Chapter 15- Potions and insults
James, Sirius, and Remus all made their way down to the empty dungeons with the bag of ingredients. "Why do we need Snivellus's help anyways?" Sirius asked with a look of disgust on his face. "Remus isn't too bad at potions and if Evans was involved-"
"She can't be," James said, though he didn't like working with Snape any more than the others. "And this can't go wrong. Not that you couldn't do it Moony, but-"
"I understand," Remus said. One part of the potion required additions and tending to on a full moon, and considering what he'd be doing... well, he just wouldn't be of any assistance. That would leave the three biggest potion klutzes of their year trying to add essential ingredients, although Peter seemed to have been disappearing for a lot of meetings lately, but leaving James and Sirius to the task wasn't any better.
They stepped into the dungeons, where Snape preferred to work, and saw that he had already laid out his extensive set of tools; utensils and supplies James had never even seen before. "Did you bring everything?"
"Of course we did, Snivellus, what do you-"
"Padfoot," James stopped him, then looked at Snape, holding back five or six comments he wanted to say as well. "Yes, we have everything here," he handed the bag over to Snape who pulled the different ingredients out and expertly placed them in different areas according to when they were to be used.
"If you come back in two weeks it-"
"Hell no!" Sirius shouted. "Do you think we'd actually trust you, you piece of slime!"
"We're helping," Remus added to Sirius's sentiment.
"We have to help," James informed him, struggling to keep his own temper.
"Why's that?" Severus asked, glowering at the lot of them, though it bothered none of them.
"This is a clandestine potion," Remus stated. "It means that people who care about the partaker of the potion must help make it, and the drinker must not know they have taken it, or the potion will no longer take effect."
Snape knew all of this already and was tempted to tell them he did care about Lily, very much so, but decided instead to dish out a low blow. "Wow, I didn't know werewolves had feelings."
This time James couldn't hold back his temper. Before Sirius or Remus could throw any hexes James had Snape slammed against the wall. "Say it again!" he shouted at him. "I dare you! Say it!" Snape held still not doing or saying anything. "You're here to pay back a debt, and we're here to make sure you don't sabotage this," James said dangerously. He let go of Snape, letting him stand on solid ground again. "Let's get started," James commanded.
After her third treatment Lily wasn't sure she could ever go back to school again. She felt like something had sucked the life out of her and she couldn't even think straight. She decided that she would contact St. Mungo's and see if there was anything they could do for her. She took out a parchment and quill while sitting in her kitchen at home and wrote a letter 'to whom it may concern' and addressed it to the head of muggle illnesses, praying that they might have something to at least make the pain stop.
Lily's dad came into the living room just after she had sent it off. Lily didn't want Josh to know that she had been feeling bad enough to find some information from the magical world, which she had been doing since her mother had first been diagnosed, but she had done it in vain. Lily had, however, found out and learned many basic healing charms and was thinking of the possibility of going into that, should she make it through this now.
"What's going on George," Josh said light heartedly, hoping against hope that Lily was feeling okay today. There had just been too much of this lately, but he was determined to keep things the best he could for his children, no matter what.
"Nothing," Lily said, "and my name's not George."
"Alright Barney," he said, making Lily laugh.
"Did you ever do that to Petunia?"
"A couple of times, but your reaction was always better," he said smiling. "What should we do today? The new museum just opened, they have a gallery of modern artists right now."
"That sounds great," Lily said. "Then can we go see mum?"
"Yeah," Josh said, holding back emotions running through is veins. "Petunia!" Josh shouted.
"What?" she shouted back from the top of the staircase.
"Did you want to go to the museum?" he asked, not knowing if he could bring himself to mention the other part of the plan.
"No, Vernon is picking me up in half an hour," Petunia said and went back into her room to get ready.
"She's been spending a lot of time with him lately," Lily pointed out.
"I think we might have a wedding on our hands soon," Josh said with a smile.
"Why? What's going on?" Lily asked.
"Come on, I'll tell you in the car," Josh said, going over to help Lily up and to the car. "When do you want to go back to school?" he asked.
"I think I'll be ready on Sunday," she said, thinking two more days might be enough. At least she could stay in her room and do her homework if it wasn't.
Monday morning came and James went into Lily's room to see if she was going to classes or not. The group had barely seen her the night before because she was ready to go to sleep after a day of traveling. Although she had been doing better, Lily still felt a bit weak and needed the long night's rest to help prepare herself for the next day. She had once again missed school the previous Thursday and Friday, and she was afraid of getting behind again.
"Lily," James prodded her with his hand. "Lily it's almost 8, are you going to classes?"
"Yeah," Lily groaned as she turned over and took her covers off sitting up in her bed.
James noticed how skinny she was looking, as though she had lost a few sizes. The color was faded from her cheeks as well. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yes, James," Lily said rubbing her eyes. "I need to go to class."
"You need to get better," he said sternly.
Lily was sure of one thing she didn't need; James on her back. "Knock it off alright? I can take care of myself," she snapped.
