Chapter 6
A/N: Man, it's been a month! I had no idea I could get that busy! Please forgive me for the lack of updates. My Language Arts teacher loads us with homework, every night. I get so tired of it. Well, here's chapter 6!
Disclaimer: Christ, if you've read the other chapters, you would know I've already said I don't own anything you recognize. Ain't that enough already??
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Halloween was a few days away, and the feast was well under way. You could smell things baking already in the corridors. Classes were going to end at 1:00 that Friday so the Hall could be decorated, and the students could have an afternoon off. Everyone knew the seventh years needed it. Their impending N.E.W.T.'s were causing the professors to give them loads of homework. The common room often didn't empty until the wee hours of the morning. But of course, James and Lily wouldn't know that, now would they?
For the two Head Students, life was constant movement. Study for classes, do the homework, *go* to the classes, eat, and sleep. Of course, then you had Prefect and Head meetings, the Halloween Feast to organize, the decorations to buy, and, for Lily at least, the nagging fear that any second she would stop what she was doing and See something.
Since she had been given Vivian's workings, she had studied as much as she could, but that was very little. All she had learned so far was that the visions were brought on by an object or something else that might've had special meaning, and that she could actually hold back the visions, but no matter if or when she actually did hold them off, she would have them anyway, just later. The body needed sleep, the book said. The gift must accommodate that need in order to thrive.
Aside from that, life was good. She hadn't had any major visions since the one in Professor Dumbledore's office, but the little ones she did have were hilarious. For example. . .
~Flashback~
"Professor McGonagall, wait!" Lily called as she ran towards the teacher. She had almost forgotten to ask about the Feast, and if they could have 'living' pumpkins. When she reached the professor, she had to stop and catch her breath before asking. When she did, McGonagall's lips disappeared in a thin line. And Lily saw. . .
* "Minerva, wait up!" a brown haired, handsome young man shouted. A young girl of about 16 stopped and turned. She had long, flowing black hair and round blue eyes. They were in the Great Hall, and she had been leaving before the boy had called her. "Can I help you, Devin?" she asked sweetly.
"Yes, you can." He stepped toward her, and she stepped back. He continued o walk towards her, and she continued to walk back, afraid of the predatory and amused glint in his eyes. Suddenly she stopped, because she had run into a pumpkin. It was moving, and shaking with laughter. It turned when it felt her bump against it. "Ohh, a pretty little thing, aren't you?" it asked her. "Well, don't move away," it said as she started to back up again, this time toward Devin. When she bumped into him, the pumpkin glared and spat, "Oh, so you ditch me for him? Fine then." And it turned it's back haughtily on her. The entire school had seen the exchange.
Minerva was bright red with embarrassment. A *pumpkin* had just hit on her, and then accused her of being with Devin! In front of the whole school, nonetheless!! Devin snickered behind her. "They've been saying all night that that one was a little more. . . ah . . . *playful* than the others. I wanted to see if it was true." He turned and swept off. *
Lily had to try and hide her laughter as Professor McGonagall's face turned red, and she told Lily curtly, "No, I don't think live pumpkins is a good idea, Miss Evans. Think of something else." She had stormed off, and Lily had burst out laughing.
~End Flashback~
That was only one of many. She now knew more about a lot of students' pasts than anyone else. There was only one problem in her world, though.
The confusing enigma of the wonderful James Potter.
He had become her best friend. None of the guys were as close to her as he was, for understandable reasons. He knew things they didn't. And for some odd reason, Lily knew that she could trust him to keep those secrets, and others they might share. He hadn't told even Sirius the password to their dormitory. And she knew he wasn't going to.
She had noticed subtle changes in his behavior since he had moved into the 'Head's Room'. He hadn't had a girlfriend. He didn't prank quite as many people (the Slytherins' remained the same), and he wasn't always with the other Marauders. He was with her. And he was taking his studies a lot more seriously. So not James.
But he was doing it, and it made her feel special. She was not supposed to be feeling this way. Every time she saw him, something in her stomach clenched, and it was a weird, yet pleasant feeling. She pushed it aside every time she felt it.
At the moment, Lily was sitting in front of the fireplace, resting for once in her busy schedule. The couch was warm and soft, and she could feel sleep tugging at the edges of her mind. Lying down, she closed her eyes and let the warmth rush over her. Before she knew it, she was asleep.
