A/N: OK Everyone I've been a big old brat lately. I'm sorry. Ugh. Blame
it on sleep deprivation. So, if I was mean to you in a review, I'm sorry.
I'm not saying that my point was irrelevant, no; I know that I must have
some point; I just had a poor choice of words. So. . . I'm sorry!
Here's something I've been thinking about: right now, I have about fifty- five reviews. It might be closer to sixty when I post this. All of my reviews (about the fic) are nice and I have no real flames. Some of the stories that I read are shit (pardon my French), but they have about 100 reviews for four chapters and six thousand words (I'm making the numbers up so if your fic is like this, it's just a coincidence) I know that at least forty of those reviews HAVE to be flames. Or, some of the people are as juvenile to ask for a certain number of reviews before the next chapter. Ha! The fics are never any good and no one really, really wants another chapter. All they might want another one for would be to see if the fic gets any better! I'm not really hurt that people don't respond to my little polls and stuff because, even though your opinion weighs in, I have the final say in what will happen. I also know that there are a lot of better fics that are better and have WAY less reviews. I think that it is just polite to review, even if you hated the fic, even if the topic has been extremely overdone. If I find a fic that looks like it's heading towards a boring and clichéd direction, I review and give suggestions for what would improve the fic. So, if you are one of those people who I've given suggestions to, I'm doing it for your own good and not to be mean.
Disclaimer: I own some fun things that you don't recognize. All those people whose names can be quoted from a Harry Potter book, I have no claim to. (Just something that I don't understand: Why does everyone hate these things? They get my creative juices flowing. No one really pays attention to them anyways.)
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In the Dictionary
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Chapter Eight
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Lily and James heard a loud "BANG".
"James, did you hear that?"
"Yeah, I wonder what it was though. I'll go check . . . stay here . . ."
Worried thoughts were running through Lily's mind. What if it was a student, or worse, a professor? She wasn't ashamed of James; it was just that she wasn't ready to share their relationship with the rest of the student body. All the gossip might destroy. Then, an even worse thought occurred to her. What if it was a follower of the Dark Arts? No Death Eaters had dared attach Hogwarts yet, but there was always a first time for everything. The Death Eater would probably severely harm, or even kill, James. She was just about to call to James, so she could tell him to come back, when she heard James cry out.
"Argh!"
Lily dashed in the direction of the scream. When she found James, he appeared very put out, and an opaque being was trying to apologize. Apparently, the ghost had made the noise, and when James had come to investigate, he had passed through it. Walking through the ghost had given James the feeling of being dunked into a tub of ice water.
The ghost was doing his best to express his regret. "Really, I feel awful about what I have just done. It was an accident, really. I meant to just come and see what was making all the noise. I didn't-"
"Er. . . Excuse me," Lily interrupted, "but who exactly are you? I believe that I haven't seen you around the castle."
"Oh yes, I don't believe I've introduced myself. I am Lord Ernest Wilmer VanVoneen, but most of the younger generations call me The Sorry Saxon," replied The Sorry Saxon.
"So you're a Hogwarts ghost then?" inquired Lily.
"Of course I am! What else would I be?"
"Then why haven't we seen you before?" asked a slightly shaken James- he hadn't gotten over the shock of walking through The Sorry Saxon.
"Well," drawled the Sorry Saxon, "I am rather partial to the peace and quiet of this sections. Plus I tend to make mistakes, but I feel wretchedly apologetic sorry about it. The headmaster thought it best I stay here, where I am less prone to error."
"I see. . ." commented James. "Was it you, then? Who made that big noise?"
"I'm afraid so. You two were making quite a riot over there," the Sorry Saxon waved his hand, as if to indicate something in the Eastern direction. "You startled me and, in my haste, I knocked over that ancient urn. . . Thank heavens it's not worth anything of importance."
"Well, we would love to chat, Mr. . . Saxon, but we have a curfew to keep. You wouldn't want us to lose any house points would you?" asked Lily in her sweetest, most beguiling, voice.
The Sorry Saxon looked petrified at the very thought of causing the loss of any house points. "No, no, no! I would feel simply awful! I'll just let you go back now. Farewell, young students, farewell."
"Good-bye," the two living people chorused.
James sighed a breath of relief once they were out of earshot of the ghost. "I thought we were toast! Imagine if that crazy-old ghost was a teacher! I don't think we could even count how many detentions we would get."
Lily just nodded her head to show her agreement. So many things had happened in such short order. What she really needed was some time just to catch up with what was happening all around her. She was surprised when she found herself in front of the Fat Lady. She had been scolding James about being out so late.
Apparently, she and James had been out later than they had expected. Everyone was asleep in his or her bed. This gave Lily and James a chance to talk about what was happening.
