Harry Potter theme and related characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Plot idea is accredited to the original author, J.K.Rowling. Plot angle and revisions idea of Melissa Pomeroy. Character Verissa Station (name borrowed with permission from an aquaintence) property of Meisako Pyoko-Chan (Melissa Pomeroy), 2002. Any and all reviews appriaciated.
chapter THIRTEEN: Please Put a Penny in the Old Man's Hat
Welcome to my version of 'life before Harry'. This is the story of James, Lily, and the gang in their seventh year of Hogwarts to the begining of the Harry Potter series as we know it... Please read my rendition of Harry's fifth year, Harry Potter and the Fallen Angel at Hogwarts (complete), and his sixth year, Harry Potter and the Children's Crusades (work in progress).
****
The was a gentle creaking, the sound of worn wood dragging lightly across stone- almost a soft sound, and the quiet echo of bare feet slapping empathetically on the floor as someone approached Lily on her sill. She heard the soft and even breath of one of her roommates and felt the familiar caress of fingers on her arm.
"Lily? Come on downstairs," said Evelyn in a pacific tone. "Gee, Lily! It's like the North Pole in here! Close the window- you'll catch a deathly cold." Evelyn reached over Lily's body and pulled in the window panes, locking them. She brushed her short brown hair behind her ears and narrowed her dim saphire eyes in inspection of her friend. "You alright, Lily? You seem reserved. Is something bothering you?"
Lily looked up and smiled at Evelyn, who started, obviously not prepared to see a genuine expression of happiness. "I'm wonderful, Evelyn. Wonderful. It's just- have you ever had that feeling- deep inside where you have just this overwhelming realization that it's good just to be alive?" She turned back to the window. "That's what I've got, Evee. And I'm wonderful."
Evelyn Kier laughed softly in her throat. "Well, Miss Wonderful, you've got to come down stairs or everyone will be murderous toward you." When Lily looked up at her friend in confussion, Evelyn embelished. "Sirius is being bloody prat and refuses to allow anyone to open their Christmas presents until you've opened the one he has for you."
Lily furrowed her brow. "It's Christmas? Today? Right now?"
Evelyn laughed and took Lily's hand in her small one and tugged her towards the door. "Yes, now hurry. Unlce Addler sent me a particularly large gift this year and I'm dying on my feet to know what it is."
"But I'm in my bathrobe, Evee! At least let me put something on," she protested.
"Lily- it's your best friends and a first year- I think we can handle seeing you in your bathrobe. Come along." With her free hand, Lily ran her slender fingers through her tousseled hair and allowed herself to be dragged down the steps into the brightly lit Gryffindor common room. The common room was its usual warm place: the fire in the hearth glowing happily with a few cheerful crackles as flames devoured air-pockets within the logs, the red velvet couches and arm chairs pulled into a semi circle in the center of the room, the nine-foot evergreen tree, added to the room specifically for the occasion, stood erect some five feet to the right of the fire place and was decorated elaborately in red ribbons and gold tinsel. Piled in mounds of wrapping and bows laid the Christmas presents for those Gryffindors who remained at Hogwarts for the winter holiday. James had decidely less gifts than everyone else, as the majority of the gifts everyone else had received came from their parents- a disadvantage on Mr. Potter's part.
Seeing Lily descending the staircarse, Sirius Black jumped off the couch he had been standing on. "Lilian, sweetheart! We've been waiting for your arrival!" he sang merrily as he rushed over to her and took her arm from Evelyn. "Come on!" Lily looked at the way his eyes laughed and she laughed, too. The majority of the room smiled at her, the brightness enthralled her, and her heart whispered of nothing but joy. The only part of the room not sharing her happiness was a corner at the far end of the room where a small first year girl in blond pigtails, who sat in the corner, arms crossed, and pouting.
