Just another sappy love story
I hate you.
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Disclaimer: Owns nothing.
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Fifteen year old Lily Evans strolled through Kings Cross happily. She was dressed in simplicity in a beige pair of cargo pants and a black tank top. Her red hair was pulled up into a ponytail and black shades rested on the bridge of her nose, sheltering her eyes from the glare of the sun.
"Lily! There you are! We've been looking all over for you!" a voice called out from behind.
She was tackled from behind in a rather big hug.
"Nikki! I missed you! Hi Gab, Bella," she grinned widely at the two other girls trailing behind.
Nikki Black was the twin sister of the infamous Sirius Black, and shared her brothers strikingly good looks, with long black hair and dark blue eyes.
"Hallo Lils, it's good to be back," another one of them quipped. Gab, or Gabrielle Xu, was a girl of mixed Japanese-Portugese descent, and had had simply exquisite features. Like Lily, her black hair was tied up in a ponytail and streaked with purple.
Bella grinned at her, and stopped to kiss a boy that had just walked past. The other three rolled their eyes. Bella was the typical party girl, with blonde hair and blue eyes, but contrary to popular belief, she was one of the brainiest students in school.
They walked down the aisle, past full compartments.
"This years gonna be so much fun," Lily said as she turned back to look at her friends, and walked head-first into someone.
She looked up into the brown-eyes of James Potter, irritation and anger in his eyes.
"Sorry James," she said, trying to brush past him.
"Watch where you're going Evans! I was walking here," James said tightly, blocking the path to the compartments.
Behind him, three boys had gathered. One, with black hair and blue eyes, was currently motioning to Nikki using crazy mixed hand signals.
"Snake...?" Nikki mouthed back. Sirius shook his head.
"Visited... Snape... Malfoy." Nikki mouthed. Sirius nodded.
Nikki's eyes widened. James had just got bested by Snape and Malfoy in their ongoing Slytherin-Gryffindor battle. It didn't happen often, but when it did, it was probably best to steer clear of him.
"Lily, we better go," Nikki muttered into Lily's ear.
"What do you mean you were walking here first! It isn't your aisle you know! I said I was sorry," Lily hissed huffily.
"Lily." Nikki muttered with more urgency. "James' angry, real angry... Snape and Malfoy..."
James narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, sorry doesn't cut it with me, I walk here, and when I walk here, you bloody well clear a path for me to walk."
Lily smirked at him. "Potter, I bloody didn't do anything wrong. What? Sore to be bested by Snape and Malfoy? That's your problem, not MINE. Now if you'll excuse me," she said fiercely, and tried to step past him.
"Hold it," James said calmly and grabbed her arm.
She shrugged it off angrily and glared at him.
"Watch out Evans. No ones gets the better of me and gets away with it." He released her arm and stepped brusquely past her.
Sirius walked past shaking his head. "That really did it Lils, he was really pissed off with Snivelly and Malfoy. It was just the best thing you could have done."
Nikki caught his sleeve. "Do something won't you?" She enquired. "Knowing James..."
Sirius shrugged. "I'll try, but he's a Potter."
Sirius walked into the compartment James had disappeared into, and Remus followed after him.
"I'd watch out if I were you," he said softly before he too went in.
Peter looked at her sympathetically before he followed after Remus.
"Great, I'm a gonner, oh, why did I have to go opening my mouth then?" Lily asked herself as they were seated in their compartment.
Nikki shrugged. "It depends if Sirius gets to talk him out of his mood. Honestly Lils, you know how James is when he comes back from an encounter with Snape and Malfoy... Especially when he's on the losing end."
"I know. But I'm sick of his ways. His ego is just so big. You can't walk here because I walk her. Watch it, this is MY place," she imitated James low tones, and burst out in a fit of laughter.
"Don't worry Lils, whatever happens, you'll still have us!" Gab said brightly as Bella nodded from her seat.
"Thanks guys."
Over at the Marauders compartment, a furious James was pacing around in the tiny space.
"Stop it Prongs, you're giving us all a headache," Sirius said irritably as he stared at James.
Peter was looking at James circling the compartment with a slightly dazed look, and his eyes were starting to cross. Remus looked out of the window quietly.
"I will not stop!" James said as he stopped and whipped around to face Sirius, his eyes a mass of thunderclouds. "Who does that bloody Evans think she is. As if she has any right to talk to me like that. She questions my actions, she's just as bad as Snivelly and Malfoy!" He half-yelled.
"Well, James, it was Snivelly and Malfoy who attacked you, not Evans. She just bumped into you on her way to the compartment," Sirius reasoned. "And well, you were acting like a bloody prat back there..." Sirius offered.
James narrowed his eyes at Sirius and resumed his pacing.
"Well, she did offer her apologies," Remus spoke up calmly.
But, James, absorbed in his fury, did not hear.
Half a year later.
Lily emerged from the girls dorms, swearing rather loudly.
"POTTER! You good-for-nothing-low-life-toad-faced-broom-head-four-eyes- prick! Get your disgusting ass down her right now!"
Bella lifted her head from her pillows as Gab and Nikki emerged from their beds. "It's too early in the morning for them to be yelling at each other," she muttered and closed her eyes.
James Potter emerged from the boys dorms and glared at her.
"What now Evans?" He yelled, then his mouth broke into a evil smile. "My, my, you look really becoming in that hair. Green is it? I heard that that's the 'in' colour now."
Lily glared up at him, her face framed by masses of bright green hair.
"Get it off Potter," she whispered ominously, "or you'll be very sorry."
"It does go rather well with your eyes, don't you think?" He replied airily to her furious outburst.
"ARGGHHHHH!" With a scream, she bounded up the stairs leading to the boys dorms and tackled James.
Owing to years of Quidditch practise, he caught her wrists with ease.
"What then Evans? Strangle me with your bare hands?" He smirked as he tightened his grip on her wrists.
"Let go of me!" Lily screamed furiously at him.
