Disclaimer: I own everything because I am God. Worship me. (At a respectable distance)
A/N: I'm sorry this chapter took so long to post, I was drawing a complete blank. Obscurity Personified, thanks for your persistence in getting me to write this chapter. If it wasn't for you I might have given up.
I know, Halloween Masquerades are very overdone, but I couldn't resist. I promise that I won't have a chapter where Lily and James (in disguise so their identities are unknown) meet at the dance and fall in love without knowing the other is their worst enemy. Now, that's overdone! I just wanted to have a costume ball. I've already planned how they get together.
Chapter 6: "How Dare You Kiss Me!"
I should feel properly ashamed, it's been weeks since I've written! But nothing of interest has occurred and I've been very busy with school. Still that's no excuse. Claudia told me not to worry about it, but I can't help it! I feel guilty. Oh well.
Let's see, what have I been up to in the past few weeks? Well, I've been tutoring Potter a lot; I'm beginning to think he's a lost cause. In the beginning I was patient with him because his parents had just died, but that was over a month ago already! He still can't charm a lemon to do flips. That's so simple! Potter just doesn't concentrate! Oh well, I have to keep tutoring him until something penetrates his thick skull. Eventually it'll happen, I'm sure.
Oh, guess what? Remus told me he likes Megan! Isn't that terrific? He's going to ask her to the Masquerade ball coming up on Halloween and I just know she'll say yes. Aww, my friends are going to go on a date! I don't know who I'll go with yet, I suppose it depends on who asks me.
"Lily! Come on! Don't make me come up there!"
Claudia was calling me from the stairs so I hurried and put on my cloak before running down. It was a Hogsmeade trip today and Claudia, Megan, and I were going to look for our costumes. Stacey said she might join us later.
Claudia was practically bursting with impatience. "Come on, Lily, I want to get a good costume!"
"Who are you going with, Claud?" Megan asked curiously as we started walking to Hogsmeade.
Claudia shrugged. "Nobody, as of right now. You?"
Megan blushed furiously. "I don't know. You know that I'd like to go with Remus, but I'm not sure he'll ask me." I smiled mischievously. "What about you, Scarlet?"
I shrugged. "I'm with Claudia. No one yet, but we have time. We have to pick out the perfect costumes. What are you going as?"
"I'll design my costume, but I need the materials. I think I'll go as a butterfly this year. I need to make some wings. What about you Claudia?" Megan asked.
"I wanted to go as a muggle, but Professor McGonagall said we have to dress up. What do you think I should be?"
Claudia has the most beautiful hair I have ever seen, it's really golden with red highlights, and her eyes are the most fascinating assortment of colors. She doesn't see herself as beautiful and doesn't try to fix her appearance in any way, so a lot of boys don't notice.
"You could be Sleeping Beauty," I suggested, but Claudia made a face. "Or, you could be something simple, like a doctor."
"Nah," Claudia said. "I want to go as the Harpy Seeker Glynnis Griffiths."
Now I made a face. "Come on, Claud. Dare to be different. You went as a Quidditch player last year."
"What are you going to be?" Claudia asked defensively. I thought about it.
"I think I'll go as a genie. That way I can use magic."
Megan laughed. "You do know that muggles have got it completely wrong, don't you?"
I was confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I've seen what they call genies. It's like what muggles call gnomes. Poor things spread these corrupt images of what they consider magic to be. Anyway, real genies are very rare. Generally they don't live in lamps, though a few do to be contrary. Most live in condominiums and look like normal human beings. A genie, technically, is an enslaved witch or wizard. If a muggle, or for that matter a witch or wizard though that's less common, saves the life of a genie, then the genie is indebted to them for the rest of the muggle's life. The muggle gets as many wishes as they want, none of this three wish business, and once the muggle dies the genie is free again. That's the main difference between magical folk like us and genies; they live forever, but can be enslaved, where as we have only a slightly longer than average life span."
"Wow," I said, impressed. "Where did you learn so much about genies?"
"I had a muggle friend who caught a genie once. But I made her set him free," Megan replied. "So, still want to be a genie?"
"Not really, but I don't know what to be now," I said glumly.
"Don't worry about it," Claudia said. "Look, we're here, there's bound to be a shop where we can get costumes."
While we talked, our feet led us to Hogsmeade. Our first step was Robes and Such, the clothing store. It took us ages, but eventually Claudia and I found the perfect costumes. Megan was still going with her original plan so while we paid for our purchases she went to look for the right materials.
Claudia decided to go as Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake as a witch in 1431. According to old Professor Binns, she really was a witch and she didn't actually die then. She pretended to be burned (using a Flame Freezing charm no doubt) and then Disapparated. She lived out the rest of her days as a farmer's wife in Spain. I think it's a neat costume and Claud likes it because she gets to carry a sword.
I really needed a costume that Potter wouldn't make fun of. At the last costume ball we had I went as an angel and Potter wouldn't leave me alone about it. But this time I think I found the perfect costume. It was really quite brilliant if I do say so myself, I knew Megan was proud of me. See, I wanted to go as Rowena Ravenclaw, but my coloring was all wrong, so I thought I'd be Helga Hufflepuff instead. But then I felt like that would be disrespectful to my own house, so I wasn't sure what to do. I couldn't be Godric Gryffindor! So I decided to be Hogwarts. I would wear a tunic that had the Hogwarts crest on it, and yes that included Slytherin. As much as I hated them, it would serve to make my identity anonymous. After all that was the point of a masquerade, to be masked. My mask would be a simple half mask with a badger, snake, lion, and eagle painted on. Megan promised to help me with it. Underneath the tunic I'd just wear hose, most likely in purple. My hair is rather a give away so I'd have to charm it to be a different color. No one would have a clue who I was.
Once we bought our costumes, Claudia and I went looking for Megan. Instead we were waylaid by Potter and Black. They were carrying bags from the new joke shop, Zonko's, and were whispering excitedly to each other. When they caught sight of us they stopped dead in their tracks.
"Oh, look, Padfoot," Potter began with a devilish grin, "if it isn't my tutor and my teammate. Buying their costumes perhaps?"
"Leave us alone, Potter," I said frostily.
