Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all of these characters and settings
Summary: James has been going after Lily for 2 years. On their seventh, James stops, thinking that their love wasn't meant to be…and Lily finds herself wishing he didn't. But now, Lily can't quite bring herself to tell James how she feels, let alone talk to him.
Authors Note: Thank you so much for the reviews! THANK YOU!!! I'm sorry this chapter took longer than usual. I got caught up in this TV marathon, and this one required a bit of researching. Thanks to sting-23, IloveMoony04, martian doll, truegryfinndorgrit, and Siria Black Midnight (although, I don't remember getting a review from you, I'd really appreciate it, if you did), for adding me to their Author Alerts/Favorites. You had me ecstatic! And now for my list of grateful thank yous.
martian doll: Let us all wonder! Not even I really know what Lily will do. She's just so unpredictable when it comes to emotions. Thanks for loving my story. That made me so blissful!
webdwonder: yes, sof, you did the in-noying joke, m'dear. Let us all praise thee. And, thanks; I try my best to improve in every chapter. And you know me I just love comedy. OMG, spider-man actually reviewed my fic! Nice in-genius joke. Harhar.
blackxrose: It's a cross between Sirius and James (probably because of their boyish looks, and playful personalities). But I like Remus, too, because he's really really nice, and he's a werewolf! Haha. Nice comment about your brothers being dogs! I wonder what they'd say if they read it. Thanks again for reviewing! I think I'll join you in the ward (I need desperate help) and start bouncing off the walls too. Yeah, that really seems like fun!
Daintress: Hey, I'll accept anything! Outgrowing teachers? Does that really happen? I guess, I'm probably too young for it to happen to me though. Sorry about the sappiness, I guess I got too caught up in the story. Hehe. Thanks. Finally reviewed one of your fics.
With love for you: Thanks for loving my story!!! I don't think she does realize just yet. And James has always been one for bad timing! Thanks. Love your story too!
MightyMouth: Thank you! One of your faves? Gawrsh! I felt so flattered when you said well written. ::sigh:: Thanks again. Duty…horrible name indeed. Haha.
GryffindorGoddess28: Hello again! Yeah, Umbridge sucked! I wanted to pop her overweight, revolting self into oblivion! Actually, denial hasn't worn off for Lily yet. I love romance comedies; I find them really entertaining. I still haven't thought of a perfect song so far, but if you have any ideas, please tell me!
MuGgLeNeT27: I love the way that Lily's acting, too. Babble here, babble there. I find it so cute. And I will continue. Thanks!
Tanya J Potter: Ramadamdam! Haha. I don't know how to dance that, but I definitely like the name! I could repeat it all day. Ramadamdam Ramadamdam. Haha, I can see the picture of people dancing in my head, too, and it is making me cackle! Okay, I just pictured the demented monkey cackling. ::shudder:: Scary.
LilyPotter: Yay! You loved the fluff! My work here is done. ::grin:: I guess you can use the I-N stuff in your school, maybe change a few things, or credit me! Haha, get your friends to r&r my story! ::sigh:: I know I can't be a cheerleader. Maybe a mascot, then. ;-P
lilyZWnam77: hehe, the I-n thing just popped into my head one day and "Hey, I'll add that to my fic!" And so it was done. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Mrs. Moody is a very ironic name. Cried? Woah. I hate it when teachers cry. My sister had a teacher called Ms. Perfecto. Haha. I like the dramatic music! That's sad about your best friend; I hope you guys get along again like you did before. No problem, I really enjoyed your story.
spindol: Oh, I don't want someone to quit Lily/James fanfic. They're one of the best. Thanks, I try my best to keep things interesting. And it's good you love fluff.
Indiangurl: Me, Cute? Thanks! ::blushes:: Reviewed your fic, just so you know, the shorter one (like I said, way funny). I'm not sure about Helen, though. I'd love a fic like that. I'd absolutely review it if you pushed through with it! Tell me, is it love/hate or fluff-ful, or what? It's got a unique plot.
sting-23: You weren't able to see your chicks grow up? It's okay. ::pat pat::Yes, James is the king of bad timing. I'm glad you liked the I-N thing, and that you found the fluff cute. Thank you!
truegryfinndorgrit: The instructions for the review alert dance is down below, although not quite complete yet. Sorry, Lily likes using big words. Thanks for finding my story cool, yours is too.
Okay, I know I'm stopping you from reading this story with all these authors' notes, so READ ON!
