Chapter Three
Lily rolled up her scroll and tied it to the leg of Hawthorne, her owl, and sent it off to her editor.
"Hey there," said Remus, coming up the stairs leading the Owlrey.
"Hey Remy, what are you doing up here?"
"I could ask the same of you."
"Stalemate," she said with a grin.
"Well, actually I wanted to ask you a question."
"Shoot."
"How would you ask someone you've known for a really long time out on a date?"
"Well," she said thoughtfully, "does this 'someone' know you like her?"
"You see, that's the slip of it, I don't know."
"Well, in that case, I would ask her, and see what happens."
"Hmmph."
"Well, it's not like I have a lot of experience in this field. I've only ever turned guys down, so I don't think I can help you here."
They lapsed into silence. They leaned against the rail looking up at the stars when Remus finally said, "I've noticed your books seem to age with you, the subject has been maturing over the years."
Lily gasped, "How did you know I wrote?"
"It wasn't hard, you always wrote about things that were close to you. I know you well enough to make the connection. Though I doubt anyone else has, including Julie."
"Ya know Remus, I should watch out for you. You see and hear more than I think anyone realizes."
Remus just smiled a sad, mysterious smile. "I see and hear more because I learned that you find out who your real friends are when you're not there."
Lily eyed him thoughtfully, "You are very astute my dear friend." ~*~*~*~
The month of September passed by in a blur of routine. All too soon it was October, with Halloween right around the corner.
Girls and boys from all years came up to her in the corridors to put forth a name. They were all wrong.
Other than Remus, the only other person that she felt might know who she was, obviously excepting the teachers, was a greasy haired, hook nosed, seventh year Slytherin.
Her manuscript was sent back to her with several ideas, grammar corrections, and another letter of glowing praise. This time her story was accompanied by a note requesting a meeting.
Her editor had never actually met her. He had just been bombarded by Hawthorne one day, towing a heavy scroll containing her story. They had kept up in touch through Hawthorne and his owl, Minstrel. It was one of the numerous times he had requested an audience with her, and like she had before she sent a note of regret with Minstrel.
The only thing that had kept her from boredom was watching, with amusement, the budding romance between her two best friends. Even though their infatuation with each other never went further than shy looks as one another when they thought no one was looking.
~*~*~*~
"Hey beautiful," said Sirius brushing past all the boys in front of the door to the Charms room. "Will you tell me your name?"
"Sirius, darling," she cooed, "the day I willing go on a date with you, is the day James stops being the pig headed *ss every girl at this school is head over heels for."
"Are you implying something, my dear Mademoiselle?"
"Not what you think, I am not, however, a girl. I am a lady, and as such I demand proper respect due my title."
He smiled his devastating smile, "Of course, Lady Mademoiselle."
They walked into the Charms classroom, and Lily said to him, "You know, you aren't as much of a jack*ss as I thought you were."
"I try."
~*~*~*~
James walked alone to Transfiguration. The new girl, as he had come to call her in his head, was strangely familiar. Like someone he had known when he was four. Though he couldn't quite place her, she reminded him of a certain chubby red head from his early years at Hogwarts. But it can't be her, I've seen her parents, and while not terribly obese, they're not even close to what anyone would call thin.
And besides, Mademoiselle had implied that she had left after first year. Not that he remembered first year, as he was still learning what tactics worked on which teachers, not to mention all the secret passages that would lead him to deserted corridors to avoid prefect patrols.
Over the last four years, James had thought about that little carrot top more that anyone would have guessed. At random moments he would suddenly recall the sound of her voice telling him how to swish his wand just right, or the sound of her smothered laughter when he managed to make, even the simplest, charms come out wrong.
He hated to admit it, but back when he was eleven he had a bit of a crush on Lily Evans. Not that he could tell anybody, he would be teased to death by Sirius, and probably Remus as well, though not as much. Unbeknownst to him, her leaving had probably been the most harrowing experience of his life.
He sighed, and walked into the classroom, Hooray, another BORING lecture by the cat woman. Well, at least I get to sit next to the lovely Mademoiselle through this unit.
He took his seat, slightly crestfallen to see that she hadn't arrived yet.
He knew the instant she came in, her laughter making him, again, think of Lily Evans, until he pushed the thought aside allowing him to take in the beautiful creature before him. To his annoyance she was laughing at something Leo Hartford was saying. Irrationally, he wanted to be the one to make her laugh, no one else was to be allowed that pleasure, even hearing the sound of her melodious voice made him jealous of whomever she happened to be talking to.
