Year Three – Part One
Lily dragged her trunk as she looked up to the familiar Hogwarts Express sign above her head. She heaved it into an empty compartment and began to wait for her friends. Several minutes later, three girls stumbled into the compartment, laughing like crazy. Arabella's brown curls were loose and tumbling down her shoulders, while Jennifer's length blond hair was frizzy.
"Where are on earth were you three?" asked Lily, frowning. "And why are you laughing?"
"Oh Lily," said Arabella gleefully, with tears in her eyes. "Snape…he just said to the whole train that he was in love with you! Then Malfoy dragged him off somewhere else, muttering something about Snape getting drunk. It was priceless!"
"Bella," sighed Lily.
"Didn't think Snape would still like a thing like you, Evans," came a familiar voice. All four girls turned around to see the famous Marauder and heartthrob of Hogwarts, James Potter, along with the rest of his gang.
"Shut up, Potter," snapped Lily.
"Not again," said Violet, moaning. "Lily, why can't you and James be friends and get it done with?"
"Because, Vi, I am not becoming friends with an egotistical jerk like Potter," snapped Lily angrily. "You know, James, life would be a whole lot better if you didn't strut around the school like you owned the place. Really, why can't you be more like Harry?"
"Because my parents aren't dead because of some psychotic wizard, that's why," said James nonchalantly.
"How dare you!" growled Lily.
"Will you guys grow up?" asked Jennifer, rolling her eyes. "Really, Lils, I expected you to be together with James. After all, you guys are in your third year already! And we're starting new subjects!" she cried gleefully.
"Yes, Divination and Care of Magical Creatures," said Lily happily. James' jaw dropped.
"No way am I going to be in my two new subjects with you!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Sirius, Remus, Peter and I signed up for the same subjects too!"
"How dare you!" cried Lily, yet again.
"It won't be so bad," said Jennifer, staring dreamily at Remus.
"Well, at least your enemy isn't in all your classes!"
"That's because, apart from all the Slytherins, I don't have any enemies, Lil. Unlike you, making enemies as you go along."
"And it's because you and Remus will be snogging the whole time during Divination. I wonder who's the Divination professor."
"It's that fraud, Trelawney," said Sirius, informing them all. "She's the idiot who tells everyone they're going to die."
"Well, I don't need to be told now that I'm dying, since I already know," said Lily grumpily.
"Arabella?" They all turned around to see Amos Diggory standing near their compartment door, and realized that they were having such a heated conversation that they barely heard the door slide open.
"Hello, Amos," said Arabella coldly.
"I was wondering if we're still on," he said sweetly.
"And you would think that, why?"
"Because no girl dumps me for very long," he replied smugly.
"Well, I'm together with Sirius again, and nothing's going to pull us apart," said Arabella, smiling at Sirius.
Amos scowled. "You little rat. No girl dumps Amos Diggory. I'm supposed to be the one who dumps them!" He suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth, realizing what he had just said.
"Don't you dare call her a rat, you…you…" Lily struggled to find words to describe him.
"Ah, Lily, I suppose you would like to go out with me to Hogsmeade? After all, you are a third year this year and perhaps we can get a bit of butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks."
"No thank you, Amos, I think I'll pass on the offer," said Lily coldly.
James breathed a sigh of relief, but unfortunately, everyone heard it. Sirius and the girls, minus Lily, sniggered loudly, and Remus and Peter smiled thoughtfully. Lily, however, was blushing as red as James was.
"Why would you care, James? You don't even like her!" snapped Amos.
"Well, we're getting along better than we used to, Diggory," said James, frowning.
"Whatever."
"You sound like a girl when you say that, Diggory," said Sirius angrily.
"So do you, Black."
"Well, I don't say 'whatever' all the time, Diggory."
"So…James," said Amos, sneering. "You like Lily, huh? I thought you only went for the blondes."
James reddened. "Shut up, Diggory. I've never dated before in my life."
"What about Miss Deanna Jackson?"
"She was the one who gave me a Love Potion!"
"Yes, yes. And now Lily has caught your attention?"
There was a tense silence as James' knuckles tightened. Sirius squirmed uncomfortably and Lily's green eyes were wide. When James was mad, he would take any action. To their surprise, his arms lowered, though still glaring at Amos.