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James had been with the rest of the Marauders since dinner, and they had caught up on things, played a few pranks on the Slytherins, and then just chilled. It had been a while since he had spent a good amount of his time with the guys, and he did miss it. Between classes and Head duties, it was hard to find any time to simply breathe. And then there was Lily. . .
She occupied his thoughts all the time. He noticed little things about her, like the way she ran her hands through her hair when she was nervous, or the way she curled strands of hair around a finger when she was bored. There was always a hint of sadness in her eyes that would probably never go away, but it was getting harder and harder for him to pick out. James didn't understand what was wrong with him, but every time she smiled, he felt joyous.
Now, sitting with his friends around the fire in the Gryffindor common room, he felt as if his life was perfect. He had his friends, Quidditch, Head duties, and Lily. What more could he ask for?
"So, James," Sirius started. "You've been spending a lot of time with our dear Lilykins. Is there anything we should know about?" James could see the teasing glint in his friend's eyes, but couldn't help thinking, ~What if there is?~ "Sirius, you know that we have head duties together, and we live in the same tower. Of course I spend time with her." Sirius laughed and said, "I was teasing, no need to get all defensive." He had to dodge a pillow thrown at him by Remus. It was a weak throw, but Remus was sitting right beside him.
Remus's skin was pale and drawn, and he had bags under his eyes. The full moon was tomorrow night, and you could see how much it was affecting him. Thankfully it wasn't on Halloween night, or else James would have had to find a really good reason to present to Lily as to why he couldn't help her oversee the feast. (A/N: I don't know if I've said that Lily knows Remus is a werewolf or not, but if I have, let me clarify: she doesn't know.)
James glanced at his watch and groaned. "I have to get up. . .," he moaned. The other three snickered. "That's what you get, James, for not turning in your badge," Peter said. James just glared and stood. Walking towards the portrait hole, he shouted a, "I'll see you tomorrow!" and walked out.
Going to his corridor, he started the routine walk. Patrolling the halls was *boring*. No one was ever stupid enough to get caught, but as it was his job, he had to do it. ~Wonder where Lily is?~ he though, the rationalized that she must have started somewhere else. He didn't see her at all though, which was weird.
When he was finally free to go back to his dorm, he started towards the kitchens. ~Lils said she loved chocolate chip cookies, and I want to see her smile,~ he thought. Tickling the pear and opening the revealed door, he stepped inside. "Mr. Potter!" one house-elf squeaked. "How nice to see you! What can Mitsy get you this evening?" she asked, bowing. "Hello, Mits! I was wondering if you could get me some chocolate chip cookies to go?" he asked. "Of course, sir!" she said, bowing again. She disappeared hen reappeared a second later with a plate of the cookies, wrapped and aromatic. "Thank you," he told her, and she bowed once more before scurrying off.
James placed a shrinking charm and a warmth charm on the cookies, before heading towards the seventh floor. Once he got there, he greeted Earane with the usual hello, and 'nienna.' As the portrait glowed blue, he was filled with the same sense of awe that he always felt when he saw this. Stepping into the living area, a wave of comfort washed over him. This was heaven. Lily and him in their own rooms, and the comfort of friends all around him. God, he was lucky.
He found Lily lying on the couch fast asleep. ~Well, I guess she didn't do her patrol tonight,~ he thought with a chuckle. Getting down on his knees in front of her face, he pulled out and enlarged the plate of cookies and unwrapped them. Setting them aside, he gently shook Lily awake. "Lily, sweetheart, wake up," he whispered into her ear. "I have something for you." Murmuring groggily, her eyelids fluttered open. His breath caught in his throat. With her face so close to his, he could see that her eyes were the most amazing green. Every shade he'd ever known was there in little flecks. At the moment, those eyes were heavy with sleep.
"James?" she questioned sleepily. "Is something wrong?" he chuckled, and took a deep breath trying to break the spell she had on him. "No, nothing's wrong. You fell asleep on the couch. I have something for you." Her eyes lit, and her nose started to register a certain smell. "You do? What is it?" He laughed at her eagerness. "Take a deep breath…" She grinned and jumped up. "Chocolate chip cookies!!" she shouted gleefully, and then she grabbed two. "James, you're the best," she said, before devouring one of them.
