Chapter 06 _Masque of the Dark Side_
The kiss by the lake brought conflict on the unsettled couple. James and Lily didn't talk for days since they passionately kissed each other. Lily always tried to avoid taking a glimpse of him, even his shadow. James on the other hand was curious and he felt marvel. Humiliations were not easily avoided since the other members of the Marauders are always around to tease them. He felt it unbearable.
"Wingardum Leviosa!", he pointed his wand on a piece of paper on his desk that levitated. He directed it on Lily's head, the paper following the movement of his wand. He released his concentration on the levitated paper and it instantly fell on her head.
"Awww", Lily hissed.
They were in their Transfiguration class. Professor Dumbledore turned his head to Lily. "Are you not concentrating on your paper work?"
"I am Sir"; she quickly responded, "even my migraine did not stop me to", she lied.
Lily opened the paper and read the message in a mellow voice -
I want to meet you in the Gryffindor sits in the Quidditch field
after our practice. We need to talk.
James
Sheesh, she thought. Trying to woo me again? This time, it won't happen.
She got her wand, positioned it near the note and enunciated, "Waddiwasi!" It smacked on James' round glasses. He opened it with expectant eyes but to his dismay, there was no respond. He looked at Lily but she just smirked. He wrote down another note and levitated it again to Lily.
Can we meet after my Charms5 class and after your Herbology5 class?
For you, I'll not join the Quidditch practice today. We really
need to talk.
James
Lucius saw the paper levitated to Lily and contemned it. Let's see Potter who will win this time, he thought.
The paper dropped on Lily's desk this time. She got her other quill and wrote a note -
*!!((??!!*
Lily This time, she levitated the paper. James quickly opened the paper and was relieved to receive a respond but isn't lucid. Maybe, this means yes, he thought with glee. Memories down the lake rushed again and before James was about to be reprimanded by Professor Dumbledore, the lunch bell rang.
The students under the Gryffindor house were gathered in the Great Hall to take their lunch. When Lily saw James, she immediately got a vacant chair and grouped with the seventh graders.
After taking lunch, James intentionally went near Lily and whispered, "First greenhouse - after your Herbology class." He hurriedly went to group with the Marauders.
First greenhouse? After Herbology? What does that geek mean? Lily wondered as she was heading towards the library to read. Maybe that is where he wants me to meet him later. Meet later? Will I go?
Charms5 was James last subject for the day. I'm so happy that we will be able to talk again, he thought. After his class, he made an excuse to his group that he really needed to go to Professor Retrio Reparo and discuss something about a skill in one of his favorite subjects, Remus' expertise - Defense Against Dark Arts. He rushed towards the first greenhouse and waited patiently for Lily.
Lucius grabbed Lily's arm and asked, "Can we talk?" They were in the third greenhouse. Their Herbology5 class was over but Lily remained in the greenhouse to tend the weak Mandrake plant with her earmuffs on. Professor Sydney Sprout entrusted the key to Malfoy since he decided to remain there with Lily. It's show time Potter, he thought nastily. He purposely took off his earmuffs and pulled out a resting Mandrake - the disturbed plant gave out a shrill cry. Lucius felt numb and collapsed.
"Stupid!" Lily exclaimed. She immediately tend to Lucius' need and looked for the key in his robes and pants but she cannot locate it. She had no idea that Lucius hid the key under the pot of the resting Mandrake he pulled. Lily went to the glass door and shouted, "Alohomora!" but the door can't be opened through magic. "If I'll break this door, surely I'll be expelled", Lily told herself. She was hopeless, so she poked the glass door and shouted for help.
"It's almost dark", James said as he looked at the horizon. "I thought she's coming here. For her, I did not attend the Quidditch practice and she's not coming?!" He walked towards the second greenhouse and an idea sparked him. I'll go to the third greenhouse and surprise her. Maybe she's still there. He counted his steps from the second greenhouse to the third greenhouse - one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty - he spotted Lily with Lucius. "She is a liar!"
When Lily sighted James on the other side of the glass door, she vigorously slammed the door and shouted, "James help us! We're stuck in here in here! Go to Professor Sprout and ask for the spare key! Lucius pulled a Mandrake and then he is numb!" Instead of helping them, he forcedly kicked the glass door thrice that seemed like a hurricane had hit on it. James left the Herbology ground and dashed to the lake - heart-stricken on what he saw. Sweat dripped on his glasses. He kicked the pebbles, threw stones and lay down on the soft, green glass. "She is a liar! Lily is a liar!"