"Get away, Diggory, before you'll be sorry."
Amos' eyes looked frightened, as he slid open the compartment door and slammed it shut behind him.
"Bloody brilliant, Jamie-boy!" cried Sirius, impressed. "You didn't even use violence?"
"Why would I, Sirius? It would frighten the ladies." He smiled warmly at the girls, who were hunched back near Remus and Peter, shaking.
"Are you all right?" he asked worriedly.
Arabella smiled. "Yeah, James, we're fine. Thanks."
"For what?"
"For not using violence in front of us. You know—er—how we don't exactly like violence."
"LILY LOVES JAMES!" cried Sirius suddenly, startling them all.
"Er—Sirius? That was totally random," stated his girlfriend, wrinkling her nose.
"I know that, Bella dear, but I am a random person, after all."
"And I don't love Lily," added James grumpily.
"Yeah, you do," said Remus, now joining the conversation.
"Why are all you guys' favorite conversations about us?" asked Lily rather snappily. "Do you ever give us any peace around here? And we're not even at Hogwarts! Goodness!" She collapsed into the chair again and took out Hogwarts, A History.
"Why do you bother reading that stuff?" asked James lazily, as he stared into the clear, blue September sky. "It's so…boring."
"It's fascinating, once you start reading it," mumbled Lily, her nose almost touching the page.
"Don't you read it every year, Lils, on the Hogwarts Express?"
"Well, you should re-read books, you know. It's good for the soul."
"I think that Quidditch Through the Ages is a good book," said James proudly. "I've read it twice."
"I've read Hogwarts, A History twenty times," said Lily loftily, her nose still in the thick book. "Of course, I would have read it twice as much if you didn't bother me at Hogwarts twice as much…"
"Twenty times? Bloody hell, that's too many times!" cried James. "Why don't you have fun in life? Haven't I showed you fun yet this summer? I told you on the train home in our second year that I'd invite you over the summer to show you what fun really is about. And has all that time been wasted by schoolwork?"
Lily slammed her book shut and opened her mouth to speak, but then clamped it shut. It was true that she had learned what fun really meant that summer—and all thanks to James.
"Fine, I admit it, I did learn what fun really meant, James. All thanks to you." With that, she hugged him briefly and returned to her book, smiling slightly with red cheeks.
Everyone else tried not to laugh at James' open mouth and red face. His face took on one of those dreamy looks reserved for Lily, and he sighed happily. Arabella, along with Jennifer and Violet, had burst out laughing. The boys were still silent, smiling at their friend. Yes, James was definitely in love all right. They could all see it in his eyes and his every move. It was too obvious, though he wouldn't admit it at all.
"What all you all laughing at?" he asked, confused. That made them laugh harder and James more confused.
Lily was blushing like crazy. "Er—you know, guys, maybe you should stop laughing."
Arabella grinned at her best friend evilly. "C'mon, Lils, kiss Jamie."
Lily's smile faded. "WHAT?"
"Kiss him."
"NO WAY AM I GOING TO KISS JAMES POTTER! WHY THE HELL WOULD I DO THAT?"
"Geez, don't get so touchy, she was only joking," said Sirius, grinning.
"Well, she had better be!" exclaimed Lily. "I'm not kissing Potter. Never."
"Is that a promise?"
Lily hesitated. "No. Because I know we'll probably end up 'loving' each other. Just not now."
***
"Sirius Black, how can you eat so much?" asked Arabella, staring at her boyfriend as he gobbled down everything there was on the table.
"Hey," he said through a mouthful of pudding, "at least you don't have to worry about me becoming anorexic."
James and Remus snorted into their own Yorkshire pudding and Jennifer frowned.
"That's not a joking matter," she said firmly.
"Jen, don't worry, Sirius was just fooling like always," said Remus, a plead in his gray eyes as he reached out for her hand. "Don't take it seriously."
Jennifer smiled. "I suppose."
"Good."
James groaned. "You guys are always sweet on each other. Why don't you just get married and begone with it?"
They both glared at him. "Because we're way too young." Jennifer and Remus looked at each other in surprise.
"Lily, why aren't you eating?" asked Violet, concerned.