You're Hurricane, You're Fire in the SunBy: kaleidoscope00eyes
Chapter 4: Pumpkin Juice and Horrorscopes
Stormy cirrus clouds occupied the occasional colorful early morning sky, its fluffy edges softly powdered with dark gray, showing abundant shades of black and white. A red-headed figure could be seen studying the sky, mesmerized, then turn her head and continue walking towards the Great Hall, alone. Her auburn hair flailed wildly across her face, tenderly whipping her shoulders, giving her the look that James' messy hair normally held.
She sighed to herself at the thought of James Potter. A long 5 years ago, she promised herself that she would never fall for him. During their first year, a tender age where you wouldn't want to make enemies, she had gotten along with him, and all his antics. She was highly terrified to stand up to him. He was, after all, exceedingly popular. But as her personality formed, and as she created her own set of convictions, she developed an immense dislike for Potter, to the point of near abhorrence. That was when she made that promise. And she spent half the night desperately trying to keep it.
Last night, when she could only hear the low howls of the wind and the soft inhalation of her dorm mates, she tossed and turned in her silky white bed, recurrently chanting under her breath, 'James is a prat. James is a prat.' She somehow could not gulp in the fact that she was falling, but, then again, her pride always got in the way.
The large, weighty doors to the Great Hall were closed this time, to keep the warm air in, and the cold blows out. With great effort, she gripped the handle tightly and pushed the doors slightly open so she could squeeze in. Once she closed them, she leaned on the doors, gasping for breath while scanning the crowd for a cheerful curly-haired brunette.
"Top of the morning, Lily!" Alice greeted, smiling gleefully. Even on a cloudy day like this, she never failed to smile. And there was something about that smile that could easily cheer up your day.
"Hi!" Lily replied, taking her seat beside Alice, hastily getting a spoonful of warm soup, savoring the hot tingle on her taste buds. "By golly, it's cold outside."
"Yes, I know." Alice agreed, taking a gulp of pumpkin juice. "I'm wearing 2 heavy sweaters under my school robe! You would think it's winter already."
Lily nodded, and then glanced around to see the other students' reaction. You could see people rubbing their hands together, and younger one's making white fog with their breath. Lily softly giggled when she saw Snape sit still like a frozen piece of wood. He was ghastly pale, and it seemed like an icicle had formed right under his long, crooked nose.
She turned her eyes back at Alice, and found her seatmate whisper excitedly in her ear. She could see Alice's expression change from ecstatic to unhappy. This was, without a doubt, gossip. Lily looked around once more, and noticed almost every head crouched down murmuring something eagerly. They sounded like a bunch of bumblebees filling up the Great Hall, playing pass the message. She normally didn't partake in such hearsays and tittle-tattles, but, yet again, inquisitiveness got the best of her.
She looked at Alice impatiently, feeling left out on what was going on. For some reason, people were staring at her…SYMPATHETICALLY! "Alice!" she groaned, "What is it? Why is everybody whispering? Why are they giving me pity looks?"
Alice looked at Lily uneasily, frightened to speak. "Lily, you don't need to know." She started, placing her hand on Lily's left shoulder. "In fact, it's better if you don't know."
"Alice." Lily repeated sternly and slowly, "What is it?"
Alice whimpered and massaged her temples. "Lily," she started once more, "James…James Potter is, it seems, is going out with Helen, Helen Watson."
"What?" Lily screamed, causing almost every head to look at her, not that most already did. Lily smiled sheepishly, and reminded herself 'James is a prat. James is a prat.' She calmed down, and continued smiling. "What?" she said again, in a much lower tone. "That's it?"
Everyone seemed quite shocked at her reaction. Even Alice looked taken aback. "Why? It's not like I like him or anything. It's actually more of a relief to me." She stopped and looked at James and Helen, at the other end of the lengthy table. They were laughing together, not paying attention to anyone other than themselves, and talking animatedly. He whispered something in her ear, making Helen push him back and mess up his hair. Lily felt a twinge of hurt at the pit of her stomach and swallowed a tear. "Yes," Lily added in a sad soft tone, that only Alice could hear, "it's a relief."
Lily smiled once more for the audience, and excused herself to leave early for her next class, Transfiguration. Alice watched suspiciously as Lily left, and drew her own conclusions.
The soundless classroom, where Lily sat alone at the back of the class, was suddenly brought back to life when the chattering students filed in, finding seats, and saving seats for their friends.
