Hey! Heres the next chappy! Enjoy!
Chapter 4: Jealousy
"Oh sit down and shut up you arrogant prat---"
"Prat?! Ah Reeves, you've got some nerve---"
"Oh that's rich, coming from a dim-witted, useless---"
"Right. More "dim-witted" then you I suppose---"
"How could you be so thick? ---"
"Beals over there is more of a threat than you, Lily---"
"You stupid, egotistical, self-centered---"
"MR. POTTER! MR. BLACK! MISS REEVES! MISS EVANS! WILL YOU BE QUIET AND CONTROL YOURSELVES!"
Professor McGonagall's shriek cracked through the classroom, making the entire class jump. She stared furiously at the addressed group, all of whom were in the middle of a heated fight. Joanna was halfway out of her seat and was turned around facing Sirius behind her, her wand pointed at his face. Lily was standing in front of James's desk, her arms were stiff and rigid at her side and her hands were in tight fists. Professor McGonagall stared furiously at them, her nostrils flared.
"SIT DOWN! ALL OF YOU!" Jo hastily turned around and shoved her wand into her robes, fuming. Lily glared at James, who was smiling sarcastically at her and stomped over next to Jo and took a seat, her face red and her eyes bright.
"Immature behavior! I would have expected better, five points from Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall said angrily as the class gave a collected moan. Lily spun around in her seat and shot James a very rude look. "Now that these four," she waved an impatient hand at Lily, Joanna, James and Sirius, "have decided to act their age, I have something important to tell you all."
"We have been informed that there is a new event that will be taking place this year. The Emeraude Ball is a chance for our school to exercise traditions that have not been seen for a while. The Emeraude Ball will take place on February the fourteenth. The ball is only open to fourth years and above --- dress robes must be worn. It will start at exactly eight o'clock and will end at midnight in the Great Hall. Understand this---"
Professor McGonagall surveyed the class seriously.
"The Emeraude Ball is to be handled with much responsibility and any--- misbehavior---" At this, many of the girls lapsed into silent giggles, covering their mouth and smiling sheepishly. Jo nudged Lily and grinned. Shirley eyes widened and closed her mouth tight, staring determinedly at Professor McGonagall, and trembling with laughter. Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and continued curtly.
"Any misbehavior I will deal with personally. This is a time for you to all act mature and---associate--- with your fellow pupils, as well as experience the traditions of Hogwarts."
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"That's Valentines day, that is! Oh how romantic!" Shirley squealed, throwing her things down on one of the large armchairs later that night. Lily rolled her eyes and sat down, pulling out her Astronomy chart. Jo smiled and also flopped down, her dark eyes dancing in the firelight. The unexpected announcement from Professor McGonagall has sent sudden whispers and murmurs flying.
"Why don't they all get a hold of themselves?" Lily said annoyed as a group of fifth years girls giggled loudly in a far corner of the common room.
"Oh Lily, why do you always have to be so...so down right bothered by people who are happy?" Shirley asked crossly.
"I'm not bothered! It's just that it is a stupid ball, for heaven's sake."
"Well, don't go. Stay back and let us enjoy it," Jo said sardonically.
"By the way, who are you thinking of going with?" Shirley questioned, her blue eyes moving with eagerness. Jo pondered for a moment then shrugged.
"I duno. I reckon I'll go with the first git who's brave enough to ask."
"Yeah, I guess, me too," Shirley said dreamily. Lily and Jo exchanged raised eyebrows.
"What about you Lily?" Jo asked. "Thinking of going with Potter?"
Lily jerked her hand so bad, her ink bottle went flying and smashed, oozing ink over the table and carpet.
"Potter?!" She spluttered. Jo nodded. "What would even possess you to think---?" Jo stared at her for a moment then shrugged and turned back to her homework. Lily gaped at her then shoved everything into her bag quite erratically.
"I'm turning in," She said tersely.
"Lily, she was only asking, she didn't really mean it seriously---" Shirley said quickly.
