Hey guys I don't own anything!!!! READ AND REVIEW!!! LUV YA!!!!
FireboltPrincess
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Chapter 2: Seeing You
The sun poured bright and clear through the high windows in the Gryffindor common room the following morning. The sunshine streaked across the threadbare carpet and up the side of the large squashy armchair Joanna was sitting in. She sighed and tapped her foot impatiently looking behind her at the girl's staircase.
"Where are they? I said ten minutes, fifteen minutes ago---," she looked up as Shirley came hurrying down the staircase, her bag flying wildly at her side. "What have you been doing? I do want to eat...what? What's wrong?"
"Take cover," Shirley squeaked. The words had barely left her lips when a piercing loud scream rang from the girl's dormitories. Jo slowly got to her feet.
"Bloody hell, what's going on?" Sirius, James and Remus had all descended the boy's staircase and were standing in the common room, gazing up at the girl's staircase.
"Ah, reckon she found the books," Sirius said amused.
"Books? What books?" Jo asked slowly. Before Sirius could answer, a door opened then slammed shut and Lily came storming down the staircase, her robes billowing behind her. She looked positively mad. She marched right up to the three Marauders.
"SO, YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY DO YOU?" she shrieked at them. "PRANK THE HEAD GIRL BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY!? OH YES, REAL WITTY!" she was shaking uncontrollably, her eyes bright and vicious. Jo stepped forward apprehensively.
"Lily, calm down. What is going on?"
"THEM! THEY DID IT!" Lily pointed at James, Sirius and Remus, her arm quivering.
"Lily, we didn't do anythi---," James lied.
"DON'T YOU DARE PLAY DUMB WITH ME POTTER!" she screamed at him. "HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS?!" she pulled her Charms textbook out of her bag and threw down at his feet. It fell open and a mixture of loud hooting and howling surged out. Lily pulled out another book and flung that down too. James cringed as the book whistled obnoxiously.
"See?!" she cried. "All of them...every one ...of my books..." Everyone stood silent, apparently lost for words. Lily bent down, seized her books and shoved them precariously back into her bag. She stood up and faced James. Breathing like mad she said, "And I thought something was different. But you...you, you will never change!"
Lily spun on her heel and marched out of the portrait hole. Jo and Shirley glared at the three standing there and hurried after Lily.
"Such a lovely, sweet tempered girl Evans is," Sirius said smacking James on the back. James nodded and gazed at the portrait door longing to take away everything that just happened.
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The rest of the day went downhill for Lily. Her bad mood persisted and continued throughout the day. To make matters worse, her teachers had all started her classes with long lectures about the seventh year's upcoming N.E.W.T exams. This made Lily very anxious and inattentive. End of the year exams always made her very uneasy. But the long lectures weren't the only thing that was making Lily's first day one of the worst.
James had tried to talk and joke about the incident that happened earlier that morning to Lily, but she was still furious and refused to speak to any of the Marauders. Instead, she would shoot heated glares at him or breathe loudly when he would approach her. Even Jo and Shirley were afraid to say anything to her. After she had snapped savagely at Jo for asking her to pass the marmalade at lunch, they both had decided to keep their mouths shut.
Lily left lunch early and headed to her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, alone. She was the first one inside the classroom and chose a seat in the back, not wanting to talk to anyone. As the rest of the class filed in, Shirley and Jo both came and sat on Lily's right, neither one daring to say a word. The rest of the class sat down and were all talking amongst themselves when their professor strode in.
Professor Sladon was Lily's least favorite teacher. He was tall and demeaning. He had long and pointed nose and a thin curved mouth. He had beetle black eyes that were filled with spite and glinted with malice. His slick black hair was as greasy as his character.
"Take a seat! Take a seat!" His cold voice rang through the classroom. The chatter died away immediately, except from James and Sirius who were laughing loudly at the other end of the room. "Sit down Mr. Potter, Mr. Black," Sladon ordered. James and Sirius eyed Sladon for a moment then slid into their seats. Lily knew that James always hated the Dark Arts and purposely acted up in the class. Sladon never did tolerate it. Lily knew James was only taking the class to get into Auror training, as she was herself.