Lily sighed. She just wasn't in the mood to eat. Her thoughts were all jumbled together as she poked her fork into her potatoes, and bit her lip. The future. It was what was tormenting her and James' lives. If only they didn't get married and get on to hating each other for the rest of their lives. Then Harry would no longer exist and defeat evil…Oh, it was all so confusing!
"Are you all right?" asked Remus quietly.
"Oh!" she cried in a high-pitched tone. "Yes, yes, I'm fine."
"You don't sound like it," said James, frowning.
"Why would you care?" she snapped. "You hate me."
"I don't—" he began, but she cut him off and started to eat furiously, an appetite that would rival Sirius'.
"Whoa, slow down there, Flower!" he exclaimed, staring at Lily. "You eat more than I do!"
"I don't think that's possible, Sirius," she said, grinning. "Want to have a contest?"
"You're on, girl."
Ten minutes later, Lily was smiling triumphantly at Sirius, who was groaning over a bad stomachache.
"Go to Madame Pomfrey," she suggested, her eyes softening at the groaning boy.
"No, she'll perform surgery on me," he said, clutching painfully at his stomach.
"I'm sorry for making you do the stupid contest," Lily offered.
Sirius shook his head. "Nah, I was too thick to accept the dare."
Arabella and James cleared their throats and Lily jumped.
"What?" she asked, annoyed. "What did I do now?"
"You do know you guys are flirting, right?" asked Bella, rather testily.
"Uh…sorry Bella, that's your area of expertise. I don't 'flirt' with boys."
"Well, thanks for lying to me, James," said Arabella angrily, as James started to crack up, causing all the other Gryffindors to stare at them. "Now my best friend is mad at me and my boyfriend thinks I'm cracked."
"S-so sorry, B-Bella, b-but it's j-just t-too funny!" choked James, still laughing.
"Er—" It was one of the fifth year prefects, and she was looking at James like he was crazy.
"What?" he asked.
"Er—you know everyone else in the Great Hall already left, right?"
James looked around. Surely, everyone did leave, even Sirius, Remus, Peter, and the girls. He quickly rushed out of the Hall, and stopped in front of the Fat Lady, who sighed at the sight of him.
"Password? Dear me, it's another year, isn't it, James Potter?"
"Er—Sherbet Lemon?" he asked tentatively. It had been the password on the first day last year, so he assumed it would be this year, too.
"Certainly not!" the Fat Lady exclaimed.
"Er—oh damn, where's that prefect I was with a minute ago?"
"You mean me?" The girl was standing there, her prefect badge shining down all the way in the corridor.
"Yeah. What's the password?"
"Cornish Pixies," the girl said to the Fat Lady. The portrait swung open, revealing the old portrait hole leading to Gryffindor Tower.
"Jamie-boy! Where were you?" Sirius was running towards him, looking rather worried.
"All right, why'd you ditch me, Sirius?" asked James loudly.
"I didn't. Dumbledore announced something and told us to all go to bed. We all got up, and you were still zoned out somewhere, so I poked you. You said something about coming up later, so I went with the others. Then when you didn't show up later, I thought that you and Snape were dueling in the dungeons or something." He shrugged. "Where were you, anyway?"
"Trying to get into Gryffindor Tower. I didn't know the password."
"R-ight. Well, we'd better go up to bed, Jamie-boy. It's going to be a long day tomorrow. But we get to visit Hogsmeade this year!"
"Yeah. That's the only good thing besides Quidditch. And…our secret plan to become you-know-what."
***
"If Trelawney predicts my death one more time, I swear I'll kill her," muttered James, as he stared blankly into his star chart.
"What does it all mean?" asked Sirius, poking the same chart in front of him with his wand. "It makes no sense at all."
"That's because there is no sense to it, Siri-boy. So we'll make it up."
"Jamie, that's a genius plan! Ah, what would I do without you."
"You wouldn't be able to do anything, because I'm your savior."
"Er—right. So let's get started."
Half an hour later, both boys brandished their parchments, which were filled with fake predictions, proudly to the girls.
"Isn't it brilliant?"
"'Next Thursday, I will be attacked and eaten by the giant squid in the lake'," read Arabella, peering at Sirius' parchment. "Er—Sirius, it's too obvious that none of this is going to happen. You go to Azkaban because you betrayed James? That's ridiculous!"
