Chapter 8
Exams came up sooner than they all had hoped and Lily and James were the only two prepared for them.
"You are going DOWN this year, Evans," said James, on the way to their Transfiguration exam.
"On this one, probably, but I KNOW I mopped the floor with you on the Charms exam, the Potions exam, the History of Magic exam, the--."
"I get the point, Evans."
They sat down on opposite sides of the room, glaring at one another. McGonagall passed out the tests and they began. After the written exam, they went up one by one and Transfigured a small animal into a goblet and back again, then they were allowed to leave. That night, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Gabby, Lily, Jenni, Frank and Cliona sat on the Astronomy tower, and watched the stars, not because they had to, but because exams were over and they could relax.
"What's that?" Sirius asked, looking out onto the grounds.
There was a faint light in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. The others rushed over to look.
"Looks like someone's in the forest," said Lily.
"It's probably the gamekeeper," said Jenni.
The large man known as Hagrid walked into his hut, and the second years looked at one another.
"No one else is allowed in there," said Gabby.
"Help me," came a voice whispered into the wind.
They looked at one another, no one speaking.
"I'm going to bed," said Gabby.
"Right behind you," said Cliona.
"I think I'll turn in, too," said Peter, running behind them.
"They need help," said Remus.
"What are we going to do, Remus? We're twelve! What can we do?"
"You may not have any skills, but I do!" said James, turning and walking down the stairs.
"Potter, don't be stupid!" said Lily, following him.
"I'm not stupid!" he growled.
She sighed.
"Then have some common sense!"
The two walked out of the castle and down into the forbidden forest, James holding up his lighted wand, Lily following closely. Something cracked behind them, and they both jumped, Lily grabbing James's free hand. Nothing was there and they continued on, neither noticing they were still holding hands.
"I wonder what all is in here," James whispered.
"Tons of creatures I heard. Centaurs, Unicorns, werewolves."
"You aren't afraid, are you, Evans?"
"Of course not, just curious."
He nodded and they continued on. They reached a point where they could see the light and James put out his wand.
"Let's get closer."
"Help me," came the wind voice again.
"James, what is that?" Lily asked.
"I don't know."
The two hid behind a particularly large tree and peeked around it. Two centaurs were bound and chained up, and several men were questioning them.
"I know you can speak, BLAST YOU!" one man, the leader it seemed, demanded.
"My Lord, you cannot make them speak," another man insisted.
Lily and James looked at one another.
"I wonder what they're doing," James whispered.
"If we stay here long enough, we can find out," Lily whispered back.
"I have to know!" hissed the leader again.
"They do not associate with humans," said another man.
"I know that! But unless they wish to watch their kind slowly die, then they had better begin associating with humans."
"Bane, we must," Lily heard one say to the other.
"No," said the one called Bane.
The first centaur turned his head slightly toward Lily and James and he stamped his hoof. Lily turned to their left, and pulled James along with her.
"Where are you going, Evans?"
She didn't speak, she only pulled him along behind her for about five minutes, then she suddenly stopped.
"Look, James!" she whispered urgently.
James looked and saw dozens of centaurs, some crying, others looking extremely stubborn and strong, two men guarding them carefully. There were several centaurs dead to the left of the imprisoned creatures. Lily held onto her wand tighter, and James noticed this.
"What do you think you are going to do?"
"I don't know."
Leaves rustled behind them, causing James to jump and spin around.
"It was just the win—"
James turned around to find Lily gone. He looked around and spotted her behind a group of male centaurs. She pulled a pin out of her hair and picked the lock, as James joined her.
"Hush!" she scolded him.
"Are you a witch or not?"
"Magic is much too loud, sort of like you."
James opened his mouth to speak again, but changed his mind, as the lock clicked and the centaurs were free. They immediately attacked the two men and trampled them, Lily and James watching in horrified silence. James pulled Lily to him and let her bury her face in his shoulder. One of them slowly made his way to the students and James stood in front of Lily. Sirius and Remus came into the clearing and one of the centaurs ran and blocked their path.
"What are humans doing in our forest?" demanded the centaur by Sirius and Remus.
