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Changes Chapter 7'--Hopsital wing?'
'No! That would kill her!'
Lily heard soft, repressed laughter. It was dark. As she slowly drifted back into consciousness, she was aware that her eyes were squeezed shut. She opened them.
Three pale, worried faces were gathered around her.
'Um, hi?' she said, taken aback.
'How many fingers am I holding up?' Cassidy asked.
'Three,' Lily said, furrowing her brow as she studied them, thoroughly confused.
'How old are you?'
'17,' Lily replied, more confused than ever.
'And... um.... Whose your date to the halloween ball?'
'James Potter... Oh my gosh. I'm going with James Potter? I really said yes? Why did I do that? I did say yes, didn't I? Oh, gosh.... I really-- I can't back out now, right? ... James Potter...'
Her friends laughed.
'I think that she's okay,'
'What?' Lily asked them finally.
Miranda looked at her in concern. 'You blacked out, Lily,''What? Really? When....'
Lily trailed off as suddenly everything came back to her. She had fallen asleep. Had that.... That dream.... And then waking up... And then... Yes, she blacked out. She had realized something. What had it been?
'Oh.'
'You were screaming,' Miranda whispered, eyes wide with fright.
'It was really creepy. I heard you screaming, and you were thrashing around and, look--'
Lily rubbed her hand along her arm where there were several scratches. 'Oops,' she said casually.
Her friends sat down on her bed beside her.
'Nightmares about going to the ball with Potter?' Bella asked, grinning. The other three broke into laughter.
'No, really,' Cassidy frowned. 'What was your dream about?'
Lily frowned as well. 'I don't know. It was all... dark. And.... I've had a dream like it, before... You remember,'
Cassidy nodded. 'I was thirsty. When I was coming back from the toilets, I heard you scream. Was it the same dream?'
Lily shook her head. 'Not exactly.'
'That one made you cry,'
'It was horrible,'
'And this one?'
'It was.... It was... Someone screamed. And it was all dark and metal and cold.... And then I was in a room, with- with- him... Voldemort,'
'Don't say his name,' Miranda whispered, shaken.
Lily ignored her. 'And--' she frowned. Something about that room, with the figure, and Voldemort... Something about that was important, but she couldn't remember what. It was on the tip of her tongue... But it was no use. She couldn't remember. She tried to dismiss the dream. And yet- she couldn't shake the feeling that it was important.
'I'll talk to Dumbledore in the morning,' Lily said confindently. 'For now, let's just go back to sleep,'
Once Lily had assured her friends that she would be fine, they drifted off to sleep. Lily, however, could not bring herself to sleep, or even to close her eyes. She was terrified. Shivering, she thought of the cold, cold figure. Voldemort.
She thought of James.
She suddenly realized that he had been in her dream. What on earth was he doing there anyway? They had been talking to Dumbedore... And then the boy... Her son?
Oh, God.
She just needed to sleep.
But she couldn't. Couldn't.
She sat up and slipped out of bed. Standing in the dormitory door, she felt so vulnerable... Lily wrapped her arms around her body, trying to save herself. She took several deep breaths and made her way down the stairs.
Lily sat down on the couch. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, that she was in trouble... She shivered. 'This is Hogwarts,' she whispered. 'Dumbledore is the greatest wizard alive. This is the safest place in the world. I will be okay,'
'Talk to yourself much?' someone asked.
Lily gasped and sat up.
'Remus?'
He nodded his head as he took a seat beside her.
'What are you doing up?'
'I could ask you the same question,' he replied, smiling.
'I couldn't sleep,'
'Insomniac?'
'Something like that,'
There was a small silence as they both stared into the fire, Lily completely lost in her thoughts of the ball, her dream, Voldemort...
'We never thought we'd see the day,' Remus said softly.
'What?'
He glanced up at her, and she realized that she had never quite noticed just how pale and ragged he looked. 'The day that you would say yes to James,'
Lily had to fight down a blush. 'Well. I did,'
Remus smiled. 'So we noticed. James has been happier than he has for months,' He smiled, then looked at her seriously. 'He really likes you, you know,'
'Oh, I don't know. Maybe he just wants what he can't have,'
Remus shook his head. 'James isn't like that. Even if he did only like you because you didn't like him... Well, the point is, he doesn't. Trust me. I know James,'
Lily smiled. 'I just hope that it goes all right,'
'Me too,' Remus said. 'For both your sakes,'
---
James was beyond nervous. He was sitting at the Gryffindor table, eating toast, and trying to act calm. Breath. In. Out. He closed his eyes. Opened them. God, there was Lily. He ran a hand through his head nervously, then took it out. She hated that.
What if she didn't want to go with him anymore?
What if it was all a joke?
What if she was laughing at him right now?
She certainly was happy. She was smiling at her friends, saying something to make them all laugh. Bella replied. Lily laughed then, too. She had a very pretty laugh. And she looked beautiful when she laughed. Actually, she always looked beautiful. It was rather unnevering.
'Don't worry,' Remus said, sitting down beside James and picking up a slice of toast.
'What?' James asked, drawing his eyes away from Lily.
'She won't take back her answer,'
'How do you know?' James questioned, not overly surprised that Remus knew what was the matter. He often did that. Maybe it was part of being a werewolf- the whole sixth-sense thing.
'I talked to her last night,'
'What did she say? And- what- you talked to her?'
'I couldn't sleep. Full moon this Saturday, you know. I went down to the common room and she was there. We talked a bit and then went back to bed. She's nice,'
'I know,'
Remus looked up with a smile. 'She was only worried that you didn't mean it,'
'Didn't mean it?' James exploded. 'What? I've only been asking her out since fourth year!'