"Why?" He asked with that same infuriating smile. "What did you buy?"
He tried to look in my bag but I pulled it away. "Get out of there, Potter. What I bought is none of your business."
"Just curious. No need to get so defensive, Evans. Are you getting sick of tutoring me yet? Because I could use some help before Friday's exam."
"I'll think about it. Now, just leave us alone, we're looking for Megan." Was it my imagination or did Black turn slightly red when I said that?
"Oh, well, last time I saw her, she was over there," he pointed.
"Thanks," I said coldly and stalked off with Claudia running to catch up. I swear, I thought that by tutoring Potter there was a chance we could get on better terms. When his parents died, I was sympathetic and I thought he appreciated it. Now here it is, a month later, and he's still being a prat. Some people never change.
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Sirius and I had just bought our weekly supply of practical jokes from Zonko's (we had a super one to play on Snape) when we ran into Evans and Claudia. It looked like they had just come from Robes and Such and I surmised that they had just bought their costumes. Naturally, I was curious, but Evans acted like the stuck up snob she is and brushed me off.
Sirius and I walked away and headed for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. It wasn't until we had placed our order with Madam Rosmerta that I noticed Sirius was uncharacteristically silent.
"Hey, Padfoot, what's wrong? You're so quiet."
Sirius looked up, startled. He stared at me for a moment, as though he wasn't sure he was really seeing me. We were in a booth tucked away in the back and Sirius looked around wildly for a moment.
"I'll tell you, Prongs, but you have to promise you won't tell anyone else. Including Moony and Wormtail."
I knew it was serious. The Marauders shared everything, if there was something that Sirius couldn't tell Remus or Peter then it wasn't going to be good news.
"I promise," I said resolutely.
Sirius looked around a few more times before he spoke in a low whisper. "I think..." Then he hesitated. I was waiting impatiently. "Er, um, I think that Professor Herlinger is retiring at the end of this term."
Professor Herlinger is our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and he's very old. "That's it?" I asked incredulously. "That's the big secret?"
"Um, yes," Sirius said, but he avoided my gaze. Then I realized that whatever Sirius' secret was it was so terrible he couldn't even tell me. I didn't press him about it, though I really wanted to. I knew that he'd tell me when he was ready.
"Alright, Padfoot. Let's head back to school, we should set up our prank."
Sirius nodded and we started walking. I wasn't thinking about anything in particular, but for some reason my mind wandered to the masquerade.
"Padfoot, what are you going to dress up as for the Halloween Ball?"
Sirius shrugged. "I don't know. What about you?"
"I haven't thought about it. We don't have much time left, do we?"
"No, we better hurry up and think of something. Look, there's Remus!"
Remus ran over to us. He looked very excited about something.
"I did it! I asked Megan out! We're going to the ball together!"
I was very happy for my friend. He had liked Megan for a long time, but never said anything about it. In the beginning of the school year all of the Marauders made resolutions; his was to be more daring. Mine was to be nicer to Evans; you can see how well that's working.
"Congratulations, Remus!" I said warmly. Sirius didn't say anything.
"And she said yes! This is going to be the best ball ever." Remus looked so happy I thought he would explode. Luckily he didn't and we made it back to the castle in one piece.
We would have stayed in one piece, too, if we hadn't run into Evans and her friends again. We were wandering one of the many deserted corridors, one of the ones where few people went.
"Are you following us, Potter?" she asked incredulously.
"Of course not," I retorted hotly. "We go to the same school and are in the same house! This is the way to the common room, it's not our fault that we have to go the same way."
"So what's your costume going to be, James?" Claudia asked nicely, holding Evans back. I noticed that Megan smiled coyly at Moony who turned red.
"I can't tell you," I replied. "It's supposed to be a secret."
"It was very nice to run into you girls, but we really should be going," Sirius said quickly. He was right, we had a prank to plan.
Now everything would have been just fine if we left right then. We had been alone in the hallway, but suddenly a bunch of third years ran past us and one of them bumped into me. I fell and to my terrible luck I fell on Evans. And that's not the worst part, I tore her robe too.
She was furious. "Damn it, Potter! What the hell did you do?"
Then she cursed me. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
I flew up into the air. Then she whipped me around and around until I was so dizzy that I thought I'd vomit. Through clenched teeth I managed to say something,
"Put me down, Evans! Twenty points from Gryffindor!"
I heard Sirius gasp. I had never used my Prefect status against a fellow Gryffindor before, not even when they deserved it. Evans' eyes narrowed and she let me drop. I would have broken my skull if Remus hadn't whipped out his wand and saved me. As it was I was badly bruised and I was scowling when I stood up. But Evans and her friends had already left.
"I hate that girl!" I shouted furiously. "She could have killed me! Where's Filch when you need him?"
Sirius was staring at me in shock. "James, you took points away from Gryffindor!"
"Yes I did," I said angrily. "Padfoot, she almost killed me! All I did was trip on her and rip her robe! It was an accident."
"Prongs, I'm not condoning what Lily did," Remus started, "but she's always had a terrible temper and the important thing is that she didn't hurt you."
"Except my pride," I muttered. "Fine, for saving my life, Remus, I hereby award Gryffindor twenty points. But I still hate her and I'm going to get revenge."
Remus sighed and we started walking. "You always do, Prongs."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I hate him!" I screamed. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!"
"Who?" Megan asked innocently. "Whoever could you be talking about?"
I made a face at her. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. Potter! He ripped brand new robes! Then he took twenty points from Gryffindor!"
"But he did give them back," Claudia pointed out. "Sirius told me. So there's no lasting damage."
We were back up in our room. Megan was painting her wings, Claudia was reading a book, and Stacey was doing her homework. I was pacing and ranting. I know I should have just calmed down, but it was so hard and I was so mad!
"Now he can just forget my help. I refuse to help him in Charms. You can do it, Stace."
Stacey shook her head. "No way. I refuse to help him. Besides, you made an agreement, Lily, you said you'd tutor him."
"But I don't want to!" I whined. Then I stopped and laughed. I knew I sounded childish. "Sorry, everyone. I know when I get on the topic of Potter, I tend to get, er, immature."
