Hi! I want to seriously thank all my wonderful reviewers! You guys are so cool! Today, I had a free day. 'A Walk to Remember' is a really good movie, but I warn you, it's a tearjerker. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter like all the others, I had tons of fun making James look really stupid. More secrets just keep revealing themselves. Well, with all that said and done, let's go!
Useless Information: Hmm… let's think for a second. Well, it's a quote, nothing new really but here it is. "There is no rose without a thorn." - Fortune Cookie
Disclaimer: Just like icky, tasteless gum, if you throw me out you'll feel much better…just kidding. Everything belongs to the flavorful J.K. Rowling Berry and Marion Zimmer Bradley Chew.
If Time is All We've Lost
Chapter 4 - Encrusted Ruby
"And how suffered for your sanity
and how you tried to set them free.
They wouldn't listen they would not know how,
perhaps they'll listen now."
Don McLean - "Vincent"
Even as everyone glared at him, even Sirius and Remus, his best friends for the best years of his life, James continued to search through the book Lily had been reading. What was wrong with this girl, James didn't really know. Every girl in Hogwarts was either crazy over the Marauders, Sergio Chulice, or Lucius Malfoy. Even Narcissa had shown some interest in Remus, but Lily showed no emotion of anyone that received her affection. Remus, Gus, and Sirius were some of her best friends, like Arabella, Raquel, and Soroya. James and Lily just flat out hate each other. Even with Sergio throwing himself on her, Lily still refused his advances. And for a reason that James did not know why, he was very troubled by this.
"James Arthur Potter!" Lily yelled. "Give my book back!"
"Why is everyone so entranced by this book?" he pushed further, making sure he kept the book out of Lily's grasping reach. "Have you put a spell on them?"
Gus, Sirius, and Remus had told Lily never to tell James that she was really a priestess of Avalon. Everyone who knew the truth about Lily and Narcissa was in silence as James made what he thought was a harmless retort.
James found the page that Lily was on and began to read it aloud. "The hours dragged by. Once Morgaine went into the main hall, where Lot's men were playing knucklebones. Lot sat watching," he paused, and raised his eyebrows at the next sentence, "one of Morgause's younger waiting women in his lap and his hand playing casually with her breasts; as Morgause came in, the woman looked up apprehensively and started to slide from his knees, but Morgause shrugged, 'Stay where you are; we have no need of you among the midwives, and tonight at least I will be with my kinswoman and have," here he stopped again. Lily and the other girls knew why, since they had either heard or read the story seven years in a row now. "no leisure to argue with you over a place in his bed."
And with that, Lily lunged for the book. Just as she wrenched it out of his grasp she fell to the floor. She heard James's laugh towering over her as she stood up. "Have you been contaminating your mind, oh witful one?" he asked mockingly.
James was still beating off the fact that everyone was now glaring at him. "No," Lily said defiantly. "There's more to this book than sex, Potter. It's about fulfilling one's destiny and doing what's right. Although, I could not ask a simple mind to figure that one out, for it sees only what pleases it." Everyone now stared at the two.
"I'm not simple minded!" James said defensively.
"Prove you're not, pervert." Lily almost breathed intimidatingly.
"I'm not stupid enough to give my life to an idiot, non-existing 'goddess'!" James suppressed heatedly.
There were lots of audible gasps from the 7th years. Lily shot daggers at James and James himself looked scared and confused at the same time. And then they were all woken up with the sharp clap of skin against skin.
Lily had slapped him straight across the face with incredible force. When James had recovered from the blow, he looked up to Lily shaking with unmistakable anger.
"Take that back you, you," It was rare to see her so upset that she couldn't even insult him. "Insufferable prat!"
"Excuse me," he retorted. "I would like to know why I was just slapped."
"The only thing you can think of is either sick minded, belonging to the world of Quidditch, or a cursed plan to hurt someone else." James had just began to wonder where this little speech was going when…"You're exactly like Lot of Orkney himself!"
Lily turned on her heel and stormed back up to the girls' dormitories with Narcissa and the others following close behind her. James took in the insult and then to Remus, Gus, and Sirius. "What did I say?"
For yet another strange reason, Sirius, Gus, and Remus looked at him as if he had just attempted to murder the pope. Finally, Sirius spoke up. "James, there's something about Lily you don't know. Maybe you should never know." Sirius said it in a tone of such finality that James though he was mad at him when Sirius headed up to his room. Both Remus and Gus were nodding as they followed Sirius to their dorm.
