Chapter 20
A week before the start of Christmas vacation, Lily received a letter, it was from her grandmother.
'Hello Lily dear. So nice to hear from you. I would enjoy it immensely if you came and stayed with me over Christmas holiday, I made you your favorite cookies, Lots of Love - Grandmother Bouchinelli.'
In the package with the letter were chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies. Lily smiled, looking around at her friends.
"You can each have one."
They looked at her thankfully, and each took a cookie. Lily took her name off the list to stay at Hogwarts over the holiday, and she sat there, twisting her sweater, nervously.
"Lil, she's not going to kill you," said Sirius.
Lily looked up.
"What? Who?" she said, paranoid.
"Breathe, Lily, breathe," said Cat.
Gabby coached her on breathing. Lily smiled, and put her head on Gabby's shoulder.
"Thanks guys. Did you hear? Our house sold to someone. They said they're only going to stay there for a few years, then they're moving," said Lily.
"Yeah. A pair of Muggles, I heard," said James, "Now I can't annoy you."
"Sorry, Four eyes, you'll have to wait."
A guy they knew as Andrew Branson, the Ravenclaw Seeker, came up and kissed Lily on the neck, and the others looked at him, Lily turned around.
"Hey babe, where are we meeting tonight?" he whispered.
"Next to the statue of Wendelin the Weird on the fifth floor."
He smiled and kissed her.
"See you then."
He left the Great Hall. That night, she sneaked out of Gryffindor Tower and met Andrew. She jumped on his back and he grinned.
"All right, Andrew, I'm yours tonight."
She stood on her own two feet and he faced her. He raised an eyebrow.
"You know, a girl can get into a lot of trouble saying something like that."
Lily stood on her toes, and he leaned, thinking she was going to whisper something, instead she kissed his jaw.
"I know."
He took her hand and led her into the nearest closet, unaware of someone watching them in shock. Andrew closed the door, and locked it. Lily grinned and threw him up against the wall and kissed him. She could feel his lips form a grin as his hands slid up her shirt. A few hours later they went back to their own dorms. The next morning, she went to breakfast, acting as though nothing had happened. Andrew winked at her at one point, and she smiled a little, but neither spoke to the other. A seventh year Gryffindor girl passed a note down from the other end of the table, to Lily. Lily read it and a smiled formed on her lips.
'Tonight, Astronomy Tower?'
'See you there at 10?'
She passed it back down.
"Lily, that's three guys in the past week," Cat whispered.
"Four."
"Who didn't I count?"
"That guy who I met at the Three Broomsticks last week," said Lily, nonchalantly.
"You've become a Scarlet Woman, Lily!" said Jenni, disapprovingly.
"And?"
Jenni sighed.
"Never mind."
That night, Lily met the guy in the Astronomy Tower, and got there just as James Potter was leaving it. He saw her in the darkness, and she grinned at him. The next morning after breakfast, Cat found Lily up in their dorm, just waking up.
"Dumbledore announced a Christmas Ball."
"Cool."
"Lily?" asked Cat.
"What?"
"Do you hate James?"
"I don't know. Why?"
"I was just wondering."
Over in the boys' dorm.....
"James?"
"What is it?"
"Do you hate Lily?"
"Only if you do."
"Huh? I don't hate her. But that was a good prank she and Cat pulled a couple days ago."
"Whatever you say."
"You're weird James, two months ago you hated her, now you just ignore her. I think you like her."
"Well, I don't."
"Whatever you say."
James sighed, and sat down on Sirius' bed.
"Sirius? What would you do if you liked someone, but didn't want to hurt their feelings about something?"
"I don't know. Why?"
"Just wondering."
"Lily or Gabby?"
"What?"
"Who's feelings don't you want to hurt? Lily's or Gabby's?"
"Gabby."
"Ouch."
"What?"
"I feel your pain all ready."
"Oh man! I can't dump her can I?"
"Nope."
"I'll ask Cat, she'll know how."
"Why aren't you taking my advice?"
"Because you're scared of Gabby."
James walked out of Sirius's room, and over to Cat's, and knocked on the door.
"Come in," said Cat.
"Hi Cat, hey Lily."
"What's up, James?"
"How do I break up with Gabby without hurting her feelings?" The girls looked at each other and laughed. "I can't, can I?"
You can tell her that you just don't like her that way, or there's someone else, but you better tell her the night before our party, you can tell her before the party's over, or when you first see her," said Lily.
"I think I'll tell her there's someone else."
"Who?"
"Hi Cat."
"I'm going with Frank, and Jenni's going with Remus, so we're out, and unless you want Gabby finding out, your best bet is to go Hufflepuff."
James flinched.
"Lily? Please?"
"No."
James got down on his knees in front of Lily, and stuck out his bottom lip.
"Please? Pretty please with sugar on top?"
"No."
"Lily! I'm on my knees!"
She stared at him, in shock and horror. He put his chin on her knee like a pathetic puppy. She sighed.
"Fine."
James smiled, stood up.
"Thank you Lily! Thank you!"
"This doesn't change anything between us?"
"Not unless you want it to."
"Okay good. I don't think anything should change."
"Agreed."
After that, when James saw Gabby and went up to her, taking her corner of the Common Room.
"Gab, I like you and all, but there's someone else," said James.
"Oh."
"Yeah, I'm really sorry."
The next afternoon, Gabby, Jenni, Cat and Lily left about two hours before the Ball to get ready. Lily put on emerald green dress robes, and put holly in her long hair. And Cat put on a dark blue dress that shone silver in the light. Cat's hair was in a ponytail, in ringlets, and Lily's was in a French twist. Jenni and Gabby were the first two out of the dorm. Gabby saw James waiting, and walked up to him.
"Who?"
"Er-- Lily."
Gabby burst out laughing.
"You don't have to lie to try not to hurt my feelings, either way--"
"I'm not--"
Lily walked to them, and grabbed James' hand.
"Hi Gab," said Lily.
Gabby stopped laughing, and stared at their hands. James just stared at Lily.
"Er, hi," he managed.
"Will you excuse us? I want to dance, and can't do it by myself."
Then Lily pulled James out of the Common Room, and to the Great Hall for the dance.
"She didn't believe me," whispered James, into Lily's ear.
"I know, that's why I came and bailed you out."
He laughed.
"She's going to kill you, I can see it in her eyes now. She's glaring at you."
"I know. How can we make her even more jealous?"
"If I have an idea, can I use it?"
"Okay, I guess. What is it?"
"This."
He kissed her neck.
Lily giggled.
"James, that tickles."
"Okay, so can I do that?"
"This is your scam."
"Okay."
He kissed her on the cheeks, forehead, nose and neck. Sirius got a picture of Gabby's, Jenni's, Remus', Cat's and Frank's face and then one of Lily and James. After a while, they were still dancing, and James' hands began to slip down. Lily didn't seem to notice. He laughed at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"There has to be something funny."
"No. Gabby's coming closer," he whispered.
"Okay."
"You're so beautiful."
Lily blushed. She knew he was acting, but she couldn't help it.
"No I'm not. You are the hottest person in the entire world."
"No way. You are, I don't come anywhere near you."
"No you don't."
"I love you."
This was unexpected. They hadn't noticed that Cat, Frank, Jenni, Remus, Sirius and Gabby were all listening to them.
"I love you, too."
Jenni choked on her drink. Lily looked over her shoulder at Jenni. Gabby and Remus both had to sit down and Frank was about to faint, and Cat and Sirius were laughing. James went to sit down, holding Lily's hand.
"Sit down."
"Where?" He looked around, there were no seats left. Lily sighed and shrugged. "What the hell."
She sat in James' lap, much to the surprise of everyone. The students and teachers were staring at them. After a little while they got back up and danced for the rest of the night. James noticed that Snape scowled more than usual, upon seeing Lily holding hands with James.
"Is it just me, or is Snape glaring at me, unrelenting?"
"He's staring at you unrelenting," said Lily.
"Why though?"
"He's jealous," blurted Sirius.
"Sirius!" yelled Lily.
"What's up with you two?" asked James.
"Nothing," they answered in unison.
"Liars. Is Snape the mystery lover from the past two years?"
Lily nodded solemnly.
"Unfortunately for me," she said.
"I'm sorry. I feel bad for you know."
"Don't ever feel sorry for me."
"Anyone who's the object of Snape's affections is pitied by everyone."
"I've been somewhat successful in shaking him off."
"Oh really? Well last summer in Diagon Alley, I saw him in every store you were in."
"He was? I didn't notice him."
"I've got an idea."
"Ouch, that must hurt."
They laughed, and he tickled her, she screamed with laughter, everyone in the Great Hall staring.
"Okay, okay. Tell me."
"Okay."
And he gently kissed her on the lips, much to the surprise of every student and teacher. After a while Lily and James went on a walk around the grounds, laughing about their friends' faces. When they returned to Gryffindor Tower, Jenni, Remus and Frank were sitting by the fire waiting for them.
"Have fun?" asked Jenni.
"Yup," said James.
Lily smacked him lightly.
"Really? What did you do?" asked Remus.
"It's a secret," said Lily.
"Not really, the whole school knows."
"Knows what?"
"That you two are sleeping together," said Frank.
"Well, if you really want to know, ask Sirius," whispered James.
The three looked at each other and went to Sirius.
"That was stupid, now Jenni'll tell Gabby," said Lily.
"Oh well, I got out, didn't I?"
"Without me, you'd still be in that storage room, and still going out with Gabby."
"I could have gotten out of the storage room without you!"
"No you couldn't have! It was locked form the outside!"
"I almost had it when you stopped me!"
"Not true! You would have broken your arm if I hadn't stopped you!"
"God! You are absolutely impossible!"
"Me? You are the most intolerable insufferable person ever!"
"Big words for a girl!"
"At least I'm not some stupid jock!"
Lily turned on her heel, went up to her dorm and slammed the door. James sighed, and went up to his dorm, and flopped down on his bed.
"Sirius?"
"What?"
"Am I a stupid jock?"
"Lily getting to you?"
"Yeah."
"There, Jamie- boy, I have no advice. You'll have to ask her friends."
James sighed and knocked on the girls' dorm. Gabby opened the door.
"Is Lily all right?"
"Yeah, she's taking a shower. If I were you, I'd talk to her tomorrow."
"Thanks Gab. Oh and Gabby?"