"Okay. Lily, calm down. Think positive", Lily said. "Okay. We should apparate to the hospital wing." She took Lucius' hand, closed her eyes and concentrated. To the hospital wing, to the hospital wing, she conditioned her mind, her thoughts. A minute later, they vanished in the greenhouse and appeared in the hospital wing. The nurse on duty attended on Lucius need at once and Lily hurriedly went out from the castle to look for James.
James roared in disappointment. Suddenly, the water in the lake rustled and created big waves as if a strong wind blew it. "LILY, WHY? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!"
"Where did James go?" Lily asked herself. She was standing there in the Quidditch field. The Gryffindor team was through in their practice fifteen minutes ago. He must have misunderstood the situation, she blissfully thought. Maybe he's there by the lake. I must he him and explain. She took out her wand and said, "Lumos." She briskly paced the grass towards the lake. She saw James standing up by the dockside, gazing the skies.
"I can explain. I was about to go out and meet you in the first greenhouse when Lucius pulled out a Mandrake from its pot, without his earmuffs and we were stuck there because the glass door's locked."
James gave no sign of respond.
"Are you listening to me?"
"I'll only believe you if you will shift your Herbology class to Charms."
"But James, you know I love taking care the plants in the glasshouse. I can't leave my Herbology class."
James faced Lily. "You can't leave Herbology? Why? Is that your only reason or you still have another reason? Why? Is it because plants are related to Potions, which is the trademark of any Slytherian?
"You don't understand - "
"It is you who don't understand. I waited there for an hour and you did not show up. Why not use other means to get out from the glasshouse and ask for help? What's the use in all those magic lessons - charms, spells in which you can't use it when needed?"
"- I was in panic."
James got a black box. He took out a silver necklace and had a firm grip on it. "I inherited this from my mom who died in a car accident. I was supposed to bestow this to you -" He threw the necklace to the water.
SLASH!
"No!" Lily shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Good-bye." He gathered his things and left.
Lily picked up the black box. A paper was inserted and she read the note in tears:
Bequeath this necklace to your first love and it shall give your
relationship long-lasting happiness.
The note was written in a small parchment, which turned brownish yellow due to age. "Maybe the necklace is passed on generation to generations", Lily said as she investigated the parchment. She felt guilty, debase in her blood as it flows and enters in every vein and vessel in her body. It started to drizzle. She decided to go to the lake and look for the necklace. The water is deep; swimming is not of my skills.
Lily dramatically stretched and raised inclinedly her arms as she looked up at the dark clouds with her eyes closed and chanted an incantation,
"In the forest dark as night,
I beg the stars to give me the light.
Clear the shadows from my sight
And let the silver necklace float on air
And shine so bright. Guiding spirits I ask your generosity, Lend me your focus and clarity. Lead me to what I want to find - Restore it to give me peace of mind."
She repeated the incantation twice and in every word she uttered, she felt her body quiver - a sea of agitations in her mind that she can't explain, that she can't define. When she opened her eyes, the silver necklace was on her palm - shinning, as good as new.
Lily ran towards the castle, not minding the mud that had splat on her robes; her wet hair was set free, tears were cascading on her cheeks but still, her right palm was clutching on the silver necklace. She got her wand, directed it to herself and exclaimed, "Reducio!" Instantly, she reduced in size and went inside the castle when some of the fourth graders under the Ravenclaw house went in as well. Fortunately, the elevators were still open. She went inside the girl's bathroom in the fourth floor and reversed the spell by exclaiming, "Reducio Incantatem!" She then hurriedly paced towards the Gryffindor tower.
With no preliminaries, she went in the BOYS' dormitory, preferably where James was sitting on the windowpane, with his friends.
"Lily, where have you been? It looks like you've been hit by a gale," Sirius commented.
"Peter, Remus and Sirius, please leave us alone. We need to talk", Lily commanded, her left forefinger pointing to the door.
"Whatever!"
"What are you doing in here?" James asked.
Lily took off her muddy robes and fixed her hair. "You are terribly wrong on your conclusion."
He shrugged. "I know. Why are you here? Well, if you're here to explain, there's no need to because we are not anything related to each other, right?" James straightened up and looked at Lily. "We are only friends - nothing beyond that."
A tear emanated from her eyes. "Sometimes, I act like a blot! Yeah, we are only friends. Why do you care on what I do, huh?" She took James' palm, gave the necklace and blotted out of the room with weary eyes.
But her moment of contemplation didn't last long, however, when she stopped in the common room's couch - she pushed her left palm on her chest, grasping for air, vomited and collapsed. Luckily, Peter, Remus and Sirius were there and they rushed her to the hospital wing.
