A/N: Sorry this is so short and slightly dramatic, but I'm going through a very rough time. Thanks to the reviewers. Here are some answered questions:

YouDon'tKnowWhoIAm: Usually, it goes back and forth with who is talking. Like if it starts out:

'I hate you!' I screamed.

'I hate you, too!' Blahblah yelled.

'I hate you more!'

'I hate you most!'

And then it goes back and forth, see? I'm really sorry if it was confusing, I'll make it a little better next time. Thanks for the help! J

Iris Cream: LOL! Yes, I know Lily has red hair. But strawberry blond isn't blond, it is red. It's a very light, orangey red. Sorry, I should've cleared that up! And in the second part I said:

"Bert saw my face and obviously mistook it, for the next thing he said was, 'Yes, my pride and beauty. I only hope to one day pass it on to my eldest daughter, Rita.'

Okay, I was definitely going to have nightmares about whomever Rita Skeeter was tonight." Therefore, she has no Rita Skeeter dreams lol.

Ugh! Sorry that was such a long A/N!

Unpredictable

Chapter 3: Nasty Articles That Confuse Redheads

Dedicated: This is for my grandfather. On the 6th of December he had a heart attack, and is still in a coma. Today (12/8/03) he's being taken off the machines and will gradually die, whenever God decides to take him. I love you, Poppy, I love you so much. RIP.

It's something unpredictable

But in the end is right

I hope you had the time of your life

~Good Riddance (Time of your Life)

By Green Day

I don't know understand why, but there are some who say they work best under pressure… Well that's nice and everything, but I definitely do NOT. Maybe that's why I caused such a brouhaha when I read the article; I mean, it's not every day you hear someone screaming bloody murder in the dorms.

'Lily!' Liz hissed, as our dorm mates shot up in bed. 'You'll wake up all of Gryffindor Tower!'

'Good!' I shouted. 'I need someone to come up here so I can strangle them!'

Heather, Gillian, Arleen, and Jen all climbed out of bed, the first three glaring at me. I gave Heather an awfully rude finger before turning back to Liz, listening intently for footsteps on the staircase.

And wouldn't you figure that James would be the first to bound up the stairs and burst into the room? If I could give away every last galleon I owned (which isn't much, mind you) to prevent James from coming, I would have gladly handed it over.

'W-what's the matter?' he huffed, clutching at a stitch in his side.

If I was in any other situation I probably would have laughed at his attire. Teddy pyjamas are just too good of a taunt to pass off.

'Uh…' said Liz, quickly looking for an excuse.

'Thought I saw a mouse,' I responded quickly and quite convincingly, if I do say so myself.

'A MOUSE?!' Heather shrieked. She threw her hands in the air and ran from the room screeching, closely followed by her cronies. Jen stood there looking embarrassed.

'I-I'll give you some privacy.' She grabbed some clothes from her trunk and headed towards the bathroom, still blushing.

'A mouse?' James repeated like Heather, except more suspiciously.

I mentally kicked myself. I may have been convincing, but James certainly isn't brainless.

Before I could say anything else that would screw me further into the ground, Sirius, Remus, and Peter ran into the dorm, their mouths hanging open.

'Is someone being murdered?' Peter said stupidly. I had the irresistible urge to smack him, but he's quite lucky that I have at least some manners.

'No!' I yelled in a that-was-the-stupidest-thing-you-have-ever-said tone.

'She saw a mouse,' said James, with a pointed look towards his friends. They weren't stupid, either. They knew I had seen no mouse, rat, or any other rodent.

'Yes,' I said defiantly anyway, 'I saw a mouse.'

Sirius grinned. 'I highly doubt--'

'WHAT IS GOING ON UP HERE?!'

We all whipped around to see Francine Miller, also a Gryffindor and present Head Girl, glowering in the doorway.

'Sorry Fran,' said James, who had once been on very good terms with Francine, if you get what I mean. Just because he supposedly loves me, doesn't mean he hasn't had his share of snogging partners. 'Lily just thought she saw a mouse.'

'A mouse? That's it?' said Francine, looking extremely relieved.

'I'm allergic to them,' I added.

James and Sirius looked at Peter amusedly, while Remus looked uncomfortable. I wonder what that was about…

'Oh! Well, then, I can handle this.' She pulled out her wand. 'Accio rat!'