"Maybe not." He shrugged. "Hey, I was running out of ideas! Let's see how you girls are going to bluff up the homework that Trelawney gave us."
"We don't have to," said Lily practically, as she joined them. "We finished it two days ago. And it's all accurate too."
"You understand what the mad woman's trying to make us do?" asked James, his mouth sagging open?
"Yeah. Even though it's all a bunch of nonsense, we still know how to do it." Violet rolled her eyes. "It's not that hard."
"All you do is choose the planet that's two squares away from the one you're doing," said Jennifer, trying not to laugh. "It wasn't too hard to figure out."
"What? How come we never knew that?"
"I told you, Sirius, but you wouldn't listen," sighed Remus, shaking his head.
"You mean you finished too?" asked James furiously. "And you never told us how to do it?"
"I tried," said Remus, shrugging. "You two wouldn't listen, though."
"We would too!" exclaimed Sirius, pretending to look "injured".
"You said it was a bunch of crap," he said seriously.
James' eyes widened and he put his hand on Remus' mouth. "Sh…don't say it, Remie."
"Thanks a lot, Remus," said Sirius sourly.
"Well, it is a bunch of crap," admitted Jennifer, trying to save her boyfriend from getting killed.
"Well, I'm glad you think so, Jen, because it's the truth," said Sirius proudly. The other three girls rolled their eyes.
Lily and James were off in their own worlds again. It happened quite frequently, now that they started to have those dreams about Harry again. When James looked over Lily, his stomach lurched. It had been two years since they've known each other, and they were already in their third year. He thought of Lily as a friend now, not someone he hated. Of course, it was a ridiculous notion, for Lily hated him, and he still didn't like her too much to be her friend. No…he wasn't ready just yet to become friends with Lily.
"Hello? Earth to Lily and James Potter!" said Sirius, waving his hand in front of their faces.
Both turned extremely red. "We're not Lily and James Potter."
"Then who are you?"
"Lily Evans and James Potter."
"You mean Lily soon-to-be-Potter and James Potter."
James sighed, exasperated, and Lily rolled her eyes.
"Talk about idiots," she muttered.
"James!" exclaimed Sirius suddenly, scrambling to his feet. "We—have to work on the potion."
The girls gave them quizzical looks as James' face went white. He dragged the other three boys with them to their dormitory, while Jennifer raised her eyebrows.
"Do you guys have a feeling they're not telling us something?"
"I always have that feeling with them," said Arabella, rolling her eyes.
"Probably doing something against the school rules…again," said Lily, bored. "Is it ever surprising, Jenny? They're born troublemakers."
"Yeah…but I have a feeling that they're doing something, well, illegal," said Jennifer uneasily. "I'm going to spy on them."
"Whatever you say, Jen," said Violet, staring off into space.
"Are any of you coming with me?" asked Jennifer incredulously. Her face fell when the three other girls shook their heads.
"What's the point?" asked Arabella lazily. "They're probably plotting their next prank on Snape."
Jennifer left and returned five minutes later, her face looking disappointed.
"Well, what did you learn?" asked Lily, her nose buried in Hogwarts, A History.
"Nothing," she replied grumpily. "Even Remie wouldn't tell me anything, and he always tells me something about what they plan. They all told me to go away and mind my own business when I asked."
"Potter's going to be in for it," said Lily, through gritted teeth. "Oh, how I'd love to get my hands on that ego of his and shrink it so he'll feel so ashamed of himself that he'll—"
"Lils, I'm surprised at you! After actually staying at his house over the summer and sharing a bed with him, you still hate him?" Arabella put on a surprised face. "How could you?"
"First of all, Belle, I did not share a bed with James Henry Potter. Second of all, I—"
"What's this about Jamie-boy's middle name?" asked Sirius curiously, as the boys came into the common room.
"What's it to you, Black?" snapped Jennifer. "You're the ones who kicked me out when I was just wondering what you were doing."
"Yeah—um, that's what we—er—came here to talk to you about." Sirius shifted nervously and glanced over to Remus.
"Jenny, you know I'm a"—he kept his voice down—"a werewolf."