Seeing her happiness made his heart swell. ~What's happening to me?~ he thought fleetingly, and then pushed it aside. All he wanted was to relax after being pushed for weeks on end. Sitting down beside her he picked up his own cookie. Biting into it, he moaned with exaggerated bliss. "Have you ever had anything better than this?" he asked her, not expecting an answer. "Yes," she said, making him look at her. The sad smile was back in place. "My grandmamma made the best chocolate chip cookies ever. They're one of the things I miss most." James sighed.
"Lily, I went to the kitchens and brought these up here for you to see you smile with happiness, not sadness." He *hated* it when she was sad. "Please don't ruin it for me." He shot her the puppy-dog face, and she felt her knees melt. ~It's a damn good thing I'm sitting down,~ she thought. So she smiled, and it was a happy one. "Thank you, James. I really appreciate it. It's been a long time since I've had any of these." He grinned, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Well, we can make a habit of this, if you want to," he told her. She leaned against him, and he turned as she did. Lifting her legs up onto the couch, he positioned them so the she was lying against his chest. "I'd love to, James." He smiled.
"You know you missed patrol, don't you?" he asked her. She jumped. "I *what*?" she yelled. "How could I miss patrol? I've got to stop-" James placed a hand over her mouth, cutting her off. "You were, once again, dead on your feet. You deserved a break. Besides, how would you have done anything worthwhile sleep walking?" Her lips moved against his hand as she tried to say something, and it sent tingles up and down his spine. The feel of his calloused, warm hand against her lips did the same thing to Lily.
He let go of her, and placed his arm around her waist. "Just go to sleep. You've got chocolate in your belly, and friends all around you. Sleep, my little flower." She relaxed against him, the sound of his voice going husky soothing her. When she placed her head on his chest, she felt something hard beneath her head. "James, what's that?" she asked turning to face him.
"What's what? This?" he said, pulling something from beneath his shirt. It was a gold lion with a ruby mane and eyes. Beautiful and strong, it seemed almost made for him. "Where did you get it?" she breathed. Something was pulling at the back of her head, an almost physical sensation, but she pushed it aside. "It's the amulet my mother gave me when I was born, before she died," he told her, his grey eyes darkening. "It's the only thing I've got from her." Lily reached out to touch it, and felt something click inside of her. She lay against James again, and closed her eyes. It had been a long week. . .
~Vision~
* A man, with dark hair and grey eyes, was rocking a child in his arms. Around his neck, an amulet glinted in the firelight. A woman, with eyes of such a deep blue it was almost navy, rocked in a willow rocking chair, knitting. The baby squealed as her father lifted her high above his head. "Godric, be careful!" the woman chastised gently, without much conviction. Her husband merely flashed her a grin and tossed the baby girl high once more…
(Scene change)
An older version of the same man was walking with a young lady, the grown version of the baby girl. "I have something for you, Leah," the man said. Reaching up, he pulled the amulet over his head and held it out to his daughter. Her lips parted in a silent gasp, and she held out her hand for it. Bringing it close to her face, Leah examined it. The ruby of the mane seemed to ripple in the sunlight, and the eyes seemed on fire. The delicately made body of the lion showed strength and courage. It pulsed in her fingers, giving off soothing warmth. "I made it, when we opened the school and before I met your mother. It's a symbol of our House, and I think it's appropriate that you should have it."
She looked up at her father, who took the amulet from her fingers and gently turned her. When he placed it around her neck and the chain clasped, Leah felt a completeness flow through her. Never before had she felt so whole. "It's an heirloom," her father whispered, placing a loving kiss on his daughter's hair. Leah turned and threw her arms around her father's neck. "Thank you," she whispered. . . *
From there, faces flew by, all with the same grey eyes, and al had the same amulet clasped about their necks. There was a pattern of gender: boy to girl to boy to girl, ect. Subtle changes occurred, like the style they dressed in, or the skin tone. Then. . .
* A woman with dark hair was holding a newborn child in her arms. She was breathing heavily, and she was pale and sweaty. The machines that monitored her heart beeped weakly. The graphs on the screen showed that she wouldn't grace this world much longer.