I bit my lip nervously. We waited for something to happen, but no furry creature popped out. Instead, Peter went flying backwards into Francine.

'GET OFF!' she shouted, pushing the plump boy off of her. She stood, brushed herself off, and stared at her wand. 'I'll have to go see Dumbledore about this.'

The Marauders burst into laughter, making Francine come back to her senses and regain her Head Girl composure. 'Come on, everybody out! Come on, come on!'

Francine started waving the Marauders out the door, but, like I said, James isn't brainless and couldn't be fooled by my conspiracy. He's far from stupid. In fact, if I weren't top in all my classes (except for Transfiguration, which James specializes in), I think he would probably be the best student.

Which is why he turned back around to stare suspiciously at me. Everything would have been fine, PERFECTLY FINE, had he not looked at the ground. His mouth formed an 'O' shape as he saw the paper, but he was marched out before he could ask any further questions.

I groaned once Francine shut the door behind her. 'Potter saw the article!' I told Liz, falling back onto my bed.

'What?!' she yelped.

'HE--SAW--THE--ARTICLE!'

'I heard you the first time, you dolt!'

'Oh. Sorry. But anyway, he saw it! HE SAW IT!'

I was panicking, and I knew Liz understood why. This was the first time I had no quipping mark to pull me out of a situation, or, more importantly, to hide my feelings. How could I hide a situation that was printed?!

What the bloody hell was I going to do?! I, Lily Evans, could NOT be vulnerable!

'Well he would've seen it anyway,' said Liz, which did not help my mood. 'He reads the Daily Prophet over breakfast every morning.'

'Thanks Liz,' I muttered sarcastically. 'Thanks a fat lot for your help.'

'Sorry,' she said, 'but I'm just telling you the truth.'

'I don't want the damn truth, I want a way out of this!'

'You could always tell him yourself,' said Liz.

Why must my friend, of all people, come up with the most dim-witted ideas?

'I mean, he's going to see it soon, so why not be the first to tell him?' she continued. 'I'm sure he would like it better that way.'

Using my brain this time, I grabbed my pillow and stuffed it over my face before screaming again.

'THIS IS NOT WORKING!' I yelled as loud as I could through the pillow.

Liz sighed and pulled the cushion away. 'Lily Evans,' she said through gritted teeth, 'I am giving you three seconds to pick up that stupid arse of yours and get downstairs and tell James what the hell that Skeeter did!'

She said it so calmly that I think I reached a breaking point in our relationship--the first time I ever truly believed that Liz would attack me if I didn't do what she said. I nodded meekly, picked up the article, and ran towards the stairs.

Don't get used to me being like this, because this is the first, last, and only time you will ever see me so helpless. The only other time I was like this was in First Year when I got my head stuck in a stair banister, and that was only because it was a dare and I wasn't acting very bright on that day.

And all this because of me! If I hadn't trusted that daft Bert Skeeter, if I hadn't allowed him just one question, I wouldn't be in this situation. I went against my own rule! I had trusted someone, and worst of all, I had trusted a journalist.

My face was burning in anger by the time I reached the 6th Year boys dorm. I knocked on the door, trying to calm down, but I couldn't. My hands itched to kill James, since I wasn't about to kill myself, and he was second best. I didn't know if I wanted to do it with my bare hands or with a particularly dull knife; either way, it would be a splendid murder.

'Whoa, Lily, are you okay?'

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up to see that Sirius had opened the door.

'Uh…' I said. I was starting to regret running up here without even knowing how to start.

Sirius's eyes widened even more, and I could already see tomorrow's headlines: "LILY EVANS HAS NOTHING TO SAY--THE WORLD IS ENDING!"

James appeared at the door besides his best friend (still in his teddy night clothes), and his jaw dropped when he saw me. Geez, did I really look that horrible?!

'Sirius, you idiot! Don't just stand there, bring her in!'

Sirius grabbed my arm and hauled me into their dormitory, leading me over to a bed and forcing me to sit down. And then, for some reason, they ran into the bathroom.

I had been in the boys' rooms a few times before, but never to look around. This was my first time I actually saw it in it's fullest, and personally I thought it looked like a disaster area. Clothes and robes were all over the floor, books and papers littered all the bedside tables and desks, and the walls were covered with Quidditch posters.