"Er... We're following them," replied Sirius, nervously.
"We followed that light, we heard a voice, crying for help," said Lily, moving from behind James, and stepping in front of him.
"What is going on over yonder?" asked a small, blond centaur.
"Men are asking them to speak to them, I presume he needs a reading of the stars of his future."
A gray- bearded centaur made his way to Lily.
"He does, for his is an evil future," he said, and the centaur near Lily and James nodded and walked away.
"What is his future?"
"He will be powerful for sometime, then he will fall at the hand of a child, and then he will rise and fall once more."
"That was quite straightforward for a centaur."
He smiled kindly.
"Perseus is unusually close to Andromeda tonight."
Lily smiled a little. She knew the mythology behind those constellations, but she didn't know what it had to do with her.
"We must strike or the humans will kill them!" insisted one of the centaurs.
One centaur with red hair, uncomfortably close to Lily and James reared and James instinctively pulled Lily to him.
"The time is not yet right."
"I will get them," said Lily.
"Why? What do you want?" asked the red haired centaur.
"To help."
"She is of pure heart," said the gray- haired centaur.
Lily smiled and walked back to the campfire, and hid behind the two centaurs, James, Sirius, Remus and the red- haired centaur behind her. She quietly laid on her stomach and reached out and picked the lock. Suddenly, it clicked and the four wizards stopped and looked at the centaurs, wands raised. Lily looked up, and froze as the leader looked right at her, he had a horrible face: red, glowing eyes, slits for nostrils and pointed teeth, and his skin was a sallow gray.
"Get her!" he hissed.
"Petrificus Totalus!" she shouted two of the three wizards running at her fell to the ground.
The third paused, unsure of whether to help his fellow wizards or go after the girl. He decided on Lily, but he'd paused too long.
"Stupefy!" shouted James, knocking the man unconscious.
The leader didn't seem upset, actually he smiled and laughed sinisterly. Lily stood and the two centaurs freed themselves of their chains. The man looked deeply into Lily's eyes.
"Come now, child, you don't want to prove your sister right, do you?" he whispered.
Lily's eyes widened.
"W—what?"
"Come to me, girl." Lily's feet moved toward him, although her mind told her not to go near him. The man waved his hand over Lily's head, and she suddenly stood very rigid. "What's your name, dear girl?"
"Lily."
"Lily what?"
"Lily Evans."
"Are you a Muggleborn Lily?"
"Yes."
He led her away from the others and James, Remus and Sirius leapt onto the man's back and Lily fell to the ground, unconscious. The man easily threw the boys off of him and waved his hand over Lily and she suddenly stood and faced the man.
"Now, Lily I want you to destroy these boys for trying to hurt me."
"Yes, my Lord."
James's eyes grew the widest as Lily faced them and raised her wand. The three tried to move away as the centaurs watched. Lily had James Sirius and Remus cornered and she looked up at the centaurs, and winked. James, Remus and Sirius were too busy pleading with her to notice.
"Please, Lily! What about all we've been through!" said Sirius.
Lily looked down on them, and grinned, silencing the three of them.
"EX—"she turned and faced the man. "--PELLIARMUS!"
He flew back several yards and hit a tree. Lily helped the boys up.
"You saved our lives, Lily Evans, your kindness shall never be forgotten," said one of the centaurs.
Lily smiled, and nodded.
"Goodbye."
James grabbed her hand and pulled her, running out of the Forbidden Forest, and up to the castle, where they were met by Professor McGonagall.
"Professor! There's someone in the forest!" began Sirius.
"And he had his three guys try to kill us!" said James.
"But Lily and James stopped them, but then the leader guy began to control Lily's mind!" continued Remus.
"Then he told me to kill James, Sirius and Remus, but I fooled him and shot at him instead!" Lily said.
"And Lily saved the centaurs!" said Sirius.
McGonagall was thin lipped, and after a moment opened her mouth to speak.
"Are you four all right?" she asked, staring out behind them.
"Yes ma'am," the four chorused.
"Get into the Great Hall."
