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Green Eyed Monster

By: Noelle

Chapter 20: Aftermath

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Disclaimer: I do not own Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black, and any of the recognizable characters. I do own Ella Reichman though. I do not own the recognizable places, such as Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. J.K. and Warner Brothers have the right to the Harry Potter universe, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

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Severus Snape's eyelashes fluttered open slowly, and he squinted in the bright light. He groaned; he was so sore.

"Oh dear, I'm so glad you're awake," Madame Pomfrey sang out, as she bustled around, with trays and pans.

Severus closed his eyes. His head throbbed. "What happened?"

"You nearly died. Severus Snape, you know that the Whomping Willow is dangerous," she said with a motherly scowl. "Now, what you were doing in its very thicket is beyond me. You should just be thankful that sore muscles are the only thing you have. You had a concussion and a broken leg. You also had scars and bruises. Those were easy to get rid of though. You will be sore for a few more days -- you're welcome to stay here if you want."

"But… wait. What about Potter and Lupin?"

Madame Pomfrey arched a curious eyebrow. "Well, Mr. Potter is all right. He had a broken leg, and the wind knocked out of him, and scrapes and bruises, but I treated him. However sore he is, he refused to stay here, the stubborn mule. And Mr. Lupin was never there. Perhaps that's the remnants of your concussion talking. Now that you're awake, I can begin the rest of your treatment. Professor Dumbledore will be wanting to speak with you as soon as you are able."

Severus groaned as Madame Pomfrey began gathering vials and bottles of ungodly concoctions. And he passed out as she began to stuff them down his throat.

When Severus awoke again, Professor Dumbledore was gliding into the office. "Good to see you alive, Mr. Snape," he said.

"It's good to be alive, sir. What is it that you wanted to talk to me about sir? Do you want me to testify at an expulsion hearing?"

Dumbledore looked slightly taken back. "Why, who would be getting expelled?"

"Potter, Black, and Lupin. They tried to kill me."

"That is what I wanted to discuss with you. I suppose you have ill feelings, but I must ask you to not discuss what happened that night. While Mr. Black did act rashly, he was punished accordingly, and will not be expelled. And Mr. Potter did you a service -- he saved your life. And as for Mr. Lupin… he was not in control of himself, as you understand -- "

"With due respect, sir, I don't understand. Lupin was in full control of his actions."

Professor Dumbledore folded his hands. "Respect noted, Mr. Snape. Yet, Mr. Lupin was not in control of his mind. The animal was."

"You mean Lupin was the wolf?" Severus said, eyes widening.

"Oh dear… Mr. Snape, I must ask you not to discuss what happened that night, and especially everything concerning Mr. Lupin."

Severus tried to sit up, but laid his head back down in defeat. "But doesn't everyone deserve to know? He's a werewolf! He can kill us all!"

"Not if everyone doesn't go looking for him. I didn't want to do this, but I must forbid you from telling anyone of Mr. Lupin's condition. If you do, you will be expelled. Now, rest up. Everyone is eagerly awaiting your return, Mr. Snape. Good day."

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"Lily! Lily, I must speak with you! Lily!" James shouted at the top of his lungs. He increased the incessant pounding on the door. No one. "Lily! I know that you're there!"

Maybe she didn't hear him. After all, the doors were rather thick, and he could only beat so hard with his fist. He kicked the door once. Now, she had to be able to hear him. He continued kicking, to a rhythmic melody.

"Lily Evans!" he called out. "Lily Evans, you have a visitor!"

He jumped as someone tapped his shoulder, and spun around wildly. Ella stood, her arms crossed, and her foot tapping.

"Ella, would you tell Lily that I would like to speak to her?" he asked, pleadingly.

"Firstly," Ella said, patiently, "she is not there. And secondly, I have given her all of your messages already. And I have already told you. She is saddened to have to decline all your wishes, and hopes that you will have the sense to leave her be."

James slumped against the door, and slowly sank to the ground. "I just want to speak with her. I don't understand. I thought that things were going well, for the most part. At least she would always have a word or two for me. And now, nothing."

"James, I'm sorry. There's nothing more that I can do. But I hope that this will not affect our relationship," she said, arching her eyebrows inquisitively.