James still didn't have any clue what he had done to insult Lily and everyone else for that matter. He couldn't even remember what he could have said to insult her really. This only meant one thing to James Potter; a well thought out revenge.
He decided to come up with this one on his own. Not even as much as telling Sirius, Arabella, Gus, Raquel, Soroya, Remus, or Narcissa what he was planning, not even harboring help from them. For it to truly work well, it had to be secret and to completely come from the great James Potter.
Around four months later, just a week before Christmas break, Minerva summoned Narcissa to her office to discuss the fate which the Goddess had decided for her.
Minerva had faith that Narcissa could make Lucius fall in love with her, was really no doubt about that. Narcissa had this capability to enrapture people with mind games. She hated having to marry her off to a death-eater, but she really had no choice. Then there was Lily. Even more stunning than ever, Lily had a sort of glow around her that made people notice her. She impressed the professors with her quick wit and immense knowledge. But her beauty and wit also put her in the worst place anybody could be in. Not only did her talents impress her teachers and peers, they also impressed Voldemort. And having her for his own is all he needed get rid of Avalon. Voldemort had been making a name for himself already as an acclaimed dark wizard for at least four years. In no time he would be able to enter into Hogwarts and take Lily. These thought surely troubled Minerva, but when she thought about it rationally, Lily was a level-headed girl. Lily knew what to do and what not to do, so why should Minerva fear? Only the Goddess could know.
While Minerva was drowning herself in her complicated thoughts, there was a soft tap on the door. "Come in," Minerva said, not releasing herself from her uneasy mind. "Ah, Narcissa dear. There has been some surprising news from the Sight. Now, you may correct me if I am wrong, but did you give yourself to the will of the Goddess, to do what she commands, no matter what?"
"Of course I did, Lady," Narcissa looked a little confused at the question. "As do all the priestesses to the Great Mother."
"As much as I hate to tell you," Minerva breathed deeply; it was like betraying her own kin. "The Goddess has declared that you, Narcissa, are to marry Lucius Malfoy."
Narcissa took the information very well. Minerva then continued. "He thinks all women stupid and useful for only one thing. You must shelter your children from that belief. Just make sure that you bear a child to the Goddess and bring him or her to me when him or her is five. They will be raised as either the next Merlin or Lady of the Lake. Lucius is a firm supporter of the dark arts and, no doubt, if you bear a son to him, he will want to push him to become a death-eater as well. Hopefully, his training in Avalon will prevent that."
Narcissa looked at Minerva carefully as Minerva stopped. Minerva then hugged her foster-daughter. "Narcissa, you must understand that you have my faith and that I will help you if you need, alright?"
Narcissa nodded and then left the office, as silent as she had come in. Minerva sat down behind her desk again and thought about calling Lily to her next to tell her who she was to wed. She decided against it and sunk back into her troubled worries.
There was also one other flaw, as if it couldn't get worse. Lily already had shown no man that she had and love towards him, most were her friends, but in turn they were also admirers. Lily had refused advances from all of the most popular boys in school, and the worst part of that was that she had also refused advances from Snape, the one she would marry.
The flaw was that Rhubat, Minerva's colleague and Snape's uncle, also knew of the plan. He hadn't come across it by eavesdrop, but by the fact that he was an active death-eater. Something that Dumbledore knew, but was not frightened of. Minerva, however, felt that he might intervene in some way…
~December 24th - Gryffindor Common Room~
James and Sirius were acting lazy in the common room. Everyone else was out preparing for the last Hogsmeade trip before Christmas. They were either buying their dresses or suits for the Yule Ball, sending mail to their loved ones abroad, or finishing up purchasing their gifts. Dumbledore decided to have a costume ball, not necessarily a masquerade, but at least out of the dress robes. The worst thing was that he had to go with Lily because they were Head Boy and Girl.
"I'm going to go in the Great Hall with Raquel," Sirius said shortly, and he left through the portrait hall.
James knew why of course. He just couldn't believe that it took Sirius three years to admit to Raquel that he had thought of her as more than a friend. Raquel had been overjoyed that one of the most handsome boys in school liked her as well. They made quite the dynamic duo, they were barely seen apart.