"What if I meant it seriously?" Jo interrupted heatedly.
"Oh please, Lily and James? They would rip each other heads off before they even got to the ball," Shirley retorted.
"I AM STANDING RIGHT HERE!" Lily yelled loudly. The entire common room went quiet. She huffed and swung her bag over shoulder, stomping away towards the dormitories. She had her foot on the first stair when she heard the portrait hole open and "OY! Lily!"
Lily sighed and cursed her bad timing. James, Sirius, and Remus had just walked in from dinner. If she had only walked a bit faster...
"Going so soon?" James asked, coming up behind her.
"Yes, Potter," she said and shot Jo a hot glare. "I've had enough."
"Aw, come on Lily! The party has just begun!" Sirius joked, falling back on the sofa. Many of the girls sitting in the common room had looked up and were now gazing stupidly at Sirius who lay on the sofa, hands behind his head and his hair falling elegantly in his eyes. Jo snorted loudly from the armchair by the fire. Sirius's head snapped onto her.
"What, Reeves?"
Jo looked up thoughtfully.
"I am just wondering how much brains you do actually have in there, or is it just all hot air?
"You really can lay on those insults. Does it come naturally, or do you practice?" Sirius said coldly.
"Oh I save those especially for you," Jo responded, batting her eyelashes.
"So, Lily...how did your day go?" James asked her to her back. Lily didn't turn around.
"Quite fine, actually, until you showed up," She said.
Lily felt him step up next to her.
"Don't hesitate to use my name," James said quietly.
Lily studied the ground for a moment. Then, without another word, she strode away to the girl's staircase. James ran around and jumped in front, blocking her way up the staircase. Lily stopped short and rolled her eyes at him.
"Potter, I am really not in the mood---"
"Say it." He challenged.
"Excuse me?"
"Say my name---"
"Move, Potter---"
"My first name."
Lily just looked at him, her temper steadily rising.
"Excuse me, James, let me through," She said in a strained whisper. Again the word felt unusual and rare to her tongue.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" He asked innocently, putting a hand to his ear.
"Move, James...now," her voice was quivering now. James persisted.
"What?" He said his voice louder and clearer. The common room had gone close to silent, except for Jo's and Sirius's insults flying back and forth by the fire. Lily squared her shoulders.
"JAMES! MOVE OUT OF MY WAY!" She pushed past him and stomped up the staircase, slamming the dormitory door shut. The entire common room, even Jo and Sirius, was looking at James. He smiled broadly and bowed to the room.
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The weather became darker and colder as October came along. Bitter cold winds had the students huddling in small groups outside of classes and the rains were drenching and icy. The grounds were very colorful with all the different colored leaves and trees. Frost would paint the grounds every morning and the castle would rattle with the cold. Many of the students would bring their heavy winter cloaks to class, in attempts to stay warm. But as Halloween drew closer, so did the prospect of the first Hogsmeade trip.
Lily, Shirley, and Joanna walked into breakfast the morning of Halloween, just as the post owls were flying in. It was a partially cloudy day, the crisp blue sky peeking out through the clouds. Not watching where she was going as she made her way to empty seats, Lily walked headlong into someone. She yelped and fell, landing hard on her back. Rubbing her side tenderly, two hands grabbed her and heaved her to her feet.
"I am sorry, Lily, didn't see you there," Michael Donahue smiled down at her.
"Oh, no it's my fault," Lily said rubbing her side more.
"But you were just the person I was looking for," he said.
Michael Donahue was a seventh year as well, in Ravenclaw. He was the seeker for the Ravenclaw quidditch team. Tall and handsome, Michael had bright blond hair and dark brown eyes that were somewhat dull and monotonous, in Lily's opinion. He was wearing dark brown trousers and a dark blue jumper. Many of the girls fawned over Michael, and he took that to heart....and a little too much to his head.
"You were looking for me?" Lily asked.
"Yes," Michael said quickly. "I was going to ask...well what I mean is that....do you want to go t Hogsmeade with me today?"