Lily hated hospitals and to her misfortune, she regained consciousness only to find herself trapped inside one with curtains around her, health- regaining potions and James - his right hand tightly clasped on her left hand. She had the time scowl only at her ill luck of second for James hushed her. Questions began to float on her mind - why was she, in all places, in the hospital wing? Why didn't she feel good?
The next set of questions began with what. What is going on? What happened to me? She sighed as she released her hand from James' clasp and positioned herself into a more comfortable position. When she was fully aware of James' presence, a question had struck her; does he know that I'm sick? She remembered being inside the Gryffindor common room with her best friend, Molly; the other member of the Marauders - their unending, annoying tease. Thanks to them, I'm here.
A frown appeared on her pale yet benevolent features as she remembered the kiss and argument by the lake. "James, please leave me alone."
"Leave you alone in this time of distress?"
"You don't trust me."
"It's not that I don't trust you. I was offended on what I saw. Just forget about it."
Lily did not bother to reply. She got a soft pillow and covered her eyes to hide her tears.
James got the silver necklace and tied it to her neck. "I'm sorry."
Madame Pompeii, the head nurse, went in her cubicle. She patted James on the shoulder and motioned a finger to go out from the cubicle. "She has this so-called Arrhythmias disease by Muggle doctors. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease - even our Ministry can't find a solution. This is in other words 'skipped beat' and this leads to cardiac arrest," she said in a soft & sympathetic tone.
"Lily didn't inform me at all." The look on his face was that of disbelief and denial, as if the head nurse was joking with regards to Lily's condition. His eyes were already moist with unshed tears.
Madame Pompeii nodded slowly, her eyes undeniably sad. "She decided not to inform any student here in Hogwarts in view to her situation. The disease is very difficult to cure with practically one-in-a-million chance of recovery."
"Isn't there another way?! Any surgical method?! Any incantation or potion for her treatment?! Anything?!" James half-yelled in a frustrated, angry tone with his hands clamped tightly together at his sides; tears squinting through his eyes, evident despite the spectacles he was wearing.
But Madame Pompeii only shook her head, she herself wishing there was a way. "James, make the most of everything while she's still around." She walked past him and headed to her office.
He went back to the cubicle where Lily laid on the soft-cushioned bed, fast asleep.
The kiss by the lake brought conflict on the unsettled couple. James and Lily didn't talk for days since they passionately kissed each other. Lily always tried to avoid taking a glimpse of him, even his shadow. James on the other hand was curious and he felt marvel. Humiliations were not easily avoided since the other members of the Marauders are always around to tease them. He felt it unbearable.
"Wingardum Leviosa!", he pointed his wand on a piece of paper on his desk that levitated. He directed it on Lily's head, the paper following the movement of his wand. He released his concentration on the levitated paper and it instantly fell on her head.
"Awww", Lily hissed.
They were in their Transfiguration class. Professor Dumbledore turned his head to Lily. "Are you not concentrating on your paper work?"
"I am Sir"; she quickly responded, "even my migraine did not stop me to", she lied.
Lily opened the paper and read the message in a mellow voice -
I want to meet you in the Gryffindor sits in the Quidditch field
after our practice. We need to talk.
James
Sheesh, she thought. Trying to woo me again? This time, it won't happen.
She got her wand, positioned it near the note and enunciated, "Waddiwasi!" It smacked on James' round glasses. He opened it with expectant eyes but to his dismay, there was no respond. He looked at Lily but she just smirked. He wrote down another note and levitated it again to Lily.
Can we meet after my Charms5 class and after your Herbology5 class?
For you, I'll not join the Quidditch practice today. We really
need to talk.
James
Lucius saw the paper levitated to Lily and contemned it. Let's see Potter who will win this time, he thought.
The paper dropped on Lily's desk this time. She got her other quill and wrote a note -
*!!((??!!*
Lily This time, she levitated the paper. James quickly opened the paper and was relieved to receive a respond but isn't lucid. Maybe, this means yes, he thought with glee. Memories down the lake rushed again and before James was about to be reprimanded by Professor Dumbledore, the lunch bell rang.
The students under the Gryffindor house were gathered in the Great Hall to take their lunch. When Lily saw James, she immediately got a vacant chair and grouped with the seventh graders.
After taking lunch, James intentionally went near Lily and whispered, "First greenhouse - after your Herbology class." He hurriedly went to group with the Marauders.
First greenhouse? After Herbology? What does that geek mean? Lily wondered as she was heading towards the library to read. Maybe that is where he wants me to meet him later. Meet later? Will I go?