Lily watched James walk in holding a big smile across his face. Her eyes drifted to his hand, holding Helen's loosely. She looked back up at his face and caught him looking at her. Lily couldn't move. She continued staring at James seemingly terrified. James saw her expression and looked perplexed. He let go of Helen's hand and escorted her to a seat beside his.
Coincidentally, James took a place, 2 seats diagonally in front of Lily's left view, leaving Lily a clear view of him without anyone noticing.
"Good day, class." McGonagall addressed firmly. "Now, as you know, there are very few animagi in this world, and as most of you know, from my performance a few years ago, when I transformed into a cat, I am one of the few…"
McGonagall's dreary voice faded once it hit Lily's ears. The words were incomprehensible, and didn't register in her mind. She was letting her guard down by staring at James dreamingly.
She noticed the direction of each strand of untidy brown hair, as he occasionally ran his fingers through them. She detected the tiniest smiles he shot at Helen. She observed the way he tilted his chair to a certain angle, lazily bringing up his hand as if there weren't any effort.
She hated it when he did that. She still hated him.
"Ms. Evans!" McGonagall articulated disapprovingly. "What might I asked are you staring at?"
Breaking out of her trance, she found McGonagall standing in front of her, crossing her arms, frowning, and the whole class gazing at her, some holding snickers, some just curious. But worst of all, she saw James look at her look at him (A/N: did you get that?).
This was undeniably not good.
She shook her head, then looked further beyond James and saw a…a…a spider.
"I was –uh- looking at a spider." She answered, turning back to the Professor, grinning guiltily.
"So you mean," McGonagall continued, not breaking the frown, "that you couldn't listen to my class because you were looking a spider?" She raised her hands in disbelief.
"You see, in the muggle world, there's this new comic, a story with pictures, called Spider-man. And I was just thinking about when the spider bit Peter Parker he – "
"Enough with the wordy excuse." Professor McGonagall cut in. "That's still no excuse. I'll see you in detention tonight."
Lily gulped. Detention? She tried all her life to not get into detention. The only time she did get detention was in 4th year, when she had a nasty quibble with James Potter that was blown way out of proportion. They both ended up in the hospital wing for a week. This would be her 2nd time in detention. She was head girl. She was supposed to be a role model. She wasn't supposed to get detention!
Lily rubbed her forehead, and sank into her seat, trying to focus all her attention on the lecture, and not the messy-haired boy in front of her.
"Now, when Gruper the Hungry left the town of…" drawled on Professor Binns, the tiny white haired man in front of the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. "He said, 'Let me eat your boogers!'-"
It was very easy not to pay attention in his class. He would act like he couldn't see his students. Boys were throwing curses at the ceiling, while girls babbled on about clothes. (A/N: This is just a general idea, not all girls do this). But way behind, in the back row, was Lily, glaring passionately at the couple beside her, James and Helen. They weren't snogging or anything, just laughing, enjoying each other's company, and having FUN.
Lily, on the other hand, was definitely not having FUN. She was writing furiously on her parchment, not taking notes, but ranting to herself.
I can't believe this! How could he just drop me like this! Then go out with a pretty blonde called Helen! So what if she's nice to everyone, and not as puritanical as I am, and she enjoys quidditch. She's an Aries. James is a Sagittarius. They may think that they're in love, but they're only destined to be friends. Hah!
Oh, but wait! If I'm a Capricorn, and he's a Sagittarius, we're total opposites. His optimism will set against my pessimism; and his disorderliness will come in contrast with my perfectionism…AN IMPOSSIBLE UNION! Noooooo!
Look at their disgusting display. No, they are not lip locking, but they're LAUGHING! ::gasp::
Sickening. Just plain –
The whole time Lily was caught up with her little ranting session, Alice eyed her carefully, and at that moment grabbed it away from her.
Lily looked stunned. She looked on at Alice's amused face as she read the tirade of 'rage', and mouthed an annoyed "Hey!"
Professor Binns was now taking a walk through the aisles of table lined up, checking to see if the students were doing their essay.
Lily quickly took another piece of parchment and looked at what they were supposed to do, then quickly got to work. A few seconds later, Alice threw back the rant she took away, and replied.
He didn't just drop you, darling. After all, it took him 3 years to find another woman. But he didn't drop you. Not drop.
And why, may I ask, are you consorting to horoscopes? And pairing yourself up with him? Hmm?
And when was laughing ever such a crime?
Love, Alice
Lily glared at Alice for a while before replying
Yes, he did just drop me. We fought, then fifteen minutes later, he finds Helen. That's dropping.
