Chapter 3:  Lily's Confession

Disclaimer: Anything or anyone you recognize belongs to the wonderful author J.K. Rowling.  Anything or anyone you don't recognize is mine.

Just as she had hoped, that got all of the Marauders attention.  All but one.  James directed the others to the brooms. They left the room, but James stayed behind to talk to Lily. 

"Lily, I know something's bothering you, and I know you don't want to talk about it, but maybe if you do, you'll feel better." 

Lily gave him a grateful smile, but shook her head.  "It's just Petunia.  When I first got my letter, she got all mad and wouldn't come out of her room.  That was about two months ago.  She has Mum deliver her meals from the table.  She only comes out to go to the restroom, and I'm starting to get worried about her." 

She looked up at James, who, for once, looked completely serious. 

"She said she would kill me if I ever came back home, and I don't think she was joking.  

What she always called me was a freak, and she got practically the whole muggle school to call me that too.  Even the teachers did it, and no one was very secretive about it.  The principal got word of what was going on, and started to gather a rebellion of some sort.  I think Petunia said they wanted to have me expelled.  When we had our breaks, anybody who was coming over to see me had to tell Petunia or the person who was watching me what they were going to say to me." 

"Wouldn't you be able to tell your parents about what was going on?" asked James.

 Lily shook her head. "I couldn't tell my parents because when I started to bring up the subject, Petunia would interrupt and pull me from the table.  She would tell me that if I said so much as one word about anything that had happened at school, she would have all her friends from school come over for a sleepover and have them beat me until I'm practically dead."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" 

Lily gave a laugh.  "Are you serious? 'Harsh' is Petunia's middle name.  She would tell Mum that I had wanted them to do it, so she wouldn't get any of the blame.  One night, I tried to tell Mum and almost did, 'till Petunia pulled me aside and told me not to interrupt her and Mum while they were talking."

"But they weren't talking, right?"

"No, she just used that as an excuse.  They almost did kill me that night, but stopped when I looked bad enough to them.  Almost every bone in my body was broken, and I spent  about two whole years in bed.  I decided not to go back to school, even though Mum insisted that I should."

"And did you?"

  "No, I convinced her that I shouldn't go.  I was so happy when I got my acceptance letter, and Mum immediately decided to let me go.  The bad thing about getting the letter, was that Petunia and her friends decided to actually kill me.  They got me at midnight before my birthday, and again at ten that same morning.  I was probably a centimeter from death, but the magic that I hadn't yet learned helped to heal me in time for my party."

A look of relief mixed with anger came to James' face.

"I'm really scared about what would happen if  I went back home." 

James looked more outraged than Lily had ever seen him before.  "Just because you were different!  They practically killed you! Twice!" 

"James, please don't tell the others about this.  If Sirius knew, he'd probably go and hex her." 

"Well, she deserves it.  Trying to kill her own sister," he mumbled to himself. 

"Let's go have a look at those brooms," Lily said, changing the subject.  James turned to leave.  "Oh, and, um, James."  He turned around.  "Thanks.  Thanks for helping me." 

He smiled and nodded at her and said, "Always a pleasure to help the newest lady Marauder," causing Lily to blush. 

"What's keeping you, Prongs?  Come on," Sirius called. 

"Prongs?" Lily questioned.  "

"My nickname," he responded.