"James, don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think we should tell anyone about us just yet. It seems like everything is happening so fast, and I just want a chance to sort things out. I can't really do that with the whole school asking me questions about you," Lily said all of this very fast, as if she was dreading the reaction.
To Lily's relief, James took this very well; in fact, he agreed with her. "I know what you mean. It'll be fun. We can meet in secret all over the school. No one has to know."
"So. Where do we go from here? Avoid each other? Act civil?"
"Let's just do what feels best. If it's easier for me to ignore you, that's what I'll have to do. Whatever we do, we can't risk anyone finding out. Okay?"
"Okay. I think we should just work out anything else tomorrow. I'm exhausted. Goodnight, James."
"Goodnight, Lily." James gave her a last hug and a kiss on her forehead.
As Lily ascended the stairs to her dormitory, she couldn't remember a time when she had felt like this. She didn't know what this new feeling was, but didn't dwell on it. She fell asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow.
Lily was woken the next morning by a slight shake, courtesy of Hellen. Once up, Lily found that she was earning rather odd looks from her best friends.
"Where were you last night? You must have gotten back late. We waited up for you, but we couldn't stay awake any longer," Diana said. She looked as if she was about to burst from curiosity.
Lily felt a slight wave of panic course through her body. She had to think fast. She quickly put on her best "maiden-in-distress" façade. "Oh it was just dreadful! Simply dreadful! I got lost coming back from the library. I spent hours upon hours trying to find my bearings. Then this peculiar ghost- I forget his name- found me and pointed me in the right direction. I found my way back and I was too tired to bother to wake you and tell you about what happened. I do hope you can forgive me."
Hellen rushed to envelop Lily in a hug. "Oh! You poor dear! If only one of us had gone with you. Then, you wouldn't have had to be all alone." Diana held an expression of sympathy on her face. Diana knew how much Lily disliked being alone for long periods of time.
Lily smiled inwardly to herself. She had fooled them. She hated lying, but she was excellent at it. She didn't want to prolong the topic, lest she contradict herself. She suggested they all go and eat breakfast. The others agreed, and they were soon on their way to the Great Hall.
Lily was a bit nervous about seeing James again. What if he didn't acknowledge her existence? Was she supposed to do the same? She hoped that he had already chosen what course of action they would take in order to keep the secret. Lily almost ran into a Ravenclaw third year from being so preoccupied.
She spotted James sitting amongst his friends. She was relieved. This way, she wouldn't have to deal with how to act around him for the present time. She took a seat next to a fifth year named Felicity Watchshire. The two were always friendly towards each other and would always chat when they had the time. Hellen and Diana also liked her, but they were not as outgoing as Lily.
Breakfast passed with Lily, Hellen, Diana and Felicity talking about what they thought would be the best color to wear this spring. Before anyone knew it, the first lesson of the day was about to begin. The girls said a hurried good-bye to Felicity and set off for Herbology.
After a Herbology lesson, in which a girl named Shirley had let go of her Pumptidert plant, causing it to spring around the room so that the whole class had to work together to catch it, all of the Gryffindor seventh years were ready for a nice and relaxing lunch. Lily was delayed in arriving in the Great Hall because she had to get some dirt and grime under her perfectly manicured fingernails. Diana and Hellen, as always, waited for her.
As soon as Lily stepped into the Great Hall, she wished that she hadn't. James was sitting by an empty portion of the table, and was motioning Lily to come and join him. Lily didn't want to appear like this bothered her, so she reluctantly took the seat. Diana sat next to her and Hellen sat on Diana's other side. Once James was sure that Lily's friends were involved in other conversations, he whispered to Lily.
"Meet me tonight at seven thirty, outside of the library."
Before Lily could respond, James's group of friends got up and beckoned him to join them. James followed, but not without a last glance at Lily. She nodded her head when she was sure that only he could see.
Lily had no idea how she had gotten through the rest of the day so easily with the prospect of meeting James hovering over her conscious mind. Everywhere she looked, she saw the black of his hair in the school robes, and the brown of his eyes in the wooden desks.
Finally, seven fifteen came and Lily left Gryffindor Tower, feeling a bit anxious about seeing James again. To her relief, he was already there, so that she wouldn't have to wait with only her thoughts to keep her company.
"Hello, James," she greeted.
"Hey, Lily," James responded.
"What did you want me here for?" asked a rather blunt Lily.
James seemed taken aback by Lily's abruptness, but answered her, all the same. "You see, I think it best for us not to be in too much contact with each other when other people are around. It's just too hard. Do you feel like that?"
"That's exactly how I feel. I don't think even I could convince people that I hate you. If people ask why we are avoiding each other, just say that it's best that we don't constantly squabble and they only way we can stop is to avoid one another."
