Chapter 2
November 24, 1975
Dear Journal,
It's been nearly two months since I've written last, and oh, how much my life has changed. First off, my grade in charms is slipping tremendously. How is this happening? Charms have always been a breeze for me! Professor Flitwick says I'm just not focusing, but I'm not so sure. I mean, I don't see why I would be unfocused. It's not as if there is anything that my mind has been straying upon these last couple of weeks... or ANYONE for that matter. I honestly don't have any feelings for James Potter. Okay, okay, maybe I like him just a little, but nothing to fret over, right? Oh goodness, Arya and Keta would die if I actually admitted I liked him. I know they're my best friends, but can you imagine what they would say? "Wonderful Lily! It's about time! You know, we've been telling you all along that you two would make the cutest couple!" Eurgh... It sickens me just to think about it. Well, I better dash. I need to study for some ludicrous Potions exam.
Love,
Lily
I lay in my bed, my journal on my chest, staring blankly up at the draperies of my four-poster bed. James Potter. He was only a boy with a handsome smile, sparkling eyes, a brilliant mind and knack for trouble. What's so spectacular about that? I turned over and threw my journal on my nightstand just as Arya and Keta walked into the dormitory.
"Lily, Lily," Arya sighed. "Dreaming of James Potter again?"
I felt myself flushing while muttering a quiet, "No." Somehow Arya could always tell what I was thinking. It was almost like she could probe into my mind and feel my senses. Maybe it was just that she paid very close attention in Divination and actually learned from Professor Matilia Trewlaney, but I somehow felt it was part of the magic in her family. You see, Arya's blood carried that of the earliest witches and wizards of our time. You could trace her family heritage back to at least the 1200s, where her family had always lived a quiet, yet mysterious life. Her father was an Unspeakable for the Department of Mysteries. He was extremely placid, and he and his ministry friends all seemed to have powers of their own. Arya was extremely small for her age, most unlike her towering father. But she carried his auburn hair and sophisticated poise, along with rosy cheeks and white teeth. Their eyes were also the same dark hazel that held a certain spark of determination.
Now Keta on the other hand was quite the opposite of Arya. Keta was a few inches taller than Arya, with glowing blonde hair, pale skin, dark lashes, and deep sapphire-like eyes. She loved pranks and mischief, and sported an extremely bright mind, although, she didn't very well apply it to her schoolwork. It was also obvious that she was rather infatuated by Sirius Black, and found the fact that he and his friends had discovered all the secret passages of Hogwarts absolutely amazing.
Keta strode over to my bed and picked up my diary. I jumped up quickly and snatched it out of her hands.
"Oh come on, Lily. Let me just have one look," she whined, throwing me a puppy-dog face.
"No, no," I answered back, shaking my head. "Locius Werdius," I muttered, locking my journal which could only be broken with the use of my wand. I heard Keta grown, disappointed.
"I've been curious of that journal since our first year and you still haven't shared any of it with me," she stated. "You do know that don't you?"
I nodded and laughed, "Well then you may as well give up, now shouldn't you?"
She fed me a look that clearly said, Yeah Right. "I'm going to read that journal before I leave Hogwarts if it's the last thing I do," she smiled menacingly. "I bet within every page you secretly confide your love for James Potter."
I didn't respond back.
"Oh my God! Lily isn't denying that she likes James Potter!" cried Keta. She turned her head quickly to Arya and they both shared excited glances.
I only smiled mysteriously back at her. I guess it was about time they knew the truth.
"So... What are you two up to?" I asked, causally changing the topic.
"Oh nothing much, really," Arya responded. "Keta and I were just down at the pitch." She suddenly turned to Keta as though she just came to the realization that something awful had happened.
"What's the matter?"
Arya didn't answer right away. She sort of looked awkwardly at Keta before she responded. "There were just these two people down there. It was really hard to tell who they were though. They were off in the distance quite a ways, and the fog was thick."
I looked at them puzzled. They were hiding something. "Right." I looked between them, and then glanced at my watch. "Oy! I'm going to be late to potions. I'll see you two in a bit." I shuffled out of the portrait hole and ran to Professor Canning's dungeon. I stumbled in right as the bell rang and slid into the seat, which should have been next to James, but he wasn't there yet.