Sladon turned at his desk and faced the class. "I will save my breath on lecturing you about your end of the year N.E.W.Ts for you all should have known how the exams are going to be before you signed up to take this class. Now, for your first assignment, turn to page one-hundred forty-two and read the introduction and explanation of the Antipodean Opalaleye. Then read the introduction and explanation of the Swedish Short-Snout on page two-hundred seventy-five. Write a comparison of the two dragons and what the necessary precautions are to protecting yourself against these beasts; to be handed into me at the next class. Start."
Inwardly sighing, Lily pulled Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them from her bag. She laid the book on her desk and turned to page one-hundred forty-two. Lily realized a second too late what she had done. Suddenly, the once quiet room was filled with loud and obnoxious whistles and catcalls as her book laid open. Her eyes widened in horror as "Evans, go out with me!" tumbled out amongst the mixture of laughing and jeering. With a last low whistle, the book fell silent.
Cheeks burning to the color of her hair, Lily slowly raised her head to see every eye on her. Professor Sladon was smiling devilishly as he walked towards her.
"Miss Evans would you like to inform us all as to why you have disrupted our class?" he asked in an icy tone. Lily just stared at him, lost for words.
"I can explain, sir," James said jumping up. Lily turned her head and looked at James.
"Sit down Mr. Potter," Sladon said annoyed.
"It's not Lily's book---,"
"I said; take a seat, Potter---,"
"It's not Lily's faul---,"
"TAKE A SEAT, POTTER, NOW!" Sladon barked at him. James sat down slowly, looking at Lily. Sladon glanced down at her. "Being Head Girl and a student of my class means knowing your responsibilities and not mixing your social life with class work. Ten points from Gryffindor," He turned and walked back towards his desk. "And another ten from Gryffindor for acting up, Potter. The rest of you; back to work. Now." The rest of the class returned to their work. Lily lowered her head and stared at her textbook, her eyes brimming with tears.
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"Oh Lily, its fine. I've lost more house points on my first day than you. Remember? That time I went off on a rant about Abigail Vega and McGonagall was right behind me? And I got a detention the very same day!" Jo said at dinner. Shirley and Jo had both been trying to cheer Lily up since her defeat in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Lily had not wanted to go to dinner and face everyone, but Jo and Shirley had dragged her off anyhow. To Lily losing house points was as bad as anything. Being in control and always following the rules had a strong effect on her.
"But that was a very mature thing James did, in sticking up for you Lily," Shirley said cutting her steak and taking a bite.
"You know, maybe he does fancy you, Lily." Jo said swallowing a mouthful of potatoes.
"Fancy me? James Potter? No, he is just trying to soften me up. Just so he can have another member in his fan club of brainless prats. Him and his stupid Marauder friends," Lily scoffed. Jo rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of Marauders; where do you think Remus is?" Shirley asked glancing down the table.
"Probably off in the library or something. He is the only partially decent one out of the group," Lily said.
Fifteen minutes later, the three girls were in the common room, sitting in the three squashy armchairs by the fire, trying to finish the homework they had gotten that day. Lily looked up from writing her Transfiguration essay and glimpsed James, Sirius, and Peter in a far corner of the room, heads bent together. What are they doing now? She thought. Lily shook her head and pushed that out of her mind, returning to her essay.
Shirley sighed and leaned back in her chair. She was tired and didn't really have the patience for homework. She looked out of the window and spotted the full moon, yellow and just peaking over the forest. A sudden idea came to mind.
"I can't concentrate anymore, my brain is not in the mood," Jo said throwing down her quill. Shirley looked at the both of them a mischievous smile playing around her lips. Jo raised her eyebrows.
"What?" Lily looked up quickly and took a double take. Shirley was getting one of her thoughts started.
"I just had an idea," Shirley whispered, leaning in. Jo and Lily both bent in so that they could hear. "Why not, as it being our first night back, go on a small escapade..." she paused, and eyed the moon drifting outside. "Under a full moon?" Jo studied her for a moment, and then smiled wickedly.
"You're brilliant."
"You're MAD!" Lily whispered shrilly. "Do you know what could happen if we are caught? Expulsion! No, I will not."
"Oh, come off it Lily! You need a good nudge off your safety spot, honestly." Shirley pleaded, her blonde curls bouncing with anticipation.
