Chapter 7
"Hello, Lily, how're y –"
James had stopped her from leaving the Common Room. Lily's eyes shot up, bloodshot and watery. But they were full of such hatred, James backed into the wall. With a desperate attempt to ask what was wrong, James was knocked to the ground in one shove.
"Get out of my way, Jamesie."
It suddenly dawned on James. Had she heard him and Cessily? But it wasn't what she thought it was . . .
"But, Lily . . ."
"Leave me alone!"
Darting out of the portrait hold, Lily dashed down the staircases, getting herself lost in the corridors so no one would find her. Meanwhile, in the Common Room, Sirius had tumbled down from the Boys' dorm, just as James yelled, "Damn it!"
"So . . .Is this a bad time to ask if the decorations are ready for our eyes?"
James, frustrated beyond belief, sat down in an armchair and pulled his hair. "Sirius, this isn't fair! It just isn't!" So, wanting to know what was wrong with his friend, Sirius sat in front of James as he blurted out the whole story.
"So that's what happened?" Sirius leaned back, shaking his head. "Oye, you better tell her that you were just trying to get Cessily off you, Mate. If Lily has another run-in with her, the idiot Hufflepuff will blurt everything out all wrong."
With a shocked expression of realization, James bolted up and out of the Common Room.
"Slow down, Lad, before you break your neck!" The Fat Lady spoke as she swung shut.
"No, he can't slow down. If he doesn't his girl won't talk to him. Ever."
Now, it wasn't hard to find Lily for James. One, he'd known her so well, even if she didn't think so. Two, James saw teardrops down staircases, up some, and even on the walls. There, in a corridor somewhere on the second floor, was Lily, curled up against the wall, crying rivers.
"Lily? Lily, I can explain . . ."
"Get away from me."
"Dear, dear. What's the matter, Evans?"
The high-pitched voice was now known as Cessily came out of a classroom nearby. A smirk played across her lips.
"Hues, get away right now before I curse you many times into oblivion," James said dangerously. Cessily giggled, thinking he was only joking.
"Awww, but doesn't Ms. Evans want to know the truth? The fact that we actually snogged the other day?" Cessily's smirk was now menacing, daring James to do anything.
"I warned you! Obliviate!" A beam of light flashed from James's wand in his outstretched hand. Cessily, caught unaware, was thrown back into the classroom she came out of. When she came out, though, she probably wouldn't have a clue where she was, or even who she was for that matter.
"Lily, please," James stepped forward, pocketing his wand. Lily had looked up by then. Her hair was a mess, possibly from running. Her normally green eyes were now surrounded by red puffiness. But her cheeks. Her cheeks were tear stricken.
"What do you want? To torture me more?"
"No, I want to explain," James said soothingly, putting an arm around Lily's shoulders. "Cessily and I weren't doing what I think you're thinking about. No, we didn't snog. She's being a prat. She's going out with Snape, for Pete's sake!" Lily let out a small laugh at this.
"Listen, I was trying to lock her somewhere she wouldn't bug me. I hate her. She's a disgusting leech that won't stop sucking blood. Get what I mean?" Lily nodded. "So I just wanted to say sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you or anything." James stood with a sigh.
"Wait!" Lily bolted up, grabbing James's wrist. "James . . .I'm sorry for thinking what I did. I knew you hated her from the off. Forgive?" Lily held out her hand after releasing his wrist. "Forgive," James grinned and shook on it. "Now, isn't it time we show them the Great Hall?"
About thirty minutes later, students were lined up in the Entrance Hall as they were on the first day back. Lily and James stood in front of the doors, waiting for the time to hit seven O'clock before opening the doors. A bell somewhere chimed, signaling the tick of the hour. With grins and smiles, Lily and James pushed open the doors. Everyone gaped in awe.
Pumpkins larger than two people hung suspended in mid-air, apparently with a hovering charm put on them. Candles floated near the ceiling, though in the pattern of a bat, if you looked at them from beneath. The ceiling was bewitched to look as if a witch would pass over it, the full moon hanging high. The howl of a wolf was heard throughout the Hall, as the two students wished for that, as well. But those few things weren't the best. Oh no. There was still something better and much spookier than all of that.