James tried to remember where all his other friends were. Mundungus and Arabella were getting ready to go to Hogsmeade, Remus was doing something 'important' in the library, and Soroya was checking to see if she had the right color eye-shadow to match her dress for the ball.
Being the kind of person he is, James decided to see what Remus was up to. Maybe he could help him with Rhubat's impossible draft essay. He walked slowly through the winding hallways towards the gigantic library, passing the moving pictures and greeting several of their occupants. Past many of the statues that held secret passages to Hogsmeade and any other place outside of the school, and finally to the library itself.
He skirted his way past the nosy librarian, and, just as he reached the autobiographies, he heard the clanging of metal against metal. The scene that he met when he turned the corner surprised him more than the sound.
Remus and some girl were fencing fiercely. He knew Remus was behind one of the masks, but he still couldn't make out who the girl was. They were both excellent, beating each other in turn. When Remus's sword had forced the girl to turn around, James then recognized who it was; Lily.
Thousands of reasons and thoughts were chasing each other around inside his head. Why hadn't Remus told him? Was there more to this than just learning to fence? The flowing river of endless possibilities was dammed up as Lily made a promising lunge at Remus, but missed, giving Remus the last point and the match.
"Lily, you let your emotions get the better of you again," Remus said wearily, panting heavily. "You can't let that happen when you're up against Voldemort, he'll kill you."
"I know, I know," Lily heaved. "But, there's no reason to fight me except this," she poked her finger at the blue crescent moon at her hairline. "He would have nothing to do with me if I wasn't a priestess."
"Lily, you're the only one who would be brave enough to go through this," Remus sighed, looking into Lily's lost green eyes. "I don't even think that James would even dare do this."
"That's not all, Remus," she said, taking off her mask and stuffing her fencing gloves into it. "I have this awful feeling that Minerva is using me as Viviane used Morgaine. And you know what came of that. Viviane used Morgaine as a pawn and an illegitimate bastard son to the King came. Along with that, Morgaine's aunt used even him for a pawn for her own evil desires." Lily stopped abruptly. She had found herself rambling again.
"Lily, Minerva would never do that to you, she loves you too much," Remus changed the subject. "Well, I've got to be off; another Hogsmeade trip again." He stopped there; it really wasn't the subject he'd wanted to explore. "Lily, I don't know why you can't come? I mean, if you had Minerva or Dumbledore around you, Voldemort wouldn't even breathe on you."
"It's a bit more complicated than that," she said, brushing a few stray strands of hair that had wriggled free of her tightly plaited hair. "Minerva says there's a catch, but I don't see one. It's up to the Goddess."
"I guess it is," Remus figured. "Hey, I'm stopping by Honeyduke's today, do you want me to pick you up some every flavor beans?"
"Oh, yes!" she asked excitedly. "Thanks you, thank you, thank you, Remus!" She pulled him into a tight hug.
"It's the least that I could do," choked Remus, exasperated at her surprise. "I've go to go. Are you going back to the Common Room?"
"No," she said as she sat down in one of the tables. "I need to get started on that nasty Goblin Rebellion of 1549 for Professor Binns."
"Good point," said Remus thoughtfully. "Hey, by the way, what are you going as for the costume ball?"
"Total secret, Moony," she smirked wickedly. "I haven't even told Raquel, Soroya, or Arabella. But, I do know this; Arabella is going as a gypsy and Gus as her partner. Soroya is going with you know who," she winked at Remus, who blushed slightly. "And will be dressed as Egyptian princess, and lastly, Raquel and Sirius are going together, dressed as Gemini."
"What about your sister?" Remus asked.
"She keeps saying that she isn't going to make it, but I have a feeling she's lying to me." She shrugged her shoulders at Remus's puzzled look.
"I'll be off then," Remus said, as he started to leave. "I'll see you tonight in the Common Room."
"Bye, Remus," Lily turned back to her book as Remus turned to leave, but was stopped halfway, by James who had been eavesdropping.
"Moony, why is Voldemort after Lily?" At first Remus was stunned that James had actually called Lily by her first name, and then he worked out what he had said.
"James, if you really want to know, then ask her yourself," he noticed that James looked in Lily's direction. "I believe that our very own Mr. Potter is intrigued by the young, beautiful, and did we mention witty, Miss Evans?"
"Shut up, Remus," James snapped angrily. "I'm not totally oblivious to the fact that you, yourself, are very intrigued by the Miss Soroya Ames."