James got up from his seat and gracefully arrived at her side. "She doesn't need you to hold her hand, Sirius," he said mockingly. "She's a big girl and can find a seat on her own." As soon as Sirius spread his fingers and put them to his side in a guesture of innocence James promptly took Lily's hand and led her to the couch. "Sit here, dearest." Eveyone had a good laugh about that, except for the small first year in the corner.
"What's her problem?" Lily whispered to James, who sat beside her.
"Oh, she's upset because Sirius won't let her open her present."
"Oh, that's right- So where is this special gift, Sirius? That you cannot let a little girl enjoy Christmas?" Sirius clapped his hands, sounding like dull thunder and leaped over a chair, kicking it's ocuppant ("Hey! Watch it!"), Remus in the head as he dove under the tree to fish out a gift. The package was rectangular and tied up with a bit of twine. As Lily took it, she noticed small holes in the lid. "Sirius?"
"Just open it, Lily!" said Peter. He had his arm out, inches from a elonganted box with his name on it, waiting for the moment she opened her present so he could open his. James has sLily tugged the loose end of the crude bow and the box shook a little on her lap. She looked up at the others, but upon seeing James' encouraging, smiling eyes, she slipped the lid off. For a moment, no one breathed, even the first year was sitting on the edge of her seat and looking curiously at Lily's expression. Nothing happened until Lily leaned over to peer in the box.
She screamed and nearly dropped the box as a small house elf jumped out of the box wearing a hideous make-shift St. Nicolas hat made from a table napkin. It blinked it's large, lumionous eyes and looked around. "You- you bought me a house elf?"
Sirius' grand smile slacked a bit. "Well, not exactly." He reached over and poked the creature in the arm. "Go on then, you." It turned around and looked at Sirus, nodded and opened it's mouth:
"Little Lily Evans
Brightest in the heavens
Envied by all
James caught the best one
It makes us guys bawl
Little Lily Evans"
Once it finished it's song and hopped out of the box. With the scurry of it's rabbit like feet, the house elf disappeared, apparently returning to the kicthens. Lily stared at where the elf had been and let out a short breath.
"My, Sirius... how... how thoughtful of you! How on earth did you get him to do that?"
"Bribery. Told him I'd leave him some extra dirty socks to wash," he said slyly, the corners of his mouth tucked into his cheek muscles as he tried not to smile.
She turned to him and smiled. "Thank you." Sirius was evidently pleased with her reaction and slapped Peter's back as he opened his own presents.
"Told you she'd like it, Peter!"
Peter pulled a scarf out of the box, muttering, "Sure, Sirius."
The first year sneaked around the tree, stole her presents, and ran up to her room. Remus laughed with much mirth and his cheeks rose into his eyes, making them look like cresent moons. James, whose warmth seeped through Lily's robe and fought off the cold, put his arm around her shoulders. "Lily, I got you something for you."
She turned to him and smiled. "I got something for you, too." Lily leaned over and tapped Remus's foot. "Hand me that smallish one there, please? Yeah- the yellow one. Thanks." She handed it to James.
Slowly he peeled off the wrapping, occassionally stopping as to tease Lily. When he eventually unwrapped it, he let out a soft, "Ohh" of admiration. He held the gold pocket watch in his hand, gently weighing it in his wide palm. "Lily- it's beautiful. I hope it didn't cost you too much, I-"
"Open it," Lily pressed on.
James pressed the knob on top and the cover silently poped open on a smooth hinge. The inside cover was inscribed: To James, My friend, my companion, my soulmate. Together now and through eternity. My Love forever, Lily. James looked to meet Lily's eyes, disbelief written all over his face. "Heavens, Lily... I don't know what to say."
Lily reached up to wipe small tears from the corner of his chocolate eyes, careful not to smudge his glasses and whispered, "A 'Thank you' might be in order." James laughed and pulled Lily up for a light, but passionate kiss. She felt his rough lips on hers and melted. She would have kept kissing him except for someone tapping her shoulder.