A man with messy, jet black hair and chocolate eyes knelt beside the hospital bed, gripping his wife's hand. A single tear ran down his cheek, for he knew he would lose her. She smiled at him, then at their son. "His name is James," she said softly. "And he's beautiful. Aidan, could you do me one last favor?" she asked, her voice falling to barely a breath. He kissed her hand, murmuring, "Of course, love. What is it?"
She whispered, "Take my amulet, and give it James. Please, do it quickly. I want to see my son get something that has belonged to his family for generations." Aidan nodded, and did as he was asked. Lifting his son, he placed the lion around his neck. Baby James gurgled and grabbed the amulet in a tiny fist. Placing James back in his mother's arms, Aidan once again gripped Kara's hand. "My boys," she murmured. "I love you," she whispered, tracing a finger along her son's face, knowing she would never get to be with him as he grew up. Looking at her husband, Kara whispered, one last time, "I love you both," before the life in her fled.
Kneeling beside the lifeless figure of his wife, Aidan Potter rocked his child and his grief, holding all three close to his heart. *
~End Vision~
Lily's eyes flew open. For a moment, confusion controlled her senses. Then, her mind cleared. The fire had burned low, and the cookies on the table had cooled. She and James were lying on the couch. James was still sleeping peacefully. Lily tried to untangle herself from James, but he merely muttered something unintelligible, and pulled her back against his chest.
What was that vision all about? The first part didn't make any sense. The second part went by too fast for her to remember anything but snatches. However, from what she could remember, James had gotten the amulet from his mother, and it was the same amulet that. . . *Godric Gryffindor* had? No. Something must've gone wrong with that particular vision. James would have told her if he was the Heir of Gryffindor. Or maybe he wouldn't have. She didn't know. Pushing those thoughts aside, she focused on her current situation.
Again, she tried to pull away from the couch, but the sleeping James was having none of it. "Stay," he murmured, securing her against him and burying his face in her hair. Sighing, Lily thought ~Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em,~ and relaxed. She'd never admit it to anyone but herself, but she liked this position. ~Face it, Lily,~ she told herself. ~You are totally crushed on him.~ Unfortunately, the other little voice in her head decided to speak up then. ~It's about time you realized that.~ it said. ~Now, what are you going to do about it?~ it asked eagerly. Huffing, Lily replied, ~Absolutely nothing! I value is friendship too much. If I told him I liked him like *that*, then he would run away screaming, and then where would I be?~ the little voice grumbled, but didn't say anything.
Talking to yourself is one of the first signs of insanity, you know.
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Sunlight streaming through the high windows of the living area woke James the next morning. Something warm was in his arms, something breathing. When he opened his eyes, he saw curly red hair. His nose was suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of it. ~Chamomile,~ he thought briefly, before he saw her face, and his breathing stopped.
She was beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. Those words didn't begin to describe it. Perfect wasn't good enough either. Last night, her face had been in shadows from the firelight. Now, with the sun shining brightly, he could see even more. Her face was flawless. Porcelain-white skin, a small nose, long lashes, perfectly arched eyebrows. And her lips. . . her lips were amazing. Full, a soft shade of red, soft. For a fraction of a second, he wondered what it would feel to kiss her, to feel those lips against his. The flare of desire shocked him, and he worked to control it.
"Lily," he whispered, not being able to help himself. "What you do to me. . .," her eyelids moved, and she whimpered in her sleep. He lifted a hand, and cupped her cheek, trying to show her without words that he was there for her. She leaned into him, and the flare of desire became a flame. With a huge amount of will power, and began to shake her awake. When she finally opened her eyes, it was like time froze. There eyes met, grey to green, and held. He unconsciously leaned in. . .
A/N: MUAHAHAHAHA!! I know, I'm evil. After a month of no updates, I leave you at a cliffie. I'm sorry! My teachers are evil. Please be patient. I don't know how often I'll be able to update. I'm doing my best. I would like to thank all my reviewers. Especially Caitlin, Agloechen, and Ashley. They have bugged me endlessly to get this chapter out, so here it is. I hope you like it.
Till next time! Oh, nd you'll have to forgive me for any mistakes. If I had edited it carefully, it wouldn't have gotten out till next weekend.