Charms5 was James last subject for the day. I'm so happy that we will be able to talk again, he thought. After his class, he made an excuse to his group that he really needed to go to Professor Retrio Reparo and discuss something about a skill in one of his favorite subjects, Remus' expertise - Defense Against Dark Arts. He rushed towards the first greenhouse and waited patiently for Lily.
Lucius grabbed Lily's arm and asked, "Can we talk?" They were in the third greenhouse. Their Herbology5 class was over but Lily remained in the greenhouse to tend the weak Mandrake plant with her earmuffs on. Professor Sydney Sprout entrusted the key to Malfoy since he decided to remain there with Lily. It's show time Potter, he thought nastily. He purposely took off his earmuffs and pulled out a resting Mandrake - the disturbed plant gave out a shrill cry. Lucius felt numb and collapsed.
"Stupid!" Lily exclaimed. She immediately tend to Lucius' need and looked for the key in his robes and pants but she cannot locate it. She had no idea that Lucius hid the key under the pot of the resting Mandrake he pulled. Lily went to the glass door and shouted, "Alohomora!" but the door can't be opened through magic. "If I'll break this door, surely I'll be expelled", Lily told herself. She was hopeless, so she poked the glass door and shouted for help.
"It's almost dark", James said as he looked at the horizon. "I thought she's coming here. For her, I did not attend the Quidditch practice and she's not coming?!" He walked towards the second greenhouse and an idea sparked him. I'll go to the third greenhouse and surprise her. Maybe she's still there. He counted his steps from the second greenhouse to the third greenhouse - one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty - he spotted Lily with Lucius. "She is a liar!"
When Lily sighted James on the other side of the glass door, she vigorously slammed the door and shouted, "James help us! We're stuck in here in here! Go to Professor Sprout and ask for the spare key! Lucius pulled a Mandrake and then he is numb!" Instead of helping them, he forcedly kicked the glass door thrice that seemed like a hurricane had hit on it. James left the Herbology ground and dashed to the lake - heart-stricken on what he saw. Sweat dripped on his glasses. He kicked the pebbles, threw stones and lay down on the soft, green glass. "She is a liar! Lily is a liar!"
"Okay. Lily, calm down. Think positive", Lily said. "Okay. We should apparate to the hospital wing." She took Lucius' hand, closed her eyes and concentrated. To the hospital wing, to the hospital wing, she conditioned her mind, her thoughts. A minute later, they vanished in the greenhouse and appeared in the hospital wing. The nurse on duty attended on Lucius need at once and Lily hurriedly went out from the castle to look for James.
James roared in disappointment. Suddenly, the water in the lake rustled and created big waves as if a strong wind blew it. "LILY, WHY? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!"
"Where did James go?" Lily asked herself. She was standing there in the Quidditch field. The Gryffindor team was through in their practice fifteen minutes ago. He must have misunderstood the situation, she blissfully thought. Maybe he's there by the lake. I must he him and explain. She took out her wand and said, "Lumos." She briskly paced the grass towards the lake. She saw James standing up by the dockside, gazing the skies.
"I can explain. I was about to go out and meet you in the first greenhouse when Lucius pulled out a Mandrake from its pot, without his earmuffs and we were stuck there because the glass door's locked."
James gave no sign of respond.
"Are you listening to me?"
"I'll only believe you if you will shift your Herbology class to Charms."
"But James, you know I love taking care the plants in the glasshouse. I can't leave my Herbology class."
James faced Lily. "You can't leave Herbology? Why? Is that your only reason or you still have another reason? Why? Is it because plants are related to Potions, which is the trademark of any Slytherian?
"You don't understand - "
"It is you who don't understand. I waited there for an hour and you did not show up. Why not use other means to get out from the glasshouse and ask for help? What's the use in all those magic lessons - charms, spells in which you can't use it when needed?"
"- I was in panic."
James got a black box. He took out a silver necklace and had a firm grip on it. "I inherited this from my mom who died in a car accident. I was supposed to bestow this to you -" He threw the necklace to the water.
SLASH!
"No!" Lily shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Good-bye." He gathered his things and left.
Lily picked up the black box. A paper was inserted and she read the note in tears:
Bequeath this necklace to your first love and it shall give your
relationship long-lasting happiness.
The note was written in a small parchment, which turned brownish yellow due to age. "Maybe the necklace is passed on generation to generations", Lily said as she investigated the parchment. She felt guilty, debase in her blood as it flows and enters in every vein and vessel in her body. It started to drizzle. She decided to go to the lake and look for the necklace. The water is deep; swimming is not of my skills.