"Wicked. So. with that settled." James raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"Oh, James, I would love to, really I would, but I promised Diana and Hellen that I would spend some time with them tonight."
James looked like a three year old who had just been told that he couldn't go to the playground with all of his friends. Lily couldn't help but laugh. James got over the disappointment and offered to walk Lily to the portrait hole. Lily agreed and the two were off.
Whenever they passed someone, Lily and James would start to bicker. It was a relief for both of them to reach the Fat Lady. She looked rather amused at the pair, but didn't comment. James gave Lily a boost into the common room and then headed off towards the owlery to supposedly send a letter to his parents.
"Lily!" exclaimed her two closest friends.
"Hi," said an overwhelmed Lily.
"Where were you? You'll never believe what just happened!" Diana was very excited about something.
"I was at a Head Girl's meeting. And what happened to get you two so thrilled?"
"We went for a walk, you know, to just explore the castle. We were around the Charms corridor and then Dean Appleton walks up and asks Hellen to take a walk around the castle with him tomorrow night! Can you believe it? Dean Appleton! The Dean Appleton!" Diana did all the talking, since Hellen seemed to be too happy for words.
Dean Appleton was a Ravenclaw in his seventh year. He had dark hair and sea foam green eyes. Many girls found themselves lost in his eyes whenever he would speak to them. He was a beater for his house Quidditch team. At Hogwarts, he was considered "quite a catch". Dean was also a perfect gentleman; he was always polite and considerate to everyone. Being a Ravenclaw, he didn't attract as much attention as the popular Gryffindors, but he was still well known. He was very intellectual too.
Dean used to be ten times more admired than James was, but all that changed with James's improvement over the last summer. Dean never seemed to be jealous of James, though. He always had a kind word for anyone. Only Slytherins could say rude things to Dean, but they weren't as mean as the insults that the Gryffindors received.
Lily let out a squeal of delight for her friend. Hellen was always so sweet; Lily thought that it was about time that she got herself a nice date. At Hogwarts, taking a walk around the castle was the equivalent to taking someone to a movie. Hellen was positively glowing with glee.
"Oh Hellen, that's wonderful! After dinner tomorrow night, we have to get you ready. We can do your hair, nails and find the perfect robes." Lily was already making plans for Hellen's appearance.
James had walked into the common room, and after casting a curious glance towards Lily and her friends, headed up the stairs that lead to his dormitory. Seeing this, Diana suggested that they go and prepare for bed.
"Tomorrow is a big day," she offered as a reason. Lily was not one to argue with the statement. Today had been a big day for her.
Lily slowly changed into her nightclothes and carried out her nightly beauty rituals. She then crawled into bed, and fell asleep in a matter of minutes.
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When Lily woke up, Hellen was already talking to herself about her upcoming date. Lily rubbed the sleep from her eyes and opened the curtains that surrounded her four-poster. Diana was still sleeping and Hellen had not yet noticed Lily.
"Morning Hellen," greeted a rested Lily.
"Oh, Lily. Good-morning. Did you sleep well?" inquired Hellen.
"Better than I have for weeks. I'm starving though. What do you say we wake Diana and head down to breakfast?"
"Great idea. It's nearly ten o' clock so I think Diana will have had enough sleep."
Hellen was immensely mistaken, however. Diana was extremely upset about being roused from her slumber. She attempted to smack Lily with her balled fist and, when she had finally opened her eyes, she glared furiously at her two best friends. Lily and Hellen knew, from seven years of experience, that Diana would never cooperate in the mornings. Once she had used the bathroom and gotten dressed, she was in a much better mood, and was ready to join Lily and Hellen in eating breakfast.
James, or any of the Marauders, wasn't in the Great Hall when Lily arrived. Lily wondered where they could be, but decided not to dwell on it. She seated herself in-between Diana and Hellen and helped herself to a waffle.
Lily and her friends spent the day catching up on some unfinished homework, talking to some of the other seventh year Gryffindor girls, and debating on what Hellen should wear that night. They finally agreed on a pair of purple robes. The robes were adorned with miniscule silver sparks, and the color brought out the color of her eyes. Hellen had always been a bit insecure about her eyes- she thought that they looked fake. After all, how many people have purple eyes? Lily and Diana eventually convinced Hellen that she should strive to accent her eyes.
Hellen's hair was another matter. Hellen had beautiful hair- it was unlike anyone else's at Hogwarts. It was a blend of platinum blonde, chestnut, strawberry blonde, dirty blonde, and auburn. Lily and Diana could not decide what style it would look best in. If she kept it down, it would show off the shades, yet, it wouldn't allow her facial features to stand out. The opposite would happen if she pinned it up.