A few seconds later, James entered the dungeon with Natalia Merkins on his arm. He was smiling broadly and feeding her that same intense stare he once shared with me. Immediately my heart began to rip apart at my insides, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of hatred for not only this Hufflepuff I hardly even knew, but James Potter himself. He bounded over to me, oblivious to my vivid discomfort.
"Good day, Lily!" he smiled. "I've just been down at the pitch with Natalia." He did seem a bit sweaty and out of breathe. "I was teaching her how to fly and such. She's really quite a fast learner!"
"That's lovely," I muttered. I flashed back to the conversation I had had minutes before with Keta and Arya. The thought had never even occurred to me that it was James at the pitch with another girl. Why didn't they tell me?
"Something the matter?" James asked me, noticing my obvious disgust.
"Oh no. I just have a matter to take up with Arya and Keta," I grumbled, trying to cover my raging jealousy of bouncy little Hufflepuff by blaming it on my friends.
"Oh I see. Girl problems. Ouch," he joked. I fed him a fake smile that turned out far more sarcastic than I planned.
"Wowa, if looks could kill," he laughed, patting my hand which was lying on the table, then stroking my fingers playfully. My whole arm tightened immediately and I narrowed my eyes.
"James, you are unbelievably thick. Now I really need to focus. Please leave me alone," I snapped, and our conversation was finished.
James kept glancing at me through our whole examination, feeding me puzzled looks. Being as stubborn as I am, I kept my eyes focused on my paper, though my mind was wandering far from the words on the test. Now I understood what Professor Flitwick meant. My mind was focusing on something other than my schoolwork. I gave my head a little shake and tried my best to comprehend the questions in front of me.
After the lesson, I walked silently back to the Gryffindor dormitory. Surprisingly, I saw Sirius walking next a little ways behind me. James, Remus, and Peter were nowhere in sight.
"Hey Sirius," I smiled, turning around slightly so he'd notice who was talking to him. "Where are your friends?"
"Hey Lily! Oh, they went off to grab some grub from the kitchens. Not knowing a single question on that test made me quite lose my appetite," he said disgusted. He did look a bit green.
"I'm sorry," I said sympathetically, but I couldn't spend much time being bothered by it. Knowing James was gone, I needed some answers. "Sirius, is James seeing Natalia?"
Sirius smiled and nodded. "Finally those two are together! They have had this fling going on for 6 months!"
My stomach dropped. Six months. Six months and I hadn't known about it? Six months! Practically the whole time I had liked James. I couldn't speak. I simply stared flabbergasted back at Sirius.
His smile faltered. "What's wrong?"
"N- nothing," I croaked. But Sirius's eyes widened with surprise and glee.
"You like him don't you!" I groaned inwardly. Sirius couldn't know the truth. "You like him! Oh my god! Why didn't I see it before!"
"I don't like him," I stuttered back. "Honestly-"
"Yeah, yeah. You know he thinks you're really pretty and have a great personality."
I couldn't help but feel annoyed. Under normal circumstances, I would have been thrilled to hear this news. But what good does it do me now? He's committed to another girl! It's doesn't matter what he thinks of me anymore because he obviously doesn't feel the same way towards me as I do towards him. "Look Sirius, I swear to you I don't like him." I had to convince Sirius I had no feelings for James so he wouldn't run off and tell the entire male population.
"Haha, okay Lil-"
"Sirius! I don't!" I snapped. He was starting to get the picture. "I swear on my life, God strike me dead, no finger crossies count!"
"Okay, okay. I believe you," he sighed. Luckily we were now at the entrance to the common room so I could escape from this rather awkward conversation and hide in the girls dormitory.
For the next week, I tried my best to ignore James. Everyday I would head to the library for my breaks and lunch so I wouldn't have to face him in the Great Hall. After all, James wouldn't be caught dead in the library. James Potter in a room full of books? Yeah right! Whenever I did see him, and he'd try to talk to me, I'd make the conversation quick and to the point, answering his questions with one word answers. I could never tell James why I was mad at him. It's not exactly his fault for having feelings for another girl. After all, I am the one who stupidly and blindly fell for him when I completely knew I shouldn't.