He smirked again and released his grip on her, returning to the dorms and slamming the door in her face.
"Potter! My hair!" Lily yelled at the door and pounded on it to no avail.
"Prongs! What did you do now? It's six in the morning and already she trying to trample the door down," Sirius murmured into his pillow.
"I have totally no idea what the fuss is about."
Later that day, Lily, with her normal gleaming red hair, and her friends took their usual seats in the DADA classroom. James with the other Marauders were seated at the last row of seats.
"Oww, Prongs, that looks painful," Sirius grimaced as James touched the purplish bruise under his eye.
"That bloody Evans! All I did was a little colour adjustment, she didn't need to go crazy like that!" He winced as he touched a tender spot.
"Well, you didn't have to provoke her," Remus said calmly as he read through his DADA textbook.
"Lily, what did you do to James?" Gab asked quietly, her eyes shining with amusement.
"Nothing, it was just a little punch anyway. And his name's not James, it's Potter," Lily replied cheerily.
"Ouch! It must have hurt like hell," Nikki turned to survey the Marauders and gave Sirius a little wave.
"Serves him right for turning my hair green," Lily muttered.
"He did change it back didn't he?" Bella said. " So why the need for violence?"
"Well, he did change it back, but only after I punched him."
They broke into peals of laughter.
"Settle down people," the DADA professor, Professor White said as he strode in.
"Now, would you like to share the joke with me?" He asked as he stared at the four girls in amusement.
"Ok, everyone here, none dead or missing?" He grimaced as his gaze landed on James.
"Ouch... James, what happened?" He asked in amusement.
"Don't ask," James muttered.
White shrugged his shoulders and waved his wand. The bruise on James face disappeared.
"Today we will have a written paper, which contributes 30% to your mid-year assessment. 35% will each go to project work and practical tests," he announced as he started distributing the question scripts. "People who do exceptionally well for this assessment will be able to get an auror's scholarship for training during your sixth and seventh year here."
At the back of the class, James and Sirius perked up in their seats.
"Oh man, I'm gonna get that scholarship," James and Sirius said in unison.
Nikki grinned and thumped Lily on the back. Lily smirked at her.
"This is the perfect opportunity to get back at Potter for once and for all," she murmured quietly.
Her three friends looked at her strangely but before they had a chance to speak, the test had started.
After the test, they strolled along one of the many hallways in Hogwarts.
"Damn! I got 5 wrong. Did you hear Sirius and James talk about it, they totally killed my chances of getting that scholarship!" Nikki moaned as she walked along with them.
"Not if I have my way with it," Lily said quietly and smiled at them.
"You guys go on first, I'll catch up with you in the Great Hall."
"Lils," Nikki caught her as she turned. "Don't do anything stupid ok? This means a lot to both of them."
Lily shrugged and ran down the corridor back to where they came from. She crept silently towards Professor White's quarters and crouched low behind a desk. Moments later, the sound of footsteps approached and receded, announcing White's departure to the Great Hall for lunch. Lily quickly unlocked the door and stepped into the room, scanning the room quickly for any signs of movements. As predicted, no one was there. She hurried over to the pile of papers as flipped through them, coming to rest on a script: James Potter.
She thumbed through his paper and felt rather envious at the quality work he had handed up.
Just as Lily was about to start her work, words floated in her mind.
"Don't do anything stupid... Means a lot to the both of them," Nikki's voice resounded in her head.
"I'm sorry," Lily whispered. "This is for everything you've put me through."
With that, she erased everything from the paper and silently left the office.
The next day, there was an air of excitement hanging over the DADA classroom, as Professor White handed back the marked scripts.
"Easy, I'm gonna ace this test," James announced from the back of the class.
"I wouldn't count on it Potter," Lily spoke up as she turned to face him.
"And I supposed you're gonna be the one to win me?" He retorted snidely.
Lily laughed and turned back to her seat.
"That's odd," James said. "I've never seen her so happy when she's talking to me."
There was a loud whoop from beside him as Sirius got back his paper. "90%, Prongs my boy. Beat that!"
Beside him, Remus held up a script with a red 87% on it, while Peter was silently looking over his script.
"Not that bad," he remarked. "80%. Not bad at all."
James waited in anticipation for his script, confident of beating Sirius' score.
"Now, class, everyone generally did quite well for the written part. Sirius, Lily, Nikki and Arabella have high chances of getting the scholarship after what they have proven so far."
Lily, Bella and Nikki grinned as they slapped each other high-fives.
"Now, James, on the other hand, might do well to inform us why he handed up a clean script," White remarked drily as he held up a scroll of parchment with only the words James Potter on it.
James was lost for words. "I-I err... Excuse me," he muttered as he grabbed his bag and left hurriedly.
After class, the four girls were walking unhurriedly down the corridor.
"Strange how James handed in a blank paper huh?" Bella asked suddenly.
Lily smiled.
"Lily, did you have anything to do with this?" Nikki asked her tightly. They had stopped at the corridor and the three girls had turned to face Lily.
"Well..." Lily started.
"I can't believe you Lils! No wait, Evans. How could you do this. Did you know how much this meant to him. Did you?" Nikki shouted at her friend. Lily shook her head slowly.
"Well, I guessed not. He's been harping about being the world's best auror since he was about five. He was over at Sirius and my house and he went on and on about how being an auror would mean to him. How could you Lily? How could you do this to him?" Nikki finished quietly. Her eyes pained.
"It was payback... for all the things he did to me," Lily said quietly. "Did you even know how I felt."
"Lily, I can't believe you would resort to such trickery just to get back at a few pranks," her voice still unnaturally quiet. "I'm disgusted."
With that, she turned and left. Bella searched her face and shook her head. She too, left after Nikki. Gab followed after her without a single glance back.
Lily burst into tears and slid onto the floor.
"How could you," a low voice said.
She looked up and stared at James who was behind a pillar. He eyes, which normally held anger or irritation when he saw her was no a mix of pain and hurt.