"What?"
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It was a scam, I didn't want to hurt your feelings, so I talked her into pretending to be my new love interest. It's not true. I really don't like anyone like that right now. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I was going to say the same thing to you."
"Oh. Well, night."
"Good night."
He began to walk down the stairs and Gabby closed the door. The following day, they went on Christmas vacation. When they got to the station, Petunia was waiting on Platform ten, with their Grandmother, and her sister- in- law. Lily beamed and ran to them.
"Grandmother! Aunt Zena!"
Lily hugged them, and introduced them to her friends. James grinned as he slipped a Dungbomb into Petunia's bag. Sirius grinned too, watching him. The Potters walked up and introductions began once again.
"So, Lily what are you doing this Christmas?" asked Mrs. Potter.
"I'm not sure. Grandmother, what are we doing?"
"I'M going to Majorca with Vernon and Marge," said Petunia.
"Who?" asked Lily.
"Never mind."
"WE are going to Italy and stay," said Lily's great- great aunt Zena.
"Wow! Really?"
Zena nodded, and she hugged her.
"Yes, we'll be leaving in three days, just after Petunia."
Lily smiled at her friends, who smiled back. Mrs. Potter looked at Lily.
"We'll miss having you stay with us. James'll most likely be bored without you."
Lily laughed.
"Well, he can bother Sirius some more," replied Lily, with a grin.
"Yes, I suppose so."
Lily said goodbye to her friends and left for home. In the time Petunia was home, she was unusually kind to Lily. Lily was thankful when she left with Vernon and Marge, both of whom were unusually large. Lily thought Vernon wore the same bra size his sister did.
"Floo Powder, I suppose?" Maria asked Zena.
"Yes, unless Lily can Apperate," was her reply.
"Apper--" Lily gasped.
"I thought you knew."
Lily shook her head.
"No, Aunt Zena. No one ever told me."
Zena smiled. Lily took a sip of her tea.
"Yes, I actually ALMOST married Albus Dumbledore, I wonder what he's doing now," said Zena in a reverie.
Lily spit out her tea.
"Lily Maria Evans!" scolded Maria.
"Albus Dumbledore?! As in Professor Dumbledore?! Headmaster of Hogwarts?! The man who's had to banish and clean up things because of me more times than I can count?! THAT Albus Dumbledore?!" declared Lily, in shock.
"Oh, so you do know him?" said Zena calmly.
"What do you mean banish and clean up things because of you?" demanded Maria.
"Well, things tend to try and kill me, and once I nearly destroyed an entire corridor! He found me once when I was lost, took me to his office just to tell me that looks aren't everything. I think he knew that Snape was stalking me," said Lily thoughtfully.
Zena laughed.
"He always did seem to know more that he was supposed to," she said.
That afternoon, they were unpacking in Naples, Italy. Lily first went out onto the balcony looking over the water of the Mediterranean Sea, then she went to the beach, and she sat down watching the fisherman fish and the children play, then she wished she had brought someone along. Zena had thought ahead of time, and sent for all of Lily's friends. All but Peter and Remus could come. By sunset on the second day, Lily's friends were there. When Lily got tired and hungry, from wondering around Naples she went back to their seaside house. She walked in, and something big blocked her way.
"What the hell?" she murmured, and looked up.
It was James.
"Hello, Carrots."
"Four eyes?"
"You sound surprised."
"I am surprised, stupid."
"I'm the smartest guy in our year."
"This coming from the guy who left all his pranks accessible to his rival while he left the house."
James blushed.
"Well... I didn't think you would, you usually get Cat to do it."
"No I don't. We team up."
Soon it was time for dinner, and Lily, Zena and Maria brought out all the food they had made and Sirius looked as though she had never eaten in his life. Between James and Sirius there wasn't much food for anyone else. The next day, Lily and her friends walked along the beach talking, about what they wanted for Christmas, what they were going to do when they got back to school, the guys or girls they liked, when a Frisbee nearly hit Lily in the head.
"Hey!" she shouted.
Two Italian guys walked up to them. The shorter one said something in Italian and Lily looked at them. The taller one smiled, apologetically.
"My friend apologizes. He has no aim whatever," said the taller one.
Lily laughed.
"It's okay. I'm Lily."
"I'm Angelo, and this is Mario. The two over there are Mario's brother Luigi, and my brother Alfonzo."
Mario smiled at his name, and waved.
"These are my friends, Cat, Gabby, Jenni, Sirius, Elektra and that's James on the end."
They greeted one another, and the Hogwarts students were invited to play Frisbee, which they accepted. Gabby smiled at her four friends.
"Cat can have Mario, Elektra's got Alfonzo, Lily can have Angelo, and I get Luigi."
They laughed and agreed to that arrangement. Sirius and James rolled their eyes. Later they played cricket, then soccer.
"I can't play football," said Lily, in a false helpless voice.
Angelo grinned, he was only too glad to help. He had her stand in one place, and moved her leg for her, showing her how to kick the ball. She grinned at her friends as she tired it for herself, and made a goal. She jumped up and down and hugged Angelo. He gave his friends the thumbs up, he was in Lily's trap.
'Angelo seems to hit on Lily a lot,' thought James.
James was sitting on a cliff overlooking the beach and the ocean. He saw Lily and Angelo walking along the beach, hand in hand, until Sirius sat next to him.
"What's new with the sunset?" he asked remembering what Elektra had said about leaving Lily and James alone.
"Nothing it's still the same as always. I just have a bad feeling about something," replied James.
"About what?"
Sirius looked at his best friend, concern coming over him.
"I dunno, Evans said she had this strange feeling before-- I've got to get back!"
James stood up and ran into the house, and told Zena and Maria why he had to get home quickly. They nodded, understanding, and used Floo Powder to get to his house. Everything was just as it had been left.
"James? What are you doing back?"
James wheeled around to see his mother, sitting with his father, he ran to them, hugging them both, telling them how much he loved them.
"What's wrong, what happened?" James asked them.
"How did you--" began his father, then with a look at Mrs. Potter told James. "It's your Aunt Jane. She was killed earlier today. Your cousin, Severus--"
James interrupted.
"Step- cousin."
Mr. Potter sighed and nodded.
"Well, he tried to save her, but his father tried to kill him too, but we arrived just in time to keep him from killing Severus, too."
"I doubt Snape would have tried to save her, he probably killed her then was going to take credit and his dad was going to kill him and say he was a traitor to Voldemort," said James, angrily.
"James Harry Potter! Do not speak of your cousin like that!" scolded Mrs. Potter.
"Why not? He called Evans a Mudblood, and stuff like that. He wants us all dead, you should have heard him talking when we were in detention. He killed her!"
James went up to his room, and sat there in shock, until he heard screaming and scraping noises from down stairs. James grabbed his wand, and all the pranks he owned and creeped down to the ground floor. There were about ten people in cloaks, a skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth hovering in the air. James threw his Blinding Bombs into the room they were standing in, then knocked them all out thinking they were thieves, until he walked among them. He saw both of his parents, on the floor, pale, the warmth quickly leaving their bodies, as Aurors filled their Sitting Room, taking the cloaked figures to Azkaban. He held his parents hands, closing their eyes and mouths. Zena Apperated into the room, she walked to James, and put a hand on his shoulder.
"You were right," she said.
"No, it was my aunt Jane's death I felt. I didn't think my parents were going to die."
"Lily had the same feeling when we told her where you'd gotten off to. C'mon, let's go back to the beach, we'll leave the Ministry to attend to everything until after Christmas."
James nodded and went back to Naples, going right out to the cliff he was at earlier, he sat and watched the waves crash on the shore in the darkness, and saw Angelo and Lily on the stairs, then he laid back and looked at the stars. He tried to ignore them, and he eventually succeeded when he fell asleep. Lily sat next to him, right when she did, he woke up.
"Who's that?" asked James.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, I'll go," said Lily, about to stand.
"No, you don't have to. So, what's with you and Angelo?"
"Nothing, he thinks we're getting married just because—"she couldn't tell him what really happened. "We kissed."
James nodded, as Lily laughed hollowly, James sighed.
"Oh yeah?"
"I'm not sure who I want to marry, not anyone I can think of at the moment."
"I'm not going to get married. I'm going to be a work- a- holic and find that Voldemort guy and then kill him and Snape."
"Snape? Why not Malfoy too?"
"Well, Malfoy didn't kill my aunt."
Lily looked thunderstruck.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"I know how you feel now. Like there's no more reason to live, like without your parents you just want the one responsible to die a slow and painful death."
"James, I'm sorry." Lily hugged him, silent tears rolling down her face. "It's my fault, you got too close. I'm the one he's after, he's just trying to kill me, I never thought he'd go after you."
James patted her back.
"Lily, it's not your fault, I knew about the letter in the book. When your parents had died, Sirius and I had gone into your dorm to wake the others up, and I found the book on your bed, and took it to Dumbledore. It's not your fault, my dad was an Auror, he was working on your parents' case. He was getting close, obviously."
"Do you know who killed them?"
"The ten guys that were found, blinded and unconscious because of me, they were in cloaks."
"Who are you going to stay with?"
"I'm living in our house. It was left to me, and even though I'm under eighteen, they can't take that from me."
"Don't you have any family?"
James shook his head.
"No. My only family was my aunt Jane, but I can't stay with her husband or step- son."
"Why not?"
"Snape's my step- cousin, just don't tell anyone, okay?"
Lily nodded.
"I won't"
"Snape's dad was arrested, and sent to Azkaban and Snape's staying at his place."
"Oh."
"Thanks."
"For what?" asked Lily, looking at James.
"Giving me someone to talk to."
She smiled at him.
"Anytime."
They sat there in silence, looking at the stars, when they fell asleep. Christmas came and left quickly, and they went back to England, and James went right to Potter Manor, and began sorting out everything, like their funeral arrangements, and the insurance on his parents' deaths. The day of the funeral, all of James's friends and their families came to see him, and they all went to the funeral together. Sirius stood on one side of James, Lily on the other, Remus, Jenni, Gabby, Frank, Cat and Elektra stood around them. At the end, James put a pouch in his father's casket, and a rose and a lily in his mothers, both flowers enchanted to never rot or even get brown. Lily stayed after the funeral, into the night, with James. Finally, around ten o'clock, James broke down, Lily came in with tea and biscuits. She saw him, set the tray down, and sat next to him, pulling him into a tight embrace.