"Yeah?" Jennifer was squinting at the foursome suspiciously.
"So—the guys decided to do something to help me," he continued nervously. "And—well—" He stared around at his three friends. "Guys, I can't do this."
"Then don't," said James, stepping forward. "Look, girls, we'll tell you when we're ready, but what we're doing is really dangerous, and we can't have you know just yet."
Lily, Arabella, and Violet shrugged, but Jennifer still looked between the four.
"Why can't you tell us?" she asked, biting her lip. "Is it that important that you can't even tell your friends?"
"Look, Jen, we don't really care," said Arabella, standing up. "When they're ready, they can tell us, but for now, just let it go."
"You know, Remus means a lot to me," continued Jennifer, ignoring Arabella. "If you don't tell me what's wrong with him…"
"There's nothing wrong with him!" said Sirius quickly. "You know, we're just trying to help him during his transformations and—" He clapped his hand over his mouth in horror.
"You're trying to keep a werewolf in check?" asked Jennifer in disbelief. "You could get killed!"
"Jen," said Lily softly, also stepping forward. "They're big boys, they can handle whatever they're going to do."
"I know, but they're so foolish, and Remus could bite any of them…" She trailed off, and ran to the girls' dormitory, tears spilling from her eyes.
Arabella rounded on the four boys like an angry hippogriff. "Thanks a bunch, you two." She, along with the other two girls, ran up to comfort Jennifer.
Remus stared at his friends, his eyes blank. "Now she hates me," he said bluntly.
"Remus, Jen will get over it," said James, trying to feel as confident as he sounded. "Er—it just needs time, like with Sirius and Bella."
"They were different," he said quietly. "Jenny, she can be stubborn sometimes."
James laughed uncomfortably. "Sirius and Bella are more stubborn than anyone we've known."
"I know. But still."
"We know, Remus. We'll help Jennifer understand."
-
"Those bloody prats," growled Arabella, putting her arm around Jennifer. "Why, I ought to kill 'em all. Especially that bloody Remus, oh how he'll get it…"
"Bells," said Lily sternly. "Jen doesn't need this now."
"R-Remus, w-why won't he t-tell me w-what they're up t-to?" sobbed Jennifer.
"Because he's a bloody prat," said Arabella bitterly. Lily glared at her.
"Maybe it's too important for them to tell us, Jenny. You know how they are, secretive about everything. Besides, we can't know everything about their personal lives; they're bound to have some privacy." She chuckled weakly.
Jennifer sniffed and wiped her eyes, smiling. "You're right Lily. I shouldn't be moping around here, crying my eyes out for my own selfish reasons. Remus is a sweet guy; how can I ever dump him just because he won't tell me what he and his friends are up to? Oh, I'm so ashamed!" She buried her face in her arms, very red.
"Don't worry, Jen, Remus is the good sort," said Lily comfortingly, "he'll forgive your little outburst."
"Thanks Lil, I'm going to go and find him."
Then everything ended just fine for both thirteen-year-olds.
***
Winter had arrived, and the eight teenagers often huddled near the fire when they did their homework. On this particular night, however, Arabella Figg was completely fed up with her life.
"Maybe I'll burn myself like they did in the Witch Burnings of the Sixteenth Century," she said gloomily.
"You're thirteen and you want to commit suicide?" asked James in disbelief. He was sitting next to the fire (literally) and reading 101 Ways to Improve Your Quidditch Skills.
"I just can't wait until the holidays," she said, looking depressed.
"Mum is actually letting me stay for the holidays," said Lily, looking cheerful.
James groaned. "I'm staying too. That means I have to be with you for two weeks?"
"How pleasant," said Lily sarcastically, sinking into her chair again. "Well, I still have to finish my Charms essay."
"Are you kidding me?" asked James incredulously. "You already have two rolls of parchment! How much more do you have to write?"
"You see, Potter, this is why you're failing Charms," said Lily practically, scribbling on her parchment. "You never go the extra mile."
"What mile? Is this some sort of race?"
Jennifer and Arabella both slapped their foreheads at the boys' confused faces. "Daft," they both muttered.
"It's a figure of speech," said Lily, rolling her eyes. "Going the extra mile means doing more than required."