Lily was taken aback slightly by this question.
"Umm, sure, why not. Yes I will go with you," Lily answered brightly.
"You will? Oh that's great! I will meet you in the Entrance Hall later?" Lily nodded and he walked over to the Ravenclaw table, his friends smacking him on the back.
Lily sat down across from Shirley and Jo and poured herself a glass o pumpkin juice.
"What was that about? What did Michael want?" Jo asked, taking a bite of bacon. Lily smiled at her food.
"Oh nothing, he just asked me to go with him to Hogsmeade with him today and I accepted."
Shirley clapped her hands and squealed, her blond curls bouncing. "You do know he is one of the most wanted boys, and you got him!"
"Don't kid yourself, why would anyone want that?" Jo retorted, running a hand through her long, brown hair.
"Excuse me?" Lily snapped.
"I was just kidding, he's decent, I suppose. Anyway, I wonder what James will say when he finds out."
"Finds out what?" James asked from behind Jo. He sat down next to her and across from Lily, pouring himself a glass of juice. Sirius sat down next to Lily and Remus next to him.
"Yeah, finds out what?" Sirius and Remus chimed in.
"Nothing," Lily said hastily.
"Lily's got a date to go to Hogsmeade today," Jo responded simply.
"Joanna!" Lily hissed.
James was in the middle of drinking his pumpkin juice; choked and spewed it all over Sirius.
"Hey! Watch it! Spray that somewhere else Prongs---"
James wiped his mouth and stared incredulously at Jo.
"What! When? WHO?" Lily opened her mouth, but Jo spoke first.
"Just now, Michael Donahue, he asked her after they collided into each other."
Lily stared fiercely at Joanna, who didn't look up but continued eating. James rounded on Lily.
"That brainless git?! The Ravenclaw seeker?!"
"He is not brainless! He is very sweet and very smart!" Lily snapped.
James snorted. "Smart? That oaf couldn't magic himself a new brain if he wanted to."
"And you're any better, are you?" She yelled furiously.
"Yeah I reckon I am."
Lily suddenly stood up, her food flying everywhere. Her eyes flashed dangerously."No," her voice trembled with fury. "Your not; your worse. Think you can tell me who I can see and who I can't? You are seriously mistaken."
With that, she spun on her heel and marched out of the Great Hall. Heads turned to watch as she strode out, her fire red hair flying behind her.
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Lily huffed and puffed her way back up to the dormitories so she could change into some warmer clothes. She pulled on her dark blue jeans and an emerald green sweater she had. She was still cursing James when she made her way back down to meet Michael in the Entrance Hall. She saw him waiting off to the side, smiling and waving at his friends. Lily took a deep breathe and gathered herself together.
"Hi," Michael said.
"Hi," Lily said breathlessly.
"Shall we get going?" Michael asked uncertainly.
"Yes, lets," Lily said defiantly, spotting James staring at her from across the hall.
They made their way across the hard grounds, a crisp breeze ruffling their hair. Lily was disappointed to see that she and Michael didn't have many things in common. They talked about things like teachers, homework, and Michael talked on and on about Quidditch. Lily was never the biggest fan of Quidditch, so she found herself losing attention. A little ways back, Jo was walking with Shirley who was on tip toes to see how Lily and Michael were progressing.
"I can't see---oh there she is! She doesn't look too interested---she's dazing off---oh I hope he's not talking about Quidditch---oh I don't know."
"Shirley I really don't need the commentary," Jo chuckled.
"But they do make...erm...a nice couple" Shirley said hopping up and down. Jo shrugged. Shirley stopped jumping and looked at Jo.
"Whats wrong with you today?"
"Nothing, just thinking," Jo replied.
"About what?" Shirley asked. Then her eyes lit mischievously. "About---who?"
Jo's head snapped up. "W-what do you mean, who? I'm not thinking---"
"Right, I know that face. I won't be fooled," Shirley scoffed exasperatedly. Jo grinned at the ground. Shirley nodded impatiently.
