now, do I?"
"Well, no..."
"I do hate it..." started Elizabeth. "That you two keep excluding me from every conversation you begin!" She smiled up at them, making it obvious that she wasn't truly insulted.
"Sorry, Beth..." Lily was jerked headfirst into Anne's lap as the cart came to a sudden halt. She sat up in her seat and glared angrily out of the window.
"What's the big idea?!" she yelped indignantly, but she was pulled back quickly by Anne and Elizabeth.
"Shush, Lily!" they pleaded. "Do you want them to think that you aren't ladylike?" Lily smiled mischievously.
"But I'm not."
Anne rolled her eyes, and the three of them shuffled out of the carriage, now at the very front of Hogwarts gates. Lily found herself staring into the stone eyes of a particularly ugly statue of a winged boar.
There was a loud giggle from behind Lily. "We're home!" shouted the person who had laughed.
Lily spun around and found herself facing Frank Longbottom, another second year Gryffindor who was quite ambitious, but very nervous and small.
"Hey, Frank. Nice to see you."
"Same here," replied Frank shortly, then he skipped off through the doors, his face now quite flushed. Lily shook her head, in silent giggles.
Lily and her two other friends shoved their way through the crowd of Hogwarts students and made their way through the door. Then - grinning at each other - Anne and Elizabeth left towards the Great Hall while Lily drew back in waiting for the boys.
Sirius entered the doors first, followed by James and Remus; Peter seemed to have lost himself along the way. Lily gave the three of them a grand wave.
"Hello there!" She danced up and down, then skipped over to their group, waiting alongside of them for Peter. As luck would have it, he happened to be at the very back of the pile. Lily rolled her eyes.
"You could've been a bit faster, Peter, we've been waiting here for nearly five minutes." She grinned broadly at him, and he poked his tongue out.
"Well excuse me --"
"You're excused."
Peter pulled a face in Lily's direction. "Nasty girl." He sniggered with a laughing air - of course his true opinion of her was greater than that. "I just don't happen to be in great - eh - physical shape. That's all..."
James laughed loudly, then tugged upon Peter's arm. "Come on, you, why don't we get into the Great Hall, I'm sure that they're waiting for us in there..." He pulled Peter along, and Sirius, Remus and Lily followed obediently.
They all found decent seats next to each other, and watched the line of first years standing beside of the wall beginning to approach the Sorting Hat. James jabbed Lily in the arm. "You do remember the Sorting? Scariest thing I ever did in my life..."
Lily smiled warmly at James; he had had a horrible experience as far as the Sorting went. By the time it was his turn, he had been pale white and shaky, praying with all of his might that he would get into Gryffindor along with the rest of his friends.
The room was filled suddenly with applause; the hat had just finished it's song. A name was called into the darkness of the room. "Thompson, Charles!" A pale, timid boy approached the hat. Lily closed her eyes tightly, remembering with a bit of sweet air her first experience with the Sorting Hat. In her imagination, she seated herself at the chair... people all around her were whispering excitedly... James, Remus, Sirius and Peter were all cheering her on from the Gryffindor table... Lily slowly reached up to pull the hat over her head and her eyes...
At once, Lily was plunged into a wave of darkness. Her thoughts all jammed. She shook herself mentally and tore her eyes open. All around her, the candles had been extinguished. Lily's heart stopped. What was happening?
She heard a small yelp next to her; it was Peter. She knew somehow that he had inside information... she leant over to asked him how... he had gone. The next thing she heard was a scream from one of the first years and a clatter of the chair that Charles Thompson had been sitting in. The lights were flicked back on instantly. Lily shielded herself from the candlelight for only a moment before she looked up to the first year line and gasped.
The first year in line behind Charles was still screaming as loud as her lungs would allow. And in front of her, atop the chair, the hat still grazing his head, was Charles, his eyes open in a surprise, but deathly still... Lily knew what had happened...
By the rigid form in the chair which had been Charles Thompson... he had been murdered. An outbreak of muffled sobs filled the air and students scattered out of the Great Hall, trying desperately to make their ways back towards their dormitories where they would be safe. A blinding blue light filled the room, and they all stopped in their tracks.
Each face turned to Dumbledore, the headmaster, and Lily took notice of the solemn expression across his now stony face. "Students, don't panic... please, prefects, lead your houses up to their dormitories... in an orderly fashion, if you wouldn't mind..."
Prefects jerked their hands and led the others up through the House Common Rooms. Lily strayed to the back of the group with James, who was equally as curious...
They stayed just long enough to see Dumbledore walk over to the now dead student and take him in his arms, with something remarkably like... tears?