"They're gone Lily. Just like that. The last thing we did was argue. It was about Snape. We'd gotten into the argument just after I told them I loved them," said James, playing with something in his hand.
After a while, James got a hold on himself, and Lily spoke.
"James, I was wondering, what did you give to your father?"
"I'll tell you later."
She looked at him, confused.
"Okay."
"Here, I want you to have this."
James handed Lily what he had been playing with in his hand. It was an emerald on a gold chain. Lily gasped.
"James, I can't--"
"What use have I for it? I can't wear it."
Lily smiled slightly as he put it around her neck.
"You're going soft, Potter."
"I know," he admitted.
The two sat in front of the fire for the rest of the night. The next day, James and Lily met their friends on the Hogwarts Express. The first people they saw were the "Angry Mob" of Hufflepuff girls. Lily quickly pulled James into a kiss to try and save them. Lucky for them, it worked. The girls turned and stormed off. James smiled at Lily.
"I owe you."
"No you don't," she replied. "I saved myself, you were just the decoy."
"Oh? And how did you manage that?"
"They would have trampled me to get to you, and they're bigger than I am."
James nodded.
"Ah."
They got onto the train, and waited for their friends. Finally, the group was reunited, and they talked all the way back to school. James didn't talk or eat much, so he went to bed early. One night, a few weeks later, he went down into the Common Room, wearing his Invisibility Cloak, so no one would see him or bother him. About two hours after James had come down, he heard the portrait hole open then close, then footsteps, and slid down in the chair he was in, forgetting about the cloak. Lily stepped in front of him, and she sat down next to him, not realizing he was there, too. He looked at her in the firelight. She looked so beautiful to him just then. He noticed she was wearing the necklace he had given her, she was playing with it, sitting Indian- style, in the large chair. She sighed, pulling herself into a ball.
"I can't do that to anyone. I can't keep hurting people," she said, holding a letter, re- reading it, over and over. "Cat said that I'll black out once in a while and say this crap, like Gabby does. Ha! And Trelawney says I have no 'Inner Eye' I hate that woman."
James thinking he better say something or hear too much, spoke.
"Who doesn't?"
Lily looked around, she didn't see anyone, then remembered.
"James?"
He took off the cloak.
"Yeah."
"What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep. You?"
"Studying."
They sat there in an uncomfortable silence until James said something.
"Well, I'm going up to bed. Classes tomorrow, you know."
James stood, picked up his cloak and went back to bed. For the next few weeks, Lily became a recluse, and wouldn't talk to her friends, who were worried about her. No one knew why, no one that is, except James. He remembered her saying something about her hurting people, but he didn't tell anyone. On Valentine's Day, which was a Saturday, Lily spent the whole day away from everyone. She'd stayed in bed, and never moved, no matter how much anyone prompted her to get up. Cat came in around lunch, to see Lily. She sat on Lily's bed, Lily had her back to her.
"Lil, what's wrong? Please tell me. You are the best friend I've ever had. Please talk to me."
Lily ignored her. Cat leaned over and hugged Lily, one of Cat's tears landing on Lily's cheek. Cat stood and left, crying. Over the next few months Lily was a loner, concentrating on her studies and Quidditch. In March it was Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin, and Sirius and James had somehow gotten a pair of Snape's 'Tighty Whities' and enlarged them and hung it up as high as they could, and with Remus commentating the match, it was sure to get extra publicity. Lily sat down at the match, and before the match had started (a delay because of the Slytherins, one of their beaters were missing) a pale figure ran out into the pitch wearing shoes, and NOTHING else. It was Snape, singing 'I Will Survive' Lily covered her eyes, laughing, along with everyone else. Peter was shouting 'No you won't!' The teachers came down and dragged him off the pitch, forcing the Slytherins to forfeit. McGonagall stomped over to the Gryffindors, just in time to see Lily, jokingly, try to push James out of the stands.
"Potter! Evans! Detention! Tonight with Filch!"
Lily and James looked at her, stunned as she turned on her heel and went back to the castle.
"What--? Why--?" said James.
"That's a bunch of crap," said Lily.
That night, Lily and James met Filch outside his office, he grumbled about stringing them up by their toes, as he led them to the trophy room.
"Clean 'em, till they're spotless." Lily and James both pulled out their wands. "No magic."
The two groaned and put their wands back into their pocket. Lily started on one side, and James started cleaning on the other side, and a while later, they met in the middle. Filch looked over the trophies, grumbled that they were fine, and they ran out of the room, only to be met by several Hufflepuff girls.
"Hi James," said one, smiling.
"Erm—hi."
Lily tried to walk away, but the Hufflepuffs had surrounded them.
"Move, I'm tired, we just got off detention, let us alone," she said.
"What are you doing tonight, James?" another asked.
"Spending time with my girlfriend," he blurted out.
The fact that he didn't have a girlfriend didn't matter at this point.
"Oh? Who's your girlfriend?" a third asked.
The two Gryffindors could feel the anger radiating off them. James grabbed Lily's hand.
"I am," said Lily. "You have a problem?"
"You two? Dating?" said the second Hufflepuff.
"Yes, I thought everyone knew," said James.
"I thought it was pretty obvious," said Lily.
"We'll see you two around," said the first Hufflepuff, glaring at Lily.
James kissed Lily on the neck, as the Hufflepuffs rounded the corner.
"I owe you so big," he said.
"Yeah, you do," she replied, pulling her hand out of his.
They walked up to Gryffindor Tower and went to bed. The next morning Lily found a gift at the end of her bed. She looked at the note.
'This belonged to my mother, it's yours now.'
She opened it and immediately recognized the silver, sleek material. Lily placed it over her legs and they were no longer there. She smiled a little and folded the cloak carefully and placed it under her pillows and later put it in her trunk where no one would find it. The next match was two weeks later, Gryffindor, vs. Slytherin. As they flew into the air, Snape glared at the entire team. Gabby caught the Quaffle first, as James soared above them all searching for the Snitch, Lucius Malfoy tailing his every move. Soon, the game was 50-40 Gryffindor was ahead by one goal. When Slytherin was in possession, James went into a Wrongski Feint, and then pulled up at the last possible second, and Malfoy, who was following him, crashed, right into the ground. Snape, who saw this, hit the bludger at Gabby, who was just in front of him, she had been calling to Frank to pass the Quaffle to her. The bludger hit Gabby in the head, knocking her out, and nearly breaking her neck. She fell off her broom, and Lily hit the other bludger up at Snape, hitting his broom up, hitting his groin in the process. Sirius caught Gabby mid-air. Sirius flew to the castle, into the Hospital Wing window.
"What the-- Mr. Black! There IS a door!" scolded Madame Pomfrey.
He set Gabby on the bed, her face pale.
"She was hit in the back of the head with a bludger," he said, sitting next to her, his face, for the first time in his life, was solemn.
The others came in, behind the Gryffindors, who were headed up to the Common Room for a party. Peter had disappeared again. Lily sat next to Gabby, trying not to cry. Dumbledore walked in. Within the week, Gabby was able to go back to the Gryffindor Tower, her neck sore from time to time. In the middle of Spring holiday, on her way back from the library, Lily was cornered by several girls and dragged into the nearest classroom.
"What do you want?" Lily growled at them.
"I've noticed you and James Potter, alone, on several occasions," hissed the blonde, in a proposition- type way.
"And?"
"You need to back off of him."
"And what makes you think you're going to scare me away?"
James walked down the hall and heard Lily's voice.
"He's out of you league, honey."
"How would you know? You can't even spell 'league'."
The blonde glared murderously.
"No prince is going to marry a Mudblood!"
James's mouth opened.
'Damn,' he thought.
"What are you talking about?"
"You hear that girls? She IS a whore, she doesn't even know the social standings of her sex toys."
The other two giggled.
"James and I are not having sex."
"Then what are you doing?"
"That's none of your concern, now back off, before I have to hurt you."
James went back to Gryffindor Tower, and waited for Lily. Lily didn't return to Gryffindor Tower, though, she went to the Quidditch Pitch and rode around on her broom for a few hours. The words 'No prince is going to marry a Mudblood' ringing in her ears. When she looked up, she noticed McGonagall marching toward her, and James standing below her. She couldn't land near James, then he would see she was crying. She landed next to McGonagall.
"Evans! It is nearly ten o'clock! Are you slipping so badly at Quidditch that you need to practice right NOW?" she shouted.
"No, ma'am, I was trying to think and I lost track of time, it won't happen again, I swear."
McGonagall noticed the tears on her cheeks.
"What's the matter?" Lily shrugged, and walked up to the school. James ran up to McGonagall. "Potter, what'd you do to make Lily cry, this time?"
"I didn't—this time? I've made her cry before?"
"Yes, nearly every time you speak to her."
"Oh my—thanks Professor!"
James ran after her, and soon caught up with her.
"What do you want?" Lily asked him, trying not to show that she was upset.
"What's wrong, Lily?"
"Nothing really. I got called a Mudblood, found out you're a prince, nothing too bad, really."
He hugged her and let her cry.
"I'm so sorry, Lily, I thought you knew."
She pushed herself away from him.
"Not everyone knows who you are, James, some people need to hear it from your lips."
She ran away and up to her room, and stayed there the rest of the night. James sighed and went up to his room, and threw open his trunk. He needed to think. He pulled out his Invisibility cloak, and searched for the Marauder's Map.
"Where the hell is it?" he muttered to himself.
"Where's what?" asked Sirius, walking by him.
"The Marauder's Map."
Sirius shrugged.
"I thought you kept it in your trunk."
"I do, but it's not there."
"What's not where?" asked Remus, coming out of the bathroom.
"The Map's gone," said Sirius.
"Where could it have gone?"
All three rummaged through the trunk, then Sirius's, then Remus's, and in their desks, under their beds, and through their drawers and their pockets.
"Who could have taken it except us—"James walked over to the last bed in the room, furthest away from the door. "Wormtail, do you know where my map is?"
Peter looked very nervous as he cowered away from James. James sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Erm, y'see—"
"I'm not going to kill you, Peter, just tell me where the map is."
"Filch's office, I'd just put the map away when he caught me coming in. He—he took it!" sobbed Peter.
James walked away form him, unsure of what to do.