He sighed. "I'll make sure Sirius will be there," he said. "And thank you, for trying." He got to his feet, dejectedly, and walked down the stairs slowly, his hand trailing on the wall behind him.

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Ella watched him leave, before opening the door. "Lily, he really does want to speak to you," she said, throwing herself onto Lily's bed. Lily looked up from her book, briefly, to flick her wand and mutter a spell to shut the door.

"Thank you, for trying," Lily said. Ella wasn't listening though, as she jumped up, and began grabbing various robes from her armoire.

"Ella, why are you doing this?" Lily asked, in exasperation, as she watched her friend model the dress robes in the mirror. Ella's reflection made a face.

"Lily darling, you know why I'm doing this. I am going to make Sirius Black insanely jealous. Now, what color do you suppose? Purple," she said, modeling the elegant robe, "or red?" she finished, modeling the other.

Lily wrinkled her nose. "The purple is far too formal for going on one date to Hogsmeade. I'd go with the red. And besides, didn't Sirius always love that red number on you?"

Ella's smile broke into a mischievous grin. "You're right!" she squealed, throwing the purple robe aside. "Oh, he is going to die!"

"How is he even going to know that you are going on a date?" Lily asked.

Her friend's head bounced out of her armoire wardrobe, and she stepped out in the elegant and sexy red robe. "Well, I had to call in a favor, but he is going to be in the Common Room as I make my exit. With Benjamin, might I add. What shoes?"

"Black," Lily answered absently, and she tried to finish her page. "Definitely black shoes." Marking her page, Lily put her book down, and gazed at her best friend. "Ella, why are you doing this? I thought that you were over Sirius Black."

"I am over him. Of course I am. Why would you think that I wasn't over him? How could I not be over him? I am over Sirius Black. In fact, I believe that I was only 'on' Sirius because of that motorcycle. I am over Sirius Black. But, that doesn't mean that I can't make him wish for what he's never going to get, right?"

She cracked a smile. "I suppose," Lily answered. "Why don't you wear your new necklace?"

"Oh, that's perfect!" Ella said excitedly, and she began throwing up robes, searching for it. Lily stifled a laugh. If only Ella were more organized… "I found it!" she called out, standing up, and displaying it triumphantly. "And I found the matching bracelet."

"You are a wonder," Lily said, trying to erase all sarcasm from her voice. Ella was a good person. She really was. She could just stand to be more organized. But the one time she had brought it up, Ella had nearly bitten her head off. Ella just liked her mess. "You look amazing. Sirius Black will know exactly what he is missing!"

Ella jumped over the bed, and tackled Lily, hugging her. "Oh, Lil! You are the greatest! You always know the perfect thing to say! So, wish me luck?"

"What would you need luck for when you're wearing those shoes?" Lily said kindly. Ella squeezed her harder, before standing up, poised. With one last smile, Ella trampled her way over robes, and books, and out the door.

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Making care to hold onto the stair railing (she wouldn't want to trip, when she was trying to impress somebody), she elegantly walked down the stairs. Before she got to the bottom, she paused, and surveyed the room.

She noted, with grim satisfaction, that Sirius' jaw was dropped, and he appeared to be nearly drooling. She smiled at James, and inclined her head slightly, to thank him for bringing Sirius. She then tossed her head to Benjamin, who was standing to the side, resting on the fireplace mantle. She walked down the rest of the stairs, as he walked forward to meet her. He gently reached out for her hand, and kissed it gently. "You look amazing," Benjamin said.

Ella smiled, charmingly. "Why, thank you. You look incredible too."

"I brought this for you," Benjamin said, as he pulled out a red rose from behind his back.

"Thank you," Ella answered, as she transfigured a lamp into a vase. She put the flower gently inside, before taking his hand. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," he answered, as she led him out of the Common Room.

Meanwhile, Sirius was furious.

"Incendio!" he shouted, flourishing his wand. The rose erupted into flames, and quickly turned to ash. It gave him some satisfaction. He turned to James. "She shouldn't be going out with that guy. He's a Seventh Year. You know exactly what he's after!"