"Uh, Lily?"
Lily pulled away from James reluctantly. "Yes Peter?" she asked while James threw daggers at Peter from over Lily's shoulder. He handed a poorly wrapped package to her. The red and green tissue paper was extremely wrinkled and there were patches in random spots where he had obviously torn the paper on accident. "Oh, thank you...." she said politely as she studied the below par wrapping job. She carefully ripped off the paper, revealing a white box. Glancing up at Peter questioningly, she opened the box and slid out her gift.
"I made it myself- I don't have much money right now and I..."
Lily put the yellow and red dyed macaroni necklace over her head and let it rest around her neck. "Oh, Peter. It's very sweet. I like it alot, really I do." She took hold of his collar, pulled him close, and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you." James looked muderous as Lily leaned back and wedged herself between his arm and the couch.
Peter's eyes were round and surprised, and he didn't seem to be breathing properly. Remus laughed and slapped Peter's back. "Come now, she' not that good of a kisser." James glared at him, and he laughed. "A joke, James, a joke. You know, funny ha-ha?" Remus rolled his eyes and handed James a box. "Take it. Happy Christmas."
After the vast exchange of gifts, (Lily having gave Peter a cap, Remus a breifcase, and Sirius a beer stein and having recieved a pair of small cubic zirconian earings from James) they stood up to make their way to breakfast when Remus cleared his throat. James touched Lily's arm gingerly and they both turned around to look at him quizzically.
"Come on, Moony. If we don't get breakfast now we'll have missed it entirely," complaied Sirius as he clutched his stomahe in mock hunger and proceeded to fall on his knees and moan in humorous agony. Peter touched the top of Sirius' head and he fell silent upon seeing Remus' nervous expression.
"What's wrong with him?" Evelyn asked as she tugged her newest sweater over her head.
"Lily- I haven't given you may gift," Remus said quietly, not looking up from his feet. Lily didn't reply. She wasn't sure how to. There was something in his countenance that scared Lily. Her stomach turned slightly and she couldn't swallow. Lily knew his gift was more than a small trinket or something he spent his entire vault at Gringotts on. Something that cost him much more than all the Galleons in the world. When the little blond first year skipped down the stairs and out of the common room, Evelyn turned to Lily and whispered something quietly: "I'll meet you guys at breakfast- this is between you all." Lily nodded and her roommate left.
"Lily," Remus said when the two girls had gone. "I want- boy, this is harder than I thought it would be..."
"Remus, you don't have to-"
"No!" he interrupted. "I have to. You don't understand- but I know what I'm doing. Lily," he paused for a breath, "I want to tell you my secret." There was a moment of outrage as James threw his hands into the air and shouted something Lily couldn't decifer from the magnitude or his voice. Remus shook his head and Sirius and Peter joined in with James and his wild screaming.
"Moony- you don't have to! She's fine like this- aren't you fine, Lily? Not knowing?" asked James wildly, trying for all the worl to make sense of it all. Before Lily could answer, Sirius hurried to Remus's side and began talking fastly.
"Moony- bud, you don't have to. It's probably better if she didn't know, even. You remember what you thought when you told us? Lily's different, she might not accept it like we did, you know?"
Lily felt indignant. The way they shouted and rambled on about her and whether or not she would accept Remus and how she was better off not knowing as if she weren't there at all. With an annoyed, or perhaps slightly angry sigh, Lily folded her arms and waited for them to settle down. Remus finally took his eyes off the floor and looked straight at Lily. He did not glance at Sirius who was shaking his shoulders, or gaze over Peter who sat in a chair with his forehead in his hand, or even look at James who looked as if he might cry. Remus made eye contact with Lily and held her there. There was something in his faint brown- almost yellow- eyes that told her what he going to do was important to him, and he needed it to gain something. A sense of wholeness, perhaps. Lily bit her lip and nodded slowly.