"It's not that big of a deal, we all know it by heart, it's not like we need it."
Sirius and Remus looked at James, who shrugged. In May, Gryffindor played Ravenclaw. Gryffindor won the game in about twenty minutes, with minimal injury. Sirius snuck away from the party to get food, on the way back he ran into Snape.
"It's you." said Snape, by way of greeting.
"Yup. Hey, Snape, no hard feelings. I'll give you a tip to get into Hogsmeade to show you that I'm not going to fight you anymore. If you take a long stick, hit a knot on the Whomping Willow, and under the trunk, there's a tunnel in to Hogsmeade. Later Snape!" said Sirius, running off.
That night, James, Cat, Sirius and Peter got under James's cloak, and went to hang out with Remus. They had all ready changed into their Animagus forms and Peter was about to go hit the knot when they saw someone, and changed back. Snape had hit the knot, and was clambering into the tunnel. Sirius, who was laughing, stopped. James chased Snape into the tunnel. Cat, Sirius and Peter just watched in shock. They dove into the tunnel, and James grabbed Snape's foot.
"Let go Potter!" growled Snape.
"No! You don't know what's on the other end of the tunnel!"
"I said let go!"
Snape kicked James and went through the tunnel faster. James followed him, and Snape got out of the tunnel, to see Remus, just in time to see him transform. James, as a stag, jumped out in front of Snape and wrestled Remus then pushed Snape back into the tunnel. When the two were back onto the grounds, James glared at Snape.
"What the hell possessed you to do that?!" yelled James.
Snape glared at him.
"I was told that led to Hogsmeade. You knew Black said that."
"Yes, it does lead to Hogsmeade, but to the Shrieking Shack. Sirius told you? Why would he tell you about that?"
"You know why!" spat Snape. "It's common knowledge that you blame me for Mum's death."
"SHE WASN'T YOUR MOTHER!" shouted James, as Lily ran to them.
"James, why in the world are you shouting?" she asked calmly, looking at his tattered robes in the moonlight.
"Ask HIM!"
Lily turned to Snape.
"Severus, what's going on?"
"Black told me that the Whomping Willow is over a tunnel that leads to Hogsmeade, but it only leads to Lupin as a werewolf..." he faded off, realizing what he'd seen.
James was too shocked to speak.
"You're on first name- basis with-- with-- THAT!?"
James took a step away from Lily, who was standing next to him.
"Well, I tutor him, it'd be a bit rude to call him Snape the whole time."
"You tutor him? And when were you going to tell us this?"
"You never told them?" asked Snape, smiling because he was 'Lily's little secret.'
"I thought you knew. I tutored Elektra too, until she caught up with us. James--"
James was backing away from Lily.
"No, just leave, Evans, just leave."
"James, why is this getting between us? We'd become pretty good friends, are you going to let this ruin that?"
"Yes, you lied to me."
"What? How did I lie to you?"
Lily felt as though she should cry, but that only showed weakness, so she held them back.
"When you came in that one night, and I'd asked you where you'd been, and you said you'd been studying. You WEREN'T! You were with Snape."
"And we were studying. I was telling you the truth."
James shook his head and disappeared into the darkness. Lily turned to run, but Snape grabbed her arm.
"Lily, I'm sorry. I didn't think Potter would hate you because of me," he said.
Lily had begun to cry, and without either of them realizing what had happened Snape kissed her. It wasn't anything to her, it was a quick peck on the lips.
"It's not your fault Severus, James has been acting weird for a while. I have to go, goodnight."
Lily ran into the castle and up to Gryffindor and sat by the fire, crying. Early the next morning, the portrait swung open and then closed. Lily, still in the Common Room, hadn't heard anything. Cat and Sirius saw her hand on the top of the couch and became visible, James and Peter, still under James's cloak. Sirius and Cat looked over the top of the chair to see who was on the couch. The first thing they saw was an arm scratched up and bleeding, then a head of red hair. It was Lily. Cat and Sirius ran around the couch to her. Cat sat her up, and Sirius brushed the hair out of her face.
"Lily? Lily, are you all right?" asked Cat.
James looked worried under the cloak, as Peter kept going toward the dorm. James walked over, invisible, and he watched Lily's head lull from one side to the other, as Sirius and Cat shook her. Cat noticed skin under her fingernails, and the scratches were deep, deep gashes, James saw a bit of glass half hidden under the couch, but he didn't say anything.
"Cat, you don't think--" began Sirius.
"No, she can't be."
"Let's take her to the Hospital Wing just in case."
Sirius picked Lily up off the couch, her arms still bleeding furiously. Neither Cat nor Sirius had noticed Lily's wand in the floor, close to where she had been. James picked it up, and put it on her pillow. He went back to his dorm, and sat on his bed. Sirius came in an hour later.
"Hey," said James quietly, making Sirius jump.
"James, what are you doing awake?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Well, Cat and I found Lily, bleeding pretty bad. Madame Pomfrey's checking to see what had happened to her."
"What do you think it was?"
"A cat maybe, but Lily had skin under her fingernails, as though she had been scratching someone."
"Oh."
"James, what's wrong, what's gotten into you tonight?"
"You almost killed Snape, then I find out that they're friends."
"Who?"
"Snape and that whore!"
"What whore?" asked Sirius, curiously.
"Evans."
Sirius's jaw dropped.
"WHAT?!"
"I know, that's what I said. She's been tutoring him all year."
Cat cleared her throat.
"I've known, Elektra told me," she said, quietly.
"Well, thanks for giving the rest of us a heads- up," hissed James, sarcastically.
"James, she was scared that we'd all hate her if we found out. That's not the reason she's not talking to anyone, but still, it's part of it."
"Then what IS the reason?" asked Sirius.
"After James's parents died, she thought that it would happen to the rest of us, she thinks it's her fault, that your parents died."
"I know," said James. "She told me during the break."
James looked downcast, though no one could see, as it was dark. After Cat had left, and Sirius had fallen asleep, he went to the Hospital Wing, a note in his hand, debating whether to give it to Lily or not. He walked in to see Professor Dumbledore talking to Madame Pomfrey. Dumbledore looked up as James walked in.
"Hello Mr. Potter," he said.
James looked at him.
"Is she gonna be all right?" he asked.
"If you want her to be."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"She's had a lot of blood loss, and she can't live much longer, unless you give a little of your blood to her. The blood- replenishing potion is doing the opposite of what it is meant to do."
James nodded.
"I'll do it."
Dumbledore nodded and Madame Pomfrey directed him to the bed next to Lily, and she set everything up. By sun up they were done, and James was back in his bed, still holding his note. He threw it in his trunk, where he left it long after he'd forgotten about it. Soon, Lily was back, and the first thing she did was hug Cat, Gabby, and Jenni, then the guys, Sirius, Remus, Frank and James. Lily looked around.
"Where's Elektra?" asked Lily.
"I saw her this morning, she was headed up to the East Tower, said she was meeting someone. She seemed kinda dazed," said Cat.
They all stood up and sprinted to the East Tower. Elektra was there, with two men in black cloaks. They lowered their hoods and the door locked behind the sixth years. One was Linus.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" shouted the one they didn't recognize.
"Dad!" shouted Cat.
"Kitten, my baby!" said the dark- haired man, stepping toward his daughter.
"I'm not your baby!"
Alex Sweeny raised his wand to Lily and Cat.
"Two birds with one curse," he said as he bound all but Cat and Lily, as Elektra crawled over to Cat and Lily.
"Avada--
"No!" shouted Elektra, standing in front of Cat and Lily.
"Kedrava!!"
Elektra was knocked back into Lily and Cat. Cat stood and grabbed her father's wand, while Lily grabbed the other wands from Linus. Lily handed Cat's wand to her, and the two girls snapped Linus's and Alex's wands in half, then threw them out the window.
"STUPEFY!" shouted the two, as Dumbledore and the other teachers burst in.
Lily untied the others and they all hugged. Then Cat and Lily looked at Elektra's body. And they kneeled on either side of her and cried. She had died, for them, she barely knew Lily, and she loved Cat to death, they were like sisters. The next week, they had her funeral, and exams were canceled due to death. Lily spent most of her time sitting on the roof, watching everyone else. One day, James came to see her.
"Lily?"
She turned toward him.
"Hi."
"Can I join you?"
She nodded and he sat beside her, knees up to his chest, elbows on his knees.
"I thought you hated me because I'd become friends with Severus."
"Well, I was mad about it for a while, but then I saw no point of being angry."
Tears silently rolled down her cheeks.
"I should have told you."
"Well, you can't change it, and I'm over it, you should be too."
"Cat told me what you said that night."
Lily looked away from him. James looked at his feet.
"I'm sorry, I was angry, I didn't mean it."
"You did."
"Well, I don't now, and now's what matters."
She looked at him and he wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"She also told me what you did for me."
"What?"
"You saved my life. Why?"
"It felt right. I didn't want anything to happen to you. We may not get along too well, but still, you don't deserve to die."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes."
"Do you know how that happened?"
"Yes."
She looked up at him.
"You do?"
"I did it. It's my fault."
"No, I tried to do a spell for homework, and I said it wrong, and--"
"Don't lie to me. You tried to kill yourself because of me. Because I'm a self- absorbed ass who said that I hated you because of Snape."
"Well, I might as well tell you. After you left, I broke down, and Severus stopped me from doing anything, temporarily. He apologized for making you hate me. And then..." she drifted off.
"Did you two--"
"Goodness no! He gave me a quick kiss on the lips, and I left."
"He KISSED you. Ew!"
Lily laughed at his childishness.
"I brushed my teeth when I could. We're just friends, nothing more. I'm not carrying his love child, so you don't need to worry about me."
James laughed, and without realizing it, they kissed. Then they pulled away.
"I have to go," said James.
"Yeah."
James left. Just before school let out, Gabby flopped down on her bed. Lily, Cat and Jenni looked at her.
"You okay?" Jenni asked.
"I dumped Sirius," she said, her face buried in her pillow.
"Why?" asked Lily.
Gabby sat up.
"I want to be free, I don't want a serious relationship. We've been dating for too long, and I think it's time for me to move on."
"Then why are you throwing yourself on your bed?" Cat asked her.
"Because it took a lot for me to be able to dump him, and I feel bad that it came to an end."
Lily rolled her eyes and went back to her book.
