Ok, ok, I get the picture…NOBODY likes cliffies **cries in a corner**…but that doesn't mean I still wont put them in…They are SOO fun to write…=) but I wont put it into this chapter.
Im still trying to figure out how to break James and Natalie up…I made her out to be a sweet and nice girl because it would be too clichéd for me to portray her to be a perfect bitch. But it will be soon…=)
The bit about Harry in the previous chapter makes it easier for me to write this chapter…I couldn't think of anything else that could affect Lily that much… I have no intentions of writing a sequel, don't really have the time. I'm trying to post these up as fast as I can so that the idea is still fresh in my mind.
Anyways, here is the next chapter…
Disclaimer:
All recognizable characters, plotlines belong to JK Rowling. Drew, Myall, the Elia group, and the plotline belongs to me. Although, I have adapted many of the concepts from the WB show, Charmed, into this fanfic.
Summary:
Lily is no ordinary girl. Blessed with special and unique powers, she is left alone after her uncle, who has been teaching her at home, was killed by death eaters. Now exposed to normality and a target of the emerging powers of Voldermort, she seeks solace in Hogwarts where she learns that her greatest power is not her inheritance, but the love that she gains from those around her.
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THE MORNING AFTER
James starred at the floating image of Bessie for a split second. Then he reached down and cradled Lily in his arms.
"I don't want to go yet…he needs me!" Lily moaned.
"Hush, its ok Lily, I'm going to take you to the hospital wing." James lifted her up and began to walk to the portrait door.
"Wait!"
James turned around and remembered the strange lady.
"Take this book with you." Bessie said, pointing at the book. Then she walked towards it and disappeared into the book.
James looked at the book, shocked. He was brought back to earth when Lily whimpered: "He's all alone in this world. I have to save him."
James hastenedly grabbed the book and made his way to the hospital wing
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Earlier…
"We are supposed to be studying, Sirius, not making blueprints for your next prank." Myall wailed. Sirius and James were perched in the corner of the library, pointing at a parchment and laughing out loud.
"Exactly, Madame Pince might hear us, and we will be kicked out." Drew said crossly.
"Prongs, Padfoot, can it, and get some work done." Remus said. He had gotten off his chair and towered over his crouching friends.
"Traitor!" Sirius said with a smile.
"Exactly. We got you your girl, and how do you repay us? You betray us! How dare you! You are not fit to be a Marauder." James said loudly. This was met by a chorus of shh's by Drew, Myall, Natalie and Remus.
"Honestly, James…get some work done." Natalie said agitatedly. "That transfiguration report needs to be finished soon. And you are my partner."
"Fine, fine. I'm coming." James relented, leaving an angry Sirius behind.
"Another traitor. Leaving me for a woman. What's the world coming to."
"Well, get off your arse, and come HERE!" Myall cried loudly. At that instant, Madame Pince appeared behind a bookshelf.
"What is all this noise? I have a good mind to kick you out! All of you!"
"But Madame Pince." Drew said in defense. "We were practicing for a play. Sorry for making so much noise."
"This is a library, Ms Cressidier. You, of all people should know that by now."
"Im sorry." Drew continued with an innocent face. "We promise never to do it again. We'll do our transfiguration report now, we'll leave the rehearsing of the play later."
The expression on Madame Pince's face softened.
"Very well, Drew. But keep to your word. I wouldn't want to kick YOU out of the library. Though I wouldn't hesitate with the rest of your friends" Then she swung her robes and pranced off.
"Thanks Drew." Natalie said with a smile. "You are the lifesaver." She then turned to James. "Now work!"
Remus approached Drew. "Umm…since your partner and mine aren't here, can I work with you?" He whispered.
"Sure." Drew replied in the same tone. Remus sat down next to Drew and they smiled at each other.
"Its alright, you too, you don't have to hide anymore." Sirius called out with a smirk. Remus glared at him.
"So where is Lily?" Myall inquired.
"She's off somewhere, doing something. She said she'll do her bit in the transfiguration report and give it to me tomorrow." Drew said.
"Peter's gone too. I have no idea where he is. He always comes back pale and tired."
"I think he's been visiting his mother a lot. The trip must really take a lot out of him." James commented.
"Well," Remus said in a fed up voice. "I hope he's like Lily and does his part."
"Really, Moony, its not that big a loss. At least you don't have to do it yourself." Natalie said with a wink.
Soon, it was approaching curfew, and the six of them gathered up their stuff and headed back to their houses.
It was on their way to the Gryffindor house when James began to hear it.
"No…not now!"
"What was that?" James said to Remus who was standing next to him.
"What? I didn't say anything." Remus said to James in confused way.
"He'll be all alone. Please, someone…help him…help me!"
James recognized that voice. It was Lily's. it sounded distant, as if it was playing in his mind over and over again. He stood still.
"He's just a child…like I was…he doesn't deserve to be left alone, like I did."
Where is she? He thought to himself. Then another voice came to his mind. Find her. He stopped and turned around.
"I have to go." He said in a hurried tone.
"James where are you going?" Natalie asked him in a scared tone.
"Prongs are you ok?" Sirius said, also taken aback by his friend's weird behavior.