The two of them didn't have an opportunity to double check, as they were dragged back into the group by Sirius and Remus. Peter was still absent. Lily longed to know why, and she was soon given opportunity to do so. As she climbed through the portrait hole to Gryffindor Tower, she was pulled into the boy's dormitory by Remus, who began to whisper nervously to her.
"Lily, do you know what happened? Did you notice anything odd? Did you... do you know what happened to Peter?"
Lily paused for a moment as she and Remus stood peering into one anothers eyes. "I... I felt him leave.. he left just after the lights went out, he was gasping..." She looked up to Remus for comfort. "He was scared, he knew what was happening before the rest of us... and I wish I knew why he has so much information..." She shook her head, and Remus put a strong arm around her shoulder.
"It'll... it'll be all right, Lily... don't know how, but we'll pull through..." He brought his knees to his chest, all color drained from his face. For once, Lily saw the lost little boy in him shining through, making a larger appearance than it ever had prior to this death. Disgustingly, this comforted Lily. It just... made sense that someone else should feel the way that she did. She clutched his hand tightly.
"I know we will... I know it." She patted his
hand once more, then headed out and entered her own dormitory.
Elizabeth shook her head sadly as she folded up her robes and stuffed them into her drawers. "I still don't believe it -- that's three murders now..." She gazed up at the rest of the girls in the room with a face full of worry. "I suppose that Hogwarts isn't that safe after all..."
Lily pouted. "Oh foo. That isn't right. Two of them occurred out of school, it was at the Gregory's home, correct?" She pulled out a few more of her various treasures from her bags and topped her bedside cabinet with them. "And the one that - that - just happened right now was only too easy for Voldemort..." The other girls sent curious looks at her. "You know, the school year hasn't started yet, so he had easy access to us... I'm sure that he wouldn't dare attack Hogwarts... not with Dumbledore watching over us..."
From the corner of the room a girl with curly black locks and midnight blue eyes sighed heavily. "Lily, do you think that Dumbledore really stands a chance against a dark wizard like Voldemort?"
"Yes, Raye, I do." The tone with which Lily used was startling, and Raye didn't dare strike back with an argument of her own, though it looked as though she was dearly fighting the temptation to do so.
Lily shrugged her shoulders as though the matter was of her least concern, and pulled out the snow globe out of her bag, setting it in the center of the night stand, then shooting a pleased look at it.
Anne gasped as she saw the globe with the swirling purple mist, and her eyes grew round and glazed. Her mouth opened with glee, and she raced over to Lily. "Ooh, Lily, what's that? Who's it from?" She was transfixed with the sight of it, and by this time the other girls crowded around them.
"- Lily - it's gorgeous -"
"- who would spend that much money on you?"
"- the flowers are real, they're so beautiful -"
"- who would spend that much on a thing like that for a thing like you?!"
Lily glared dangerously at Raye, who had begun questioning her about the price of it. Lily's shoulders drooped; she knew that she would have to tell them all the story. "James gave it to me last year right before summer break as a farewell gift."
Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears. "That's so sweet! I've never heard of something so romantic in my entire life!" Tears were now streaming down her face and matting in her long brown hair. "He must really love you Lily!"
The others knew immediately that Elizabeth
had gone too far. "Did - you say - that James - L
Anne peered into Lily's sleep-filled emerald eyes. She rolled her own cinnamon ones and bounced gently upon Lily's mattress, trying to wake her softly. After at least twenty bounces, this attempt proved futile, so Anne took it the easy way. She pulled away the soft curls that covered Lily's ear and bellowed as loudly as she could possibly her own wake-up call.
Lily's eyes opened wide and she sat up suddenly, her chest heaving. She glared furiously at Anne. "Don't do that to me ever again!"
Anne laughed silently. "You never will be a morning person, Lily." Anne shrugged her shoulders and smiled down at her. "C'mon, let's go."
Lily grabbed her wand quickly from her bedside table and directed it at a pair of robes that were clean, yet scattered wrong side out on the floor. The robes flew though the air, along with a pair of shoes, and as Lily grabbed them she disappeared in a disfigured heap beneath the blankets. When her head emerged, Anne gave a small sigh, then jerked her hand to the doorway. Lily nodded. "Er... right." Once again, she put her wand to good use and directed it at her hair, swirling it back into a french braid.
"Where'd you learn that one?"
"I dunno.... can we get moving? I'm hungry..."
Lily stormed out of the dormitory, bowling Anne over, leaving her lying
flat upon her bottom. Anne cursed silently at Lily, then heaved herself
to her feet, racing after her.