She said goodbye to Leo, and sat down silently next to him. Taking out her things, she began to write a letter until class began.
He studied her profile for a moment, "You know, you remind me of someone I used to know. But you couldn't be her, Lily's fat."
Lily's eyes flashed. "Do you speak French James?"
"Of course I do, why?"
He soon found out the answer, "How could you?" She yelled in French, "You imbecilic stuck up BASTARD! You do not; I repeat, DO NOT insult a girl because of her looks. You are a complete and total idiot, because one day this girl you are insulting is going to come back, and you will be sorry that you ever blemished her name with that absentminded disgusting remark." She slapped him and left.
Without anyone noticing, both Remus and Julie followed her.
James turned to Sirius, who was sitting behind him, and said, "Did you hear that?" Sirius nodded at him wide eyed. "I guess I just got put on her black list, permanently."
~*~*~*~
Remus and Julie found Lily in the "study", as they had named their hidden room. She was beating up a giant pillow, propped against the wall, she had transfigured to look like James.
"Lily," said Julie, her face written with a look of concern, "sweetie, you have to stop hitting the pillow."
"The arrogant, selfish, shallow bastard, he had the gall to call me fat to my face," ignoring Julie, she continued to pound the feathers out of the pillow.
Remus walked up behind her and grabbed her arms, 'Lily, stop hitting the pillow, you're going to hurt yourself."
Sure enough, her hands were red and bruised from the punches she had thrown at the pillow and missed.
She sank down, and whispered, "How could he? He called me fat."
Remus and Julie sat on either side of her, and hugged her.
"Lily, sweets, that's just who James is. He judges everything on how they look."
Remus didn't even try to defend his friend, "James' head is full of air, and I think you are the one to finally make it deflate."
"Besides, he probably thought he was giving you a compliment by saying that you didn't look like you did four years ago. Remember he doesn't know that it's you he was talking to, so, calling 'Lily Evans' fat was just him saying to you, that you are beautiful." Julie gave Remus a meaningful look over Lily's bowed head.
And like her parents would have done, they kissed her on the head, and Julie helped her clean up in the bathroom while Remus waited in on the sofa.
I never noticed, but James really is shallow. Maybe he'll learn his lesson, if he doesn't, he's going to be more than slapped the next time he makes a remark like that last one.
Lily rolled up her scroll and tied it to the leg of Hawthorne, her owl, and sent it off to her editor.
"Hey there," said Remus, coming up the stairs leading the Owlrey.
"Hey Remy, what are you doing up here?"
"I could ask the same of you."
"Stalemate," she said with a grin.
"Well, actually I wanted to ask you a question."
"Shoot."
"How would you ask someone you've known for a really long time out on a date?"
"Well," she said thoughtfully, "does this 'someone' know you like her?"
"You see, that's the slip of it, I don't know."
"Well, in that case, I would ask her, and see what happens."
"Hmmph."
"Well, it's not like I have a lot of experience in this field. I've only ever turned guys down, so I don't think I can help you here."
They lapsed into silence. They leaned against the rail looking up at the stars when Remus finally said, "I've noticed your books seem to age with you, the subject has been maturing over the years."
Lily gasped, "How did you know I wrote?"
"It wasn't hard, you always wrote about things that were close to you. I know you well enough to make the connection. Though I doubt anyone else has, including Julie."
"Ya know Remus, I should watch out for you. You see and hear more than I think anyone realizes."
Remus just smiled a sad, mysterious smile. "I see and hear more because I learned that you find out who your real friends are when you're not there."
Lily eyed him thoughtfully, "You are very astute my dear friend." ~*~*~*~
The month of September passed by in a blur of routine. All too soon it was October, with Halloween right around the corner.
Girls and boys from all years came up to her in the corridors to put forth a name. They were all wrong.
Other than Remus, the only other person that she felt might know who she was, obviously excepting the teachers, was a greasy haired, hook nosed, seventh year Slytherin.
Her manuscript was sent back to her with several ideas, grammar corrections, and another letter of glowing praise. This time her story was accompanied by a note requesting a meeting.
Her editor had never actually met her. He had just been bombarded by Hawthorne one day, towing a heavy scroll containing her story. They had kept up in touch through Hawthorne and his owl, Minstrel. It was one of the numerous times he had requested an audience with her, and like she had before she sent a note of regret with Minstrel.
The only thing that had kept her from boredom was watching, with amusement, the budding romance between her two best friends. Even though their infatuation with each other never went further than shy looks as one another when they thought no one was looking.