"How could you do this to me Evans?" James said as he walked towards her, and finally stopped when he stood over her.
"From now on, I no longer know anyone by the name of Lily Evans." With that, he turned and left, leaving Lily to sob quietly into her hands.
At dinner that night, she spotted Nikki, Bella and Gab sitting at the Gryffindor table. She walked towards them hesitantly.
"Hi guys," she said uncertainly.
Conversation stopped and the three looked up at her. Nikki immediately resumed eating.
"Can I join you?" She asked timidly.
Still there was silence.
"Please guys..." Her voice on the verge of pleading.
Bella looked at her sympathetically. "I'm afraid not Lily. Not now."
Lily looked at Gab, but she too had resumed eating and did not glance her way.
She sighed and left the table.
Nikki and Gab looked at her as she left, both wearing identical looks of sorrow.
"I miss her," Bella said quietly into her mashed potatoes.
"We all do, but until she does the right thing, I'm afraid there's nothing that will help her."
Lily slowly made her way to the place the Marauders were occupying, which was for once, quiet and empty of simpering girls.
"What do you want Evans?" Sirius said angrily as she approached. "Haven't you already done enough to ruin our lives? To think you'd stoop as low as that. Gosh, you're worse than the Slytherins."
Remus was quietly eating his dinner, while Peter was looking petrified at the possibility of a fight.
"I just wanted to apologize," Lily answered.
"Apologizing just isn't gonna help this time you know!" Sirius said tightly.
James looked up from his dinner.
"Sirius, who're you talking to?" He asked, staring at his friend in confusion.
"Evans," Sirius said.
"Who's that?" James asked curiously. "Do I know her?"
"But James," Sirius replied. "Aren't you pissed?"
"What for? I have no reason to be pissed at someone I don't know," James replied in a monotone and resumed eating.
Lily fled from the Great Hall and charged up the staircase, tears leaking freely from her eyes. She headed towards the owlry. It was unlikely that anyone would find her here.
After what seemed like eternity, the tears had dried up. It was already dark, and the sky was twinkling with stars.
'Looks like its after curfew,' Lily thought to herself, grimacing at the prospect of being caught by Filch after hours, and the idea of going back to her dorms where her friends were weighed heavily in her heart.
She jumped as she heard the sound of someone stepping into the owlry and whirled around to face the person. It was Remus.
He walked towards her and leaned onto the window sill.
"It's a nice night. Don't you think so too, Lily?" Remus asked quietly, his eyes closed and slightly tilted to catch the night breeze.
"Look there. That's the Southern star," he said, pointing to a bright star twinkling at the horizon. "It is said that when the southern star shines, your guardian angel is looking out for you right now, and nothing can go wrong."
Lily stared at him. "What do you want Remus? Go on, shout at me. That's what everyone has been doing to me today," she said bitterly.
Remus opened an eye and glanced at her. "Lily, Lily, not everything can be solved by just shouting... You know what you should do don't you? I always knew you were a level-headed person," he murmured and turned to leave.
Lily let him walk to the edge of the owlry then blurted, "what should I do now Remus? Everyone hates me."
He stopped and turned. "Don't you already know?"
With that he quirked a small smile. "Don't stay up to late Lily. It's cold up here, and Filch is making his rounds around school. Good night." And he left.
'What now...' Lily sat on the sill thinking with her eyes closed, letting the breeze play gently on her forehead.
Close to two in the morning, Lily left the owlry and set off towards the dark DADA corridor, her mouth a grim line of determination.
"So, you mean, you woke me up in the middle of the night just to tell me you set James up?" Professor White asked in confusion as he sat facing Lily. He was wearing stripped robes and a rich blue night-cap.
Lily nodded silently.
"I don't get it," White insisted. "YOU erased James script?"
Lily nodded again, her head sinking lower and lower each time until it rested on her chest.
"I don't believe it. Lily, how could you? What happened to all that responsibility and all those that you were so well-known for? Goody-two- shoes? Workaholic? Hello?" White said, getting more agitated by the minute.
"I'm sorry Professor," Lily whispered.
"So," White said as he leaned back into his chair. "What do you want me to do now?" He surveyed Lily.
Lily looked up at him. "Please give Potter another chance at the test."
White raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Just like that. That's not easy Lily. How would I know if the two of you were in collaboration and that James had been revising all this while after getting the questions?"
Lily gulped. "Ermm... Ahh, I would like you," she swallowed nervously again, but went on more confidently. "Please Professor, please give him another chance even if it means forfeiting my own test."
White leaned forward and steepled his fingers, staring hard at her. "So, you're saying that if I allow James a retake, your script would become void."
Lily nodded.
"Are you sure about this Lily? You obtained the highest score in class you know? A 97% is quite hard to come by," White asked.
"Yes Professor, I'm very sure," Lily said resolutely but sadly.
"Very well then. Good night Lily. I won't take points off, just this once. No detention either," Professor White said.
Lily nodded at him and left. Once outside, she slid down the wall and sat on the floor, sobbing quietly into her hands. 'I can't take this.'
The next morning, Nikki woke up.
"Guys, time to wake up now. We're almost late," she mumbled sleepily.
"Come on guys?? WAKE UP. Bella, Gab, Li-" she stopped abruptly.
She shuffled slowly to the bathroom and started to prepare for the day ahead. 'Oh boy, this is gonna be a rather long and tiring day.'
The whole day, Lily sat apart from her friends and classes that had previously been filled with chatter, laughter and bickering from the Marauders and the girls were now unusually subdued and quiet. This occasioned a few comments from the many stunned teachers.
"My, my, I've never heard your class so quiet before," Professor McGonagall had commented earlier that day, as she surveyed the class from behind her half-moon specs halfway through the classroom.
"I must say it's a rather nice change from your usual noisiness, but the silence has become quite unnerving," she continued, concern etched into her features.