Lily heaped large portions of eggs onto her plate, occasionally bringing other foods from different house tables, and arranging a rather large breakfast in front of her. It all looked delicious, but as James said, "You'll never be able to eat it all unless you throw half of it back up..."
The five Griffindors compared their schedules, making sure that they had copied it all down correctly, when Anne swept into the Great Hall and sat herself next to Remus.
"Having fun, are we?"
A bit unwisely, Lily nodded. "Uh - huh. Where've you been?"
Anne gave Lily a small kick in the leg. "I've been trying to get myself down here with the leg that you nearly broke once you trampled upon it leaving the dormitory!" Peter and Remus tried to look sorry, but James and Sirius laughed out loud.
"Lily, how can we express how completely stupid you are?" Sirius laughed out, with sniggers from James.
"Terribly sorry, Anne," began James. "It's not you - it's Lily. She's got an awfully strong tendency to hurt people --" Lily hit him atop the head violently, and James cleared his throat, clarifying his statement. Lily quickly worked out what James had stated, went scarlet, and began to busy herself with massaging James's head gently.
Anne snorted, but added piles of food to her plate as well as Lily had done, deciding to eat rather than talk to the others, all who seemed to have nothing pleasant to say. Or - nothing pleasant about either one of the girls.
Typical morning at Hogwarts.
Lily prodded Sirius in the side, and pointed at her cauldron, in which a potion was frothing madly. "Sirius, I need a bit of help here.... I'm not very strong at Potions..."
Sirius sighed, then moved his desk closer to hers, keeping out of view from the Potions Master, though it wasn't very hard; the teacher had obviously accepted the job reluctantly, as he paid the least bit of attention to his classes. "What do you need?" he whispered into her ear.
Lily poked her wand at her potion. "Is it supposed to be purple like that?" Large bubbles were swelling from the solution, and a disgusting odor was being emitted. Despite this, Sirius began to laugh.
"Oh my god, Lily, for someone who's brilliant at Charms, you certainly suck at Potions..."
" -- is it supposed to be purple?" Lily hissed once more.
"No," said Sirius briefly, eyeing her potion carefully, as if afraid of it, or what it would do. "It's supposed to be a bright green, but yours is far from that.... what on earth did you do?"
Lily's lower lip began to tremble as she prodded through her remaining potion ingredients. "I don't know -- I did exactly what he told me to do -- I added all the right things, I think --" Sirius rolled his eyes.
"You think? What's that supposed to mean? What did you put in your potion, Lily?"
Lily smiled sheepishly at Sirius. "Eh . . . let's see . . . there were the first two frog intestines, one bat spleen, and a crocodile heart . . . wait - no - I added two of those . . ."
"Oh my god, Lily . . ."
" . . . wait, hold on a sec, there were three crocodile hearts . . ."
Sirius grabbed Lily on the shoulders to support himself and keep from falling onto the floor with laughter. "Lily . . . you - are - so - stupid. There were two frog intestines, one rat spleen, diced caterpillars, dried lacewings, and absolutely no where were there supposed to be any crocodile hearts . . . I don't know where you got that one from."
Lily grinned once more, though a bit more pink, and eyed her cauldron again, looking disgusted at the solution which was bubbling inside of it. "I guess I'm just not cut out for this..."
Sirius groaned and moved his desk back to it's original position. "You can say that again."
The bell was welcomed wholeheartedly.
Lily gathered her supplies in her arms, then tipped them into her bag, throwing it over her shoulders, then beckoning the others to join her. Sirius was the first to race over to her.
"Lily, you really bombed that potion, I'd be surprised if you passed potions this year, I mean really surprised... you need serious help."
Lily smiled cynically at him. "It's supportive friends like you, Sirius, that really help me get through the day."
Sirius nodded, an absentminded smile across his face. "I know, I know, you flatter me. But really..." His eyes flashed at her. "What would you do without me?"
Lily threw her bag over her shoulder, then muttered darkly, "Oh, I don't know, perhaps lift the burden of you off of my chest."
James gave a sarcastic laugh, then pushed the other four along. "C'mon, all of you, we're going to be late for Transfiguration."
Remus grinned at James. "Ah well, at least you're passionate about one subject, if not the rest..."
James poked his tongue out. "At least I'm good at something."
Remus's eyes flashed at James. "Might I remind you that I've scored equally to you on every subject test aside from Transfiguration, and that I currently maintain a clean record?" James's face dropped considerably.
"Well - y'know - there's a reason for all that, I mean --"
Lily giggled then prodded James in the side.
"Come on, you, we can settle this all later..." She grinned at James. "Personally,
I'd prefer not to miss Transfiguration either." Then, Lily pulling the
back of James's robes, struggling to come between the fist fight against
James and Remus, the five of the Griffindors walked through the corridors
to Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration class.