"It's okay, Scarlet," Claudia said, not taking her eyes from her book, In Which We Flew by Sky Soaring. "We know that you aren't rational when it comes to James. We're used to it. Now, who do you want to go to the masquerade with?"
I stopped my pacing. "What?"
Megan grinned. "I think she asked you who you wanted to go to the ball with, Scarlet." She said the words like she was speaking to a toddler.
"I know what she asked, Meg, I want to know why she asked it."
"Because I'm curious. Are there any Ravenclaws that have caught your eye, Scarlet?" Claudia asked, pulling the hair out of her face as she turned the page.
"No. I'll probably go by myself. What about you, Claud?"
"Not yet. I wouldn't mind it if Dan Brown asked me though. He's a terrific Beater." Claudia went back to her book. I peered at her; not even a trace of a blush. Claudia is so secure with herself it's wonderful. "Stace, have you asked Jonathan Bones?"
Stacey nearly fell off the bed. "What! Why would I do that?"
"Because you like him," I replied cooly, sitting down on my bed. "Why not ask him?"
"He's probably already asked someone else. Please don't mention it again or should I tell Professor McGonagall who turned her desk pink and carved 'Minnie and Peeves forever' on it?"
"Point taken," Megan said. "Forget it. Scarlet, do you need help with your costume? My wings are done."
They were beautiful, shimmery and sparkly. The colors swirled until you were dizzy. I shook my head, half to tell Megan 'no need' and half to wake myself up from the stupor Megan's wings had put me in.
"No, I want to go set up a prank on Potter. I'll work on it later." I grabbed my satchel and left the room. Carefully and quietly I opened the door to the sixth year boys dorm. Perfect, it was empty. I slipped inside.
Now this was one of my better pranks if I do say so myself. And of course, I do. I went right to Potter's bed and pulled back his sheets. Then I placed a teddy bear there with a bow around it's neck. There was also a tag which read, 'Dearest James (I nearly gagged just writing that), Please accept this gift from me to you. Love, your secret admirer' Even if Potter doesn't fall for it, though he probably will because Potter is so vain that he probably thinks that a million girls are in love with his stupid ugly self...where was I? Oh, right, so even if he doesn't fall for it, all he has to do is pick up the bear and suddenly he'll find himself with a terrible rash that will eventually turn him the color of rotting vegetables. Brilliant, no? Not to mention that for a solid hour after the first person touches it, anyone else who touches it will get the same affliction! I might get all of the Marauders at once.
I didn't wait for him to come back, I just ran back to the relative safety of my room. I was supposed to tutor Potter later, but now I'd figured he'd cancel. At least until he could get rid of the rash. I threw myself down on my bed and started giggling. Stacey, Claudia, and Megan gave me funny looks but I ignored them. I couldn't wait to see Potter the Rotten Vegetable. About a half an hour later, I heard shrieks and screams from the boys dormitory. My friends all jumped and then immediately looked at me.
"Okay, Scarlet, what did you do?" Megan asked.
"What makes you think it was me?" I asked innocently.
Claudia rolled her eyes. Suddenly the door burst open and one of the strangest sights I've ever seen met my eyes. It took me a moment to realize that the creature before me was Sirius Black.
"Evans, what did you do to me?" he howled. Standing in the doorway behind him were Potter, Remus, and Pettigrew. They looked normal except for the laughter they were trying to contain.
"What makes you think it was me?" I asked again, trying not to grin.
"That thing," the teddy bear, I assumed, "was on James' bed! The only person who would try to pull a practical joke on him is you! I repeat, what did you do to me?"
I was still trying not to laugh. Black looked so ridiculous; his skin was dark green and his hair was turning orange. "I didn't do anything to you, Black. I was aiming at Potter. It's not my fault you got in the way. Didn't your mum ever teach you that it's not nice to pick up your chum's presents?"
I glanced quickly at Potter. He was grinning, our earlier argument forgotten—for the moment anyway. He had that smile that made my heart flutter, and it worked even now, even when I was angry at him.
"What am I going to do?" Black said, panicking.
"Don't worry, Padfoot," Potter interjected, "green's a good color on you."
"You think so?" Black turned to look in our full-length mirror. His good humor returned and he laughed. "Maybe you're right."
At that moment another uninvited guest arrived—Professor McGonagall. I was still trying not to laugh, but the look on her face when she saw Black was priceless. I wouldn't trade it for all the Galleons in the world.
"Mr. Black, what in the name of Merlin, happened to you?" Professor McGonagall asked completely taken aback.
Black thought for a moment before replying. "It was a teddy bear, ma'am."
Her jaw dropped. "A what?"
"A teddy bear. You know, a stuffed animal that resembles a bear of some sort. Oh, don't worry, Professor, I'm getting used to it. I think I'll stay this way for a while. Can't say I don't stand out, eh?"
Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared. "You don't need green skin to stand out, Mr. Black." Then she waved her own wand over him and he slowly turned back to normal. Everyone was still laughing. "I think you had better dispose of that bear, Mr. Black."
"Don't worry," I reassured her, "the spell will wear off the bear in less then an hour."
She turned on me. "Miss Evans! Are you responsible for this?"
Damn! How could I have made such a stupid mistake? "Well—er—that is—it wasn't—"
She cut me off. "A detention, Miss Evans. As a prefect, you should know better."
I bowed my head. "I'm sorry, Professor."
She left. Potter and friends left soon after that. Before he exited the room, Potter sent a parting shot.
"That was the best, Evans. I got to see Sirius green and you got detention. That bear was a super present, my darling secret admirer."
I threw the first thing that came to hand at him; it turned out to be a pillow. It missed and he was already out into the hall. I screamed at him.
"I am not your secret admirer! It was just a joke!"
I thought I had gotten my point across, but he called back from the safety of his dorm. "Whatever you say, Lilian my sweet!"
I turned back to my friends. "Ooh, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!" I took a few calming breaths and looked at my friends. "Have I mentioned that I hate him?"
They exchanged a glance and sighed collectively. Claudia returned to her book now that the excitement had passed and answered my rhetorical question. "Yes, Scarlet, just once or twice."