As the weeks dragged by, I found focusing my mind on my schoolwork lessened my feelings for James Potter immensely. Studying in the library until closing at ten o'clock, and working on Potions essays and Arithemacy equations until odd hours of the night left me no time to daydream of a certain handsome face. Although my marks in school improved in every single class, including Transfiguration surprisingly, I found myself unhappy, tired, and worst of all, lonely. Basically, I had disconnected myself from the entire population at Hogwarts. I rarely even talked to my best friends Keta and Arya, even though they constantly hounded with me with questions as to my sudden change in personality. I couldn't bring myself up to admit to them that I had become a social outcast because James had a girlfriend. Even to me it sounded ridiculous, yet everyday, I still found myself in the library, keeping solely to myself.
On a cold day in mid-December, I was slumping through the corridors alone (what a surprise) to Charms. I was walking at a rather slow pace, rather oblivious to my surroundings.
"Hey Lily," a voice rang out. I looked up just in time to see Gavin McGregor, the best-looking student in the 7th year, not to mention Head-boy and Gryffindor Keeper, waving to me.
"Hi-i," I stuttered back as he passed. Did he really just say hi to me?
I walked a few more paces...
"How's it going Lily?" called Mundungus Fletcher, who was a Gryffindor fifth year like myself who I'd always been on good terms with but never really talked to.
"Hope you're well, Lily?" said another masculine voice as I passed. I turned around just in time to see Amos Diggory, the Hufflepuff Seeker, gliding by, smiling at me.
I tightened the books in my chest I was carrying and began to walk a bit faster. What was with the attention? I hadn't said a word to a single boy since... since I couldn't even remember!
"You're looking nice today, Lily," called the Ravenclaw, Tristan Brown.
"Good day, Evans!" smiled Oliver Madison.
"Hello Lily," acknowledged Bailey Andrews.
In total 6 different boys said hi to me on my 10-minute walk from the library to the charms classroom. What on earth was going on? I sat down in my seat, and stared puzzled at the parchment on my desk. Why was I suddenly getting attention from other boys? Before I had become a library refuge, none of them had ever given me a second glance. But now? Now some of them actually seemed interested in me. I giggled at the thought of hooking up with Gavin McGregor. Maybe I should forget about James, open up my options. Even someone like Mundungus Fletcher wouldn't be a bad choice for a boyfriend...
"Ms Evans!"
"Yes!" I yelled with a start. I looked up and the whole room was looking at me.
"Will you please demonstrate that wonderful wrist motion from last week? The rest of the class seems to have forgotten how to flip their wrist while flicking," asked Professor Flitwick, slightly exasperated.
"Why, yes of course," I mumbled forcing my mind back to charms and off of the fact that I may finally be able to get over James.
Two hours later...
"Ms Evans," called Professor Flitwick, just as I was exiting through the door. "Yes, Professor," I said as I retreated back a few steps and turned to face him. Surely he wasn't going to scold me for not paying attention during the first 5 minutes of class...
"Professor Dumbledore wanted me to tell you. There's a mandatory meeting for all Prefects in the Great Hall at 9 o'clock tonight."
"Oh," I said surprised. "Okay. Thank you, Professor." That was peculiar. Dumbledore had never held a prefect meeting before. What could this be about?
Quickly I shuffled out of the classroom. I had to find Keta and Arya and befriend them again. If anyone were going to help me get over James, it would be them. I know they originally were the two people who wanted James and I to hook up more than any couple in the entire world, but once I finally explain my reasoning for having to get over James, I know they'll fully support me and help me focus my mind solely on another male... perhaps Gavin McGregor?
I savagely made my way back to the common room, knocking poor first years out of the way as I ran. I was nearly to the portrait hole when -
"Lily?"
I turned around and saw James standing there.
"Hi. Look, I've really got to go," I said picking up my pace to the portrait hole.
"We need to talk-"
"Dolphin Fin," I said to the Fat Lady, and walked into the common room.
I searched frantically around for Keta and Arya. I now didn't only want them as friends again, but needed them as a mean of escape from James. Aha! There they were over in the armchairs in the corner. They looked up at me in surprise as I strode toward them. I opened my mouth to apologize.
"Trying to talk to us now, are you?" asked Keta unhappily.
"Listen-" I started.
"What? Now you're trying to order us around. First you ignore us, now we're your slaves!" spat Arya.
"No, no, no!" I cried. I saw James walk into the common room. He looked at me for a few seconds, and then walked up to his dormitory. I think he noticed I wasn't in a position to be interrupted. Meanwhile, Keta and Arya were spitting nasty comments at me and giving me no time to retaliate.