"I have…to…go…bye." He darted around the corridor and ran.
He didn't know where he was going, but his legs did. His body was leading him to the voice. Lily's voice. Somehow, he knew that he had to find her and help her take away the pain. It was killing him too, and he couldn't explain why.
Before he knew it, he was standing in front of a familiar portrait.
"Bartholomew Somerset"
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"What happened to her?" Madam Pomfrey said in fright. James had just brought Lily to the hospital wing, and she was still barely conscious.
"I don't know…I just found her."
"Very well, Potter. I'll look into her. You may go now."
"I want to stay." James insisted.
"Potter…" Pomfrey said with her hands on her hips
"I said, Madame Pomfrey, I want to stay."
"Very well, you can sleep in the next bed while I examine her."
James was listening as Pomfrey was muttering to herself.
"Hmm…looks like she's been hit by a pretty big dark curse…but seems alright…hasn't been knocked out completely…that's a good sign."
James was horrified. Curse? Who would want to curse Lily? Then he remembered the book that was tucked inside his robe. Should he open it? The last time he did that, he got the biggest shock of his life, and no one believed him. He began to pry it open when the curtains drew.
"Potter…out!" Madame Pomfrey snapped.
"But madame I…" James stopped when he say Professor Dumbledore standing behind the nurse. He had a solemn look on his face. I hope he doesn't think I had anything to do with Lily's collapse, James thought to himself.
"James, please leave the hospital wing while I speak to Madame Pomfrey about Lily's condition."
James stood up.
"Yes, Professor." He said with his head down. He picked up the book and was about to leave when Dumbledore touched his shoulder.
"May I ask you to give me that book you are holding, James?"
James looked at him, surprised.
"Sure, Professor Dumbledore." He handed the book over to the Professor.
"I shall inform you personally when Ms Evans awakens."
James nodded.
The walk back to Gryffindor Tower was a long one for James. So many questions were running around his head. How did he know that Lily collapsed? Who was the woman in the book? What did Dumbledore know about it?
He was still confused as he entered the common room and up the stairs to his dorm.
"I hope you are ok, Lily." he muttered to himself. "I wish I could have helped you more, but all I want is for you to be safe."
And across the corridor, on the other side of the castle, a young girl with red hair and green eyes wakes up:
"Thank you, my friend."
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"So Prongs…what happened to you last night?" Sirius said, jabbing his friend in the shoulder as he sat down next to him. They were having breakfast and James has woken up early so that he can make a quick trip to the hospital wing before going to class.
"Nothing." James replied, stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth.
"Really James, you were acting stra…"
"I said it was nothing, so leave it!" James snapped.
Remus looked at his friend, shocked.
"Ok, now its definitely something. What happened?" Natalie said, grabbing James' arm. James flicked her hand away gently.
"Look Natalie, I'm fine…just…just leave me alone, ok?"
There was silence for a while as everyone around him was warned of his temperamental behavior.
It was when he had finished his milk, when he received a tap on his shoulder from Sirius' side.
"For heaven's sake Sirius, just bloody leave me alone."
"James?"
James looked up and was face to face with Albus Dumbledore.
James lurched in horror. But the professor was smiling and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"She's awake. You may see her now." Dumbledore said.
"Oh…right then." James stammered, and struggled to get up.
"I'll see you guys at class." James said to his friends. They all nodded with a fearful expression as if that was when he would try to kill them for not telling him that Professor Dumbledore had walked up to him.
The walk to the hospital wing was uneventful. James walked behind Dumbledore the whole time, and was afraid of stepping on his beautiful violet robes.
"James, about last night…" James began to panic.
"I swear, sir, I had nothing to do with Lily's collapse." James spoke, but stopped when the headmaster raised his hand.
"James, I know. I just wanted to say that thank you for SAVING Lily's life. When she came around, she told me everything. But do tell me, how did you know that she had collapsed?"
James thought for a moment. Should he tell Dumbledore the truth even though it was almost unbelievable? But James knew from the look on his eyes, that Dumbledore could see through any lie.
"Well…er…I heard this voice…it was her crying for help…then…I don't know…my body just took me to her…but my mind was confused." He saw the twinkling look on Dumbledore's face.
"I know its weird, and almost unbelievable, but…it…happened."
"No worries, James. When something seems weird initially…it will all explain itself at the end."
They had reached the hospital wing. "I believe she just had her breakfast. So you may see her now. Tell Madame Pomfrey that I give you permission." James nodded as he watched Dumbledore smile and walk down the corridor.
James walked in quietly and approached Lily's bed.
Lily's bed was by the window, and she had her back against the door, looking out the window at the lake.
"Lily?" James whispered. Lily turned around and smiled. She looked much better than the night before. She face had gained some color and the smile on her face made James feel better. He felt so relieved that she was ok.
"James…"she said, turning around and patting the side of the bed, motioning for him to sit down. James obliged and sat down.
"James, thank you for last night." Lily said softly.
"Umm…no problem…though I cant explain how i…" Lily nodded.