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That made my day. Suddenly I felt a lot better and even risked a trip to the kitchens. The House Elves were only too glad to give me a few eclairs.
It took a lot of begging to get Evans to tutor me that evening. I wouldn't have asked, but I was desperate. We have a Charms exam tomorrow and as usual I'm unprepared. Eventually after much pleading and bribing, she agreed and once again, I found myself alone in the library with Evans. We sat next to each other at one of the tables in the back. She wasn't very happy to be there.
"Concentrate! How many times do I have to tell you to concentrate?" she shouted for the fiftieth time. I was keeping track.
"Shut it, Evans, alright? I heard you the first time!"
"Then why aren't you listening?" she retorted. Then she sighed and placed her head in her hands. "You're hopeless. Okay, this is what we're going to do. See this book?" Of course I did. It was the same one I had been trying to banish for the past three hours. "Really look at it. I mean, memorize every feature."
I waved my hand. "I know that book, Evans, can we continue?"
"I want you to really see it, Potter," she said in a strained tone. "Look at the damned book!"
"I know what it looks like! Let's move on!" I said, my eyes narrowing.
Suddenly she smiled in that way I absolutely hate. It was the one where she was about to make a fool out of me.
"Oh really? Alright then." Evans pulled the book off the table and onto her lap where I couldn't see it. "Close your eyes. What's the title of the book, and for that matter, what color is it?"
Oops. "Er, Advanced Charms and red?" I guessed.
She threw the book back onto the table. I opened my eyes. It was 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi and the cover was blue.
"You see?" she said, exasperated. "You don't concentrate on anything! Really examine this book. Look at it, Potter! Memorize it! You notice how it's three–dimensional? That's very important in Charms, knowing that objects have depth."
So I looked at the damned book. I memorized the outline, the shape, the color, and everything else until I could picture it with my eyes closed. Apparently that's what Evans wanted.
"Close your eyes," she instructed.
I closed them, but I complained. "How am I supposed to do this with my eyes closed?"
"Hush, and listen to me. Can you see the book in your mind?" I nodded. "Good. Now what's the title?"
"1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi."
"Color?"
"Blue."
"Hard or soft cover?"
"Hard."
"Is it thick?"
"Considering there are 1001 magical herbs and fungi in there, I'd say thick."
"Okay good." Suddenly she grabbed my wrist lightly; I felt tremors run down my spine. "I'm pointing your wand at the book. Now as you say the words, I want you to imagine flinging this book away from you. You don't want this thing anywhere near you. Pretend...pretend that Snape has kissed this book and rolled on top of it in the mud. Severus Snape has snogged with your text book in the mud."
"Eew, Evans, I'm going to be sick," I said as my stomach churned.
"Good," she replied. "Now banish it!"
I banished. When I ventured to open my eyes I saw 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi on the other side of the library. Evans was smiling brightly and her eyes sparkled.
"You did it! You actually did it, Potter! I knew it would happen eventually."
I smiled back at her. "I actually did it! I'm the King of Charms."
Evans actually laughed. "I wouldn't get too carried away, but it was a very good job. Can you do it again?"
I banished again and again and again. I was starting to have a lot of fun. Then I pulled out a bottle of butterbeer from my satchel and offered it to Evans.
"Oh, thanks, Potter, I'm parched." She pulled the cap off and took a swig.
"I'm the one who should thank you. You're a pretty good tutor, when you're not yelling at me."
She smiled again. She looked very pretty when she smiled. What was I thinking? She's Evans! It wasn't until her arm bumped mine that I realized how close together we were. So close in fact that I could see the tiny smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose.
At the same time we both started to lean in a little closer. Then before I realized what was happening, our lips met. We held it for a fraction of a second before we parted, both looking horrified.
At the same time we cried out, "How dare you kiss me!"
I recovered first. "Me kiss you? I don't think so! You were the one who kissed me!"
She was outraged. "I would never! I hate you, Potter!"
"And I hate you, Evans. I most certainly did not kiss you!"
She tried to take calming breaths, but was too furious. "This never happened! Ever! If you tell your friends anything, I'll murder you with my bare hands!"
"Fine by me! I'm not telling anyone we kissed! People might think I like you!" Secretly and very briefly, I couldn't help noticing that she was really beautiful when she was angry. Then that thought was wiped away and replaced with my own anger.
"I hate you! I don't ever want to speak to you again, and I'm not tutoring you any more! Ask Remus for help. Good bye!"
She stormed out of the library. I called out, "Fine by me! I'd rather have Remus tutor me than experience any more of your company any day!"
Then I was alone, with nothing but a butterbeer bottle, a few books, and a sheet of parchment to keep me company.
"Damn, Lily Evans," I muttered, just a little too loudly. "As if I would ever kiss her!"
"What's this, Potter? Girlfriend trouble?"
And standing in the door way of the library was the last person on earth I would ever want to see. Severus Snape. Who else?
A/N: Ooh, semi–cliffhanger! Please people, review, Review, REVIEW! In the next chapter we have more nosy obnoxious Snape and the masquerade ball. How will the Marauders dress? Stay tuned to find out! But don't expect a new chapter for at least a month and a half. If I get it up earlier than that, yay for me.
Thank Yous:
Razz-Ma-tazz: thanks, I'm sorry this was so slow to come out, but I hope you enjoyed
LQueenie: emotion is something I'm good at even thought a lot of what I write I haven't actually experienced. I'm glad you like my story
Padfoot: I didn't hurry, but here it is!
~*Crystal Lily*~: it was sad, but it had to happen
betina: here's more like you asked for!
thistlemeg: i hope this is good, and I know it's over done, but often it's done badly. In a way I'm poking fun at the authors of some of those bad fics. And Sirius liking Lily? Hmm. Well, he certainly has a secret, doesn't he?
and finally,
My Dear Obscurity Personified (terrific name by the way): please don't send me to the zoo! I don't want to be eaten by emus! By the by, I love Australia. I only went for 3 weeks and it wasn't nearly enough. Everything's beautiful there and I love kangaroos and koalas. I got to hold a koala! And I was surprised to find that platypi (is that even remotely correct?) are so small! Enough of my ramblings. I hope you enjoyed and you know what to do!