"Mr Potter, are you well," she asked as her gaze landed on James. He had his head propped on his hands and was turning a matchstick into a blue mouse instead of the matchstick into a goblet as McGonagall had been teaching. "Your lack of concentration is startling me. Why, this must be the first time I've seen below-par work from you."
James was startled from his reverie. "Of course I'm fine Professor, I've never felt better in my entire life," he said dully.
When the final class came, everyone shuffled lazily into the DADA classroom. Sirius shot Lily a very dirty look before hurrying after James to their seats at the back of the class. Peter and Lily's friends were already seated. As Lily was about to enter the class, Remus caught her sleeve.
"Did you do it Lily?" Remus asked quietly, a small smile playing on his lips.
Lily sighed heavily. "Yea, I did. But it was worse than I thought. I had to forego my entire written paper just to allow Potter a chance to retake."
"Don't fret over it Lily. Remember the Southern star. One good turn deserves another, Lily."
As class was nearing to an end, Professor White put away his books.
"Aren't we in a right mood today?" He asked cheerily trying to lighten the somber atmosphere in the classroom.
"Okayy," he rubbed his hands together. "Ahh well, I suppose we do need a break once in a while. Class is dismissed early today. James, please stay back for a while."
"What for?" Sirius whispered to James as the other students left the classroom.
"Have no idea," James replied. "Wait for me in the Great Hall. Dinner."
"James," White said in a friendly manner after the classroom had been cleared. "I suppose you know this has something to do about your mid-term paper."
James nodded slowly.
"Well, owing to certain circumstances, I'm allowing you a chance to retake the test. Now."
"Prof, any special reason to do so?" James asked suspiciously.
"No, I don't."
James' eyes started to light up in happiness as he was handed the paper.
"Two hours. No more."
A mentally exhausted but ecstatic James Potter emerged from the DADA classrooms close to seven at night and set off for the Great Hall, whistling.
'I might still be able to catch the last bit of dinner.'
"Prongs! What happened," Sirius asked curiously as James seated himself at their usual seats in the Great Hall.
"I got to retake the paper! YESSS!" He replied happily, and punched his fist into the air.
"That true? I didn't know you could retake it," Peter asked.
"I didn't know either. Well, my lucky stars must be shining on me tonight! I'm famished," James said around a mouthful of food.
The door to the Great Hall opened and shut again, the soft noise echoing loudly around the near-to-empty Great Hall. The four Marauders looked up to see Lily walking softly towards the Great Hall, misery painted on her face. She seated herself at the far end of the shadows and began eating.
"Well, if you don't mind, please excuse me," James said evilly as he stood up.
"Ahh, Evans, glad to see you there," he said loudly so that the other Marauders would hear their conversation.
Sirius smirked at the rest of the Marauders. "Give her what she deserves."
Remus, to the surprise of the other two Marauders, had put his head in his hands and started shaking his head.
"What do you want Potter," Lily said quietly as she helped herself to the roast chicken. "I'm really glad you could retake the test, please leave me alone."
A flash of irritation crossed James face. "Yea, no thanks to you Evans. Now, I've got the scholarship and my friends, while you've got nothing. Isn't life just sparkling?" He said nastily, expecting a testy reply from Lily.
But, he was surprised when she said nothing, stood up and pushed her way past him, causing him to stumble backwards and ran out of the Great Hall, leaving her barely touched meal behind.
He sauntered back to the Marauders table and plonked himself down in his seat. "Well, not what I expected. A snappish remark maybe? Put Evans has just gone as quiet as the grave."
He exchanged high-fives with Sirius.
"Way to go Prongs," Remus muttered quietly.
James raised his eyebrow at Remus. "What do you mean Moony?"
"What I mean is, couldn't you cut Lily some slack? Did you know why you could retake the paper?"
James shook his head slowly.
"Well, my dear friends, let me enlighten you. Lily went to see White yesterday night and got him to let you retake the paper."
James looked at him. "So? Isn't that the least she could do? She screwed up my chances Moony! So, naturally, SHE should be the one the right it!" He yelled.
"Prongs, you don't get it. She exchanged her marks for your paper," Remus replied softly to James outburst.
James rolled his eyes at Sirius. "So what if she gets a little punishment. Isn't that what she wanted to do to me in the first place?" He muttered.
"Well, yea, but considering that this means so much to her... If you get what I mean..." Remus trailed off, looking at James.
"What now?" James asked snappishly.
"Remember in our third year... 'Muggle ministry official George Evans and his wife Yvonne were killed as Dark wizards stormed the Muggle ministry in one of their raids to take over the Muggle world. 21st September'," he quoted from the Daily Prophet. "Well, what was unusual about this was that Voldemort himself took part in the raid. Or, to put it in simpler terms... Lily's parents were killed by Voldemort himself." He looked at James calmly.
The colour drained from James' face. He himself knew how it felt. After all, his parents had been murdered in the same way by Voldemort a few years back. He remembered only too clearly seeing their dead bodies spread-eagled on the floor, shock painted on their features. And he remembered the cold fury that had overcome him then. Revenge.
"Great," James head plonked into his hand. "What did I just do..." he moaned softly to himself. "Guys... I'm going up first. See you." He turned and ran out of the Great Hall.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good," James panted as he unearthed an old scroll of parchment from the boys messy dorms, and again, set off at a run, startling Bella as she walked into the common room.
Minutes later, he arrived at the Astronomy Tower. Sure enough, muffled sobs could be heard from within. He tiptoed into the room.
Lily was standing on the narrow sill, facing outwards, her eyes closed.
"Evans," James spoke out.
"What do you want Potter. Come to make my life more miserable?" She mumbled in a wavering voice, taking a small step to the edge.
"Come down from there Evans. A gust of wind could sweep you off your feet," James said.
"Go away Potter. I hate you," Lily whispered softly and took a step forward, disappearing immediately from view.
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Well that's' that. My rather first fanfic in quite a long long time. It's just a sample para, see how its received before I do post more. Anyway, I'm busy with my exams, so it could be a rather long while before I can come on.
