Chapter 26 "Underneath it all" by marauderyears
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to it, J.K Rowling does.
Note: I can breathe easier now because the last chapter seemed to go over pretty well... BTW, there is one cuss word in this chapter, I hope it doesn't offend you...
Annmarie Aspasia- I'm so happy that you think it's good! Yay!
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dweem-angel- That's what I hoped people would say! Glad you think he's adorable!
milkywaypnay37- Yes, Sirius is quite entertaining...in an embarrassing way, lol.
Katkit- Yes, I agree!
lil-ch-angel- Thank you very much. I didn't say where Lena was and I should have. Let's just say she was either at Hogwarts relaxing, or in Hogsmeade shopping.
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Hello? Mary- Yes, my computer made me really mad, lol. Wow, you have a lot of ideas! Thanks for them, I'll see what I can do...hint hint. I obviously can't say what I'm going to do because that would spoil it...Anyways, if you'd like I could show more about the Marauders, whatever you like. Have you read my other fic yet? Drop a review and tell me what you think of it. I'm just curious. It's different from this fic though...
Lily's POV
I knew that the next day I had a big smile because my face was starting to hurt. I noticed Lena, Frankie, and Alice sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. I waved to them and headed over to them.
Frankie looked up- amazing, considering he had stopped his conversation with Alice- and grinned at me.
"Hey Lily, how was your date with James?" I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Lena had snapped her head up as Frankie said this.
I blushed a little. "It was very nice."
"Yes it was." James said, sliding into the seat next to me. Sirius and Remus also sat down with us.
James smiled at me and started to eat his breakfast. I felt his knee brush up against mine and I felt like my heart had skipped a beat. It must have been on accident because he blushed and mumbled an apology.
James turned to me. "So Lily do you want to take a walk with me?"
I nodded, smiling. His eyes are beautiful...hazel. They have more green in them than brown, but enough brown to make them hazel. I could feel both his friends and mine watching us as we exited the Hall.
He led me to the lake and we walked in comfortable silence for a bit.
"So Lily...I forgot to tell you that we have rounds starting tonight. Professor McGonagall told me to tell you. So we'll patrol from 9 till' 11."
I stopped and turned to him. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot that we had to do that..."
James laughed. "Yeah, I would've too had Professor McGonagall not reminded me."
"But that's not the reason you asked me to walk with you, is it?"
He smiled. "Nothing gets passed you, huh?"
I flipped my hair around my shoulders. "Nothing."
He cleared his throat as I waited for him to continue.
Back in the Great Hall...
Sirius and Remus watched as James and Lily walked out of the Great Hall.
Sirius grinned. "What do you suppose their doing?"
Remus rolled his eyes. "Probably off to snog somewhere."
Sirius' grin widened. "You know we could easily embarrass them..."
Remus shook his head. "No way. We are not going to do that..." Remus grinned. "At least not yet."
Sirius patted Remus' back. "Thatta boy, Remus. I knew you had it in you."
"Do you suppose they are really snogging?"
Sirius and Remus looked at Lena and both shook their heads. "Nah, of course not. Lily would probably punch him."
"Or kick him."
Lena frowned. "Why would she do that?"
Remus raised an eyebrow. "You know Lily. She'd never snog him after only the first date."
Sirius nodded. "She'd probably even keep her virginity intact until her wedding night..." He shuddered. "I am so glad that I don't have morals."
He picked up a biscuit, and shoved it into his mouth. Remus smacked him on the back of the head, causing him to spit out the biscuit. He rubbed his head. "Must you be so violent?"
Remus picked up some bacon. "It's my job."
"Well I fire you."
"You can't do that-"
Frankie looked up. "Well technically he can because he's the boss."
Remus frowned. "Who said he's the boss?"
"Well if it's your job to look after him, than can't he fire you?"
This argument continued on for quite awhile...
James' POV
I shouldn't stall anymore; it's just making me more nervous. I cleared my throat again.
"Um Lily?"
"Yes?"
Here goes nothing. "You know how we have the Halloween Ball in a few weeks?"
She nodded.
I scratched my ear, nervously. "Well maybe...do you think...do you want to go to it with me?"
She smiled. "Sure, that'd be nice."
I felt myself let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding.
"But it's a little early isn't it, to be asking people? We haven't even organized it or told anyone about it yet..."
I felt my face heat up. "Well, I know...but sooner or later it's going to accidentally leak out...and I just wanted to ask you before anyone else did..."
She nodded. "Do you think we could sit, I'm kind of tired of walking around this lake?"
I took a seat next to her on the dewy grass. She started to pull at a few blades of grass.
"I had a really nice time yesterday, thanks again for taking me to Hogsmeade."
I blushed. "Anytime... If you want maybe we could go out again?" I felt my stomach twist as I awaited her answer.