Among the walking rows stood mummies and skeletons, werewolves and zombies. Of course, they weren't real. They were only made of wax. But their enchanted movements looked so real, that when a zombie swayed dangerously near the door, many students stepped back in fright.
"Well," James said, his voice echoing in the silence. "What do you think?"
People gawked at the two as they stared smugly around. Then, as if someone turned off the mute button, a roar of applause sounded, cutting through the silence.
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" One little girl was saying.
"Blimey! They look so real!" Another boy was saying.
As the students entered the hall with noise, they either avoided or examined the walking wax figures. Lily prided herself in knowing how to make inanimate objects come to life. James did, too, though himself with the engorgement charms that he put on the pumpkins.
"Aye, Mate! This is excellent!" Sirius's voice sounded through the noise.
"By gods, Lily! How did you do it?" Hestia gawked, muttering stuff under her breath about how unnatural it all was, but cool none the less.
"I had help," James and Lily echoed in unison. They smiled at each other.
"Woo hoo, looks like a certain two people made up quickly," Sirius winked, and then snickered.
"Yeah, I guess we can't stay mad at each other for very long . . ." Lily muttered beneath her breath. James grinned, hearing it.
"Well," Hestia said, finally breathing. She'd been holding her breath until the doors opened. "Shouldn't we sit down? Feast? Chow down? Or as Sirius would put it," Sirius grinned at this. "Should we 'stuff our faces full of Hogwartsie goodness?'" James laughed.
Lily nodded with a grin. "Yeah. This feast will be good. We asked the house elves to put in some spider pudding. Don't worry, it's just called that because of the sprinkles." Lily snickered at the look on Hestia's face. Hestia hated spiders.
"C'mon, let's eat," James said, leading the group to the Gryffindor table.
As they sat down at the table, Lily sat next to James, Hestia next to Sirius already. With a smile, she looked up at him. "You know what I think, James?"
"Hmm?" James looked up, halfway through chewing into a piece of meat.
"That this year will be the best."
"Hello, Lily, how're y –"
James had stopped her from leaving the Common Room. Lily's eyes shot up, bloodshot and watery. But they were full of such hatred, James backed into the wall. With a desperate attempt to ask what was wrong, James was knocked to the ground in one shove.
"Get out of my way, Jamesie."
It suddenly dawned on James. Had she heard him and Cessily? But it wasn't what she thought it was . . .
"But, Lily . . ."
"Leave me alone!"
Darting out of the portrait hold, Lily dashed down the staircases, getting herself lost in the corridors so no one would find her. Meanwhile, in the Common Room, Sirius had tumbled down from the Boys' dorm, just as James yelled, "Damn it!"
"So . . .Is this a bad time to ask if the decorations are ready for our eyes?"
James, frustrated beyond belief, sat down in an armchair and pulled his hair. "Sirius, this isn't fair! It just isn't!" So, wanting to know what was wrong with his friend, Sirius sat in front of James as he blurted out the whole story.
"So that's what happened?" Sirius leaned back, shaking his head. "Oye, you better tell her that you were just trying to get Cessily off you, Mate. If Lily has another run-in with her, the idiot Hufflepuff will blurt everything out all wrong."
With a shocked expression of realization, James bolted up and out of the Common Room.
"Slow down, Lad, before you break your neck!" The Fat Lady spoke as she swung shut.
"No, he can't slow down. If he doesn't his girl won't talk to him. Ever."
Now, it wasn't hard to find Lily for James. One, he'd known her so well, even if she didn't think so. Two, James saw teardrops down staircases, up some, and even on the walls. There, in a corridor somewhere on the second floor, was Lily, curled up against the wall, crying rivers.
"Lily? Lily, I can explain . . ."
"Get away from me."
"Dear, dear. What's the matter, Evans?"
The high-pitched voice was now known as Cessily came out of a classroom nearby. A smirk played across her lips.
"Hues, get away right now before I curse you many times into oblivion," James said dangerously. Cessily giggled, thinking he was only joking.