"I've got it!" Lily exclaimed, startling Diana and Hellen with her sudden outburst.
"What?" asked Diana.
"We can keep her hair down, and charm it so that it doesn't get in her face. I have a book full of beauty charms. Now, where did I put it? . It has to be here somewhere. Ahhh. Here it is!" Lily was holding up a bronze book that was the size of a pizza box.
"Blimey, Lily! That book is massive," said a very awed Hellen.
Lily and Diana set to work on Hellen's hair. After five minutes of practicing the charm and applying it to Hellen, her hair that fell to the middle of her back was in a soft, feathered, style. Hellen shrieked with delight and ran to hug and thank her two friends. Lily and Diana stopped her, however, because they didn't want her appearance to become ruffled in any way. Soon, it was time and Hellen left the two to meet Dean.
Lily and Diana spent about half an hour in their dorm, talking about what they wanted to get in Hogsmeade on their next visit, before Professor Trelawney called Diana. Diana despised Divination but Professor Trelawney saw her as the perfect protégé. Diana was forced to comply with weekly visits to her classroom, or else she would receive low marks in the class.
This left Lily all alone. She saw it as the perfect opportunity to spend some time with James. She looked throughout Gryffindor Tower, yet could not find him. She didn't want to ask about him to anyone because it might make some people suspicious. She went to the library because she thought that he might be there.
On her way back from the library- she had found no trace of him there- Lily heard what sounded like a chair tipping over in the now empty Charms classroom. It was her duty as Head Girl to protect the school, so she went to investigate. Her hand gently turned the doorknob as she nudged the door ajar.
As soon as she looked inside, she wished she hadn't.
There was James; not only James, but another girl as well. Neither of them had noticed Lily since they were too busy with one another. Lily resisted the urge to scream and throw everything within her reach at James, and cleared her throat.
"Ahem," she started. After what seemed like an eternity, James opened his eyes and looked up. Instead of the expressions of guilt and remorse on his face, he showed sheer annoyance.
"May I help you," he asked impatiently.
Lily took a deep breath, "Professor Dumbledore wants you. He said something about it being Head Boy business." Lily was an excellent actress, and it was taking every ounce of strength for her to keep calm. The girl, she was a Hufflepuff sixth year, looked very unhappy at this statement.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," responded James. The two exited the room, but instead of leading James towards Dumbledore's office, Lily was heading towards the section of the castle, which the Sorry Saxon inhabited. She couldn't keep her temper under control for too long and she was about to say some things that would shock the people who thought she was sweet, kind, caring considerate and understanding.
As soon as she was confident they were alone, she unleashed her fury on James, starling him at first. "What where you just doing, James Potter? It had better be a good excuse."
"What did it look like I was doing? I know what you weren't doing- minding your own business. What right do you have to barge in on me?" James's behavior succeeded in angering Lily even more.
"Is this how you treat everyone? If it is, you'll find yourself a very lonely man. Have you no loyalty to me?"
"Don't talk to me about loyalty, Lily Evans," he spat out Lily's name as if it tasted like dragon dung. "You were the one who cheated on me first. What I did was purely justified."
"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything!" Lily protested.
"Is going on a date with Dean Appleton nothing? God, Lily, I didn't even think you were that stuck up!"
Lily let out a shrill laugh. "Where on earth did you hear that? It was Hellen who went with Dean. Hellen! I can't believe you James! You overhear someone say something and you automatically assume it deals with me. And instead of confronting me about it first, you go off and snogg with the first pretty face you can find!"
James's face paled dramatically. His expression changed from one of annoyance to remorse. "Lily.I'm so sorry."
"I don't want to hear it. You are the biggest git I have ever met!"
"Can't we fix and get back what we had between us?"
The smart thing that Lily could have done would have been to forgive James then, but her anger had driven out any reasoning that she had of her head. "Between us? Between us, James? What was between us? I thought I knew, but if you go off and doubt me I guess I have no idea. Anything that was between is in the past. We could have had a wonderful thing James. Too bad you had to go and ruin it."
James was about to open his mouth in protest, but Lily cut him off, "Good- bye, James. I don't think I'll be in any mood to talk to you in the future, so Good-bye."
Lily stormed out of James's presence and hid herself in her dormitory. She was thankful her dorm mates hadn't returned, yet. She feigned sleep when the arrived, but it was just before dawn when she was finally claimed by sleep.
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A/N: Ok sorry again about the bad mood I've been in. Ummm REVIEW PLEASE! I'm testing my skills to see if I can do html! If I can, it's time for a happy dance. If I can't, please tell me in a nice little review. Thanks guys.