Remus gave him a fake sweet smile and left the library, leaving James to his own stupidity about Lily.
Lily sat pouring over book after book about the Goblin Rebellions from the fourteenth century. James walked over to the table to sit across from her.
"What do you want, Potter?" she said, without even looking up from her notes.
"I want to know what the scar means," said James.
"I never wanted to tell you," she sighed. "Oh, well. Anywho, this scar means that I am a priestess of Avalon. I studied on the island since I was four years old and have mastered the mists and herb lore, among many other things. I have a moonstone necklace from Igraine and this sickle knife for becoming a priestess."
James just sat there and gaped at her and the tiny knife encrusted with rubies. So much more than he really wanted to know, but so glad that he did. Lily laughed at his glazed expression. "You know, if you turned your head slightly to the left, you would look like Sergio Chulice trying to ask me on a date."
James snapped back to reality. "I can't believe you're comparing me to that…that…thing," James stuttered.
"Just comes to show that what comes around, goes around. I'll see you at the dance tomorrow Potter. Bye!" she waved jovially and left the library herself.
Unfortunately, James was still planning on doing his revenge the night of the ball. And in no time, it was only an hour away.
Raquel, Arabella, and Soroya had made Lily agree to them doing her light make-up. Eye-shadow only and the rest she would do on her own in the bathroom. James and she had planned to meet at the ball, not in the Common Room. Lily was overjoyed to hear that Minerva would let her reveal her true self tonight. She slipped on her beautiful saffron gown with gold ribbon surrounding it, and put on Igraine's moonstone necklace. She repainted the scar with more blue dye. She had Soroya fancily plait her hair and she put a small wreath of tiny white lilies in it.
She presented herself to the open-mouths and 'Wow's from the Gryffindor boys, and when she entered the Great Hall a hush fell over the entire party. Minerva and Dumbledore were smiling, and James was wishing he hadn't plot his revenge.
A/N: I am so sorry this was late. Please forgive me. Well, I hope you liked that one, personally, I loved making fun of James. Well, I give my reviewers Bob the Tomato toys and tacos, because they are really good. It doesn't matter if they're soft or hard, just whatever you want. They will imaginarily delivered to your door by a UPS man in less than 2 months. I love you guys for reading and reviewing. Me such a sap! Thanks though, Epequa ;)
Useless Information: Hmm… let's think for a second. Well, it's a quote, nothing new really but here it is. "There is no rose without a thorn." - Fortune Cookie
Disclaimer: Just like icky, tasteless gum, if you throw me out you'll feel much better…just kidding. Everything belongs to the flavorful J.K. Rowling Berry and Marion Zimmer Bradley Chew.
If Time is All We've Lost
Chapter 4 - Encrusted Ruby
"And how suffered for your sanity
and how you tried to set them free.
They wouldn't listen they would not know how,
perhaps they'll listen now."
Don McLean - "Vincent"
Even as everyone glared at him, even Sirius and Remus, his best friends for the best years of his life, James continued to search through the book Lily had been reading. What was wrong with this girl, James didn't really know. Every girl in Hogwarts was either crazy over the Marauders, Sergio Chulice, or Lucius Malfoy. Even Narcissa had shown some interest in Remus, but Lily showed no emotion of anyone that received her affection. Remus, Gus, and Sirius were some of her best friends, like Arabella, Raquel, and Soroya. James and Lily just flat out hate each other. Even with Sergio throwing himself on her, Lily still refused his advances. And for a reason that James did not know why, he was very troubled by this.
"James Arthur Potter!" Lily yelled. "Give my book back!"
"Why is everyone so entranced by this book?" he pushed further, making sure he kept the book out of Lily's grasping reach. "Have you put a spell on them?"
Gus, Sirius, and Remus had told Lily never to tell James that she was really a priestess of Avalon. Everyone who knew the truth about Lily and Narcissa was in silence as James made what he thought was a harmless retort.
James found the page that Lily was on and began to read it aloud. "The hours dragged by. Once Morgaine went into the main hall, where Lot's men were playing knucklebones. Lot sat watching," he paused, and raised his eyebrows at the next sentence, "one of Morgause's younger waiting women in his lap and his hand playing casually with her breasts; as Morgause came in, the woman looked up apprehensively and started to slide from his knees, but Morgause shrugged, 'Stay where you are; we have no need of you among the midwives, and tonight at least I will be with my kinswoman and have," here he stopped again. Lily and the other girls knew why, since they had either heard or read the story seven years in a row now. "no leisure to argue with you over a place in his bed."
