Catch Me If You Can
Chapter Eight ll Christmas Break Starts
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They all found about Sirius' cousin by the next day. None of them, however, breathed a word of sympathy and comfort because James had informed them Sirius wanted his life to go on as normally as possible.
So they all kept silent about Nessima Black; they didn't dare mention her name, and tried to keep her out of their thoughts as much as possible.
With this sudden and unexpected news about the mysterious death of Nessima, the group forgot about the poisoning of Lily. It even slipped out of the mind of Lily herself.
December came, bringing along with it Christmas. The end of term was approaching, and the students celebrated the thought of holidays. Only Lily, James and Sirius were remaining at Hogwarts during Christmas. The others were preceding home. Lily had been under the impression that she too would be spending Christmas at home, but her mother had owled her at the last minute and told her that she and her father were going to Japan. Petunia would be also staying at her boarding school, Our Lady of the Rosery.
Lily was sad; she hadn't seen her family in months and she missed them like crazy. But she was brightened up at the thought of spending Christmas in the big, warm welcoming castle. It was decorated merrily for that special time of year; with tinsel, baubles, mistletoe, huge Christmas trees and pretty, bright candles.
She just didn't think she could survive a fortnight with only Sirius and James as company.
It was the day when the students were returning back to their homes, and the first years were boarding the Knight Bus, bidding farewell to their friends left dully out in the snow.
"Bye," Lily said mournfully, hugging both Anna and Paige, then waving to Remus and Peter.
"See you later, Lily. Have a great Christmas, and don't forget to owl me!" Paige smiled warmly, and leant forward to hug the redhead, "Bye Sirius, bye James. Look after Lil for us."
"Aye aye, sir," James saluted.
Sirius was pretending to cry, "I'll miss you," he blubbered. Paige rolled her eyes, smiled, and stepped fully onto the Knight Bus.
"Goodbye Lils, remember what I said about keeping your temper," Anna smiled gracefully, while Lily managed a chuckle, "I don't want to return with James decapitated and Sirius missing a limb."
"Don't count on it," the redhead said mischievously. Anna sighed and hugged her, before also disappearing onto the Knight Bus.
The boys said their goodbyes to each other, before it was time to back off and let the second years board the bus.
"Let's go back to the castle, it's freezing out here!" James exclaimed, putting his hands under his robes.
The fabulous three went back into the castle, and entered the welcoming, brightly-lit Great Hall. They occupied the three spots they usually sat during meals, and sat there, waiting for something.
Lily felt goosebumps on the back of her neck and regretted tying her hair in a tight ponytail that day.
"I'm starving," Sirius whined, patting his stomach like a two year old, "I wonder when dinner starts...?"
"Is food all you can think about?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Food is so tasty, who could not love food?" Sirius countered.
"I know, but still..."
James snorted and rested his head onto the table. Lily saw firelight from the candles flickering in his hazel eyes. For some reason, her subconscious vaguely said 'He's cute...' in a flash of words.
She blinked. Potter... cute?
"Holy hell," she said blankly, staring straight ahead.
"What? What is it?" Sirius said, peering in the direction Lily was looking at.
"Yeah," James also wanted to know, but he still kept his head on the table. His hazel eyes darted over to Lily, who felt her heart give a jump. What was happening to her...?
"It's none of your business," she said haughtily, tearing her own eyes away from James'.
"So?" James lifted his head and smiled innocently, "I still want to know."
"Oh sod off Potter."
"Make me."
Sirius watched Lily and James with amusement. Their arguments were terribly pointless, which only caused the suspicion of the two liking each other to grow. And they were such a cute couple, although Lily was almost an entire foot shorter than James. Or maybe because.
"Oh my gosh, James!"
Someone squealed from behind Lily and Sirius, and they both turned around to see a tall Ravenclaw girl with curly brown locks.
"Hi! Wow, I didn't know you were staying here for Christmas!" she squealed again, her brown eyes glistening. James cocked his head to one side and managed to smile.
"Yeah, my parents are going to Paris for Christmas."
"And they didn't take you along?" the girl simpered, subconsciously sliding into the seat next to James, "Oh that is so trag-ic!"
Sirius was violently shaking with silent laughter. Lily was trying her best to hold in her giggles. James glanced at them and gave them a 'help me' look.
"Would you like to sit with me and my friends at the Ravenclaw table?" she asked flirtatiously, "I mean--" she cast a sideways glance at Lily, "--do you really want to sit here?"
"Nat, they're my friends," James said helplessly. Nathaly glanced at him edgily.
"Oh, of course, but still..." she bit her lip, "Are you sure? I really want you to meet my friends."
"Maybe some other time," James said dismissively.