"Oh…well, in that case, no, I never run the extra mile," said James, obviously still confused. Arabella burst out laughing.
"So this is how daft you've become!" she exclaimed, chuckling.
Lily smiled, shaking her head. What idiots for friends I have, she thought. Poor Potter – though he does look kind of cute when he's confused. Yeah, I think this is from lack of sleep.
-
Lily was twisting and turning as she tried to sleep. Suddenly, the world became blissful for her as she dreamed she was bouncing on clouds, and she sat up straight, drenched in sweat.
"I have to go back to sleep…" she mumbled to herself thickly, as she drifted to sleep again.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off…"
It was the sound of James panicking and Lily crying as a jet of green light burst through and James hit the floor, dead.
"JAMES!" Lily screamed, jumping out of bed. Arabella, Jennifer, and Violet woke up, their eyes wide.
"Lily? What's wrong?"
"James…he's dead…he's dead…" mumbled Lily. "He's dead, I have to go see him. He protected me and Harry, and he's dead."
The three other girls exchanged dark glances at each other.
"It was only a dream, Lily," said Arabella quietly. "Maybe you should go see Dumbledore again—"
"Good idea, Bells, I'll do that," said Lily quickly, and tore out of bed. In the common room sat James, wide-eyed.
"James? What are you doing here?" James turned around, surprised to see Lily.
"Lily? What are you doing here?"
"I had a dream," they both said in unison.
Lily stared at him. "James—you're alive," she choked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, confused. "You're alive."
"And I'm supposed to be dead?"
"I had a dream about you trying to protect Harry and then…dying, trying to risk your life saving him."
"I had a dream about you trying to hold off the wizard who killed us and give me time to take a run for it with Harry."
James held on to Lily tightly. "Look, Lily, we're both alive, and that's a good thing. Now, let's get back to bed before we fall asleep in Transfiguration tomorrow."
Lily chuckled. "Let's."
"Lils, are you okay?" asked Arabella, as she nearly pounced on her best friend. "You—you just disappeared and I was so worried and…"
"It's all right, Bella, I'm fine," said Lily, getting choked by her friend. "Now, if you'd let go of me…"
"Oh—right," said Arabella, blushing.
-
The next day, Lily and James weren't talking. They had just had an intimate talk last night, and James had gotten himself his very first girlfriend, not counting Deanna. He had finally noticed how many girls there were at Hogwarts, he told Sirius, and how many he'd have to go through to find his "true" girlfriend. Lily was furious about what he had said, and didn't talk to him for the rest of the week. She hated Melissa Andrews, the girl James was currently "dating".
"He chose that little idiot after all the nice girls he could have chosen," said Lily furiously. "What about Lucieta Samson? She's in Ravenclaw and the nicest girl ever!"
"James is an idiot, Lily, what's said is said," said Arabella practically. "He only goes through the idiotic girls in this school and would never look at someone like poor Lucy twice. I wish he'd look at you like he looks at Andrews, Lily. You're perfect for someone with a big ego like him."
Lily laughed bitterly. "I would never want James Potter to look at me that way. Who'd marry him anyway?"
"Well, you did," admitted Jennifer, trying to look for her wand.
"Who knows, maybe he finally grew up when I married him."
"James Potter, grown up?" exclaimed Violet, surprised. "What madness is this?"
"Good job, Vi!" cried Jennifer in approval. "Let's claim this day as 'Speak-Ill-of-James-Potter' Day!"
Lily snorted. "You guys are such dorks."
Jennifer, Violet, and Arabella linked arms. "Aren't we though? Dorks and proud of it!"
Lily laughed.
***
"Hey Lily, can I talk to you?" asked James nervously. He knew that Lily was furious with him and was afraid to "liven" her up, as Sirius called it.
"No," said Lily angrily. "Go away Potter."
James grinned. "Oh, touchy. Come on Evans, you can't hide away from me forever."
"Oh, yes I can," said Lily defiantly. She pushed him away and walked off to her next class—Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Hey! Wait! I haven't finished yet!" Lily heard James calling her, but she ignored him completely. Why would she want to talk to him? He had the biggest ego in the world, not to mention having about groups of twenty girls swarming him every day. She was sick of it all.