I hate you.
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Disclaimer: Owns nothing.
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Fifteen year old Lily Evans strolled through Kings Cross happily. She was dressed in simplicity in a beige pair of cargo pants and a black tank top. Her red hair was pulled up into a ponytail and black shades rested on the bridge of her nose, sheltering her eyes from the glare of the sun.
"Lily! There you are! We've been looking all over for you!" a voice called out from behind.
She was tackled from behind in a rather big hug.
"Nikki! I missed you! Hi Gab, Bella," she grinned widely at the two other girls trailing behind.
Nikki Black was the twin sister of the infamous Sirius Black, and shared her brothers strikingly good looks, with long black hair and dark blue eyes.
"Hallo Lils, it's good to be back," another one of them quipped. Gab, or Gabrielle Xu, was a girl of mixed Japanese-Portugese descent, and had had simply exquisite features. Like Lily, her black hair was tied up in a ponytail and streaked with purple.
Bella grinned at her, and stopped to kiss a boy that had just walked past. The other three rolled their eyes. Bella was the typical party girl, with blonde hair and blue eyes, but contrary to popular belief, she was one of the brainiest students in school.
They walked down the aisle, past full compartments.
"This years gonna be so much fun," Lily said as she turned back to look at her friends, and walked head-first into someone.
She looked up into the brown-eyes of James Potter, irritation and anger in his eyes.
"Sorry James," she said, trying to brush past him.
"Watch where you're going Evans! I was walking here," James said tightly, blocking the path to the compartments.
Behind him, three boys had gathered. One, with black hair and blue eyes, was currently motioning to Nikki using crazy mixed hand signals.
"Snake...?" Nikki mouthed back. Sirius shook his head.
"Visited... Snape... Malfoy." Nikki mouthed. Sirius nodded.
Nikki's eyes widened. James had just got bested by Snape and Malfoy in their ongoing Slytherin-Gryffindor battle. It didn't happen often, but when it did, it was probably best to steer clear of him.
"Lily, we better go," Nikki muttered into Lily's ear.
"What do you mean you were walking here first! It isn't your aisle you know! I said I was sorry," Lily hissed huffily.
"Lily." Nikki muttered with more urgency. "James' angry, real angry... Snape and Malfoy..."
James narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, sorry doesn't cut it with me, I walk here, and when I walk here, you bloody well clear a path for me to walk."
Lily smirked at him. "Potter, I bloody didn't do anything wrong. What? Sore to be bested by Snape and Malfoy? That's your problem, not MINE. Now if you'll excuse me," she said fiercely, and tried to step past him.
"Hold it," James said calmly and grabbed her arm.
She shrugged it off angrily and glared at him.
"Watch out Evans. No ones gets the better of me and gets away with it." He released her arm and stepped brusquely past her.
Sirius walked past shaking his head. "That really did it Lils, he was really pissed off with Snivelly and Malfoy. It was just the best thing you could have done."
Nikki caught his sleeve. "Do something won't you?" She enquired. "Knowing James..."
Sirius shrugged. "I'll try, but he's a Potter."
Sirius walked into the compartment James had disappeared into, and Remus followed after him.
"I'd watch out if I were you," he said softly before he too went in.
Peter looked at her sympathetically before he followed after Remus.
"Great, I'm a gonner, oh, why did I have to go opening my mouth then?" Lily asked herself as they were seated in their compartment.
Nikki shrugged. "It depends if Sirius gets to talk him out of his mood. Honestly Lils, you know how James is when he comes back from an encounter with Snape and Malfoy... Especially when he's on the losing end."
"I know. But I'm sick of his ways. His ego is just so big. You can't walk here because I walk her. Watch it, this is MY place," she imitated James low tones, and burst out in a fit of laughter.
"Don't worry Lils, whatever happens, you'll still have us!" Gab said brightly as Bella nodded from her seat.
"Thanks guys."
Over at the Marauders compartment, a furious James was pacing around in the tiny space.
"Stop it Prongs, you're giving us all a headache," Sirius said irritably as he stared at James.
Peter was looking at James circling the compartment with a slightly dazed look, and his eyes were starting to cross. Remus looked out of the window quietly.
"I will not stop!" James said as he stopped and whipped around to face Sirius, his eyes a mass of thunderclouds. "Who does that bloody Evans think she is. As if she has any right to talk to me like that. She questions my actions, she's just as bad as Snivelly and Malfoy!" He half-yelled.
"Well, James, it was Snivelly and Malfoy who attacked you, not Evans. She just bumped into you on her way to the compartment," Sirius reasoned. "And well, you were acting like a bloody prat back there..." Sirius offered.
James narrowed his eyes at Sirius and resumed his pacing.
"Well, she did offer her apologies," Remus spoke up calmly.
But, James, absorbed in his fury, did not hear.
Half a year later.
Lily emerged from the girls dorms, swearing rather loudly.
"POTTER! You good-for-nothing-low-life-toad-faced-broom-head-four-eyes- prick! Get your disgusting ass down her right now!"
Bella lifted her head from her pillows as Gab and Nikki emerged from their beds. "It's too early in the morning for them to be yelling at each other," she muttered and closed her eyes.
James Potter emerged from the boys dorms and glared at her.
"What now Evans?" He yelled, then his mouth broke into a evil smile. "My, my, you look really becoming in that hair. Green is it? I heard that that's the 'in' colour now."
Lily glared up at him, her face framed by masses of bright green hair.
"Get it off Potter," she whispered ominously, "or you'll be very sorry."
"It does go rather well with your eyes, don't you think?" He replied airily to her furious outburst.
"ARGGHHHHH!" With a scream, she bounded up the stairs leading to the boys dorms and tackled James.
Owing to years of Quidditch practise, he caught her wrists with ease.
"What then Evans? Strangle me with your bare hands?" He smirked as he tightened his grip on her wrists.
"Let go of me!" Lily screamed furiously at him.