Lily rolled her eyes lazily as she pointed her wand at the round silver upon her desk, only managing to transform it partially into the miniature thimble which she was supposed to, not bothering to fix her mistakes. Professor McGonagall sent her a stern look, but Lily couldn't care less. Much more heavy upon her mind than McGonagall's shaken head or James triumphant laughs mingled within piles of thimbles were thoughts of the Quidditch team. Members would be chosen shortly, and Lily had prayed against her wildest chances that she would be chosen. She had done all that she could to prepare, but . . .
"Hey, Lily, check it out!" James grinned beaming at Lily, thrusting two handfuls of silver thimbles under her nose. "Am I good or what?"
Lily shoved him away from her, her eyes narrowed. "Really, James, have you nothing better to worry about? To do?"
James shook his head. "Sorry, no."
Lily gave him another push, smiling slightly. "Well, do you reckon it'd hurt to go away and bother someone else anyway?"'
James crossed his arms, then seated himself
next to Lily. "If that's the way you're going to be -- then no." Lily rolled
her eyes, then kicked James swiftly, plunging him headfirst from her seat
to the floor.
Elizabeth scrambled quickly from the head of the stairs to the girl's dormitory to the common room, where Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were already residing. "Oh, look!" she cried gleefully. "It's Arthur and Molly! Again!" Her face flashed at Lily. "Just saw them coming inside from the window, they're going to get such a telling off!"
Lily glared at Elizabeth with disbelief. "Elizabeth, it's four in the morning, who are you to bother me?"
Elizabeth turned a skeptical eye on Lily. "Doesn't seem to me that you're bothered, you and the rest of them are down here, out of bed . . ."
Lily tipped over at least a dozen books to the ground. "Studying." She shook Sirius awake quickly, defending her claim. "We've been up studying for term exams, but we've - eh - fallen asleep." She grinned sheepishly at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth laughed softly. "Well, you're up now, aren't you? Do you want to see them or not?" Lily jumped up, knocking the other boys in the heads, waking them up as well.
"Are you mad? A chance to see the most talked about couple in Hogwarts in action? Well, y'know, for the fifth time . . . but still, it's something to see them, isn't it?"
Elizabeth jumped up in response, nodding excitedly. "All right then, grab them, and let's go!" Elizabeth took Peter's hand, as well as Remus's, and flew down the portrait hole, the Fat Lady still asleep. Lily turned to Sirius and James, who had fallen back asleep, snoring loudly. A quick blow to the head fixed that easily.
"James, Sirius, come on now, I'd rather not touch you, so would you mind coming with me cooperatively?" She flung herself upon the pair of them, trying desperately to get them up, despite their clinging to the chairs. "Honestly..." She grabbed them, the Invisibility Cloak in her arms, then tore down the portrait hole after Elizabeth.
"Where are they?" whispered Lily to Elizabeth, now just beyond the corridor to Gryffindor Tower. Elizabeth shook her head, then mouthed, 'Just watch, they're coming . . .'
It was true, as two silhouettes came into view quickly, hand in hand, or rather, the girl in the arms of the other. Lily took one look, and realized that she shouldn't have been there, invisible to the eyes of the couple. It was a sort of situation that she had only heard of.
A tall red haired boy stopped suddenly and let down Molly, a short girl with a rosy complexion, full brown hair, and bright round eyes. Arthur stooped down - as Molly was about a head shorter than him - and drew her into a passionate kiss. At identical times, Lily and James drew away, turning their heads, moaning in disgust.
"Can you believe them?!" shrieked Lily and Elizabeth. Elizabeth glanced at Lily.
"Oh, I know, they're so romantic!"
Lily gagged. "No, moron, I was more along the lines of how completely disgusting those two are. I mean -- oh -- crap, look at that! God, Arthur, there are children watching!" Elizabeth fell to her knees in silent laughter.
James took hold of Lily, his eyes flashing, then said with utmost disgust, "You're not the only one who finds this completely - not - amusing -- disgusting -- oh, you're right, she's gonna suck that thing down!" His knees buckled. "I'm going to be sick, do you think you can cover for me while I sneak off to the toilets?" Lily giggled, then pulled James out of the cloak.
"Come with me, you can't possibly any more
horrified than I am right now . . ." Lily and James dashed off into the
night, their faces green, trailing the occasional snigger at Arthur and
Molly, still deeply engaged with each other.
Lily snorted as James disappeared once again into the peeled stall. "My god, you weren't joking when you told me that you were sick..."
James emerged from the stall, his face white and sweaty. "Yeah, so what?" Lily shrugged.