There was a full-sized mirror hanging on the back of their door and I turned to inspect my reflection. I managed not to scream again, but I did let out a trail of pretty nasty, vulgar words. My face was bright red and to anybody who didn't know what I was thinking--which was, well, everyone--it looked like I was going to burst into tears at any moment.

I rubbed furiously at my face, trying to get the expression off. I wasn't going to cry, I knew I wasn't, but everyone else didn't know any better!

'Hi Lily.'

I looked up to see Sirius and James emerging from the bathroom, this time with Remus. I snuck a quick glance at the mirror again. Damn it! I looked even worse.

'Hey,' I said, trying to act normal. Although I don't think plastering a smile on my face did it. Since when did smile at the Marauders, let alone this early in the morning? 'Where's Peter?' I added, trying to change the subject.

'Breakfast,' said Remus quickly. 'Couldn't wait. But that doesn't matter. How're you?'

'Fine. Why do you ask?' I knew the answer damn well, but I was hoping that playing stupid would help the matter.

'Hmm, well,' said Sirius sarcastically, 'Lily Evans, the most cynical girl we know--' I glared at this '--comes knocking at our door, red as her hair and about to cry--'

'I AM NOT ABOUT TO CRY!' I screamed, jumping up from the bed.

'Hey!' James cried suddenly, pointing to my feet.

I looked down. The Daily Prophet lay on the ground; I must've dropped it. Yep, that's it, I am officially the biggest dunderhead Hogwarts has ever seen.

'I knew your attitude had something to do with that,' said James. I stared. Now what was I supposed to do?

Only to prove my stupidity even more, James dove towards the paper before I could stop him, and dodged my arm as I tried to grab it. He wasn't the best Gryffindor Chaser for nothing, you know.

'That's mine, give it back!' I shouted, as if it would make a difference.

James shook his head and moved back towards his friends, which I thought was a very wise idea. They could protect him from me when I lost it and began to attack him.

I can deal with a lot from James. I could handle the candy and roses he sent me for Valentine's Day; I could handle the notes he passed to me in class, proclaiming he was forever mine; I could even handle that fact that he sunk as low as liking me for who I was. But what he did next pushed me beyond the limits of anything I could ever manage.

'Don't read it, Potter,' I said menacingly. My heart was pounding. He was just going to read it aloud to everyone?

'I'll read it sooner or later,' he said, shrugging. First Liz, now him… ugh! Can't a girl get some privacy?! Not that an article about me in the newspaper is private, but still…

He opened the paper with a flourish. '"Lily Evans,"' he read, '"a beautiful and daring 6th Year at Hogwarts School, is finally moving on with her life. Four years ago her Muggle family was attacked by who we now know as You-Know-Who, the first victims of what turned out to be a steadily growing nightmare.

"For a while it was believed that Lily Evans had stopped loving. She remained with her one true friend, Elizabeth Franks, and has kept to only her since. But now, there seems to be new love in the air.

"'She always hangs out with James Potter and his friends,' says Heather Cecelia, a fellow Gryffindor. 'He follows her around like a puppy dog. Too bad he couldn't pick someone like me; I think we would have much more fun.'

"It is confirmed that James Potter, also a 6th Year Gryffindor, and a very handsome one at that, has fallen for the fiery redhead. Even as she is interviewed by your one and only Bert Skeeter, special reporter of Daily Prophet, he stands protectively by her side.

"It is rumoured that Miss Evans returns the feelings, but let us hope it is only a silly crush. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named may well be out looking for more of this student's loved ones to eradicate, and it would be a sad day indeed if he ever laid eyes on Lily Evans and James Potter, two children in love.'"

Usually proceeding such happenings as this are very uncomfortable silences. But here that wasn't exactly the case. Remus was making a gurgling noise, Sirius tried to lighten the situation by saying, 'At least he called you guys good-looking!', and James gasped, his eyes looking at me, then the paper, at me, and then the paper.

If my face was burning before, it was nothing compared to now. I felt like my whole head was being stuffed into a hole of molten hot lava. I was shaking in suppressed anger and for once I seriously considered hurting someone.

'That was low, James,' I spat. 'Real low.'

I huffed from the room and ran down the stairs.

See? If he really loved me than he wouldn't have hurt me.

You may think you're in love with someone, but it's just a silly crush.