Lily dramatically stretched and raised inclinedly her arms as she looked up at the dark clouds with her eyes closed and chanted an incantation,
"In the forest dark as night,
I beg the stars to give me the light.
Clear the shadows from my sight
And let the silver necklace float on air
And shine so bright. Guiding spirits I ask your generosity, Lend me your focus and clarity. Lead me to what I want to find - Restore it to give me peace of mind."
She repeated the incantation twice and in every word she uttered, she felt her body quiver - a sea of agitations in her mind that she can't explain, that she can't define. When she opened her eyes, the silver necklace was on her palm - shinning, as good as new.
Lily ran towards the castle, not minding the mud that had splat on her robes; her wet hair was set free, tears were cascading on her cheeks but still, her right palm was clutching on the silver necklace. She got her wand, directed it to herself and exclaimed, "Reducio!" Instantly, she reduced in size and went inside the castle when some of the fourth graders under the Ravenclaw house went in as well. Fortunately, the elevators were still open. She went inside the girl's bathroom in the fourth floor and reversed the spell by exclaiming, "Reducio Incantatem!" She then hurriedly paced towards the Gryffindor tower.
With no preliminaries, she went in the BOYS' dormitory, preferably where James was sitting on the windowpane, with his friends.
"Lily, where have you been? It looks like you've been hit by a gale," Sirius commented.
"Peter, Remus and Sirius, please leave us alone. We need to talk", Lily commanded, her left forefinger pointing to the door.
"Whatever!"
"What are you doing in here?" James asked.
Lily took off her muddy robes and fixed her hair. "You are terribly wrong on your conclusion."
He shrugged. "I know. Why are you here? Well, if you're here to explain, there's no need to because we are not anything related to each other, right?" James straightened up and looked at Lily. "We are only friends - nothing beyond that."
A tear emanated from her eyes. "Sometimes, I act like a blot! Yeah, we are only friends. Why do you care on what I do, huh?" She took James' palm, gave the necklace and blotted out of the room with weary eyes.
But her moment of contemplation didn't last long, however, when she stopped in the common room's couch - she pushed her left palm on her chest, grasping for air, vomited and collapsed. Luckily, Peter, Remus and Sirius were there and they rushed her to the hospital wing.
Lily hated hospitals and to her misfortune, she regained consciousness only to find herself trapped inside one with curtains around her, health- regaining potions and James - his right hand tightly clasped on her left hand. She had the time scowl only at her ill luck of second for James hushed her. Questions began to float on her mind - why was she, in all places, in the hospital wing? Why didn't she feel good?
The next set of questions began with what. What is going on? What happened to me? She sighed as she released her hand from James' clasp and positioned herself into a more comfortable position. When she was fully aware of James' presence, a question had struck her; does he know that I'm sick? She remembered being inside the Gryffindor common room with her best friend, Molly; the other member of the Marauders - their unending, annoying tease. Thanks to them, I'm here.
A frown appeared on her pale yet benevolent features as she remembered the kiss and argument by the lake. "James, please leave me alone."
"Leave you alone in this time of distress?"
"You don't trust me."
"It's not that I don't trust you. I was offended on what I saw. Just forget about it."
Lily did not bother to reply. She got a soft pillow and covered her eyes to hide her tears.
James got the silver necklace and tied it to her neck. "I'm sorry."
Madame Pompeii, the head nurse, went in her cubicle. She patted James on the shoulder and motioned a finger to go out from the cubicle. "She has this so-called Arrhythmias disease by Muggle doctors. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease - even our Ministry can't find a solution. This is in other words 'skipped beat' and this leads to cardiac arrest," she said in a soft & sympathetic tone.
"Lily didn't inform me at all." The look on his face was that of disbelief and denial, as if the head nurse was joking with regards to Lily's condition. His eyes were already moist with unshed tears.
Madame Pompeii nodded slowly, her eyes undeniably sad. "She decided not to inform any student here in Hogwarts in view to her situation. The disease is very difficult to cure with practically one-in-a-million chance of recovery."
"Isn't there another way?! Any surgical method?! Any incantation or potion for her treatment?! Anything?!" James half-yelled in a frustrated, angry tone with his hands clamped tightly together at his sides; tears squinting through his eyes, evident despite the spectacles he was wearing.
But Madame Pompeii only shook her head, she herself wishing there was a way. "James, make the most of everything while she's still around." She walked past him and headed to her office.
He went back to the cubicle where Lily laid on the soft-cushioned bed, fast asleep.