They looked at one another, but did as they were told. A few moments later the rest of the school was in the Great Hall, all of them thoroughly confused. All the teachers went to the Great Oak Doors, peered out, then came back in, whispering amongst themselves. Finally, Dumbledore entered and everyone was silenced. He walked outside and the entire school followed in curious silence. Dumbledore spoke to someone that no one could see, for that someone was cloaked by darkness.
"Lily Evans!" said Dumbledore, and the crowd parted and Lily stepped in front of them, "And James Potter."
James stood next to Lily.
"Uh oh," whispered James.
"You two have an extraordinary gift for breaking the rules, getting into trouble and saving the day. Ronan says you freed the centaurs, took on three full grown wizards and fought a very evil man."
Lily blushed and James smiled in relief.
"They were joined by two other young men," voice Ronan, stepping into the light. He was the centaur along with Bane that had been captured by the campfire.
"Which ones?"
"One Sirius Black and another Remus Lupin."
The two stood on either side of Lily and James.
"You three will be awarded fifty points each and given a week of detention when you return for next year. That will be all, you may all go to bed."
Ronan stepped to Lily and bowed to her.
"We thank you. And remember, you are always welcome in our forest." Dumbledore cleared his throat, "I suppose that means she is not?"
"No, she is not."
"Then remember, Lily Evans you will always be watched over, until you wish to pass on that protection to someone else."
She smiled and curtsied to him.
"Thank you."
He smiled and thunderous applause came from behind him and the clouds moved and moonlight shone on the grounds and revealed the entire centaur community applauding the four second years. Ronan walked back into the forest the rest of the centaurs following him.
"Honestly! You four have GOT to be the ONLY ones in the world who can get two hundred points and a week of detention for the same thing!" said Jenni as they entered Gryffindor Tower.
They laughed.
"We ARE talented, aren't we?" said Lily.
"Well, maybe not YOU, but I am!" said James.
"May I hit him?"
"Go right ahead," said Remus, grinning.
Lily slapped James on the arm and he jumped.
"What was that for?" James asked.
"For being yourself, now, goodnight."
The girls went up to bed and the boys went to their dorms.
Exams came up sooner than they all had hoped and Lily and James were the only two prepared for them.
"You are going DOWN this year, Evans," said James, on the way to their Transfiguration exam.
"On this one, probably, but I KNOW I mopped the floor with you on the Charms exam, the Potions exam, the History of Magic exam, the--."
"I get the point, Evans."
They sat down on opposite sides of the room, glaring at one another. McGonagall passed out the tests and they began. After the written exam, they went up one by one and Transfigured a small animal into a goblet and back again, then they were allowed to leave. That night, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Gabby, Lily, Jenni, Frank and Cliona sat on the Astronomy tower, and watched the stars, not because they had to, but because exams were over and they could relax.
"What's that?" Sirius asked, looking out onto the grounds.
There was a faint light in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. The others rushed over to look.
"Looks like someone's in the forest," said Lily.
"It's probably the gamekeeper," said Jenni.
The large man known as Hagrid walked into his hut, and the second years looked at one another.
"No one else is allowed in there," said Gabby.
"Help me," came a voice whispered into the wind.
They looked at one another, no one speaking.
"I'm going to bed," said Gabby.
"Right behind you," said Cliona.
"I think I'll turn in, too," said Peter, running behind them.
"They need help," said Remus.
"What are we going to do, Remus? We're twelve! What can we do?"
"You may not have any skills, but I do!" said James, turning and walking down the stairs.
"Potter, don't be stupid!" said Lily, following him.
"I'm not stupid!" he growled.
She sighed.
"Then have some common sense!"
The two walked out of the castle and down into the forbidden forest, James holding up his lighted wand, Lily following closely. Something cracked behind them, and they both jumped, Lily grabbing James's free hand. Nothing was there and they continued on, neither noticing they were still holding hands.
"I wonder what all is in here," James whispered.
"Tons of creatures I heard. Centaurs, Unicorns, werewolves."
"You aren't afraid, are you, Evans?"
"Of course not, just curious."
He nodded and they continued on. They reached a point where they could see the light and James put out his wand.
"Let's get closer."