"So come on! Which on is it? Which one of the three?"
Jo looked astounded, trying to suppress a grin. Shirley leaned forward and Jo whispered in her ear.
"I knew it! I knew it!" Shirley shouted, punching the air.
"Shhhh! Will you keep your voice down?" Jo hushed. Shirley covered her mouth and fell into a fit of giggles.
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Lily and Michael stood outside Zonkos, both shivering with the cold. They had walked around Hogsmeade, stopping here and there to enter a shop for warmth, or to look in the shop windows. Lily's teeth were chattering and her face was rosy red from the wind. She dearly wished that they would get something warm to drink.
"Do you want to get something to drink at the Three Broomsticks?" Michael asked, noticing her shudders. Lily nodded keenly, and they made their way over to the little pub. Michael draped his own cloak around Lily's shoulder, in effort to keep her from shuddering. It was a bulky cloak and it was a little too big for her, she kept stumbling across the hem when she would walk.
A small bell tinkled when they pushed open the doors to the pub. It was crowded and Lily had to weave in and out of people to make her way over to a table. They found a table near the wall and Lily waved to a couple of the people she knew. Michael went and brought two butterbeers back, smiling happily. They sat, sipped their butterbeers, and talked for a little while.
Lily was listening to Michael talk about Quidditch again, when she heard the tinkle of the bell and she felt a small gust of chilly wind. Remus, Sirius and James had all walked into the pub, red-faced and laughing. They took a seat at a table a little ways away from where Lily and Michael sat. She sunk low into her seat, trying to hide herself from view. Black had gone to get drinks, while James sat with Remus and talked and laughed casually.
"Lily, are you okay?" Michael asked, as Lily turned sideways in her seat, her back to the Marauders.
"What? Oh, I'm fine---yeah," Lily said distractedly. She peered over her shoulder. Sirius had sat down and was talking to Remus; James scanned offhandedly people in the pub. His eye caught on a blond boy, sitting across from a dark red head---Lily---his Lily.
"Come on, mates. An opportunity awaits us," he said abruptly to Lupin and Sirius. Sirius groaned.
"We can't go one bloody moment without Prongs jumping out of his knickers at the sight of Evans."
"Oh damn," Lily hissed as the Marauders made their way over to them.
"Why, hello there!" James said a slight edge to his voice. Michael glared at him and moved closer to Lily.
"Shove off, Potter," he warned. Lily looked at Michael, her brow furrowed. She didn't know he could be so...so controlling.
"Watch it Donahue, or I might have to hex you. Then you wouldn't be able to play in the match this Saturday. But that's doesn't really matter, you wouldn't win anyhow." Sirius said coldly, James sniggered next to him. Lily shot him a livid look.
Michael stood up and advanced on them. Lily jumped up and grabbed Michael's arm, holding him back.
"No, stop! Come one, let's go. I have had enough. I am getting sick from all the intoxicating smell," She glared furiously at James and pulled Michael towards the door. She defiantly didn't want a row to break out in the pub, in front of so many people.
"I would watch your back, Potter," Michael shouted over his shoulder, Lily still tugging at his arm.
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Joanna and Shirley met up with Lily in the Great Hall at the Halloween feast that night. The Halloween feast was always something Lily looked forward to. The Hall was decorated magnificently. Tall jack-o'-lanterns floated high above the heads of the students, candle light emitting from the daunting faces carved on the pumpkins. Live bats fluttered around the ceiling and the Hogwarts ghosts soared in through the walls and tables.
Both Jo and Shirley asked how Lily's day with Michael had gone after they had sat down. Lily sighed and told them about what had happened in the Three Broomsticks.
"So you wont be seeing him again, I assume?" Jo asked eyeing her.
"No, I don't think so."
Jo nodded casually.