James shrugged. "Well, he seemed rather gentlemanly to me. Perhaps I should try that approach…" he mused, his voice trailing off. Sirius fumed. "What I meant to say was… well, you did have your chance, Padfoot, my friend. And there's nothing that you can do now."

"I can make sure that he doesn't make a trophy out of her," he answered, viciously.

"Well, short of trailing the both of them on their date to make sure they behave, you can do nothing. Wait! Sirius, don't! I was joking! You can't be serious!"

But, indeed, Sirius grabbed the Invisibility Cloak, and stalked out of the common, wand in hand.

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"What's wrong, Prongs?" Peter asked, as James threw himself onto the squashy armchair by the fireplace. He looked absolutely miserable. His hair was more atrocious than usual, there were dark circles under his eyes, and his sock did not match.

"Besides the fact that I will be lucky to live long enough to take my O.W.L's? I just may have accidentally sent Sirius on Ella's date, as a 'chaperone'. They're both going to end up killing me, by the end of tonight, I'm sure. But this all doesn't even compare to my own real problems. My life is over!" he ended, dramatically.

Peter looked awkward. He patted James gently on the arm. "There, there. I'm sure that it isn't that bad. Just get it off your chest, and tell old Petey here about it."

James moaned. "I'm never going to win this bet, Peter! Lily won't even speak to me. She's treating me like I'm some sort of monster. The only time that she looked at me today, she looked at me in horror! Am I that horrible?"

"Well, you do look rather horrible," Peter said honestly. "But Lily isn't really the type to buy into appearances, is she. She's more of the inner-beauty type. Perfect, that girl is."

Groaning, James slapped his head on the table beside his chair. "I'll never be able to live this down," he said.

"Live what down? Losing some silly bet? It wouldn't be the first time. Or letting the one girl that you have ever truly cared for get away?"

James stared at Peter, incredulously. "Wormtail?" he said, shock transparent in his eyes.

He shrugged. "Even an idiot such as myself could notice, Prongs. Or maybe that's just because I've been watching you two lately. I'm not the only one though. Vanessa seems to have taken an interest too," Peter said, before babbling on about Remus noticing too.

James wasn't listening to a word he said. The gears in his head were spinning. "McKinnon? Vanessa McKinnon?"

Looking confused, Peter asked James, "What are you talking about?", while settling back in his armchair.

James Potter stood up, and threw his arms out, grabbing on to Peter's robes, and bringing him to his feet. "What did you say about Vanessa McKinnon, Wormtail?"

Peter gulped, and looked toward the ceiling. "Well, I've noticed her stalking you around, and all. And she had been doing the same to Lily. And you should see her when you and Lily are together. She looks positively despicable. Jealous, I assumed. After all, you did break her heart."

"I did," James whispered, staring off into the distance. "I did break her heart. And she swore revenge. And she is the most cunning person I may have ever met, besides Narcissa. You know, that Slytherin Seventh-Year, that I dated last year. But could she?"

"Well, I heard Narcissa could do much, if you know what I mean. Well, what I mean is, I don't know from experience. But I've heard the stories, and you wouldn't believe them! Like that one time -- "

James pushed Peter back into the chair. "Shut up, Wormtail! I'm trying to think. And I think she could."

"Narcissa?" Peter said, stupidly.

"No, Vanessa!" James answered. "Do you think that Vanessa could be somehow responsible for Lily's estrangement from myself?"

"Honestly?" Peter asked. James nodded. "Well, I think that maybe you're trying to find someone to blame for your own… defeats, I guess you could say. But if Vanessa… James, you really picked the wrong woman to scorn this time."

"I suppose I did," James mused to himself. "Wormtail, could you do me a favor? Could you do some research for me? I want you to find out everyone that Vanessa McKinnon has spoken to -- no, even looked at, in the past two days."

Peter nodded. "Sure, James. But I still think you're grasping at air."

"Perhaps I am," James said. "Or perhaps not." Without another word, he ran up the stairs to the dormitory.

Peter watched him run, before getting up himself. He had work to do.

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A/N: So, that's all for now. In the next chapter, we'll see how Ella's date is going, James will finally get his talk with Lily, and Peter will find out more than he ever wanted to know about Vanessa McKinnon. Until then…

~Noelle

Luckie7n13@aol.com