"I think she's scared of breaking any rules. You know how she gets," Jo said sitting up. Lily's jaw dropped.
"I-I am......not, I am not scared......oh....bloody hell, fine." Shirley and Jo beamed at her, teasing. They had bullied her into it. "But if we get caught---"
"We won't get caught, Shirley knows the best ways out of the castle and it's quite simple, really," Jo said still smiling. She leaned in again. "We can go later, sneak out of the dormitory, after everyone has fallen asleep..."
As the girls devised their plan, a little ways over, James, Sirius and Peter were discussing their little midnight excursion.
"We will have to go later, after everyone has left the common room. The moon is just rising now, that gives up plenty of time to take our walk around the grounds," Sirius said leaning over the Marauders map and pointing out their course. "I bet Moony will go barking mad if we don't get there soon." He eyed Lily, Jo, and Shirley sitting by the fire, whispering amongst themselves. Sirius turned back to the map and discussed the details of their plan.
James nodded absentmindedly, his thoughts drifting to the girl by the fire.
He forced himself not to look at Lily from across the room. He just loved everything about her. From the way she smiled to the way she carried herself. She was just so beautiful to him. She valued life in a way that James never knew existed. She lived life her way, and James was ready to challenge that. He loved her fire red hair and stunning green eyes. He wanted to see into her through those eyes; see who she was. But every time he tried there seemed to be a wall, a cold wall, blocking his way from ever seeing what she was and stopping her from ever seeing who he was. James stole a quick glance at her as she gathered her things and walked with Joanna and Shirley to the girl's dormitories.
"Oi Prongs! Prongs!" James snapped back into reality.
"W-what?"
"Let's go; go get your cloak, mate. Moony's waiting."
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Lily, Shirley, and Jo all climbed into bed and waited to hear the deep breathing of their two other roommates before heading back out of the dormitory and down into the common room. Lily was rather anxious and jumpy as they made their way silently out of the portrait hole and into the corridor. Shirley and Jo both seemed reasonably calm and collected as they wound their way down the floor after floor. So far, they had not run into any major problems. They almost had a close run up with Peeves the Poltergeist on the fourth floor, but the three of them hid behind a suite of armor in time to see him float by muttering and cackling to himself. They made their way down to the entrance hall and quietly pushed the front doors open and shut them again.
"That was great!" Jo said excitedly, twirling around. Lily was taking deep breathes, her hands on her knees.
"Look at how beautiful it is tonight! Look at the moon! You cannot say that this is not perfect!" Shirley squealed.
"Keep your voice down!" Lily said with a hush. She caught sight of the beautiful pearly moon and smiled to herself. It really was beautiful. The grounds were immersed in moonlight and there was a slight breeze that ruffled the grass. It was peaceful without the large groups of people milling around.
"Let's go over by the lake, I bet the moon and stars look better from there," Jo said breathlessly. The three made their way, their cloaks flowing behind them. Their dark cloaks made them almost indistinguishable from the dark grass they walked upon. They reached the water's edge and sat down next to each other. The dark massive lake looked like a black sheet of glass that stretched to the edge of the forest.
"It's wonderful," Lily gasped. She lied down on her back so she could see the stars. She felt Shirley lay down above her, her head touching Lily's, and Jo did the same.
"This is breathtaking," Shirley said in awe. Jo and Lily nodded in agreement.
They sat like that for a while, watching all the stars blink and twinkle down at them. The three of them talked, giggled, and sat in awe under the ever dark sky. Lily was just thinking about what might happen if they fell asleep there, when she heard a loud howl in the distance. Lily sat bolt upright.
"Did you hear that?" Lily whispered, barely moving her lips. Jo groaned and rolled over on her side. Lily peered into the moonlit grounds.
"Shhh! Listen---," She stopped, her words caught in her throat.
Halfway around the lake from where they sat, Lily saw the full-size and terrifying version of a beast she had only seen in books. The thin and hairy figure of a fully grown werewolf stared back at Lily, rigid on the spot, looking back at her. She didn't dare move. Lily felt Shirley sit up next to her.