A week before the start of Christmas vacation, Lily received a letter, it was from her grandmother.
'Hello Lily dear. So nice to hear from you. I would enjoy it immensely if you came and stayed with me over Christmas holiday, I made you your favorite cookies, Lots of Love - Grandmother Bouchinelli.'
In the package with the letter were chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies. Lily smiled, looking around at her friends.
"You can each have one."
They looked at her thankfully, and each took a cookie. Lily took her name off the list to stay at Hogwarts over the holiday, and she sat there, twisting her sweater, nervously.
"Lil, she's not going to kill you," said Sirius.
Lily looked up.
"What? Who?" she said, paranoid.
"Breathe, Lily, breathe," said Cat.
Gabby coached her on breathing. Lily smiled, and put her head on Gabby's shoulder.
"Thanks guys. Did you hear? Our house sold to someone. They said they're only going to stay there for a few years, then they're moving," said Lily.
"Yeah. A pair of Muggles, I heard," said James, "Now I can't annoy you."
"Sorry, Four eyes, you'll have to wait."
A guy they knew as Andrew Branson, the Ravenclaw Seeker, came up and kissed Lily on the neck, and the others looked at him, Lily turned around.
"Hey babe, where are we meeting tonight?" he whispered.
"Next to the statue of Wendelin the Weird on the fifth floor."
He smiled and kissed her.
"See you then."
He left the Great Hall. That night, she sneaked out of Gryffindor Tower and met Andrew. She jumped on his back and he grinned.
"All right, Andrew, I'm yours tonight."
She stood on her own two feet and he faced her. He raised an eyebrow.
"You know, a girl can get into a lot of trouble saying something like that."
Lily stood on her toes, and he leaned, thinking she was going to whisper something, instead she kissed his jaw.
"I know."
He took her hand and led her into the nearest closet, unaware of someone watching them in shock. Andrew closed the door, and locked it. Lily grinned and threw him up against the wall and kissed him. She could feel his lips form a grin as his hands slid up her shirt. A few hours later they went back to their own dorms. The next morning, she went to breakfast, acting as though nothing had happened. Andrew winked at her at one point, and she smiled a little, but neither spoke to the other. A seventh year Gryffindor girl passed a note down from the other end of the table, to Lily. Lily read it and a smiled formed on her lips.
'Tonight, Astronomy Tower?'
'See you there at 10?'
She passed it back down.
"Lily, that's three guys in the past week," Cat whispered.
"Four."
"Who didn't I count?"
"That guy who I met at the Three Broomsticks last week," said Lily, nonchalantly.
"You've become a Scarlet Woman, Lily!" said Jenni, disapprovingly.
"And?"
Jenni sighed.
"Never mind."
That night, Lily met the guy in the Astronomy Tower, and got there just as James Potter was leaving it. He saw her in the darkness, and she grinned at him. The next morning after breakfast, Cat found Lily up in their dorm, just waking up.
"Dumbledore announced a Christmas Ball."
"Cool."
"Lily?" asked Cat.
"What?"
"Do you hate James?"
"I don't know. Why?"
"I was just wondering."
Over in the boys' dorm.....
"James?"
"What is it?"
"Do you hate Lily?"
"Only if you do."
"Huh? I don't hate her. But that was a good prank she and Cat pulled a couple days ago."
"Whatever you say."
"You're weird James, two months ago you hated her, now you just ignore her. I think you like her."
"Well, I don't."
"Whatever you say."
James sighed, and sat down on Sirius' bed.
"Sirius? What would you do if you liked someone, but didn't want to hurt their feelings about something?"
"I don't know. Why?"
"Just wondering."
"Lily or Gabby?"
"What?"
"Who's feelings don't you want to hurt? Lily's or Gabby's?"
"Gabby."
"Ouch."
"What?"
"I feel your pain all ready."
"Oh man! I can't dump her can I?"
"Nope."
"I'll ask Cat, she'll know how."
"Why aren't you taking my advice?"
"Because you're scared of Gabby."
James walked out of Sirius's room, and over to Cat's, and knocked on the door.
"Come in," said Cat.
"Hi Cat, hey Lily."
"What's up, James?"
"How do I break up with Gabby without hurting her feelings?" The girls looked at each other and laughed. "I can't, can I?"
You can tell her that you just don't like her that way, or there's someone else, but you better tell her the night before our party, you can tell her before the party's over, or when you first see her," said Lily.
"I think I'll tell her there's someone else."
"Who?"
"Hi Cat."
"I'm going with Frank, and Jenni's going with Remus, so we're out, and unless you want Gabby finding out, your best bet is to go Hufflepuff."
James flinched.
"Lily? Please?"
"No."
James got down on his knees in front of Lily, and stuck out his bottom lip.
"Please? Pretty please with sugar on top?"
"No."
"Lily! I'm on my knees!"
She stared at him, in shock and horror. He put his chin on her knee like a pathetic puppy. She sighed.
"Fine."
James smiled, stood up.
"Thank you Lily! Thank you!"
"This doesn't change anything between us?"
"Not unless you want it to."
"Okay good. I don't think anything should change."
"Agreed."
After that, when James saw Gabby and went up to her, taking her corner of the Common Room.
"Gab, I like you and all, but there's someone else," said James.
"Oh."
"Yeah, I'm really sorry."
The next afternoon, Gabby, Jenni, Cat and Lily left about two hours before the Ball to get ready. Lily put on emerald green dress robes, and put holly in her long hair. And Cat put on a dark blue dress that shone silver in the light. Cat's hair was in a ponytail, in ringlets, and Lily's was in a French twist. Jenni and Gabby were the first two out of the dorm. Gabby saw James waiting, and walked up to him.
"Who?"
"Er-- Lily."
Gabby burst out laughing.
"You don't have to lie to try not to hurt my feelings, either way--"
"I'm not--"
Lily walked to them, and grabbed James' hand.
"Hi Gab," said Lily.
Gabby stopped laughing, and stared at their hands. James just stared at Lily.
"Er, hi," he managed.
"Will you excuse us? I want to dance, and can't do it by myself."
Then Lily pulled James out of the Common Room, and to the Great Hall for the dance.
"She didn't believe me," whispered James, into Lily's ear.
"I know, that's why I came and bailed you out."
He laughed.
"She's going to kill you, I can see it in her eyes now. She's glaring at you."
"I know. How can we make her even more jealous?"
"If I have an idea, can I use it?"
"Okay, I guess. What is it?"
"This."
He kissed her neck.
Lily giggled.
"James, that tickles."
"Okay, so can I do that?"
"This is your scam."
"Okay."
He kissed her on the cheeks, forehead, nose and neck. Sirius got a picture of Gabby's, Jenni's, Remus', Cat's and Frank's face and then one of Lily and James. After a while, they were still dancing, and James' hands began to slip down. Lily didn't seem to notice. He laughed at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"There has to be something funny."
"No. Gabby's coming closer," he whispered.
"Okay."
"You're so beautiful."
Lily blushed. She knew he was acting, but she couldn't help it.
"No I'm not. You are the hottest person in the entire world."
"No way. You are, I don't come anywhere near you."
"No you don't."
"I love you."
This was unexpected. They hadn't noticed that Cat, Frank, Jenni, Remus, Sirius and Gabby were all listening to them.
"I love you, too."
Jenni choked on her drink. Lily looked over her shoulder at Jenni. Gabby and Remus both had to sit down and Frank was about to faint, and Cat and Sirius were laughing. James went to sit down, holding Lily's hand.
"Sit down."
"Where?" He looked around, there were no seats left. Lily sighed and shrugged. "What the hell."
She sat in James' lap, much to the surprise of everyone. The students and teachers were staring at them. After a little while they got back up and danced for the rest of the night. James noticed that Snape scowled more than usual, upon seeing Lily holding hands with James.
"Is it just me, or is Snape glaring at me, unrelenting?"
"He's staring at you unrelenting," said Lily.
"Why though?"
"He's jealous," blurted Sirius.
"Sirius!" yelled Lily.
"What's up with you two?" asked James.
"Nothing," they answered in unison.
"Liars. Is Snape the mystery lover from the past two years?"
Lily nodded solemnly.
"Unfortunately for me," she said.
"I'm sorry. I feel bad for you know."
"Don't ever feel sorry for me."
"Anyone who's the object of Snape's affections is pitied by everyone."
"I've been somewhat successful in shaking him off."
"Oh really? Well last summer in Diagon Alley, I saw him in every store you were in."
"He was? I didn't notice him."
"I've got an idea."
"Ouch, that must hurt."
They laughed, and he tickled her, she screamed with laughter, everyone in the Great Hall staring.
"Okay, okay. Tell me."
"Okay."
And he gently kissed her on the lips, much to the surprise of every student and teacher. After a while Lily and James went on a walk around the grounds, laughing about their friends' faces. When they returned to Gryffindor Tower, Jenni, Remus and Frank were sitting by the fire waiting for them.
"Have fun?" asked Jenni.
"Yup," said James.
Lily smacked him lightly.
"Really? What did you do?" asked Remus.
"It's a secret," said Lily.
"Not really, the whole school knows."
"Knows what?"
"That you two are sleeping together," said Frank.
"Well, if you really want to know, ask Sirius," whispered James.
The three looked at each other and went to Sirius.
"That was stupid, now Jenni'll tell Gabby," said Lily.
"Oh well, I got out, didn't I?"
"Without me, you'd still be in that storage room, and still going out with Gabby."
"I could have gotten out of the storage room without you!"
"No you couldn't have! It was locked form the outside!"
"I almost had it when you stopped me!"
"Not true! You would have broken your arm if I hadn't stopped you!"
"God! You are absolutely impossible!"
"Me? You are the most intolerable insufferable person ever!"
"Big words for a girl!"
"At least I'm not some stupid jock!"
Lily turned on her heel, went up to her dorm and slammed the door. James sighed, and went up to his dorm, and flopped down on his bed.
"Sirius?"
"What?"
"Am I a stupid jock?"
"Lily getting to you?"
"Yeah."
"There, Jamie- boy, I have no advice. You'll have to ask her friends."
James sighed and knocked on the girls' dorm. Gabby opened the door.
"Is Lily all right?"
"Yeah, she's taking a shower. If I were you, I'd talk to her tomorrow."
"Thanks Gab. Oh and Gabby?"