"I'd like that." She leaned over and kissed me lightly on the cheek. Her lips were soft and warm, exactly how I remembered them from the other night. I didn't want her to only kiss me; I wanted to kiss her, too.
I leaned over to her and placed a light kiss on her cheek. I felt my lips tingle at the feeling. She blushed. And I'm sure I did, too. I've never felt so...giddy around a girl. I had to use a lot of self control to not grab her and snog her senseless. I don't think she'd like that. At least not yet...
After a moment of silence, Lily spoke. "Do you think we should show our plans to Professor Dumbledore?"
I silently sighed. She was always thinking about work. Never fun. "I guess. We have time right now if you want to go see him."
Lily stood up and pulled me to my feet. "Yes, that's exactly what we should do."
"We?"
"Well your Headboy aren't you?"
"I was the last time I checked."
She laughed and we walked across the grounds, heading to the front doors. I pulled the door open and held it open as Lily walked through.
"Wow...aren't we the gentleman?"
I walked up next to her and pinched her side lightly, making her squirm away. "Yes, I am."
"Gentlemen don't tickle Fair ladies."
"Well I'm not like any gentleman you've ever met..."
She smiled. "No, you're not."
We continued through the halls but stopped when we heard suspicious laughing and voices.
"...I learned that curse today...like it?" Laughter erupted as we heard a squeal of fright.
Lily's POV
I could feel anger bubbling. I walked around the corner to see a group of sixth and seventh year Slytherins surrounding a first year...Hufflepuff? I'm not sure.
The group looked up at me, menacingly. I took out my wand and pointed it at them.
"What are you doing to this first year? Let her go."
They just laughed a very eerie laugh. I felt my hand shake nervously and than I felt rather than saw James walk next to me, pointing his wand at them. Suddenly I felt a little stronger than before.
James took a second to eye the scene.
"What the fuck do you think your doing?"
One bulky Slytherin grinned. "Teaching this disrespectful first year a lesson. Why? What are you going to do about it?"
I glared at them. "50 points from Slytherin...each."
They laughed mockingly at me, making my face turn red from anger.
"Sorry but we don't take lessons from lowly mudbloods-"
In a split second James had disarmed and flipped the Slytherin upside down. "APOLOGIZE!" He roared angrily. The group of surprised Slytherins recoiled slightly.
I placed my hand on James' wand arm (he was shaking from anger) and gave him a look that made him put the Slytherin down. I guess I've been fortunate enough to never see James Potter actually angry. That was the first time I've ever seen him lose his temper. Usually he controls it. I have to admit that even I was afraid of his anger. He better watch out because I have a temper, too. As he well knows.
The Slytherins slinked away as they realized that they were under the wrath of the two most hot tempered people in the school. The first year thanked us.
James knelt down to her level. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
The girl shook her head. She looked on the verge of crying (and I would be too, if I was her...) so I knelt down and hugged her.
"There are some people in this school who have low self esteem and they think that they will be cool if they pick on younger kids. Unfortunately you were the one to come across them." I said.
James stood up. "Here we'll take you to Professor Dumbledore's office. We were heading in that direction, anyway."
We walked with her to Dumbledore's office. After saying the password to his Gargoyle statue, we knocked on the door and he let us in.
"Aw Miss Evans and Mr. Potter. I wondered when I'd be seeing you." He looked down at the first year and smiled. "And Miss Gabriella, it is nice to see you. What brings you three to my humble home?" He motioned to his office with many sleeping portraits on the wall. The girl named Gabriella giggled.
"Please, please take a seat."
The three of us sat down, facing Dumbledore. James briefly retold the story. Dumbledore quietly nodded.
"Ah, I see. Unfortunately this is not the only case of bullying I've had. I'll have to talk with their Head of House about this." He lowered his gaze to Gabriella. "The Nurse will want to see you up in the Hospital Wing." Gabriella nodded and thanked James and I as she left the room.
Dumbledore smiled down at us. "Well I assume that wasn't the only reason you came to visit me."
I nodded and handed him our parchment. "We...err...had a few ideas for this year. We thought that maybe a Halloween Ball would be in order..."
Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Ah yes. Halloween. My favorite holiday. Although, I rather like Boxing Day. And March 11th."
I felt myself smile. James frowned. "What's on March 11th?"
Dumbledore shrugged. "Nothing. It's just always seemed like an especially fun day."
James turned his laugh into a hacking cough. Smooth James, real smooth. A few minutes later after we had shared the rest of our plans with the Headmaster, me and James were dismissed.
James smiled. "I think that went rather well, don't you?"
"Yes, but I've never really liked Halloween."
"The idea of the walking dead scare you?"
I laughed. "Oh yes. I'm absolutely petrified."
He grinned. "No need to worry when I'm here!"
I smiled. "Actually, that just makes me worry even more."