"Lily, what is it---" She stopped. Lily's breathing was now uneven and shaking with terror. Her heart was pounding deafeningly in her ears.
"Run," Lily whispered. But Shirley didn't move. She was staring at the beast across the lake, her eyes wide and filled with horror.
Suddenly, the werewolf reared on its hind legs, howling into the night. Jo sat upright.
"What was---" The werewolf fell back on all fours and took flight around the lake; at them.
"RUN!" Lily gasped, rushing to her feet. Shirley screamed and ran after Lily, Jo close behind her. Lily ran as fast as her legs would carry her, up the hill towards the main entrance. But the courtyard was closer.
"Quick! Over here!" She shouted, pointing to her left. She heard a scream behind her that made her stop and spin around. Jo had tripped over her flowing cloak and was lying on the ground. Shirley had turned around to grab her.
"No! Shirley, go! Run into the courtyard! I will get her!" Lily wrenched Shirley forward. She fled towards the courtyard and Lily sprinted forward. Jo struggled to her feet and spun around as she heard the growling and thud of huge paws bearing down on her.
"JOANNA!" Lily shrieked. Jo screamed her eyes wide with fear. The wolf bounded forward, its teeth bared. Jo was then knocked off her feet and out of the way of the wolf's snapping jaws, as she was bowled over by a huge bearlike black dog. They hit the ground and tumbled over in the grass, the dog growling as Jo hung on to its thick hair.
The werewolf landed with a thud, and skidded around for a new attack. Lily spun around and sprinted off away from the courtyard, not wanting to lead the beast to Shirley. She could hear the huge paws pounding behind, gaining on her. She ran and took a sharp right around a bush, and raced down back towards the lake. There were thick trees down by the lake; she could hide behind one of those. She could hear the loud panting of the werewolf behind her. She ran down and spotted the nearest tree. Lily threw herself behind the tree, hoping that the wolf would be fooled. She pressed her body to the trunk of the tree, and held her breathe. She cursed herself, for not bringing her wand with her.
The werewolf stopped and stood still, its long snout in the air. It smells me, Lily cried inside. She was trembling all over. Then, the sniffing stopped. Lily remained still a moment before peering around the tree, praying that the wolf had ran off. She stepped away from the tree, breathing heavily. All of a sudden, a low growl came from behind her. Horrified, she turned and came face to face with the werewolf. The wolf bared its teeth and snarled.
Lily backed up against the tree; she was trapped. She stopped breathing as the wolf took a step forward, teeth glistening.
There was a pounding of hooves and Lily was suddenly blocked from view as a large pearly white stag jumped in front of her, rearing its hooves and whinnying at the werewolf. The wolf howled and yelped; turned and fled off around the lake, the darkness engulfing it. The stag landed on all fours and turned slowly back to face Lily. She had a sudden fleeting urge, but something inside her told her to stay where she was.
The stag was large and built. Its muscular legs and long slender neck made it look more intimidating than it already was. But something about the stag's eyes...those eyes....were strangely calming. They were a dark brown, speckled with hazel. She gazed into them, seeing something beyond their color.
The stag stepped forward and bent its head down to her eye level. She studied it and raised a hand to pet its face. When she laid her hand on the stag's cheek, her entire body shivered. Lily took a step forward and laid her face against the horses. It nuzzled its nose into her neck. She felt strangely calm as she stood next to the horse.
"Thank you," she whispered. Lily pulled away, letting her hand linger on the stag's face. She looked into the eyes of the horse before turning and hurrying up the hill. She ran up towards the main entrance, looking for Shirley and Jo. They were sitting in the grass right outside the doors, when Lily found them.
Shirley was kneeling over Jo, who was clutching her ribs, a painful expression on her face. They both looked up when she approached.
"Oh, bless you, your alright!" Shirley said hugging her. Jo smiled, well as much as she could, at them. Lily grabbed Jo's left, Shirley grabbed Jo's right, and Jo willingly let them pull her to her feet and help her quietly through the doors. Lily took a quick glance back at the lake; she saw the black dog and stag both watching her from the water's edge, and closed the doors silently behind her.
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[A/N Hey ya'll this took me some time to write it so I hope you like it!!! READ AND REVIEW!!! Luv,
FireboltPrincess