"Well... alright," Nathaly stood up, and blew James a kiss, "Catch ya later."
James smiled hazily at her, and she walked off. Sirius slid off his seat and began to howl with laughter. Lily hid her face behind her hands and giggled.
"Thanks for the help, you guys," James said loftily.
"You're welcome," Lily choked out. She and Sirius glanced at each other and cracked up again.
After a minute more of laughing and of James shooting dirty looks at them, Lily calmed down. She looked ahead and gasped.
"Oh no, hide me -- it's Gilderoy. Oh Merlin..."
She ducked under the table, knocking over her chair in the process, which hit Sirius in the leg.
"Ow!" he howled, clutching at it, "Geez Lily, what's up?'
Both he and James looked at the person approaching. It was a guy who was undoubtedly handsome; he had golden blonde hair that reminded you of newborn, fluffy chicks, glittery sky blue eyes and pearly white teeth. He beamed at the Sirius and James, and waved. Neither of them waved back.
"Lily! Oh Lily!" he called, as if calling for a bird.
Sirius and James both felt something budge under the table. Emerging from underneath was the reluctant Lily Evans.
"Hi Gilderoy," she said, smiling cheerfully, "Sorry -- just knocked a fork off the table."
She sat back down grudgingly and looked at the beaming Gilderoy Lockhart.
Like Nathaly, Gilderoy sat beside the person he had been seeking for.
"Why, you must be James Potter, yes, yes, very well-known around the school..." he grinned at James, who attempted to grin back, "And Sirius Black, of course."
Sirius seized Gilderoy's hand in mock enthusiasm and shook it violently.
"Oh yes, I am Sirius Black," he gushed most dashingly, grinning, "And you are...?"
"I, sir," Gilderoy drew himself up proudly, "Am Gilderoy Frederick Lockhart, son of the Sir William Albus Lockhart."
"Excellent!" Sirius exclaimed, looking happy with what most people saw as sincerity.
Gilderoy beamed at him.
"So Lily, how are things running for you?" he asked smoothly.
"Great, just great, um -- ah, Gilderoy?" Lily said timidly, "I have to -- have to go to the Gryffindor common-room," she rushed out, "I -- uh -- need to do something..."
"Allow me," Gilderoy said politely, standing up and offering his arm. Lily eyed it.
"Oh -- ah, there's no need to--"
"Yeah, I'll be taking her," James interrupted, standing up and also offering his arm. Lily stared at him. Sirius smiled significantly.
"What are you doing?" she murmured out of the corner of her mouth.
"Saving your butt."
So Lily reluctantly took James' arm, bid Gilderoy farewell, and Sirius joined them in leaving the Great Hall. As soon as they were out of sight, Lily shook James' hand off disgustedly.
"I am never, ever, ever sitting there when hardly anyone's around," she shuddered, "Random people just start coming up to you--"
"Tell me about it," James muttered, "So where we really going?"
"I'm hungry," Sirius complained.
"So am I," James said with a sigh, "When's dinner starting...?"
Lily shot them reproachful looks and began walking up to the Gryffindor tower, while listening to the boys bicker about which dessert was best. Sirius claimed apple pie. James claimed blueberry cheesecake.
"Cosmic lights," Lily answered to the Fat Lady's "Password?".
As soon as the portrait swung open and Lily had climbed into the portrait hole, something rather like a shadow was going the opposite direction, and pushed her out of the hole.
"Ow!" Lily fell backwards onto the stone floor outside, knocking over Sirius and James who had been right behind her.
"Hey, Lily? Hey! Are you okay?!" Sirius was trying to wake Lily, whose eyes were tightly shut. He was reminded of what had happened during the Halloween feast.
"What's wrong?" James asked at once.
"I think... she's unconscious," Sirius said in disbelief.
"What?! Just by falling over? You've got to be kidding me," James moaned, shaking Lily's shoulder.
"I'm going to get Dumbledore," Sirius said edgily, getting to his feet.
"No Sirius -- wait!"
But it was too late; Sirius had disappeared around the corner in search for their Headmaster.
James helplessly glanced at Lily. She's quite pretty...
Wondering aimlessly where that thought had come from, he tried unsuccessfully to wake Lily up. He glanced up at the still-open portrait of the Fat Lady, and shut her.
"What are doing out here?" she asked, looking amazed, "And what is wrong with the girl?"
"She's unconscious," James responded unhelpfully.
The Fat Lady looked mollified.
"She's blocking the way..." was all she could say.
Ignoring her, James shook on Lily's shoulder again, but there was still not response; not even a stir.
Falling off into a slight doze, he was immediately woken up by a shriek from Lily.
He jerked up and tore his eyes to Lily, who still appeared to be asleep. But she was no longer still; she was whimpering and tossing and turning as if she was having a bad nightmare.