"What?"
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It was a scam, I didn't want to hurt your feelings, so I talked her into pretending to be my new love interest. It's not true. I really don't like anyone like that right now. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I was going to say the same thing to you."
"Oh. Well, night."
"Good night."
He began to walk down the stairs and Gabby closed the door. The following day, they went on Christmas vacation. When they got to the station, Petunia was waiting on Platform ten, with their Grandmother, and her sister- in- law. Lily beamed and ran to them.
"Grandmother! Aunt Zena!"
Lily hugged them, and introduced them to her friends. James grinned as he slipped a Dungbomb into Petunia's bag. Sirius grinned too, watching him. The Potters walked up and introductions began once again.
"So, Lily what are you doing this Christmas?" asked Mrs. Potter.
"I'm not sure. Grandmother, what are we doing?"
"I'M going to Majorca with Vernon and Marge," said Petunia.
"Who?" asked Lily.
"Never mind."
"WE are going to Italy and stay," said Lily's great- great aunt Zena.
"Wow! Really?"
Zena nodded, and she hugged her.
"Yes, we'll be leaving in three days, just after Petunia."
Lily smiled at her friends, who smiled back. Mrs. Potter looked at Lily.
"We'll miss having you stay with us. James'll most likely be bored without you."
Lily laughed.
"Well, he can bother Sirius some more," replied Lily, with a grin.
"Yes, I suppose so."
Lily said goodbye to her friends and left for home. In the time Petunia was home, she was unusually kind to Lily. Lily was thankful when she left with Vernon and Marge, both of whom were unusually large. Lily thought Vernon wore the same bra size his sister did.
"Floo Powder, I suppose?" Maria asked Zena.
"Yes, unless Lily can Apperate," was her reply.
"Apper--" Lily gasped.
"I thought you knew."
Lily shook her head.
"No, Aunt Zena. No one ever told me."
Zena smiled. Lily took a sip of her tea.
"Yes, I actually ALMOST married Albus Dumbledore, I wonder what he's doing now," said Zena in a reverie.
Lily spit out her tea.
"Lily Maria Evans!" scolded Maria.
"Albus Dumbledore?! As in Professor Dumbledore?! Headmaster of Hogwarts?! The man who's had to banish and clean up things because of me more times than I can count?! THAT Albus Dumbledore?!" declared Lily, in shock.
"Oh, so you do know him?" said Zena calmly.
"What do you mean banish and clean up things because of you?" demanded Maria.
"Well, things tend to try and kill me, and once I nearly destroyed an entire corridor! He found me once when I was lost, took me to his office just to tell me that looks aren't everything. I think he knew that Snape was stalking me," said Lily thoughtfully.
Zena laughed.
"He always did seem to know more that he was supposed to," she said.
That afternoon, they were unpacking in Naples, Italy. Lily first went out onto the balcony looking over the water of the Mediterranean Sea, then she went to the beach, and she sat down watching the fisherman fish and the children play, then she wished she had brought someone along. Zena had thought ahead of time, and sent for all of Lily's friends. All but Peter and Remus could come. By sunset on the second day, Lily's friends were there. When Lily got tired and hungry, from wondering around Naples she went back to their seaside house. She walked in, and something big blocked her way.
"What the hell?" she murmured, and looked up.
It was James.
"Hello, Carrots."
"Four eyes?"
"You sound surprised."
"I am surprised, stupid."
"I'm the smartest guy in our year."
"This coming from the guy who left all his pranks accessible to his rival while he left the house."
James blushed.
"Well... I didn't think you would, you usually get Cat to do it."
"No I don't. We team up."
Soon it was time for dinner, and Lily, Zena and Maria brought out all the food they had made and Sirius looked as though she had never eaten in his life. Between James and Sirius there wasn't much food for anyone else. The next day, Lily and her friends walked along the beach talking, about what they wanted for Christmas, what they were going to do when they got back to school, the guys or girls they liked, when a Frisbee nearly hit Lily in the head.
"Hey!" she shouted.
Two Italian guys walked up to them. The shorter one said something in Italian and Lily looked at them. The taller one smiled, apologetically.
"My friend apologizes. He has no aim whatever," said the taller one.
Lily laughed.
"It's okay. I'm Lily."
"I'm Angelo, and this is Mario. The two over there are Mario's brother Luigi, and my brother Alfonzo."
Mario smiled at his name, and waved.
"These are my friends, Cat, Gabby, Jenni, Sirius, Elektra and that's James on the end."
They greeted one another, and the Hogwarts students were invited to play Frisbee, which they accepted. Gabby smiled at her four friends.
"Cat can have Mario, Elektra's got Alfonzo, Lily can have Angelo, and I get Luigi."
They laughed and agreed to that arrangement. Sirius and James rolled their eyes. Later they played cricket, then soccer.
"I can't play football," said Lily, in a false helpless voice.
Angelo grinned, he was only too glad to help. He had her stand in one place, and moved her leg for her, showing her how to kick the ball. She grinned at her friends as she tired it for herself, and made a goal. She jumped up and down and hugged Angelo. He gave his friends the thumbs up, he was in Lily's trap.
'Angelo seems to hit on Lily a lot,' thought James.
James was sitting on a cliff overlooking the beach and the ocean. He saw Lily and Angelo walking along the beach, hand in hand, until Sirius sat next to him.
"What's new with the sunset?" he asked remembering what Elektra had said about leaving Lily and James alone.
"Nothing it's still the same as always. I just have a bad feeling about something," replied James.
"About what?"
Sirius looked at his best friend, concern coming over him.
"I dunno, Evans said she had this strange feeling before-- I've got to get back!"
James stood up and ran into the house, and told Zena and Maria why he had to get home quickly. They nodded, understanding, and used Floo Powder to get to his house. Everything was just as it had been left.
"James? What are you doing back?"
James wheeled around to see his mother, sitting with his father, he ran to them, hugging them both, telling them how much he loved them.
"What's wrong, what happened?" James asked them.
"How did you--" began his father, then with a look at Mrs. Potter told James. "It's your Aunt Jane. She was killed earlier today. Your cousin, Severus--"
James interrupted.
"Step- cousin."
Mr. Potter sighed and nodded.
"Well, he tried to save her, but his father tried to kill him too, but we arrived just in time to keep him from killing Severus, too."
"I doubt Snape would have tried to save her, he probably killed her then was going to take credit and his dad was going to kill him and say he was a traitor to Voldemort," said James, angrily.
"James Harry Potter! Do not speak of your cousin like that!" scolded Mrs. Potter.
"Why not? He called Evans a Mudblood, and stuff like that. He wants us all dead, you should have heard him talking when we were in detention. He killed her!"
James went up to his room, and sat there in shock, until he heard screaming and scraping noises from down stairs. James grabbed his wand, and all the pranks he owned and creeped down to the ground floor. There were about ten people in cloaks, a skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth hovering in the air. James threw his Blinding Bombs into the room they were standing in, then knocked them all out thinking they were thieves, until he walked among them. He saw both of his parents, on the floor, pale, the warmth quickly leaving their bodies, as Aurors filled their Sitting Room, taking the cloaked figures to Azkaban. He held his parents hands, closing their eyes and mouths. Zena Apperated into the room, she walked to James, and put a hand on his shoulder.
"You were right," she said.
"No, it was my aunt Jane's death I felt. I didn't think my parents were going to die."
"Lily had the same feeling when we told her where you'd gotten off to. C'mon, let's go back to the beach, we'll leave the Ministry to attend to everything until after Christmas."
James nodded and went back to Naples, going right out to the cliff he was at earlier, he sat and watched the waves crash on the shore in the darkness, and saw Angelo and Lily on the stairs, then he laid back and looked at the stars. He tried to ignore them, and he eventually succeeded when he fell asleep. Lily sat next to him, right when she did, he woke up.
"Who's that?" asked James.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, I'll go," said Lily, about to stand.
"No, you don't have to. So, what's with you and Angelo?"
"Nothing, he thinks we're getting married just because—"she couldn't tell him what really happened. "We kissed."
James nodded, as Lily laughed hollowly, James sighed.
"Oh yeah?"
"I'm not sure who I want to marry, not anyone I can think of at the moment."
"I'm not going to get married. I'm going to be a work- a- holic and find that Voldemort guy and then kill him and Snape."
"Snape? Why not Malfoy too?"
"Well, Malfoy didn't kill my aunt."
Lily looked thunderstruck.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"I know how you feel now. Like there's no more reason to live, like without your parents you just want the one responsible to die a slow and painful death."
"James, I'm sorry." Lily hugged him, silent tears rolling down her face. "It's my fault, you got too close. I'm the one he's after, he's just trying to kill me, I never thought he'd go after you."
James patted her back.
"Lily, it's not your fault, I knew about the letter in the book. When your parents had died, Sirius and I had gone into your dorm to wake the others up, and I found the book on your bed, and took it to Dumbledore. It's not your fault, my dad was an Auror, he was working on your parents' case. He was getting close, obviously."
"Do you know who killed them?"
"The ten guys that were found, blinded and unconscious because of me, they were in cloaks."
"Who are you going to stay with?"
"I'm living in our house. It was left to me, and even though I'm under eighteen, they can't take that from me."
"Don't you have any family?"
James shook his head.
"No. My only family was my aunt Jane, but I can't stay with her husband or step- son."
"Why not?"
"Snape's my step- cousin, just don't tell anyone, okay?"
Lily nodded.
"I won't"
"Snape's dad was arrested, and sent to Azkaban and Snape's staying at his place."
"Oh."
"Thanks."
"For what?" asked Lily, looking at James.
"Giving me someone to talk to."
She smiled at him.
"Anytime."
They sat there in silence, looking at the stars, when they fell asleep. Christmas came and left quickly, and they went back to England, and James went right to Potter Manor, and began sorting out everything, like their funeral arrangements, and the insurance on his parents' deaths. The day of the funeral, all of James's friends and their families came to see him, and they all went to the funeral together. Sirius stood on one side of James, Lily on the other, Remus, Jenni, Gabby, Frank, Cat and Elektra stood around them. At the end, James put a pouch in his father's casket, and a rose and a lily in his mothers, both flowers enchanted to never rot or even get brown. Lily stayed after the funeral, into the night, with James. Finally, around ten o'clock, James broke down, Lily came in with tea and biscuits. She saw him, set the tray down, and sat next to him, pulling him into a tight embrace.