And with that, Lily lunged for the book. Just as she wrenched it out of his grasp she fell to the floor. She heard James's laugh towering over her as she stood up. "Have you been contaminating your mind, oh witful one?" he asked mockingly.
James was still beating off the fact that everyone was now glaring at him. "No," Lily said defiantly. "There's more to this book than sex, Potter. It's about fulfilling one's destiny and doing what's right. Although, I could not ask a simple mind to figure that one out, for it sees only what pleases it." Everyone now stared at the two.
"I'm not simple minded!" James said defensively.
"Prove you're not, pervert." Lily almost breathed intimidatingly.
"I'm not stupid enough to give my life to an idiot, non-existing 'goddess'!" James suppressed heatedly.
There were lots of audible gasps from the 7th years. Lily shot daggers at James and James himself looked scared and confused at the same time. And then they were all woken up with the sharp clap of skin against skin.
Lily had slapped him straight across the face with incredible force. When James had recovered from the blow, he looked up to Lily shaking with unmistakable anger.
"Take that back you, you," It was rare to see her so upset that she couldn't even insult him. "Insufferable prat!"
"Excuse me," he retorted. "I would like to know why I was just slapped."
"The only thing you can think of is either sick minded, belonging to the world of Quidditch, or a cursed plan to hurt someone else." James had just began to wonder where this little speech was going when…"You're exactly like Lot of Orkney himself!"
Lily turned on her heel and stormed back up to the girls' dormitories with Narcissa and the others following close behind her. James took in the insult and then to Remus, Gus, and Sirius. "What did I say?"
For yet another strange reason, Sirius, Gus, and Remus looked at him as if he had just attempted to murder the pope. Finally, Sirius spoke up. "James, there's something about Lily you don't know. Maybe you should never know." Sirius said it in a tone of such finality that James though he was mad at him when Sirius headed up to his room. Both Remus and Gus were nodding as they followed Sirius to their dorm.
James still didn't have any clue what he had done to insult Lily and everyone else for that matter. He couldn't even remember what he could have said to insult her really. This only meant one thing to James Potter; a well thought out revenge.
He decided to come up with this one on his own. Not even as much as telling Sirius, Arabella, Gus, Raquel, Soroya, Remus, or Narcissa what he was planning, not even harboring help from them. For it to truly work well, it had to be secret and to completely come from the great James Potter.
Around four months later, just a week before Christmas break, Minerva summoned Narcissa to her office to discuss the fate which the Goddess had decided for her.
Minerva had faith that Narcissa could make Lucius fall in love with her, was really no doubt about that. Narcissa had this capability to enrapture people with mind games. She hated having to marry her off to a death-eater, but she really had no choice. Then there was Lily. Even more stunning than ever, Lily had a sort of glow around her that made people notice her. She impressed the professors with her quick wit and immense knowledge. But her beauty and wit also put her in the worst place anybody could be in. Not only did her talents impress her teachers and peers, they also impressed Voldemort. And having her for his own is all he needed get rid of Avalon. Voldemort had been making a name for himself already as an acclaimed dark wizard for at least four years. In no time he would be able to enter into Hogwarts and take Lily. These thought surely troubled Minerva, but when she thought about it rationally, Lily was a level-headed girl. Lily knew what to do and what not to do, so why should Minerva fear? Only the Goddess could know.
While Minerva was drowning herself in her complicated thoughts, there was a soft tap on the door. "Come in," Minerva said, not releasing herself from her uneasy mind. "Ah, Narcissa dear. There has been some surprising news from the Sight. Now, you may correct me if I am wrong, but did you give yourself to the will of the Goddess, to do what she commands, no matter what?"
"Of course I did, Lady," Narcissa looked a little confused at the question. "As do all the priestesses to the Great Mother."
"As much as I hate to tell you," Minerva breathed deeply; it was like betraying her own kin. "The Goddess has declared that you, Narcissa, are to marry Lucius Malfoy."