Footsteps sounded, and he looked up and saw Sirius, Dumbledore and McGonagall.
Why are Dumbledore and McGonagall always appearing together...?
"Who screamed?" Sirius panted, when he reached Lily and James. He skidded onto the floor.
"It was Lily -- I still can't get her to wake up," James said in a trembling voice.
"Miss Evans," Dumbledore said in a soft yet commanding voice.
Lily immediately shot up, her bright green eyes opening in a flash. She was panting, and looked around, confused, at Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"Miss Evans, are you alright?" asked McGonagall in a worried voice.
"Someone -- is -- going -- to -- be -- murdered," Lily gasped out painfully at once. Without waiting for a response, she leapt to her feet and began running down the corridor.
"What?!" James said, thoroughly confused, "Oi! LILY! WAIT!" He got on his feet and began to run after her.
"Come on! Hurry up! To the library!" yelled Lily over her shoulder.
Merlin... has she gone mental?!
---
Lily found herself in some place familiar. There were lots of books... and shelves... study desks with straight-backed chairs...
The library. She was in the Hogwarts' library.
'Great. Why am I here? The last thing I remember is some idiot pushing me back when I tried to get into the common-room...'
Lily looked around the deserted library and jumped when she saw a girl.
The girl was unsuccessfully looking for a book, as Lily soon established. She kept taking books off the shelf, and then replacing them back in their original positions.
Lily looked at this girl for several more seconds, when she was kindly aware of a black shadow behind the girl that seemed to be growing at a slow pace.
It was the biggest, ugliest and hairiest spider Lily had ever seen. Her mouth went dry as it continued to advance onto the girl, who seemed oblivious.
The redhead tried to yell at the girl; but her voice failed her. She could not even utter a shriek or a whimper.
Her eyes fell tightly shut and she managed a gasp as the spider made a wretched noise. The girl screamed, and Lily shut her eyes even more tightly as she heard terrible sounds. She knew the girl was probably getting torn to pieces by the spider.
'This is just the worst nightmare I have ever had. This is just the worst nightmare I have ever had. This is just the worst nightmare I have ever had.'
She pinched herself, and gasped when she felt pain searing across her arm. Unaware of it, Lily's eyes snapped open and she was horrified to see the spider advancing towards her.
Lily screamed this time; screamed a piercing scream that seemed to echo.
The spider was so hideous. It had huge glowing red eyes and raven black hair.
Her life flashed before her eyes, and she found herself thinking some of the strangest things. Her emerald green eyes were tightly shut, and she sucked in her breath...
Any moment now... she was going to die... the spider was going to tear her into shreds just like it had done to that other girl...
"Miss Evans."
A clear, commanding voice suddenly could be heard. It wasn't low and rumbling, as if someone was speaking into an intercom. It was as if they were standing right beside her.
At that moment, the horrible image of the spider and the deserted library disappeared, and she found herself gasping, looking into the familiar faces of Dumbledore, James, McGonagall and Sirius.
"Miss Evans, are you alright?" Lily vaguely remembered McGonagall saying.
It wasn't a dream. There was something so realistic about it...
And quite suddenly, she seemed to know everything. It was about to happen. And she had to stop it.
"Someone -- is -- going -- to -- be -- murdered," she managed to tell the worried-looking people, before she began to run.
---
They had all tried to talk some sense into Lily, but she was clearly determined to the bone.
When they finally reached the library, Lily ran in at once and looked around distinctively, looking for that girl. And she found her. The same girl, who had raven black curls and clear blue eyes, and who was looking for a book.
"Where's Madam Meynon?" the redhead said frantically, wondering why the library was deserted at a time like this.
"She's at a meeting," Professor McGonagall said hurriedly, sounding slightly breathless, "Miss Evans -- what is the meaning of all this?!"
"Alicia!"
It was James calling, and he too was panting. The girl with the black hair spun around at once.
"James! Professor Dumbledore! What are you all doing here?" the girl asked, looking very surprised.
"You know her?" Lily rounded on James, who looked taken aback.
"Yep, that's my cousin."
"Your cousin--?" Lily was cut off when Sirius cursed loudly, and Professor McGonagall uttered a shriek.
It was the spider. Lily's heart began to pound louder and faster.
"Oh my God," was all James could manage.
"ALICIA! RUN!" Sirius and James bellowed at the same time.
Alicia turned around slowly and seemed glued to the ground when she saw the monster. It raised one of it's legs up, ready to strike--
"Imobilus!" Dumbledore had whipped out his wand, and the spider seemed to be zapped, as it froze, quite unable to move anymore.
Alicia gave a shriek and collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.