"They're gone Lily. Just like that. The last thing we did was argue. It was about Snape. We'd gotten into the argument just after I told them I loved them," said James, playing with something in his hand.
After a while, James got a hold on himself, and Lily spoke.
"James, I was wondering, what did you give to your father?"
"I'll tell you later."
She looked at him, confused.
"Okay."
"Here, I want you to have this."
James handed Lily what he had been playing with in his hand. It was an emerald on a gold chain. Lily gasped.
"James, I can't--"
"What use have I for it? I can't wear it."
Lily smiled slightly as he put it around her neck.
"You're going soft, Potter."
"I know," he admitted.
The two sat in front of the fire for the rest of the night. The next day, James and Lily met their friends on the Hogwarts Express. The first people they saw were the "Angry Mob" of Hufflepuff girls. Lily quickly pulled James into a kiss to try and save them. Lucky for them, it worked. The girls turned and stormed off. James smiled at Lily.
"I owe you."
"No you don't," she replied. "I saved myself, you were just the decoy."
"Oh? And how did you manage that?"
"They would have trampled me to get to you, and they're bigger than I am."
James nodded.
"Ah."
They got onto the train, and waited for their friends. Finally, the group was reunited, and they talked all the way back to school. James didn't talk or eat much, so he went to bed early. One night, a few weeks later, he went down into the Common Room, wearing his Invisibility Cloak, so no one would see him or bother him. About two hours after James had come down, he heard the portrait hole open then close, then footsteps, and slid down in the chair he was in, forgetting about the cloak. Lily stepped in front of him, and she sat down next to him, not realizing he was there, too. He looked at her in the firelight. She looked so beautiful to him just then. He noticed she was wearing the necklace he had given her, she was playing with it, sitting Indian- style, in the large chair. She sighed, pulling herself into a ball.
"I can't do that to anyone. I can't keep hurting people," she said, holding a letter, re- reading it, over and over. "Cat said that I'll black out once in a while and say this crap, like Gabby does. Ha! And Trelawney says I have no 'Inner Eye' I hate that woman."
James thinking he better say something or hear too much, spoke.
"Who doesn't?"
Lily looked around, she didn't see anyone, then remembered.
"James?"
He took off the cloak.
"Yeah."
"What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep. You?"
"Studying."
They sat there in an uncomfortable silence until James said something.
"Well, I'm going up to bed. Classes tomorrow, you know."
James stood, picked up his cloak and went back to bed. For the next few weeks, Lily became a recluse, and wouldn't talk to her friends, who were worried about her. No one knew why, no one that is, except James. He remembered her saying something about her hurting people, but he didn't tell anyone. On Valentine's Day, which was a Saturday, Lily spent the whole day away from everyone. She'd stayed in bed, and never moved, no matter how much anyone prompted her to get up. Cat came in around lunch, to see Lily. She sat on Lily's bed, Lily had her back to her.
"Lil, what's wrong? Please tell me. You are the best friend I've ever had. Please talk to me."
Lily ignored her. Cat leaned over and hugged Lily, one of Cat's tears landing on Lily's cheek. Cat stood and left, crying. Over the next few months Lily was a loner, concentrating on her studies and Quidditch. In March it was Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin, and Sirius and James had somehow gotten a pair of Snape's 'Tighty Whities' and enlarged them and hung it up as high as they could, and with Remus commentating the match, it was sure to get extra publicity. Lily sat down at the match, and before the match had started (a delay because of the Slytherins, one of their beaters were missing) a pale figure ran out into the pitch wearing shoes, and NOTHING else. It was Snape, singing 'I Will Survive' Lily covered her eyes, laughing, along with everyone else. Peter was shouting 'No you won't!' The teachers came down and dragged him off the pitch, forcing the Slytherins to forfeit. McGonagall stomped over to the Gryffindors, just in time to see Lily, jokingly, try to push James out of the stands.
"Potter! Evans! Detention! Tonight with Filch!"
Lily and James looked at her, stunned as she turned on her heel and went back to the castle.
"What--? Why--?" said James.
"That's a bunch of crap," said Lily.
That night, Lily and James met Filch outside his office, he grumbled about stringing them up by their toes, as he led them to the trophy room.
"Clean 'em, till they're spotless." Lily and James both pulled out their wands. "No magic."
The two groaned and put their wands back into their pocket. Lily started on one side, and James started cleaning on the other side, and a while later, they met in the middle. Filch looked over the trophies, grumbled that they were fine, and they ran out of the room, only to be met by several Hufflepuff girls.
"Hi James," said one, smiling.
"Erm—hi."
Lily tried to walk away, but the Hufflepuffs had surrounded them.
"Move, I'm tired, we just got off detention, let us alone," she said.
"What are you doing tonight, James?" another asked.
"Spending time with my girlfriend," he blurted out.
The fact that he didn't have a girlfriend didn't matter at this point.
"Oh? Who's your girlfriend?" a third asked.
The two Gryffindors could feel the anger radiating off them. James grabbed Lily's hand.
"I am," said Lily. "You have a problem?"
"You two? Dating?" said the second Hufflepuff.
"Yes, I thought everyone knew," said James.
"I thought it was pretty obvious," said Lily.
"We'll see you two around," said the first Hufflepuff, glaring at Lily.
James kissed Lily on the neck, as the Hufflepuffs rounded the corner.
"I owe you so big," he said.
"Yeah, you do," she replied, pulling her hand out of his.
They walked up to Gryffindor Tower and went to bed. The next morning Lily found a gift at the end of her bed. She looked at the note.
'This belonged to my mother, it's yours now.'
She opened it and immediately recognized the silver, sleek material. Lily placed it over her legs and they were no longer there. She smiled a little and folded the cloak carefully and placed it under her pillows and later put it in her trunk where no one would find it. The next match was two weeks later, Gryffindor, vs. Slytherin. As they flew into the air, Snape glared at the entire team. Gabby caught the Quaffle first, as James soared above them all searching for the Snitch, Lucius Malfoy tailing his every move. Soon, the game was 50-40 Gryffindor was ahead by one goal. When Slytherin was in possession, James went into a Wrongski Feint, and then pulled up at the last possible second, and Malfoy, who was following him, crashed, right into the ground. Snape, who saw this, hit the bludger at Gabby, who was just in front of him, she had been calling to Frank to pass the Quaffle to her. The bludger hit Gabby in the head, knocking her out, and nearly breaking her neck. She fell off her broom, and Lily hit the other bludger up at Snape, hitting his broom up, hitting his groin in the process. Sirius caught Gabby mid-air. Sirius flew to the castle, into the Hospital Wing window.
"What the-- Mr. Black! There IS a door!" scolded Madame Pomfrey.
He set Gabby on the bed, her face pale.
"She was hit in the back of the head with a bludger," he said, sitting next to her, his face, for the first time in his life, was solemn.
The others came in, behind the Gryffindors, who were headed up to the Common Room for a party. Peter had disappeared again. Lily sat next to Gabby, trying not to cry. Dumbledore walked in. Within the week, Gabby was able to go back to the Gryffindor Tower, her neck sore from time to time. In the middle of Spring holiday, on her way back from the library, Lily was cornered by several girls and dragged into the nearest classroom.
"What do you want?" Lily growled at them.
"I've noticed you and James Potter, alone, on several occasions," hissed the blonde, in a proposition- type way.
"And?"
"You need to back off of him."
"And what makes you think you're going to scare me away?"
James walked down the hall and heard Lily's voice.
"He's out of you league, honey."
"How would you know? You can't even spell 'league'."
The blonde glared murderously.
"No prince is going to marry a Mudblood!"
James's mouth opened.
'Damn,' he thought.
"What are you talking about?"
"You hear that girls? She IS a whore, she doesn't even know the social standings of her sex toys."
The other two giggled.
"James and I are not having sex."
"Then what are you doing?"
"That's none of your concern, now back off, before I have to hurt you."
James went back to Gryffindor Tower, and waited for Lily. Lily didn't return to Gryffindor Tower, though, she went to the Quidditch Pitch and rode around on her broom for a few hours. The words 'No prince is going to marry a Mudblood' ringing in her ears. When she looked up, she noticed McGonagall marching toward her, and James standing below her. She couldn't land near James, then he would see she was crying. She landed next to McGonagall.
"Evans! It is nearly ten o'clock! Are you slipping so badly at Quidditch that you need to practice right NOW?" she shouted.
"No, ma'am, I was trying to think and I lost track of time, it won't happen again, I swear."
McGonagall noticed the tears on her cheeks.
"What's the matter?" Lily shrugged, and walked up to the school. James ran up to McGonagall. "Potter, what'd you do to make Lily cry, this time?"
"I didn't—this time? I've made her cry before?"
"Yes, nearly every time you speak to her."
"Oh my—thanks Professor!"
James ran after her, and soon caught up with her.
"What do you want?" Lily asked him, trying not to show that she was upset.
"What's wrong, Lily?"
"Nothing really. I got called a Mudblood, found out you're a prince, nothing too bad, really."
He hugged her and let her cry.
"I'm so sorry, Lily, I thought you knew."
She pushed herself away from him.
"Not everyone knows who you are, James, some people need to hear it from your lips."
She ran away and up to her room, and stayed there the rest of the night. James sighed and went up to his room, and threw open his trunk. He needed to think. He pulled out his Invisibility cloak, and searched for the Marauder's Map.
"Where the hell is it?" he muttered to himself.
"Where's what?" asked Sirius, walking by him.
"The Marauder's Map."
Sirius shrugged.
"I thought you kept it in your trunk."
"I do, but it's not there."
"What's not where?" asked Remus, coming out of the bathroom.
"The Map's gone," said Sirius.
"Where could it have gone?"
All three rummaged through the trunk, then Sirius's, then Remus's, and in their desks, under their beds, and through their drawers and their pockets.
"Who could have taken it except us—"James walked over to the last bed in the room, furthest away from the door. "Wormtail, do you know where my map is?"
Peter looked very nervous as he cowered away from James. James sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Erm, y'see—"
"I'm not going to kill you, Peter, just tell me where the map is."
"Filch's office, I'd just put the map away when he caught me coming in. He—he took it!" sobbed Peter.
James walked away form him, unsure of what to do.