"Alright, Remus, I'll listen. I promise I won't judge you on-"
"Lily," he said, "I want you to promise to be yourself and make your own decisions based on that and only that."
Lily nodded, trying to smile. She somehow knew just how very important this was to him. "Should I sit down?"
"Perhaps- but not now. I want to tell you later- about twoish- in the classroom under the main staircase. Everything will make sense then- but right now I want some breakfast and then to spend the day with Rissa."
Lily took James' hand, who was stil looking at Remus with disbelief, and led him out of the common room. The others followed. No one said anything until they reached the Great Hall, which was gaily decorated in reds and greens and golds and whites with twelve Christmas tree, six on each side of the room, touching the ceiling that wasn't really there. It never ceased to amuse Lily that Christmas was represented by red and green, that red and green where the perfect opposite of each other and yet they were compliments together, that Gryffindors and Slytherins were these colors. She had always thought it was some sort of poetic irony, they Slytherins and Gryffindors were opposites yet complimented one another.
Lily and the others sat at the Gryffindor table with Evelyn, they eventually invited Susie, the first year, to join them. Breakfast was always best on Christmas. The food seemed richer and softer- some how even the bacon seemed to melt in the mouth just like the porridge and pudding. As Lily sipped her apple juice, she looked over to the other tables. There were only four Hufflepuffs, one was a Prefect, but Lily couldn't recall his name, and six Ravenclaws. From the way they talked excitedly among themselves, Lily was sure they were best friends and, like Lily and her's, had planned to spend the holidays together. At the Slytherin table, Lily saw Dyendra and Severus. They didn't speak except to ask the other to pass the water piture or teh pepper. She put down her goblet and wiped her mouth as the others decided to open some Christmas crackers laying next to their plates.
When the purple smoke cleared, James raised his eyebrows at his surprise: a stuffed animal- a reindeer from the looks of it. He looked up nervously to Sirius and Remus, who both exchanged akward glances. Lily rested her chin in the palm of her hand and looked at it curiously. "I once met a deer like that once- same color and everything. I remembered because he was the same color as your eyes." She looked up at James with a tender smile.
"Did you say you met the deer? How does one do that?" Peter said, laughing. James glared at him and Sirius gave him a sharp elbow in the ribs.
"Well, I got right up close to him and I even got to pet him- it was stranger- but oh so awesome. I just can't explain it. That was right before this huge werewolf leaped out at me and a great black dog jumped to my rescue!" Lily threw her hands up in the air to emphasize the dramaticnes of it all.
Evelyn covered her mouth as she gasped and her eyes mirrored her horror. "No! A werewolf? How terrifying!" Lily nodded and bit into a biscut.
"But actually- I wasn't all that- Where are you going, Remus? Lily looked up to see him leaving the table. He looked somewhat uncomfortable.
"I, um, I'm going to find Verissa- she's not's at her table." With that he walked out of the room with a sort of aimless purpose. Contradicting what he said and the way he acted. Like red and green.
Lily, James, Sirius, and Peter spent the next few hours doing one of Lil's favorite past times. Snow ball fight. Nothing could have made her happier than chucking snow at her friends or feeling the wetness slide down the back of her sweater and giving her goose pimples. Outside of Hogwarts looked like a dormant slowglobe. She felt that some unseen giant might suddenly pick the land scape up and give the world a shake and all the snow would lift off the ground and fall again. The thought seemed completely plausable and yet also so ridiculous. It made her feel light and airy, which struck her as odd as her feet sank into the snow with every step. As Lily ran amuck, throwing lightly packed balls of snow at the back of their heads, she unintentionally lead them increasingly closer to the Forbidden Forest. Had she realized what she was doing, she would have gone in the opposite direction. After one of the boys was hit by her snow ball, all three of them would chase after her, and she, of course, ran away, laughing and pleading for mercy. The Forest seemed the ideal place to hide, as there were many trees for her to weave in and out of to dodge their assailing snow. A few steps into the forest and she miss stepped. A sudden feeling of extreme weightlessness lifted her from her spine as she fell and threw her into a small pond, only a foot or so deep.