"I don't hold it against you or anything, just..." She gave him a sly smile. "I had no idea you were so sensitive to romance. I'll have to remember that the next time I ever get the urge to kiss you."
James pulled a face at Lily. "You're so unbelievably hilarious, Lily." He sat down against the wall. "Just - don't make me laugh, all right? I might spew again, all over you, mind."
Lily drew away from him, to a bemused expression and a laugh from James, in which he proved true to his word. Lily dashed over to the sink, tears in her eyes, sobbing hysterically and sending curses at James over her stained shoulder.
Lily awoke the next dreary morning in a foul mood, her body tense and her eyes glazed. Barely awake, she toppled out of her four poster, absentmindedly pulling on her robes, jamming her hat onto her matted and tangled hair, and trudging down the dormitory without shoes and a bag thrown sloppily over her back.
Peter rose an eyebrow at the mess which was Lily as she collapsed into an armchair next to him. "Lily -- are you sure that you're okay? You don't look very ... coordinated."
"Shut up Peter," snarled Lily. "I'm fine. Absolutely fine." She sank miserably into her chair, thoughts of the Quidditch teams and of James's romantic disorders fresh in her mind.
Remus moved with concern next to Lily. "Eh - Lily, don't mean to be rude, but you do realize that you've got no shoes on, your hair's a mess, and that school bag is completely unnecessary, it's the weekend." He took cover under an arm, bracing himself for the blow that Lily was sure to lodge at him, but it never came. Instead, Lily dissolved into tears.
Clutching at her hair, Lily latched herself onto Remus. Remus tried hard to contain himself from shoving her into the floor, and asked in a falsely concerned voice, "Lily, come on, what's wrong?"
Lily looked up at Remus, biting her lip, breaking the skin, blood trickling down her chin. "It's all - just - too much. So much stress, I can't take it any more!" She leapt off of Remus and raced down through the portrait hole. "I'll see you all later, but I've simply got to check the Quidditch listings, buh bye."
Before the portrait had had time to latch closed, James had gone to retracing Lily's steps. "Oi! Quidditch listings! Sorry boys, I've got to go see if I've made the team! See you!"
Sirius, Remus and Peter all sat staring openmouthed,
wide eyed, at the portrait hole, their hands all up, as if to say something,
but as they heard the portrait shut closed, they shrugged it off and returned
to staring blankly out of the window, their minds empty.
James tugged gently on Lily's robes, almost knocking her over in the speed that she was dashing through the hallways. She fell backwards onto James, and they went spiraling downwards.
Lily turned around to face James, and gave an appreciative laugh. "Oh, why hello. What brings you to these parts?"
James brought himself to his feet, and brushed off the dust from the stone floor. "Same reason as you." He shot her a grin. "Quidditch listings."
Lily smiled, then grabbed his arm to pull herself up. "Well then, I reckon we should be off." James nodded, and the pair of them set off to the Great Hall, where breakfast had just begun.
"So," began James. "Which position are you going for? Hopefully not the same as mine, don't want to be jeopardizing your chances."
Lily let out a sarcastic laugh. "Ha ha." She prodded him in the chest. "You're afraid that I might beat you out in the race." Lily grinned mischievously. "I've signed up for position of seeker, seeing as how that was one of only two choices."
James let out a sigh of relief. "And so what if I was afraid?" He poked her back. "But it really doesn't matter anyway, because I've tried out for chaser. So there." He gave a haughty laugh, and his eyes flashed with the mischief of Lily's grin. "The list's just up ahead, you sure that you want to see it?"
Lily smiled. "Of course I am, it must be very nice to gave your name in fancy gold letters against a list of the most talented Quidditch players in the whole school, know what I mean?" With her statement, she dashed forward, and shot a glance at the list. She reached out to touch the list, and her face dropped.
James turned over, and noticed Lily's expression. He would never let her know it, but he knew as soon as he had seen the let down expression upon her face what ailed her, and he couldn't stand to see her so hurt. He made his way towards her, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Lily, listen, I'm so sorry, now I'll feel guilty if I've gotten selected ..." He glanced at the list, and noticed his name under those of the school chasers. However, under the title of "seeker" was --
"Lily!" shouted James. "You - you're seeker! I - can't believe - that - you were - you made it Lily!"
Lily turned to face him, her eyes glinting, a smile wide across her glowing face. "I know!" She flung her arms around him, her eyes flooded with tears. "You're so gullible, James!" She wrapped herself up in his arms, her heart lighter than it had been in weeks. "I can't believe it -- I'm really going to be seeker for Gryffindor!"