The food was spectacular, as always. The three girls all had seconds and were feeling tired and full to the brim when the feast was let out. They were yawning and laughing with each other as they made their way out of the Great Hall and into the entrance hall with the crowd. Lily was dragging her feet up the marble staircase when she heard her name called above the crowd. She turned and saw Michael jumping up and down behind the flow of people. She groaned loudly.
"You guys go ahead, I will let him down softly," Lily said to Jo and Shirley. She pressed her way to the side of the staircase and waited while everyone pushed past and up the stairs.
"Hi," Michael said when he got to her.
"Hi---" As she smiled at him, he bent down and kissed her clumsily on the cheek. She was so taken aback by this; she turned rigid. He stood up and smiled at her. Lily mustered a false smile and stared around her, hoping no one was in the entrance hall.
To her horror, just as Michael had chosen to kiss her, James was walking up the staircase and stopped, rooted on the stair just below Lily and Michael.
"Can we go somewhere---private?" She pulled Michael's arm and hurried past James, keeping her head down. As they headed up the staircase and turned a corner, Lily glimpsed James, a look of deepest pain painted clearly on his face as he watched her run out of sight.
Lily dragged Michael up more flights of stairs and down a corridor close to the kitchens. She stopped and put her hands on her knees, panting.
"Why did we have...to...run...so far?" Michael gasped.
"Because," Lily said. She panted for a moment then took a deep breath, here goes nothing. She stood up to face Michael.
"Michael, I don't think that it will really work out, sorry," she said quickly. Michael just stared at her. And stared at her. And stared at her some more.
"Michael?"
"Sorry, shocked, I guess." He dropped his eyes. "You don't think so?"
Lily shook her head, embarrassed. Michael nodded in understanding.
"I can take a hint, thanks. I guess---I'll---I'll see you around then." Lily bowed her head, and he walked off shamefully. Lily sighed, that wasn't the best feeling. She walked slow and troubled back towards the Gryffindor common room.
She was walking down a dark, deserted corridor, when a sudden noise made her stop. She looked up and scanned the corridor around her. A low, humming snigger was coming from somewhere deep in the corridor.
"Hello?" Lily spun around as the snigger became louder. "Who's there?" Her heart was beating quickly, her breathing uneven.
"Mudbloods shouldn't walk the corridors after dark......all alone," a cold voice whispered in her ear. Lily whipped around and came within inches of Severus Snape's face, leering at her from the darkness. She gasped and stumbled over the hem of her robes. Snape laughed, cold and mirthless.
"Not so brave now are you? Don't have Potter---"
"I don't n-need saving!" Lily said boldly, attempting to cover up her shakiness. Again, Snape laughed. His laugh echoed deep into the corridor, reverberating off the stone walls. Lily silently prayed someone would hear.
"Don't need saving? Let's see---" He whipped out his wand and aimed at Lily. She plunged her hand into her robes.
"Locomotor mor---!"
"Protego!" Lily shouted, before he had even finished.
His eyes widened and glistened with malice.
"You can pick up a wand too, very clever," Snape said taking a menacing step forward. Lily stood her ground.
"Get back to your common room, Snivellus."
"What did you say to me, Mudblood?" he hissed. He acted so fast, Lily only had time to scream. There was a blinding flash of light and she was lying on her back, throbbing with pain. Her head felt like it was going to burst. Snape laughed from above her. She got to her feet, shaking violently.
"Ahh, does the filthy mudblood feel pain? I didn't know muggles could feel the pain of magic."
"I am a witch," Lily whispered, her voice cracking with rage.
"A witch who can't defend herself; your better off a filthy, little muggle."
Lily threw her wand out.
"IMPEDIMENTA!"
Snape deflected the jinx magnificently and advanced on Lily, his wand aimed at her chest. She took a terrified step and felt the hard, stone wall behind her. Snape smiled, leering, and parted his lips. There was a loud BANG and an explosion of smoke erupted.
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Hey guys I hope you liked this!! I'm really sorry it took so long to put it out! I'm working on the next one as fast as I can!!! Gimme reviews, it helps me to write faster!
Love, FireboltPrincess