Andufeniel
A/N: Man, it's been a month! I had no idea I could get that busy! Please forgive me for the lack of updates. My Language Arts teacher loads us with homework, every night. I get so tired of it. Well, here's chapter 6!
Disclaimer: Christ, if you've read the other chapters, you would know I've already said I don't own anything you recognize. Ain't that enough already??
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Halloween was a few days away, and the feast was well under way. You could smell things baking already in the corridors. Classes were going to end at 1:00 that Friday so the Hall could be decorated, and the students could have an afternoon off. Everyone knew the seventh years needed it. Their impending N.E.W.T.'s were causing the professors to give them loads of homework. The common room often didn't empty until the wee hours of the morning. But of course, James and Lily wouldn't know that, now would they?
For the two Head Students, life was constant movement. Study for classes, do the homework, *go* to the classes, eat, and sleep. Of course, then you had Prefect and Head meetings, the Halloween Feast to organize, the decorations to buy, and, for Lily at least, the nagging fear that any second she would stop what she was doing and See something.
Since she had been given Vivian's workings, she had studied as much as she could, but that was very little. All she had learned so far was that the visions were brought on by an object or something else that might've had special meaning, and that she could actually hold back the visions, but no matter if or when she actually did hold them off, she would have them anyway, just later. The body needed sleep, the book said. The gift must accommodate that need in order to thrive.
Aside from that, life was good. She hadn't had any major visions since the one in Professor Dumbledore's office, but the little ones she did have were hilarious. For example. . .
~Flashback~
"Professor McGonagall, wait!" Lily called as she ran towards the teacher. She had almost forgotten to ask about the Feast, and if they could have 'living' pumpkins. When she reached the professor, she had to stop and catch her breath before asking. When she did, McGonagall's lips disappeared in a thin line. And Lily saw. . .
* "Minerva, wait up!" a brown haired, handsome young man shouted. A young girl of about 16 stopped and turned. She had long, flowing black hair and round blue eyes. They were in the Great Hall, and she had been leaving before the boy had called her. "Can I help you, Devin?" she asked sweetly.
"Yes, you can." He stepped toward her, and she stepped back. He continued o walk towards her, and she continued to walk back, afraid of the predatory and amused glint in his eyes. Suddenly she stopped, because she had run into a pumpkin. It was moving, and shaking with laughter. It turned when it felt her bump against it. "Ohh, a pretty little thing, aren't you?" it asked her. "Well, don't move away," it said as she started to back up again, this time toward Devin. When she bumped into him, the pumpkin glared and spat, "Oh, so you ditch me for him? Fine then." And it turned it's back haughtily on her. The entire school had seen the exchange.
Minerva was bright red with embarrassment. A *pumpkin* had just hit on her, and then accused her of being with Devin! In front of the whole school, nonetheless!! Devin snickered behind her. "They've been saying all night that that one was a little more. . . ah . . . *playful* than the others. I wanted to see if it was true." He turned and swept off. *
Lily had to try and hide her laughter as Professor McGonagall's face turned red, and she told Lily curtly, "No, I don't think live pumpkins is a good idea, Miss Evans. Think of something else." She had stormed off, and Lily had burst out laughing.
~End Flashback~
That was only one of many. She now knew more about a lot of students' pasts than anyone else. There was only one problem in her world, though.
The confusing enigma of the wonderful James Potter.
He had become her best friend. None of the guys were as close to her as he was, for understandable reasons. He knew things they didn't. And for some odd reason, Lily knew that she could trust him to keep those secrets, and others they might share. He hadn't told even Sirius the password to their dormitory. And she knew he wasn't going to.
She had noticed subtle changes in his behavior since he had moved into the 'Head's Room'. He hadn't had a girlfriend. He didn't prank quite as many people (the Slytherins' remained the same), and he wasn't always with the other Marauders. He was with her. And he was taking his studies a lot more seriously. So not James.
But he was doing it, and it made her feel special. She was not supposed to be feeling this way. Every time she saw him, something in her stomach clenched, and it was a weird, yet pleasant feeling. She pushed it aside every time she felt it.
At the moment, Lily was sitting in front of the fireplace, resting for once in her busy schedule. The couch was warm and soft, and she could feel sleep tugging at the edges of her mind. Lying down, she closed her eyes and let the warmth rush over her. Before she knew it, she was asleep.