James spun her around, equally as happy as she was. "Don't kid yourself, Lily Evans! We're going to be out there as the Gryffindor Quidditch team together. Can you imagine?"
Lily jumped out of James's arms, still grinning at him. "James, you're turning awfully sentimental, it's not like you at all."
James poked his tongue out at her. "Nor is
it anything like you, Lily." He laughed, then pulled her back through the
tapestries and hidden panels to Gryffindor Tower. "Come on, we've got plenty
of joy to spread."
Sirius grabbed a handful of cream puffs, a vague grin upon his face, content as he could possibly been. "Feeling generous, were we?"
Lily sat down next to him, and pulled away a few pastries from him, and stuffing her face with them. "Well - da 'ouse elves 'ere 'eeling 'eally nice 'owards us," she replied thickly, swallowing the creams. "And food makes quite an addition to the beautiful celebration party for all of us Gryffindors." She shot a grin at Sirius and the other Gryffindor Quidditch team players.
Sirius shook his head. "You've been dying for a chance like this for an excuse to bring up armloads of food into the tower. Pig."
Lily rolled her eyes, still smiling. "You've got food all over your face, Sirius dear." He immediately went red and ducked down out of sight. Remus took this opportunity to move over next to Lily.
"Well, really, if you and Sirius would've shut up earlier, I would've done it before -- but I'd really like to congratulate you on making it into the Quidditch team... I mean, coming from a Muggle family and all..." He gave her a quick but heartfelt smile, and grabbed a handful of crackers.
Lily blushed a bit, and crossed her legs upon the chair. "It just comes naturally, don't know what else to say -- but thanks." She grinned up at him, her eyes glimmering. Stuffing her pockets with as much food as she possibly could, she nudged him in the shoulder. "Wanna go up into the dormitory? The noise is killing me..." Remus nodded, and crept over towards the boy's stairway, dragging James, Sirius and Peter behind him. Lily laughed at the pained expressions on the others' faces, then skipped up the dormitory stairs behind Remus.
Lily shut the door closed behind her, and seated herself upon the edge of Remus's four poster. "So, do I win the bet?" She glanced over at Sirius, who only stared blankly back.
"What bet?" He truly looked it, though Lily couldn't believe that he had forgotten after all of his tedious taunts.
"Our Quidditch bet." She walked over towards him. "You bet that I wouldn't make the Quidditch team, so... you owe me. Pay up."
Sirius shoved her away. "I don't owe you anything. I bet you against James, and he made it, didn't he?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "He qualified as chaser. So did two others. I, on the other hand, remain the only seeker upon the Quidditch team." Sirius chortled.
"Give it up Lily." He glanced slyly at her. "James is just as good as you, and I refuse to pay you for anything."
Lily's eyes sparked, and her face dropped a notch. "You mean that, Sirius Black? You really won't give me anything? Not even though I've qualified as Gryffindor seeker?" Sirius shook his head. Lily approached him slowly, and drew her robes above her shoulders.
"Very well, Sirius, have it your way --" Lily drew back her hand a lodged a punch at him, missing his face by inches. Sirius stood up, his face livid with bewilderment.
"Lily, what the -- ?"
Lily gritted her teeth. "Honestly, Sirius ... I've been working at this for over one year, and now... you break the promise that you made to me that year ago! I can't believe you!" Sirius just stood, his hands balled.
"Lily, you're very lucky that you're a girl, because if you weren't, I think I'd have to kill you... Give this all up, get off it! You're more headstrong than I thought -- no, that's not a compliment--" he added as Lily's face lifted.
Lily stamped her foot, nearly crushing James's, and shook her head wildly. "Fine, you win. I just --" She gave him another glare, then stormed out of the room. Sirius watched her go, looking disgusted.
He turned to Remus, his mouth still open. "What the hell do you see in that girl? She's mad!" Remus looked on, his face blank, and nodded slowly.
"Sometimes... you just have to overlook that."
He gave a pitying glance at Sirius and sighed.
Anne shrugged. "Yeah, well, that's just Sirius..." She turned away from Lily and sat down in her own four poster. Lily glared at her.
"Some friend you are."
Raye gave a small laugh. "Really, Lily, I think Sirius is right... technically, you and James are tied, meaning that if you won the bet, so did Sirius." She let out a sigh of longing. "I wouldn't argue with him, anyway..."
Lily snorted. "You only say that because you fancy him, Raye. Can't see why he would see anything in you, even if you do stick up for him --" Lily's words were interrupted as a shoe flew across the room and hit her square in the face. She glared at Raye, her face red. "Oh, thanks, I needed that."
Raye had her face hidden within her hands. "Yes - well - at least I've got someone picked out for the dance next month..."