"Oy!" I suddenly intervened. "Oy!"
They looked up at me in surprise, finally allowing me to talk.
"I'm sorry," I said quickly, then I continued. "I know I've been acting strangely these past few weeks."
"You can say that again," Keta mumbled.
"AND," I continued, choosing to ignore her comment. "I'm really truly sorry it's affected both of you. Just finding out James has had a girlfriend for six months-"
"WHAT?!" cried Aria? "Six months?"
"Well, they've had some sort of fling," I muttered.
"Oh my God, Lily. I had no idea," gasped Keta. "I'm so sorry."
I laughed. "There's nothing to be sorry about! First of all, you two didn't do anything! Second of all, I don't like him anymore!"
"Really?" asked Arya.
"Yes, of course! I wouldn't lie to you, would I?" Keta opened her mouth to respond, but I cut of her. "Wait, don't answer that. But honestly, I don't like him. I'm thinking about something bigger and better... perhaps Gavin McGregor?"
Both girls stared at me in awe.
"Gavin McGregor?" gasped Arya.
I nodded my head. "He actually said hi to me when I passed him in the hall today!"
"No way!" cried Keta, enviously.
"Looks like we've got our old Lily back," Arya laughed.
I smiled as far as my mouth could stretch. "Oh come on! Group hug!"
Laughing we made our way up to the girls dormitory. At the same time, James was making his way down the staircase, and not far behind him was Gavin McGregor. James was opening his mouth to say something, but I quickly reverted all of my attention to Gavin.
"Good day, Lily," Gavin called. "Hope you're well?"
I fluttered my eyes and smiled flirtatiously at him just as James passed. "Never better," I said happily. "And yourself?"
"Fabulous," he smiled. "You'll be at the meeting tonight, I suppose?"
"Yes, of course," I replied.
"Well, see you then," he waved.
"Yes, see you," I responded.
Keta, Arya and I all broke out into a fit of giggles as soon as we shut our dormitory door.
"That did not just happen!" cried Keta.
"Oh! You are so lucky!" said Arya enviously. "Gavin McGregor!"
I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as handsome photos of Gavin fluttered around in my imagination. James was definitely out of the picture.
"What was that meeting thing about?" asked Keta curiously.
"Oh just some prefect thing Dumbledore called. What time is it?" I asked.
"8:30," responded Arya.
"Oh, I better get going. It starts at nine. I don't want to be late."
Silently I made my way down to the Great Hall. When I entered, Gavin signaled me over and made room for me to sit next to him.
"Hello, Lily. Weird they called this meeting isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes, most definitely," I agreed. I looked up and saw James walk into the room. I had almost forgotten that he was a prefect. He looked at me somberly as he passed, but I went on talking with Gavin. He was simply gorgeous!
"Prefects, prefects!" called Dumbledore, approximately 5 minutes later. "I have called this meeting tonight in order to discuss the Yule Ball we are holding at Christmas this year." All the girls looked around excitedly, and even the boys seemed interested, too. "Because this is such late notice, I am in desperate need of all the help I can get. I need you all to work in pairs on a specific task in order to make this ball happen."
Gavin looked at me at this comment and raised his eyebrows. "Would you be my partner?" he asked.
I nodded, my insides spilling with joy.
"Mmmhmmm," Dumbledore cleared his throat and gave each Gavin and I a piercing look. "As I was saying. I will be assigning the partners as I know who works well with who."
I gasped at this comment, and Gavin stared at Dumbledore in disbelief.
"When I call you and your partners name, come up here and retrieve the parchment with your assignment from me," continued Dumbledore.
"Maybe we'll be paired-" Gavin started, but no sooner Dumbledore had called his name, along with the head girl, Francis Crantan.
I sighed. Nothing ever worked out as I planned. Then again, my life could be worse. At least I'm receiving attention from the hottest guy in the school. I sat patiently and waited until my names were called.
"Lily Evans, and… Let's see here. Why yes. Mr. James Potter."
I sat rooted to my seat. WHAT!?!
"Miss Evans," Professor Dumbledore called, waving the parchment at me before handing it to James.
I walked numbly up to the high table. Did I just say my life couldn't get any worse? Haha! I take that back...