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James had been with the rest of the Marauders since dinner, and they had caught up on things, played a few pranks on the Slytherins, and then just chilled. It had been a while since he had spent a good amount of his time with the guys, and he did miss it. Between classes and Head duties, it was hard to find any time to simply breathe. And then there was Lily. . .
She occupied his thoughts all the time. He noticed little things about her, like the way she ran her hands through her hair when she was nervous, or the way she curled strands of hair around a finger when she was bored. There was always a hint of sadness in her eyes that would probably never go away, but it was getting harder and harder for him to pick out. James didn't understand what was wrong with him, but every time she smiled, he felt joyous.
Now, sitting with his friends around the fire in the Gryffindor common room, he felt as if his life was perfect. He had his friends, Quidditch, Head duties, and Lily. What more could he ask for?
"So, James," Sirius started. "You've been spending a lot of time with our dear Lilykins. Is there anything we should know about?" James could see the teasing glint in his friend's eyes, but couldn't help thinking, ~What if there is?~ "Sirius, you know that we have head duties together, and we live in the same tower. Of course I spend time with her." Sirius laughed and said, "I was teasing, no need to get all defensive." He had to dodge a pillow thrown at him by Remus. It was a weak throw, but Remus was sitting right beside him.
Remus's skin was pale and drawn, and he had bags under his eyes. The full moon was tomorrow night, and you could see how much it was affecting him. Thankfully it wasn't on Halloween night, or else James would have had to find a really good reason to present to Lily as to why he couldn't help her oversee the feast. (A/N: I don't know if I've said that Lily knows Remus is a werewolf or not, but if I have, let me clarify: she doesn't know.)
James glanced at his watch and groaned. "I have to get up. . .," he moaned. The other three snickered. "That's what you get, James, for not turning in your badge," Peter said. James just glared and stood. Walking towards the portrait hole, he shouted a, "I'll see you tomorrow!" and walked out.
Going to his corridor, he started the routine walk. Patrolling the halls was *boring*. No one was ever stupid enough to get caught, but as it was his job, he had to do it. ~Wonder where Lily is?~ he though, the rationalized that she must have started somewhere else. He didn't see her at all though, which was weird.
When he was finally free to go back to his dorm, he started towards the kitchens. ~Lils said she loved chocolate chip cookies, and I want to see her smile,~ he thought. Tickling the pear and opening the revealed door, he stepped inside. "Mr. Potter!" one house-elf squeaked. "How nice to see you! What can Mitsy get you this evening?" she asked, bowing. "Hello, Mits! I was wondering if you could get me some chocolate chip cookies to go?" he asked. "Of course, sir!" she said, bowing again. She disappeared hen reappeared a second later with a plate of the cookies, wrapped and aromatic. "Thank you," he told her, and she bowed once more before scurrying off.
James placed a shrinking charm and a warmth charm on the cookies, before heading towards the seventh floor. Once he got there, he greeted Earane with the usual hello, and 'nienna.' As the portrait glowed blue, he was filled with the same sense of awe that he always felt when he saw this. Stepping into the living area, a wave of comfort washed over him. This was heaven. Lily and him in their own rooms, and the comfort of friends all around him. God, he was lucky.
He found Lily lying on the couch fast asleep. ~Well, I guess she didn't do her patrol tonight,~ he thought with a chuckle. Getting down on his knees in front of her face, he pulled out and enlarged the plate of cookies and unwrapped them. Setting them aside, he gently shook Lily awake. "Lily, sweetheart, wake up," he whispered into her ear. "I have something for you." Murmuring groggily, her eyelids fluttered open. His breath caught in his throat. With her face so close to his, he could see that her eyes were the most amazing green. Every shade he'd ever known was there in little flecks. At the moment, those eyes were heavy with sleep.
"James?" she questioned sleepily. "Is something wrong?" he chuckled, and took a deep breath trying to break the spell she had on him. "No, nothing's wrong. You fell asleep on the couch. I have something for you." Her eyes lit, and her nose started to register a certain smell. "You do? What is it?" He laughed at her eagerness. "Take a deep breath…" She grinned and jumped up. "Chocolate chip cookies!!" she shouted gleefully, and then she grabbed two. "James, you're the best," she said, before devouring one of them.