A silly crush. That's all it is.

* * *

I was silent all through breakfast, and Liz knew better than to try and push conversation. Instead she turned to Jen, who was sitting across from her, while I played absentmindedly with my porridge.

The Marauders were sitting at the other end of the table, James in the same state as I was. He kept glancing at me but I kept my eyes transfixed on my bowl; there was no way in hell I was going to give him a single word, a single look, or any sign to show my feelings.

I was Lily Evans. I didn't show my feelings.

Every now and then I would hear a gasp or a giggle as someone new read the Daily Prophet and reached my article, or was told what was going on by someone else. No one dared come up to me about it, because they knew what a madcap I could be, but I could sense people talking about me in every direction.

'I'm leaving,' I told Liz, throwing down my spoon. ''Bye.'

As it was a Sunday, I had no classes to keep my mind off of things, and immediately dragged my backpack to the library. I plumped down in a chair at a table in the way back and stared at the opposing bookshelf for a good half-hour before I began my work.

That was when I was first teased about the article. Severus Snape, a 6th Year Slytherin, is the foulest, most greasiest, most horrible smelling person I have ever had the displeasure to meet, which is one of the few things the Marauders and I agree on. Not only do I hate Snape, but he is the biggest enemy of James and his friends.

'Hello, mudblood,' I heard someone sneer behind me.

I knew immediately who it was, and I also knew immediately that if he knew what was good for him, he would turn around right now and leave me in peace. If only Slytherins were that smart…

'Hello, greaseball,' I responded serenely, still scrawling on about hag rebellions in the 1300s.

'I heard Potter and you are--'

'Together?' I said quickly, trying to hide my irritation. 'Well you heard wrong. Bye then!'

Snape laughed, sending shivers down my spine. It was cold and ruthless, something that would belong to someone whom you definitely didn't want to meet in the middle of the night in a deserted alleyway.

'You're not getting rid of me that easily, Evans,' he said. He was right behind my chair now.

'What a pity,' I said, trying to remain calm. Dark alleyway, deserted library… I didn't want to be with Snape in either. 'Would you like me to pull out my wand and hex you instead? It'd certainly be a delight. I'm a bit bored.'

'How about I pull out my wand, and--'

'Snape,' a voice growled threateningly.

For once, I didn't mind being rescued, but why, why, did the rescuer have to be Potter?

I turned around. James, looking incredibly menacing, was inching his way out of the shadows of the bookshelves. Snape remained composed but I saw his temple twitching.

'I suggest you leave Lily alone,' James said. 'Or I will pull out my wand. And trust me, Snape, you do not want that.'

I hate Snape, no doubt about it, but right now I actually pitied him. I had seen what happens when somebody meddles with James. Obviously, Snape had as well.

'No need for that, Potter,' he snarled, a smile lingering on those absolutely, positively, horrendous lips.

'That's what I thought,' said James furiously.

'Besides, I should have assumed that you would stick up for your girlfriend. And such a lovely one at that…'

He slowly stuck out a hand and reached gradually to touch my hair, his black eyes never leaving James's. I saw James step forward but I was quicker, and in a rush I was standing, pulling my arm back, and punching Snape in his overlarge nose.

Forgive me if I forgot to tell you that I have a very strong right hook.

'Take that, you filthy piece of scum,' I miffed, as he fell to the floor, clutching his bleeding nose.

I grabbed my things and headed towards the library door.

'Lily! Wait!'

I walked faster.

Trusting makes your head boggle, and my head was definitely boggling. I won't deny that I didn't want to stop and talk rationally with James, but that would mean I had to trust him again, and I had trusted enough for this weekend. I had trusted Skeeter, and he had printed an embarrassing article; I had trusted James, and he read the article aloud. Of all the people to be betrayed, why did it have to be me, the girl who hates trusting the most?!

'Lily, I want to talk to you!'

'Well I DON'T want to talk to YOU!' I shouted over my shoulder.

Didn't the git get the hint?!

'Lily, we need to talk!'

'James, you need to--' And then I told him to go do something very rude which I don't think I'll repeat here. I would have told him even more if I didn't suddenly feel a painfully strong grip on my left arm.

I was beginning to regret very much that James Potter was on the Quidditch team. First he grabs the paper, now he grabs me… Didn't he understand that I didn't want to talk to him?