"Help me," came the wind voice again.
"James, what is that?" Lily asked.
"I don't know."
The two hid behind a particularly large tree and peeked around it. Two centaurs were bound and chained up, and several men were questioning them.
"I know you can speak, BLAST YOU!" one man, the leader it seemed, demanded.
"My Lord, you cannot make them speak," another man insisted.
Lily and James looked at one another.
"I wonder what they're doing," James whispered.
"If we stay here long enough, we can find out," Lily whispered back.
"I have to know!" hissed the leader again.
"They do not associate with humans," said another man.
"I know that! But unless they wish to watch their kind slowly die, then they had better begin associating with humans."
"Bane, we must," Lily heard one say to the other.
"No," said the one called Bane.
The first centaur turned his head slightly toward Lily and James and he stamped his hoof. Lily turned to their left, and pulled James along with her.
"Where are you going, Evans?"
She didn't speak, she only pulled him along behind her for about five minutes, then she suddenly stopped.
"Look, James!" she whispered urgently.
James looked and saw dozens of centaurs, some crying, others looking extremely stubborn and strong, two men guarding them carefully. There were several centaurs dead to the left of the imprisoned creatures. Lily held onto her wand tighter, and James noticed this.
"What do you think you are going to do?"
"I don't know."
Leaves rustled behind them, causing James to jump and spin around.
"It was just the win—"
James turned around to find Lily gone. He looked around and spotted her behind a group of male centaurs. She pulled a pin out of her hair and picked the lock, as James joined her.
"Hush!" she scolded him.
"Are you a witch or not?"
"Magic is much too loud, sort of like you."
James opened his mouth to speak again, but changed his mind, as the lock clicked and the centaurs were free. They immediately attacked the two men and trampled them, Lily and James watching in horrified silence. James pulled Lily to him and let her bury her face in his shoulder. One of them slowly made his way to the students and James stood in front of Lily. Sirius and Remus came into the clearing and one of the centaurs ran and blocked their path.
"What are humans doing in our forest?" demanded the centaur by Sirius and Remus.
"Er... We're following them," replied Sirius, nervously.
"We followed that light, we heard a voice, crying for help," said Lily, moving from behind James, and stepping in front of him.
"What is going on over yonder?" asked a small, blond centaur.
"Men are asking them to speak to them, I presume he needs a reading of the stars of his future."
A gray- bearded centaur made his way to Lily.
"He does, for his is an evil future," he said, and the centaur near Lily and James nodded and walked away.
"What is his future?"
"He will be powerful for sometime, then he will fall at the hand of a child, and then he will rise and fall once more."
"That was quite straightforward for a centaur."
He smiled kindly.
"Perseus is unusually close to Andromeda tonight."
Lily smiled a little. She knew the mythology behind those constellations, but she didn't know what it had to do with her.
"We must strike or the humans will kill them!" insisted one of the centaurs.
One centaur with red hair, uncomfortably close to Lily and James reared and James instinctively pulled Lily to him.
"The time is not yet right."
"I will get them," said Lily.
"Why? What do you want?" asked the red haired centaur.
"To help."
"She is of pure heart," said the gray- haired centaur.
Lily smiled and walked back to the campfire, and hid behind the two centaurs, James, Sirius, Remus and the red- haired centaur behind her. She quietly laid on her stomach and reached out and picked the lock. Suddenly, it clicked and the four wizards stopped and looked at the centaurs, wands raised. Lily looked up, and froze as the leader looked right at her, he had a horrible face: red, glowing eyes, slits for nostrils and pointed teeth, and his skin was a sallow gray.
"Get her!" he hissed.
"Petrificus Totalus!" she shouted two of the three wizards running at her fell to the ground.
The third paused, unsure of whether to help his fellow wizards or go after the girl. He decided on Lily, but he'd paused too long.
"Stupefy!" shouted James, knocking the man unconscious.
The leader didn't seem upset, actually he smiled and laughed sinisterly. Lily stood and the two centaurs freed themselves of their chains. The man looked deeply into Lily's eyes.
"Come now, child, you don't want to prove your sister right, do you?" he whispered.