Narcissa took the information very well. Minerva then continued. "He thinks all women stupid and useful for only one thing. You must shelter your children from that belief. Just make sure that you bear a child to the Goddess and bring him or her to me when him or her is five. They will be raised as either the next Merlin or Lady of the Lake. Lucius is a firm supporter of the dark arts and, no doubt, if you bear a son to him, he will want to push him to become a death-eater as well. Hopefully, his training in Avalon will prevent that."
Narcissa looked at Minerva carefully as Minerva stopped. Minerva then hugged her foster-daughter. "Narcissa, you must understand that you have my faith and that I will help you if you need, alright?"
Narcissa nodded and then left the office, as silent as she had come in. Minerva sat down behind her desk again and thought about calling Lily to her next to tell her who she was to wed. She decided against it and sunk back into her troubled worries.
There was also one other flaw, as if it couldn't get worse. Lily already had shown no man that she had and love towards him, most were her friends, but in turn they were also admirers. Lily had refused advances from all of the most popular boys in school, and the worst part of that was that she had also refused advances from Snape, the one she would marry.
The flaw was that Rhubat, Minerva's colleague and Snape's uncle, also knew of the plan. He hadn't come across it by eavesdrop, but by the fact that he was an active death-eater. Something that Dumbledore knew, but was not frightened of. Minerva, however, felt that he might intervene in some way…
~December 24th - Gryffindor Common Room~
James and Sirius were acting lazy in the common room. Everyone else was out preparing for the last Hogsmeade trip before Christmas. They were either buying their dresses or suits for the Yule Ball, sending mail to their loved ones abroad, or finishing up purchasing their gifts. Dumbledore decided to have a costume ball, not necessarily a masquerade, but at least out of the dress robes. The worst thing was that he had to go with Lily because they were Head Boy and Girl.
"I'm going to go in the Great Hall with Raquel," Sirius said shortly, and he left through the portrait hall.
James knew why of course. He just couldn't believe that it took Sirius three years to admit to Raquel that he had thought of her as more than a friend. Raquel had been overjoyed that one of the most handsome boys in school liked her as well. They made quite the dynamic duo, they were barely seen apart.
James tried to remember where all his other friends were. Mundungus and Arabella were getting ready to go to Hogsmeade, Remus was doing something 'important' in the library, and Soroya was checking to see if she had the right color eye-shadow to match her dress for the ball.
Being the kind of person he is, James decided to see what Remus was up to. Maybe he could help him with Rhubat's impossible draft essay. He walked slowly through the winding hallways towards the gigantic library, passing the moving pictures and greeting several of their occupants. Past many of the statues that held secret passages to Hogsmeade and any other place outside of the school, and finally to the library itself.
He skirted his way past the nosy librarian, and, just as he reached the autobiographies, he heard the clanging of metal against metal. The scene that he met when he turned the corner surprised him more than the sound.
Remus and some girl were fencing fiercely. He knew Remus was behind one of the masks, but he still couldn't make out who the girl was. They were both excellent, beating each other in turn. When Remus's sword had forced the girl to turn around, James then recognized who it was; Lily.
Thousands of reasons and thoughts were chasing each other around inside his head. Why hadn't Remus told him? Was there more to this than just learning to fence? The flowing river of endless possibilities was dammed up as Lily made a promising lunge at Remus, but missed, giving Remus the last point and the match.
"Lily, you let your emotions get the better of you again," Remus said wearily, panting heavily. "You can't let that happen when you're up against Voldemort, he'll kill you."
"I know, I know," Lily heaved. "But, there's no reason to fight me except this," she poked her finger at the blue crescent moon at her hairline. "He would have nothing to do with me if I wasn't a priestess."
"Lily, you're the only one who would be brave enough to go through this," Remus sighed, looking into Lily's lost green eyes. "I don't even think that James would even dare do this."
"That's not all, Remus," she said, taking off her mask and stuffing her fencing gloves into it. "I have this awful feeling that Minerva is using me as Viviane used Morgaine. And you know what came of that. Viviane used Morgaine as a pawn and an illegitimate bastard son to the King came. Along with that, Morgaine's aunt used even him for a pawn for her own evil desires." Lily stopped abruptly. She had found herself rambling again.
"Lily, Minerva would never do that to you, she loves you too much," Remus changed the subject. "Well, I've got to be off; another Hogsmeade trip again." He stopped there; it really wasn't the subject he'd wanted to explore. "Lily, I don't know why you can't come? I mean, if you had Minerva or Dumbledore around you, Voldemort wouldn't even breathe on you."