"Why would I want you to finish?" she asked him coldly, as James caught up with her. "You have the biggest ego out of every male there is in this school, and you take advantage of all the girls who swarm around you. What's your problem?"
"Lily, I—"
"Stay away from me, James Potter. I don't want to be involved with players like you. Who knows, maybe I'll be in one of those traps of yours like all those other girls." She swung her bag over her shoulder and entered the classroom.
"Am I late, Professor?" she asked, ignoring James' feeble protests.
"No, no, Lily, you're right on time," replied Professor Wickham, smiling at his student. "Now, where is Mr. Potter—?"
As if right on cue, James burst into the classroom. "Professor," he gasped. "I—I hope I'm on time."
"Yes, James, right on time. However, I would advise you and Ms. Evans to maybe arrive a little earlier next time." His eyes twinkled as he winked at Lily and James as they sat down.
"Yes, Professor," said Lily politely. James grunted and took his seat beside Sirius, while Lily sat next to Arabella.
"Where were you?" mouthed Arabella, as Lily sat down.
"I'll tell you later," Lily mouthed back.
As class started, Lily took her dutiful notes as usual, while Arabella slept (as usual). Remus was too absorbed in his note taking, and Peter too absorbed in sleeping, to notice Sirius and James' serious (no pun intended) conversation.
"What was that all about?" whispered Sirius, as he took some random notes about goblin rebellions.
James was trying his best to avoid the topic. "Sirius, why are you writing about goblin rebellions?" he asked hastily. "This is Defense Against the Dark Arts, not the History of Magic class."
"What—oh! Well, you know, all the notes are the same, so you may as well say the same thing," said Sirius complacently. "Now, about you and Lily…"
"She won't listen to me," confessed James. "She totally hates me."
"She's always hated you, Jamie-boy," hissed Sirius, rolling his eyes.
"She's disliked me, not hated me," corrected James.
"You even said it was the same thing." Sirius' voice was dripping with sarcasm and boredom.
"Well, I don't blame her," said Sirius, surprising James. "I mean, you totally ignored her today at breakfast when you guys had your little 'conversation' last night. Then you called her a you-know-what, and I would be upset about it, too."
"I apologized," argued James.
"So? You're not acting like you're sorry, James."
"You sound like you're on her side," said James grumpily.
"That's because I am on her side, Jamie." Sirius' voice was very serious now and very unlike his usual playful tone.
Across the other side of the room, Lily and Arabella were having their own note-passing conversation (Lily had pointedly refused to talk in whispers).
You can't stay mad at James forever, Lily.
Oh yes I can, Bells. I can stay mad at him until the end of the world.
But Lily, if you stay mad at him forever, what about Harry? He'll never be born! And it's his destiny to live in this world.
::sigh:: Yeah, you're right, Bella, but…I just can't forgive him now. Do you know what that idiot called me?
What?
Five words, begins with a 'b'.
He didn't!
He did.
Why, that little…
Sh! Bella, quiet!
Why? This is written on paper, Lily, not said out loud. ::rolls eyes::
Yeah, you're right. Hey, Wickham is looking our way. Let's ditch this paper.
That would be a very good idea.
"I'm dying to know what they've written about," said James eagerly, as the bell rang. He grabbed the piece of parchment that the girls carelessly threw in the wastebasket and read it, dropping it back afterwards.
"What did it say?" asked Sirius curiously, looking from the basket to James' red face.
"Evans told Arabella what I told Lily," said James, shaking with anger. "Why, that little—"
"James, you've been treating Lily horribly," said Remus quietly. "Tomorrow is the first day of the holidays, and I suggest you go apologize to her."
"No way will I spoil my first day of the holidays apologizing to her."
"Come on, four-eyes, give in." They turned around to see Arabella glaring at all four of them.
"You hate me now," said James bluntly.
"No." He turned to look at her, surprised. "You just don't get it yet, James Potter. I know you'll give in to Lily someday, and do whatever she wants, but not yet. You need time, James. Time is what's pushing you and Lily farther than you should be." With that said, she left without another word.
"That girl really never ceases to amaze me," commented James, still dazed after Bella left.
"Yeah, isn't she great?" asked Sirius dreamily. "I am so glad she's my girlfriend. We belong together; I know it."