He smirked again and released his grip on her, returning to the dorms and slamming the door in her face.
"Potter! My hair!" Lily yelled at the door and pounded on it to no avail.
"Prongs! What did you do now? It's six in the morning and already she trying to trample the door down," Sirius murmured into his pillow.
"I have totally no idea what the fuss is about."
Later that day, Lily, with her normal gleaming red hair, and her friends took their usual seats in the DADA classroom. James with the other Marauders were seated at the last row of seats.
"Oww, Prongs, that looks painful," Sirius grimaced as James touched the purplish bruise under his eye.
"That bloody Evans! All I did was a little colour adjustment, she didn't need to go crazy like that!" He winced as he touched a tender spot.
"Well, you didn't have to provoke her," Remus said calmly as he read through his DADA textbook.
"Lily, what did you do to James?" Gab asked quietly, her eyes shining with amusement.
"Nothing, it was just a little punch anyway. And his name's not James, it's Potter," Lily replied cheerily.
"Ouch! It must have hurt like hell," Nikki turned to survey the Marauders and gave Sirius a little wave.
"Serves him right for turning my hair green," Lily muttered.
"He did change it back didn't he?" Bella said. " So why the need for violence?"
"Well, he did change it back, but only after I punched him."
They broke into peals of laughter.
"Settle down people," the DADA professor, Professor White said as he strode in.
"Now, would you like to share the joke with me?" He asked as he stared at the four girls in amusement.
"Ok, everyone here, none dead or missing?" He grimaced as his gaze landed on James.
"Ouch... James, what happened?" He asked in amusement.
"Don't ask," James muttered.
White shrugged his shoulders and waved his wand. The bruise on James face disappeared.
"Today we will have a written paper, which contributes 30% to your mid-year assessment. 35% will each go to project work and practical tests," he announced as he started distributing the question scripts. "People who do exceptionally well for this assessment will be able to get an auror's scholarship for training during your sixth and seventh year here."
At the back of the class, James and Sirius perked up in their seats.
"Oh man, I'm gonna get that scholarship," James and Sirius said in unison.
Nikki grinned and thumped Lily on the back. Lily smirked at her.
"This is the perfect opportunity to get back at Potter for once and for all," she murmured quietly.
Her three friends looked at her strangely but before they had a chance to speak, the test had started.
After the test, they strolled along one of the many hallways in Hogwarts.
"Damn! I got 5 wrong. Did you hear Sirius and James talk about it, they totally killed my chances of getting that scholarship!" Nikki moaned as she walked along with them.
"Not if I have my way with it," Lily said quietly and smiled at them.
"You guys go on first, I'll catch up with you in the Great Hall."
"Lils," Nikki caught her as she turned. "Don't do anything stupid ok? This means a lot to both of them."
Lily shrugged and ran down the corridor back to where they came from. She crept silently towards Professor White's quarters and crouched low behind a desk. Moments later, the sound of footsteps approached and receded, announcing White's departure to the Great Hall for lunch. Lily quickly unlocked the door and stepped into the room, scanning the room quickly for any signs of movements. As predicted, no one was there. She hurried over to the pile of papers as flipped through them, coming to rest on a script: James Potter.
She thumbed through his paper and felt rather envious at the quality work he had handed up.
Just as Lily was about to start her work, words floated in her mind.
"Don't do anything stupid... Means a lot to the both of them," Nikki's voice resounded in her head.
"I'm sorry," Lily whispered. "This is for everything you've put me through."
With that, she erased everything from the paper and silently left the office.
The next day, there was an air of excitement hanging over the DADA classroom, as Professor White handed back the marked scripts.
"Easy, I'm gonna ace this test," James announced from the back of the class.
"I wouldn't count on it Potter," Lily spoke up as she turned to face him.
"And I supposed you're gonna be the one to win me?" He retorted snidely.
Lily laughed and turned back to her seat.
"That's odd," James said. "I've never seen her so happy when she's talking to me."
There was a loud whoop from beside him as Sirius got back his paper. "90%, Prongs my boy. Beat that!"
Beside him, Remus held up a script with a red 87% on it, while Peter was silently looking over his script.
"Not that bad," he remarked. "80%. Not bad at all."
James waited in anticipation for his script, confident of beating Sirius' score.
"Now, class, everyone generally did quite well for the written part. Sirius, Lily, Nikki and Arabella have high chances of getting the scholarship after what they have proven so far."
Lily, Bella and Nikki grinned as they slapped each other high-fives.
"Now, James, on the other hand, might do well to inform us why he handed up a clean script," White remarked drily as he held up a scroll of parchment with only the words James Potter on it.
James was lost for words. "I-I err... Excuse me," he muttered as he grabbed his bag and left hurriedly.
After class, the four girls were walking unhurriedly down the corridor.
"Strange how James handed in a blank paper huh?" Bella asked suddenly.
Lily smiled.
"Lily, did you have anything to do with this?" Nikki asked her tightly. They had stopped at the corridor and the three girls had turned to face Lily.
"Well..." Lily started.
"I can't believe you Lils! No wait, Evans. How could you do this. Did you know how much this meant to him. Did you?" Nikki shouted at her friend. Lily shook her head slowly.
"Well, I guessed not. He's been harping about being the world's best auror since he was about five. He was over at Sirius and my house and he went on and on about how being an auror would mean to him. How could you Lily? How could you do this to him?" Nikki finished quietly. Her eyes pained.
"It was payback... for all the things he did to me," Lily said quietly. "Did you even know how I felt."
"Lily, I can't believe you would resort to such trickery just to get back at a few pranks," her voice still unnaturally quiet. "I'm disgusted."
With that, she turned and left. Bella searched her face and shook her head. She too, left after Nikki. Gab followed after her without a single glance back.
Lily burst into tears and slid onto the floor.
"How could you," a low voice said.
She looked up and stared at James who was behind a pillar. He eyes, which normally held anger or irritation when he saw her was no a mix of pain and hurt.