New Poll:
What should happen between Lily and James? (Sorry, I won't necessarily use your suggestions, I just want to find out what you want to happen. I have the whole plot mapped out, so if you say something that happens, well then, you deserve a cookie.)
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's something I've been thinking about: right now, I have about fifty- five reviews. It might be closer to sixty when I post this. All of my reviews (about the fic) are nice and I have no real flames. Some of the stories that I read are shit (pardon my French), but they have about 100 reviews for four chapters and six thousand words (I'm making the numbers up so if your fic is like this, it's just a coincidence) I know that at least forty of those reviews HAVE to be flames. Or, some of the people are as juvenile to ask for a certain number of reviews before the next chapter. Ha! The fics are never any good and no one really, really wants another chapter. All they might want another one for would be to see if the fic gets any better! I'm not really hurt that people don't respond to my little polls and stuff because, even though your opinion weighs in, I have the final say in what will happen. I also know that there are a lot of better fics that are better and have WAY less reviews. I think that it is just polite to review, even if you hated the fic, even if the topic has been extremely overdone. If I find a fic that looks like it's heading towards a boring and clichéd direction, I review and give suggestions for what would improve the fic. So, if you are one of those people who I've given suggestions to, I'm doing it for your own good and not to be mean.
Disclaimer: I own some fun things that you don't recognize. All those people whose names can be quoted from a Harry Potter book, I have no claim to. (Just something that I don't understand: Why does everyone hate these things? They get my creative juices flowing. No one really pays attention to them anyways.)
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In the Dictionary
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Chapter Eight
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Lily and James heard a loud "BANG".
"James, did you hear that?"
"Yeah, I wonder what it was though. I'll go check . . . stay here . . ."
Worried thoughts were running through Lily's mind. What if it was a student, or worse, a professor? She wasn't ashamed of James; it was just that she wasn't ready to share their relationship with the rest of the student body. All the gossip might destroy. Then, an even worse thought occurred to her. What if it was a follower of the Dark Arts? No Death Eaters had dared attach Hogwarts yet, but there was always a first time for everything. The Death Eater would probably severely harm, or even kill, James. She was just about to call to James, so she could tell him to come back, when she heard James cry out.
"Argh!"
Lily dashed in the direction of the scream. When she found James, he appeared very put out, and an opaque being was trying to apologize. Apparently, the ghost had made the noise, and when James had come to investigate, he had passed through it. Walking through the ghost had given James the feeling of being dunked into a tub of ice water.
The ghost was doing his best to express his regret. "Really, I feel awful about what I have just done. It was an accident, really. I meant to just come and see what was making all the noise. I didn't-"
"Er. . . Excuse me," Lily interrupted, "but who exactly are you? I believe that I haven't seen you around the castle."
"Oh yes, I don't believe I've introduced myself. I am Lord Ernest Wilmer VanVoneen, but most of the younger generations call me The Sorry Saxon," replied The Sorry Saxon.
"So you're a Hogwarts ghost then?" inquired Lily.
"Of course I am! What else would I be?"
"Then why haven't we seen you before?" asked a slightly shaken James- he hadn't gotten over the shock of walking through The Sorry Saxon.
"Well," drawled the Sorry Saxon, "I am rather partial to the peace and quiet of this sections. Plus I tend to make mistakes, but I feel wretchedly apologetic sorry about it. The headmaster thought it best I stay here, where I am less prone to error."
"I see. . ." commented James. "Was it you, then? Who made that big noise?"
"I'm afraid so. You two were making quite a riot over there," the Sorry Saxon waved his hand, as if to indicate something in the Eastern direction. "You startled me and, in my haste, I knocked over that ancient urn. . . Thank heavens it's not worth anything of importance."
"Well, we would love to chat, Mr. . . Saxon, but we have a curfew to keep. You wouldn't want us to lose any house points would you?" asked Lily in her sweetest, most beguiling, voice.
The Sorry Saxon looked petrified at the very thought of causing the loss of any house points. "No, no, no! I would feel simply awful! I'll just let you go back now. Farewell, young students, farewell."
"Good-bye," the two living people chorused.
James sighed a breath of relief once they were out of earshot of the ghost. "I thought we were toast! Imagine if that crazy-old ghost was a teacher! I don't think we could even count how many detentions we would get."
Lily just nodded her head to show her agreement. So many things had happened in such short order. What she really needed was some time just to catch up with what was happening all around her. She was surprised when she found herself in front of the Fat Lady. She had been scolding James about being out so late.
Apparently, she and James had been out later than they had expected. Everyone was asleep in his or her bed. This gave Lily and James a chance to talk about what was happening.
"James, don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think we should tell anyone about us just yet. It seems like everything is happening so fast, and I just want a chance to sort things out. I can't really do that with the whole school asking me questions about you," Lily said all of this very fast, as if she was dreading the reaction.