Lily's face cleared of all expression. "Wh - what dance? Next month, you mean? I - I've never heard of the dance, tell me!"
Elizabeth laughed. "My god, Lily, you certainly are slow. They've made the announcement a few times in Transfiguration classes, I had no idea that you didn't know, poor thing --" Her eyes flashed. "I take it that you'll be going with Remus?" Lily tried to hide a giggle.
"Well - I suppose if he wants to --"
Anne grinned. "What about James?"
"What about him?"
"I thought you two had a thing going on?"
"No, what would give you such a ridiculous idea?"
"You two have been dropping each other hints all year, ever since he got you the little gift."
"We have not!"
"Have too!"
"Have not!"
"Have too!"
Raye's clarification of her throat ended the argument, leaving both Lily and Anne quite flustered. "Lily, don't mind Anne, she doesn't honestly think that you and James stand a chance of making it together." A wicked expression occupied her face. "She just wants Remus to take her."
Anne's face inflated, and she opened and closed her mouth wordlessly, at last sputtering out incomplete sentences. "Well, I certainly -- don't deny that I -- of course I don't think -- absurd, completely absurd -- never would I --"
Lily laughed. "Aw, c'mon Annie, you've got a thing for my Remus, have you? What do you think I shoulder do with you? Destroy you?"
Anne's cheeks flushed, raising another shade of red. "Lily, you have to admit, he is only the most sweet Gryffindor in the second year, every girl within a two year range of you is in deep envy, just you wait until I've got the chance to prove it." Lily beamed.
"Poor Anne... so, who're you going to ask?"
Anne looked outraged. "Me? Ask someone? Right. I'll wait for them to come to me -- Lily, you really have no class, pathetic girl..." Lily poked her tongue out at Anne.
"So, let's add this up... I'm going with Remus, Raye is going with Sirius," Raye broke into a mad fit of giggles at this comment, "Elizabeth will go with James... and Anne is left with Peter. Sorry Anne."
Anne pulled a face. "Peter? I can do better, Lily. I think I'll go for that Ravenclaw, Branston, he's Ravenclaw chaser, and extremely handsome..." Both she and Elizabeth hid their faces in their knees, giggling sharply. Lily rolled her eyes.
She stood up and waved as she exited the girl's dormitory to the common room. "Buh-bye, I'm off to find Remus." She closed the door tightly, then skipped down.
Anne sighed and rolled over onto her side and
swore. "God, that girl's lucky."
Tears flooded Lily's eyes. "Wha - what d'you mean, 'no?'" She grabbed Remus's hands and shook them wildly. Tears spilled onto Remus's pale skin, and he flinched to see her in so much pain.
He reached below her and cradled her within his arms, then whispered into her ear, "Lily, I promise, I would go with you, but --" He gave her a serious look, then another at the night sky, and suddenly she understood....
"Moony... the full moon..." Lily whispered into the front of his robes. Remus nodded and gave her a soothing pat upon the head.
"I swear it to you that I would never hurt you like that, but under these circumstances you must understand --"
Lily was beaming. "Well - then - I suppose - I shouldn't have doubted you - thank you Remus." She smiled at him warmly, then stood on the balls of her feet to kiss him. He drew back, looking quite pink - and almost guilty, as she raced back upstairs to the girl's dormitory, screaming into the ajar door, "Change of plans, girls!"
Raye threw the sheets and blankets to the side of her four poster as soon as her eyelids fluttered open, recalling the events of last night. She sat up abruptly, startling the jet black cat which lay upon it. "Ah, sorry boy..." she muttered as she strode over to Lily's bedside, shaking her awake.
Lily instinctively shot a hand out, hitting Raye in the face. Raye fell back, wincing in pain. Lily wiped the sleep quickly out of her eyes, then took notice of Raye, lying beside of her four poster, sprawled across the wooden floor. "Oh, sorry Raye," she apologized groggily. "Didn't mean to hit you, having a weird dream, s'all..." She grinned cheekily at her friend, she fumbling to get up.
Raye forced a smile as she propped herself up upon her elbows, faking the desire to lie down upon the cold, bare floor. "Ah, well, might as well get the others up...." However, there was no need - Raye's startled screams had awoken the entire dormitory.
"So tell me..." began Lily, curiously staring at Raye. "What do you want from me?" Raye grinned broadly, then sat up with great effort.
"Eh, well, I was wondering if you would promise not to ask Sirius, you know, now that you can't go to the dance with Remus..." Raye truly looked imploring as she asked the question from her innermost soul. Lily burst out laughing.