'Listen, I understand that you don't want to talk to me.'

Ouch. What a slap in the face.

'But I just need to say something.'

'Then you better say it pretty damn fast, Potter,' I said bitterly, 'because you have about thirty seconds before I reach back there and punch you like I did Snape.'

And he knew I really would, which is why I think he continued hastily.

'I don't understand, why are you mad at me?'

I wanted to laughed at this. I turned around so quickly that he nearly lost his footing and stumbled backwards, and I looked so intimidating that he backed up even more as I advanced upon him.

'Why am I mad at you?' I hissed. 'Well, for one, Potter, you knew what that article was going to say. You knew it was going to be embarrassing and full of lies, but didn't care! I asked you--I told you--not to read that letter aloud. SO WHY DID YOU?'

'I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking--'

'OBVIOUSLY!'

'--and if I could take it back, I would!'

'But you can't! And I am so piss angry that--that--that I can't even think of anything to say!' I sighed; I was so upset I couldn't even get my sarcasm to overwhelm me, which I really needed right now, to keep me from doing anything stupid… like telling James Potter my feelings.

I flopped onto the ground, leaning against the wall; I kept my eyes shut tightly as James sat down next to me.

'I'm sorry!' he said anxiously.

'If you were so bloody sorry then you wouldn't have done it.'

'But--'

'I'm famous, James,' I interrupted, as if it would answer all the problems.

'I know you are.'

'There are other famous girls out there, go attach yourself to them.'

'But--'

'I don't want to hear it.'

'Will you stop and let me speak?'

'Will you stop caring?'

'Will you stop hating me?'

'Will you stop answering me with questions?'

'Does it sound like it?'

'Then I won't stop loving you.'

'Then I won't stop hating you.'

James stayed silent for a moment. I didn't know what I felt exactly anymore, I was so emotionally beat.

'You know,' said James after a while, 'I think you're scared that you might actually like me, and that's why you're acting like this.'

'Think so?' I muttered sarcastically. He ignored me and continued.

'You're afraid that Skeeter might actually be right and that Voldemort will come after the ones you love. You aren't angry at all.'

I was surprised for two reasons. One, I was the only one I knew who spoke Voldemort's real name, excluding our headmaster. And two, I never thought James would have come up with something like that. I didn't even understand what I was feeling, but James's reason seemed a hell of a lot more reasonable than my excuse of being angry with him.

'We've talked,' I said pointedly, after deciding I couldn't find anything else to say, 'so can you leave me alone now?'

He looked at me for a moment and a glazed look came over him.

I rolled my eyes. Oh boy, here it comes…

'I love you, Lily,' he said quietly.

This angered me even more. Why did he still like me after I screamed at him, told him that I hated him? Why couldn't he just understand that I would never be with someone who likes me for my fame?

There was no smile on my face as I said, 'I hate you, James.'

He stood and walked away, leaving me to my thoughts.

Thus ended my period of helplessness.

* * *

I wondered around the school for three hours afterwards, trying to filter through my thoughts. Instead, I ran into two snogging couples, caught three students pulling a prank (surprisingly, none were the Marauders), and found three more secret passages I had never known about before. I walked back to the Common Room feeling strange, but slightly better.

Liz ran to me as soon as I walked dazedly through the portrait hole. I didn't pay attention to what she was saying, but nodded and excused myself to the dorm. As I walked by everyone, I ignored all the inquiries of my whereabouts for the past hours and even Heather's sneering remark 'Was poor little James sticking up for you again?', and walked straight up the stairs before collapsing on my bed.

I had rationalized with myself and realized I had made a big deal out of something small. He hadn't done much harm. Like I said, it was an excuse to cover up feelings I didn't understand.

Yes, I was still angry.

Yes, I still hated James.

Yes, I was completely and utterly confused about everyone and everything.

But at the moment I didn't care. At the moment, I was going to put away my books… I was going to slip off my shoes and turn off the light… and I was going to climb into my bed and sleep until tomorrow morning at 6:30, when I would be waking up to start another day of school.

A/N: No, no feelings between James and Lily, yet. It's too soon. Well… I don't think I'll be updating in a while. Since my grandfather will be dying, I don't think I'll have time for much writing. I'm sorry. But I promise the next part will be better!!