She screamed at the sudden cold that splashed over her entire body and numbly pulled herself up, only to slip again. This time she laughed. James darted around a tree and splashed into the water after her. "Lil, are you alright?" He grabbed her forearm and helped her up.
She laughed. "I'm alright, really. It's just a little cold." Together they sloshed through the water and ice and out of the forest. Peter jumped out from behind a tree armed with a snow ball, but he let it drop from his hand when he saw her.
"Oh- what happened?"
"I'm alright- I just fell."
James took off his own sweater and tugged it over Lily's head. "Let's get inside, okay?" Lily nodded and they hurried through the main entrance and up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. They waited while Lily went up to her room and peeled the sopping wet articles off of her skin. Despite the drafty room, it felt oddly warm once she was out of her clothes. As she looked around for another shirt to wear, she realized that the red dye from the macaroni necklace had washed off the pasta and dyed her skin a vivid pink. Lily changed her clothes and found different shoes and headed back down stairs. James took her hand in his large ones and gasped. "Your hands are freezing, Lily!" He vigorously rubbed her hands between his and she winced.
"Ouch, James, that hurts."
He looked at her concerned, but nodded. Hand in hand, they returned to the Great Hall for a late lunch, where they ate cold-dut sandwiches and drank pumpkin juice. After they had eaten enough, they decided to go look for Remus. It was Lily, while shivering in the cold of the hallway, who spotted Remus, holding Verissa's hand, around the next corridor. No one said anything as they approached. It seemed there was a mutual agreement that Remus would do all the talking and no one was to speak until he had said his part. James opened the classroom door and they silently filed in.
Lily felt a sort of apprehensiveness to the situation. This "Christmas present" seemed to be the type of thing to be approached cautiously and with an extensive open mind. She decided that the best thing sho could do, as she sat down in a wobbly chair, was to imagine the worst possible thing he could have done and tried her best to accept that. So far she had decided that Remus was a serial killer who escaped from Azkaban and murdered his own parents. She didn't know how well she'd accept him if he had done these things- but at least she'd be prepared for a shock. Remus took Verissa's hand (apparently it was her Christmas gift, too), and opened his mouth to speak. Lily gripped the seat of her chair and held her breath.
James broke the tangible silence. "Remus, you know you don't have to tell them. They'd understand if you didn't, they care for you now- I don't"
"And I care for them, James. That's why I have to tell them." Remus looked from Verissa to Lily, as if convincing himself that he was in the right. His pale features seemed to glow in the dimness of the windowlessness of the room. Verissa quently squeezed his hand and he sighed at last. "Rissa, dearest, Lily- you both know that I have a tendency to miss a bit of school every so often, about once a month, I'd say, and I know you've noticed how tired I get and how sick I look... I have- I have a sort of condition... One could call it a medical condition, if they'd like, but the truth of the matter is- damn... Rissa, Lily- I'm a werewolf."
Lily didn't say a thing, but she certainly felt her mouth slack open in surprise. It was a huge shock- though not as much as if he had been an escaped serial killer. Her mind began to swim. It only seemed plausable now. The days when he'd suddenly be gone, the baggy eyes, the moodiness. "Oh," she said after Remus had been looking between the two of them with a worried glance, minute beads of sweat forming on his brow. "That explains alot."
Remus let out a long awaited sigh and dropped his head. "I knew you'd understand."
Verissa made a small squeaking sound in the back of her throat and Lily looked up. Verissa's eyes were unreadable: glazed and concerned. Worried, mostly, in disbelief, perhaps? Her other hand numbly felt for Remus as all ten of her fingers wrapped around his hand and squeezed. "This- this is some kind of joke, isn't it, Remus? Some trick you're playing on me- because- because I don't think it's very funny to go on and poke fun like that, Remus. Remus, love, tell me it's not true." The way Remus lifted his head and looked at her with a sense of self-destructiveness and self-loathing, there could be no doubt in anyone's mind that he had spoken of nothing but the utter, painful truth.