"So does the rest of the school, Sirius."
Sirius whacked James in the head. "Hey, shut it Potter. I have a proper girlfriend, unlike that Melissa Andrews. What were you thinking, dating something like her?"
James shrugged. "I'm planning to dump her tomorrow anyway. Bella is right, Sirius. The only thing that's standing between Lily and me is time. And I'm not going to let it stand there forever."
***
Lily was awake early the next day. Christmas was in one week and she would spend it without her family. Of course, she was slightly unhappy that her parents wouldn't be there, but joyous that Petunia wouldn't. And none of her friends had left for the holidays, which was a good thing, for they could spend it all together.
"I'm glad—and surprised—to see you up early, Bella," she said, grinning, as her half-awake friend stared across the table. Lily looked over to see what she was staring at and saw Melissa Andrews crying by herself at the Hufflepuff table. She rolled her eyes and started to eat, ignoring the blue-eyed blonde crying her eyes out.
"I'll bet you Potter dumped her," she informed Arabella. "He could never keep a girlfriend, ever."
"I actually feel a bit bad for Andrews," said Arabella. She slapped her forehead and grinned stupidly at Lily. "I think I really needed that."
Lily rolled her eyes just when the rest of her friends and the Marauders entered the Great Hall.
"Oi! Potter!" she called, as he passed her seat. "I suppose even Melissa Andrews isn't good for you, huh? I guess you'll be going through the Slytherins next."
James glared at her and sat down next to Violet. "I didn't know she was that evil. I think Evans could pass for a Slytherin," he said, to no one in particular.
Violet gasped and glared at him, moving to a different spot. He heard Peter sigh audibly and looked around at everyone.
"Why is everyone so mad at me?" he asked Sirius.
"Because you've been acting like a great prat, James, no offense."
James turned to Sirius and said quietly, "I'm going to apologize to her right now."
He got up and walked to where Lily was sitting. Her three friends looked up and saw him towering over them, and nodded their heads, smiling. James cleared his throat just when he reached Lily, but Lily jumped up and ran out of the Great Hall. He sighed, and followed her, assuming that she went back to Gryffindor Tower.
"Password?" the Fat Lady asked as he approached the portrait, panting.
"Pig snout," he gasped, clutching his chest for breath.
He rushed up to the girls' dormitory where Lily was sitting on her bed, staring at nothing in particular.
"Lily, you have to forgive me," said James, a pleading look in his eyes. "I—I broke up with Melissa. I knew she wasn't the one for me, I just wanted to impress you."
Lily's head shot up and stared into his eyes. "To impress me?" she croaked. "Why?"
"I have no idea," admitted James. "I've been a great prat, I know, and I'm really sorry. Please forgive me."
Lily sighed. "I may as well, since you're giving me no peace at all. I forgive you."
"Thanks." James breathed a sigh of relief. "Friends?"
"In your dreams, Potter."
They walked into the Great Hall together, where their friends were eagerly discussing something in whispers. They grinned when they saw Lily and James standing next to each other.
"Are you guys friends?" asked Violet hopefully.
"Nope," they said in unison. "But we don't hate each other anymore."
"So do you like each other?" asked Sirius, confused.
"Nope."
"Then what are you guys?"
"We dislike each other," they said together. Everyone rolled their eyes and laughed.
"Well, I guess some things never change," said Arabella, looking hopeless.
"That's a good thing," replied Remus, grinning.
The six friends smiled at Lily and James chatting and arguing together, knowing that the two would give in…someday, if not now. And they would be in for a love story greater than life itself.
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all the characters that I didn't make up, etc. Yeah, I'm getting tired of writing this every single time, but that's just life, I suppose.
Yay! Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix arrives on June 21st! I'm counting the days until it's near…are you?
I know, this chapter was extremely odd, but what do you expect from me? I'm starting to hate the Silk Road project that we're doing in school now. I have two visuals to do and I have to make Tibetan clothing for myself, because my stupid group isn't cooperating. What's new in my life? *sigh*
Thank you to all my reviewers! ::bows:: But I would like some new reviews! I've only had thirty for the last three or four months. I want more! Come on, people, make my mood good! LOL!
Please read all my favorite stories! You won't be sorry *grin*