"Awww, but doesn't Ms. Evans want to know the truth? The fact that we actually snogged the other day?" Cessily's smirk was now menacing, daring James to do anything.
"I warned you! Obliviate!" A beam of light flashed from James's wand in his outstretched hand. Cessily, caught unaware, was thrown back into the classroom she came out of. When she came out, though, she probably wouldn't have a clue where she was, or even who she was for that matter.
"Lily, please," James stepped forward, pocketing his wand. Lily had looked up by then. Her hair was a mess, possibly from running. Her normally green eyes were now surrounded by red puffiness. But her cheeks. Her cheeks were tear stricken.
"What do you want? To torture me more?"
"No, I want to explain," James said soothingly, putting an arm around Lily's shoulders. "Cessily and I weren't doing what I think you're thinking about. No, we didn't snog. She's being a prat. She's going out with Snape, for Pete's sake!" Lily let out a small laugh at this.
"Listen, I was trying to lock her somewhere she wouldn't bug me. I hate her. She's a disgusting leech that won't stop sucking blood. Get what I mean?" Lily nodded. "So I just wanted to say sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you or anything." James stood with a sigh.
"Wait!" Lily bolted up, grabbing James's wrist. "James . . .I'm sorry for thinking what I did. I knew you hated her from the off. Forgive?" Lily held out her hand after releasing his wrist. "Forgive," James grinned and shook on it. "Now, isn't it time we show them the Great Hall?"
About thirty minutes later, students were lined up in the Entrance Hall as they were on the first day back. Lily and James stood in front of the doors, waiting for the time to hit seven O'clock before opening the doors. A bell somewhere chimed, signaling the tick of the hour. With grins and smiles, Lily and James pushed open the doors. Everyone gaped in awe.
Pumpkins larger than two people hung suspended in mid-air, apparently with a hovering charm put on them. Candles floated near the ceiling, though in the pattern of a bat, if you looked at them from beneath. The ceiling was bewitched to look as if a witch would pass over it, the full moon hanging high. The howl of a wolf was heard throughout the Hall, as the two students wished for that, as well. But those few things weren't the best. Oh no. There was still something better and much spookier than all of that.
Among the walking rows stood mummies and skeletons, werewolves and zombies. Of course, they weren't real. They were only made of wax. But their enchanted movements looked so real, that when a zombie swayed dangerously near the door, many students stepped back in fright.
"Well," James said, his voice echoing in the silence. "What do you think?"
People gawked at the two as they stared smugly around. Then, as if someone turned off the mute button, a roar of applause sounded, cutting through the silence.
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" One little girl was saying.
"Blimey! They look so real!" Another boy was saying.
As the students entered the hall with noise, they either avoided or examined the walking wax figures. Lily prided herself in knowing how to make inanimate objects come to life. James did, too, though himself with the engorgement charms that he put on the pumpkins.
"Aye, Mate! This is excellent!" Sirius's voice sounded through the noise.
"By gods, Lily! How did you do it?" Hestia gawked, muttering stuff under her breath about how unnatural it all was, but cool none the less.
"I had help," James and Lily echoed in unison. They smiled at each other.
"Woo hoo, looks like a certain two people made up quickly," Sirius winked, and then snickered.
"Yeah, I guess we can't stay mad at each other for very long . . ." Lily muttered beneath her breath. James grinned, hearing it.
"Well," Hestia said, finally breathing. She'd been holding her breath until the doors opened. "Shouldn't we sit down? Feast? Chow down? Or as Sirius would put it," Sirius grinned at this. "Should we 'stuff our faces full of Hogwartsie goodness?'" James laughed.
Lily nodded with a grin. "Yeah. This feast will be good. We asked the house elves to put in some spider pudding. Don't worry, it's just called that because of the sprinkles." Lily snickered at the look on Hestia's face. Hestia hated spiders.
"C'mon, let's eat," James said, leading the group to the Gryffindor table.
As they sat down at the table, Lily sat next to James, Hestia next to Sirius already. With a smile, she looked up at him. "You know what I think, James?"
"Hmm?" James looked up, halfway through chewing into a piece of meat.
"That this year will be the best."