Verissa let go of his hand and stood up so suddenly her chair toppled to the ground with a dull clatter that echoed in the thick silence. "Oh my goodness- it can't be true. You can't be- No, no, no, NO! No, Remus!" She took a step back and Remus stood slowly, reaching his hand out to her. Verissa stared at him like something Professor Kettleburn had them disect. "Don't touch me, werewolf," she snapped with disgust. With that she turned and fled from the room. Remus started after her, but didn't make it to the doorway before giving up and slumping to the floor.
"Moony- we told you," said Sirius quietly, slowly walking towards his friend.
"Just shut up, Padfoot! Just SHUT UP!" Remus waved a clenched hand threatening at Sirius, who put his hands up in deffence.
"We'll just leave you alone for a while then, shall we?" Peter stood and walked toward the door, stepping carefully over Remus. "We're here for you, Moony. You know that." Peter didn't say anymore and Sirius followed him out. Lily and James were last to leave. Lily bent down near Remus and kissed the top of his head.
"I love you, Remus, don't you ever change."
Lily and James walked together down the corridor, having nowhere in particular to go. Peter and Sirius had gone elsewhere in the castle, and the others intended not to folow. Lily put her hand gently on her boyfriend's chest and they stopped. She turned to him and looked up into his chocolate eyes. "Is this my fault?"
He shook his head and drew his arms around her shoulders and pulling her close so his cheek rested on her forehead. "No, none of this is your fault, One has to- Lily, you're awfully warm. Are you running a fever?" James pulled his hand up under her red hair and cradled her neck with his fingers. She shivered at his cool touch. "Lily, I think you should see Madame Baits in the Hospital Wing."
Lily shook her head. "No, no. I'm fine."
There was the rapt echo of shoe soul against flagstone approaching. Lily and James followed the sound as it passed them in the nearby shadows. The figure looked back, his face reflecting palely in the window light. James turned from the passing Slytherin and looked down into Lily's eyes. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you, Lil. What's with you and Snape?"
"Hmm?" She narrowed her brow in question. "Oh! Yes... that..." She looked away and bit her lip. When he lowered his head to meet her gaze, she sighed. "I feel really stupid about all of this now, you realize, or course, but I thought, while we were fighting and all, that maybe you would, I don't know, I only-"
"Lily," he said nervously, "you didn't do anything stupid, did you?"
"Maybe, but certainly not what you're likely thinking. I decided to spend time with him, hoping you'd notice- which you did, obviously- and make you jealous- which it did, apparently. Beside the fact that I received free tutoring from Severus in Magi-Genetics, nothing came of it, honestly, James. Believe me. Nothing came of it."
"To you, maybe, but that Snape's got himself a dirty mind. He's cruel and evil and full of just dark... stuff. Stay away from him, Lily. He's probably not thinking like you," warned James severely.
Lily shook her head lightly and laughed. "Alright, but Severus isn't that sort of person."
"And you'll call him 'Snape,' Lily. At least around me."
Lily looked up at James, who looked as though he might kill at any moment. She meekly nodded and they resumed walking.
At supper that evening, Remus did not eat. He spent the entire time looking over Sirius' shoulder at the Ravenclaw table, watching Verissa Station poke at her food. She wasn't talking to the other Ravenclaws, Lily noticed, and from the way she kept glancing up at Remus, then looking away. Lily could only speculate that it meant she hadn't told anyone and was wondering if she should mention his "condition" to someone else. The moment Verissa stood to leave, Remus jumped from the poliched table to meet her at the door. The Gryffindors watched earnestly as they spoke breif words and the Ravenclaw walked off. Remus didn't return to the table, only stood in the threshhold admirering his shoelaces.