Seeing her happiness made his heart swell. ~What's happening to me?~ he thought fleetingly, and then pushed it aside. All he wanted was to relax after being pushed for weeks on end. Sitting down beside her he picked up his own cookie. Biting into it, he moaned with exaggerated bliss. "Have you ever had anything better than this?" he asked her, not expecting an answer. "Yes," she said, making him look at her. The sad smile was back in place. "My grandmamma made the best chocolate chip cookies ever. They're one of the things I miss most." James sighed.
"Lily, I went to the kitchens and brought these up here for you to see you smile with happiness, not sadness." He *hated* it when she was sad. "Please don't ruin it for me." He shot her the puppy-dog face, and she felt her knees melt. ~It's a damn good thing I'm sitting down,~ she thought. So she smiled, and it was a happy one. "Thank you, James. I really appreciate it. It's been a long time since I've had any of these." He grinned, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Well, we can make a habit of this, if you want to," he told her. She leaned against him, and he turned as she did. Lifting her legs up onto the couch, he positioned them so the she was lying against his chest. "I'd love to, James." He smiled.
"You know you missed patrol, don't you?" he asked her. She jumped. "I *what*?" she yelled. "How could I miss patrol? I've got to stop-" James placed a hand over her mouth, cutting her off. "You were, once again, dead on your feet. You deserved a break. Besides, how would you have done anything worthwhile sleep walking?" Her lips moved against his hand as she tried to say something, and it sent tingles up and down his spine. The feel of his calloused, warm hand against her lips did the same thing to Lily.
He let go of her, and placed his arm around her waist. "Just go to sleep. You've got chocolate in your belly, and friends all around you. Sleep, my little flower." She relaxed against him, the sound of his voice going husky soothing her. When she placed her head on his chest, she felt something hard beneath her head. "James, what's that?" she asked turning to face him.
"What's what? This?" he said, pulling something from beneath his shirt. It was a gold lion with a ruby mane and eyes. Beautiful and strong, it seemed almost made for him. "Where did you get it?" she breathed. Something was pulling at the back of her head, an almost physical sensation, but she pushed it aside. "It's the amulet my mother gave me when I was born, before she died," he told her, his grey eyes darkening. "It's the only thing I've got from her." Lily reached out to touch it, and felt something click inside of her. She lay against James again, and closed her eyes. It had been a long week. . .
~Vision~
* A man, with dark hair and grey eyes, was rocking a child in his arms. Around his neck, an amulet glinted in the firelight. A woman, with eyes of such a deep blue it was almost navy, rocked in a willow rocking chair, knitting. The baby squealed as her father lifted her high above his head. "Godric, be careful!" the woman chastised gently, without much conviction. Her husband merely flashed her a grin and tossed the baby girl high once more…
(Scene change)
An older version of the same man was walking with a young lady, the grown version of the baby girl. "I have something for you, Leah," the man said. Reaching up, he pulled the amulet over his head and held it out to his daughter. Her lips parted in a silent gasp, and she held out her hand for it. Bringing it close to her face, Leah examined it. The ruby of the mane seemed to ripple in the sunlight, and the eyes seemed on fire. The delicately made body of the lion showed strength and courage. It pulsed in her fingers, giving off soothing warmth. "I made it, when we opened the school and before I met your mother. It's a symbol of our House, and I think it's appropriate that you should have it."
She looked up at her father, who took the amulet from her fingers and gently turned her. When he placed it around her neck and the chain clasped, Leah felt a completeness flow through her. Never before had she felt so whole. "It's an heirloom," her father whispered, placing a loving kiss on his daughter's hair. Leah turned and threw her arms around her father's neck. "Thank you," she whispered. . . *
From there, faces flew by, all with the same grey eyes, and al had the same amulet clasped about their necks. There was a pattern of gender: boy to girl to boy to girl, ect. Subtle changes occurred, like the style they dressed in, or the skin tone. Then. . .
* A woman with dark hair was holding a newborn child in her arms. She was breathing heavily, and she was pale and sweaty. The machines that monitored her heart beeped weakly. The graphs on the screen showed that she wouldn't grace this world much longer.
