A/N: Okay, I'm back! Aren't you all happy to see me? After long pondering of where this story is going to go, I think I've gotten another burst of inspiration. I just want to thank all of you who are hanging in there (if there are any) and I hope this chapter makes up for my long absence! Anyway, this is where things start to get ugly, and it moves off of guy/girl relationships and instead focuses on the Marauders as a whole. All I'll say is, girls are never good for a group of male friends.
To my reviewers:
siruisissokewl- wow, thanks so much for the glowing review!
almo- sorry about the wrist, but thank you for taking the time to give me such a nice review. Glad the characters are in character
kwndnl- I really like your idea on the Quiddich game. I think that I'll leave that one the way it is for now, and maybe go back and revise it, or just add another Quiddich game. But thanks a ton!
Xiaolu- thanks so much! I appreciate your support.
anoynomous- sorry it took so long, but it's here!
Doodleflip- Good. I'm glad you enjoyed the Quiddich match. Sorry I couldn't add you as a character, but I will definitely consider you if I ever need one.
EVILMWAA HA HA HA HAA- Thanks for yet another wonderful review! (see if you can find yourself in this chapter—shouldn't be too hard!)
baloo- aw, thanks!
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Chapter 11- Division
Lily's faithful friends had been forced to classes after the worrying breakfast without a chance to console their friend. To their great consternation, she was in none of her classes.
As the four grouped around a Venezuelan Fly Trap in Herbology, they finally found a chance to talk.
"Do you think it really was her parents? I mean, the names were unreleased, and I know some other people who live in Haddock." James found that his four friends were just as confused and worried as he.
"I don't know. It all seems too coincidental to be a coincidence," said Remus as he pulled his finger out of the reaches of the hungry plant. "What I do know is Lily never misses classes."
Mia nodded. "And it looks like one of the faithful Ravenclaws are missing too. They miss about as much as Lily."
With a quick scan of the only other four students in the Advanced Herbology, James paled. "It's Sebrina."
"Damn it," Sirius swore with an apologetic look thrown rather belatedly toward Mia. "She's been after you since you broke up with her."
"Do you think she's doing something to Lily?"
Remus assuaged James with a roll of his eyes and a wry, "This sabotage seems a little open for a smart Ravenclaw like her. She'll definitely wait until it can't be traced back to her."
James looked slightly mollified, but everyone else just seemed to become more tense.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the bell for lunch rang and the group dashed to the Gryffindor Tower, sweaty and dirty from the class they had just abandoned. As soon as they entered the common room, Mia led Sirius, James, and Remus up the stairs (the only way they could get up without immediately being shoved down again) and knocked softly on her door.
"Lily?" They could hear sniffles clearly from behind the locked doors, but another sound came through as well. "Lily?" she repeated. "Is Alice with you?"
She glanced back at the anxious boys behind her ad shrugged. Why Lily would chose Alice over her?
Cautiously opening the door, she stepped inside and was surprised to find a dark haired Ravenclaw girl rather than the bubbly blondeness of Alice.
"Sebrina? What are you doing here?" From the confused mutterings coming from behind her, the boys also had no idea why Sebrina was here.
"I knew she had something to do with it," Sirius whispered violently. The others quickly shushed him so they could hear Sebrina's explanation.
"I saw Lily leave the dining hall and none of her other friends went to see what was wrong, so I decided to do something." She stroked Lily's heaving back softly as she stared intently at the four in front of her. Her voice was cold and calculated, obviously a slap in the face.
"We're her best friends! We knew something was wrong, but Lily always wants time alone to sort out her thoughts!" Mia was shocked to find herself defending her friendship against this Ravenclaw whore. She realised, with a growing knot in her stomach, that Lily was saying nothing in her defense.
"She seemed to like my company," purred Sebrina as if Lily wasn't there.
"Liar," James spat suddenly, his face turning red with anger and embarrassment. He hated remembering what a mistake this girl had been.
"Oh. Hello, James," Sebrina said slowly, smiling softly as she stared at James, seemingly noticing him for the first time. Her gaze made James uncomfortable, a feeling he did not know or like. The constant stare was burning through hiim and he could feel his face getting even redder.
Mia took action. "Out. This is my room as well, and I want you gone."
Sebrina shrugged, but stood up and left the room, always keeping her eyes locked on James. As soon as she left, the tension dissipated from the room. All four of the friends moved to the side of Lily's bed, where she was currently spread out tearfully.
"What did you do that for?" she asked quietly, her face still muffled by the pillows she was buried in.
"What?" Mia exchanged a glance with Remus. There was definitely something odd about this whole situation. Since when had Sebrina and Lily become so chummy?
"She was the one who came to see me. None of you did."
"B-but Lily!" Mia was shocked at the accusation. Lily had never been one to share her feelings immediately. "You always insist on being alone. You never wanted any company before. And since it was something this serious, I just assumed you'd want to sort out your thoughts before we talked."
"Maybe you assumed wrong," spat Lily, sitting up and revealing her tear blotched face for the first time. She seemed so pitiful, but no one, not even James wanted to get near enough to comfort her. "At least Sebrina can tell when I want company. She's a better friend then you are."
Mia gasped. As mad as Lily was, and as traumatized as she was, there was no need for such cruelty. "Fine," she snapped and with a quick spin around, she left the room.
"That was really uncalled for Lily. She's been there for you when you really needed her. You've let her down a lot more than you've helped her." Sirius leaned against a bed post as he spoke. "That was really rough."
"That's so untrue! You're just sticking up for her because she's got you wrapped around her little finger." Lily's face grew redder and redder as all of her withheld frustrations let loose. "Like all the times she tried to get James when she knew I liked him."
"She set you two up," Remus commented quietly as he tried to shrink away from the grim scene. No need to try though; no one noticed what he said.
"You've got this completely wrong! Sebrina was the one checking out James the whole time today. She obviously wanted to get back together with him." Sirius couldn't believe the absurdity of this conversation. Where was the old Lily?
James' face burned red. He really didn't want to be reminded of the horrible relationship that had occurred between himself and Sebrina. It had been during sixth year and she had been so controlling he just had to break it off.
"No, your girlfriend is a whore. You honestly think she's as chaste as she says she is? I am her roommate. I know what goes on after it's dark."
"DON'T EVER INSINUATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN! I LOVE YOU AS MUCH AS THE NEXT PERSON, BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS." Sirius stormed out of the room, with an apologetic Remus trailing behind him, his sad eyes obviously reflecting the same sentiments.
James looked after them, but remained in the room, having no way of knowing what strife and pain this would cause their group.
By the next morning it was heard all over school:
The end of the Marauders. The end of the dynasty.
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A/N: Wow, very exciting and unexpected. A bit shorter than I would have liked, but this is pretty much just the intro for a whole new line. It's still romance, but it switches around a bit… Well, you'll just have to see. And it still remains to be seen if Lily's parents were the ones who were killed. Is this just one big misunderstanding, with Sebrina at the middle, breaking up the Marauders and the most brilliant team of Hogwarts' history?
Hmm, I guess you'll just have to find out next time, won't you?