Professor Dumbledore was talking to Professor McGonagall at the High Table loudly, as if he wanted others to hear it, as if looking at Professor McGonagall was just an excuse to say something, "My dear Professor, I have always prided myself in knowing that Hufflepuffs are not the only loyal students just as Ravenclaws may sometimes not be as wise as we'd like them."
Profesor McGonagall blinked twice and nodded. "Agreed, but, sir, we were talking about parakeets."
Lily saw Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkle and she knew. She wasn't quite sure what it was exactly that she knew, but knew it nonetheless. Lily nodded to her friends and they walked over to Remus. It seemed they were in a small parade as the entire table rose at once and marched single file out of the room. "Alright?" Lily asked.
Remus set his jaw tight and mumbled, "She said... she said, 'No more,' and that she couldn't love a monster." He shook his head a little and looked up. "I'm a monster, guys. Here that?" James reached out his hand to comfortly pat his should, but Remus pushed himself off the wall with his hands. "I'm going for a walk. I'll see you later, alright?" He didn't wait for a reply and strolled off, hands in his pockets, down the corridor. A moment later they heard the main doors open and close.
"Maybe we should go af- Oh wow." Lily put her hand up to brace herself against the wall. She vision became two seperate images and blended make into one. "Oh my..."
"Something wrong, Lily?" Ptere asked.
Lily nodded. "I just got a little dizzy, is all."
James put his hand on her forehead. "Dang it, Lily. That's some high fever you've got there. You're coming to the infirmiry."
"No, I'm- oh alright." Peter ran ahead to tell Madames Baits and Pomfrey and James and Sirius each grabbed an elbow and helped her walk. She flatly refused to let James carry her, and Sirius, too, even though he was a bit stronger and she knew he wouldn't be worn out. She want to prove something. What exactly she wasn't sure, but she didn't mind. She was helped onto one of the pressed white bed-sheets of the cot in the Hospital Wing and laid down instantly.
The nurse came in with her apprentence close behind, looking old and whither like a worn strip of leather, but kind. "Petey says you felt dizzy? Now, let's have a look here- You boys, really. You all must be here?"
James looked to Sirius and Peter. "Why don't you go find Moony? He didn't have his coat." They nodded and left. Madame Baits frowned, having meant all of the boys should leave. When it became evident that James would not leave, she nodded curtly and placed her hand on Lily's head and looked at her watch on the same wrist. When the needle stopped ticking on the face, she "hmmmm"ed.
"That's a little high, dearest. One-hundred-three point seven. I can bring it down, but I want you to stay here tonight, is that alright?"
Lily nodded as Madame Pomfrey approached with a bowl of a creamy blue gelatinous substance and a wash cloth. She coated the cloth and drapped it over Lily's forehead. It was instant relief that made Lily start in surprise. "Ooh- that's nice... Lemme tell you, James, I don't think I'd like to fall in another pond no matter how good this feels."
The door opened again; Peter and Sirius were dragging a white faced Remus between them and threw him on the bed next to Lily. "He was sitting on the front lawn without a coat," Peter said. The nurses shooed the boys, all three of them away (James sending Lily one last loving look), and bent over Remus. In an hour both Lily and Remus were alone in the Hospital Wing with the lights shut off. The light from the cresent moon outside shined through the long windows, casting a sickly look across Remus' face as he tried to sleep. Lily also tried, but continued to fail.
"Remus?"
"Hmm?"
"Have you always been a werewolf?"
"Seems like it. I was biten when I was a small child. Mostly I've grown up with it, so all I know is what I am. I can't remember how life was before this." His voice was flat and monotone, as if he were reading from a script.
She watched him lie there, not blinking. "Does it hurt?"
"What?"
"Morphing into- a wolf?"
"Yes." He turned his head and looked her dead in the eyes. "Alot. Sometimes I cry, but mostly I just scream in pain. It hurts more than anything."