A/N: I'm sorry this chapter took so long to post, I was drawing a complete blank. Obscurity Personified, thanks for your persistence in getting me to write this chapter. If it wasn't for you I might have given up.
I know, Halloween Masquerades are very overdone, but I couldn't resist. I promise that I won't have a chapter where Lily and James (in disguise so their identities are unknown) meet at the dance and fall in love without knowing the other is their worst enemy. Now, that's overdone! I just wanted to have a costume ball. I've already planned how they get together.
Chapter 6: "How Dare You Kiss Me!"
I should feel properly ashamed, it's been weeks since I've written! But nothing of interest has occurred and I've been very busy with school. Still that's no excuse. Claudia told me not to worry about it, but I can't help it! I feel guilty. Oh well.
Let's see, what have I been up to in the past few weeks? Well, I've been tutoring Potter a lot; I'm beginning to think he's a lost cause. In the beginning I was patient with him because his parents had just died, but that was over a month ago already! He still can't charm a lemon to do flips. That's so simple! Potter just doesn't concentrate! Oh well, I have to keep tutoring him until something penetrates his thick skull. Eventually it'll happen, I'm sure.
Oh, guess what? Remus told me he likes Megan! Isn't that terrific? He's going to ask her to the Masquerade ball coming up on Halloween and I just know she'll say yes. Aww, my friends are going to go on a date! I don't know who I'll go with yet, I suppose it depends on who asks me.
"Lily! Come on! Don't make me come up there!"
Claudia was calling me from the stairs so I hurried and put on my cloak before running down. It was a Hogsmeade trip today and Claudia, Megan, and I were going to look for our costumes. Stacey said she might join us later.
Claudia was practically bursting with impatience. "Come on, Lily, I want to get a good costume!"
"Who are you going with, Claud?" Megan asked curiously as we started walking to Hogsmeade.
Claudia shrugged. "Nobody, as of right now. You?"
Megan blushed furiously. "I don't know. You know that I'd like to go with Remus, but I'm not sure he'll ask me." I smiled mischievously. "What about you, Scarlet?"
I shrugged. "I'm with Claudia. No one yet, but we have time. We have to pick out the perfect costumes. What are you going as?"
"I'll design my costume, but I need the materials. I think I'll go as a butterfly this year. I need to make some wings. What about you Claudia?" Megan asked.
"I wanted to go as a muggle, but Professor McGonagall said we have to dress up. What do you think I should be?"
Claudia has the most beautiful hair I have ever seen, it's really golden with red highlights, and her eyes are the most fascinating assortment of colors. She doesn't see herself as beautiful and doesn't try to fix her appearance in any way, so a lot of boys don't notice.
"You could be Sleeping Beauty," I suggested, but Claudia made a face. "Or, you could be something simple, like a doctor."
"Nah," Claudia said. "I want to go as the Harpy Seeker Glynnis Griffiths."
Now I made a face. "Come on, Claud. Dare to be different. You went as a Quidditch player last year."
"What are you going to be?" Claudia asked defensively. I thought about it.
"I think I'll go as a genie. That way I can use magic."
Megan laughed. "You do know that muggles have got it completely wrong, don't you?"
I was confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I've seen what they call genies. It's like what muggles call gnomes. Poor things spread these corrupt images of what they consider magic to be. Anyway, real genies are very rare. Generally they don't live in lamps, though a few do to be contrary. Most live in condominiums and look like normal human beings. A genie, technically, is an enslaved witch or wizard. If a muggle, or for that matter a witch or wizard though that's less common, saves the life of a genie, then the genie is indebted to them for the rest of the muggle's life. The muggle gets as many wishes as they want, none of this three wish business, and once the muggle dies the genie is free again. That's the main difference between magical folk like us and genies; they live forever, but can be enslaved, where as we have only a slightly longer than average life span."
"Wow," I said, impressed. "Where did you learn so much about genies?"
"I had a muggle friend who caught a genie once. But I made her set him free," Megan replied. "So, still want to be a genie?"
"Not really, but I don't know what to be now," I said glumly.
"Don't worry about it," Claudia said. "Look, we're here, there's bound to be a shop where we can get costumes."
While we talked, our feet led us to Hogsmeade. Our first step was Robes and Such, the clothing store. It took us ages, but eventually Claudia and I found the perfect costumes. Megan was still going with her original plan so while we paid for our purchases she went to look for the right materials.
Claudia decided to go as Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake as a witch in 1431. According to old Professor Binns, she really was a witch and she didn't actually die then. She pretended to be burned (using a Flame Freezing charm no doubt) and then Disapparated. She lived out the rest of her days as a farmer's wife in Spain. I think it's a neat costume and Claud likes it because she gets to carry a sword.
I really needed a costume that Potter wouldn't make fun of. At the last costume ball we had I went as an angel and Potter wouldn't leave me alone about it. But this time I think I found the perfect costume. It was really quite brilliant if I do say so myself, I knew Megan was proud of me. See, I wanted to go as Rowena Ravenclaw, but my coloring was all wrong, so I thought I'd be Helga Hufflepuff instead. But then I felt like that would be disrespectful to my own house, so I wasn't sure what to do. I couldn't be Godric Gryffindor! So I decided to be Hogwarts. I would wear a tunic that had the Hogwarts crest on it, and yes that included Slytherin. As much as I hated them, it would serve to make my identity anonymous. After all that was the point of a masquerade, to be masked. My mask would be a simple half mask with a badger, snake, lion, and eagle painted on. Megan promised to help me with it. Underneath the tunic I'd just wear hose, most likely in purple. My hair is rather a give away so I'd have to charm it to be a different color. No one would have a clue who I was.
Once we bought our costumes, Claudia and I went looking for Megan. Instead we were waylaid by Potter and Black. They were carrying bags from the new joke shop, Zonko's, and were whispering excitedly to each other. When they caught sight of us they stopped dead in their tracks.
"Oh, look, Padfoot," Potter began with a devilish grin, "if it isn't my tutor and my teammate. Buying their costumes perhaps?"
"Leave us alone, Potter," I said frostily.