~*~*~*~
"Hey beautiful," said Sirius brushing past all the boys in front of the door to the Charms room. "Will you tell me your name?"
"Sirius, darling," she cooed, "the day I willing go on a date with you, is the day James stops being the pig headed *ss every girl at this school is head over heels for."
"Are you implying something, my dear Mademoiselle?"
"Not what you think, I am not, however, a girl. I am a lady, and as such I demand proper respect due my title."
He smiled his devastating smile, "Of course, Lady Mademoiselle."
They walked into the Charms classroom, and Lily said to him, "You know, you aren't as much of a jack*ss as I thought you were."
"I try."
~*~*~*~
James walked alone to Transfiguration. The new girl, as he had come to call her in his head, was strangely familiar. Like someone he had known when he was four. Though he couldn't quite place her, she reminded him of a certain chubby red head from his early years at Hogwarts. But it can't be her, I've seen her parents, and while not terribly obese, they're not even close to what anyone would call thin.
And besides, Mademoiselle had implied that she had left after first year. Not that he remembered first year, as he was still learning what tactics worked on which teachers, not to mention all the secret passages that would lead him to deserted corridors to avoid prefect patrols.
Over the last four years, James had thought about that little carrot top more that anyone would have guessed. At random moments he would suddenly recall the sound of her voice telling him how to swish his wand just right, or the sound of her smothered laughter when he managed to make, even the simplest, charms come out wrong.
He hated to admit it, but back when he was eleven he had a bit of a crush on Lily Evans. Not that he could tell anybody, he would be teased to death by Sirius, and probably Remus as well, though not as much. Unbeknownst to him, her leaving had probably been the most harrowing experience of his life.
He sighed, and walked into the classroom, Hooray, another BORING lecture by the cat woman. Well, at least I get to sit next to the lovely Mademoiselle through this unit.
He took his seat, slightly crestfallen to see that she hadn't arrived yet.
He knew the instant she came in, her laughter making him, again, think of Lily Evans, until he pushed the thought aside allowing him to take in the beautiful creature before him. To his annoyance she was laughing at something Leo Hartford was saying. Irrationally, he wanted to be the one to make her laugh, no one else was to be allowed that pleasure, even hearing the sound of her melodious voice made him jealous of whomever she happened to be talking to.
She said goodbye to Leo, and sat down silently next to him. Taking out her things, she began to write a letter until class began.
He studied her profile for a moment, "You know, you remind me of someone I used to know. But you couldn't be her, Lily's fat."
Lily's eyes flashed. "Do you speak French James?"
"Of course I do, why?"
He soon found out the answer, "How could you?" She yelled in French, "You imbecilic stuck up BASTARD! You do not; I repeat, DO NOT insult a girl because of her looks. You are a complete and total idiot, because one day this girl you are insulting is going to come back, and you will be sorry that you ever blemished her name with that absentminded disgusting remark." She slapped him and left.
Without anyone noticing, both Remus and Julie followed her.
James turned to Sirius, who was sitting behind him, and said, "Did you hear that?" Sirius nodded at him wide eyed. "I guess I just got put on her black list, permanently."
~*~*~*~
Remus and Julie found Lily in the "study", as they had named their hidden room. She was beating up a giant pillow, propped against the wall, she had transfigured to look like James.
"Lily," said Julie, her face written with a look of concern, "sweetie, you have to stop hitting the pillow."
"The arrogant, selfish, shallow bastard, he had the gall to call me fat to my face," ignoring Julie, she continued to pound the feathers out of the pillow.
Remus walked up behind her and grabbed her arms, 'Lily, stop hitting the pillow, you're going to hurt yourself."
Sure enough, her hands were red and bruised from the punches she had thrown at the pillow and missed.
She sank down, and whispered, "How could he? He called me fat."
Remus and Julie sat on either side of her, and hugged her.
"Lily, sweets, that's just who James is. He judges everything on how they look."
Remus didn't even try to defend his friend, "James' head is full of air, and I think you are the one to finally make it deflate."
"Besides, he probably thought he was giving you a compliment by saying that you didn't look like you did four years ago. Remember he doesn't know that it's you he was talking to, so, calling 'Lily Evans' fat was just him saying to you, that you are beautiful." Julie gave Remus a meaningful look over Lily's bowed head.
And like her parents would have done, they kissed her on the head, and Julie helped her clean up in the bathroom while Remus waited in on the sofa.
I never noticed, but James really is shallow. Maybe he'll learn his lesson, if he doesn't, he's going to be more than slapped the next time he makes a remark like that last one.