"Yeah…I know…neither can I. I told Dumbledore. He just smiled weakly and told me that everything…"
"…will all explain itself at the end?" James suggested. Lily smiled more.
"So you had the same conversation with him too, huh?" James nodded, and took her hand in his. Lily cringed.
"Lily…I need to ask you something…several things in fact." James said. Lily's face fell. I knew this was going to happen, Lily thought to herself.
"But…if you don't want to say anything…I understand."
"No…no…you saved my life yesterday. I owe you something…anything." James could see Lily's eyes falling, and the solemn and sad face he had so often glimpsed emerged. He gripped her hand even tighter.
"You don't owe me anything…except a guarantee that you will be okay." Lily blushed.
"But," James continued, "I just want to know…if you don't mind telling me…what caused you to faint last night."
Lily cleared her throat. She had rehearsed this after Professor Dumbledore left to fetch him.
"I was having this dream. It was of a woman and a child who was running away from a death eater. And the death eater…he…he killed her. I was there. I tried to save her, even though I knew I couldn't. And when I couldn't, I felt ill and weak. That was when I woke up and I…er…saw you."
"…and a floating woman." James added. Lily looked at James sheepishly.
"Sorry... its just that she scared me." James said, smiling weakly. Lily smiled. She could trust James Potter. She knew she could.
"That lady is my aunt."
"Is she a ghost?"
"Well, she's dead…but she lives in that book."
"That explains a lot…" James said.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked questioningly.
"Well…er…well, last night when I went to get you in that room…it wasn't my first time there." James proceeded to explain what had happened the first time he picked up the book.
"So that's how you guys know about my uncle." Lily said. James nodded with a smile. Lily smiled back.
"You know Evans…you are still a strange girl. But I think you are alright." Lily laughed. That wasn't that bad, she thought to herself. James wasn't looking at her like she was a freak, as she had expected him to do. In fact he was being really nice about it.
Lily glanced at the wall clock.
"Shouldn't you be at transfiguration by now?" Lily said. James looked at the clock and jumped off the bed.
"Shit!" he exclaimed. "I am going to be late. Mcgonagall's going to kill me."
"Which reminds me." Lily said "Tell Drew that my part in the transfiguration report is in the first drawer of my bedside table. Its not finished. I was going to finish off last night, but…well you know why…"
"Yeah…sure." James said, as he picked up his bag, with a smirk on his face. "I'll tell Drew. Listen Drew, Lily didn't finish her report because she is at the hospital wing this morning, after I gallantly saved her life after a nightmare and…" James was interrupted by a pillow that smacked his face and a smiling Lily.
"Don't you dare, James. Please…" Lily pleaded.
James looked at those green eyes. Weird, but special, he thought to himself. Different, yet special. His big grin softened to a smile.
"Its Ok, Lily. I promise." Then he did something he never thought he would. He reached down and kissed her on the cheek. He felt this weird sensation he couldn't describe. It was just a second, but it felt as though it had lasted a lifetime. When he took his face away, he saw that Lily was had a glowing expression. He beamed. He was afraid that Lily was mad at him.
"I'll see you soon, Lily. Take care." And he turned around and left.
Lily blushed. "Thank you, my friend."
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Gregory Avery pranced around in the patch of dirt.
"I don't understand how this is meant to be of use. We learn all this shit, and we don't even get to make use of it."
"Shut up!" Lucius Malfoy hissed at his friend. "He might hear you."
"Exactly" Rowan Lestrange said. "You know he really despises disloyalty. Besides you might need it someday."
"Yeah but when?" Avery exclaimed. "We have enemies now that we cant fight. I just want to get my hands on them with these new curses I have learnt."
"Who?"
"For heaven's sake, Severus…the Marauders, who else. Bloody pompous gits… wait till I get my hands on them."
"I agree." Malfoy nodded. "I cant stand them. Stupid Potter and Black. They think they are gods of quidditch and pranks."
'That's because he has ridiculed us in both."
"Ok, Severus…one more time."
"No way…Rowan…that's one too many times that you have put the cructiacus curse on me."
"If Lestrange needs practice, Snape…you will oblige to your fellow death eaters in training." Came a voice from behind. All the teenage boys present shrunk in fear. It was the voice they were most afraid of. His voice.
Severus cringed and walked up to Rowan. Rowan raised his wand and muttered: Crucio. Immediately Severus began to shake and fall to the ground. The rest of the boys laughed.
"I sense a lot of anger within many of you…though I see it wasn't instigated by all this dark magic training. Tell me, Lucius. What troubles you?"
Malfoy began to explain about all those pranks that the Marauders have played on them, and the quidditch match that had just gone by.
Voldermort nodded. "My father thought he had power when he left my mother. He thought his muggle attitude was good enough. But he was wrong. I showed him who had power and control. I made him admit that he was the weaker one, and I was the stronger one. Those boys clearly think their meager talent is good enough to assert power over you. Its your turn to show them who's the stronger one."
"But my lord…we cant attack them at Hogwarts…Dumbledore will save them."
"Indeed…I think that's where my friend here will be of assistance." He turned to a small teenage boy beside him.
"Yes," the boy muttered, shaking in fear. "I will do my best, my lord."
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