'I know, James. She knows that too. She was just worried that you only wanted what you couldn't have,'
'But- but- that's absurd!' James sputtered.
'I know,' Remus said again, patiently. James looked down at his toast in frustration. 'Why don't you go talk to her?'
'I think I will,' James said, standing up.
---
Lily was putting beans on her toast, her mind still thinking about that awful dream, when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around and found herself face-to-face with James.
She smiled. She couldn't help it...
Especially when he returned the smile so happily.
'Sir down,' she motioned at the empty chair to her left. James sat obediently. 'How are you?'
'I'm great, how are you?' he replied. He seemed rather nervous. Lily wondered why. It wasn't as though he was going to ask her out. He had already done that. And she had said yes. Lily shook her head. She was still trying to get over that.
'Good, good.'
She took a bite of her toast. 'Are you sure you're okay?'
'Are you sure you still want to go to the ball with me?' he blurted out.
Lily set her toast down, and looked at him. It was rather cute, actually, the way he was so nervous that she had changed her mind. Anyone else would take it for granted that a yes was a yes. Then again, he had been chasing her since fourth year.
She really couldn't believe it.
Lily didn't think that she was so wonderful as to merit chasing for that long. Who would really want her that much?
But now she had to smile. Maybe James was serious about her after all. 'Yes, James,' she found herself saying. He had given her a chance to get out, and she hadn't taken it. This was surprising. 'I said yes and I meant that. So unless you decide that you don't want to accompany me anymore--
'Oh, no,' James said hurriedly. 'Not at all,'
'Then we're still on, and will stay on, unless mortal or fatal injuries or any other situation likewise beyond out control occurs,'
James smiled at her, in pure relief. Lily noted this with surprise. Funny how even when he wasn't trying, his smile was beyond charming. Beyond charming? James Potter?
'Really? He asked.
'Really really,' Lily said, grinning at him.
James grinned back, and for a moment, they just looked at each other, happily, then James jumped up. 'Right. I've got to go to Muggle Studies. Catch ya later?'
'Sure thing,' Lily replied, watching him go.
'He's good for you,' Bella said, leaning over.
'What do you mean?' Lily asked.
'He makes you happy,'
---
'You've had a dream like this before,' Dumbledore said, his fingers crossed together as he studied her gravely.
'Yes,' Lily said.
'You dreams are important, Miss Evans. I suggest that you write them down to keep track of them.'
'Do they- do they mean anything?'
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he smiled slightly. 'My dear Miss Evans, all dreams mean something. It's merely knowing when the dream is important enough that you remember and that you understand,'
'Understand?'
'Run along, my dear. And don't forget to write it all down,'
'I won't,' Lily promised, before leaving the Headmater in peace. He was one confusing person, she thought to herself as she left.
---
James watched Lily that evening. Half an hour ago she had put all her textbooks away, and he had started to make his way over to talk to her. Then, however, she had pulled out a blank book and had begun to write in it. His interest was piqued. Was that her journal?
He finally stood up again, and made his way over to where she was sitting. She didn't look up. He coughed. Still no response.
He sat down.
'Long journal entry,'
Now she looked up, and smiled. She did look rather upset though. Still, James couldn't stop his heart from racing at the fact that her smile actually reached her eyes. She was happy! Happy to see him!
'Oh, this isn't my journal,' Lily said, closing the notebook.
'Really? Can I read it then?'
'Well... It's quite... private,'
James made a puppy-dog face. When Lily only laughed, he tried a different tactic. Charming Quidditch-Star grin. Lily grinned charmingly back. Dang her.
'What is it then?'
'Well,' she bit her lip, and looked out the window. 'It's sort of a dream journal,'
'Huh?'
'Remember how we had to do those in Divination?'
'Actually, the only thing I remember from Divination was being extremely happy when the Professor predicted my death,'
Lily raised her eyebrows. 'What?'
'Well, she said we'd die together,'
Lily chortled. 'Oh, right. I remember that. But- that was before you...' she trailed off awkwardly.
'No, it wasn't.'
Lily blushed. James was close to blushing, but the fact that she blushed made him capable of merely smiling flirtatiously. 'Oh, yes, and you walking out,'
'You have to admit, the professor was whacked
'Yes, but still- Lily Evans walked out of class,'
They both laughed. 'So a dream journal?'
'I've... I've had these two weird dreams. They were creepy. Professor Dumbeldore told me to record them,'
'Ah,' James said, then grew worried. 'Creepy? As in, nightmares?'
Lily looked down. 'Well, the first one started out ... And it was so weird... But then it was all flashes and in the end, I might not have thought more of it than a bad dream, except it had to do with Voldemort, and that morning in the newspaper was the first real story of Voldemort's attacks. Then last night I... I had another one. And this time... I saw him,'
She was whispering.
She was also terrified.
She looked so vulnerable and frail that James just wanted to wrap his arms around her and comfort her. He didn't. He didn't want to ruin their relationship.
'It's okay, Lily,' he said softly. 'You're safe here,'
She looked up at him. 'I want to be an Auror, James. I really do. I want everyone else to be safe, too.'
He smiled at her. 'That's quite noble, Lily,'
She looked away. 'You want to be an Auror, too,'
He frowned. 'I know.' Then, because the conversation was altogether too serious, he grinned at her. 'We can be Aurors together!' he exclaimed. She whacked him, and he tickled her.
A few minutes later, they were both out of breath and laughing.
Lily caught his eye.
'Thank you,' she said.
James was ecstatic.
---
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Arod