"How could you do this to me Evans?" James said as he walked towards her, and finally stopped when he stood over her.
"From now on, I no longer know anyone by the name of Lily Evans." With that, he turned and left, leaving Lily to sob quietly into her hands.
At dinner that night, she spotted Nikki, Bella and Gab sitting at the Gryffindor table. She walked towards them hesitantly.
"Hi guys," she said uncertainly.
Conversation stopped and the three looked up at her. Nikki immediately resumed eating.
"Can I join you?" She asked timidly.
Still there was silence.
"Please guys..." Her voice on the verge of pleading.
Bella looked at her sympathetically. "I'm afraid not Lily. Not now."
Lily looked at Gab, but she too had resumed eating and did not glance her way.
She sighed and left the table.
Nikki and Gab looked at her as she left, both wearing identical looks of sorrow.
"I miss her," Bella said quietly into her mashed potatoes.
"We all do, but until she does the right thing, I'm afraid there's nothing that will help her."
Lily slowly made her way to the place the Marauders were occupying, which was for once, quiet and empty of simpering girls.
"What do you want Evans?" Sirius said angrily as she approached. "Haven't you already done enough to ruin our lives? To think you'd stoop as low as that. Gosh, you're worse than the Slytherins."
Remus was quietly eating his dinner, while Peter was looking petrified at the possibility of a fight.
"I just wanted to apologize," Lily answered.
"Apologizing just isn't gonna help this time you know!" Sirius said tightly.
James looked up from his dinner.
"Sirius, who're you talking to?" He asked, staring at his friend in confusion.
"Evans," Sirius said.
"Who's that?" James asked curiously. "Do I know her?"
"But James," Sirius replied. "Aren't you pissed?"
"What for? I have no reason to be pissed at someone I don't know," James replied in a monotone and resumed eating.
Lily fled from the Great Hall and charged up the staircase, tears leaking freely from her eyes. She headed towards the owlry. It was unlikely that anyone would find her here.
After what seemed like eternity, the tears had dried up. It was already dark, and the sky was twinkling with stars.
'Looks like its after curfew,' Lily thought to herself, grimacing at the prospect of being caught by Filch after hours, and the idea of going back to her dorms where her friends were weighed heavily in her heart.
She jumped as she heard the sound of someone stepping into the owlry and whirled around to face the person. It was Remus.
He walked towards her and leaned onto the window sill.
"It's a nice night. Don't you think so too, Lily?" Remus asked quietly, his eyes closed and slightly tilted to catch the night breeze.
"Look there. That's the Southern star," he said, pointing to a bright star twinkling at the horizon. "It is said that when the southern star shines, your guardian angel is looking out for you right now, and nothing can go wrong."
Lily stared at him. "What do you want Remus? Go on, shout at me. That's what everyone has been doing to me today," she said bitterly.
Remus opened an eye and glanced at her. "Lily, Lily, not everything can be solved by just shouting... You know what you should do don't you? I always knew you were a level-headed person," he murmured and turned to leave.
Lily let him walk to the edge of the owlry then blurted, "what should I do now Remus? Everyone hates me."
He stopped and turned. "Don't you already know?"
With that he quirked a small smile. "Don't stay up to late Lily. It's cold up here, and Filch is making his rounds around school. Good night." And he left.
'What now...' Lily sat on the sill thinking with her eyes closed, letting the breeze play gently on her forehead.
Close to two in the morning, Lily left the owlry and set off towards the dark DADA corridor, her mouth a grim line of determination.
"So, you mean, you woke me up in the middle of the night just to tell me you set James up?" Professor White asked in confusion as he sat facing Lily. He was wearing stripped robes and a rich blue night-cap.
Lily nodded silently.
"I don't get it," White insisted. "YOU erased James script?"
Lily nodded again, her head sinking lower and lower each time until it rested on her chest.
"I don't believe it. Lily, how could you? What happened to all that responsibility and all those that you were so well-known for? Goody-two- shoes? Workaholic? Hello?" White said, getting more agitated by the minute.
"I'm sorry Professor," Lily whispered.
"So," White said as he leaned back into his chair. "What do you want me to do now?" He surveyed Lily.
Lily looked up at him. "Please give Potter another chance at the test."
White raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Just like that. That's not easy Lily. How would I know if the two of you were in collaboration and that James had been revising all this while after getting the questions?"
Lily gulped. "Ermm... Ahh, I would like you," she swallowed nervously again, but went on more confidently. "Please Professor, please give him another chance even if it means forfeiting my own test."
White leaned forward and steepled his fingers, staring hard at her. "So, you're saying that if I allow James a retake, your script would become void."
Lily nodded.
"Are you sure about this Lily? You obtained the highest score in class you know? A 97% is quite hard to come by," White asked.
"Yes Professor, I'm very sure," Lily said resolutely but sadly.
"Very well then. Good night Lily. I won't take points off, just this once. No detention either," Professor White said.
Lily nodded at him and left. Once outside, she slid down the wall and sat on the floor, sobbing quietly into her hands. 'I can't take this.'
The next morning, Nikki woke up.
"Guys, time to wake up now. We're almost late," she mumbled sleepily.
"Come on guys?? WAKE UP. Bella, Gab, Li-" she stopped abruptly.
She shuffled slowly to the bathroom and started to prepare for the day ahead. 'Oh boy, this is gonna be a rather long and tiring day.'
The whole day, Lily sat apart from her friends and classes that had previously been filled with chatter, laughter and bickering from the Marauders and the girls were now unusually subdued and quiet. This occasioned a few comments from the many stunned teachers.
"My, my, I've never heard your class so quiet before," Professor McGonagall had commented earlier that day, as she surveyed the class from behind her half-moon specs halfway through the classroom.
"I must say it's a rather nice change from your usual noisiness, but the silence has become quite unnerving," she continued, concern etched into her features.