"Why?" He asked with that same infuriating smile. "What did you buy?"
He tried to look in my bag but I pulled it away. "Get out of there, Potter. What I bought is none of your business."
"Just curious. No need to get so defensive, Evans. Are you getting sick of tutoring me yet? Because I could use some help before Friday's exam."
"I'll think about it. Now, just leave us alone, we're looking for Megan." Was it my imagination or did Black turn slightly red when I said that?
"Oh, well, last time I saw her, she was over there," he pointed.
"Thanks," I said coldly and stalked off with Claudia running to catch up. I swear, I thought that by tutoring Potter there was a chance we could get on better terms. When his parents died, I was sympathetic and I thought he appreciated it. Now here it is, a month later, and he's still being a prat. Some people never change.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sirius and I had just bought our weekly supply of practical jokes from Zonko's (we had a super one to play on Snape) when we ran into Evans and Claudia. It looked like they had just come from Robes and Such and I surmised that they had just bought their costumes. Naturally, I was curious, but Evans acted like the stuck up snob she is and brushed me off.
Sirius and I walked away and headed for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. It wasn't until we had placed our order with Madam Rosmerta that I noticed Sirius was uncharacteristically silent.
"Hey, Padfoot, what's wrong? You're so quiet."
Sirius looked up, startled. He stared at me for a moment, as though he wasn't sure he was really seeing me. We were in a booth tucked away in the back and Sirius looked around wildly for a moment.
"I'll tell you, Prongs, but you have to promise you won't tell anyone else. Including Moony and Wormtail."
I knew it was serious. The Marauders shared everything, if there was something that Sirius couldn't tell Remus or Peter then it wasn't going to be good news.
"I promise," I said resolutely.
Sirius looked around a few more times before he spoke in a low whisper. "I think..." Then he hesitated. I was waiting impatiently. "Er, um, I think that Professor Herlinger is retiring at the end of this term."
Professor Herlinger is our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and he's very old. "That's it?" I asked incredulously. "That's the big secret?"
"Um, yes," Sirius said, but he avoided my gaze. Then I realized that whatever Sirius' secret was it was so terrible he couldn't even tell me. I didn't press him about it, though I really wanted to. I knew that he'd tell me when he was ready.
"Alright, Padfoot. Let's head back to school, we should set up our prank."
Sirius nodded and we started walking. I wasn't thinking about anything in particular, but for some reason my mind wandered to the masquerade.
"Padfoot, what are you going to dress up as for the Halloween Ball?"
Sirius shrugged. "I don't know. What about you?"
"I haven't thought about it. We don't have much time left, do we?"
"No, we better hurry up and think of something. Look, there's Remus!"
Remus ran over to us. He looked very excited about something.
"I did it! I asked Megan out! We're going to the ball together!"
I was very happy for my friend. He had liked Megan for a long time, but never said anything about it. In the beginning of the school year all of the Marauders made resolutions; his was to be more daring. Mine was to be nicer to Evans; you can see how well that's working.
"Congratulations, Remus!" I said warmly. Sirius didn't say anything.
"And she said yes! This is going to be the best ball ever." Remus looked so happy I thought he would explode. Luckily he didn't and we made it back to the castle in one piece.
We would have stayed in one piece, too, if we hadn't run into Evans and her friends again. We were wandering one of the many deserted corridors, one of the ones where few people went.
"Are you following us, Potter?" she asked incredulously.
"Of course not," I retorted hotly. "We go to the same school and are in the same house! This is the way to the common room, it's not our fault that we have to go the same way."
"So what's your costume going to be, James?" Claudia asked nicely, holding Evans back. I noticed that Megan smiled coyly at Moony who turned red.
"I can't tell you," I replied. "It's supposed to be a secret."
"It was very nice to run into you girls, but we really should be going," Sirius said quickly. He was right, we had a prank to plan.
Now everything would have been just fine if we left right then. We had been alone in the hallway, but suddenly a bunch of third years ran past us and one of them bumped into me. I fell and to my terrible luck I fell on Evans. And that's not the worst part, I tore her robe too.
She was furious. "Damn it, Potter! What the hell did you do?"
Then she cursed me. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
I flew up into the air. Then she whipped me around and around until I was so dizzy that I thought I'd vomit. Through clenched teeth I managed to say something,
"Put me down, Evans! Twenty points from Gryffindor!"
I heard Sirius gasp. I had never used my Prefect status against a fellow Gryffindor before, not even when they deserved it. Evans' eyes narrowed and she let me drop. I would have broken my skull if Remus hadn't whipped out his wand and saved me. As it was I was badly bruised and I was scowling when I stood up. But Evans and her friends had already left.
"I hate that girl!" I shouted furiously. "She could have killed me! Where's Filch when you need him?"
Sirius was staring at me in shock. "James, you took points away from Gryffindor!"
"Yes I did," I said angrily. "Padfoot, she almost killed me! All I did was trip on her and rip her robe! It was an accident."
"Prongs, I'm not condoning what Lily did," Remus started, "but she's always had a terrible temper and the important thing is that she didn't hurt you."
"Except my pride," I muttered. "Fine, for saving my life, Remus, I hereby award Gryffindor twenty points. But I still hate her and I'm going to get revenge."
Remus sighed and we started walking. "You always do, Prongs."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I hate him!" I screamed. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!"
"Who?" Megan asked innocently. "Whoever could you be talking about?"
I made a face at her. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. Potter! He ripped brand new robes! Then he took twenty points from Gryffindor!"
"But he did give them back," Claudia pointed out. "Sirius told me. So there's no lasting damage."
We were back up in our room. Megan was painting her wings, Claudia was reading a book, and Stacey was doing her homework. I was pacing and ranting. I know I should have just calmed down, but it was so hard and I was so mad!
"Now he can just forget my help. I refuse to help him in Charms. You can do it, Stace."
Stacey shook her head. "No way. I refuse to help him. Besides, you made an agreement, Lily, you said you'd tutor him."
"But I don't want to!" I whined. Then I stopped and laughed. I knew I sounded childish. "Sorry, everyone. I know when I get on the topic of Potter, I tend to get, er, immature."