"It's a bit more complicated than that," she said, brushing a few stray strands of hair that had wriggled free of her tightly plaited hair. "Minerva says there's a catch, but I don't see one. It's up to the Goddess."
"I guess it is," Remus figured. "Hey, I'm stopping by Honeyduke's today, do you want me to pick you up some every flavor beans?"
"Oh, yes!" she asked excitedly. "Thanks you, thank you, thank you, Remus!" She pulled him into a tight hug.
"It's the least that I could do," choked Remus, exasperated at her surprise. "I've go to go. Are you going back to the Common Room?"
"No," she said as she sat down in one of the tables. "I need to get started on that nasty Goblin Rebellion of 1549 for Professor Binns."
"Good point," said Remus thoughtfully. "Hey, by the way, what are you going as for the costume ball?"
"Total secret, Moony," she smirked wickedly. "I haven't even told Raquel, Soroya, or Arabella. But, I do know this; Arabella is going as a gypsy and Gus as her partner. Soroya is going with you know who," she winked at Remus, who blushed slightly. "And will be dressed as Egyptian princess, and lastly, Raquel and Sirius are going together, dressed as Gemini."
"What about your sister?" Remus asked.
"She keeps saying that she isn't going to make it, but I have a feeling she's lying to me." She shrugged her shoulders at Remus's puzzled look.
"I'll be off then," Remus said, as he started to leave. "I'll see you tonight in the Common Room."
"Bye, Remus," Lily turned back to her book as Remus turned to leave, but was stopped halfway, by James who had been eavesdropping.
"Moony, why is Voldemort after Lily?" At first Remus was stunned that James had actually called Lily by her first name, and then he worked out what he had said.
"James, if you really want to know, then ask her yourself," he noticed that James looked in Lily's direction. "I believe that our very own Mr. Potter is intrigued by the young, beautiful, and did we mention witty, Miss Evans?"
"Shut up, Remus," James snapped angrily. "I'm not totally oblivious to the fact that you, yourself, are very intrigued by the Miss Soroya Ames."
Remus gave him a fake sweet smile and left the library, leaving James to his own stupidity about Lily.
Lily sat pouring over book after book about the Goblin Rebellions from the fourteenth century. James walked over to the table to sit across from her.
"What do you want, Potter?" she said, without even looking up from her notes.
"I want to know what the scar means," said James.
"I never wanted to tell you," she sighed. "Oh, well. Anywho, this scar means that I am a priestess of Avalon. I studied on the island since I was four years old and have mastered the mists and herb lore, among many other things. I have a moonstone necklace from Igraine and this sickle knife for becoming a priestess."
James just sat there and gaped at her and the tiny knife encrusted with rubies. So much more than he really wanted to know, but so glad that he did. Lily laughed at his glazed expression. "You know, if you turned your head slightly to the left, you would look like Sergio Chulice trying to ask me on a date."
James snapped back to reality. "I can't believe you're comparing me to that…that…thing," James stuttered.
"Just comes to show that what comes around, goes around. I'll see you at the dance tomorrow Potter. Bye!" she waved jovially and left the library herself.
Unfortunately, James was still planning on doing his revenge the night of the ball. And in no time, it was only an hour away.
Raquel, Arabella, and Soroya had made Lily agree to them doing her light make-up. Eye-shadow only and the rest she would do on her own in the bathroom. James and she had planned to meet at the ball, not in the Common Room. Lily was overjoyed to hear that Minerva would let her reveal her true self tonight. She slipped on her beautiful saffron gown with gold ribbon surrounding it, and put on Igraine's moonstone necklace. She repainted the scar with more blue dye. She had Soroya fancily plait her hair and she put a small wreath of tiny white lilies in it.
She presented herself to the open-mouths and 'Wow's from the Gryffindor boys, and when she entered the Great Hall a hush fell over the entire party. Minerva and Dumbledore were smiling, and James was wishing he hadn't plot his revenge.
A/N: I am so sorry this was late. Please forgive me. Well, I hope you liked that one, personally, I loved making fun of James. Well, I give my reviewers Bob the Tomato toys and tacos, because they are really good. It doesn't matter if they're soft or hard, just whatever you want. They will imaginarily delivered to your door by a UPS man in less than 2 months. I love you guys for reading and reviewing. Me such a sap! Thanks though, Epequa ;)