"It's not that big of a deal, we all know it by heart, it's not like we need it."
Sirius and Remus looked at James, who shrugged. In May, Gryffindor played Ravenclaw. Gryffindor won the game in about twenty minutes, with minimal injury. Sirius snuck away from the party to get food, on the way back he ran into Snape.
"It's you." said Snape, by way of greeting.
"Yup. Hey, Snape, no hard feelings. I'll give you a tip to get into Hogsmeade to show you that I'm not going to fight you anymore. If you take a long stick, hit a knot on the Whomping Willow, and under the trunk, there's a tunnel in to Hogsmeade. Later Snape!" said Sirius, running off.
That night, James, Cat, Sirius and Peter got under James's cloak, and went to hang out with Remus. They had all ready changed into their Animagus forms and Peter was about to go hit the knot when they saw someone, and changed back. Snape had hit the knot, and was clambering into the tunnel. Sirius, who was laughing, stopped. James chased Snape into the tunnel. Cat, Sirius and Peter just watched in shock. They dove into the tunnel, and James grabbed Snape's foot.
"Let go Potter!" growled Snape.
"No! You don't know what's on the other end of the tunnel!"
"I said let go!"
Snape kicked James and went through the tunnel faster. James followed him, and Snape got out of the tunnel, to see Remus, just in time to see him transform. James, as a stag, jumped out in front of Snape and wrestled Remus then pushed Snape back into the tunnel. When the two were back onto the grounds, James glared at Snape.
"What the hell possessed you to do that?!" yelled James.
Snape glared at him.
"I was told that led to Hogsmeade. You knew Black said that."
"Yes, it does lead to Hogsmeade, but to the Shrieking Shack. Sirius told you? Why would he tell you about that?"
"You know why!" spat Snape. "It's common knowledge that you blame me for Mum's death."
"SHE WASN'T YOUR MOTHER!" shouted James, as Lily ran to them.
"James, why in the world are you shouting?" she asked calmly, looking at his tattered robes in the moonlight.
"Ask HIM!"
Lily turned to Snape.
"Severus, what's going on?"
"Black told me that the Whomping Willow is over a tunnel that leads to Hogsmeade, but it only leads to Lupin as a werewolf..." he faded off, realizing what he'd seen.
James was too shocked to speak.
"You're on first name- basis with-- with-- THAT!?"
James took a step away from Lily, who was standing next to him.
"Well, I tutor him, it'd be a bit rude to call him Snape the whole time."
"You tutor him? And when were you going to tell us this?"
"You never told them?" asked Snape, smiling because he was 'Lily's little secret.'
"I thought you knew. I tutored Elektra too, until she caught up with us. James--"
James was backing away from Lily.
"No, just leave, Evans, just leave."
"James, why is this getting between us? We'd become pretty good friends, are you going to let this ruin that?"
"Yes, you lied to me."
"What? How did I lie to you?"
Lily felt as though she should cry, but that only showed weakness, so she held them back.
"When you came in that one night, and I'd asked you where you'd been, and you said you'd been studying. You WEREN'T! You were with Snape."
"And we were studying. I was telling you the truth."
James shook his head and disappeared into the darkness. Lily turned to run, but Snape grabbed her arm.
"Lily, I'm sorry. I didn't think Potter would hate you because of me," he said.
Lily had begun to cry, and without either of them realizing what had happened Snape kissed her. It wasn't anything to her, it was a quick peck on the lips.
"It's not your fault Severus, James has been acting weird for a while. I have to go, goodnight."
Lily ran into the castle and up to Gryffindor and sat by the fire, crying. Early the next morning, the portrait swung open and then closed. Lily, still in the Common Room, hadn't heard anything. Cat and Sirius saw her hand on the top of the couch and became visible, James and Peter, still under James's cloak. Sirius and Cat looked over the top of the chair to see who was on the couch. The first thing they saw was an arm scratched up and bleeding, then a head of red hair. It was Lily. Cat and Sirius ran around the couch to her. Cat sat her up, and Sirius brushed the hair out of her face.
"Lily? Lily, are you all right?" asked Cat.
James looked worried under the cloak, as Peter kept going toward the dorm. James walked over, invisible, and he watched Lily's head lull from one side to the other, as Sirius and Cat shook her. Cat noticed skin under her fingernails, and the scratches were deep, deep gashes, James saw a bit of glass half hidden under the couch, but he didn't say anything.
"Cat, you don't think--" began Sirius.
"No, she can't be."
"Let's take her to the Hospital Wing just in case."
Sirius picked Lily up off the couch, her arms still bleeding furiously. Neither Cat nor Sirius had noticed Lily's wand in the floor, close to where she had been. James picked it up, and put it on her pillow. He went back to his dorm, and sat on his bed. Sirius came in an hour later.
"Hey," said James quietly, making Sirius jump.
"James, what are you doing awake?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Well, Cat and I found Lily, bleeding pretty bad. Madame Pomfrey's checking to see what had happened to her."
"What do you think it was?"
"A cat maybe, but Lily had skin under her fingernails, as though she had been scratching someone."
"Oh."
"James, what's wrong, what's gotten into you tonight?"
"You almost killed Snape, then I find out that they're friends."
"Who?"
"Snape and that whore!"
"What whore?" asked Sirius, curiously.
"Evans."
Sirius's jaw dropped.
"WHAT?!"
"I know, that's what I said. She's been tutoring him all year."
Cat cleared her throat.
"I've known, Elektra told me," she said, quietly.
"Well, thanks for giving the rest of us a heads- up," hissed James, sarcastically.
"James, she was scared that we'd all hate her if we found out. That's not the reason she's not talking to anyone, but still, it's part of it."
"Then what IS the reason?" asked Sirius.
"After James's parents died, she thought that it would happen to the rest of us, she thinks it's her fault, that your parents died."
"I know," said James. "She told me during the break."
James looked downcast, though no one could see, as it was dark. After Cat had left, and Sirius had fallen asleep, he went to the Hospital Wing, a note in his hand, debating whether to give it to Lily or not. He walked in to see Professor Dumbledore talking to Madame Pomfrey. Dumbledore looked up as James walked in.
"Hello Mr. Potter," he said.
James looked at him.
"Is she gonna be all right?" he asked.
"If you want her to be."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"She's had a lot of blood loss, and she can't live much longer, unless you give a little of your blood to her. The blood- replenishing potion is doing the opposite of what it is meant to do."
James nodded.
"I'll do it."
Dumbledore nodded and Madame Pomfrey directed him to the bed next to Lily, and she set everything up. By sun up they were done, and James was back in his bed, still holding his note. He threw it in his trunk, where he left it long after he'd forgotten about it. Soon, Lily was back, and the first thing she did was hug Cat, Gabby, and Jenni, then the guys, Sirius, Remus, Frank and James. Lily looked around.
"Where's Elektra?" asked Lily.
"I saw her this morning, she was headed up to the East Tower, said she was meeting someone. She seemed kinda dazed," said Cat.
They all stood up and sprinted to the East Tower. Elektra was there, with two men in black cloaks. They lowered their hoods and the door locked behind the sixth years. One was Linus.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" shouted the one they didn't recognize.
"Dad!" shouted Cat.
"Kitten, my baby!" said the dark- haired man, stepping toward his daughter.
"I'm not your baby!"
Alex Sweeny raised his wand to Lily and Cat.
"Two birds with one curse," he said as he bound all but Cat and Lily, as Elektra crawled over to Cat and Lily.
"Avada--
"No!" shouted Elektra, standing in front of Cat and Lily.
"Kedrava!!"
Elektra was knocked back into Lily and Cat. Cat stood and grabbed her father's wand, while Lily grabbed the other wands from Linus. Lily handed Cat's wand to her, and the two girls snapped Linus's and Alex's wands in half, then threw them out the window.
"STUPEFY!" shouted the two, as Dumbledore and the other teachers burst in.
Lily untied the others and they all hugged. Then Cat and Lily looked at Elektra's body. And they kneeled on either side of her and cried. She had died, for them, she barely knew Lily, and she loved Cat to death, they were like sisters. The next week, they had her funeral, and exams were canceled due to death. Lily spent most of her time sitting on the roof, watching everyone else. One day, James came to see her.
"Lily?"
She turned toward him.
"Hi."
"Can I join you?"
She nodded and he sat beside her, knees up to his chest, elbows on his knees.
"I thought you hated me because I'd become friends with Severus."
"Well, I was mad about it for a while, but then I saw no point of being angry."
Tears silently rolled down her cheeks.
"I should have told you."
"Well, you can't change it, and I'm over it, you should be too."
"Cat told me what you said that night."
Lily looked away from him. James looked at his feet.
"I'm sorry, I was angry, I didn't mean it."
"You did."
"Well, I don't now, and now's what matters."
She looked at him and he wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"She also told me what you did for me."
"What?"
"You saved my life. Why?"
"It felt right. I didn't want anything to happen to you. We may not get along too well, but still, you don't deserve to die."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes."
"Do you know how that happened?"
"Yes."
She looked up at him.
"You do?"
"I did it. It's my fault."
"No, I tried to do a spell for homework, and I said it wrong, and--"
"Don't lie to me. You tried to kill yourself because of me. Because I'm a self- absorbed ass who said that I hated you because of Snape."
"Well, I might as well tell you. After you left, I broke down, and Severus stopped me from doing anything, temporarily. He apologized for making you hate me. And then..." she drifted off.
"Did you two--"
"Goodness no! He gave me a quick kiss on the lips, and I left."
"He KISSED you. Ew!"
Lily laughed at his childishness.
"I brushed my teeth when I could. We're just friends, nothing more. I'm not carrying his love child, so you don't need to worry about me."
James laughed, and without realizing it, they kissed. Then they pulled away.
"I have to go," said James.
"Yeah."
James left. Just before school let out, Gabby flopped down on her bed. Lily, Cat and Jenni looked at her.
"You okay?" Jenni asked.
"I dumped Sirius," she said, her face buried in her pillow.
"Why?" asked Lily.
Gabby sat up.
"I want to be free, I don't want a serious relationship. We've been dating for too long, and I think it's time for me to move on."
"Then why are you throwing yourself on your bed?" Cat asked her.
"Because it took a lot for me to be able to dump him, and I feel bad that it came to an end."
Lily rolled her eyes and went back to her book.