"Mr Potter, are you well," she asked as her gaze landed on James. He had his head propped on his hands and was turning a matchstick into a blue mouse instead of the matchstick into a goblet as McGonagall had been teaching. "Your lack of concentration is startling me. Why, this must be the first time I've seen below-par work from you."
James was startled from his reverie. "Of course I'm fine Professor, I've never felt better in my entire life," he said dully.
When the final class came, everyone shuffled lazily into the DADA classroom. Sirius shot Lily a very dirty look before hurrying after James to their seats at the back of the class. Peter and Lily's friends were already seated. As Lily was about to enter the class, Remus caught her sleeve.
"Did you do it Lily?" Remus asked quietly, a small smile playing on his lips.
Lily sighed heavily. "Yea, I did. But it was worse than I thought. I had to forego my entire written paper just to allow Potter a chance to retake."
"Don't fret over it Lily. Remember the Southern star. One good turn deserves another, Lily."
As class was nearing to an end, Professor White put away his books.
"Aren't we in a right mood today?" He asked cheerily trying to lighten the somber atmosphere in the classroom.
"Okayy," he rubbed his hands together. "Ahh well, I suppose we do need a break once in a while. Class is dismissed early today. James, please stay back for a while."
"What for?" Sirius whispered to James as the other students left the classroom.
"Have no idea," James replied. "Wait for me in the Great Hall. Dinner."
"James," White said in a friendly manner after the classroom had been cleared. "I suppose you know this has something to do about your mid-term paper."
James nodded slowly.
"Well, owing to certain circumstances, I'm allowing you a chance to retake the test. Now."
"Prof, any special reason to do so?" James asked suspiciously.
"No, I don't."
James' eyes started to light up in happiness as he was handed the paper.
"Two hours. No more."
A mentally exhausted but ecstatic James Potter emerged from the DADA classrooms close to seven at night and set off for the Great Hall, whistling.
'I might still be able to catch the last bit of dinner.'
"Prongs! What happened," Sirius asked curiously as James seated himself at their usual seats in the Great Hall.
"I got to retake the paper! YESSS!" He replied happily, and punched his fist into the air.
"That true? I didn't know you could retake it," Peter asked.
"I didn't know either. Well, my lucky stars must be shining on me tonight! I'm famished," James said around a mouthful of food.
The door to the Great Hall opened and shut again, the soft noise echoing loudly around the near-to-empty Great Hall. The four Marauders looked up to see Lily walking softly towards the Great Hall, misery painted on her face. She seated herself at the far end of the shadows and began eating.
"Well, if you don't mind, please excuse me," James said evilly as he stood up.
"Ahh, Evans, glad to see you there," he said loudly so that the other Marauders would hear their conversation.
Sirius smirked at the rest of the Marauders. "Give her what she deserves."
Remus, to the surprise of the other two Marauders, had put his head in his hands and started shaking his head.
"What do you want Potter," Lily said quietly as she helped herself to the roast chicken. "I'm really glad you could retake the test, please leave me alone."
A flash of irritation crossed James face. "Yea, no thanks to you Evans. Now, I've got the scholarship and my friends, while you've got nothing. Isn't life just sparkling?" He said nastily, expecting a testy reply from Lily.
But, he was surprised when she said nothing, stood up and pushed her way past him, causing him to stumble backwards and ran out of the Great Hall, leaving her barely touched meal behind.
He sauntered back to the Marauders table and plonked himself down in his seat. "Well, not what I expected. A snappish remark maybe? Put Evans has just gone as quiet as the grave."
He exchanged high-fives with Sirius.
"Way to go Prongs," Remus muttered quietly.
James raised his eyebrow at Remus. "What do you mean Moony?"
"What I mean is, couldn't you cut Lily some slack? Did you know why you could retake the paper?"
James shook his head slowly.
"Well, my dear friends, let me enlighten you. Lily went to see White yesterday night and got him to let you retake the paper."
James looked at him. "So? Isn't that the least she could do? She screwed up my chances Moony! So, naturally, SHE should be the one the right it!" He yelled.
"Prongs, you don't get it. She exchanged her marks for your paper," Remus replied softly to James outburst.
James rolled his eyes at Sirius. "So what if she gets a little punishment. Isn't that what she wanted to do to me in the first place?" He muttered.
"Well, yea, but considering that this means so much to her... If you get what I mean..." Remus trailed off, looking at James.
"What now?" James asked snappishly.
"Remember in our third year... 'Muggle ministry official George Evans and his wife Yvonne were killed as Dark wizards stormed the Muggle ministry in one of their raids to take over the Muggle world. 21st September'," he quoted from the Daily Prophet. "Well, what was unusual about this was that Voldemort himself took part in the raid. Or, to put it in simpler terms... Lily's parents were killed by Voldemort himself." He looked at James calmly.
The colour drained from James' face. He himself knew how it felt. After all, his parents had been murdered in the same way by Voldemort a few years back. He remembered only too clearly seeing their dead bodies spread-eagled on the floor, shock painted on their features. And he remembered the cold fury that had overcome him then. Revenge.
"Great," James head plonked into his hand. "What did I just do..." he moaned softly to himself. "Guys... I'm going up first. See you." He turned and ran out of the Great Hall.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good," James panted as he unearthed an old scroll of parchment from the boys messy dorms, and again, set off at a run, startling Bella as she walked into the common room.
Minutes later, he arrived at the Astronomy Tower. Sure enough, muffled sobs could be heard from within. He tiptoed into the room.
Lily was standing on the narrow sill, facing outwards, her eyes closed.
"Evans," James spoke out.
"What do you want Potter. Come to make my life more miserable?" She mumbled in a wavering voice, taking a small step to the edge.
"Come down from there Evans. A gust of wind could sweep you off your feet," James said.
"Go away Potter. I hate you," Lily whispered softly and took a step forward, disappearing immediately from view.
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Well that's' that. My rather first fanfic in quite a long long time. It's just a sample para, see how its received before I do post more. Anyway, I'm busy with my exams, so it could be a rather long while before I can come on.