Lily's eyes widened.
"W—what?"
"Come to me, girl." Lily's feet moved toward him, although her mind told her not to go near him. The man waved his hand over Lily's head, and she suddenly stood very rigid. "What's your name, dear girl?"
"Lily."
"Lily what?"
"Lily Evans."
"Are you a Muggleborn Lily?"
"Yes."
He led her away from the others and James, Remus and Sirius leapt onto the man's back and Lily fell to the ground, unconscious. The man easily threw the boys off of him and waved his hand over Lily and she suddenly stood and faced the man.
"Now, Lily I want you to destroy these boys for trying to hurt me."
"Yes, my Lord."
James's eyes grew the widest as Lily faced them and raised her wand. The three tried to move away as the centaurs watched. Lily had James Sirius and Remus cornered and she looked up at the centaurs, and winked. James, Remus and Sirius were too busy pleading with her to notice.
"Please, Lily! What about all we've been through!" said Sirius.
Lily looked down on them, and grinned, silencing the three of them.
"EX—"she turned and faced the man. "--PELLIARMUS!"
He flew back several yards and hit a tree. Lily helped the boys up.
"You saved our lives, Lily Evans, your kindness shall never be forgotten," said one of the centaurs.
Lily smiled, and nodded.
"Goodbye."
James grabbed her hand and pulled her, running out of the Forbidden Forest, and up to the castle, where they were met by Professor McGonagall.
"Professor! There's someone in the forest!" began Sirius.
"And he had his three guys try to kill us!" said James.
"But Lily and James stopped them, but then the leader guy began to control Lily's mind!" continued Remus.
"Then he told me to kill James, Sirius and Remus, but I fooled him and shot at him instead!" Lily said.
"And Lily saved the centaurs!" said Sirius.
McGonagall was thin lipped, and after a moment opened her mouth to speak.
"Are you four all right?" she asked, staring out behind them.
"Yes ma'am," the four chorused.
"Get into the Great Hall."
They looked at one another, but did as they were told. A few moments later the rest of the school was in the Great Hall, all of them thoroughly confused. All the teachers went to the Great Oak Doors, peered out, then came back in, whispering amongst themselves. Finally, Dumbledore entered and everyone was silenced. He walked outside and the entire school followed in curious silence. Dumbledore spoke to someone that no one could see, for that someone was cloaked by darkness.
"Lily Evans!" said Dumbledore, and the crowd parted and Lily stepped in front of them, "And James Potter."
James stood next to Lily.
"Uh oh," whispered James.
"You two have an extraordinary gift for breaking the rules, getting into trouble and saving the day. Ronan says you freed the centaurs, took on three full grown wizards and fought a very evil man."
Lily blushed and James smiled in relief.
"They were joined by two other young men," voice Ronan, stepping into the light. He was the centaur along with Bane that had been captured by the campfire.
"Which ones?"
"One Sirius Black and another Remus Lupin."
The two stood on either side of Lily and James.
"You three will be awarded fifty points each and given a week of detention when you return for next year. That will be all, you may all go to bed."
Ronan stepped to Lily and bowed to her.
"We thank you. And remember, you are always welcome in our forest." Dumbledore cleared his throat, "I suppose that means she is not?"
"No, she is not."
"Then remember, Lily Evans you will always be watched over, until you wish to pass on that protection to someone else."
She smiled and curtsied to him.
"Thank you."
He smiled and thunderous applause came from behind him and the clouds moved and moonlight shone on the grounds and revealed the entire centaur community applauding the four second years. Ronan walked back into the forest the rest of the centaurs following him.
"Honestly! You four have GOT to be the ONLY ones in the world who can get two hundred points and a week of detention for the same thing!" said Jenni as they entered Gryffindor Tower.
They laughed.
"We ARE talented, aren't we?" said Lily.
"Well, maybe not YOU, but I am!" said James.
"May I hit him?"
"Go right ahead," said Remus, grinning.
Lily slapped James on the arm and he jumped.
"What was that for?" James asked.
"For being yourself, now, goodnight."
The girls went up to bed and the boys went to their dorms.