"Mr Black, could you kindly escort Miss Leonhart to the Hospital Wing and ask Madam Leyla for a Draught of Peace? Minerva, please see if you can do anything to dispose of this... creature," Dumbledore looked at the spider, "Mr Potter and Miss Evans, please follow me."
Everyone obeyed his requests.
---
Five minutes later, Lily and James found themselves sitting in comfortable wicker chairs, nervously waiting for Dumbledore to say something.
"I presume, Miss Evans, that you wonder what exactly is happening to you? That you wonder how you got that vision, and even more so, how it relates to you?"
Lily was stricken dumb for five seconds. How did Dumbledore even know she had received a vision?!
"Yeah," she said attentively, with a slight timidness in her voice.
James listened on interestedly.
"Well it seems," Dumbledore smiled, "That you have the power of premonition. You are able to see things that might happen in the future, and so, like in this case, help others by doing so.
"You are a very powerful witch. A part Wiccan, I would think. Alas..." Dumbledore seemed to be in a dreamlike state until James timidly called him back to earth.
"Ah yes... So Miss Evans, I would believe you are part Wiccan. A normal Wiccan usually has four non-wand-related powers, but as you are only part Wiccan, I should think you have two powers. One of them has been discovered," he smiled lightly.
Lily looked confused, "Oh, you mean the vision I had ... is a power?"
"Yes," Dumbledore beamed at her, though she could not understand why the Headmaster was so happy with this news, "The power of precognition."
"What's my other power?" Lily asked eagerly.
Professor Dumbledore chuckled, "We shall see in time, Miss Evans."
"Professor," James said loudly, "What has any of this got to do with me?"
Dumbledore and Lily both turned to James as if they had just noticed him there. Professor McGonagall appeared at the doorway, and stepped in quietly to listen to the rest of their conversation.
"Oh yes, Mr Potter. I believe you are also part Wiccan. The other part of Miss Evans, perhaps," Dumbledore said with an amused smile.
Lily and James glanced at each other warily.
"So what you're saying is we're two jigsaw puzzle pieces that join together," James said flatly, looking displeased at the idea.
"Yes, and when you do join together, you become extremely powerful."
"This 'joining together' thing is only likewise in power, right?" Lily said, looking disgusted.
"Yes... but it could apply in other ways..."
Lily looked even more disgusted.
"I think that's enough, Albus," McGonagall said anxiously from her corner.
"What? Oh, right yes. Now you two run along to dinner now -- I believe it started five minutes ago. Oh! And I will alert you when you are ready," Dumbledore smiled, with a mysterious twinkle in his eye.
"Ready for what?" James said, looking confused. Lily had stood up, but turned back in interest.
"You will soon find out."
Not feeling exactly satisfied, the two left the strange room, which an even more strange man inhabited.
"I cannot believe it, Albus," Professor McGonagall breathed once Lily and James had left, "Wiccans. There hasn't been any for centuries."
"That time is over," Dumbledore smiled even more, "We have been expecting a Wiccan to break out soon. But we hadn't expected it to come out this way."
"What do you mean? McGonagall said, a little anxiously.
"Lily Evans and James Potter. Only when together, will they be at their most powerful peak. I believe they will be the strongest witch and wizard, give a few years time."
"Why?"
"Because," Dumbledore looked out of the window, and a great sense of peace fell over him, "They share something together that no other Wiccans shared."
"And what is that?" Professor McGonagall wanted to know.
"We will see Minerva, we will see."
Lily and James were also having a mild conversation about what they had just heard.
"It's all really weird, isn't it?" James opinionated.
"I'll say."
"Hey you guys!"
"Oh, hi Sirius," James greeted him, as he walked up to him and Lily.
"So what did Dumbledore say?" Sirius asked.
"Nothing to make us think less that he's lost his marbles," James said sniggeringly.
"That wasn't nice," Lily said disapprovingly.
"Ah, jokes Lil," Sirius grinned, "Let's get to dinner."
"I've lost my appetite because of that spider," Lily said shakily.
Sirius pouted, "What about you, James?"
"Yeah, I'm starving," James agreed, "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. How's Alicia?"
"In shock. She's rather pale, and as cold as ice. But Madam Leyla says she'll be fine after a night's rest."
"That's what they all say."
"Okay, I'm hungry now," Lily announced brightly.
"Whoa, mood swings," Sirius said, staring at her.
"Whatever, let's go down to the Great Hall!"
Both boys watched as the redhead bounded down the corridor.
"Merlin, she's one strange girl," Sirius said blankly.
"Yup, and special in ways," James said vaguely.
Sirius wondered what he meant by that.
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---->A/N: Tiffany Leyla... pretty name. ((smiles and nods)) --MSQ.