"It's okay, Scarlet," Claudia said, not taking her eyes from her book, In Which We Flew by Sky Soaring. "We know that you aren't rational when it comes to James. We're used to it. Now, who do you want to go to the masquerade with?"
I stopped my pacing. "What?"
Megan grinned. "I think she asked you who you wanted to go to the ball with, Scarlet." She said the words like she was speaking to a toddler.
"I know what she asked, Meg, I want to know why she asked it."
"Because I'm curious. Are there any Ravenclaws that have caught your eye, Scarlet?" Claudia asked, pulling the hair out of her face as she turned the page.
"No. I'll probably go by myself. What about you, Claud?"
"Not yet. I wouldn't mind it if Dan Brown asked me though. He's a terrific Beater." Claudia went back to her book. I peered at her; not even a trace of a blush. Claudia is so secure with herself it's wonderful. "Stace, have you asked Jonathan Bones?"
Stacey nearly fell off the bed. "What! Why would I do that?"
"Because you like him," I replied cooly, sitting down on my bed. "Why not ask him?"
"He's probably already asked someone else. Please don't mention it again or should I tell Professor McGonagall who turned her desk pink and carved 'Minnie and Peeves forever' on it?"
"Point taken," Megan said. "Forget it. Scarlet, do you need help with your costume? My wings are done."
They were beautiful, shimmery and sparkly. The colors swirled until you were dizzy. I shook my head, half to tell Megan 'no need' and half to wake myself up from the stupor Megan's wings had put me in.
"No, I want to go set up a prank on Potter. I'll work on it later." I grabbed my satchel and left the room. Carefully and quietly I opened the door to the sixth year boys dorm. Perfect, it was empty. I slipped inside.
Now this was one of my better pranks if I do say so myself. And of course, I do. I went right to Potter's bed and pulled back his sheets. Then I placed a teddy bear there with a bow around it's neck. There was also a tag which read, 'Dearest James (I nearly gagged just writing that), Please accept this gift from me to you. Love, your secret admirer' Even if Potter doesn't fall for it, though he probably will because Potter is so vain that he probably thinks that a million girls are in love with his stupid ugly self...where was I? Oh, right, so even if he doesn't fall for it, all he has to do is pick up the bear and suddenly he'll find himself with a terrible rash that will eventually turn him the color of rotting vegetables. Brilliant, no? Not to mention that for a solid hour after the first person touches it, anyone else who touches it will get the same affliction! I might get all of the Marauders at once.
I didn't wait for him to come back, I just ran back to the relative safety of my room. I was supposed to tutor Potter later, but now I'd figured he'd cancel. At least until he could get rid of the rash. I threw myself down on my bed and started giggling. Stacey, Claudia, and Megan gave me funny looks but I ignored them. I couldn't wait to see Potter the Rotten Vegetable. About a half an hour later, I heard shrieks and screams from the boys dormitory. My friends all jumped and then immediately looked at me.
"Okay, Scarlet, what did you do?" Megan asked.
"What makes you think it was me?" I asked innocently.
Claudia rolled her eyes. Suddenly the door burst open and one of the strangest sights I've ever seen met my eyes. It took me a moment to realize that the creature before me was Sirius Black.
"Evans, what did you do to me?" he howled. Standing in the doorway behind him were Potter, Remus, and Pettigrew. They looked normal except for the laughter they were trying to contain.
"What makes you think it was me?" I asked again, trying not to grin.
"That thing," the teddy bear, I assumed, "was on James' bed! The only person who would try to pull a practical joke on him is you! I repeat, what did you do to me?"
I was still trying not to laugh. Black looked so ridiculous; his skin was dark green and his hair was turning orange. "I didn't do anything to you, Black. I was aiming at Potter. It's not my fault you got in the way. Didn't your mum ever teach you that it's not nice to pick up your chum's presents?"
I glanced quickly at Potter. He was grinning, our earlier argument forgotten—for the moment anyway. He had that smile that made my heart flutter, and it worked even now, even when I was angry at him.
"What am I going to do?" Black said, panicking.
"Don't worry, Padfoot," Potter interjected, "green's a good color on you."
"You think so?" Black turned to look in our full-length mirror. His good humor returned and he laughed. "Maybe you're right."
At that moment another uninvited guest arrived—Professor McGonagall. I was still trying not to laugh, but the look on her face when she saw Black was priceless. I wouldn't trade it for all the Galleons in the world.
"Mr. Black, what in the name of Merlin, happened to you?" Professor McGonagall asked completely taken aback.
Black thought for a moment before replying. "It was a teddy bear, ma'am."
Her jaw dropped. "A what?"
"A teddy bear. You know, a stuffed animal that resembles a bear of some sort. Oh, don't worry, Professor, I'm getting used to it. I think I'll stay this way for a while. Can't say I don't stand out, eh?"
Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared. "You don't need green skin to stand out, Mr. Black." Then she waved her own wand over him and he slowly turned back to normal. Everyone was still laughing. "I think you had better dispose of that bear, Mr. Black."
"Don't worry," I reassured her, "the spell will wear off the bear in less then an hour."
She turned on me. "Miss Evans! Are you responsible for this?"
Damn! How could I have made such a stupid mistake? "Well—er—that is—it wasn't—"
She cut me off. "A detention, Miss Evans. As a prefect, you should know better."
I bowed my head. "I'm sorry, Professor."
She left. Potter and friends left soon after that. Before he exited the room, Potter sent a parting shot.
"That was the best, Evans. I got to see Sirius green and you got detention. That bear was a super present, my darling secret admirer."
I threw the first thing that came to hand at him; it turned out to be a pillow. It missed and he was already out into the hall. I screamed at him.
"I am not your secret admirer! It was just a joke!"
I thought I had gotten my point across, but he called back from the safety of his dorm. "Whatever you say, Lilian my sweet!"
I turned back to my friends. "Ooh, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!" I took a few calming breaths and looked at my friends. "Have I mentioned that I hate him?"
They exchanged a glance and sighed collectively. Claudia returned to her book now that the excitement had passed and answered my rhetorical question. "Yes, Scarlet, just once or twice."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That made my day. Suddenly I felt a lot better and even risked a trip to the kitchens. The House Elves were only too glad to give me a few eclairs.