To Lily's relief, James took this very well; in fact, he agreed with her. "I know what you mean. It'll be fun. We can meet in secret all over the school. No one has to know."
"So. Where do we go from here? Avoid each other? Act civil?"
"Let's just do what feels best. If it's easier for me to ignore you, that's what I'll have to do. Whatever we do, we can't risk anyone finding out. Okay?"
"Okay. I think we should just work out anything else tomorrow. I'm exhausted. Goodnight, James."
"Goodnight, Lily." James gave her a last hug and a kiss on her forehead.
As Lily ascended the stairs to her dormitory, she couldn't remember a time when she had felt like this. She didn't know what this new feeling was, but didn't dwell on it. She fell asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow.
Lily was woken the next morning by a slight shake, courtesy of Hellen. Once up, Lily found that she was earning rather odd looks from her best friends.
"Where were you last night? You must have gotten back late. We waited up for you, but we couldn't stay awake any longer," Diana said. She looked as if she was about to burst from curiosity.
Lily felt a slight wave of panic course through her body. She had to think fast. She quickly put on her best "maiden-in-distress" façade. "Oh it was just dreadful! Simply dreadful! I got lost coming back from the library. I spent hours upon hours trying to find my bearings. Then this peculiar ghost- I forget his name- found me and pointed me in the right direction. I found my way back and I was too tired to bother to wake you and tell you about what happened. I do hope you can forgive me."
Hellen rushed to envelop Lily in a hug. "Oh! You poor dear! If only one of us had gone with you. Then, you wouldn't have had to be all alone." Diana held an expression of sympathy on her face. Diana knew how much Lily disliked being alone for long periods of time.
Lily smiled inwardly to herself. She had fooled them. She hated lying, but she was excellent at it. She didn't want to prolong the topic, lest she contradict herself. She suggested they all go and eat breakfast. The others agreed, and they were soon on their way to the Great Hall.
Lily was a bit nervous about seeing James again. What if he didn't acknowledge her existence? Was she supposed to do the same? She hoped that he had already chosen what course of action they would take in order to keep the secret. Lily almost ran into a Ravenclaw third year from being so preoccupied.
She spotted James sitting amongst his friends. She was relieved. This way, she wouldn't have to deal with how to act around him for the present time. She took a seat next to a fifth year named Felicity Watchshire. The two were always friendly towards each other and would always chat when they had the time. Hellen and Diana also liked her, but they were not as outgoing as Lily.
Breakfast passed with Lily, Hellen, Diana and Felicity talking about what they thought would be the best color to wear this spring. Before anyone knew it, the first lesson of the day was about to begin. The girls said a hurried good-bye to Felicity and set off for Herbology.
After a Herbology lesson, in which a girl named Shirley had let go of her Pumptidert plant, causing it to spring around the room so that the whole class had to work together to catch it, all of the Gryffindor seventh years were ready for a nice and relaxing lunch. Lily was delayed in arriving in the Great Hall because she had to get some dirt and grime under her perfectly manicured fingernails. Diana and Hellen, as always, waited for her.
As soon as Lily stepped into the Great Hall, she wished that she hadn't. James was sitting by an empty portion of the table, and was motioning Lily to come and join him. Lily didn't want to appear like this bothered her, so she reluctantly took the seat. Diana sat next to her and Hellen sat on Diana's other side. Once James was sure that Lily's friends were involved in other conversations, he whispered to Lily.
"Meet me tonight at seven thirty, outside of the library."
Before Lily could respond, James's group of friends got up and beckoned him to join them. James followed, but not without a last glance at Lily. She nodded her head when she was sure that only he could see.
Lily had no idea how she had gotten through the rest of the day so easily with the prospect of meeting James hovering over her conscious mind. Everywhere she looked, she saw the black of his hair in the school robes, and the brown of his eyes in the wooden desks.
Finally, seven fifteen came and Lily left Gryffindor Tower, feeling a bit anxious about seeing James again. To her relief, he was already there, so that she wouldn't have to wait with only her thoughts to keep her company.
"Hello, James," she greeted.
"Hey, Lily," James responded.
"What did you want me here for?" asked a rather blunt Lily.
James seemed taken aback by Lily's abruptness, but answered her, all the same. "You see, I think it best for us not to be in too much contact with each other when other people are around. It's just too hard. Do you feel like that?"
"That's exactly how I feel. I don't think even I could convince people that I hate you. If people ask why we are avoiding each other, just say that it's best that we don't constantly squabble and they only way we can stop is to avoid one another."
"Wicked. So. with that settled." James raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"Oh, James, I would love to, really I would, but I promised Diana and Hellen that I would spend some time with them tonight."