"Raye, you really, really, have no life. I promise that I won't ask Sirius." She rolled her eyes. "Oh - wait - I wouldn't have asked him in the first place, now would I?" She giggled and poked Raye in the ribs. "I'll wait 'till I get an invite."
Raye let out a sigh of relief, then grinned. "You know you want him, Lily." Lily pulled a face at her, and flung a pillow at her head. Raye widened her eyes towards Lily, then flung back another three pillows.
"You'll pay for that one, Evans!" Across the
room went pillows, knocking books, figurines, and other items that adorned
the tops of shelves and cabinets off to the floor. The occasional glass
object would fall to the floor, shattering and flying across the dormitory,
sending ear splitting howls of pain all the way to the common room. Elizabeth
gave an urgent glance at Anne, who nodded, and the two of them crept down
to the common room in a great hurry, each looking disturbed and - to be
honest - terribly frightened.
Raye and Lily appeared down in the common room about half of an hour later, their hair wildly ratted, and smiles across their bruised faces.
Anne grinned. "So, you two have reached an agreement, have you?"
Lily dusted her hands against her robes. "I suppose so. So..." she grinned sideways at Raye. "Go ahead, ask him."
Raye drew away. "Yeah, right! He'll ask me, I flatly refuse to give him the invite." She narrowed her eyes at Lily. Lily simply shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes.
"I'll get him."
"Thank you." Raye smiled, and Lily giggled, departing to the base of the boy's staircase, and running upwards, bolting through the door. However, she froze as she caught a drift of the conversation that rang through her ears.
James voice rang out first. "So, you're cheating?"
Glancing into the room, she saw Remus shrug. "No, I'm not... I wouldn't do that to Lily. But I won't deny that I am lying to her --"
Sirius laughed. "The full moon isn't for another two weeks after the dance, you're flat out missing the dance without denying her invitation."
Some part of Lily's mind blanked. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out. Her knees began to tremble heavily, and she held onto the door to support herself from collapse. Unfortunately on Lily's behalf, her weight caused the door to swing directly open, revealing herself to the four boys, now staring wide-eyed at her.
Peter was the first to speak. "You - you didn't - you haven't - heard?" Lily tried to force what she hoped was a mildly confused expression onto her face.
"I - I have no idea what you're talking about, Peter... I haven't heard anything... Why?" Peter shook his head nervously, eyeing Remus.
"No reason."
Lily turned to Remus. He appeared to be petrified and unable to move or speak. All of the color had drained from his face. Noticing this, James asked quickly, "What did you want?"
Lily pointed to Sirius. "Eh - Raye wanted me - to ask you - to ask Raye to the dance - if it wouldn't be that much of a problem..."
Sirius grinned. "Well, I'm off... See you!" He winked at the others, then strode through the door. Remus raised his hand.
"I think I'll go too..."
Peter glanced around, rolling his eyes. "Well, for god's sake, if you're all leaving, I'm coming with you." The three of them exited, leaving Lily alone with James. Instantly, Lily threw herself into the nearest four poster and fell into the tangle of blankets, sobbing heavily.
"I take it you heard then?" asked James tentatively. Lily rose her head, her red hair sticking to her tear stained face, her emerald eyes peering into James's magnificent brown ones. Slowly, she nodded.
"Lily..." James immediately made movement towards the bed that Lily lay upon, and put a hand under her face. "Please, please... it doesn't mean... it's not as if..." Lily dissolved once again into tears, and James shuddered, running his hand down Lily's face, trying to ease her pain.
Then, without warning, and of her own free will, Lily crept onto James's lap, almost capturing the breath from his throat, his eyes widening beneath his glasses. Lily wrapped her arms around his neck in a longing air, and whispered into the front of his robes, "James, I can't believe it... what motive does he have? Why -- ?"
James slid his hands down her back and smiled at her comfortingly. "Lily... listen, he didn't mean to hurt you... it's nothing like that. He loves you - he's just a bit uncomfortable. But," he glanced into her eyes, as he put his free hand under her chin and lifted her face up to meet his. "I want you to know, that no matter what happens, I'll always be there for you, to be true until the end... to love you..."
Lily's heart began to pound in her ears. "What? You - you mean?"
James laughed. "C'mon Lily, I'm not a monster." He gave another chortle, and brightened as she grinned back at him. "I think I'll leave you to Remus. Go on now, get out of here, I want you to find out as much as you can about the predicament between Raye and Sirius." He gave her a push off of the bed, and shoved her down the boy's staircase.
Lily began to race down the stairs, on a happier note than she had been all day, as James called out to her, "See you at lunch, then!"
Lily nodded, smiled, and clutched her heart, grinning all the way to the common room.