It took a lot of begging to get Evans to tutor me that evening. I wouldn't have asked, but I was desperate. We have a Charms exam tomorrow and as usual I'm unprepared. Eventually after much pleading and bribing, she agreed and once again, I found myself alone in the library with Evans. We sat next to each other at one of the tables in the back. She wasn't very happy to be there.
"Concentrate! How many times do I have to tell you to concentrate?" she shouted for the fiftieth time. I was keeping track.
"Shut it, Evans, alright? I heard you the first time!"
"Then why aren't you listening?" she retorted. Then she sighed and placed her head in her hands. "You're hopeless. Okay, this is what we're going to do. See this book?" Of course I did. It was the same one I had been trying to banish for the past three hours. "Really look at it. I mean, memorize every feature."
I waved my hand. "I know that book, Evans, can we continue?"
"I want you to really see it, Potter," she said in a strained tone. "Look at the damned book!"
"I know what it looks like! Let's move on!" I said, my eyes narrowing.
Suddenly she smiled in that way I absolutely hate. It was the one where she was about to make a fool out of me.
"Oh really? Alright then." Evans pulled the book off the table and onto her lap where I couldn't see it. "Close your eyes. What's the title of the book, and for that matter, what color is it?"
Oops. "Er, Advanced Charms and red?" I guessed.
She threw the book back onto the table. I opened my eyes. It was 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi and the cover was blue.
"You see?" she said, exasperated. "You don't concentrate on anything! Really examine this book. Look at it, Potter! Memorize it! You notice how it's three–dimensional? That's very important in Charms, knowing that objects have depth."
So I looked at the damned book. I memorized the outline, the shape, the color, and everything else until I could picture it with my eyes closed. Apparently that's what Evans wanted.
"Close your eyes," she instructed.
I closed them, but I complained. "How am I supposed to do this with my eyes closed?"
"Hush, and listen to me. Can you see the book in your mind?" I nodded. "Good. Now what's the title?"
"1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi."
"Color?"
"Blue."
"Hard or soft cover?"
"Hard."
"Is it thick?"
"Considering there are 1001 magical herbs and fungi in there, I'd say thick."
"Okay good." Suddenly she grabbed my wrist lightly; I felt tremors run down my spine. "I'm pointing your wand at the book. Now as you say the words, I want you to imagine flinging this book away from you. You don't want this thing anywhere near you. Pretend...pretend that Snape has kissed this book and rolled on top of it in the mud. Severus Snape has snogged with your text book in the mud."
"Eew, Evans, I'm going to be sick," I said as my stomach churned.
"Good," she replied. "Now banish it!"
I banished. When I ventured to open my eyes I saw 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi on the other side of the library. Evans was smiling brightly and her eyes sparkled.
"You did it! You actually did it, Potter! I knew it would happen eventually."
I smiled back at her. "I actually did it! I'm the King of Charms."
Evans actually laughed. "I wouldn't get too carried away, but it was a very good job. Can you do it again?"
I banished again and again and again. I was starting to have a lot of fun. Then I pulled out a bottle of butterbeer from my satchel and offered it to Evans.
"Oh, thanks, Potter, I'm parched." She pulled the cap off and took a swig.
"I'm the one who should thank you. You're a pretty good tutor, when you're not yelling at me."
She smiled again. She looked very pretty when she smiled. What was I thinking? She's Evans! It wasn't until her arm bumped mine that I realized how close together we were. So close in fact that I could see the tiny smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose.
At the same time we both started to lean in a little closer. Then before I realized what was happening, our lips met. We held it for a fraction of a second before we parted, both looking horrified.
At the same time we cried out, "How dare you kiss me!"
I recovered first. "Me kiss you? I don't think so! You were the one who kissed me!"
She was outraged. "I would never! I hate you, Potter!"
"And I hate you, Evans. I most certainly did not kiss you!"
She tried to take calming breaths, but was too furious. "This never happened! Ever! If you tell your friends anything, I'll murder you with my bare hands!"
"Fine by me! I'm not telling anyone we kissed! People might think I like you!" Secretly and very briefly, I couldn't help noticing that she was really beautiful when she was angry. Then that thought was wiped away and replaced with my own anger.
"I hate you! I don't ever want to speak to you again, and I'm not tutoring you any more! Ask Remus for help. Good bye!"
She stormed out of the library. I called out, "Fine by me! I'd rather have Remus tutor me than experience any more of your company any day!"
Then I was alone, with nothing but a butterbeer bottle, a few books, and a sheet of parchment to keep me company.
"Damn, Lily Evans," I muttered, just a little too loudly. "As if I would ever kiss her!"
"What's this, Potter? Girlfriend trouble?"
And standing in the door way of the library was the last person on earth I would ever want to see. Severus Snape. Who else?
A/N: Ooh, semi–cliffhanger! Please people, review, Review, REVIEW! In the next chapter we have more nosy obnoxious Snape and the masquerade ball. How will the Marauders dress? Stay tuned to find out! But don't expect a new chapter for at least a month and a half. If I get it up earlier than that, yay for me.
Thank Yous:
Razz-Ma-tazz: thanks, I'm sorry this was so slow to come out, but I hope you enjoyed
LQueenie: emotion is something I'm good at even thought a lot of what I write I haven't actually experienced. I'm glad you like my story
Padfoot: I didn't hurry, but here it is!
~*Crystal Lily*~: it was sad, but it had to happen
betina: here's more like you asked for!
thistlemeg: i hope this is good, and I know it's over done, but often it's done badly. In a way I'm poking fun at the authors of some of those bad fics. And Sirius liking Lily? Hmm. Well, he certainly has a secret, doesn't he?
and finally,
My Dear Obscurity Personified (terrific name by the way): please don't send me to the zoo! I don't want to be eaten by emus! By the by, I love Australia. I only went for 3 weeks and it wasn't nearly enough. Everything's beautiful there and I love kangaroos and koalas. I got to hold a koala! And I was surprised to find that platypi (is that even remotely correct?) are so small! Enough of my ramblings. I hope you enjoyed and you know what to do!