James looked like a three year old who had just been told that he couldn't go to the playground with all of his friends. Lily couldn't help but laugh. James got over the disappointment and offered to walk Lily to the portrait hole. Lily agreed and the two were off.
Whenever they passed someone, Lily and James would start to bicker. It was a relief for both of them to reach the Fat Lady. She looked rather amused at the pair, but didn't comment. James gave Lily a boost into the common room and then headed off towards the owlery to supposedly send a letter to his parents.
"Lily!" exclaimed her two closest friends.
"Hi," said an overwhelmed Lily.
"Where were you? You'll never believe what just happened!" Diana was very excited about something.
"I was at a Head Girl's meeting. And what happened to get you two so thrilled?"
"We went for a walk, you know, to just explore the castle. We were around the Charms corridor and then Dean Appleton walks up and asks Hellen to take a walk around the castle with him tomorrow night! Can you believe it? Dean Appleton! The Dean Appleton!" Diana did all the talking, since Hellen seemed to be too happy for words.
Dean Appleton was a Ravenclaw in his seventh year. He had dark hair and sea foam green eyes. Many girls found themselves lost in his eyes whenever he would speak to them. He was a beater for his house Quidditch team. At Hogwarts, he was considered "quite a catch". Dean was also a perfect gentleman; he was always polite and considerate to everyone. Being a Ravenclaw, he didn't attract as much attention as the popular Gryffindors, but he was still well known. He was very intellectual too.
Dean used to be ten times more admired than James was, but all that changed with James's improvement over the last summer. Dean never seemed to be jealous of James, though. He always had a kind word for anyone. Only Slytherins could say rude things to Dean, but they weren't as mean as the insults that the Gryffindors received.
Lily let out a squeal of delight for her friend. Hellen was always so sweet; Lily thought that it was about time that she got herself a nice date. At Hogwarts, taking a walk around the castle was the equivalent to taking someone to a movie. Hellen was positively glowing with glee.
"Oh Hellen, that's wonderful! After dinner tomorrow night, we have to get you ready. We can do your hair, nails and find the perfect robes." Lily was already making plans for Hellen's appearance.
James had walked into the common room, and after casting a curious glance towards Lily and her friends, headed up the stairs that lead to his dormitory. Seeing this, Diana suggested that they go and prepare for bed.
"Tomorrow is a big day," she offered as a reason. Lily was not one to argue with the statement. Today had been a big day for her.
Lily slowly changed into her nightclothes and carried out her nightly beauty rituals. She then crawled into bed, and fell asleep in a matter of minutes.
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When Lily woke up, Hellen was already talking to herself about her upcoming date. Lily rubbed the sleep from her eyes and opened the curtains that surrounded her four-poster. Diana was still sleeping and Hellen had not yet noticed Lily.
"Morning Hellen," greeted a rested Lily.
"Oh, Lily. Good-morning. Did you sleep well?" inquired Hellen.
"Better than I have for weeks. I'm starving though. What do you say we wake Diana and head down to breakfast?"
"Great idea. It's nearly ten o' clock so I think Diana will have had enough sleep."
Hellen was immensely mistaken, however. Diana was extremely upset about being roused from her slumber. She attempted to smack Lily with her balled fist and, when she had finally opened her eyes, she glared furiously at her two best friends. Lily and Hellen knew, from seven years of experience, that Diana would never cooperate in the mornings. Once she had used the bathroom and gotten dressed, she was in a much better mood, and was ready to join Lily and Hellen in eating breakfast.
James, or any of the Marauders, wasn't in the Great Hall when Lily arrived. Lily wondered where they could be, but decided not to dwell on it. She seated herself in-between Diana and Hellen and helped herself to a waffle.
Lily and her friends spent the day catching up on some unfinished homework, talking to some of the other seventh year Gryffindor girls, and debating on what Hellen should wear that night. They finally agreed on a pair of purple robes. The robes were adorned with miniscule silver sparks, and the color brought out the color of her eyes. Hellen had always been a bit insecure about her eyes- she thought that they looked fake. After all, how many people have purple eyes? Lily and Diana eventually convinced Hellen that she should strive to accent her eyes.
Hellen's hair was another matter. Hellen had beautiful hair- it was unlike anyone else's at Hogwarts. It was a blend of platinum blonde, chestnut, strawberry blonde, dirty blonde, and auburn. Lily and Diana could not decide what style it would look best in. If she kept it down, it would show off the shades, yet, it wouldn't allow her facial features to stand out. The opposite would happen if she pinned it up.
"I've got it!" Lily exclaimed, startling Diana and Hellen with her sudden outburst.
"What?" asked Diana.