"I'm just trying to help," James said getting defensive. "You don't look like you feel well."
"I feel fine," Lily lied, but decided that being honest would be a better route. "At least well enough for classes today."
"Fine, I was just thinking that you might want some more rest," James said.
"Thinking of someone else? That's a first for you!" Lily snapped again then realized what she had said.
"Fine," James said, hurt that she would actually say that. "I won't try next time." He walked out of her room.
"James," she said, but he just continued and slammed the door behind him. Lily sat there, kicking herself for letting that burst out of her mouth the way it did. She hadn't said anything like that since before they were friends. Lily got dressed quickly needing to talk to him as soon as she could.
As Lily made her way down the hallway she started to feel ill again, light headed and nauseas, but she had to keep going. He was just in front of her. "James!" she shouted before leaning against the wall to catch the little breath she had.
James, though he was trying to hold this grudge, couldn't help it when he saw her clutching to her chest. He went to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry," Lily got out between breaths.
James thought he should just tell her off, tell her to go to Hell, but instead he said, "I know. Come on, let's get you back to your room, alright?" Lily nodded. James put Lily's arm around his shoulder and they made their way past starring eyes of the passerby's. "I can't believe you, sometimes, so stubborn."
"Yeah well isn't that a trait of red heads?"
"Their also supposed to be easy-" Lily play punched him in the stomach. "But you're not. Geez, Lily, you really have to let me finish my sentences. Besides I was trying to make a point."
"You've already got one," Lily said with a smile.
"Which one is that?" James asked.
"The one on top of your head," Lily said. Both of them laughed.
"Better than it being up my ass," he said.
"Hey!"
"All's fair in love and war, right?"
"Yeah I guess." They got back to the Head's common room and James took Lily over to the couch. James brought her book bag to her.
"We have a two foot essay due Wednesday in History of Magic and Sirius found out Professor Kleaton is planning a pop quiz tomorrow on the uses of Dragon blood in potions, so you might want to look those up."
"Great," Lily said sarcastically.
"Why don't you take the morning off and join us in the afternoon for classes?"
"I might do that," Lily said opening her History text. She didn't want to make James think he'd won, so she'd keep it vague.
"Alright," James was satisfied with that answer. "I gotta go see the guys before breakfast is over.
"Okay," Lily said. "See you later."
A/N: Okay, I don't think the end of this chapter was strong, but it accomplished what I wanted to happen. James is really cool the way he lets the stabs roll off of him like he did. He kinda does what I do in that sense. I try holding grudges, but can't help it. I'm like Lily during this part on the other hand because I say rude hurtful things when I'm mad before I think about what I'm actually saying, though I generally don't mean what I say.
Meaghan: Thanks for reading this! I'm sorry I didn't update soon enough for you, but here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Don't worry, I'll keep her hair, although it's probably thinning a bit.
theoneandonlystephy: Are you kidding me? Why would mess it up? One: he likes Lily, two: even if he didn't it would be his way of paying the life debt to James, but no, he won't mess up the potion... on purpose.
mione-xavier: I'm glad you like this. I try and improve the writing every time and I hope it really is working, like you say it is.
Jules713: Keep reviewing and I'll keep updating.
Anna Ierse: I think she puts on the strong front for the most part, but when I show her here, it's in her most vulnerable state. Not to mention with Chemotherapy she'd be getting weak physically as well. I think I showed her more forceful here, and that was a bit inspired by you. I think I was concentrating so hard on showing reactions from the other characters that I ignored how that might be coming across to my audience, so thank you for mentioning that.
Me: Good, I'm glad I got you to cry. That was the objective =)
flameofshadows: Don't worry about it, I just appreciate the fact that you reviewed for me =)
rose in winter: I wasn't going to have a James Snape smackdown here, but I ended up having a conflict because it worked, I don't think there will be much more than that. I find it more interesting that James is having Snape help, even if he doesn't entirely trust him.
KSO: Just to let you know, I almost never have inconsistencies, and if I have a loop hole of some kind or haven't explained something, it's usually for a reason. Hence you see above why the mediwizard couldn't have done it for him, I just hadn't gotten around to the explanation yet, which I had meant to do here =) Thank you for paying attention though, but understand that I do know what I'm doing here =)
animalluvr75: Here you go. I updated ASAP... now review ASAP =) thanks
Kita: I agree, but she handles it well.
Hearts: Is it going to work? That is the question, now, isn't it.
JamieBell: I think Kyla is the best character I've ever created closely followed by Rosie, but for very different reasons. Yeah it was humiliating for James, and I'm sure he hates having to put up with him, but it is all for Lily. That's also what makes what she said in this chapter so harsh, though I don't think she really meant it.
If any of you get a chance go read the stuff by Crescent Lovegood. It's great and she's just started. Here are the links below! =) Happy reading, and REVIEW!
The Teacher's Lounge ( this one is a riot): ALIGN="JUSTIFY"The Marauder Chronicles: ALIGN="JUSTIFY"The Smallest Phoenix: http:www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1921426