"More than child birth?" Lily asked with a faint smile.
"I wouldn't know, Lily, you tell me." He laughed and then sighed heavily, shoulders pressing lightly against his pillow.
"Remus- that night I was outside-"
"After curfew?"
"Shush! -that night, you were the werewolf I met, weren't you?"
"I was." Lily laid for a moment in silent contemplation as her mind slowly turned it's tiny wheels. Remus was hardly seen without his friends and that werewo- Remus- had been in the company of some animals... That stag reminded her of James in so many ways... His nervous glance when he got that deer in his cracker... James was that stag? No, impossible. "Remus? Those animals-"
"Just random creatures of the forest with primal instincts to protect the weak and innocent rather than devour them, like I am. I'm a monster. If they hadn't been there, I would have hurt you, Lily. Forgive me."
"You didn't do anything to me, there's nothing to forgive." There was an akwards silence as Remus turned his back to her and tried to sleep. "Remus?"
"Hmm?"
"I don't think anything ill of you."
"Thank you. It means alot. Good night, Lily."
"Good night, Remus."
I know you probably all hate me desperately and would like nothing more than to slaughter me for leaving you in the dark for months- but I can at least say i left you at a good part and not a stupid little cliff hanger that would have you on your knees and crying me to write more. Let's just say I had painted myself into a corner. You know the saying, right? I knew a writer's block was approaching, and yet I ploughed ahead until I couldn't go anyfurther and I couldn't go back. It has been months and I have finally found the inspiration I needed. I'm soo sorry that I have ended up being cruel by not leaving you guys informed. But I can happily say that this LONG, LENGTHY chapter is meant to be such JUST FOR MY READERS. And speaking of readers:
S.C. Hardy: Ach Himmel! My ex and I were worse! Where do you think I got my inspiration for all the meanness that was exchanged? My ex, of course, and no one but!
tta: LOL- Yes, I updated. And I updated agaiN! Aren't you proud of? After hating me, of course! I'd ask for your email, but alas, I'm sure you've deleted that particular one by now, haven't you? I'm soo sorry! Forgive me, won't you? The reason James and his friends were smiling is because they secretly heard her confession. Things will just start looking up from there, really. I'm so pleased that you got a mental picture. I was really going for a sort of poetic feel, but I think this chapter is more poetc than any other, really. I hope you like it. P.S. That was my favourite line, too! It just came to me like that!
marzoog: Yes poor James indeed. It is horrible, but it had to be done. His parents and Lily's parents both need to meet their end before they do theirs, as Petunia is Harry's only living relative. In your fic? Really? I'll have to go read it. Is marzoog your FF.net ID? I'll look it up. I want to read it!
ron's bootylicious laura: Oops. A little later than the fifteenth, isn't it? Hahhah! Sorry! But you'll review anyway, wont you? PLEASE? Glad you like it, but I don't speak French- and, since when do you?
MinaPotter: Very pleased that you like it, really, I am. It also said that the gang used to sneak out of the Shrieking Shack and have close calls. This would be one of the close calls.
Lilyflower8602: Thank you very much! It really makes me happy when someone likes my work. I'm sorry that I have kept you waiting!
Slycat Blaze: Of course I wont leave Severus out! What do you take me for? Severus Snape happens to be my very favourite character in all of the Harry Potter books! Actually, there have been some original characters I've liked- but not as much as Severus! Thank you. I wouldn't call my art a "masterpeice," but if you want to, go right ahead!
I'm ssoooooooo sorry it took me soo long, but I am very glad you enjoyed it. hopefully I didn't make you wait too long that you are no longer interested!
Thanks to everyone who read this chapter, even though I'm a lame author! I'm sorry! I'm not worthy of your reviews, Oh-Great-Readers of mine! *bows repeatedly* But a few would be nice. ;-)
Please email me!
Slytherin_Angel@MostlySunny.com