I'm not pairing myself up with him. I just have a fascination with horoscopes (or Horrorscopes for that matter). And no, you may not ask!
Potter doesn't deserve to have fun. And Helen deserves better.
You're such a snoop, love, Lils
Lily looked at the note one last time, making sure her cover-up was okay, and flung the paper towards Alice. Unfortunately, a gust of wind blew through the open windows, and pushed the paper away from Alice, landing beside a Gryffindor in front of her.
Lily stared at it longingly, as if she could bring it back. Just as she was about to reach out her foot, to drag the note toward her, Professor Binns stood next to her and said-
'Ms. Evans!" Lily rapidly looked up, worried that she would get caught. "Splendid essay!" Then he turned back to the front of the class. Lily breathed heavily and turned her eyes to where the parchment was…but found nothing but floor.
"Alice! It's not here!" Lily exclaimed sadly.
Alice and Lily stayed after class to look around for the note.
"And it says my name!" Lily continued moaning.
"Don't worry, I don't think another student got it." Alice assured her, "The wind could've just blown it in another direction. For all we know, it could've fallen through one of the cracks in the floor. Now, let's go to lunch, and forget about this whole thing."
Lily nodded, and followed Alice out of the door.
As the two of them entered the Great Hall, they were alarmed to see their usual seats taken by a couple of first years. The only places left to seat were beside the Marauders and Helen.
Lily slowly walked towards the seat and sat beside Sirius while Alice sat across her beside James. She glanced longingly at the door leading her outside, away from James Potter, but her stomach grumbled otherwise.
'Great. Just great.' Lily thought sardonically.
"Hi, Lily!" They all greeted. "Hi, Alice!"
Lily nodded her hellos and quickly went to eating, quietly, and inconspicuously.
Her eyes would dart from Alice's discussion on Voldemort with Sirius and Remus, to James and Helens animated conversation.
Every now and then, James would look at her and give her smile, causing Lily to quickly look down at her food, to cover her blushing face. She wanted to get as far away from there as possible.
"Hey, Lily," James started, trying to initiate a discussion, "I-"
Lily, hearing her name come out from James' mouth, startled her, causing her arm to knock down the goblet full of pumpkin juice with a bang. The people next to her shut their mouths and turned their heads to see what happened. Lily was now drenched in orange liquid.
"Lily! Do you need help?" Alice asked, wiping the table. None of them had brought their wands along with them.
James had looked at Lily shocked, she was not usually so clumsy.
"I'm going to go now, and change." Lily sighed, excusing herself from the table. She could feel her cheeks start to burn from the embarrassment. She couldn't take it anymore.
As she walked away, the stares of other people's eyes following her pounded her back; she lost her footing, because of her soggy slippery shoes, and fell backwards.
She closed her eyes, hearing the gasps, and maybe even some mock giggles, and stood up quickly. By now she was as red as a tomato. She continued walking without looking back, and left.
Alice watched Lily suffer through humiliation, and then stood up. "Come on! There's no show to watch here! Carry on!" She announced, clapping her hands. Turning her head back to the marauders, "Excuse me, but I think I must rest in my dorm right now."
Alice entered the empty common room and headed up the left staircase to the Girl's dorm. Her hand steadily slid on the intricately carved golden banister. She could hear loud sobs coming from inside their room. For a second, she rested her ear against the inviting red door, and sighed heavily. She slowly pushed the door ajar, listening to the drastic change of the cries' volume lower.
"Lily?"
A/N: Okay, another one of my very ugly 'cliffhangers'. I think it was getting too long, and I didn't want to delay the chapter much longer. Does Lily like James, now? Does James notice? What happened to the note?
I need suggestions. Do you want Helen to be good (for a harder, twisted plot), or bad (poor James, simpler, but, to me, a lot more boring, it doesn't mean they'll get together any faster if she's bad)? I'll let you guys decide.
And do you want me to make longer chapters, or the length is just fine?
PLEASE REVIEW! Comments, suggestions, constructive criticism, questions, ideas...favorite bands/singers/songs that remind you of Lily and James…anything! Haha! I'm really having fun with this story!
Review Alert Dance: (it needs tweaking, though, and it's still in progress)
clap your hands twice, then kick up high.
Yup, that's all I have. Hehe. You're all invited to help me choreograph, and add steps!
I've got my eyes (get it?)on you, kaleidoscope00eyes (Pat)
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