A man with messy, jet black hair and chocolate eyes knelt beside the hospital bed, gripping his wife's hand. A single tear ran down his cheek, for he knew he would lose her. She smiled at him, then at their son. "His name is James," she said softly. "And he's beautiful. Aidan, could you do me one last favor?" she asked, her voice falling to barely a breath. He kissed her hand, murmuring, "Of course, love. What is it?"
She whispered, "Take my amulet, and give it James. Please, do it quickly. I want to see my son get something that has belonged to his family for generations." Aidan nodded, and did as he was asked. Lifting his son, he placed the lion around his neck. Baby James gurgled and grabbed the amulet in a tiny fist. Placing James back in his mother's arms, Aidan once again gripped Kara's hand. "My boys," she murmured. "I love you," she whispered, tracing a finger along her son's face, knowing she would never get to be with him as he grew up. Looking at her husband, Kara whispered, one last time, "I love you both," before the life in her fled.
Kneeling beside the lifeless figure of his wife, Aidan Potter rocked his child and his grief, holding all three close to his heart. *
~End Vision~
Lily's eyes flew open. For a moment, confusion controlled her senses. Then, her mind cleared. The fire had burned low, and the cookies on the table had cooled. She and James were lying on the couch. James was still sleeping peacefully. Lily tried to untangle herself from James, but he merely muttered something unintelligible, and pulled her back against his chest.
What was that vision all about? The first part didn't make any sense. The second part went by too fast for her to remember anything but snatches. However, from what she could remember, James had gotten the amulet from his mother, and it was the same amulet that. . . *Godric Gryffindor* had? No. Something must've gone wrong with that particular vision. James would have told her if he was the Heir of Gryffindor. Or maybe he wouldn't have. She didn't know. Pushing those thoughts aside, she focused on her current situation.
Again, she tried to pull away from the couch, but the sleeping James was having none of it. "Stay," he murmured, securing her against him and burying his face in her hair. Sighing, Lily thought ~Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em,~ and relaxed. She'd never admit it to anyone but herself, but she liked this position. ~Face it, Lily,~ she told herself. ~You are totally crushed on him.~ Unfortunately, the other little voice in her head decided to speak up then. ~It's about time you realized that.~ it said. ~Now, what are you going to do about it?~ it asked eagerly. Huffing, Lily replied, ~Absolutely nothing! I value is friendship too much. If I told him I liked him like *that*, then he would run away screaming, and then where would I be?~ the little voice grumbled, but didn't say anything.
Talking to yourself is one of the first signs of insanity, you know.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sunlight streaming through the high windows of the living area woke James the next morning. Something warm was in his arms, something breathing. When he opened his eyes, he saw curly red hair. His nose was suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of it. ~Chamomile,~ he thought briefly, before he saw her face, and his breathing stopped.
She was beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. Those words didn't begin to describe it. Perfect wasn't good enough either. Last night, her face had been in shadows from the firelight. Now, with the sun shining brightly, he could see even more. Her face was flawless. Porcelain-white skin, a small nose, long lashes, perfectly arched eyebrows. And her lips. . . her lips were amazing. Full, a soft shade of red, soft. For a fraction of a second, he wondered what it would feel to kiss her, to feel those lips against his. The flare of desire shocked him, and he worked to control it.
"Lily," he whispered, not being able to help himself. "What you do to me. . .," her eyelids moved, and she whimpered in her sleep. He lifted a hand, and cupped her cheek, trying to show her without words that he was there for her. She leaned into him, and the flare of desire became a flame. With a huge amount of will power, and began to shake her awake. When she finally opened her eyes, it was like time froze. There eyes met, grey to green, and held. He unconsciously leaned in. . .
A/N: MUAHAHAHAHA!! I know, I'm evil. After a month of no updates, I leave you at a cliffie. I'm sorry! My teachers are evil. Please be patient. I don't know how often I'll be able to update. I'm doing my best. I would like to thank all my reviewers. Especially Caitlin, Agloechen, and Ashley. They have bugged me endlessly to get this chapter out, so here it is. I hope you like it.
Till next time! Oh, nd you'll have to forgive me for any mistakes. If I had edited it carefully, it wouldn't have gotten out till next weekend.
Andufeniel