"We can keep her hair down, and charm it so that it doesn't get in her face. I have a book full of beauty charms. Now, where did I put it? . It has to be here somewhere. Ahhh. Here it is!" Lily was holding up a bronze book that was the size of a pizza box.
"Blimey, Lily! That book is massive," said a very awed Hellen.
Lily and Diana set to work on Hellen's hair. After five minutes of practicing the charm and applying it to Hellen, her hair that fell to the middle of her back was in a soft, feathered, style. Hellen shrieked with delight and ran to hug and thank her two friends. Lily and Diana stopped her, however, because they didn't want her appearance to become ruffled in any way. Soon, it was time and Hellen left the two to meet Dean.
Lily and Diana spent about half an hour in their dorm, talking about what they wanted to get in Hogsmeade on their next visit, before Professor Trelawney called Diana. Diana despised Divination but Professor Trelawney saw her as the perfect protégé. Diana was forced to comply with weekly visits to her classroom, or else she would receive low marks in the class.
This left Lily all alone. She saw it as the perfect opportunity to spend some time with James. She looked throughout Gryffindor Tower, yet could not find him. She didn't want to ask about him to anyone because it might make some people suspicious. She went to the library because she thought that he might be there.
On her way back from the library- she had found no trace of him there- Lily heard what sounded like a chair tipping over in the now empty Charms classroom. It was her duty as Head Girl to protect the school, so she went to investigate. Her hand gently turned the doorknob as she nudged the door ajar.
As soon as she looked inside, she wished she hadn't.
There was James; not only James, but another girl as well. Neither of them had noticed Lily since they were too busy with one another. Lily resisted the urge to scream and throw everything within her reach at James, and cleared her throat.
"Ahem," she started. After what seemed like an eternity, James opened his eyes and looked up. Instead of the expressions of guilt and remorse on his face, he showed sheer annoyance.
"May I help you," he asked impatiently.
Lily took a deep breath, "Professor Dumbledore wants you. He said something about it being Head Boy business." Lily was an excellent actress, and it was taking every ounce of strength for her to keep calm. The girl, she was a Hufflepuff sixth year, looked very unhappy at this statement.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," responded James. The two exited the room, but instead of leading James towards Dumbledore's office, Lily was heading towards the section of the castle, which the Sorry Saxon inhabited. She couldn't keep her temper under control for too long and she was about to say some things that would shock the people who thought she was sweet, kind, caring considerate and understanding.
As soon as she was confident they were alone, she unleashed her fury on James, starling him at first. "What where you just doing, James Potter? It had better be a good excuse."
"What did it look like I was doing? I know what you weren't doing- minding your own business. What right do you have to barge in on me?" James's behavior succeeded in angering Lily even more.
"Is this how you treat everyone? If it is, you'll find yourself a very lonely man. Have you no loyalty to me?"
"Don't talk to me about loyalty, Lily Evans," he spat out Lily's name as if it tasted like dragon dung. "You were the one who cheated on me first. What I did was purely justified."
"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything!" Lily protested.
"Is going on a date with Dean Appleton nothing? God, Lily, I didn't even think you were that stuck up!"
Lily let out a shrill laugh. "Where on earth did you hear that? It was Hellen who went with Dean. Hellen! I can't believe you James! You overhear someone say something and you automatically assume it deals with me. And instead of confronting me about it first, you go off and snogg with the first pretty face you can find!"
James's face paled dramatically. His expression changed from one of annoyance to remorse. "Lily.I'm so sorry."
"I don't want to hear it. You are the biggest git I have ever met!"
"Can't we fix and get back what we had between us?"
The smart thing that Lily could have done would have been to forgive James then, but her anger had driven out any reasoning that she had of her head. "Between us? Between us, James? What was between us? I thought I knew, but if you go off and doubt me I guess I have no idea. Anything that was between is in the past. We could have had a wonderful thing James. Too bad you had to go and ruin it."
James was about to open his mouth in protest, but Lily cut him off, "Good- bye, James. I don't think I'll be in any mood to talk to you in the future, so Good-bye."
Lily stormed out of James's presence and hid herself in her dormitory. She was thankful her dorm mates hadn't returned, yet. She feigned sleep when the arrived, but it was just before dawn when she was finally claimed by sleep.
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A/N: Ok sorry again about the bad mood I've been in. Ummm REVIEW PLEASE! I'm testing my skills to see if I can do html! If I can, it's time for a happy dance. If I can't, please tell me in a nice little review. Thanks guys.
New Poll:
What should happen between Lily and James? (Sorry, I won't necessarily use your suggestions, I just want to find out what you want to happen. I have the whole plot mapped out, so if you say something that happens, well then, you deserve a cookie.)
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!